RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 155 / B1 = 139 / B1 = 90.6 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts for birdfeed from Nigeria in the UK
RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 10 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the Netherlands
RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 5.72; Tot. = 6.72 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio paste from Italy in Germany
RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 6.9 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched groundnut kernels from Brazil in the Netherlands
Alderman Farms Sales Corporation, Boynton Beach, Florida is recalling one pint containers of Certified Organic Cherry Tomatoes because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e. infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
This recall notice is being issued out of an abundance of caution.
No illnesses have been associated with the product.
The hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms berries sold at Costco has sickened at least 37 people in six states and raised a lot of questions. One of them is how does food become contaminated with hepatitis A?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the Hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxdant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix. Now 49 people are sick with acute Hepatitis A in seven states. And eleven people have been hospitalized. The numbers are most likely going to change every day.
Harris Teeter is recalling frozen mixed berries that may be contaminated with hepatitis A. The Matthews, NC-based grocery chain said Tuesday that it is removing Harris Teeter Organics Antioxidant Berry Blend from its stores out of an abundance of caution because its berry supplier is Townsend Farms Inc. which has been associated with an outbreak of hepatitis A that has sickened 37 people in six states. That product contained mixed berrie and pomegranate seeds.
Posted in CDC, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Poisoning, Recall
Tagged environment, food, health, medicine, restaurants, science
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about one in six Americans gets food poisoning each year. Additionally, virus infection risks from consumption of raw oysters in the U.S. are estimated to cost around $200 million a year.
To address the issue of health risk from eating raw oysters, Texas A&M University graduate student Chandni Praveen, along with Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist Dr. Suresh Pillai and a team of researchers from other agencies and institutions, studied how electron-beam pasteurization of raw oysters may reduce the possibility of food poisoning through virus.
Other entities involved in the study included the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and University of Texas School of Public Health-El Paso regional campus.
Pillai said that the study showed if a serving size of 12 raw oysters were contaminated with approximately 100 hepatitis A and human noroviruses, an e-beam dose of 5 kGy (kilograys) would achieve a 91 percent reduction of hepatitis A infection risks and a 26 percent reduction of norovirus infection risks. A kilogray is a unit of absorbed energy from ionizing radiation.
Manx health officials have issued a hygiene warning after several people tested positive for illnesses normally associated with handling livestock.
About five cases of Cryptosporidium and Campylobacter have been reported on the island during the past three months.
It is thought some of those affected may have been involved in helping farmers to rescue livestock after heavy snow last month.
Food Safety Manager Ivan Bratty said simple precautions must be taken.
“These recent cases serve as a timely reminder of the importance of thorough hand washing after handling livestock and before preparing or handling food to prevent infection and the spread of disease in the community,” he said.
“It is also important for anyone suffering from diarrhoea to avoid swimming pools as Cryptosporidium can survive in chlorinated water”.
Cryptosporidium is a disease that is very common in young farm animals and can easily be passed to people who come into contact with those animals- it can lead to sickness and diarrhoea, but is rarely a serious condition for healthy people.
RASFF – Foelie from Indonesia infested with moulds in the Netherlands
RASFF – High count of Escherichia coli (between 130 and 980 CFU/g) in fresh peppermint from Cambodia in Norway
RASFF – Hepatitis A virus (ongoing investigations) in mussels (Mitylus galloprovincialis) from Slovenia in Italy
RASFF – Norovirus (presence) in clams from Portugal in Spain
RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 5.5 µg/kg – ppb) in satay sauce from Sweden
Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Clams, E.coli, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hand Washing, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall
Tagged food, medicine, transportation
Foodstuffs has recalled a batch of its fresh trevally fillets after they are suspected to have given two people histamine poisoning.
According to the Ministry for Primary Industries website, histamine, or scombroid, poisoning is due to a buildup of toxins that occurs when certain types of fish, including kahawai, mackerel, tuna, bonito and butterfly kingfish, have not been chilled adequately.
Symptoms can include tingling and burning around the mouth, facial flushing, diarrhoea, skin rash, nausea, abdominal cramps and vomiting, and can last for 12 hours.
Foodstuffs has initiated a voluntary recall of their in-store processed trevally fish fillets sold before March 6 and with a best before date up to March 7.
A spokeswoman said two people had potentially contracted histamine poisoning as a result.
Affected products were sold in New World, Pak’nSave and Four Square stores throughout the Upper North Island.
HPA welcomes move to put antibiotic resistance on the national risk register
11 March 2013
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) welcomes the move by England’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Professor Dame Sally Davies to add antibiotic resistance to the national risk register.
Its addition to the risk register will mean that this issue will be given full attention by politicians here in England as well as the G8 and World Health Organization.
This announcement was made at the launch of the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer – Infections and the rise of antimicrobial resistance which was published today.
Figures from the HPA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Reference Laboratory show that in 2003 there were three samples which tested positive for antibiotic resistance compared to 800 in 2012.
It is this dramatic rise in the numbers of cases that warrants active intervention not just from Government but also from healthcare institutions, the pharmaceutical industry, patients and the general public to address this very serious problem.
Victoria’s chief health officer Dr Rosemary Lester said there has been a three-fold increase in gastro cases after hot weather sparked people seeking to cool off at public swimming pools.
She urged those who have had diarrhoea not to go into a swimming pool for at least 14 days after symptoms had stopped for fear of passing on the bug.
Dr Lester said the cryptosporidium gastro parasite could not be killed by normal levels of chlorination.
“Cryptosporidiosis is typically caused by swallowing contaminated water, household contact with a case and contact with farm animals,” she said.
Authorities are working with swimming pool owners to implement extra measures to kill the parasite.
Symptoms included watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting, Dr Lester said.
Dr Lester urged sufferers to shower before swimming to avoid infecting others, with children and the elderly particularly at risk.
There were 155 Victorian cases of gastro caused by the cryptosporidium parasite last month, three times the February average of 53.
Pregnancy is an important time for mother and baby. There are many things to consider when choosing and preparing food. This booklet is designed to help you make the best choices for you and your baby.
What you should know –
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FoodWorld 