Posts from the "News: Microbial Contamination" category
Pathogen persistence on leafy vegetables
Pathogen persistence webinars:
Dr Jenny Ekman, AHR
FPSC A&NZ monthly newsletter out now!
The October 2020 edition of the Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand newsletter has just been released!
Click here to view the latest newsletter.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in the Fresh Produce Safety community by signing up for the monthly newsletter.
Read Article →FPSC A&NZ monthly newsletter out now!
The September 2020 edition of the Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand newsletter has just been released!
Click here to view the latest newsletter.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in the Fresh Produce Safety community by signing up for the monthly newsletter.
Read Article →IE: Irish authorities probe salad link in crypto outbreak
Food Safety News: Officials in Ireland are investigating an outbreak of cryptosporidium linked to a salad that has affected more than 40 people. The Health Service Executive’s (HSE) Department of Public Health East was notified of an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in the Dublin and Wicklow area. To date, 42 cases have been notified; with the onset of symptoms occurring over a 14 day period from July 15. More here.
Read Article →US: US stores recall onions amid salmonella outbreaks
BBC: US stores are recalling onions over contamination fears amid a salmonella outbreak that has caused over 600 people to fall ill. On 1 August, Thomson International recalled their red, yellow and white onions that had been shipped across all 50 US states and Canada since 1 May. Salmonella cases have been reported in 43 states as well as Canada. More here.
Read Article →SEA: WHO framework targets improved food safety in South East Asia
Food Safety News: The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified key priorities to improve food safety in the next five years in South East Asia.
The Framework for Action on Food Safety in the WHO South-East Asia Region covers 2020 to 2025 and has guidance for authorities across the food chain and those involved in food safety emergencies, preparedness and response. Several countries are included. More here.
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FPSC A&NZ monthly newsletter out now!
The August 2020 edition of the Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand newsletter has just been released!
Click here to view the latest newsletter.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in the Fresh Produce Safety community by signing up for the monthly newsletter.
Read Article →AU: New paper on environmental drivers for pathogenic persistence
A paper has been published on “​Environmental Drivers for Persistence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in Manure-Amended Soils: A Meta-Analysis” by Dao Tran and colleagues at the ARC Training Centre for Food Safety in the Fresh Produce Industry.
The paper, which appeared in the Journal of Food Protection in July, examines 42 primary research studies on pathogen persistence from manure-amended soils, and concludes that “Based on the significant variation observed among individual field studies, it is unlikely the risks associated with the use of manure amendments containing high levels of enteric bacterial pathogens (such as in raw manure) in soils may be solely managed by a uniform exclusion period. Management of the risks associated with the use of soils amended with raw manures is best achieved through risk-based approaches incorporating differences in climate, soil management, and initial levels of bacteria during application.”
While it is recommended that only certified composted organic amendments are used in the production of fresh produce, the message is clear: risk-based approaches taking into account local environmental factors must be used by growers for determining appropriate exclusion periods after using untreated manures. More here.
Read Article →Norway: Spinach suspected in Norwegian Yersinia outbreak
Food Safety News: The source of a national Yersinia outbreak in recent weeks in Norway that affected 23 people is believed to have been salad with spinach or baby spinach.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstituttet) said the Yersinia enterocolitica O3 outbreak was considered to be over.
It started in mid-May and people fell sick from mid to late May. There are 15 women and eight men affected aged 2 to 58 years old. More here.
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US: Fast detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in berries
Fresh Plaza: The consumption of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries has increased worldwide in recent years because these fruits are considered an important source of antioxidant compounds. Unfortunately, consumption of berries is associated with a risk of foodborne parasites, such as Cyclospora cayetanensis.
In the USA and Canada, many cyclosporiasis cases have been linked to consumption of berries, while at the farm level, the presence of this human pathogen in berries is directly associated with the presence of the parasite in soil. For these reasons, it is fundamental that producers monitor the presence of this pathogen on farms and packing facilities.
Conventionally, detection of C. cayetanensis in clinical and environmental samples is based on identification of oocysts by microscopy, following modified acid fast staining or by UV-light autofluorescence under ultraviolet, this technique is time-consuming, non-specific, and lacks sensitivity. To overcome these issues, food producing industry requires a molecular method able to detect a low oocyst concentration (40 – 1500 oocyst per gram) as found in food and environmental samples. More.
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