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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2 2012, 10:31 AM EST | CaitlinCatella | 114 words added |
| Jun 2 2011, 2:54 PM EDT | CaitlinCatella |
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Philippines- German agency warns against street foods
27 Jan. 2012
Minda News [edited] [BITES]
http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/01/27/dost-german-agency-warn-against-street-foods-in-davao/
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in a joint study with a German non-profit organization, has discovered that most of the samples taken from the street foods sold in a city in the Philippines at the urban center are unsafe. It was found that the street foods are contained salmonella and E. coli bacteria based on the initial results of the study. At present, the study is still ongoing and the results would be finalized by next month. The team has surveyed 120 street food vendors in areas near the schools in San Pedro, Bankerohan and Bolton streets.
27 Jan. 2012
Minda News [edited] [BITES]
http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/01/27/dost-german-agency-warn-against-street-foods-in-davao/
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in a joint study with a German non-profit organization, has discovered that most of the samples taken from the street foods sold in a city in the Philippines at the urban center are unsafe. It was found that the street foods are contained salmonella and E. coli bacteria based on the initial results of the study. At present, the study is still ongoing and the results would be finalized by next month. The team has surveyed 120 street food vendors in areas near the schools in San Pedro, Bankerohan and Bolton streets.
Japan- Scientists Estimate Radiation Doses To Wildlife Near Fukushima
2 June 2011
Chemical & Engineering News [edited] [CAHFS DailyNews]
Two months after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a nuclear crisis in Japan, French scientists have reported that wildlife near the power plant may have received radiation doses exceeding safe levels for certain sensitive species. The analysis is the first assessment of the ecological consequences from the nuclear disaster. To estimate how leaking radiation at Fukushima affected animals and plants, the team analyzed data collected from a village, located about 20 miles northwest of the plant, where some of the highest radiation levels were detected. The researchers calculated that dose rates among plants, birds, rodents, and soil invertebrates ranged from 2 to 20 mGy/day (80 times greater than the threshold dose). Marine doses were found to be even higher.
Japan- Molecular Epidemiological Investigation of a Diffuse Outbreak Caused by Salmonella enterica Serotype Montevideo Isolates
25 May 2011
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease [edited] [BITES]
Three foodborne outbreaks were caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Montevideo between September 2007 and May 2008. Also, Salmonella Montevideo was isolated from several sporadic diarrhea patients and asymptomatic carriers examined during same time period. To investigate the relatedness of the isolates, researchers performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) for 29 Salmonella Montevideo isolates obtained in this region between 1991 and 2008.
China- Review of foodborne zoonoses
25 May 2011
Epidemiology and Infection [edited] [BITES]
Foodborne zoonoses have a major impact on public health in China. Both emerging and re-emerging foodborne zoonoses have attracted increasing national and international attention in recent years. The report reviews the main foodborne zoonoses that have had a major impact on public health over the last 20 years in China.
Australia- Raw eggs blamed for increase in Australian salmonella cases
18 May 2011
Barfblog [edited] [BITES]
Between 2001 and 2008, the number of Australians sickened by egg-related salmonella outbreaks rose from 96 to 753. The rate fell to 358 in 2009, but eggs are still responsible for more than a third of all foodborne outbreaks linked to the pathogen. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that based on records, the increased could be traced to lax food safety practices, inadequate farm regulations and the power of retailers to influence food laws. Restaurants are responsible for most of the poisonings (40%), and while cooking will kill salmonella, restaurants are allowed to serve foods containing raw eggs (including chocolate mousse, tiramisu, hollandaise sauce, and aolis). A risk assessment commissioned by the Australian Egg Corporation in 2004 found refrigerating eggs could reduce outbreaks of salmonella. The lead author of the report stated that salmonella cannot grow in temperatures below seven degrees, and refrigeration reduces the breakdown of protective membranes inside the egg that stop the bacteria's growth. Despite this research, last month, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) introduced changes to the food standards code, omitting any regulations related to temperature control.
Vietnam- Lead contamination found in food
03 May 2011
Asia One [edited] [BITES]
Food samples recently taken from four major markets revealed that they were contaminated with lead. Doctors and experts from the National Institute of Nutrition carried out the research from March 2009 to March 2010 on 12 kinds of common food including: water morning glory, rice, pork, beef, chicken, shrimp, oranges, mandarins, tomato, eggs, and powdered and fresh milk. According to tests on the samples, water morning glory and pork led the list of food with lead contamination with five out of eight samples affected. Meanwhile, five out of 12 samples of rice were affected with lead, and one quarter of shrimp, orange and mandarin samples were contaminated.
Vietnam- Women's role in food safety crucial
03 March 2011
Viet Nam News [edited] [BITES]
Women hold key roles in agricultural production, but may lack information on food quality and safety. A representative of the Viet Nam Women's Union reported that in a recent survey it was found that women are primarily responsible for spraying pesticides (60.4 percent were women but only 24 percent were men) and for harvesting and selling farm products (almost 80 percent were women while only about 6 percent were men) with the rest of the workers being children or the elderly. In 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) hosted a five-year program titled, Role of Women in Producing and Trading Safe Agricultural Products, to promote women's awareness.
New Zealand- Source attribution of nontyphoid Salmonellosis using outbreak surveillance data
25 Feb. 2011
Journal of Food Protection [edited] [BITES]
In the study, 204 New Zealand outbreaks of nontyphoid salmonellosis reported between 2000 and 2009 were analyzed for information on the sources of human infection. Data were extracted from the outbreak module of EpiSurv, New Zealand's notifiable diseases database, and augmented with information from individual case reports and separate investigation reports. The outbreaks involved 1,426 cases, representing an estimated 9% of the total salmonellosis cases reported for the study period. Salmonella Typhimurium was the causative serotype in 78% of 172 outbreaks for which a serotype was available, involving 71% of outbreak cases. The most commonly reported outbreak setting was the home (47% of outbreaks), followed by commercial food operations (31%). Foodborne transmission was reported for 63% of the 123 outbreaks for which only one mode of transmission was reported, followed by person-to-person transmission (32%), waterborne transmission (3%), and zoonotic transmission (2%). The results of this analysis support the hypothesis that nontyphoid salmonellosis is primarily a foodborne disease in New Zealand, but there is insufficient evidence to confirm important food vehicles.
New Zealand- Foodborne illness does not come cheap
10 Feb. 2011
NZFSA [BITES]
A new study has put the economic cost of the major foodborne infections in New Zealand (for 2009) at $162 million, which is almost twice the figure calculated five years ago. The increase is not due to more illness, but more reliable estimates of economic cost. The study calculated the total cost to New Zealand society from illness caused by foodborne Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, Yersinia and norovirus in 2009. It takes into account costs to government of regulation and surveillance, business implications and costs, treatment costs, household costs, and costs associated with lost days of work. According to a researcher, this finding paints a picture that foodborne illness isn’t trivial. Having reliable estimates of both the incidence of foodborne illness and its financial impact are crucial for deciding where to best concentrate effort, time and money in combating foodborne illness.
Korea- Assessment of microbial contamination levels of street-vended foods in Korea
08 Feb. 2011
Journal of Food Safety [edited] [BITES]
This study was conducted to evaluate the microbial quality of street-vended foods in Korea. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC) were detected in 9% (mean value: 3.75 ± 0.56 log cfu/g) and 3% (mean value: 2.33 ± 0.90 log cfu/g) of 326 examined samples, respectively. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected. More than 50% of the isolated SA were found to be enterotoxin producers and these organisms primarily possessed type A toxin genes. Conversely, verocytotoxin-producing EC were not detected. Accurate and up-to-date data for microbiological contamination of ready-to-eat foods are necessary for consumer protection to improve sanitary conditions in food processing plants. Known contamination levels can be used by administrators to establish national regulations for the control of foodborne diseases.
Japan- Prevalence of Salmonella isolates and antimicrobial resistance patterns in chicken meat throughout Japan
3 Feb. 2011
Journal of Food Protection [edited] [BITES]
Researchers investigated the prevalence of Salmonella in chicken meat from northern, central, and southern Japan. Between 2006 and 2008, 821 samples from these three regions were collected and examined. Resistance to oxytetracycline was most common (72.6%), followed by dihydrostreptomycin (69.2%) and bicozamycin (49.1%). This study, the first to report Salmonella prevalence in chicken meat throughout Japan, could provide valuable data for monitoring and controlling Salmonella infection in the future.
Australia- Antimicrobial resistance and virulence in pig E. coli isolates
3 Feb. 2011
Vetsweb [edited] [BITES]
Antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolates were studied. A total of 117 isolates - collected from porcine post-weaning diarrhoea cases in Australia, between 1999 and 2005 - were serotyped, antibiogram-phenotyped for 12 antimicrobial agents and genotyped by PCR for 30 plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), 22 intestinal and 38 extraintestinal E. coli virulence genes (VGs).
China- Majority of Chinese Not Confident in Food Safety
7 Jan. 2011
Foodsafetynews.com [edited] [CAHFS-DailyNews]
Almost 70% of the Chinese public are not confident about the safety of the country's food supply, according to a recent national survey. The results of the survey did not bode well for a government trying to boost consumer and trading partner confidence amidst a slew of high-profile food safety scandals, from melamine-tainted dairy to chemical-laced hot pot soups. More than half of the survey's respondents believed that government management and surveillance should be further improved to properly protect people from unsafe food.
Japan- Properties of metabolic substances produced by group A streptococcus from a food-borne epidemic
03 Jan. 2011
Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy [edited] [BITES]
A large food poisoning outbreak by Streptococcus pyogenes occurred in Kanagawa, Japan, in July 2005. The study compares cases of type T-B3264 (Chiba) and type T-28 (Tokyo) reported to date and studies the properties and activity of the major virulence factors produced by Streptococcus pyogenes type T-25 (Kanagawa): hemolysin, cysteine protease streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (SpeB), and NAD glycohydrolase (NADase). The results of the research suggest that the three strains have diverse properties and activities of major virulence factors. The specific interactions of these virulence factors are thought to be involved in the pathosis of these strains.
2 June 2011
Chemical & Engineering News [edited] [CAHFS DailyNews]
Two months after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a nuclear crisis in Japan, French scientists have reported that wildlife near the power plant may have received radiation doses exceeding safe levels for certain sensitive species. The analysis is the first assessment of the ecological consequences from the nuclear disaster. To estimate how leaking radiation at Fukushima affected animals and plants, the team analyzed data collected from a village, located about 20 miles northwest of the plant, where some of the highest radiation levels were detected. The researchers calculated that dose rates among plants, birds, rodents, and soil invertebrates ranged from 2 to 20 mGy/day (80 times greater than the threshold dose). Marine doses were found to be even higher.
Japan- Molecular Epidemiological Investigation of a Diffuse Outbreak Caused by Salmonella enterica Serotype Montevideo Isolates
25 May 2011
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease [edited] [BITES]
Three foodborne outbreaks were caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Montevideo between September 2007 and May 2008. Also, Salmonella Montevideo was isolated from several sporadic diarrhea patients and asymptomatic carriers examined during same time period. To investigate the relatedness of the isolates, researchers performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) for 29 Salmonella Montevideo isolates obtained in this region between 1991 and 2008.
China- Review of foodborne zoonoses
25 May 2011
Epidemiology and Infection [edited] [BITES]
Foodborne zoonoses have a major impact on public health in China. Both emerging and re-emerging foodborne zoonoses have attracted increasing national and international attention in recent years. The report reviews the main foodborne zoonoses that have had a major impact on public health over the last 20 years in China.
Australia- Raw eggs blamed for increase in Australian salmonella cases
18 May 2011
Barfblog [edited] [BITES]
Between 2001 and 2008, the number of Australians sickened by egg-related salmonella outbreaks rose from 96 to 753. The rate fell to 358 in 2009, but eggs are still responsible for more than a third of all foodborne outbreaks linked to the pathogen. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that based on records, the increased could be traced to lax food safety practices, inadequate farm regulations and the power of retailers to influence food laws. Restaurants are responsible for most of the poisonings (40%), and while cooking will kill salmonella, restaurants are allowed to serve foods containing raw eggs (including chocolate mousse, tiramisu, hollandaise sauce, and aolis). A risk assessment commissioned by the Australian Egg Corporation in 2004 found refrigerating eggs could reduce outbreaks of salmonella. The lead author of the report stated that salmonella cannot grow in temperatures below seven degrees, and refrigeration reduces the breakdown of protective membranes inside the egg that stop the bacteria's growth. Despite this research, last month, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) introduced changes to the food standards code, omitting any regulations related to temperature control.
Vietnam- Lead contamination found in food
03 May 2011
Asia One [edited] [BITES]
Food samples recently taken from four major markets revealed that they were contaminated with lead. Doctors and experts from the National Institute of Nutrition carried out the research from March 2009 to March 2010 on 12 kinds of common food including: water morning glory, rice, pork, beef, chicken, shrimp, oranges, mandarins, tomato, eggs, and powdered and fresh milk. According to tests on the samples, water morning glory and pork led the list of food with lead contamination with five out of eight samples affected. Meanwhile, five out of 12 samples of rice were affected with lead, and one quarter of shrimp, orange and mandarin samples were contaminated.
Vietnam- Women's role in food safety crucial
03 March 2011
Viet Nam News [edited] [BITES]
Women hold key roles in agricultural production, but may lack information on food quality and safety. A representative of the Viet Nam Women's Union reported that in a recent survey it was found that women are primarily responsible for spraying pesticides (60.4 percent were women but only 24 percent were men) and for harvesting and selling farm products (almost 80 percent were women while only about 6 percent were men) with the rest of the workers being children or the elderly. In 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) hosted a five-year program titled, Role of Women in Producing and Trading Safe Agricultural Products, to promote women's awareness.
New Zealand- Source attribution of nontyphoid Salmonellosis using outbreak surveillance data
25 Feb. 2011
Journal of Food Protection [edited] [BITES]
In the study, 204 New Zealand outbreaks of nontyphoid salmonellosis reported between 2000 and 2009 were analyzed for information on the sources of human infection. Data were extracted from the outbreak module of EpiSurv, New Zealand's notifiable diseases database, and augmented with information from individual case reports and separate investigation reports. The outbreaks involved 1,426 cases, representing an estimated 9% of the total salmonellosis cases reported for the study period. Salmonella Typhimurium was the causative serotype in 78% of 172 outbreaks for which a serotype was available, involving 71% of outbreak cases. The most commonly reported outbreak setting was the home (47% of outbreaks), followed by commercial food operations (31%). Foodborne transmission was reported for 63% of the 123 outbreaks for which only one mode of transmission was reported, followed by person-to-person transmission (32%), waterborne transmission (3%), and zoonotic transmission (2%). The results of this analysis support the hypothesis that nontyphoid salmonellosis is primarily a foodborne disease in New Zealand, but there is insufficient evidence to confirm important food vehicles.
New Zealand- Foodborne illness does not come cheap
10 Feb. 2011
NZFSA [BITES]
A new study has put the economic cost of the major foodborne infections in New Zealand (for 2009) at $162 million, which is almost twice the figure calculated five years ago. The increase is not due to more illness, but more reliable estimates of economic cost. The study calculated the total cost to New Zealand society from illness caused by foodborne Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, Yersinia and norovirus in 2009. It takes into account costs to government of regulation and surveillance, business implications and costs, treatment costs, household costs, and costs associated with lost days of work. According to a researcher, this finding paints a picture that foodborne illness isn’t trivial. Having reliable estimates of both the incidence of foodborne illness and its financial impact are crucial for deciding where to best concentrate effort, time and money in combating foodborne illness.
Korea- Assessment of microbial contamination levels of street-vended foods in Korea
08 Feb. 2011
Journal of Food Safety [edited] [BITES]
This study was conducted to evaluate the microbial quality of street-vended foods in Korea. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC) were detected in 9% (mean value: 3.75 ± 0.56 log cfu/g) and 3% (mean value: 2.33 ± 0.90 log cfu/g) of 326 examined samples, respectively. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected. More than 50% of the isolated SA were found to be enterotoxin producers and these organisms primarily possessed type A toxin genes. Conversely, verocytotoxin-producing EC were not detected. Accurate and up-to-date data for microbiological contamination of ready-to-eat foods are necessary for consumer protection to improve sanitary conditions in food processing plants. Known contamination levels can be used by administrators to establish national regulations for the control of foodborne diseases.
Japan- Prevalence of Salmonella isolates and antimicrobial resistance patterns in chicken meat throughout Japan
3 Feb. 2011
Journal of Food Protection [edited] [BITES]
Researchers investigated the prevalence of Salmonella in chicken meat from northern, central, and southern Japan. Between 2006 and 2008, 821 samples from these three regions were collected and examined. Resistance to oxytetracycline was most common (72.6%), followed by dihydrostreptomycin (69.2%) and bicozamycin (49.1%). This study, the first to report Salmonella prevalence in chicken meat throughout Japan, could provide valuable data for monitoring and controlling Salmonella infection in the future.
Australia- Antimicrobial resistance and virulence in pig E. coli isolates
3 Feb. 2011
Vetsweb [edited] [BITES]
Antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolates were studied. A total of 117 isolates - collected from porcine post-weaning diarrhoea cases in Australia, between 1999 and 2005 - were serotyped, antibiogram-phenotyped for 12 antimicrobial agents and genotyped by PCR for 30 plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), 22 intestinal and 38 extraintestinal E. coli virulence genes (VGs).
China- Majority of Chinese Not Confident in Food Safety
7 Jan. 2011
Foodsafetynews.com [edited] [CAHFS-DailyNews]
Almost 70% of the Chinese public are not confident about the safety of the country's food supply, according to a recent national survey. The results of the survey did not bode well for a government trying to boost consumer and trading partner confidence amidst a slew of high-profile food safety scandals, from melamine-tainted dairy to chemical-laced hot pot soups. More than half of the survey's respondents believed that government management and surveillance should be further improved to properly protect people from unsafe food.
Japan- Properties of metabolic substances produced by group A streptococcus from a food-borne epidemic
03 Jan. 2011
Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy [edited] [BITES]
A large food poisoning outbreak by Streptococcus pyogenes occurred in Kanagawa, Japan, in July 2005. The study compares cases of type T-B3264 (Chiba) and type T-28 (Tokyo) reported to date and studies the properties and activity of the major virulence factors produced by Streptococcus pyogenes type T-25 (Kanagawa): hemolysin, cysteine protease streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (SpeB), and NAD glycohydrolase (NADase). The results of the research suggest that the three strains have diverse properties and activities of major virulence factors. The specific interactions of these virulence factors are thought to be involved in the pathosis of these strains.
