EFSA Two Workshops on Salmonella in Pigs

Quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) for Salmonella in pigs
After a request from the European Commission for a scientific opinion on “Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment on Salmonella in slaughter and breeder pigs” (EFSA-Q-2006-176) the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) asked its Panel on Biological Hazards to address this request. EFSA launched a Call for proposals in the framework of the Article 36 of its founding regulation. The awarded consortium of EU institutions is carrying out a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) for Salmonella in pigs with the objective to estimate the contribution of EU pig meat production to the burden of Salmonellosis in the EU and to consider the effectiveness of a range of intervention measures across the food chain (from farm to consumption). The Biological Hazards Panel will adopt an opinion based on the report developed by the consortium. A key part of this risk assessment process is to ensure that the most relevant and up-to-date methods of carrying out a risk assessment in general, and for Salmonella in pigs in the EU in particular, are used. Of primary concern is how to develop a fit-for-purpose risk assessment based on EFSA’s terms of reference, in particular ensuring the EU as a whole is represented (allowing for differences between countries) and that those interventions required by EFSA are able to be modelled. Therefore, the awarded consortium (VLA, RIVM, FOOD-DTU) is arranging two consecutive workshops in Copenhagen to gather scientific input from parties with an interest in contributing to this exercise. The first workshop from 21st-22nd April 2008 will focus on the quality and relevance of methods in terms of applicability to the EFSA risk assessment objectives. The second workshop from the 23rd-24th April 2008 will discuss the quality and relevance of data in terms of its applicability to the EFSA risk assessment. We hope you are interested in this workshop and would be willing to attend. This, or any, risk assessment must be fit-for-purpose and a crucial process in ensuring this is making sure we incorporate the most relevant and up-to-date modeling methods. We look forward to hearing from you.
Source: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178686045320.htmAporte: Guillermo Figueroa

EFSA publishes EU Salmonella data

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an Opinion on the contribution meat categories to Salmonella infections in humans.

The document comes in response to a request from the European Commission for a quantitative risk assessment.
Salmonella incidence In 2005, a total of 170,497 cases of human salmonellosis were reported to the Basic Surveillance Network (BSN) from 22 EU Member States (MS). The incidence in the EU was 40.0 per 100,000 population. Foodborne sources of SalmonellaThese include a variety of foodstuffs of both animal and plant origin. Transmission typically occurs when organisms are introduced into the food chain via faecal contamination. During cutting and mincing cross contamination can spread into fresh meat cuts and meat preparations.
Eggs and egg products In the EU, among foodborne cases of human Salmonellosis, eggs and egg products are the most frequently implicated sources. Control of Salmonella in the table egg sector is generally by monitoring and control in breeder and layer flocks. Salmonella levels reported in fresh eggs, raw egg at processing and at retail have generally been steady (usually below 3 per cent). In the Netherlands in 2007, it was estimated that 22 per cent of Salmonellosis cases were because of eggs.

Meats Meats is also an important source of foodborne Salmonellosis, with poultry and pork implicated more often than beef and lamb. More specific conclusions about the relative importance of specific raw meat categories such as fresh meat, minced meat, meat products etc. cannot be made at present, said EFSA.

Poultry In 2005, a number of MS monitored Salmonella in broiler meat at different steps in the production line. Sweden, Finland and Norway have reported very low levels of Salmonella over the last five years. However, compared with 2004, increased numbers of positive samples were observed at slaughter in Italy and Spain, and at processing in Belgium, and, from previously low numbers, in Denmark.

Most countries reported substantial numbers of positive samples; at slaughter up to 9.1 per cent, at processing up to 21.5 per cent (though some MS reported no positives) and at retail up to 18.2 per cent. Of the Salmonella outbreaks reported in the EU in 2005 related to meat and meat products 69 out of 179 were linked to broilers/chicken and 12 were linked to turkey.

Pork In 2005, whilst Salmonella positive samples were found in a relatively high percentage of pig meat, 6 of 20 reporting countries found none. At slaughter positive samples ranged from 0 per cent - 9.3 per cent, and at the processing plant from 0 per cent - 18.4 per cent. In 15 MS, Salmonella in non-ready-to-eat products ranged from 0.3 per cent - 12.5 per cent and generally low percentages in ready-to-eat products. Different consumption patterns are one of the factors that can lead to different exposure in different MS. All countries contained in a table 'Example of meat consumption in the EU (2002)'consumed more pork than beef and sheep, but in varying degrees.Of the Salmonella outbreaks reported in the EU in 2005 related to meat and meat products, 11 out of 179 were linked to pig meat.

Source: FoodProductionDaily.com
Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa

Six Simple Steps to Protect Against and Stop the Spread of Noroviruses.

Norovirus infections are the commonest foodborne disease
Recent outbreaks of norovirus–also known as stomach flu–indicate the highly contagious, fast-moving virus is again a public health concern. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has six simple steps to protect families against noroviruses.
Norovirus is the second most frequent cause of illness after the common cold. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and occur between 24 and 48 hours after exposure. Norovirus can be life-threatening for the elderly and immunocompromised.
APIC’s six simple steps to protect against norovirus include:
1. Practice Proper Hand Hygiene Frequent hand washing is always the best defense. This includes washing hands for at least 15 seconds (sing the happy birthday song twice) or using hand sanitizers containing at least 60 percent alcohol – rubbing until hands are dry.
2. Clean with Bleach If you’ve had the bug, use a bleach-containing cleaner to disinfect all surfaces. Wear disposable gloves, and don’t forget “frequent touch” surfaces like door knobs and light switches. After cleaning, dispose of or sanitize rags in hot water and bleach.
3. Food and Water Safety Avoid joining an estimated 9.2 million cases of foodborne norovirus infections each year by preventing food contamination. Always wash raw food before eating, and don’t eat food prepared by someone who is ill until 2-3 days after symptoms have cleared.
4. Don’t Air Your Dirty Laundry Direct contact with a sick person is not required to contaminate soft surfaces. The norovirus can spread from a contaminated pillowcase to a clean towel in a pile of laundry. To disinfect laundry, wash with hot water and dry on “high.” Add bleach to wash if heavily soiled with vomit or feces.
5. Contain Outbreaks Immediately quarantine those who are sick. Don’t forget to disinfect everything from the washing machine to the bleach bottle, and wear protective gloves while cleaning.
6. Prevent Outbreaks Don’t wait for an outbreak to occur to clean up. Ward off norovirus by maintaining a clean household and regularly disinfecting surfaces.

Source:Source: Association for Professionals in Infection Control

Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa

Wal-Mart adopts new food-safety standards for suppliers

New GFSI real time standards and audit certifications
Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Monday announced a new initiative that will require the chain's grocery suppliers to have their plants certified against one of the internationally recognized Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards.GFSI standards provide real-time details on food-safety practices on a plant-by-plant basis, and go beyond the current FDA or USDA required audit process, Wal-Mart said.

Under the GFSI program, producers of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club private label and other foods sold in the United States, including meat and poultry, must be audited by independently trained, approved and licensed auditors who are experts in their industry."The requirement for suppliers to complete these certifications demonstrates our leadership in food safety and our commitment to global safety standards," J.P. Suarez, Wal-Mart's senior vice president and chief compliance officer, said in a news release. "We are taking this additional step to ensure the integrity of our products throughout the entire food supply chain."

The GFSI requires food suppliers to achieve plant audit certification against one of its recognized standards, which include Safe Quality Food (SQF), British Retail Consortium (BRC), International Food Standard (IFS), or an equivalent such as Global-GAP.

Wal-Mart has published a schedule to suppliers requiring completion of initial certification between July and December of 2008, with full certification required by July 2009. Approved third party auditing companies will complete audits.Internationally, Wal-Mart stores in the United Kingdom (ASDA) and Japan (Seiyu) also require suppliers of food products to comply with GFSI standards.The Global Food Safety Initiative was launched in May 2000 to establish food safety management systems to ensure confidence in the delivery of safe food to consumers.
Source: Meatingplace.com
Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa

Green tea extracts could be meat preservatives

Green tea contain many antibacterial polyphenols

Indian scientists are looking into the potential of green tea polyphenols to stop the oxidation of fat in meat products, thereby extending shelf-life and preventing off-flavours. The research is one of the few studies that look beyond the health benefits of green tea extracts and reports a food formulation application for the polyphenols. "Reports on the use of GTE in preserving foods… is not much elucidated in the literature," explained the researchers, from the Defence Food Research Laboratory in Mysore. The potential health benefits of tea, which have mainly focused on green tea, have been receiving considerable levels of study, with scientists reporting a wide range of effects, including a lower risk of certain cancers, improved heart health, weight loss, and protection against Alzheimer's. But new research reports that the polyphenols may also have a role in food formulation. "Since green tea is consumed by people as a daily beverage all over the world, extracts of green tea may be safe to use in food systems to extend the shelf life," wrote the researchers in the peer-review journal Food Chemistry. Green tea contains between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has been oxidized by fermentation) contains between 3 and 10 per cent. The four primary polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin (EC). The new study used ethanol to produce a green tea extract (GTE), and tested the extract on fresh mutton stored at ambient conditions of 25 degrees Celsius and 85 per cent relative humidity. Lead author K.V. Kumudavally reports that the polyphenol-rich extract inhibited microflora spoilage by up to four days, without adversely affecting the sensorial and physical quality of the meat. Moreover, levels of free fatty acids, associated with spoilage, were significantly lower after four days in the meat preserved with the green tea extract than the control sample - 1.5 versus 4.1 grams per 100 grams, respectively. "GTE treatment could be effectively used to extend the shelf life of fresh mutton for up to four days in Indian climatic conditions, since it significantly inhibits the formation of these lipolytic [fat] and proteolytic [protein] degradation products, which are responsible for sensorial spoilage," wrote the researchers. "Studies show that GTE had a profound bacteriostatic effect on meat spoilage organisms including certain pathogens, indicating that the antibacterial component of GTE supports its practical use for extending the shelf life of fresh mutton for up to four days, at room temperature, without adversely affecting its physical, chemical and organoleptic parameters," they concluded. In 2006, scientists from the University of Minnesota reported the potential of green tea polyphenols to stop the Maillard reaction in thermally processed dairy to prevent dark colours and off-flavours (LWT - Food Science and Technology, doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2006.09.009). Source: Food Chemistry (Elsevier) 1 March 2008, Volume 107, Issue 1, Pages 426-433, doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.08.045 "Green tea - A potential preservative for extending the shelf life of fresh mutton at ambient temperature (25 degrees Celsius)" Authors: K.V. Kumudavally, H.S. Phanindrakumar, A. Tabassum, K. Radhakrishna and A.S. Bawa
Source: http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/

Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa

Probiotics: Live Organisms as Feed Supplements to Fight Salmonella

Probiotic bacteria should replace antibiotics in feed suplements

A new way to reduce Salmonella in poultry before they go to the poultry processing plant: use probiotics instead of antibiotics for treatment of the birds. It’s been a complex path getting to this point, and the procedure still raises some other issues to be considered. Still, the development offers a way that makes it easy on poultry growers and enhances food safety. It’s a matter of incorporating the probiotic into either the water or the feed for the poultry, explained Billy Hargis, director of the Poultry Health Research Laboratory at the University of Arkansas System’s Division of Agriculture. Results from experiments show that administration of the probiotic can reduce Salmonella in either meat-type chicken houses or turkey houses before being transported to the processing plant and reduce the risk of cross contamination among turkeys at the plant. “It’s not a chemical. It’s not a drug,” explained Hargis, who has pursued the research for the Food Safety Consortium. “These (probiotics) are live organisms.” “Another advantage is that we’re talking about organisms that can be produced very cheaply, which keeps the costs of these treatments very low,” Hargis said. That’s partly because the defined cultures from which the probiotics come are tolerant of oxygen, avoiding the high cost of fermenting undefined cultures that can’t grow in the presence of oxygen. Antibiotics have long been popular among poultry producers seeking to keep their birds healthy and to promote the birds’ growth. Pathogenic bacteria that are harmful to humans are increasing the bacteria’s ability to resist antibiotics, but pathogens that can cause animal disease have not built up as much resistance. “The risk factor for antibiotic resistance from food-producing animals is exceedingly low,” Hargis said. But the issue of antibiotic resistance is still becoming a driving force that’s making antibiotics usage for animals less popular, and poultry producers are under pressure to use fewer antibiotics. Alternatives are necessary. Probiotics enter the picture as live organisms that serve as microbial feed supplements for animals to improve their intestinal microbial balance. Hargis’ research group has taken the lactobacillus probiotic, a form of milk bacteria found in the bird, and added it to poultry water or feed. “We can add probiotics to the feed even before pelleting,” Hargis said. “The beneficial bacteria in the feed have tremendous advantages because now we can talk about continuous administration over time. It makes it very simple. It just comes in with the feed.” Replacing antibiotics with probiotics has definite advantages, but there is some tradeoff. Hargis noted that although animal foods won’t be populated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the lack of antibiotics means producers will need to find other ways to promote their birds’ growth. That means giving more feed to the birds to accomplish the task.
The advantages offered by probiotics indicate where the future may be. Hargis cited the new probiotic candidate’s stability even in the presence of the heat generated when feed is being turned into pellets and its overall environmental stability. The major plus is its usage in the feed itself, which makes it part of an ongoing process.
“We’re using it to prevent problems continuously as opposed to treating problems when they occur,” Hargis said.
Source of Article: www.newswise.com/articles/view/537867/
Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa

Listeria Policy Announced by FDA

New policy changes “zero tolerance”
Listeria, a sometimes deadly form of food poisoning, has made news in recent weeks, as Listeria outbreaks have been tied to tainted milk and other ready-to-eat foods. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new draft compliance policy to the control the growth Listeria monocytogenes . the pathogen that causes listeriosis. This is a groundbreaking policy in that this is the first time different policies have been created for foods that do and do not support growth of the toxic organism.
The American Meat Institute (AMI) has long looked to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to adopt a similar science-based policy reflecting international standards adopted by Europe, Canada, and other nations. For foods that do not support the growth of the Listeria monocytogenes, the FDA will revise its tolerance level; the “zero tolerance” standard for ready-to-eat foods that do support the growth of the bacteria will not change. Three draft documents are published in today’s Federal Register, including a draft Compliance Policy Guide that provides guidance for FDA staff on the agency’s enforcement policy, a draft Guidance for Industry on Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Refrigerated or Frozen Ready-to-Eat Foods, and a Notice of a Public Meeting on March 28, 2008 to receive public comments on the proposed changes to the agency’s policy for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in ready-to-eat foods under FDA jurisdiction.
Listeriosis is a type of food poisoning dangerous to the elderly, pregnant women, newborns, and those with chronic medical conditions. Most people experience only mild flu like symptoms.fever, muscle aches, nausea, or diarrhea. In serious cases, the disease spreads to the nervous system, causing headaches, stiff neck, and convulsions. Listeria lives in soil and water and can easily contaminate dairy and beef products; because listeria thrives in cold, milk is an ideal environment. The draft defines ready-to-eat foods that do not support growth of the bacteria using criteria based on the food’s pH and other factors, including a listeristatic control measure. FDA policy does not change and the agency will consider the food to be contaminated when the bacteria is present in foods supporting the growth of Lm during shelf life. Foods that do not support listeria growth will be considered contaminated when bacteria is present or above the new criterion.
“We welcome the Food and Drug Administration’s new draft guidance on Listeria monocytogenes control in foods,” said Randall Huffman, Ph.D., vice president of scientific affairs at the AMI. “AMI will review and provide comments to the agency on this important initiative. Our initial review indicates that FDA’s action appears scientifically sound, will ensure public health and, reflects Listeria control policies in Europe, Canada, and other nations as well as the current thinking within the Codex Alimentarius. Given global food trade, it is important food safety policies be harmonized in this way. We hope that FDA and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service will work toward harmonizing food safety policies in a similar way within the United States. We urge FSIS to follow FDA’s lead on this policy.” Codex Alimentarius was created to protect consumer health, fair food trade practices, promote coordination of food standards work by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.Source of Article: http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2610
Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa

Largest beef recall in history:

The recall of 143 million pounds by the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, based in Chino, Calif.
A California meat company on Sunday issued the largest beef recall in history, 143 million pounds, some of which was used in school lunch programs, Department of Agriculture officials announced. The recall by the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, based in Chino, Calif., comes after a widening animal-abuse scandal that started after the Humane Society of the United States distributed an undercover video on Jan. 30 that showed workers kicking sick cows and using forklifts to force them to walk. The video raised questions about the safety of the meat, because cows that cannot walk, called downer cows, pose an added risk of diseases including mad cow disease. The federal government has banned downer cows from the food supply. Agriculture officials said there was little health risk from the recalled meat because the animals had already passed pre-slaughter inspection and much of the meat had already been eaten. In addition, the officials noted that while mad cow disease was extremely rare, the brains and spinal cords from the animals . the area most likely to harbor the disease . would not have entered the human food chain. “The great majority has probably been consumed,” said Dr. Richard Raymond, the Agriculture Department’s under secretary for food safety. The video was embarrassing for the Department of Agriculture, as inspectors are supposed to be monitoring slaughterhouses for abuse. It surfaced after a year of increasing concerns about the safety of the meat supply amid a sharp increase in the number of recalls tied to a particularly deadly form of the E. coli pathogen. There were 21 recalls of beef related to the potentially deadly strain of E. coli last year, compared with eight in 2006 and five in 2005. No one is quite sure what caused the increase, though theories include the cyclical nature of pathogens and changes in cattle-feeding practices caused by the ethanol boom. The recall on Sunday was more than four times bigger than the previous record, the 1999 recall of 35 million pounds of ground beef by Thorn Apple Valley, federal officials said. It was prompted by a Department of Agriculture investigation that found that Westland/Hallmark did not always alert federal veterinarians when its cows became unable to walk after passing inspection, as required. “Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, F.S.I.S. has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall,” Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said in a statement. F.S.I.S. is the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Technically, the Department of Agriculture does not have the authority to recall meat. However, it can withdraw its inspectors from a plant, putting pressure on a company to issue a recall.
“The reason for doing this is because the plant was not in compliance with F.S.I.S. regulations, and therefore it is an unfit product,” said Dr. Kenneth Petersen, assistant administrator for the F.S.I.S.
Source: USDA http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Recall_005-2008_Release.pdf
Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa

Impacto de las zoonosis en Europa

La campylobacteriosis encabezó la lista de enfermedades zoonóticas en la UE

El número de infecciones humanas por salmonella continúa descendiendo, mientras que las causadas por listeria están aumentando. Esta es una de las conclusiones del informe conjunto que acaban de presentar la Autoridad Europea de Seguridad Alimentaria (EFSA, en sus siglas inglesas) y el Centro Europeo de Prevención y Control de Enfermedades (ECDC) sobre enfermedades infecciosas de animales transmisibles a las personas, que cada año afectan a más de 350 mil personas en la UE.
Durante el año 2006 se confirmaron 175.561 casos de campylobacteriosis en la UE, y 160.649 de salmonelosis. Las cifras, según el informe europeo, indican una débil pero marcada disminución con respecto a las de años anteriores. No ocurre lo mismo con los casos de listeriosis, que han aumentado en los últimos cinco años y que en 2006 afectaba a 1.583 personas. Las conclusiones derivan de la información recibida, durante todo el año 2006, de 24 Estados miembros y cuatro que no lo son (Bulgaria, Noruega, Rumania y Suiza) sobre zoonosis, la resistencia antimicrobiana de los agentes zoonóticos así como los brotes de toxiinfecciones alimentarias.
En total, se han cubierto 17 enfermedades de este tipo, entre las que se incluyen agentes como 'Salmonela', 'Listeria', 'E.coli', 'Brucella', 'Trichinella' y, por primera vez en un análisis de este tipo, se evalúa también la incidencia de otros contaminantes microbiológicos como el Enterobacter sakazakii, cuyos criterios de seguridad ya están establecidos en la legislación comunitaria.
Las zoonosis, enfermedades transmisibles de animales a humanos, se pueden adquirir directamente de los animales o a través del consumo de alimentos contaminados.
Fuente:Consumaseguridad.com
Aporte: Julio Parra Flores

France prioritizes food quality

The French government has created a new body designed to oversee the quality of its food, and to monitor changes in food quality.

The Observatoire de la Qualité de l'Alimentation (OQALI) will initially focus on issues such as nutritional composition and portion size. It will also monitor prices and other factors such as market segmentation.Food manufacturers will be requested to cooperate with the new body to provide information on their products, as required.

The creation of the OQALI was envisaged in the Programme National Nutrition Santé (PNNS) 2006 - 2010 the second phase of a long-term initiative to promote healthy eating and reduce obesity and disease. The programme includes campaigns to raise public awareness of nutritional foods. It also aims to encourage consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and reduce the consumption of sugary, fatty and salty foods.

The OQALI will be used in part to measure the progress of voluntary agreements made between the government and food companies to improve the quality of their products. These agreements - chartes d"engagements de progrès nutritionnel - also form part of the PNNS.

The Ministry of Agriculture announced that the first such agreement was signed this month with dairy spreads firm Saint Hubert (part of the Dairy Crest group). It said that the company agrees among other things, to reduce within two years the use of lipids by 5 to 10 per cent for more than two thirds of production, in particular it intends to reduce saturated fatty acids by 3 - 5 per cent. Three food manufacturing sectors were considered: biscuit production, breakfast cereals and charcuterie. Study of these sectors provided an understanding of how best to obtain the data required.

Source:FoodNavigator.com

Aporte: Guillermo Figueroa