As the FDA investigates an outbreak of illnesses that may be related to Salmonella typhimurium bacteria in produce, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reminding consumers of steps they can take to keep their food safe.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with
The Rutherford-Polk-McDowell District Health Department has confirmed three salmonella cases in Polk County recently. Helen White, RN, PHN Supervisor at Rutherford-Polk-McDowell District Health Department, said all three cases involve Polk County High School students but no connection among them has yet been established.
Officials are still in the surveying stage, she said, and have not
Classic Salads of Salinas, CA is voluntarily recalling 4lb., 2lb. and 10 oz. Baby Spinach and 4lb., 3lb., 1.5lb., Spring Mix, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain 12 to 72 hours after infection. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
Baby Spinach/Spring Mix was distributed nationwide, as well as Canada and Japan, to foodservice, institutions and distributors.
Classic Salad’s Baby Spinach and Spring Mix are packed in clear plastic bags with a stamped Lot Code number of 1502XXX indicating that it was processed on July 24th, 2006. Master cartons bear the “Classic Salads”, “Classic Choice”, “Classic Greens”, “Sir Lancelot”, “Taste of the Valley”, “US Fresh” and “Valley Gold” labels and a Pallet ID Number is stamped in black ink on the exterior of the carton that is unique to each pallet. Baby Spinach pack sizes include: 4lb., 2x2lb., 12x10oz. Spring Mix pack sizes include: 5x3lb., 4x3lb., 3lb., 3x1lb., 2×1.5lb., 12x7oz.Continue Reading Classic Salads, LLC. Conducts Nationwide Recalls of Baby Spinach and Spring (Mesclun) Mix Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk
Keith Nunes of MeatPoultry.com reports that some commercial poultry processors have begun using a bacterial culture developed at the University of Arkansas (U.A.) that may reduce the levels of pathogenic Salmonella and Campylobacter in live poultry. The probiotic is helping processors increase the safety of food products and poultry science researcher Billy Hargis believes his research team can do more.
“We have not bothered to patent this specific culture because we don’t think this is the best we can do,” said Mr. Hargis, who is working on the Food Safety Consortium project in the U.A. Division of Agriculture. “We think we can find better cultures. This is just the best we have found so far. We think we can make it more effective.”
The culture is unique because unlike previous cultures that have been tested, this is a “defined culture” — entirely derived from a single defined group of bacteria.
“They’re known organisms, specific isolates that are well characterized,” Mr. Hargis said.Continue Reading University of Arkansas promoting probiotic research
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According to the New Mexico Environment Department, since 2002, reported cases of Salmonella in New Mexico have decreased from 338 cases to 288 cases through 2004, the most recent year for which data is available. That decrease represents a drop in the incidence of Salmonella of about 14.8 percent to 15.1 cases per 100,000 people. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), which regulates the food service industry, has been working to increase awareness of food-borne illnesses by emphasizing regulatory public health issues during inspections, providing free food handling and preparation training classes throughout the state, working in conjunction with the Department of Health to assist investigating food-borne illness outbreaks.
Nationwide, there are an estimated six million to 33 million illnesses and as many as 9,000 deaths every year due to food-borne diseases.Continue Reading Environment Department strives to reduce food-borne illnesses
According to an I-Newswire report, many living things, from fruit flies to people, naturally produce disease-fighting chemicals, called antimicrobial peptides, to kill harmful bacteria. In a counter move, some disease-causing bacteria have evolved antimicrobial detectors. The bacteria sense the presence of antimicrobial peptides as a warning signal. This alarm sets off a reaction inside the bacteria to avoid destruction.
University of Washington ( UW ) and McGill University researchers have revealed a molecular mechanism whereby bacteria can recognize tiny antimicrobial peptide molecules, then respond by becoming more virulent. Their studies were done on the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium. The findings were published in the Aug. 12 edition of Cell.
Salmonella typhimurium can contaminate meats such as beef, pork, chicken, as well as cereals and other foods, and cause severe intestinal illness. Certain strains of the bacteria are difficult to treat, and are behind the increase of salmonellosis in people. Some food science institutes anticipate that virulent strains of salmonella will become more common throughout the food chain. Learning how this sometimes deadly organism fights back against the immune system may lead to treatments that get around bacterial resistance.Continue Reading Bacteria recognize antimicrobials, respond with counter-defenses
In light of the July 8, 2005 FDA recall of unpasteurized juice produced by Orchid Island Juice Co. of Fort Pierce, Florida, Seattle attorney William Marler of Marler Clark, has called again on the FDA to completely ban the sale of all unpasteurized juices.
“It is simply outrageous that after all we’ve learned about the importance of pasteurizing fruit juice, especially after the Odwalla and Sun Orchard outbreaks, we still have companies selling unpasteurized juices, and the government allowing it. This must stop,” said Mr. Marler.
According to the FDA, fifteen cases of infection with Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium have been directly linked with consumption of Orchid Island juice in Michigan, Ohio, and Massachusetts from mid-May to mid-June.
“Not only was Orchid Island exempted from using pasteurization, it also appears that the FDA may have exempted it from labeling its juice as unpasteurized. Why the FDA would allow a company to produce an unpasteurized product and allow no warning label in beyond me,” Marler added.
The FDA in 1998 had set forth a labeling requirement that stated: “WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and, therefore, may contain harmful bacteria which can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.”Continue Reading MARLER CLARK CALLS ON FDA TO BAN SALE OF UNPASTEURIZED JUICES
Citizen-Times.com reports that the state Laboratory of Public Health has detected nearly five times as many cases of the food-borne illness Salmonella enteritidis so far this year compared to the first six months in 2004.
The lab has detected more cases of the bacterial infection this year to date than in the past three years put together for the same time period, indicating a troubling rise in S. enteritidis cases statewide.
Surrounding states are experiencing similar increases in Salmonella enteritidis. North Carolina’s divisions of Public Health and Environmental Health are working with other agencies here and in those states, as well as with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, to halt the rapid increase of S. enteritidis.Continue Reading Food-borne illness on the rise
The best defense against salmonellosis and other food-borne diseases is safe food handling. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has been trying to get that message to consumers. But changes in the food industry and Americans’ eating habits make the job challenging. An estimated 76 million cases of food poisoning occur
Sweetwater County Environmental Health officials have traced a Salmonella outbreak to the Sand’s restaurant located on 9th Street in Rock Springs, Wyoming. At least eight patrons have become ill with Salmonella poisoning.
Resources for victims of Salmonella outbreaks are available on the Web, with sponsored sites on Salmonella and Salmonella litigation provided by Marler Clark,