Poland reveals foodborne infection data for 2022

Posted on August 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

According to recently released data, Salmonella remained the top cause of food poisoning in Poland in 2022 despite the number of infections declining.

Findings come from a report on inspection work in 2022, including controls over the safety of food, published by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS).

In 2022, 6,221 Salmonella infections related to food were confirmed. This is down from the previous year when 8,014 cases were recorded.

As part of the multi-country monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to Ferrero chocolate, intensified supervision was carried out from April to December 2022. A total of 87 suspected cases were reported, and of these, 38 were sequenced, but none belonged to the outbreak.

Poland’s battle to control Salmonella is well-documented. Data from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed Network (RASFF) for 2022 shows 190 Salmonella reports concerned poultry meat products from the country, although this is down from 2020 and 2021, and most reports were made by Poland.

The number of establishments operating in the food sector under the supervision of authorities exceeded 560,000, an increase of more than 17,000 compared to 2021.

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UK -FSA assesses the use of Listeria guidance after the outbreak

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Most hospitals and social care sites are aware of Listeria guidance from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) but an analysis has found several challenges around implementation.

In a 2019 outbreak associated with pre-packed sandwiches supplied to hospitals in England, seven patients died of listeriosis.

Following this incident, the FSA said it would review its 2016 listeriosis guidance. The research was commissioned to look at awareness, implementation, and perceived effectiveness of the guidance, including barriers to implementing it in full.

The recent report covers findings from 39 respondents within National Health Service (NHS) Trusts and 445 from Health and Social Care (non-NHS Trust) settings, such as nursing homes, home care service providers and hospices, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

An online survey was sent to all NHS Trusts in the three nations between November and December 2021. In the majority of cases, the survey was completed by the catering manager, who was responsible for food safety. IFF Research carried out the survey of non-NHS settings by telephone. Fieldwork took place in August and September 2022. IFF Research interviewed the person with overall responsibility for food safety — this was often the general manager.

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Posted in Death, food death, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak

Russia – 76 poisoned by kebab in Russian city – Salmonella

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Big News Network

Dozens of victims, including children, were hospitalized with suspected salmonella poisoning

More than 70 people got food poisoning after eating shawarma in the Russian City of Vladimir, according to Rospotrebnadzor, the federal regulating agency for surveillance on consumer rights protection and human wellbeing.

In a statement released on Saturday, the agency confirmed that in just two days, twenty more people sought medical help for the illness “associated with consumption of shawarma,” thus bringing the total number of affected to 76, including 19 children.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella

Spain sees E. coli and Listeria infections rise in 2022

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Spain recorded an increase in E. coli and Listeria infections in 2022, according to recently released figures.

In 2022, 633 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections were reported, as well as eight imported cases. This includes 620 confirmed and 13 probable cases. The number rose from 426 cases in 2021.

The highest incidences in 2022 were observed in children younger than 5 years of age, being higher in girls than in boys, according to data from the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network (RENAVE).

A total of 134 hospitalizations were reported and six people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infections that causes kidney failure. Four of these were younger than the age of 3, one was 10 years old, and the other was an 84-year-old adult.

Three deaths were recorded: one child younger than 3 years old who had HUS, and two adults aged 65 and 93.

For imported cases, two were younger than 10 years of age, and the rest were aged between 22 and 60.

Information on serogroup causing infection was available in 80 cases of which 67 corresponded to O157. One was O107, another was O128 and 11 were recorded as non-O157.

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Posted in Death, E.coli O128, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food death, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, O107, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – Potential E. coli contamination prompts supplement recall

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Global Vitality Inc. of Chandler, AZ, is recalling Food Research International brand “Uro Kid Support Capsules” and “Serious Brain Enhancer Capsules” because of potential E. coli contamination.

According to the details posted online by the FDA, the recall was initiated on July 13, 2023, and is ongoing.

The product was distributed to a single consignee in California. The consignee was not disclosed.

Recalled products:

Food Research International – Serious Brain Enhancer Capsules

  • Packaged in glass bottle
  • 90 capsules per bottle
  • 12 bottles per case
  • Product Quantity: 2975 bottles total
  • Code Information: Item # B6506,  Lot #9231, Product # DRR6506-90VC, Best By 10/25

Food Research International – Uro Kid Support Capsules

  • Packaged in glass bottle
  • 90 capsules per bottle
  • 12 bottles per case
  • Product Quantity: 2975 bottles total
  • Code Information: Item # B6517, Lot #9237, Product # DRR6517-90VC, Best By 01/26

Anyone who purchased the recalled product should immediately dispose of it and not consume it.

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Posted in E.coli, food recall, product recall, Recall

USA – Food Lion issues recall on mixed vegetables, sweet corn due to possible listeria contamination

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

ABC11

Saturday, Food Lion issued a recall of its Food Lion Mixed Vegetables and Food Lion Super Sweet Cut Corn.

The grocery store chain said the items are being recalled due to possible Listeria Monocytogenes contamination.

Customers who purchased the affected products are urged not eat the recalled items.

According to the company, this recall only includes the following two products:

  • Food Lion Mixed Vegetables16 ounce | UPC 0003582600509Purchase dates: Between Jan. 19, 2023, and Aug. 19, 2023
  • Food Lion Super Sweet Cut Corn16 ounce | UPC 0003582607985Purchase dates: Between Nov. 7, 2022, and Aug. 19, 2023

If you or someone you know have either or both of the recalled items, should return it to their local Food Lion store for a refund equal to double the purchase price in accordance with Food Lion’s “Double Your Money Back Guarantee.”

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes

USA – FDA issues advisory over Darwin’s Natural Pet Products over Salmonella concerns

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a cautionary advisory to consumers, urging them not to feed their pets specific lots of raw cat food and dog food produced by Arrow Reliance Inc.’s brand, Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. The agency’s move comes after samples from the affected lots tested positive for Salmonella contamination.

The FDA’s advisory was spurred by the potentially severe health implications these contaminated pet food lots can cause for both animals and humans. Salmonella infections can lead to serious illness, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and young children. Since the affected products are typically stored frozen, the FDA is particularly worried that people might still have them and unwittingly feed them to their pets.

The FDA identified the potentially hazardous products as follows:

  • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs, Lot 9774, manufactured on June 13, 2023.
  • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9795, manufactured on June 28, 2023.
  • Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats, Lot 9830, manufactured on July 19, 2023.

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Posted in FDA, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pet Food, Pet Food Salmonella, Pet Food Testing, Salmonella

USA – Tacoma restaurant’s milkshakes linked to listeria outbreak that killed 3

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Komo News

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Listeria bacteria found in the milkshakes at a Tacoma restaurant have been linked by health officials to an outbreak that hospitalized six people and killed three.

According to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), investigators found foodborne listeriosis in the ice cream machines at Frugals, located at 10727 Pacific Avenue South. The machines were not cleaned correctly, and no other Frugals restaurant are believed to be affected, the DOH said.

The Tacoma Frugals stopped using its ice cream machines on Aug. 8, but listeria can affect people up to 70 days later, the DOH said.

Genetic fingerprinting of bacteria in the shakes showed the same strain of listeria that hospitalized six people — five from Pierce County and one from Thurston County — between Feb. 27 and July 22, according to the DOH. All six had conditions that made their immune systems “less able to fight the disease,” the DOH said. Three of the six died, the DOH added, and two people who were hospitalized but survived said they ate the milkshakes before getting sick.

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Posted in Death, food death, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria Ice Cream, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak

USA – CDC isolates specific strain of E. coli that is of great concern O157

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a strain of E. coli bacteria that it considers persistent and causing illnesses over a long period.

An article in the September issue of the publication Emerging Infectious Diseases describes a strain of E. coli O157:H7 that caused a large outbreak in late 2019. The outbreak included 167 patients and hospitalized 85 people from 27 states. The outbreak was associated with consuming romaine lettuce from Salinas Valley, CA.

“Researchers at CDC sought to characterize E. coli from this outbreak and other closely related strains. This strain is estimated to have emerged in late 2015, causing multiple outbreaks from 2016-2019,” according to the article.

“An additional outbreak associated with this strain was detected in late 2020 after the conclusion of this study in which a reported 40 infections occurred in 19 states; 20 people were hospitalized, and four developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. CDC defined this strain as a reoccurring, emerging, or persistent strain causing illness over an extended time.”

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – Norovirus outbreak that sickened more than 300 people linked to an ill food handler at restaurant

Posted on August 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

ABC News

The source behind a norovirus outbreak that sickened a few hundred people last year has been identified, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report looked at the outbreak in Tazewell County, Illinois, which includes part of Peoria, which saw 317 people fall ill, all of whom dined at a restaurant — referred to as restaurant A — between Nov. 19, and Nov. 26, 2022.

Investigators with the Tazewell Health Department and Illinois Department of Public Health concluded the outbreak was likely caused by a sick food handler at the restaurant who had ungloved contact with salad, toppings and dressings during food preparation.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food handler, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hand Washing, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, outbreak