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Journal of Food Safety
4/09
2008
ISSUE:299
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Internet Journal of Food Safety
Three More Salmonella
Cantaloupe Recalls
Date Published: Tuesday, April 8th, 2008
Source of Article: http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2866
The Salmonella cantaloupe scare is still not over. Three more cantaloupe
recalls have been added to the growing list of recent cantaloupe recalls.
JARD Marketing of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Taylor Fresh Foods, of Salinas,
California; and Fresh Express Foods Corporation, Inc. of Medford Oregon
are all recalling selected fruit products containing cantaloupe from Agropecuaria
Montelibano due to potential Salmonella contamination. Also, those who
recently bought whole cantaloupes from Honduran grower and packer?Agropecuaria
Montelibano?are urged to immediately dispose of these products.
On March 26, 2008, supplier T. M. Kovacevich International Inc., requested
JARD marketing recall all products produced with cantaloupe from Agropecuaria
Montelibano. JARD products are packed in plastic pails or jars and retail
products are packed in plastic cups and trays; the recall affects all
packs and sizes. Recalled products were distributed in Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey,
and Pennsylvania. JARD products include the following brands: Pebble Beach,
Festival Of Fruit, Cornucopia Sweet, Jambo Chef, Fowler Fruit Mix, Instantwhip,
Syracuse Banana, and City Line Food Dist. The pails involved contain specific
coded information: Expiration date information from ¡°Exp Apr 7, 2008¡È
to ¡°Exp Apr 22, 2008 or a Julian Code of ¡°08067¡È to ¡°08082.¡± Plastic jars
under are coded with an expiration date of ¡°Exp Apr 22, 2008¡È to ¡°May
7, 2008¡È or with a Julian Code of ¡°08067¡È to ¡°08082.¡± JARD retail products
containing cantaloupe packed in plastic cups and trays include these brands:
Frosty Fresh, Fresh Hand Cut, Fruit On The Go, Highland Park, Bruegger¡¯s
Bagels, Sid Wainer & Son, Hannaford Brothers, and Garden Highway Plant
# P-005. Plastic cups and trays under this recall are coded with a sell
by date of ¡°3/29/08¡È or earlier.
Taylor Fresh Foods of Salinas, California is voluntarily recalling selected
fresh cut fruit products which may contain cantaloupe from Agropecuaria
Montelibano and began recovering this product on March 22. The Taylor
Fresh product recall includes cut cantaloupe and mixed cut fruit in bowls
and trays of all sizes distributed by Taylor. Retail and convenience store
products were removed from sale in late March; foodservice distributors,
who sell their own brand, have been notified. Labels include: Taylor Farms
Gourmet Fruit Tray featuring Creamy Yogurt Dip, Taylor Fresh Melon Mix,
Taylor Fresh Fruit Mix, Fresh Fruit Tray with Creamy Strawberry Dip. All
Best if Used By Dates before March 30, 2008 are affected; subsequent dates
are not.
Fresh Express Foods Corporation, Inc. of Medford Oregon is voluntarily
recalling cut cubed processed cantaloupe received from C.H. Robinson and
supplied by Agropecuaria Montelibano. The recalled cantaloupe was distributed
to two local restaurants, one hospital, and one retirement center in Medford;
one restaurant in Klamath Falls; and one grocery store?Price Less ¡°Deli
Department¡±?in Cave Junction. All have been contacted. ?Fresh Express
Foods has received product from a new source and will continue to supply
its customers.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, causing diarrhea,
fever, and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours of infection. The illness
lasts a week and most recover without treatment; however, in some, hospitalization
is required. Severe cases can result in arterial infections (i.e., infected
aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis and even death.
Cantaloupe
Tests Positive for Salmonella, But Not Outbreak Serotype
Posted on April 1, 2008 by Food Poisoning Attorney
Source of Article: http://www.marlerblog.com/
David Mitchell of The Packer reported ¡°FDA confirms presence of salmonella
in melons¡±
Cantaloupe from Agropecuaria Montelibano tested positive for salmonella
freetown during the Food and Drug Administration¡¯s traceback investigation
of an outbreak of salmonella litchfield. The FDA issued an import alert
March 22 after traceback evidence linked product from Honduran grower-shipper
Agropecuaria Montelibano with a salmonella litchfield outbreak that caused
50 reported illnesses in 16 states.
FDA spokesman Sebastian Cianci, however, said the agency started to escalate
its melon sampling as reports of illnesses increased. The positive test
for salmonella freetown was taken from an import sample of Agropecuaria
Montelibano¡¯s product on March 12, he said.
The FDA has identified 10 U.S. importers who received cantaloupe from
Agropecuaria Montelibano during the outbreak:
* Bounty Fresh LLC, Miami, Fla.
* C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn.
* Central American Produce Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla.
* Chiquita Brands International Inc., Cincinnati, Oh.
* Dole Fresh Fruit International, Westlake Village, Calif.
* Legend Produce LLC, Firebaugh, Calif.
* Pero Vegetable Co. LLC, Delray Beach, Fla.
* T.M. Kovacevich International Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.
* Tropifresh Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.
* Wuhl Shafman Lieberman Corp., Newark, N.J.
In addition to Chiquita and Dole, brands affected are:
* Chestnut Hill Farms
* Perfect Melon
* Mike¡¯s Melons
* Mayan Pride
FSIS Alerts
ID Warehouses On Policy For Disclaimer or Instructional Statements Concerning
E. coli
April 09, 2008 Source of Article: http://www.meatami.com/
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a letter to identification
(ID) warehouses alerting them that FSIS will not provide identification
services under 9 CFR 350.3 for warehouses to divide bulk units into smaller
units if the product is beef and bears a disclaimer statement or instructional
statement concerning E. coli O157:H7.
Examples of disclaimer statements are "not tested for E. coli O157:H7,"
and instructional statements are "for cooking only." Disclaimer
statements and instructional statements concerning E. coli O157:H7 may
not be applied at an ID warehouse.
Because ID warehouses are not subject to the Sanitation Standard Operating
Procedures (SSOPs) in 9 CFR 416.11-17, the agency believes the potential
for cross contamination exists. Therefore, inspection personnel will detain
product with disclaimer or instructional statements if breaking bulk or
repackaging of product bearing this type of statement is observed at the
ID warehouse.
The agency permits use of the disclaimer and instructional statements
only when the product is destined for another official establishment.
The letter provides conditions that must be met for an establishment to
be allowed to send raw beef products with an instructional or disclaimer
statement concerning E. coli O157:H7 to an ID warehouse.
To view the letter in its entirety, please visit the agency's website
at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/ID_Warehouse_Ltr.pdf
FDA Warns
Consumers about "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega
Formula"
Distributor recalls dietary supplement products after reports of adverse
reactions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to purchase
or consume Total Body Formula in the flavors of Tropical Orange and Peach
Nectar, or Total Body Mega Formula in the Orange/Tangerine flavor. The
liquid dietary supplement products may cause severe adverse reactions,
including significant hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain and
fatigue.
The Total Body Formula products are sold in eight-ounce and 32-ounce plastic
bottles. The Total Body Mega Formula is sold in 32-ounce plastic bottles.
Both products are distributed by Total Body Essential Nutrition of Atlanta.
The company is the sole distributor of the products and has voluntarily
recalled Total Body Formula in the flavors of Tropical Orange and Peach
Nectar and Total Body Mega Formula in Orange/Tangerine flavor.
The Florida Department of Health recently provided reports to the FDA
on 23 individuals who experienced serious reactions to these products
seven to 10 days after ingestion. In all cases, the reactions included
significant hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue.
The FDA subsequently learned and is investigating a report that some individuals
in Tennessee using the same products have experienced similar reactions.
FDA laboratories are analyzing samples of the products to identify the
cause of the reactions, including the possibility that the products contain
excessive amounts of selenium, which is known to cause symptoms such as
those described in the adverse events reported to the agency. Selenium,
a trace mineral, is needed only in small amounts for good health.
The products have been distributed in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
The FDA is advising consumers in all states to avoid using the products
immediately and to discard the products by placing them in a trash receptacle
outside of the home.
Consumers who have been taking the products and have experienced adverse
reactions should consult their health care professional. Consumers and
health care professionals can also report adverse events to the FDA's
MedWatch program at 800-FDA-1088 or online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm.
The FDA is working with the Florida Department of Health in its investigation.
For more information, consumers can call the FDA's toll-free Food Safety
Hotline at 1-888-SAFEFOOD.
USDA names
chicken plants with Salmonella problems
Robert Roos News Editor
Source of Article: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/
Apr 1, 2008 (CIDRAP News) ? As expected, the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) last week began publishing the names of broiler chicken plants
that have had trouble with Salmonella, listing 21 facilities where more
than 10% of samples were found contaminated in recent tests.
Only two plants actually failed to meet the USDA's standard for Salmonella
in chicken: a maximum of 20% of samples contaminated. At the other 19
plants, between 10% and 20% of recent samples had Salmonella, according
to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The plants listed are in 12 states and Puerto Rico. The two that failed
the standard are a Pilgrim's Pride Corp. facility in Ellijay, Ga., and
a Tyson Foods Inc. plant in Center, Tex., according to the FSIS.
The USDA had said in January that it would begin listing facilities with
higher Salmonella rates on Mar 28. The move is part of a control initiative
the USDA first announced about 2 years ago, after several years of increasing
contamination rates. About 16% of broiler chicken samples tested positive
for Salmonella in 2005. The initiative includes a "risk-based"
sampling program, in which FSIS focuses more of its sampling on plants
that have higher Salmonella levels.
The naming of the 21 plants came on the heels of a report in which the
consumer group Food and Water Watch listed 27 broiler chicken facilities
in 17 states that failed at least one round of Salmonella testing between
January 2006 and January 2008 by having a contamination rate higher than
20%. The nonprofit group used a Freedom of Information Act request to
obtain the information from the FSIS.
The group called on the USDA to publish Salmonella testing results for
all chicken plants and to seek legislation to make its Salmonella standards
legally enforceable. The organization also urged the agency not to reduce
the frequency of sampling at plants that have the lowest contamination
rates.
Three-tier rating system
The FSIS sorts chicken plants into three categories according to their
Salmonella test results as compared with the USDA's 20% standard. Facilities
that limit Salmonella to half of that standard (10%) or less in the last
two sets of samples are put in category 1. Those that have Salmonella
in more than 10% but fewer than 20% of samples are in category 2, and
those that exceed 20% are in category 3. A set is a series of samples
collected at one site on successive operating days?51 days in the case
of broiler chickens.
The FSIS's current policy is to name the facilities in categories 2 and
3.
"FSIS intends to post updated results of completed Salmonella verification
sample sets for young chicken slaughter establishments on or about the
15th of each month, beginning in April 2008," the agency said in
its announcement of the move last week. "Each month's posting will
replace that of the previous month."
The agency began naming broiler plants first because they have had the
most trouble with Salmonella, but it is considering publishing results
for facilities that produce other poultry and meat products, officials
said.
Thirteen different poultry companies are represented by the chicken plants
named by the FSIS. Pilgrim's Pride has five plants on the list, while
Tyson Foods has four.
Five facilities appear on both the FSIS list and the Food and Water Watch
list. Four of those are listed by the FSIS as category 2 plants, meaning
that between 10% and 20% of recent samples were contaminated. But their
appearance on the consumer group list signals they had more than 20% contamination
at some point in the last 2 years.
Risk-based sampling
Under the risk-based sampling policy, the frequency of FSIS sampling is
based on performance category. Category 1 facilities are tested at least
once every 2 years and category 2 facilities at least annually, while
category 3 plants may be tested several times a year, USDA officials have
said.
The Food and Water Watch report takes issue with that approach, saying
that good performance in one round of sampling is no guarantee of continued
success. The group's findings show "that passing in one test period
does not mean that contamination levels won't increase beyond the performance
standard in the next period," the report states.
For example, it says, a Perdue Farms facility in Kentucky failed Salmonella
testing in February 2007, with 32 positive samples out of 51 tested, up
from 9 of 51 (a passing score) in December 2005.
"Such results undercut the position of FSIS that passing facilities
should not be retested for 12 to 24 months," the report adds. "With
no government oversight and enforcement, previously good plants may allow
themselves to produce unsafe food over extended periods of time, which
obviously threatens consumer health and safety."
An FSIS spokesperson declined to comment on the Food and Water Watch report.
See also:
FSIS announcement about publication of chicken plants in performance categories
2 and 3
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/Salmonella_Verification_Testing_Program/index.asp
FSIS lists of plants:
Category 2: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Category_2_Broilers.pdf
Category 3: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Category_3_Broilers.pdf
Food and Water Watch report, titled "More Foul Fowl":
Http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/factoryfarms/more-foul-fowl/FoulFowlMarch08.pdf
Feb 6 CIDRAP News story "USDA to name poultry plants with Salmonella
problems": http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/feb0608salmo-jw.html
Food Safety
Conference at Seattle University Draws Experts from the US and Abroad
Posted : Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:39:27 GMT
Author : WA-MARLER-CLARK
Category : Press Release
Source of Article: http://www.earthtimes.org
SEATTLE - (Business Wire) Seattle University School of Law hosts an in-depth
conference titled ¡°Who¡¯s Minding the Store: The Current State of Food
Safety and How It Can Be Improved¡± on April 11th and 12th, 2008. Participants
include international, national and local representatives of government,
the food industry, consumer organizations, scientists, and the media.
Recent years have seen a plethora of food warnings and recalls, raising
new questions about the quality and integrity of our existing system for
assuring food safety. Seattle was the epicenter of the Jack in the Box
E. coli outbreak that sickened 600 and killed four 15 years ago. In addition
to explaining how the present system works, this program is intended to
discuss how changing consumer preferences are affecting the development
and distribution of food, examine whether federal, state and industry
oversight roles are changing, and discuss how the regulatory and judicial
processes can be most efficiently balanced.
Washington Governor Christine Gregoire will present the keynote address.
Featured speakers include Dr. Richard Raymond, Under Secretary for Food
Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Patricia Griffin,
Chief; Enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch, Centers for Disease Control
& Prevention.
In addition, the conference brings together international experts, including
Jorgen Schlundt of the World Health Organization, Qiu Yueming of the China
National Institute of Standardization, Deon Mahoney of Food Standards
Australia New Zealand, Chris Griffith of University of Cardiff Wales,
and Dr. Canice Nolan, of the EU.
For a detailed agenda and registration, visit http://www.law.seattleu.edu/cle/archive/2008/foodsafety.
The program is organized and co-sponsored by William D. Marler, Marler
Clark LLP PS, and Kenneth M. Odza, Stoel Rives LLP.
Press interested in coverage should contact Katherine Hedland Hansen at
206-398-4108 or hedlandk@seattleu.edu. Questions regarding the program
should be directed to Rebecca Parker at 206-398-4282 parkerr@seattleu.edu.
Colorado
Town Makes Progress in Salmonella Fight
Date Published: Wednesday, April 9th, 2008
Source of Article: http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2874
Last month, the water supply in Alamosa?a town in Colorado?became tainted
with the salmonella bacteria, rendering the water there unfit to drink.
To resolve the problem, crews have been flushing Alamosa¡¯s water supply
with chlorine, which has also rendered the water unfit to drink. Because
of the initially high concentrations of chlorine used in the weeks-long
flushing process, the residents of Alamosa were also unable to shower,
wash dishes, or brush their teeth with municipal water.
Since the flushing, none of the tap water samples tested by state officials
contained any salmonella, said state health department spokesman Mark
Salley. According to city clerk Judy Egbert, Alamosa water could be fit
to drink any day now, but added that it will be at least midweek before
the water can be declared safe for drinking.
At least 379 people have had the stomach cramping, diarrhea, fevers and
other symptoms of salmonella infection, Egbert said. Of those, 106 cases
were confirmed with laboratory tests; 15 people have been hospitalized.
People infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal
cramps within 12 to 72 hours of infection. Laboratory testing is required
to determine the presence of Salmonella; additional testing can determine
the specific type and which antibiotics are needed. Generally, the illness
lasts a week and most recover without treatment; however, the elderly,
infants, and people with impaired immune systems may require treatment
and?in some?hospitalization is required because the infection may have
spread from the intestines to the blood stream and other body sites. Severe
cases can result in death if not treated. Waterborne salmonella outbreaks
are fairly rare, said Mark Salley, a spokesman for the Colorado Department
of Public Health and Environment.
Late last month, Alamosa Mayor Farris Bervig wore a yellow shirt when
the water alert went from red?a signal that there was no safe use of the
water?to yellow, which was his code that short showers and doing laundry
were fine. ¡°He¡¯s got a green shirt now,¡± Egbert said. ¡°We¡¯re all ready.¡±
Since March 19th, Alamosa residents have been unable to use tap water
for brushing teeth, washing dishes, drinking, and cooking. Last week,
there was not much the residents of Alamosa could do other than flush
their toilets. Schools and restaurants were closed and the National Guard
was handing out bottled water. The chlorination treatment moved into Stage
2 last weekend with lower chlorine levels that allowed most adults to
take brief showers. The ban on drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth with
tap water will remain in place until the Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment signs off on the water system testing. There is
a five-day turnaround between the samples¡¯ arrival at the lab and final
test results and crews are working to lower chlorine levels so testing
may proceed.
It is not known how the water initially became contaminated with the salmonella
bacteria and, to date, about 10,000 people are affected by the contamination.
Over 65 Peole
Sickened By Norovirus In Washington
Posted on: 07-04-2008
in Health
Source of Article: http://www.ecanadanow.com
Seattle (eCanadaNow) - The medical conference which was held at the Gaylord
National Resort and Convention Center in Washington ended up getting over
65 people sick from norovirus.
Norovirus apparently sickened over 65 of the 350 people or so who attended
the medical conference.
The conference was held on Thursday, with people reporting ill Friday
morning.
Many who attended had to be brought to the hospital for dehydration. Many
others, who attempted to fly home, never made it on the airplane.
Several of them had to be rushed to the hospital from the airport after
trying to fly home.
Symptoms of norovirus include vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea.
It can spread via food or water. It is believed that this medical conference
was the only event which spread the norovirus.
Health officials used bleach to try and kill the virus following the illnesses.
FDA Finds
Hazardous Levels of Selenium in Samples of "Total Body Formula"
and"Total Body Mega Formula"
SOURCE FROM FDA
Dietary supplement products linked to adverse reactions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has found
hazardous levels of selenium in samples of certain flavors of the dietary
supplement products "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body
Mega Formula." The FDA has received 43 reports of persons from nine
states who experienced serious adverse reactions using these products.
On March 27, the FDA warned
consumers not to purchase or use "Total Body Formula" in flavors
Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar and "Total Body Mega Formula"
in the Orange/Tangerine flavor of these products after receiving reports
of adverse reactions in users in Florida and Tennessee (www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01812.html).
The adverse reactions generally occurred after five to 10 days of daily
ingestion of the product, and included significant hair loss, muscle cramps,
diarrhea, joint pain, deformed fingernails, and fatigue.
Selenium, a naturally occurring mineral, is needed only in very small
amounts for good health. Selenium can boost the immune system. Generally,
normal consumption of food and water provides adequate selenium to support
good health. Excessive intake of selenium is known to cause symptoms to
include significant hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain, fatigue,
loss of finger nails and blistering skin.
Presently, FDA has 43 reports of adverse reactions including cases from
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina,
Tennessee, and Texas.
Analyses of samples of the products by FDA laboratories have now found
most of the samples contain extremely high levels of selenium--up to 40,800
micrograms per recommended serving, or more than 200 times the amount
of selenium per serving (i.e., 200 micrograms) indicated on the labels
of the products.
The FDA continues to investigate the matter to determine how excessive
amounts of selenium were added to the products.
FDA is advising consumers to stop using "Total Body Formula"
in flavors Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar and "Total Body Mega
Formula" in the Orange/Tangerine flavor and discard them by placing
them in a trash receptacle outside of the home. "Total Body Formula"
products are sold in eight-ounce and 32-ounce plastic bottles. "Total
Body Mega Formula" is sold in 32-ounce plastic bottles. Both product
lines are distributed by Total Body Essential Nutrition of Atlanta, which
is listed on the products' labels.
Consumers who have been taking the products and have experienced adverse
reactions should consult their health care professional. Consumers and
health care professionals are encouraged to report adverse events to the
FDA's MedWatch program at 800-FDA-1088 or online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/how.htm.
The sole distributor of the "Total Body Formula" and "Total
Body Mega Formula" products has voluntarily recalled the affected
products. According to the company, the products were distributed nationwide.
More information about selenium and its toxic effects is available at
this link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Agency for
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts92.html.
USDA Finds
Violations in Slaughterhouses
By FREDERIC J. FROMMER 7 hours ago
Source of Article: http://ap.google.com/article/
WASHINGTON (AP) A federal audit of 18 beef slaughterhouses after the nation's
largest beef recall has found humane handling violations in three of them.
One plant was temporarily suspended.
The audit by the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection
Service found that one plant was insufficiently stunning animals, which
failed to make them insensible to pain before slaughter. That plant has
taken corrective actions and its suspension was lifted. None of the plants
were identified.
The audit results were provided to the chairman of the Senate Appropriations
agriculture subcommittee, Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl, for a hearing
he was holding Tuesday on the USDA's response to the beef recall.
Prion diseases
transmitted in milk
IFT Weekly Newsletter April 9, 2008
Source of Article: http://members.ift.org/IFT/Pubs/Newsletters/weekly/nl_040908.htm
Scrapie can be transmitted to lambs through milk, according to new research
published in the online open access journal BMC Veterinary Research. The
study provides important information on the transmission of this prion-associated
disease and the control of scrapie in affected flocks. For more, see BMC
Veterinary Research:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/4/14/abstract
Red mites
could spread salmonella
Livestock Technical | 9 April, 2008
Source of Article: http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=13&storycode=17608
POULTRY farmers have been warmed that red mites usually associated with
the transmission of fowl cholera, fowl typhoid and chicken pox could also
be responsible for spreading salmonella.
¡°The fact they feed by sucking blood means they can theoretically transmit
salmonella through contaminated blood,¡± said Mike Rogers of Kiotechagil.
He said red mites were difficult to eradicate, as they sheltered in cracks
and crevices in poultry houses during the day. Both the red mite and the
northern fowl mite moved quickly over a bird¡¯s skin and feathers and their
blood sucking activity could cause a drop in egg production, as well as
anaemia and death. While red mites fed on the birds in darkness, often
for about 1-2 hours each night before retreating to the extremities of
the poultry house, the northern fowl mite bred continually on the bird
and, therefore, was a particular problem for caged birds. Mite detection
was best achieved by looking for increased food consumption accompanied
by a fall in egg production ? a result of chickens replacing lost blood
taken by the mites, reducing the energy available for egg laying. Poultry
owners could also look under slats both in nests and in cracks in the
house structure to see if mites were evident as tiny red to blackish dots,
often in clusters. And, if infested with the Northern Fowl mite, the chickens
would often start to peck each other where they see infestation, usually
at the base of the tail feathers
¡°Because red mites can live away from birds for up to six months they
are frequently extremely difficult to get rid of,¡± said Mr Rogers. ¡°In
addition, the largely mild winters of the last few years has enabled the
mites to survive and thrive.¡±
Thorough cleaning of accommodation and feed storage areas was the solution,
and a product with a high oil absorption would be particularly good, as
it would attach to the insect and lacerate its waxy surface, he said.
New prebiotic
insight protecting birds from Salmonella// 07 Apr 2008
Source of Article: http://www.worldpoultry.net/
Studies are currently underway to investigate the use of galacto-oligosaccharide
prebiotics to protect animals from Salmonella infection and other food
poisoning bacteria.
Replacing antibiotics
The sugars, called galacto-oligosaccharides, and are already known to
improve the health of breast-fed infants. Researchers are now looking
at using these prebiotics in place of antibiotics in poultry and livestock
to reduce the chances of Salmonella bacteria damaging the gut during a
food poisoning episode, reducing the overall damage and severity of the
infection.
"Antibiotics are used to treat particularly severe Salmonella infections,¡±
says Laura Searle from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in the UK. ¡°But
their effectiveness has been undermined by their systematic use both as
growth promoters in animals and as therapeutic agents, which has been
implicated in widespread antibiotic resistance. In an attempt to overcome
this problem the EU banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters
in 2006, so now alternatives are urgently being investigated.¡±
How it works
One possibility is to use prebiotics made from natural complex sugars
that are already known to improve gastrointestinal health. There have
been many theories put forward about the way they actually work, including
the suggestion that they may stimulate our natural gut bacteria to multiply,
allowing them to fight off invading pathogens trying to colonise.
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency has initiated a project to demonstrate
the exact mechanism for the apparent success of a novel galacto-oligosaccharide
mixture. Their studies have now shown that the specific mixture protects
animals from infection by reducing the invasion capabilities of Salmonella,
and lowering the seriousness of disease symptoms. After treatment with
this mixture, fewer Salmonella bacteria were found in systemic and intestinal
tissues.
Used on farm level
¡°The next step will be to see if the novel galacto-oligosaccharide mixture
can be used in farm livestock successfully, and whether it is still as
effective when given before a Salmonella infection, protecting the animals
in advance. We also need to see if it can protect against other pathogens,¡±
Searle continues.
Veterinary scientists hope that their tests will prove whether it is actually
successful in farm animals, reducing gastrointestinal infections, improving
animal health and cutting economic losses. The scientists need to now
discover the exact mechanisms by which the sugars work.
Food Safety and Quality Related Job Openings
Quality
Assurance Supervisor Charlies Produce Anchorage, AK
Supply Chain Manager - Food Safety - Publix Supermarkets Lakeland, FL
Quality Assurance Technologist - Daymon Worldwide, Inc. - Grand Rapids,
MI
Quality Assurance Sr. Manager - Dollar General Goodlettsville, TN
Quality Assurance Manager - Lakeside Foods, Inc.- Poynette/ Reedsburg;
Belgium WI
QUALITY & ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE Kellogg Company Omaha, NE
QUALITY ASSURANCE TECHNICIAN Kellogg Company Allyn, WA
Food Safety
and Quality Related Job Openings
FSIS announces
agenda for E. coli meeting
By Alicia Karapetian on 4/4/2008 for Meatingplace.com
FSIS has released the agenda for its April 9-10 public meeting, titled,
"E. coli O157:H7 ? addressing the challenges, moving forward with
solutions."
The agenda, which can be seen here, includes a session titled, "Current
FSIS thinking on the treatment of primal cuts." FSIS, in announcing
the meeting, said that the agency is contemplating classifying raw beef
product such as primal cuts and boxed beef adulterated if those products
test positive for E. coli O157:H7.
(See USDA may broaden scope of meats deemed adulterated by E. coli on
Meatingplace.com, March 28, 2008.)
The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 9, from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m., and Thursday, April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Holiday
Inn Georgetown, 2101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC.
To register for the meeting, click here.: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Registration_040908_Meeting/index.asp
RAPID DIAGNOSTIC
KITS FOR DETECTION OF FOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS
Monday, April 07, 2008
Source of Article: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=37165
E. coli 0157:H7 and L. monocytogenes are the two high risk food pathogens
associated with food borne disease outbreaks. (E. coli 0157:H7 responsible
for Haemorrhagic Colitis(HC), Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS),Thrombotic
Thrombocytopenic Purpurea (TTP) and L. monocytogene responsible for Septicaemia,
Meningitis, Meningioencephalitis, Abortion and even death)
A highly sensitive and specific multiplex PCR assay has been developed
which can unequivocally detect the presence of E. coli 0157:H7 directly
from naturally contaminated milk and milk products within 10 hrs. The
multiplex PCR assay developed was found to be highly specific as it produced
PCR products of 152 bp (E. coli specific) and 625 bp (E. coli 0157:H7).
The specificity and sensitivity of the assay was further enhanced (1-10
cells) using IMS. The assay could be successfully applied on a variety
of dairy products. E. coli 0157:H7 could be detected in milk and kulfi
samples as well as water samples collected from local vendors.
A multiplex PCR based on two sets of primers i.e. one genus specific targeted
against 16S rRNA (genus specific 1200 bp PCR product) and `hly' (Listeria
monocytogenes specific, 713 bp PCR product) has been developed since these
two primer pairs consistently amplified the specific products. The specificity
of the multiplex PCR assay was also checked in this study to rule out
the possibility of false positive results. The sensitivity of multiplex
PCR was limited to 10 ng of the pure DNA from L. monocytogenes when used
as template. The multiplex PCR was able to detect as low as 1 to 10 cells
of L. monocytogenes after 4 to 6 hrs enrichment in BHI broth. The multiplex
PCR could be successfully applied to some natural samples of milk and
milk products.
The multiplex PCR for both the targeted organisms is now available in
the form of a ready to use kit that can be used in Quality Assurance and
Food Microbiology laboratories for monitoring dairy foods for E. coli
0157:H7 and L. monocytogenes on routine basis. The kit was released by
Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil
Sibal at a press conference in New Delhi today. The kit also includes
the reagents for extraction of template DNA from milk and milk products
and other foods which is a very crucial step by using a simple and effective
protocol named ¡°NDRI method¡± developed at NDRI, Karnal for application
in set up of the PCR assays. The aforesaid multiplex PCR assays were initially
standardized in the laboratory and were cross-validated in other labs.
The PCR based kits / assays are extremely sensitive and specific and can detect the targeted food pathogens directly in milk and milk products in less than ten hours as compared to conventional culture based methods and other miniaturized tests based on biochemical characteristics. Dairy Industry and Food Labs are the potential beneficiaries of these PCR kits / assays which can be integrated into the Quality Assurance and HACCP programmes for monitoring the safety of dairy foods in relation to two high risk food pathogens E. coli 0157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. These kits can also find application in the research laboratories involved in the area of diagnostics and other related subjects.
The PCR kits have a shelf life of 15 days at ambient temperature, 45 days at refrigeration temperature and can stay active even after six months at ? 20oC.
New Study
Proves Virkon¢ç S Misting's Superior Value
Source of Article: http://www.thepigsite.com/
Us - A team of leading researchers in the USA have found that directed
misting of a four per cent solution of disinfectant Virkon¢ç S can successfully
reduce environmental bacterial contamination, such as Staphs and Salmonella,
to extremely low levels - significantly lower than many other disinfectant
could achieve.
The misted dilution was successful in reducing environmental bacterial
CFUs by > 99.9999% or the equivalent of a highly effective 6 logs1.
Typically, a reduction factor or 3 to 5 logs is considered the minimum
needed for effective disinfection, says manufacturer DuPont Animal Health
Solutions.
Based on their earlier work2 with Virkon¢ç S, Gage Patterson and Paul Morley
of the Animal Population Health Institute and Colorado State University,
USA performed a new field study to evaluate the efficacy of four per cent
Virkon¢ç S applied as a mist to surfaces in a large animal hospital. The
purpose of the new study was to find a less labour intensive and disruptive
means to disinfect the veterinary hospital's large animal facilities with
extensive, unsealed electrical conduits and fixtures in the high ceilings
of the buildings.
Various locations around the hospital were inoculated with Staphylococcus
aureus and Salmonella enterica onto polyester transparencies. After misting
with Virkon¢ç S viable bacterial numbers were quantified and compared with
growth from control transparencies to assess the reduction in bacterial
count. The study showed that the mean reductions in recovery of Staphylococcus
aureus and Salmonella enterica were significantly reduced by > 6 logs
for both bacteria, an equivalent of a > 99.9999% reduction in CFUs.
On a Par and Better
When compared with other disinfectants, the authors stated that the efficacy
of Virkon¢ç S was similar to that achieved through aerosolisation of formaldehyde,
but superior to that achieved by aerosolisation of a glutaraldehyde and
quaternary ammonium compound mixture.
"From our experience with previous studies2, we selected a four per
cent solution of Virkon¢ç S as this has the greatest killing capacity,"explains
Paul Morley.
"Our high, 20 foot surfaces and electrical work make cleaning and
disinfection a challenge. We clean all the surfaces first, followed by
a combination of foaming with disinfectant and then misting with Virkon¢ç
S to minimise environmental bacterial loads. Directed misting disinfection
using Virkon¢ç S enables us to get into all the difficult-to-access nooks
and crannies," he adds.
In conclusion his team found that the directed misting application of
four per cent Virkon¢ç S proved to be a very rapid and efficient method
of distributing disinfectant that could be easily applied to a variety
of agricultural or veterinary settings. References
Efficacy of directed misting application of a peroxygen disinfectant for
environmental decontamination of a veterinary hospital. G Patterson, PS
Morley, KD Blehm, DE Lee, M Dunowska. JAVMA, Vol 227, No 4, August 15,
2005
Dunowska M, Morley PS, Hyatt DR. The effect of Virkon S fogging on survival
of Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus on surfaces in a veterinary
teaching hospital. Vet Microbiol 2005; 105:281-289.
ThePigSite News Desk
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