New Campylobacter screening method improve outbreak detection

porA gene seems to be a good indicator of the uniqueness of a specific strain.

In a new study, a team of California-based scientists shows that by targeting and analyzing a specific gene in Campylobacter jejuni, labs can screen dozens of isolates of the bacteria to find the handful most likely to be the source of an outbreak.

Unlike other enteric bacteria, such as E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter is so diverse in a farm environment that many different strains can be present in just a few samples.

This genetic diversity makes it hard for scientists to link a human Campylobacter infection to its source, since the leading method of bacterial analysis — pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) — is time-consuming and labor intensive, and therefore difficult to perform on more than a few isolates at a time.

For this study, researchers zeroed in on one gene in Campylobacter, called porA, which has been suggested to be a good indicator of the uniqueness of a specific strain.

The team collected samples from two different California dairies that were the sources of Campylobacter jejuni outbreaks linked to milk, and conducted porA sequencing on over 100 isolates found in cow feces and water runoff at these locations.

Campylobacter outbreaks are rare. The majority of Campylobacter infections occur as sporadic cases not linked to other illnesses; thus opportunities to study a Campylobacter outbreak are none too common.

Through porA analysis, the researchers narrowed this set down to a group of 8 most likely to match the outbreak strain.

At the second farm, which was ground zero for a 2007 Campylobacter outbreak raw milk that sickened 11 people, a total of 34 C. jejuni isolates were collected. These were narrowed down to a set of 17 likely candidates by porA sequencing. Using this screening method to prioritize isolates, knowing that it was going to be too expensive for the state to test many Campylobacter isolates using PFGE,” explained Jay-Russell.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis; the California Department of Public Health; USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service. It appears in this month’s issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

Source:  Food Safety News

In Canada, 29 Cases of E. coli 0157:H7 associated with KFC and Taco Bell

Contaminated lettuce originally came from California.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (CFIA) is investigating an E. coli outbreak that has now sickened at least 29 people. The outbreak is located in the eastern of Canada in the Maritimes province  and Ontario,  and the latest evidence in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s food-borne illness investigation indicates that the most probable cause of the E. coli O157:H7 is shredded lettuce distributed by FreshPoint Inc. primarily to some KFC and KFC-Taco Bell restaurants. The products were not distributed to grocery stores.

The source of contamination has not been determined, but the lettuce originally came from California. U.S. officials have been notified of this outbreak. Public health officials are investigating to see if food safety controls were followed at each step along the production and supply chain. The reported illnesses occurred between late December and early January. 

The CFIA continues to lead the coordination of the investigation into this outbreak in close collaboration with its health and food safety partners. There are 6 cases in New Brunswick, 10 in Nova Scotia and 13 in Ontario. The majorities of cases has recovered or are recovering. Additional cases of illness may be identified and linked to this outbreak in the future.

The E. coli O157 food-borne illnesses are not uncommon in Canada. In recent years, an average of about 440 cases of this type of E. coli infection was reported annually in Canada. In April 2012, 18 sick with E. coli O157:H7 from romaine lettuce in Canada and California from Amazing Coachella Inc. out of California. In October 2009: 4 sick with E. coli O157:H7 from lettuce served at a Wendy’s in Ontario. October 2008: E. coli O157:H7 in romaine lettuce in Ontario at 3 restaurants Johnathan’s Family Restaurant, Little Red Rooster and M.T. Bellies. August 2008: Aunt Mid’s iceberg lettuce sickens 3 with E. coli O157:H7. September 2006:  Dole Baby Spinach sickens 1 with E. coli O157:H7.

The CFIA recommend always remember the proper hygiene and safe food handling and preparation practices are key to preventing the spread of all foodborne illnesses, including E. coli. Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of foodborne illness.

Contaminated foods may look and smell normal. It is important to ensure that you wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them, and cook meat to a safe internal temperature.   

Source: CFIA www.publichealth.gc.ca

Aporte: Pedro Valenzuela G.

FDA releases two long-awaited Food Safety Rules

The public will have 120 days to comment the two rules mandated by the FSMA

After a year-long delay, two sweeping new food safety rules that will for the first time mandate produce safety standards and preventive controls nationwide will be released today and published to the Federal Register on Monday, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“It’s a big deal that these two are coming out because it’s the central framework for prevention,” said Michael Taylor, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, in an interview with Food Safety News. “We’re eager to get to the next phase of the process.”

The two rules were mandated by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) — a law that aims to shift the U.S. food safety system from being primarily reactive to focusing on prevention — which President Obama signed into law, with broad bipartisan support, exactly two years ago.

Since the law was enacted, the FDA has failed to keep up with the multiple deadlines set by Congress, in large part because the measures proposed by the agency were under review at the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of International and Regulatory Affairs for more than a year — a delay many stakeholders blamed on election politics.

It is still not clear exactly why the Obama administration’s review took so long (OMB officials have long maintained the rules are just complex and take time). According to Taylor, the OMB’s cost-benefit analysis, which will soon be posted online, found that the economic benefits from the two new rules are much greater than the expected costs to the food industry.

“There are significant benefits that well exceed the estimated costs,” said Taylor, adding that preventing outbreaks and the health care costs associated with them is actually one small part of the expected economic benefit. “There’s a great benefit in reducing the disruption to the markets, the loss of sales, and the loss of consumer confidence each time a major foodborne illness outbreak strikes.”

The agency has made full drafts of the proposed rules, which are lengthy, available online. The public will have 120 days to comment and then the rule will go through the normal rulemaking process, which could take several months.

It will likely take time for stakeholders to review the proposed rules, as the agency has not yet released an overview of what exactly would be required under the proposal, but the early reactions were unanimously positive.

One of the key elements of the proposed rule for produce focuses on water. If a farm is applying water to the edible part of the crop, it will likely have to meet a microbial standard, or explain why such a standard isn’t relevant to that specific product.

Source: FoodSafetyNews

Listeria blamed for US smoked salmon recalls

L. monocytogenes contamination continues to drive a wave of US smoked salmon recalls.

The latest incident concerned Chilean supplier Procesadora de Productos Marinos Delifish. On December 31, the company voluntarily recalled cold smoked salmon products marketed in the US, produced from lots 249 to 291 and manufactured between September 5 and October 17 2012.

Fortunately, no complaints or illnesses were reported. However, this is merely the last in a long line of recalls, all linked to Listeria monocytogenes. On December 23, Multiexport Foods recalled smoked salmon sold in Wal-Mart retail subsidiary Sam’s Club’s stores in 42 US states and Puerto Rico.

USA Ocean Beauty Seafoods: Just nine days before this, Ocean Beauty Seafoods recalled 371 cases of ready-to-eat cold smoked salmon after internal samples tested positive for Listeria contamination. The product, which was imported from Chile, was sold in 12 US states.

One month before that, Michael Gourmet Delicacies recalled its Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon sold in 

USA Florida Whole Foods stores after the Florida Department of Agriculture identified Listeria in one sample. And on November 9, 2012, Spence & Co, based in Brockton Massachusetts, recalled 1,563 packs of New York style Nova Lox after Listeria was discovered during routine product testing.

UK Two people sick: Two people were taken sick as a result, it is believed, of the contamination. Roy Betts, head of microbiology at UK food research and development firm Campden BRI, said the US zero tolerance policy to Listeria in food would have an effect on the frequency of recalls. By contrast, the EU allows tolerable safe levels of Listeria in product.

The pathogenic Listeria can generally be killed by thorough cooking and proper food preparation, but smoked salmon is often eaten raw, creating greater risk of transmitting the infective bacteria to consumers.

Heat treatment: Betts added: “Smoked salmon is treated with different types of heat process, which would have an effect on killing microorganisms.”

Survey results issued in September by Hutchison Scientific, the School of Natural and Computer Sciences,

University of Aberdeen and Chilled Food Associates pinpointed areas vulnerable to Listeria contamination in smoked fish factories. Drains, skinning machines, brine injection units and fish slicers were all listed as particularly susceptible. Plant workers could also spread the pathogen from area to area via their hands or equipment, the study found. It analyzed irradiation, high pressure processing and pulsed light technology as ways to remove L. monocytogenes contamination.

Source: Food Quality News

Nuevo Reglamento de la Ley de Etiquetado de los Alimentos

MINSAL lanza advertencias que deberán incluirse en  alimentos envasados

El subsecretario de Salud Pública, Jorge Díaz, dio a conocer este sábado 5 de enero el nuevo Reglamento de la Ley de Etiquetado de los Alimentos que establece cómo será la advertencia que deberá colocarse en los alimentos envasados que presenten altos niveles de nutrientes considerados críticos como sal, azúcares, grasa saturada y calorías.

Dicha normativa se someterá a consulta pública en la página web del Ministerio de Salud www.minsal.cl

La autoridad, junto a la directora del Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos de la Universidad de Chile (INTA), Magdalena Araya, presentaron modelos de envases de alimentos con la propuesta que se someterá a escrutinio, la que contempla un símbolo similar a un disco pare (octágono) con la leyenda Alto en Sal, Alto en Calorías, Alto en azúcares o Alto en Grasa Saturada, según corresponda. La elección del modelo se hizo sobre la base a un estudio de evaluación de mensajes de advertencia encargado por el Ministerio de Salud al INTA.

Asimismo el testeo concluyó que la figura del octágono se identifica de mejor manera por la población como advertencia. La propuesta de advertencia plantea que ocupe no menos del 20% de la cara principal del envase y que se ubique en el extremo superior derecho del mismo.

En la oportunidad el subsecretario Díaz explicó que el rotulado de alimentos tiene como objetivo fundamental la educación de la ciudadanía. “El mostrar a la población de una manera muy sencilla, didáctica y visual, aquellos elementos que le permiten tomar una decisión positiva”  especialmente para quienes son portadoras de alguna enfermedad crónica como los diabéticos, obesos, hipertensos,  o quienes tienen problemas con el colesterol.

Fuente: Foods News Latam

Delifish S.A. recalls product because of possible Listeria monocytogenes risk

No other products supplied by Delifish or Marine Harvest USA are involved in this case

Potential Listeria-positive products have been identified and we can confirm that Delifish S.A. has issued a voluntary recall of cold smoked salmon products potentially containing Listeria monocytogenes placed on the market in the USA produced from lots 249 through 291, manufactured between September 5 2012 and October 17, 2012.

There have been no complaints or illnesses reported. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can affect immune depressed individuals especially pregnant women can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Product was possibly distributed in the CA, VA, OH, IL, FL, GA, TX, DE, NJ, NY, PA, and Puerto Rico and reached consumers through retail stores. The voluntary recall is carried out as a precautionary measure in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is based on Listeria detection in a few of the recalled batches. No other products supplied by Delifish or Marine Harvest USA are involved in this case.

The US FDA has a zero tolerance for Listeria in products intended to be eaten without prior heat treatment. In EU the tolerance limit for such products is up to 100 bacteria/gram.

Listeria control thus has a very high attention in our company with strict internal standards and routines. We therefore take this issue seriously and are taking these measures to assure that products supplied by Delifish are healthy and safe for our customers and consumers.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-877-479-8085 for more information including how to return the product for a full refund.

Source: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm333681.htm

US hit by two fish recalls

The US has been hit by two separate fish recalls linked to Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes in the space of a week 

True Taste is recalling hot smoked vacuum packaged Rainbow Trout, Whitefish, Herring, Mackerel, Salmon Steak and Cold Smoked varieties Mackerel and Whitefish because they could be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.
Ocean’s Beauty Seafoods is recalling Nathan’s Brand Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon 3 oz and LASCCO Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon 4 oz.

Botulism in True Taste fish

True Taste of Kenosha, Wisconsin, issued a market withdrawal on 18 December and it affects products with production dates beginning on 1 January 2012 to the current date.
Potential for contamination was identified after routine samples collected by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection found that the product did not meet the 3.5% minimum requirement for water phase salt.
Sample analysis reported water phase salt concentrations of 2.2% (hot smoked white fish); 3% (hot smoked herring); and 3.4% (hot smoked rainbow trout).
The recalled product is vacuum packaged and can be identified with either the True Taste Label in California and Illinois or the Lowell Foods Label in Illinois.
It has a white sticker applied to the package with the first set of numbers representing the date of processing and the second set of numbers representing the best if used by date.
No illnesses have been reported as yet but Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.

Nathan’s brand linked to listeria

Ocean Beauty Seafoods is recalling 371 cases of ready-to-eat cold smoked salmon products because of possible contamination by Listeria monocytogenes.
The recalled products, made in Chile, were distributed to retailers from 20 November to 12 December.
The potential for contamination was noted after internal testing by the company revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in samples.
No other Ocean Beauty products are included and there have been no complaints or illnesses reported.
Lascco 4 oz Nova Salmon with the UPC 072840017517 involves 96 cases of fish and Nathan’s 3oz Nova Salmon 073030803682 involves 275 cases.

Fuente: http://www.foodqualitynews.com

Amish Wisconsin Raw Milk Trial due to Campylobacter jejuni contamination

The public needs to be educated about the dangers of raw milk

16 people, including at least 9 children, were sickened by raw milk contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni served at a 4th grade school event in Wisconsin. The same strain of Campylobacter was found by health officials in unpasteurized milk (raw milk) produced at a local farm, according to officials from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Western Racine County Health Department.

A parent served raw milk from the farm at the school event. This highlights one of the problems with raw milk: most people do not know that raw milk is a dangerous product that can cause serious injury and death. A man, who drank raw milk contaminated with Campylobacter, developed a serious neurological case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and is now paralyzed. He can’t even breathe on his own. 

The public needs to be educated about the dangers of raw milk.  Unfortunately some raw milk advocates comment that raw milk is safe while health officials point to raw milk as the source of the outbreak. The evidence proves the former are wrong.

In the meantime stool samples submitted to the WRCHD by ill students and adults were sent to the State Laboratory of Hygiene where they tested positive for the pathogen Campylobacter jejuni.  Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) food inspectors collected milk samples from the bulk tank at the farm, all tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni.

Further testing by the State Hygiene lab showed the pathogenic strain isolated from the stool samples and the milk samples matched. Additionally, interviews with event attendees revealed that consuming the unpasteurized milk was statistically associated with illness. Health officials said that this combination of laboratory and epidemiologic evidence indicates that the illnesses were caused by the unpasteurized milk consumed at the school event.

The defendant in a long-awaited trial for raw milk violations in Wisconsin has won a further delay of the proceedings. Vernon Hershberger, the raw milk producer charged with four misdemeanors related to the sale of unpasteurized milk, was set to face trial Jan. 7.

The Sauk County court has to sort out religious-based objections that were raised in briefs filed in his defense because of his religious beliefs, the raw milk dairy farmer says he was raised Amish and still maintains many of those beliefs. The raw milk producer faces charges of distributing milk from a dairy farm with a milk producer’s license, operating a retail food establishment without a license, operating a dairy plant without a license and selling raw milk.

Source: FoodSafetyNews

Rapid tests are less effective in identifying foodborne illness sources

Fingerprinting by PulseNet system is the big difference

New tests that detect common foodborne pathogens more rapidly are less likely to trace contamination to the source, since they provide less specific information than older, slower tests, say public health officials.

As a consequence, sources of foodborne illnesses outbreaks will not be identified as quickly, state epidemiologists told the Scientific American in a report published Monday.

New diagnostic tests for foodborne illnesses caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli have allowed public health officials to drop traditional laboratory testing of blood and stool samples.

The old, slower lab tests, however, were based on a cultured specimen that revealed a pathogen’s DNA “fingerprint,” which could be shared on the national PulseNet system and matched with other cases, often resulting in the source of the contamination being identified.

Timothy F. Jones, Tennessee’s state epidemiologist, told Scientific American that while rapid tests can detect whole classes of Shiga-toxin producing bacteria, and additional bacteria that in the past would have been missed, it won’t produce the DNA fingerprinting needed to by PulseNet in order to identify it as a match with a contaminated food.

Jones says that part is setting public health back to the day before it had the ability to do DNA fingerprinting. It means outbreaks will be underway longer before they are connected to a specific source, meaning more people will experience foodborne illness.

Infectious disease experts say the adoption of the new fast tests by doctors and hospitals mean public health officials will have to find new ways to monitor and track outbreaks.

Source: Scientific American

FSA warns Sunland US Salmonella Bredeney outbreak could reach UK

CDC said 41 people had been infected from 20 states with 63% percent of ill people being children.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned consumers not to eat certain peanut butter based products imported from the US due to the ongoing salmonella outbreak traced to manufacturer Sunland.

An outbreak of the Salmonella Bredeney strain in the US has been linked to peanut butter produced by peanut butter producer, Sunland Inc. Because the product recall has widened, US authorities have now alerted the European Commission to possible distribution of affected products in member states, including the UK.

The Health Protection Agency was not aware of any cases of illness in the UK that may be associated with the outbreak as of yesterday. It is not thought that these products are on sale in the major supermarkets in the UK, but they may have been bought on the internet or from specialist shops that import American food products, said the FSA.

A total of 38 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney have been reported from 20 states. Three new cases have been reported from two states since the last update on October 5, 2012: California (2) and New Mexico (1).

Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from June 14, 2012 to September 21, 2012. Ill persons range in age from less than 1 year to 79 years, with a median age of 7 years. Sixty-six percent of ill persons are children under the age of 10 years. Sixty-two percent of ill persons are male. Among 35 persons with available information, 10 (29%) patients reported being hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after September 13, 2012 might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 41 people had been infected with the Salmonella strain from 20 states with 63% percent of ill people being children under the age of 10 years, in its latest update.

Liz McNulty, from the FSA’s incidents team, said: “Investigations are ongoing, but as we get more information from the US and local authorities in the UK we will be able to narrow down the list products to just those we know have been sold in the UK.

“If consumers have a product made by Sunland Inc. they should check the batch code against the list on US FDA site provided at the link top right. If the product is on the list it should not be eaten and returned to where it was bought.”

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bredeney-09-12/index.html