Autoridades chilenas investigan inusual presentación de botulismo en lactantes

Causa preocupación reporte de 3 casos en un corto período de tiempo.

En el presente año a la fecha sean notificados 3 casos de botulismo en lactantes,  enfermedad grave que afecta principalmente el sistema nervioso de los menores, paraliza los músculos, lo que puede alterar su respiración  o actividad cardiaca y puede llevarlos a la muerte. La enfermedad es causada por la acción de una neurotoxina  producida por el patógeno  Clostridium botulinum y en pocos casos por Clostridium butiricum y Clostridium baratii. En Chile es un trastorno poco frecuente y la aparición de varios casos en tan corto tiempo no ocurría al menos hace 15 años, según lo informado por Departamento de Epidemiologia del Ministerio de Salud.

Además de lo inusual de la situación, al equipo de epidemiólogos investigadores le llama la atención que dos de los 3 casos hayan ocurrido en corto lapso de tiempo y en dos lugares distintos (Valparaíso y Santiago). Ambos niños de 5 meses de edad (un niño y una niña) tenían un patrón común, habían consumido miel;  el primero la consumió en estado natural y la segunda  como antiséptico bucal “miel de bórax”. Se infirió que esta podía ser la principal causa de la enfermedad; dado que la miel puede contener esporas.

Sin embargo el Instituto de Salud Pública, determinó  que en ambos casos no había  relación entre el consumo de miel y botulismo que afectó a los menores, por lo que el equipo de epidemiólogos sigue investigando en la causa  que los enfermó. A pesar que esta “Miel de Borax” no tenía relación con este caso de botulismo,  se retiró del mercado porque se encontró otra especie de Clostridium, que no debía estar presente en el producto.

Tanto el ministerio de Salud como los especialistas en el área indicaron que los padres de niños menores de dos años no deben administrarles alimentos como miel o conservas caseras; ya que el riesgo es elevado.

El ex ministro de Salud Jaime Mañalich señaló  que “el botulismo es una enfermedad de notificación obligatoria” (decreto Nº 158 de 204) es decir cada vez que aparece un caso debe ser informado a nivel central para que  la autoridad monitoree la situación. Comenta además  que el primer brote informado en el país ocurrió en 1973, cuando un grupo de monjas consumió porotos verdes en una conserva casera y varias de estas fallecieron.

Situación en Chile:

De 2004 a 2013 se han enviado 24 muestras de casos sospechosos de botulismo al Instituto de Salud Pública (ISP), de las cuales 7 resultaron positivas a Clostridium botulinum. El mayor número de casos fue en 2005, con dos personas afectadas; luego vino un período sin casos y entre 2011 y 2013 hubo un caso en cada año.

Fuente: http://www.economiaynegocios.cl/noticias/noticias.asp?id=153665

Aporte: Claudia Soto Peña

Why do Americans waste so much food?

Americans throw away nearly half of their food every year, waste worth roughly $165 billion annually.

The study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that the average American family of four ends up throwing away an equivalent of up to $2,275 annually in food. Even worse, there is evidence that there has been a 50 percent jump in U.S. food waste since the 1970s.

It’s especially troubling that at the same time, one in seven Americans, more than 46 million people, including 12 million children, don’t know where their next meal is coming from, according to a study by Feeding America.

Meanwhile, the rest of America continues to throw away unspoiled nutritious food. If we cut our food waste even by a third, there would be enough food for all those people who must rely on food banks and hand-outs to be fully fed.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a typical American household discards 40 percent of fresh fish, 23 percent of eggs, and 20 percent of milk, in addition to plenty of fruits and veggies. We do this because we buy more than we can eat, so the food goes bad, or our meals are just too big to eat. We also swear too much by “sell-by” and “use-by” dates; these are not federally regulated and do not indicate safety, except on certain baby foods. Most foods can be safely consumed well after their use-by dates. (Here’s a guide to help you decipher what those labels mean).

When I first moved to the U.S., I couldn’t believe how huge restaurant portions were. Clearly, these runaway portion sizes in the American food industry exacerbate the waste issue.”From 1982–2002, the average pizza slice grew 70 percent in calories. The average chicken Caesar salad doubled in calories, and the average chocolate chip cookie quadrupled,” the NRDC study reveals. 

As NPR reports, farming practices also account for some food waste. Peter Lehner, from the NRDC, explains that if food isn’t sold to the best buyer, it can end up in a landfill. “anywhere from 1 percent to 30 percent of farmers’ crops don’t make it to market,” says Lehner. “The prices for fresh fruits and vegetables can go up and down quite a bit, and farmers may plant thinking they will get one price, but, by the time harvest comes around, there’s another price, and it’s not even worth it for them to get to the market.”

Source: http://www.nrdc.org/food/files/wasted-food-ip.pdf

Campylobacter still threatens a third of UK population

Reducing the numbers of the most highly contaminated birds would cut the public health risk by about 50%.

 Campylobacter could infect a third of the UK population at some stage during their lifetime, according to figures just released by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The figure was based on the current infection rates of more than a quarter of a million people a year, the FSA said.

The FSA disclosed the figure to mark the start of 2015’s Food Safety Week. The move also coincides with the launch of the FSA’s ‘Chicken Challenge’ – its call to the whole food chain to halve the number of campylobacter food poisoning cases by 2016.

Biggest cause of food poisoning Campylobacter is most frequently found on raw poultry and is the biggest cause of food poisoning in the UK. An estimated 280,000 currently fall ill with Campylobacter food poisoning every year.

This research showed that reducing the numbers of the most highly contaminated birds would cut the public health risk by about 50%, the FSA claimed. That would save thousands of people a year from falling prey to a painful form of food poisoning, which, in some cases, could result in Guillain-Barre paralysis.

The FSA has been leading the industry on reducing Campylobacter contamination and is currently conducting a yearlong survey looking at the levels of campylobacter on fresh completely chilled retail chickens and their packaging. In partnership with farmers and producers, through to caterers and retailers, all parts of the food chain have been working to meet the 2015 target.

Now, up to a third of us could fall ill with Campylobacter at some point in our lives. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to reduce that figure. If everyone lives up to their promises – the FSA, consumers, and the industry – then this really can happen, hugely reducing the number of people who get ill every year.

Source: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/150128.htm

Are You FSMA Ready?

Forming FSMA steering team and bring in key stakeholders regularly to align and discuss key gaps.

FSMA was signed into law by President Barack Obama in January 2011, the food industry as a whole has been closely monitoring the many pieces of this legislation that affect our food supply chain. Included in the law itself are a number of regulations that FDA must issue to provide a roadmap to foodborne illness prevention.

What tools can you use to plan effectively and logically for increased regulatory scrutiny throughout the supply chain? The answer is education, collaboration, planning and diligence.
Education: A company must take the time to dedicate resources to understanding the requirements as well as understanding which stage of law making each requirement is currently in. This takes time but is very important, as it can assist in the overall, long-term strategy on compliance. Be a constant student of FSMA and watch for opportunities to interact with regulators and others through industry forums.
Collaboration: This is key to successfully preparing for the new requirements internally.. Consider forming a FSMA steering team and bring in key stakeholders regularly to align and discuss key gaps and action plans. Communication and organization for compliance are critical. Remember if one retailer fails with regard to food safety, it affects consumer trust for all retailers. We must work together.
Planning: This is probably the most challenging piece of FSMA implementation, especially if a company has waited until now to begin the journey towards compliance. There are many pieces that must come together to meet the new requirements.
Diligence: Stay the course! Continue to meet with your steering team. Update the company on the status of the pieces of legislation. Visit each affected area of the company and identify who can assist in managing the message. Be consistent in your delivery of the status and the next steps required. Encourage stakeholders and provide guidance and assistance. Gradually, you will begin to see movement.
It is no secret that FSMA compliance takes resources, money and time. It also takes expertise and good planning. This is one example where starting from the top level in your organization and working down makes the most sense.

Source: Sharon P. Wood, M.Sc., is the director food safety, technical services and regulatory affairs at H-E-B supermarkets.