Fw: [BITES-L] bites Nov. 9/10

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Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 16:36:02 -0600

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bites Nov. 9/10

Does washing fruit and veg do anything

Live animal imports into AMERICA: agencies need better collaboration to reduce the risk of animal-related diseases

Food poisoning incident at Singapore sports school

ARIZONA: Myth of a germ-free world: A closer look at antimicrobial products

Stevenson says EUROPEAN aquaculture should replace catfish from 'filthy' Mekong River

MALAYSIA: Free Malaysia food safety endorsement

AUSTRALIA: new welfare regulations for the pig industry

GEORGIA: Restaurant inspection scores released

Lactobacillus fermentum isolated from human colonic mucosal biopsy inhibits the growth and adhesion of enteric and foodborne pathogens

Effect of NaCl on the biofilm formation by foodborne pathogens

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by food antimicrobials applied singly and in combination

Electrostatic sprays of food-grade acids and plant extracts are more effective than conventional sprays in decontaminating Salmonella Typhimurium on spinach

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Does washing fruit and veg do anything
09.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145034/10/11/09/does-washing-fruit-and-veg-do-anything
Not much.
"You can reduce the number, but you're not gonna get zero," said Dr. Ted Labuza, of the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, a University of Minnesota associate professor who has studied the impact of various washing techniques on produce said,
"At the consumer level, washing from the point of view of numbers, may reduce risk to 10 percent of the original risk. That's been fairly consistent. But it's definitely not solving the problem … If you happen to be lucky and the cells of the pathogen are not going to be attached to the surface, you may get lucky. If the cells have formed some structure and are strongly attached to the surface, you may not."
Washing with water and some scrubbing motion applies friction, which has been shown to dramatically reduce the number of bacteria on a fruit or vegetable -- from 100 percent risk to 10 percent risk, for example. But when the original numbers are in the trillions, that 10 percent risk can still be significant.
Running water on a fruit can reduce the risk to 15 percent. Scrubbing gets you to 10 percent, and using a mix of 3 parts water, 1 part vinegar can reduce the risk to 1 or 2 perecent.
So, it's doing something, but it may not be enough.
http://wcco.com/goodquestion/washing.fruit.question.2.2001649.html

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Live animal imports into AMERICA: agencies need better collaboration to reduce the risk of animal-related diseases
09.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145033/10/11/09/live-animal-imports-america-agencies-need-better-collaboration-reduce-risk-anim
The United States legally imported more than 1 billion live animals from 2005 through 2008. With increased trade and travel, zoonotic diseases (transmitted between animals and humans) and animal diseases can emerge anywhere and spread rapidly.
That's a lot of animals.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded the statutory and regulatory framework for live animal imports has gaps that could allow the introduction of diseases into the United States. Specifically:
(1) The Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has regulations to prevent the importation of live animals that may pose a previously identified disease risk to humans for some diseases, but gaps in its regulations may allow animals presenting other zoonotic disease risks to enter the United States. CDC has solicited comments in advance of a rulemaking to better prevent the importation of animals that pose zoonotic disease risks.
(2) The Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has regulations to prevent imports of nonnative live animals that could become invasive.
GAO recommends that the Secretaries of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and the Interior develop a strategy to address barriers to agency collaboration that may allow potentially risky imported animals into the United States and jointly determine data needs to effectively oversee imported animals.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11

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Food poisoning incident at Singapore sports school
09.nov.10
Ministry of Health – Singapore
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145032/10/11/09/food-poisoning-incident-singapore-sports-school
Over 100 students at Singapore Sports School were stricken with food poinsong from Nov. 1-3, 2010.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) are investigating into a food poisoning incident involving a licensed caterer, ISS Catering Services Pte Ltd.
As a precautionary measure, the canteen operator, ISS Catering Services Pte Ltd, was required to clean up the food preparation and refreshment areas of the canteen. MOH has advised the school to be alert to new cases and to ensure high standards of hygiene among students, staff and food handlers. NEA will continue to work with the school to monitor the hygiene situation at the canteen closely.
http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/pressreleases.aspx?id=25304

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ARIZONA: Myth of a germ-free world: A closer look at antimicrobial products
09.nov.10
Arizona State University
Joseph Caspermeyer
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-11/asu-moa110910.php
Killing microorganisms has become a national obsession. A pair of antimicrobial compounds known as triclosan and triclocarban are lately the weapons of choice in our war of attrition against the microbial world. Both chemicals are found in an array of personal care products like antimicrobial soaps, and triclosan also is formulated into everyday items ranging from plastics and toys to articles of clothing.
But are these antimicrobial chemicals, as commonly used by people across the nation, really safe for human health and the environment? More pointedly, do they even work? According to associate professor Rolf Halden, of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, the answer to these questions is an emphatic "No."
A biologist and engineer, Halden is interested in chemicals produced in high volume for consumer use. "I follow the pathways of these substances and try to figure out what they do to the environment, what they do to us and how we can better manage them."
The antimicrobial triclosan was patented in 1964, and began its use in clinical settings, where it was found to be a potent bacterial killer, useful before surgical procedures. Since then, industry's drive to convince consumers of the need for antimicrobials has been aggressive and highly effective. Antimicrobials made their first appearance in commercial hand soaps in the 1980s and by 2001, 76 percent of liquid hand soaps contained the chemical.
Antimicrobials have become a billion dollar a year industry and these chemicals now pervade the environment and our bodies. Levels of triclosan in humans have increased by an average of 50 percent since 2004, according to newly updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Triclosan and triclocarban are present in 60 percent of all rivers and streams nationwide and analysis of lake sediments have shown a steady increase in triclosan since the 1960s. Antimicrobial chemicals appear in household dust where they may act as allergens, and alarmingly, 97 percent of all U.S. women show detectable levels of triclosan in their breast milk. Such unnecessary exposures carry risks which, at present, are ill-defined.
Halden and his team conducted a series of experiments aimed at tracking the environmental course of the active ingredients in personal care products. The disturbing results of their research indicate that triclosan and triclocarban first aggregate in wastewater sludge and are transferred to soils and natural water environments, where they were observed to persist for months or years.
The chemistry behind these compounds, which contain benzene ring structures that have been chlorinated, make them notoriously difficult to break down. Further, they are averse to water or hydrophobic, tending to stick to particles, which decreases their availability for breakdown processes and facilitates long-range transport in water and air. A recent study demonstrated the accumulation of triclosan in dolphins from contaminated coastal waters.
Earlier, the EPA had been provided with industry-funded studies of wastewater treatment plant effluent, seemingly indicating elimination of triclosan and triclocarban during the treatment process. But Halden speculated that these chemicals might in fact persist in the solid byproduct left over after treatment—the sewage sludge. The group's suspicions were confirmed through an initial testing of a large wastewater treatment plant serving 1.3 million people, located in the Mid Atlantic region of the U.S.
In the first study of its kind, conducted by the team in 2006, it was determined that three quarters of the mass of triclocarban entering the wastewater treatment facility was simply moved from the water into the sludge. Similar tests confirmed the accumulation of triclosan in sludge with 50 percent efficiency.
"We make 13 billion pounds of dry sludge per year," Halden notes. "That is equal to a railroad train filled with sludge stretching 750 miles from Phoenix to San Francisco." One half of this sludge winds up on agricultural fields. The potential for these chemicals to migrate into food or leach into groundwater, has not received adequate consideration. It is likely that antimicrobials are capable of moving up the food chain, through a process known as biomagnification.
Both triclosan and triclocarban have been linked to endocrine disruption, with potential adverse impacts on sexual and neurological development. Further, the accumulation of these antimicrobials in the environment is exerting selective pressure on microorganisms exposed to them, thereby increasing the likelihood that a super-bug, resistant to the very antimicrobials developed to kill them, will emerge—with potentially dire consequences for human health.
On the positive side, Halden's team identified specific microorganisms adapted to not only tolerate but also break down pervasive antimicrobials. The research is part of a wider effort aimed at alerting the public and regulatory agencies, including the EPA and FDA, of the dangers of these chemicals as well as developing effective remediation strategies.
As Halden explains, "these microbes have the dual advantage of being resistant to destruction by antimicrobials and being able to break down these chemicals. You could put them to use for example by adding them to high-strength industrial wastewater before it gets combined with the domestic sewage."
In the group's recent studies, appearing in Water Research and The Journal of Hazardous Materials, levels of triclosan and triclocarban were measured, to determine the degree to which these chemicals, along with other antimicrobials, become concentrated in sludge, and what happens to them thereafter. Triclosan and triclocarban account for two-thirds of the mass of all the antimicrobials in sludge, Halden found, based on a survey of 72 chemicals entering the wastewater treatment stream. Further, massive bioaccumulation of antimicrobial chemicals has been observed in various species. Earthworms exposed to triclosan, for example, showed accumulation of the chemical by a factor of 2700 percent.
Halden notes the impact these persistent chemicals can have on other life forms in the environment that are not their intended target. The thresholds for killing microbes are much higher than those for other, more fragile life forms, like algae, crustaceans and fish. "This explains why residual concentrations of antimicrobials found in aquatic environments are still sufficiently harmful to wipe out the small and sensitive crustaceans, which are critical to the aquatic life cycle and food web," Halden says.
For certain, chemicals like triclosan and triclocarban have their place in public health, particularly in clinical settings, among people who are trained in their proper use. However, in 2005, the FDA put together an expert panel to review all the available information on these chemicals. Halden was among the voting members of this committee, which concluded that regular use of antimicrobial products by the general public was no more effective than traditional methods of proper hygiene—simply washing thoroughly with regular soap and water.
Society, Halden insists, is participating in a grand experiment in which we are all guinea pigs. While effective regulation of these chemicals is badly needed, Halden says that the inertia of regulatory agencies is a formidable obstacle. In the meantime, the best hope is for consumers to avoid triclosan and triclocarban containing products.
"The culture of fear leads people to make impulsive decisions and buy a lot of antimicrobial products that are not really needed," Halden says. "It's a profitable market to be in, but not one that is ultimately sustainable or a good idea."

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Stevenson says EUROPEAN aquaculture should replace catfish from 'filthy' Mekong River
09.nov.10
Fish News EU
http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/uk/4660-stevenson-says-european-aquaculture-should-replace-catfish-from-filthy-mekong-river.html
British shoppers are unwittingly buying a catfish farmed by "slave labour" in the filthy Mekong River in Vietnam, Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson will warn today.
Pangasius or panga fish is already being sold at rock-bottom prices under names including basa, grey sole and Vietnamese river cobbler by UK supermarkets, fishmongers and fish-and-chip shops.
In the past year alone, UK sales of frozen pangasius have rocketed by 50% to nearly 1,500 tonnes, while sales of traditional species like cod, salmon and trout have dropped. The volume of fresh sales is unknown but is likely to add significantly to the total.
But in a keynote speech to a conference on aquaculture in the European Parliament today, Mr Stevenson will say that imports of the cheap fish are undercutting European fish farmers and allowing multinational firms to exploit virtual "slave labour" in Vietnam.
Imports now account for 60% of fish consumed within the EU, worth £25billion last year. This included an astonishing 224,000 tonnes of pangasius from Vietnam.
Mr Stevenson said: "The Mekong River is one of the most heavily polluted rivers on Earth. Factories along its banks daily pump thousands of tonnes of contaminants into its slow-flowing waters.
"As a result, the water in which pangasius is being farmed is teeming with bacteria and poisoned with industrial effluents including arsenic, mercury and DDT."

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MALAYSIA: Free Malaysia food safety endorsement
09.nov.10
The Star Online
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/11/9/nation/7386282&sec=nation
PUTRAJAYA -- Food manufacturers will now have to secure the Malaysia Food Safety endorsement issued by the Health Ministry which is free before applying for halal or 1Malaysia Best certification.
Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the move would ensure the country's 35,000 food manufacturers would produce high quality, safe and hygienic products.
"The country's food manufacturing industry needs to ensure the quality and safety of its products are at the highest possible level.
"To help manufacturers meet these standards, my ministry is introducing the 1Malaysia Food Safety scheme where obtaining the endorsement is free," he told reporters after launching the scheme yesterday.
Liow said previously, food producers were hesitant to get their products endorsed as they needed to engage consultants to come up with the necessary working papers and documentation.

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AUSTRALIA: new welfare regulations for the pig industry
09.nov.10
Vetsweb
http://www.vetsweb.com/news/australia-new-welfare-regulations-for-the-pig-industry-1610.html
A new set of animal welfare regulations for the Western Australian pig industry have been introduced.
Key regulations include: new minimum space requirements for pig enclosures , six-week limit on the time a sow can be kept in a farrowing crate, from 2017, a six-week limit on the time a pregnant sow can be confined in a sow stall.
The new regulations are derived from the Australian Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Pigs 3rd Edition 2008. Key elements of the code are being applied across Australia through the introduction of regulations in each jurisdiction.
Acting Local Government Minister Bill Marmion said this reflected all States and Territories' desire to have a nationally consistent approach to the implementation and enforcement of animal welfare standards. A $2,500 maximum penalty applies under the new regulations and come into effect immediately the regulations are gazetted.
The Department of Local Government, which administers and enforces the Animal Welfare Act 2002, and the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, worked together in drafting the new regulations.

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GEORGIA: Restaurant inspection scores released
08.nov.10
Northeast Georgian
http://www.thenortheastgeorgian.com/articles/2010/11/09/news/business/01business.txt
Following are the foodservice inspections for Oct. 19-Nov. 3 by the Habersham County Health Department's Environmental Health Section.
The letter grade U means unsatisfactory compliance and is applied to a score of 69 or less. Foodservice establishments are required to post their score sheets in public so customers can review them.
For more information, contact the environmental health office at 706-776-7659.
# Habersham Central High School, 171 Raider Circle, Mt. Airy. Inspection time: 11:20 a.m. Purpose: routine. Score: 99; current grade: A; last score: 100.
Inspection notes: 15B. Repair leak at dishwasher. 15C. Clean all fans and vent filters; clean gasket on walk-in freezer door (right). Facility very well organized!
# Habersham Caterers, 1041 Airport Road, Baldwin. Inspection time: 10 a.m. Purpose: routine. Score: 99; current grade: A; last score: 99.
Inspection notes: 17C. Clean floor in dry storage room and refinish (in progress), Repair/replace screen door (in progress). 17D. Clean vent hood interior and exterior, keep all personal items/food stored in separate area that is clearly labeled.
# Clarkesville Elementary, 6539 Hwy. 115, Clarkesville. Inspection time: 10:35 a.m. Purpose: routine. Score: 100; current grade: A; last score: 100.
Inspection notes: Excellent.
# Garden Gate Catering, 193 Rather Hill Drive, Clarkesville. Inspection time: 12:30 p.m. Purpose: routine. Score: 100; current grade: A; last score: 100.

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Lactobacillus fermentum isolated from human colonic mucosal biopsy inhibits the growth and adhesion of enteric and foodborne pathogens
08.nov.10
Journal of Food Science.
Parvathi Varma, Kavitha R. Dinesh, Krishna K. Menon, Raja Biswas
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01818.x/abstract
Abstract:  A number of Lactobacillus species are used as probiotic strains in order to benefit health. We have isolated L. fermentum from human colonic mucosal biopsy samples that possess antimicrobial activities against entroinvasive and foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi A, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Vibrio sp. In addition to lactic acid, L. fermentum secretes antimicrobial proteinacious compound(s) that was found to be active even at neutral pH (pH 7.0). The compound was sensitive to heat treatment and trypsin digestion. Lactobacillus fermentum inhibited the adhesion of enteropathogens to intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. Isolated cell surface associated proteins (SAPs) from L. fermentum were sufficient for the adhesion exclusions of enteropathogenic E. coli. Our results indicate that L. fermentum produces antimicrobial compounds and SAPs to inhibit the growth and adhesion of enteropathogens, respectively.

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Effect of NaCl on the biofilm formation by foodborne pathogens
08.nov.10
Journal of Food Science
Hua Xu, Yunyun Zou, Hyeon-Yong Lee, Juhee Ahn
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01865.x/abstract
Abstract:  This study was designed to evaluate the effect of NaCl on the biofilm formation of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella boydii, and Salmonella Typhimurium. The biofilm cells were cultured in media containing different NaCl concentrations (0% to 10%) for 10 d of incubation at 37 °C using a 24-well polystyrene microtiter plate, collected by swabbing methods, and enumerated using plate count method. The attachment and detachment kinetic patterns were estimated according to the modified Gompertz model. The cell surface hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation were observed at different NaCl concentrations. Most strains showed 2 distinctive phases at lower than 6% NaCl, while the numbers of adhered cells gradually increased throughout the incubation period at 4% to 10% NaCl. At 0% NaCl, the numbers of adhered L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, S. boydii, and S. Typhimurium cells rapidly increased up to 7.04, 6.47, 6.39, and 7.27 log CFU/cm2, respectively, within 4 d of incubation. The maximum growth rate (kA) and specific growth rate (μA) of adherent pathogenic cells were decreased with increasing NaCl concentration. Noticeable decline in the numbers of adherent cells was observed at low concentration levels of NaCl (<2%). The adherence abilities of foodborne pathogens were influenced by the physicochemical surface properties. The hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation enhanced the biofilm formation during the incubation periods. Therefore, this study could provide useful information to better understand the adhesion and detachment capability of foodborne pathogens on food contact surfaces.

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Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by food antimicrobials applied singly and in combination
08.nov.10
Journal of Food Science
Alex L. Brandt, Alejandro Castillo, Kerri B. Harris, Jimmy T. Keeton, Margaret D. Hardin, Thomas M. Taylor
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01843.x/abstract
Abstract:  Combining food antimicrobials can enhance inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) meats. A broth dilution assay was used to compare the inhibition of L. monocytogenes resulting from exposure to nisin, acidic calcium sulfate, ɛ-poly-L-lysine, and lauric arginate ester applied singly and in combination. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were the lowest concentrations of single antimicrobials producing inhibition following 24 h incubation at 35 °C. Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were the lowest concentrations that decreased populations by ≥3.0 log10 CFU/mL. Combinations of nisin with acidic calcium sulfate, nisin with lauric arginate ester, and ɛ-poly-L-lysine with acidic calcium sulfate were prepared using a checkerboard assay to determine optimal inhibitory combinations (OICs). Fractional inhibitory concentrations (FICs) were calculated from OICs and were used to create FIC indices (FICIs) and isobolograms to classify combinations as synergistic (FICI < 1.00), additive/indifferent (FICI= 1.00), or antagonistic (FICI > 1.00). MIC values for nisin ranged from 3.13 to 6.25 μg/g with MBC values at 6.25 μg/g for all strains except for Natl. Animal Disease Center (NADC) 2045. MIC values for ɛ-poly-L-lysine ranged from 6.25 to 12.50 μg/g with MBCs from 12.50 to 25.00 μg/g. Lauric arginate ester at 12.50 μg/g was the MIC and MBC for all strains; 12.50 mL/L was the MIC and MBC for acidic calcium sulfate. Combining nisin with acidic calcium sulfate synergistically inhibited L. monocytogenes; nisin with lauric arginate ester produced additive-type inhibition, while ɛ-poly-L-lysine with acidic calcium sulfate produced antagonistic-type inhibition. Applying nisin along with acidic calcium sulfate should be further investigated for efficacy on RTE meat surfaces.

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Electrostatic sprays of food-grade acids and plant extracts are more effective than conventional sprays in decontaminating Salmonella Typhimurium on spinach
08.nov.10
Journal of Food Science
Vijayalakshmi Ganesh, Navam S. Hettiarachchy, Madhuram Ravichandran, Michael G. Johnson, Carl L. Griffis, Elizabeth M. Martin, Jean-Francois Meullenet, Steven C. Ricke
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01859.x/abstract
Abstract:  About 40000 people fall victim to Salmonella infections every year in the United States. Recent occurrences of Salmonella contaminated spinach and its recalls have accelerated the need for efficient antimicrobials targeting these pathogens. Our study was aimed at evaluating the inhibitory properties of malic, tartaric, and lactic acids, and grape seed extract (GSE) alone and in combinations and their application methods against Salmonella Typhimurium-inoculated spinach using a response surface method. Fresh spinach leaves were washed, disinfected with sodium hypochlorite solution (0.04% v/v), rewashed with sterile deionized (DI) water, and inoculated with a 2nd-day culture of S. Typhimurium (7.0 log CFU/mL). Adhered S. Typhimurium population on day 0 were 7.5 log CFU/g. These were treated with individual and combinations of organic acids with GSE or DI water (control) adjusted to the same pH as that of the test solutions with both the modes of application and leaves were refrigerated at 4 °C. Malic acid (2%) in combination with GSE (3%) or lactic acid (3%) sprayed electrostatically showed reductions of 2.6 to 3.3 log CFU/g compared to lower log reductions (0.0 to 0.3 log CFU/g) by day 14 if sprayed conventionally. These findings indicate that malic acid in combination with GSE/lactic acid solutions applied by electrostatic spraying exhibited higher inhibition of pathogens than conventional spraying and can be used for commercial applications to enhance food safety.

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