Monthly Archives: November 2015

MEAT SCANDAL: REPACKAGED IS THE NEW FRESH?

Posted on November 30, 2015 by | 15 comments

In July 2014, the parent company of Shanghai’s Husi Foods, OSI Group LLC., recalled all products made by its Shanghai unit as reports arose regarding the quality of their meat and poultry. Investigators suggest that Shanghai Husi Foods, has been selling beef, chicken and pork beyond their expiration date, by repackaging them as freshly packaged products. This isn’t the first time OSI has found themselves in hot water, with similar allegations being brought forward regarding a U.S. based plant by a former employee.

Shanghai Husi Foods - China

Shanghai Husi Foods – China

OSI is the major distributor of meats to large international corporations such as McDonalds, YUM! Brands Inc. (KFC/ Pizza Hut), and Starbucks Corporation.

Considering that there are approximately 2000 McDonalds restaurants in China alone, serving thousands daily, the potential impact of this lapse in food safety, could be catastrophic. Michael B. Griffiths, a Shanghai –based qualitative research director at TNS China Co. fears that “this recall may spoil any remaining goodwill consumers have for fast –food restaurants.” According to distributors McDonalds restaurants in Hong Kong and Shanghai are serving a “limited menu” of fish burgers, having pulled Chicken McNuggets, the McSpicy Chicken Filet, and grilled chicken salads off the menu, as these products may contain expired and/ or contaminated meats.

Although no illnesses have been reported, Yum! Brands Inc. will no longer do business with OSI in China, USA and Australia. A McDonalds spokes person also stated that the have stopped sourcing products from Shanghai Husi Foods. The company is in the process of conducting a thorough internal investigation into the possible failures that may have occurred.

The consequences of meat production failures can be severe and are highly dependent on practices that occur at the processor, distributor, retail, and consumer levels. Failure at any level is unacceptable and can lead to significant economic and health consequences especially in foods with a limited shelf life.
food-production-chain-650px

The date marking requirement is put in place and strictly enforced due to the potential of pathogenic organisms to grow at refrigerated temperatures including, Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocoloctica. Other microbiological contaminates include: Campylobacter spp., E.coli O157, VTEC, Salmonella , and BSE. These pathogenic bacteria can cause illness with symptoms including but not limited to: diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, highlighting the importance that the date of expiration be accurate.

Meat Safety Video

According to the CDC, businesses should check for the following when receiving fresh meats:

1. Check that the vehicle is clean and temperature controlled

2. Check that the meat products are held at the appropriate temperature (41 degrees Fahrenheit)

3. Reject deliveries if: there is evidence of temperature abuse, off odour or colour, or if meats have a slimy/ sticky texture

OSI Group LLC, is a United States based company with 55 manufacturing plants in over 16 different countries. With the globalization of the food supply market, it is becoming increasingly prevalent for major corporations to obtain their products from outsourced processors and distributors. With this in mind, consumers and retailers must be cautious when purchasing meats and should only do so from trusted distributors. Furthermore, it is important to know WHERE in fact these products are coming from such that in case of an outbreak, measures are in place that, allow retailers to retrace their steps.

The bottom line…

Regardless of the date of expiration on these products, consumers (including those that are commercial) should ALWAYS check for signs of spoilage and take the appropriate measures to ensure that these products are discarded.

For more information regarding Food Safety, feel free to check out: http://www.cdc.gov/features/befoodsafe/

Works Cited
Bora, K., International Business Times ( 2014). http://www.ibtimes.com/china-food-scandal-osi-group-recalls-shanghai-husi-made-meat-brings-new-management-team-1640430
Bloomberg News. (2014)http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-07-28/mcdonald-s-supplier-recalls-meat-in-expired-food-scandal
Centre for Disease Control. (2015). Food Safety Training. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/training/videos/presentations/foodprot.pdf
Center for Disease Control (2015). Fighting Bacteria http://www.fightbac.org/food-poisoning/causes-symptoms/
Kansas State – Meat Safety Video (2015). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qced9Du_3gc
Wang, S. (2015). Lecture 14 : Meat Safety. FNH 413 Food Safety

15 Comments

Posted in Week 9

Tagged , , , , ,

Should we add Ebola to the List of Foodborne Pathogens?

Posted on November 30, 2015 by | 9 comments

In developed countries the threat of contracting Ebola from food sources is null, but in areas of Africa it is a real threat. Throughout late 2014 and early 2015, Ebola was widely publicized as the virus moved from Africa to the United States although Ebola has been a constant problem in Africa for years. 

140730092338-eitm-gupta-ebola-symptoms-origins-00011224-story-top

Ebola Virus

Ebola is a virus that is generally spread by direct contact with body fluids or blood of an infected person, but in Africa it may also be spread while consuming, hunting or preparing Bushmeat. Bushmeat is an umbrella term that groups together meat from wild animals such as bats, antelope, rats, monkeys and other nonhuman primates.The main reservoir of the virus appears to be fruit bats. It is either through the consumption of fruit bats, or cross contamination between fruit bat droppings and other bushmeat animals that causes Ebola to be transmitted through food.

Bushmeats are main sources of food for some and often seen a treat for others at markets and roadside stands. These types of meats are usually dried, salted or smoked in the open African heat alongside other butchered animals. This is a breeding ground for other bacteria and cross contamination can easily occur with other bacteria of concern such as E. Coli and Salmonella. The consequences of Ebola are high, one strain tied back to fruit bats in the Congo area found that 40% of infected patients died. Ebola causes hemorrhagic fever, headaches and can result in death. 

Ebola can be destroyed by heating to 60 degree Celsius for 60 minutes or at higher temperatures of 72-80 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes according to the CDC. While heating Ebola has been found to inactivate and destroy the virus there is still the issue of cross contamination, as seen in the following picture the spaces used to cook and prepare the meat appear unhygienic and less than ideal. It is also difficult to know if the meats have been cooked to the proper temperatures as most would not have access to thermometers. The ones that are at highest risk of contracting the virus from animals are those who are hunting and gathering these animals as many are bitten or scratched or come in contact with blood during these processes.

_78290034_sammyandcantomentsvendor

Varying smoked bushmeats at a market

The likelihood of contracting the disease from human contact is much higher than from bushmeats. Hundreds of thousands of varying types of bushmeat are consumed annually throughout Africa and this will likely continue as it is a source of nutrition and part of their culture. It is recommended that steps be taken while hunting and gathering to reduce infection such as avoiding blood and fluids from animals, wearing gloves, not consuming predeceased animals and keeping raw foods away from cooked. These steps will not eradicate all cases of Ebola in Africa but it may help decrease the amount of outbreaks.

If you would like to learn more please watch the video below.

 

References:

DRC: Bushmeat blamed for Ebola outbreak. (2012, August 23). Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://www.irinnews.org/report/96160/drc-bushmeat-blamed-for-ebola-outbreak

Hogenboom, M. (2014, October 19). Ebola: Is bushmeat behind the outbreak? – BBC News. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29604204

Information on the Survivability of the Ebola Virus in Medical Waste. (2015, February 12). Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/cleaning/ebola-virus-survivability.html

MacNeil, A. (2010, December 1). Proportion of Deaths and Clinical Features in Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Infection, Uganda – Volume 16, Number 12-December 2010 – Emerging Infectious Disease journal – CDC. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/16/12/10-0627_article

 

9 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , ,

New Standards for Produce Safety in US Passed

Posted on November 28, 2015 by | 3 comments

The United States Food and Drug administration has finalized the Food Safety Modernization Act as of the mid November 2015. This is a list of standards for growing, harvesting, packing and holding of produce for human consumption for domestic farms that grow produce for human consumption. It regulates the production as well importation of produce in the U.S. It is designed to prevent foodborne illnesses caused by tainted produce that affect millions of American every year. The CDC estimates that plants account for approximately 40% (23,500 cases) of annual hospitalization and 25% of annual deaths (363 cases) due to domestically acquired food borne illnesses.
In the released documents from the FDA, the agency establishes “Science based minimum standard for safe growing, harvesting, packaging and hold of produce, meaning fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption.”

The final rule focuses on six major routes of contamination:
1. Worker training and health and hygiene
– Prevent contamination of produce and food contact surfaces by infected person
2. Agricultural water
– To ensure water quality used for produce
– Establishes 2 sets of criteria for microbial water quality
– Both are based on presence of generic E. coli
– Testing – untreated surface water & ground water
3. Biological soil amendments
– Raw manure – sets recommended interval between harvesting manure and application
– Stabilized compost
– Microbial standards – set limits on detectable amount of bacteria
4. Domesticated and wild animals
– For animals that may graze on or near land that produce produce for consumption.
-Farmers are required to take all measures reasonably necessary to identify and not harvest produce that is likely to be contaminated
5. Sprouts
– Have been major source of foodborne illness between 1996-2014
-43 outbreaks – 2,405 illnesses and 171 hospitalizations
-3 deaths
– Include first documented outbreak of listeria monocytogenes associated with sprouts in the US
– Frequently contaminated
– Prevent the introduction of dangerous microbes into/onto seeds/beans used for sprouting
– Testing water/environment
6. Equipment, tools and buildings
– Establish standards – prevent sources and inadequate sanitation from contaminating produce

The majority of farms are required to comply with the standards in two years.
Final rule were also passed on foreign supplier verification programs (FSVP) for importers of food for humans and animals. Importers are required to ensure that the food imported to the US has been produced in a manner that meets US safety standards through hazard analysis. Hazard analysis requires the importer to identify and evaluated reasonably foreseeable hazards for each type of food it imports and determine any hazard that require control.
The hazards are:
1. Biological – parasites & disease causing bacteria
2. Chemical – pesticides & drug residues
3. physical – glass

Source:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/19/3/pdfs/11-1866.pdf

3 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Southeast Asian Imported Coriander had caused 40 cases of Shigellosis in Sweden

Posted on November 27, 2015 by | 5 comments

A_scene_of_Coriander_leaves

In late October 2015, Southeast Asian imported coriander has caused an outbreak of Shigellosis in Sweden. The severity of this outbreak had caused forty reported illnesses in three areas (twenty-nine from Vastra Gotaland, ten from Skane, and three from Halland). There was the same proportion of adult male and female who had fallen ill and no reported deaths.

Shigellosis is an acute bacterial infection caused by a group of Shigella bacteria. It is linked with “poor sanitation, contaminated food and water, and crowded living conditions”(Vyas, et al., 2014). Some symptoms include acute abdominal cramping, fever, bloody stools, watery diarrhea, and nausea (Vyas, et al., 2014). The severity of Shigellosis is mild as healthy individuals are able to surpass this illness with no chronic issues. However, the severity increases for malnourished children and immune-compromised individuals.

Coriander is a type of herb commonly used to complement a variety of foods and recipes as it adds a spicy flavor component that many find appealing. Therefore, it is commonly found in restaurant dishes where, in this case, has been the likely source of the illnesses reported in Vastra Gotaland and Skane. The Public Health Agency of Sweden had interviewed the people who were sick as part of their outbreak investigation and had found that there was a connection between different restaurants.

In addition to interviewing those who were sick, the Public Health agency of Sweden used “Whole-Genome Sequencing of the Shigella bacteria from the people who fell ill after visiting different restaurants” (Whitworth, 2015). Whole-genome sequencing is a type of molecular subtyping method used to reveal the complete genome of an organism in order to identify pathogens isolated from food samples (FDA, 2015). First, a sample is taken from a patient and is then cultivated in order to isolate bacterial DNA. After, the bacterial DNA found in the specimen becomes processed using an automated bench-top sequencing system. In other words, the bacterial DNA becomes processed in order to determine the order of nucleotides within its genome. Finally, this information can then be analyzed and compared to central data storage of known DNA bacterial sequences, in this case is the Shigella bacteria (Wang, Lecture Slide 18, 2015).

As a result from implementing a whole genome sequencing method, the Public Health Agency of Sweden did not detect the Shigella bacteria in any samples that were taken. Although the samples taken of the people ill showed close to identical bacterial strains, which suggests that their illness had most likely came from a common source. In addition, the coriander could not have been analyzed as it had disappeared from the marketplace before the outbreak became known. However, upon interviewing the people who were ill, it has been determined that coriander had been a common denominator found in the restaurant meals. This analysis has leaded the Public Health Agency of Sweden to conclude that the source of illness is the imported coriander from Southeast Asia.

This outbreak is a great example of the level of difficulty it is to find the cause of an outbreak when the cause is most likely an ingredient in a meal. Because the whole-genome sequencing indicate negative results for the presence of Shigellosis raises a lot of questions for the conclusions made by the Public Health Agency of Sweden. However, through their findings it is highly likely that the cause of the outbreak is from the coriander, but it is yet to be determined whether the illness is, indeed, Shigellosis. In order to ensure that similar outbreaks like this do not occur again, more stringent policies can be implemented to ensure that imported produce has come from the cleanest foreign companies.

Discussion Question: From what we have learned in class about the outbreak investigation method in Canada, would you agree with the Public Health Agency of Sweden to conclude that the source of illness had come from the Coriander? If not, what methods could they have further done to accurately determine the source of the Shigellosis bacteria?

References –
Witworth, J. (2015, November 25). Shigella outbreak traced to imported coriander. Retrieved November 26, 2015, from http://www.foodqualitynews.com/Food-Outbreaks/Sweden-finds-coriander-to-be-source-of-shigellosis

Wang, S. (2015). Lecture Slide 18: Molecular Subtyping. FNH 413 Food Safety

Vyas, M. (2014, May 12). Shigellosis. Medline Plus. Retrieved November 26, 2015, from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000295.htm

FDA (2015, March 5). Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Program. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Retrieved November 26, 2015, from http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodScienceResearch/WholeGenomeSequencingProgramWGS/

5 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , ,

Case of Food Terrorism? Metal Needles and Nails Found in Potatoes in Atlantic Canada

Posted on November 26, 2015 by | 9 comments
Metal Needles Found In Russet Potatoes

Metal Needles Found In Russet Potatoes

Eastern Canada —Earlier this year in May, an employee of a grocery store found something suspicious as he was stocking bags of potatoes. To his horror, he discovered metal sewing needles and metal nails had been deliberately inserted into the potatoes. Unfortunately, the residents of Eastern Canada were no strangers to such observations. In October of the previous year, there were several reported cases of sewing needles found in potatoes as well. This incident prompted relevant farms and the federal government to reevaluate their current food safety protocols and to determine if the existing equipment used for detection are adequate to uphold the standards for consumers’ safety.

October 2014 —Metal needles were found in potatoes by customers, which were traced back to farms on Prince Edward Island. After a period of investigation, it was found that these potatoes had most likely originated from Linkletter Farms in Summerside, PEI. The CFIA has been working with the RCMP to find the culprit responsible for this horrible crime, but so far there have been no promising leads. Luckily, there were no reports of illness or injury.

After the first incident in the fall, Prince Edward Island had already increased the sensitivity of its food safety measures to detect metal pieces. However, shortly after they implemented these procedures, they found more sewing needles in their facility in December of 2014. Fortunately, the tampered foods were discovered prior to distribution, so no recall was required for this time.

May 2015 — Loblaws voluntarily recalled Russet potatoes belonging to Famer’s Market Brand and Strang’s Produce after an employee noticed needles in the tampered products. These products have been distributed to several stores within the company and they have since then recalled the potatoes from their shelves. However, this problem which was thought to be halted and contained in Prince Edward Island earlier this year, has now dispersed to Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The similarities of this food safety incident and the ones from late last year has brought more concerns to the involved parties. Fortunately, the metal materials were found before anyone got seriously sick or injured.
Determined to find the culprit, Prince Edward Island’s potato industry has increased the reward for any information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for this heinous crime. From the previous $100,000, the reward increased to $500,000. Furthermore, the RCMP has released information stating that the tampered potatoes did not originate from the farm involved in the October incident.

The repercussions of this incident has shown in the decrease of the public’s confidence in potatoes. The Canadian government realized that this is a disaster to the agricultural businesses in Atlantic Canada. They helped by providing $2 million in an effort to aid those farmers who have been devastated during this food terrorism act. The government also thought it was worthwhile to allocate funds to install new metal detection equipment to prevent such threats from occurring in the future.

At this point, these cases still have not been solved.

Personally, after following this story, I too have lost a bit of confidence in the safety of Canada’s food supply.

Even though these tampered potatoes have not reached Western Canada, knowing that these dangerous metal pieces made it into stores intact, how do you feel about the safety of the foods we eat?

http:////www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=521970

October 2014
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/30/canada-potatoes-food-terrorism-prince-edward-island
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/sewing-needles-found-in-10-p-e-i-potatoes-1.2100463
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/more-needles-found-in-p-e-i-potatoes-1.2166223

May 2015
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/05/23/loblaws-recalling-russett-potatoes-from-atlantic-canada-stores
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/05/25/ns-grocery-store-employee-finds-another-nail-in-recalled-potato
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/06/29/reward-increased-to-500000-in-potato-tampering-investigation-in-pei
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/potato-tampering-tips-award-raised-to-500k-1.3131546
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/30/canada-potatoes-food-terrorism-prince-edward-island
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/potato-tampering-prevention-gets-2m-investment-1.3122541
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-potato-metal-detectors-tampering-1.3293375

9 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , ,

Recall of Potato Products Due To Small Metal Fragments

Posted on November 25, 2015 by | 8 comments

From May 8th to May 12th, several large UK retailers issued a recall for over 50 potato salads, coleslaws, and ready-to-eat meals. Retailers affected included Sainsbury, Waitrose, Morrison’s and Tesco. To give you a scale of the impact of this recall, Sainsbury is UK’s second largest retailer, and Tesco is one of the world’s biggest retailers. The recall affected multiple brands of the nationwide retailers, and is found in over 43 ready-to-eat savoury pies and quick meals, and at least 6 potato salads.

The cause of the recall? Small pieces of metal were found in the potato products, and originated from a single supplier. Further investigation identified that a piece of the equipment broke during processing, resulting in metal fragments possibly being dislodged.

To give you an idea of how scary this is, here is a picture of an affected product:

Source: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/2949722/thumbs/o-SAUSAGE-AND-MASH-570.jpg?8

Look familiar? You may have grabbed something similar to this to eat on the go from the grocery store. The products affected by this recall are ready-to-eat convenient meals. People choose this product as a quick and easy meal option. I know that I eat quick meals while I multitask with homework, and I may not be paying attention to what is hidden inside of it. Plus, convenient pre-packaged potato salads could be a popular item to bring to family potlucks or work lunches…. kind of scary, isn’t it?

But they’re just small metal fragments, what’s the worst that can happen? Well, further explanation of the risks associated with the metal pieces could not be found on the UK Food Standards Agency or in the recall notice. Which is a shame, because somebody could swallow the fragment and mistakenly believe it to contribute to their daily intake of minerals. Small metal fragments can cause lacerations and internal injuries to the mouth, gastrointestinal system, and internal organs. Ouch!

An article from Food Safety Magazine stated that metal fragments are considered as “hazardous extraneous material” under Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (or HACCP for short). We all know just how important HACCP is in the prevention of food safety hazards. But why wasn’t metal detection a critical control point during the processing of the potatoes? Not to be critical or anything, but isn’t preventative maintenance part of a certain prerequisite program of HACCP?

I know what I’m going to be more careful with now. A news article from Daily Mail (which is a popular UK online magazine) reported that product was still found on the shelves of Tesco during the weekend. The recall was announced on a Friday. Seems like there was some mis-communication.

Or do what the comments say (in the Daily Mail news article) and just make your own potato salad.

References:
Daily Mail. 2015. Still on Tesco’s Shelves… potato salads recalled in metal fragments Scare: Safety row erupts as food containing stainless steel is left for customers to buy after warnings of recall are missed. Available from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3075221/Still-Tesco-s-shelves-potato-salads-recalled-metal-fragments-scare-Safety-row-erupts-food-containing-stainless-steel-left-customers-buy-warnings-recall-missed.html#comments. Accessed 2015 November 25.

Food Standards Agency. 2015. Potato Products Recall. Available from http://www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2015/13955/potato-products-recall. Accessed 2015 November 25.

Food Safety Magazine. 2003. The Dirty Dozen: Ways to Reduce the 12 Biggest Foreign Materials Problems. Available from
http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/aprilmay-2003/the-dirty-dozen-ways-to-reduce-the-12-biggest-foreign-materials-problems/. Accessed 2015 November 25.

8 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , ,

Product Recall due to Undeclared Allergens

Posted on November 25, 2015 by | 11 comments
Product recalled due to undeclared allergens (CFIA, 2015)

Mustard, sesame, soy and wheat not declared on label. (CFIA, 2015)

Early this year on January 19th, the Canadian Federal Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a notice to recall Mann’s Mediterranean Style snap peas due to not declaring the presence of allergens, specifically mustard, sesame, soy and wheat in the toppings and dressing. The allergens were first identified by the manufacturer and they had immediately halted distribution to their exclusive Walmart and Sobeys retailers across Canada. Fortunately, there had not been any reported hospitalizations or deaths, but individuals with hypersensitivities were advised to dispose or return the product to the retailer. Given that the best before date was January 25th, remaining products should have reached the end of its shelf life by the end of the week.

Mechanism and Characteristics of Food Allergies

Food allergy is a health concern that should not be overlooked. According to Soller et al.’s cross-sectional study (2012), adverse reactions to one or more allergens were self-reported by 6.67% of Canadians. Unfortunately, these numbers are expected to increase (Hengel, 2007).

Courtesy of Mona Dave (2015) from http://childrensgimd.com/digestive-disorders-in-children/food-allergies-in-children/

Food allergies are classified as a category of hypersensitivity where the immune response recognizes and abnormally believes the offending food or component to be harmful. The mechanism of an allergic response commences when the ingested allergen, which is typically a protein, crosses the intestinal barrier to the bloodstream and is recognized by circulating lymphocytes or white blood cells. These immune cells trigger the release of IgE antibodies that bind to mast cells. Through antibody-receptor interactions, inflammatory mediators, i.e. histamine, will be secreted to the surrounding tissues and result in adverse symptoms involving the skin, gastrointestinal, respiratory and/or cardiovascular systems. Initial exposure to the allergen is usually asymptomatic, but subsequent exposures may result in a quicker and more severe response. This is because some IgE-coated mast cells are already present and bind immediately to the same antigens to release histamine. Allergic symptoms may appear immediately after a few minutes or can be delayed up to 24 hours. They can be mild and localized to one or more body systems, such as nausea and vomiting from the gastrointestinal system. Alternatively, symptoms may progress in severity to affect all body systems, resulting in anaphylaxis or death. (Taylor, 2006)

Fact or Myth: Consuming processed foods reduce the risk of developing allergenic reactions.

Adding to the complexity of allergies, food processing will interfere with the allergenic capacity. IgE antibodies tend to bind well to a particular region on antigens, known as epitopes. These may be linear amino acid chains or 3D conformational structures. The binding affinity of IgE antibodies may be reduced during processing. For instance, high heat denatures the 3D conformation and fermentation cleaves the amino acid sequences. At the same time, allergenic capacity may be promoted as some epitopes are no longer hidden by the protein’s 3D conformation and can bind to IgE. Additional structures and IgE binding sites may be created from protein and peptide modifications during processing. Overall, further studies are necessary to develop a clearer answer for processed foods. (Hengel, 2007).

Prevention Strategies

Given the importance of allergens and potentially life-threatening consequences, CFIA is enforcing mandatory labelling for the top 10 allergens: wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sulphites, eggs, seafood, mustard, milk and sesame. Food manufacturers also need to take precautionary measures to avoid cross-contamination at the plant and practice proper product labeling. Consumers should periodically review the list of product recalls on the CFIA’s webpage. While there are currently no approved treatments, individuals with severe allergies should follow a strict diet and carry an EpiPen in case of a sudden reaction. Overall, prevention and awareness are pertinent to reducing food allergies.

What are your thoughts on the prevalence of food allergies? Do you think processed foods may be associated with the upward trend of food allergies?

Check out the following references and video (particularly about unpasteurized milk from times 14:40-15:13 and parasitic worms on allergies from times 23:09-25:44).

https://youtu.be/q25mCI_WWKY

References

CFIA. (2015). Food Recall Warning (Allergen) – Mann’s brand Mediterranean Style Snap Pea Sensations recalled due to undeclared mustard, sesame, soy and wheat. Retrieved from http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2015-01-19/eng/1421730513089/1421730556698

Health Canada. (2012). Food Allergies and Intolerances. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/allerg/index-eng.php

Hengel, A. J. (2007). Food allergen detection methods and the challenge to protect food-allergic consumers. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 389(1):111-118.

Soller, L., Ben-Shoshan, M., Harrington, D. W., Fragapane, J., Joseph, L., St. Pierre, Y., Godefroy, S. B., La Vieille, S., Elliott, S. J. & Clarke, A. E. (2012). Overall prevalence of self-reported food allergy in Canada. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 130(4):986:988.

Taylor, S. (2006). The nature of food allergy. In S. J. Koppelman & S. L. Hefle (Eds.), Detecting Allergens in Food (pp.3-20). Boca Raton, FL:Woodhead Publishing Limited, Boca Raton.

11 Comments

Posted in Week 8

Tagged , , , ,

7 Customers Showed Symptoms of Scombroid Fish Poisoning after Eating in a Sydney Café

Posted on November 20, 2015 by | 9 comments

Seven people fell ill and showed symptoms of scombroid poisoning after eating from the same food outlet in the Sydney CBD, Soul Origin café, in late February 2015. The tuna, which was served in sandwiches at the café, was suspected to have caused scombroid poisoning.

1

source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-26/scombroid-fish-poisoning-linked-to-sydney-cafe-tuna/6263120

The New South Wales (NSW) Food Authority in Australia investigated that the canned product “John Bull Tuna Chunky Style in Sunflower Oil”, which Soul Origin café used, is a product of Thailand and imported into Australia by a Victorian company. This minor brand was used predominately in catering; it was not generally available to the public. The outbreak was not widespread and all affected product was removed from the market immediately.

2

source: http://ausfoodnews.com.au/2015/03/11/canned-tuna-food-safety-scare-linked-to-thai-factory.html

The NSW Food Authority tested the leftover tuna salad at the café to have 3950 micrograms of histamine per kilogram of tuna. The test result was well above the acceptable limit of 200 micrograms histamine per kilogram of fish.

Scombroid poisoning is an allergic-type reaction to elevated levels of histamine in fish. It occurs when an enzyme produced by naturally occurring bacteria in certain fish species (including tuna, sardines, mackerel, swordfish, and marlin) convert histidine in the fish to histamine. Elevated levels of histamine amino acids in the fish produce cause the food poisoning. The temperature abuse of the fish produce at the catching or processing stage is usually the cause of the scombroid poisoning. The presence of high level of histamine in fish shows that decomposition of fish produce has occurred. The histamine toxin is not inactivated by ordinary cooking methods, and the contaminated fish will not necessarily appear spoiled.

Symptoms of histamine poisoning occur quickly, usually within 30 minutes or a few hours upon ingestion of contaminated fish. The symptoms typically last for a few hours. However, in some cases, they can last for several days. Common symptoms of histamine poisoning including peppery or metallic taste sensation, tingling of mouth and lips, skin rash or itchy skin, headaches, and dizziness; nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may also occur in some cases. People with scombroid poisoning may be treated with antihistamines. Scombroid poisoning is rarely fatal, but it was thought to have killed a Australian mother and daughter, Noelene and Yvana Bischoff, while they were on vacation in Bali in January 2014. However, the case is extremely rare.

Here is the news article on the tragedy happened in Bali:
http://www.news.com.au/national/bali-deaths-of-noelene-and-yvana-bischoff-from-fish-poisoning-impossible-to-predict/story-e6frfkp9-1226818860731

Histamine poisoning is rare, and there have been less than 10 outbreaks of histamine poisoning with 187 people diagnosed with the poisoning in Australia over the past 10 years.

Since histamine is not destroyed by heat treatments, buying seafood from reputable sources to ensure the product is kept refrigerated when it is being transported and stored becomes the best way to protect us against scombroid poisoning.

News sources & Reference:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2015. Scombroid Fish Poisoning Linked to Sydney Café after Four Customers Fall Ill. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-26/scombroid-fish-poisoning-linked-to-sydney-cafe-tuna/6263120

Australian Food News, 2015. Canned Tuna Food Safety Scare Linked to Thai Factory. Retrieved from http://ausfoodnews.com.au/2015/03/11/canned-tuna-food-safety-scare-linked-to-thai-factory.html

Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 2012. Food Safety Facts on Scombroid Poisoning. Retrieved from http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/fact-sheets/food-poisoning/scombroid/eng/1332280657698/1332280735024

Daily Mail Online, 2014. Australian Mother and Daughter Who Died in Bali Hotel Room Victims of Rare Fish Poison. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2551853/Australian-mother-daughter-died-Bali-hotel-room-victims-RARE-fish-poison-combined-asthma.html

Food Standards Australia New Zealand, 2015. Histamine (Scombroid) Fish Poisoning. Retrieved from http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/safety/Pages/Histamine-(Scombroid)-fish-poisoning.aspx

New South Wales Food Authority, 2015. Update: NSW Food Authority Investigation into Scombroid at Sydney Café. Retrieved from http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/news/media-releases/mr-26-Feb-15-scobroid-sydney-cafe#.Vk_Ii0ujZ4U

9 Comments

Posted in Week 7

Tagged , , , , ,

Another multistate Listeria outbreak: this time from contaminated soft cheese

Posted on November 20, 2015 by | 4 comments

karounrecallcheese

Recalled soft cheese products. Source: CDC

An outbreak regarding soft cheese contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes finally arrived to a conclusion after five years of investigation. Starting in June 2010, thirty cases of listeriosis caused by the consumption of a specific type of cheese happened throughout the United States. Most of the cases were reported in California, but there was also a great number of cases happening specially in the eastern portion of the country, occurring in nine other states. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, aside from California, there were also cases in Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Washington, and overall the outbreak resulted in 28 hospitalizations and 3 deaths, two in California and one in Ohio. Five illnesses were pregnancy-related, and one resulted in miscarriage.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention was able to link all those cases together using whole genome sequencing, which is a molecular subtyping method that is recently becoming more used by publich health authorities to identify foodborne pathogens. This method relies on sequencing the nucleic acid of the target microorganism and detecting the differences in that nucleic acid sequence.

map-10-23-2015

People infected with the outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes by contaminated soft cheese. Source: CDC

Whole genome sequencing, as its name suggests, is a method that provides a nearly complete sequencing of bacterial nucleic acids, and that is what makes it a very accurate method, since it becomes much easier to compare and differentiate between serotypes of a specific bacteria. The first generation was not very user-friendly for the detection of foodborne illnesses outbreaks, as it was a very time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive method. However, nowadays the development and improvement of next-generation sequencing methods have made these tools more available and affordable for laboratories, making it easier to use them routinely and ensuring not only precise, but also fast results, and at a reasonable cost. These methods are rapidly becoming more accepted by public health and regulatory agencies, and in the next few years they will probably replace the most commonly used method currently, which is pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Compared to the latter, whole genome sequencing methods have a higher discriminatory power for outbreak detection and allow for the sequencing of different pathogens in the same batch.

The whole genome sequencing methods provide better discrimination between the subtypes, and therefore it can distinguish isolates that have a similar or equal PFGE profile, therefore improving the detection of a possible outbreak. This is what happened in this case, as the public health agencies could not properly connect all the cases that happened throughout the country with only one pathogen for over five years, and the whole genome sequencing showed that five rare DNA fingerprints of Listeria monocytogenes were related, connecting serotypes identified in this last August with serotypes found in the cases from around five years ago.

The types of cheese involved in this outbreak were soft cheese, including Middle Eastern, Eastern European, Mediterranean and Mexican-style cheeses. The contaminated products likely responsible for the outbreak were from the brands Karoun, Arz, Gopi, Queso Del Valle, Central Valley Creamery, and Yanni, all of which were manufactured by Karoun Dairies, Inc. This company announced a voluntary recall of the products from those brands and stopped the production of other cheese products that might be contaminated with Listeria on September 16, 2015.

Even though the incident was not very recent, a lot of restaurants and people may still have cheese products from those brands as the recall happened this year, and they are advised not to serve or consume these products as they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. It is very important that people don’t consume them, as listeriosis is a very severe disease, specially for children, the elderly and immunosuppressed population.

References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Soft Cheeses Distributed by Karoun Dairies, Inc. (Final Update). Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/soft-cheeses-09-15/index.html

Zuraw, L. (2015). Final Update: 3 Deaths, 30 Illnesses in Outbreak Linked to Soft Cheese. Retrieved from: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/10/1-death-24-illnesses-in-listeria-outbreak-linked-to-soft-cheese/

Wiedmann, M. (2015). Use of Whole-Genome Sequencing in Food Safety. Retrieved from: http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/junejuly-2015/use-of-whole-genome-sequencing-in-food-safety/

4 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Listeria Seizes the Oppor-tuna-ty! Denmark investigates outbreak linked to smoked fish products

Posted on November 20, 2015 by | 6 comments

scrambled-eggs-smoked-salmon

August 2015. Four people sickened by Listeria in fish products linked to fish company, Hjerting Laks, in Denmark. Earlier in May, five cases of Listeria with two deaths were detected in Denmark. Two out of the five were of the same strain of Listeria that caused 40 cases and 16 deaths in deli meats in 2014. Although the current outbreak is not linked to the one last year, one of the five in May was traced back to Hjerting Laks.

Unique culprit. While all tested samples did not reveal to have Listeria above the accepted limit, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA) found that Listeria isolates from the patients and samples taken from the company’s production area, equipment, and official food samples gave a DNA match after whole genome sequencing. The Listeria monocytogenes ST6 sequence pattern specific to this outbreak has not been detected in samples from other sources.

Suspect: smoked fish. The source of infection in exact products has not been confirmed by the DVFA, but smoked salmon was suspected due to patients’ common consumption prior to illness. An outbreak of Listeria connected to Hjerting Laks was related to smoked halibut in November 2014, after which changes in the production processes were made. Hjerting Laks states that the bacteria from the current outbreak may have originated from raw materials supplied by sub-contractor.

“We have ordered the company to change its routines with regards to production and own-check scheme,” says Annette Perge, head of unit in the DVFA. “Tightened supervision” has been placed on the company, and DVFA has advised customers to discard related fish products or return them to the place of purchase.

Listeria monocytogenes. A gram positive, facultative anaerobic bacterial species capable of causing infections that may lead to symptoms of fever, muscle aches, and diarrhea. Populations including those with compromised immune responses due to age, pregnancy, and disease are typically at higher risk for listeriosis, with possible deadly effects on fetus and newborn infants. The primary route of transmission for this pathogen is through food, and especially in ready-to-eat foods that support bacterial growth of L. monocytogenes.

But smoked fish? Yes, smoked fish. Smoked seafood including salmon, trout, tuna, oysters, etc., are manufactured in two primary forms: cold-smoked and hot-smoked product. Typical temperatures used for cold-smoking (22-28°C) are inadequate to inactivate L. monocytogenes, but levels of the pathogen present on raw salted fish are usually reduced by 90-99% during the cold-smoking steps of salting, drying, and smoking. Hot-smoking involves initial drying at 30-40°C, then smoking at 60-70°C followed by a second drying procedure. However, products may be contaminated after both cold and heat treatment in the processing environment while products are sliced and vacuum packaged. It also doesn’t help that Listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures and is relative resistant to heating, acidic and high salt environments, as well as other inhibitory compounds used on foodborne microorganisms.

lm

See diagram. Production process has multiple opportunities for contamination. (Where else do you see places for Listeria to sneak in?)

 

Recommendations for persons at high risk (weakened immune system) from the CDC:

  • Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish (e.g. casserole)
  • Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, and mackerel, is most often labeled as “nova-style,” “lox,” “kippered,” “smoked,” or “jerky.” (These are typically found in the refrigerator section or sold at seafood and deli counters in grocery stores)
  • Canned and shelf stable tuna, salmon, and other fish products are safe to eat

Reduce risk for listeriosis from smoked fish by… Using ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible (product’s shelf-life shortens upon opening the packing). And remember to practice good hygiene in the kitchen!

 

News sources:

Listeria traced to Hjerting Laks despite fish products passing tests. (Aug 2015). http://www.foodqualitynews.com/Food-Outbreaks/Denmark-investigates-four-Listeria-cases-linked-to-fish-producer

Denmark investigates new Listeria outbreak. (May 2015). http://www.foodqualitynews.com/Food-Outbreaks/Listeria-sickens-five-and-a-factor-in-two-deaths

References:

Joint FAO/WHO Activities on Risk Assessment of Microbiological Hazards in Foods. Case Study: Listeria monocytogenes in Smoked Fish (including digram). Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/agns/pdf/jemra/Listeria.pdf

Report of the FAO Expert Consultation on the Trade Impact of Listeria in Fish. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x3018e/x3018e05.htm

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Whole genome sequencing. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/pdf/whole-genome-sequencing-and-listeria-508c.pdf

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Tips for preventing Listeria poisoning. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dfwed/pdfs/tips-preventing-listeria-508c.pdf

Image retrieved from http://www.rivertea.com/blog/7-healthy-breakfast-recipes-for-every-day-of-the-week/

6 Comments

Posted in Week 7

Tagged , , , ,