Fw: [BITES-L] bites Sep. 10/10

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Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:31:50 -0500

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Subject: [BITES-L] bites Sep. 10/10

bites Sep. 10/10

US: Egg inspectors failed to raise alarms

US: Investigation update: Multistate outbreak of human Salmonella Enteritidis infections associated with shell eggs

Two E. coli-related illnesses in MAINE linked to ground beef recall

Reminding CANADIANS of the risks of consuming unpasteurized fruit juice & cider

NEW ZEALAND: Feeding spoiled human food to animals

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US: Egg inspectors failed to raise alarms
10.sep.10
Wall Street Journal
Alicia Mundy, Bill Tomson
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703960004575482091768513872.html
U.S. Department of Agriculture experts found growing sanitary problems including bugs and overflowing trash earlier this year on the Iowa farm at the center of the national egg recall, but didn't notify health authorities, according to government documents and officials.
The problems laid out in USDA daily sanitation reports viewed by The Wall Street Journal underscore the regulatory gaps that may have contributed to delays in discovering salmonella contamination. Tainted eggs sickened at least 1,470 Americans.
Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, recalled 380 million eggs in mid-August, but people likely began getting ill around May 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The USDA was the only federal body with a regular presence at Wright, but it says it wasn't responsible for safety. USDA graders were at a Wright egg-packing plant seven days a week to oversee designations such as "Grade A" on egg cartons.
The Food and Drug Administration, which has overall responsibility for egg safety but didn't inspect the Wright facility until this August, says it never heard from the USDA about problems such as dirt and mold. The two agencies have a formal understanding about the USDA giving the FDA notice over sanitary issues, but the USDA declined to give details.
The USDA said it didn't give notice because "the conditions at the egg plant packing facilities were routine."
If the USDA notifies the FDA that it has stopped grading due to a health issue, the FDA sends inspectors to the farm, and can ask the farm to stop shipping eggs.
Wright said its farms have maintained USDA approval and it "corrected immediately" any issues raised by the USDA. The company also has said it is working with FDA inspectors and has corrected many of the issues raised by the FDA. The USDA declined to give details.

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US: Investigation update: Multistate outbreak of human Salmonella Enteritidis infections associated with shell eggs
09.sep.10
CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis/
Today's Highlights
* From May 1 to August 31, 2010, approximately 1,519 illnesses were reported that are likely to be associated with this outbreak.
* FDA identified Salmonella with PFGE patterns indistinguishable from the outbreak strain in egg farm environmental samples.
* Don't eat recalled eggs. Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. A searchable database of products affected by the recall is available to consumers.
* Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating recalled eggs should consult their health care providers.
CDC continues to collaborate with public health officials in multiple states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service to investigate a nationwide increase of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infections with an indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern JEGX01.0004. This is the most common PFGE pattern for SE in the PulseNet database. Investigators are using DNA analysis of SE bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing to identify cases of illness and restaurant or event clusters (where more than one ill person with the outbreak strain has eaten) that may be part of this outbreak. Because the SE PFGE pattern commonly occurs in the United States, some of the cases identified may not be related to this outbreak.
Investigation of the Outbreak
In July 2010, CDC identified a nationwide sustained increase in the number of Salmonella Enteritidis isolates with PFGE pattern JEGX01.0004 uploaded to PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections. This increase began in May 2010 and is evident in the epidemic curve, or epi curve. The number of reports increased substantially in July when the peak of the outbreak appears to have occurred. From May 1 to September 7, 2010, a total of 2,612 illnesses were reported. However, some cases from this period have not been reported yet, and some of these cases may not be related to this outbreak. Based on the previous 5 years of reports to PulseNet, we would expect approximately 1,093 total illnesses during this same period. This means there are approximately 1,519 reported illnesses that are likely to be associated with this outbreak. Many states have reported increases of this pattern since May. Because of the large number of expected cases during this period, standard methods of molecular subtyping alone are not sufficient to determine which reported cases might be outbreak-associated. CDC is currently evaluating advanced molecular methodologies to see if they help distinguish between outbreak-related cases and sporadic (or background) cases.
Illnesses that occurred after August 5, 2010 might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks for Salmonella. For more details, please see the Salmonella Outbreak Investigations: Timeline for Reporting Cases.
Epidemiologic investigations conducted by public health officials in 11 states since April have identified 29 restaurants or event clusters where more than one ill person with the outbreak strain has eaten. Data from these investigations suggest that shell eggs are a likely source of infections in many of these restaurants or event clusters. Wright County Egg, in Galt, Iowa, was an egg supplier in 15 of these 29 restaurants or event clusters; three are clusters that have been recently reported, but occurred earlier in the outbreak. Traceback investigations are ongoing for several of these clusters. A formal traceback was conducted by state partners in California, Colorado, and Minnesota, in collaboration with FDA and CDC, to find a common source of shell eggs. Wright County Egg in Iowa was found as the common source of the shell eggs associated with three of the clusters. Through traceback and FDA investigational findings, Hillandale Farms of Iowa, Inc., was identified as another potential source of contaminated shell eggs contributing to this outbreak. FDA is nearing completion of initial investigations at both of these firms in Iowa. The investigations involve sampling, records review and looking for potential sources of contamination, such as feed. FDA's inspectional observations, in addition to sample results, indicate substantial potential for Salmonella to have persisted in the environment and to have contaminated eggs (see 483 Inspectional Observations on the Egg Recall).
Laboratory Testing of Environmental Samples
FDA has collected nearly 600 samples from Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms of Iowa during this investigation. The majority of these samples are still undergoing laboratory testing and results are pending. To date, FDA's testing of of seven environmental samples identified Salmonella with PFGE patterns indistinguishable from the outbreak strain. Six of these positive samples were collected from manure, as well as traffic areas such as walkways, equipment, other surfaces in and around the farm, and from the feed mill at Wright County Egg in Iowa. The feed was provided to pullets (young female chickens or hens) raised at Wright County Egg facilities in Iowa. Pullets are distributed to all premises at Wright County Egg in Iowa and Hillandale Farms in Iowa. The seventh positive sample was collected from egg water wash in a packing facility in Hillandale Farms of Iowa. These findings indicate that Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms of Iowa are the likely sources of the contaminated shell eggs. FDA has not found that this feed was distributed to any companies other than Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms of Iowa.
Recall Information
On August 13, 2010, Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, conducted a nationwide voluntary recall of shell eggs. On August 18, 2010, Wright County Egg expanded its recall. On August 20, 2010, Hillandale Farms of Iowa conducted a nationwide voluntary recall of shell eggs. Additional recall updates related to this outbreak are listed on FDA's website.
Clinical Features/Signs and Symptoms
A person infected with Salmonella Enteritidis usually has fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea beginning 12 to 72 hours after consuming a contaminated food or beverage. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without antibiotic treatment. However, the diarrhea can be severe, and hospitalization may be required. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems may have a more serious illness. In these patients, the infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. For more information, visit CDC's Salmonella Enteritidis website.
Advice to Consumers
* Don't eat recalled eggs. Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. A searchable database of products affected by the recall is available to consumers.
* Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating recalled eggs should consult their health care providers.
* Keep eggs refrigerated at ≤ 45° F (≤7° C) at all times.
* Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
* Wash hands and all food contact surface areas (counter tops, utensils, and cutting boards) with soap and water after contact with raw eggs. Then, disinfect the food contact surfaces using a sanitizing agent, such as bleach, following label instructions.
* Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and eaten promptly after cooking.
* Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
* Refrigerate unused or leftover egg-containing foods promptly.
* Avoid eating raw eggs.
* Individuals wishing to further reduce their risk may consider using pasteurized, in-shell eggs.
* Avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing) that calls for raw eggs.
* Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided, especially by young children, elderly persons, and persons with weakened immune systems or debilitating illness.
Advice to Egg Producers
* Flock-based SE-control programs that include routine microbiologic testing are mandatory for producers with more than 50,000 hens, as of July 9, 2010, under FDA's egg safety rule.
Advice to Retail and Food Service Establishments and Institutional Settings
* In retail and food service establishments, pasteurized egg products or pasteurized in-shell eggs are recommended in place of pooled eggs or raw or undercooked shell eggs. If used, raw shell eggs should be fully cooked. If shell eggs are served undercooked, a consumer advisory should be posted in accordance with the local Food Code.
* In hospitals, nursing homes, adult or childcare facilities, schools, senior centers, and other facilities pasteurized egg products or pasteurized in-shell eggs should be used in place of pooled eggs or raw or undercooked eggs.
* Eggs should be purchased or received from a distributor refrigerated and stored refrigerated at ≤ 45° F (≤7° C) at all times.

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Two E. coli-related illnesses in MAINE linked to ground beef recall
09.sep.10
The Free Press
http://freepressonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=52&SubSectionID=78&ArticleID=8757
The Maine Department of Agriculture and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) want to remind consumers to check their freezers for products involved in the ground beef recall that was issued by USDA, due to possible Escherichia coli O26 contamination. The ground beef, distributed by Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., of Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, was sold at BJ's Wholesale Club stores in Maine, in Auburn and Portland.
The product subject to recall includes: 42-pound cases of "Ground Beef Fine 90/10," containing three approximately 14-pound chubs each. These products have a "use/freeze by" date of "07/01/10" and an identifying product code of "W69032."
The Maine CDC has identified two adults with a matching strain of E. coli O26. The date of onset of illness for the two patients, who live in Androscoggin and Oxford counties, was July 8 and July 16. Both patients prepared and consumed ground beef. One patient in New York State also matches this strain of E. coli O26. The patient in New York also had exposure to ground beef.

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Reminding CANADIANS of the risks of consuming unpasteurized fruit juice & cider
09.sep.10
CFIA
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_151-eng.php
OTTAWA -- With the fall harvest season approaching, Health Canada is reminding parents and caregivers that children should not be served unpasteurized apple juice or other unpasteurized products, such as unpasteurized cider, and other fruit juices. Pregnant women, older adults and people with a weakened immune system are also advised against consuming unpasteurized products.
Unpasteurized products can be contaminated with harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can make vulnerable individuals such as children, especially those under the age of six, very ill, and can even lead to death.
It must be noted that the vast majority of juice sold in Canada is safe as it has been pasteurized (treated with heat or ultraviolet light) to kill harmful bacteria. This includes most of the juice sold in refrigerated display cases, juice from concentrate, and all shelf-stable products that are packaged in cans, bottles and juice boxes, which can be found unrefrigerated on grocery store shelves.
Unpasteurized juice products can be found at some farmers' markets, local orchards, cider mills, roadside stands and juice bars. While the risk of becoming seriously ill by consuming unpasteurized juice products is generally low for most adults, the possible danger to vulnerable groups is much greater. This becomes even more of a concern during the harvest season because schools often take students to orchards as part of class field trips.
Symptoms of a food-borne illness such as E. coli infection can include stomach cramps, vomiting, fever and bloody diarrhea and can occur within two to 10 days of consuming contaminated food. People who experience any of these symptoms should contact their doctors immediately.

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NEW ZEALAND: Feeding spoiled human food to animals
10.sep.10
NZFSA
http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/feeding-spoiled-human-food-to-animals.htm#5722
Food that is no longer considered suitable for human consumption may be considered for feeding to animals. Before that occurs, however, you must comply with the following points:
1. The food must not be spoiled to the point where it may cause the animal to become ill. As a rough guide, if it smells unsavoury or there are obvious visual signs of spoilage (e.g. slime, fuzz) it should not be fed to animals.
2. If the food contains non-food additives, such as colouring and artificial flavouring, it may not be safe for animals to eat. Such foods should be avoided unless it is known that the additives are safe for animals.
3. Any food containing cocoa or chocolate must not be fed to dogs and cats. Chocolate, particularly dark and milk chocolate, will make these animals extremely sick (chocolate contains substances that are toxic to these animals).
4. The food must have all wrappings, tags, labels etc removed before it is presented to animals to eat. Food wrapping can cause animals to become seriously ill.
5. The food must not be in a physical form that may cause injury to the animal when it eats it. Care should be taken with things like bones or small hard pieces of food.
6. Any food that contains meat or meat products from ruminant species must not be fed to ruminants. This means, for example, that food containing beef or lamb products must not be fed to cattle, sheep, goats, alpacas or any other ruminant species.
7. Any food that contains meat or meat products must not be fed to pigs unless it has been heated to 100°C for at least one hour (e.g. via boiling continuously for one hour, stirring frequently).

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