Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Fw: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 14/10 -- II

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: Doug Powell <dpowell@KSU.EDU>
Sender: Bites <BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:38:57 -0500
To: BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU<BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
ReplyTo: Doug Powell <dpowell@KSU.EDU>
Subject: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 14/10 -- II


bites Oct. 14/10 -- II

A new way to clean the greens

Possible food poisoning at Chattanooga Community Kitchen

UK man in court facing 9 charges after 2009 E. coli outbreak

FSIS issues draft guidelines on in-plant video monitoring – technology could strengthen humane handling, food safety

Wal-Mart to buy more locally grown produce

Jackass dumps toilet paper on students from plane

Is porn industry more responsible than food industry?

Where does zoo poo go?

Du jus à partir d'une compote de fruits lié à une éclosion à E. coli O157 lors d'une fête à Winnipeg

how to subscribe

A new way to clean the greens
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144588/10/10/14/new-way-clean-greens
The New York Times is reporting tonight that the produce industry — rocked by several major recalls in recent years linked to outbreaks of salmonella, E. coli and other bacteria — has been searching for a better way to wash the lettuce, spinach and other greens it bags and sells in grocery stores and to restaurants.
Now, the nation's leading producer of bagged salad greens, Fresh Express, says that washing them in a mild acid solution accomplishes the task.
The company plans to announce on Friday that it is abandoning the standard industry practice of washing leafy greens with chlorine and has begun using the acid mixture, which it claims is many times more effective in killing bacteria. The new wash solution, called FreshRinse, contains organic acids commonly used in the food industry, including lactic acid, a compound found in milk.
Mike Burness, vice president of global quality and food safety at Chiquita Brands International, which owns Fresh Express, said,
"We do believe it provides a much higher level of effectiveness versus the chlorine sanitizers in use today. This technology was developed to raise the bar."
Mr. Burness said the breakthrough came when researchers at the company combined lactic acid with another organic acid, peracetic acid. The two together, he said, worked much better than either one separately and also achieved markedly better results than chlorine.
Fresh Express issued three separate recalls this year of packaged salad greens after random testing found salmonella, E. coli and listeria in bags of its products.
Fresh Express said that its new cleaning mixture was 750 times as effective as chlorine in killing bacteria suspended in wash water. It is also at least nine times as effective as chlorine in killing bacteria that has become attached to the leaves of produce.
Mr. Burness said that lettuce and other greens were cut up in the company's plants, washed in water containing the acid mixture, typically for 20 to 40 seconds, then rinsed, dried and bagged. He said another advantage is that the acid wash did not bleach the greens, making them pale in color, as chlorine can.
The company said that it planned to license the mixture for use by other producers.
Fresh Express has not published its research, so food safety experts said on Thursday that they were unable to adequately evaluate the company's claims.
Fresh Express said that it had informed the F.D.A. about its use of the acid wash mixture, but that it was not required to get approval for the switch because the ingredients were already approved for use in the food industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/business/15wash.html?_r=1&src=busln




Possible food poisoning at Chattanooga Community Kitchen
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144582/10/10/14/possible-food-poisoning-chattanooga-community-kitchen
At least 15 people have been diagnosed with what appears to be food poisoning after eating at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. The County Health Department is investigating.
Officials are interviewing people who have eaten there and supervising a clean-up of the food preparation area.
Until more is known about what made these people sick, the kitchen will only be serving broth and dry toast.
http://chattanoogapulse.com/newsfeatures/news-feature/possible-food-poisoning-outbreak-at-community-kitchen123/




UK man in court facing 9 charges after 2009 E. coli outbreak
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144581/10/10/14/uk-man-court-facing-9-charges-after-2009-e-coli-outbreak
Ramazan Aslan, 35, the former owner of a Wrexham, U.K. takeaway, the Llay Fish Bar, has appeared in court to face nine charges of breaching food hygiene regulations, following an E. coli outbreak last year.
The case was adjourned until December after a brief hearing at Wrexham magistrates' court.
The fish bar was at the centre of a major investigation when four people were taken ill.
Barrister Anthony Vines, for Wrexham council, said it was a serious and complex case that was not suitable to be dealt with by magistrates.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-11541757




FSIS issues draft guidelines on in-plant video monitoring – technology could strengthen humane handling, food safety
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144586/10/10/14/fsis-issues-draft-guidelines-plant-video-monitoring-%E2%80%93-technology-could-strength
Apparently the U.S. was paying attention to that whole video-in-slaughterhouses-to-improve-animal-welfare-and-food-safety discussion. They just never let me in on the details.
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued draft guidelines to assist meat and poultry establishments that want to improve operations by using in-plant video monitoring.
(They're saying we're from the government, we're here to help; run).
The purpose of the draft guidance, Compliance Guidelines for Use of Video or Other Electronic Monitoring or Recording Equipment in Federally Inspected Establishments, is to make firms aware that video or other electronic monitoring or recording equipment may be used in federally inspected establishments where meat and poultry are processed. Establishments may choose to use video or other electronic recording equipment for various purposes including ensuring that livestock are handled humanely, that good commercial practices are followed, monitoring product inventory, or conducting establishment security. Records from video or other electronic monitoring or recording equipment may also be used to meet FSIS' record-keeping requirements.
The draft guidance can be found at: www.fsis.usda.gov/Significant_Guidance/index.asp.
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/144503/10/10/11/uk-regulator-wants-cameras-slaughterhouses-curb-animal-abuse-industry-says-hang
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_101410_01/index.asp?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter




Wal-Mart to buy more locally grown produce
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144570/10/10/14/wal-mart-buy-more-locally-grown-produce
"No other retailer has the ability to make more of a difference than Wal-Mart."
That's what Wal-Mart president and chief executive Michael T. Duke said at a meeting Thursday morning, according to prepared remarks, as he announced a program that would focus on sustainable agriculture among its food suppliers, as the retail giant tries to expand its efforts to improve environmental efficiency.
The program is intended to put more locally grown food in Wal-Mart stores in the United States, invest in training and infrastructure for small and medium-sized farmers particularly in emerging markets and begin to measure the efficiently of large suppliers in growing and getting their produce to market.
The New York Times reports that given Wal-Mart is the world's largest grocer, with one of the biggest food supply chains, any changes that it makes would have wide reaching implications. Wal-Mart's decision five years ago to set sustainability goals that, among other things, increased its reliance on renewable energy and reduced packaging waste among its supplies, send broad ripples through product manufacturers. Large companies like Procter & Gamble redesigned packages that are now also carried by other retailers, while Wal-Mart's measurements of environmental efficiency among its suppliers helped define how they needed to change.
I don't know anything other than what I've read in the media, but it's a fair guess that food safety culture Frank is going to have a lot to do with making sure any sustainability gains are coupled with enhanced food safety.
Michelle Mauthe Harvey, project manager for the corporate partnerships program at Environmental Defense Fund, said,
"This is huge. Once people are asked those questions, if they haven't been measuring, they measure more."
Go big or go home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/business/15walmart.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss




Jackass dumps toilet paper on students from plane
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144587/10/10/14/jackass-dumps-toilet-paper-students-plane
Never was a fan of the Jackass movies, even though Weezer did the theme to Jackass 3-D which opens Friday.
In an apparent outtake of the new movie, Couriermail reports that an unidentified pilot is believed to have flown over Westwood Regional Middle School in New Jersey, three separate times, releasing the soggy toilet paper onto an athletic field, trees, a school building and the ground nearby ,
There were no injuries reported, and the only evidence left of the incident was a few pieces of paper stuck high in the trees on the property, the report said.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/pilot-may-face-federal-charges-after-dumping-soggy-toilet-paper-on-new-jersey-school/story-e6freonf-1225938966388



Is porn industry more responsible than food industry?
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144569/10/10/14/porn-industry-more-responsible-food-industry
Justin Rohrlich of Minyanville argues the food industry can learn a few things from the adult entertainment industry, which doesn't wait for a massive outbreak of disease before taking corrective action.
Rather than wait for disaster to strike, then go about shredding documents and deleting emails as the investigators close in, "more than half a dozen pornographers in California's multibillion-dollar adult entertainment industry have halted production after an actor tested positive for HIV — and more shutdowns were expected," according to the Associated Press.
"From Vivid's perspective, there was no question that when we heard this, we immediately shut down production and said let's get the facts and evaluate them before we move forward," Steven Hirsch, the founder of Vivid, one of the largest makers of adult films, said.
http://www.minyanville.com/dailyfeed/porn-industry-more-responsible-ethical/




Where does zoo poo go?
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144573/10/10/14/where-does-zoo-poo-go
Steve Bircher, curator of mammals at the Saint Louis Zoo, told KSDK,
"It's probably thousands of pounds that we collect and it's recycled so we can use it as fertilizer and compost."
Corrine Kozlowski, an endocrine lab technician, said,
"So we can determine whether an animal is pregnant or not from it's poop. If it's having regular reproductive cycles, so it allows us to time breeding appropriately for that animal. We can also look at whether an animal might be stressed based on hormones in the poop."
Everything comes down to poo.
http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=221686&catid=3




Du jus à partir d'une compote de fruits lié à une éclosion à E. coli O157 lors d'une fête à Winnipeg
14.oct.10
barfblog
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144583/10/10/14/du-jus-%C3%A0-partir-d%E2%80%99une-compote-de-fruits-li%C3%A9-%C3%A0-une-%C3%A9closion-%C3%A0-e-coli-o157-lors-d
Les jus de fruits ont par le passé déjà été mis en cause dans des éclosions :
•E. coli O157 a contaminé des jus de fruits de la marque Odwalla avec 66 personnes malades en 1996
•Salmonella a contaminé des jus de fruits des marques Orchid Island Juice Company avec 15 personnes malades en 2005
• En 2006, le jus de carottes de Bolthouse Farms a été à l'origine de 6 cas de botulisme dont un décès
Les manipulateurs d'aliments doivent faire attention à ne pas contaminer les produits prêts à être consommés ou les boissons.
Ce que vous pouvez faire :
• Lavez-vous les mains avec du savon et de l'eau potable et séchez-vous les mains avec un essuie-mains en papier avant de manipuler les aliments.
• Quand des aliments sont entreposés dans des glacières ou des réfrigérateurs, conservez les aliments prêts à être consommés couverts afin d'éviter que d'autres aliments comme la viande crue ne puisse couler dessus.
37 personnes malades et 18 personnes hospitalisées sont liés à cette éclosion
Un jus de fruit est la cause qui a probablement rendu malades les visiteurs d'une fête à Winnipeg (Canada) en août 2010. La majorité des malades a été associée à un plateau de spécialités russes qui a été servi à Folklorama, une fête annuelle du patrimoine. Le plateau russe comprenait du bortsch (soupe de betteraves), des boulettes de viande, un plat de riz et du jus de compote. L'origine de la contamination s'est resserrée autour du jus parce que des consommateurs malades ont déclaré avoir mangé à la fois un plat végétarien et non végétarien avec le jus comme seul aliment commun. Le jus de compote a été préparé en ajoutant des pommes non pelées, des myrtilles et des mûres lavées à de l'eau bouillante.
Une fois bouilli pendant cinq à 10 minutes, le jus a été décanté dans les grands seaux en plastique. Le jus est ensuite réfrigéré jusqu'au moment de servir froid.
La contamination après chauffage est probable.
Les fruits ont été lavés et bouillis dans le cadre de la fabrication du jus. Il est probable que le jus ait été contaminé, soit par un membre du personnel ou par une contamination croisée dans le réfrigérateur.
Les autorités sanitaires pensent que la viande de boeuf haché, qui a été également manipulée et préparée sur le site, a été la source la plus probable de la contamination.
Pour plus d'Information, contactez Ben Chapman, benjamin_chapman@ncsu.edu ou Doug Powell, dpowell@ksu.edu


bites is produced by Dr. Douglas Powell and food safety friends at Kansas State University. For further information, please contact dpowell@ksu.edu or check out bites.ksu.edu.

TO SUBSCRIBE to the listserv version of bites, send mail to:
(subscription is free)
listserv@listserv.ksu.edu
leave subject line blank
in the body of the message type:
subscribe bites-L firstname lastname
i.e. subscribe bites-L Doug Powell

TO UNSUBSCRIBE from the listserv version of bites, send mail to:
listserv@listserv.ksu.edu
leave subject line blank
in the body of the message type: signoff bites-L

archived at http://archives.foodsafety.ksu.edu/fsnet-archives.htm and bites.ksu.edu

Fw: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 14/10

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: Doug Powell <dpowell@KSU.EDU>
Sender: Bites <BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:44:51 -0500
To: BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU<BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
ReplyTo: Doug Powell <dpowell@KSU.EDU>
Subject: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 14/10


bites Oct. 14/10

8 cases of salmonella confirmed at OHIO school

Listeria-positive Tyson plant in Buffalo shut down by USDA

Doping body dismisses Contador's contaminated meat claims

Brit kids avoid school toilets because of dirt and bullies; hard to wash hands

MISSOURI: Man stricken with salmonella begins long road to recovery

COLORADO: Restaurant high chairs dirtier than public toilets

Role of gloves examined in food contamination prevention

US: Funds not there for FDA to update food safety technology

Targeting non-O157 E. coli serotypes

how to subscribe

8 cases of salmonella confirmed at OHIO school
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144563/10/10/14/8-cases-salmonella-confirmed-ohio-school
Clearview High School in Ohio sounds like the ideal setting for a Proactiv commercial. Katy Perry or Avril Lavigne (right, pretty much as shown) could shoot their next acne removal spot at the high school while disinterested teens go about their business – or barf in the background like 100 students from the school did a couple of weeks ago.
In one of the slowest investigations of a possible foodborne illness outbreak,
The Morning Journal reports Lorain County Health Department officials have confirmed eight cases of Salmonella B at Acne-High, believed to be connected with a dinner served to the football team two weeks ago.
Health Commissioner Ken Pearce said,
"Our focus is on that little football dinner. But it's not confirmed that that's what caused it."


Last week, health investigators interviewed Clearview students to find any commonalities in sickness and collected voluntary stool samples. Pearce said not all the illnesses were related to diarrhea and norovirus has been discounted.
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/10/14/news/mj3482631.txt




Listeria-positive Tyson plant in Buffalo shut down by USDA
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144566/10/10/14/listeria-positive-tyson-plant-buffalo-shut-down-usda
The Buffalo News reports that a Tyson meat processing plant on Perry Street has been shut down by federal regulators after inspectors found violations during follow-up testing stemming from an August recall of deli meat produced at the Buffalo facility.
The plant suspended operations Tuesday after an inspection by the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the federal agency said Wednesday.
The shutdown was triggered by the results of sampling that the federal inspectors conducted during a food safety assessment, the agency said. That assessment was linked to the USDA's activities at the Perry Street plant since the deli meat recall, said Gary Mickelson, a Tyson spokesman.
The plant employs 560 workers. About 480 workers are affected by what Mickelson described as a "temporary suspension of operations."
In August, about 380,000 pounds of deli meat produced at the plant and sold at Walmart was voluntarily recalled after a sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
The plant had two similar recalls in 2004. Tyson first voluntarily recalled 442 pounds of cooked ham in August 2004 after a sample tested positive for Listeria. In November 2004, the company recalled another 50,000 pounds of hot dogs, prompted by an unspecified customer complaint. There were no reports of consumer illnesses in either case.
http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article219362.ece





Doping body dismisses Contador's contaminated meat claims
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144567/10/10/14/doping-body-dismisses-contador%E2%80%99s-contaminated-meat-claims
Hot off the presses from today's issue of Cycling News, World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman has dismissed Alberto Contador's claims that his positive test for Clenbuterol at this year's Tour de France was caused by contaminated meat bought in Spain.
Speaking to journalists during a meeting at the WADA headquarters in Montreal, Howman pointed out that the contaminated meat excuse has been used in the past but rejected during anti-doping hearings.
WADA is reportedly monitoring the Contador case very closely and is ready to step in if a disciplinary hearing is not arranged swiftly by the UCI and the Spanish Cycling Federation.
Howman added, "It took a year to set the Landis hearing up the first time around. … At some stage somebody is going to have to say, 'here is the hearing date'."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wada-dismisses-contadors-contaminated-meat-claims




Brit kids avoid school toilets because of dirt and bullies; hard to wash hands
14.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144568/10/10/14/brit-kids-avoid-school-toilets-because-dirt-and-bullies-hard-wash-hands
U.K. children are deterred from using school toilets in secondary schools because they are dirty - and occupied by smokers and bullies, a survey warns.
BBC reports that a quarter of the 300 children surveyed by experts from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said they avoided toilets if at all possible.
Speaking before Friday's Global Handwashing Day, the scientists said facilities were "dirty and inadequate."
More than a third (36%) said their toilets were never clean, with 42% saying soap was only available sometimes, and almost a fifth (19%) said there was never any soap.
Nearly 40% of secondary school girls reported ''holding it in'' so they didn't have to go to the toilet.
And 16% of secondary school boys reported "bad things" happening in the toilets, making them wary of going in there.
Around 150 primary school children were also questioned in the survey, but they reported far fewer problems with their toilets.
Dr Val Curtis, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Hygiene Centre, who led the research, said,
"It would be easy to blame laziness on the part of the kids for this state of affairs, but clearly the problem lies with inadequate and dirty facilities, particularly in secondary schools."
Proper handwashing requires access to proper tools.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11539933




MISSOURI: Man stricken with salmonella begins long road to recovery
14.oct.10
KFVS
Kathy Sweeney
http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=13319482
SIKESTON, MO -- More than a year after being stricken by a salmonella infection, a Mississippi County man is taking encouraging steps toward his recovery.
We all saw how a common infection could have critical results back in May, when we met LD Stidham and his wife, Molly.
I caught up with the Stidhams Wednesday morning at Sikeston Rehab, where LD receives therapy.
It took two months of effort, physical therapist Tracy Davied says, but Stidham now sits up nearly on his own. He works hard at moving each limb to strengthen his trunk.
Stidham spends an hour a day, three to four times a week, trying to regain what a salmonella infection took away. He communicates with a nod or a raised eyebrow, Molly clearly reading each signal as she encourages his every move, here and at home.
"She follows through with anything that we are working on, she will follow through with that when he leaves this setting," Davied said.




COLORADO: Restaurant high chairs dirtier than public toilets
13.oct.10
NBC
http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/Restaurant_high_chairs_dirtier_than_public_toilets__104803724.html
Parents may want to think twice before putting their child in a restaurant high chair.
A new study finds the amount of bacteria on restaurant high chairs is significantly higher than public toilets.
The research was conducted by experts at Microban, a company that makes antibacterial products.
After swabbing thirty high chairs researchers found the bacteria levels varied from restaurant to restaurant, but the bugs were bad -- e-coli and staph were just a few they found.
They even found bacteria on chairs that looked clean.
Researchers say parents should take it upon themselves to clean high chairs before their kids use them -- so the only thing going in their mouth is their food!




Role of gloves examined in food contamination prevention
14.oct.10
Meatingplace
Dani Friedland
http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=19064
Gloves, compulsory in many places for people producing and preparing food, may themselves become a source of contamination and can give people handling food a false sense of security, according to an article published in the Journal of Food Protection.
Most importantly, the researchers say, glove usage can give employees a false sense of security, and that can lead to cross-contamination if they are not adequately trained. "The false sense of security associated with gloves may cause users to engage in risky food handling practices or activities that result in cross-contamination and possible contamination of food or food contact surfaces, e.g., workers may wash their hands less frequently when gloved," the authors wrote.
The article's authors, led by Michigan State University's Ewen Todd, said the improper use of gloves can lead to food contamination and outbreaks. In fact, one study cited in the article found more microorganism contamination on gloves than on bare hands.
Additionally, rings, watches and artificial nails can puncture gloves, and research suggests that more microorganisms live under rings and watches than on other parts of the hand. Additionally, long-term usage of gloves can foster the warm, moist atmosphere microbes like, potentially leading to increased transfer of microbes to food during glove removal or in the case of contact with exposed skin.
"Although gloves provide an important barrier against food contamination, they cannot be used as a stand-alone hygienic measure," the article's authors concluded.





US: Funds not there for FDA to update food safety technology
14.oct.10
Top WireNews
http://news.topwirenews.com/2010/10/14/Funds-Not-There-for-FDA-to-Update-Food-Safety-Technology_2010101410156.html
The Food and Drug Administration is calling for an improvement in scientific tools to ensure the safety of food products, according to a recently released FDA report. FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said that an investment in science could help them catch food safety breaches earlier.
The report emphasizes the necessity of making certain that food safety protocol keeps up with changing threats, such as improved testing methods for seafood from the Gulf of Mexico after the oil spill.
What the FDA doesn't have for this project is push for better technology is more money. Although the Obama administration proposed a 23 percent increase in the FDA budget, Congress failed to grant the additional funding and instead will keep funding for the agency at the current level.




Targeting non-O157 E. coli serotypes
14.oct.10
IFT, Volume 64, No.10
Neil H. Mermelstein
http://www.ift.org/food-technology/past-issues/2010/october/columns/food-safety-and-quality.aspx?page=viewall
Scientists at DuPont Qualicon (www.qualicon.com) and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service are working together to develop a rapid method for detecting and identifying hard-to-detect strains of Escherichia coli that have been causing increased instances of foodborne illness around the world.
Rising Concern
Some strains of E. coli produce Shiga toxin, which can result in foodborne illness ranging from diarrhea to hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can be deadly. The most commonly identified Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype is O157:H7, but there are more than 200 other STEC serotypes that have been associated with human illness. O157 is referred to as the serogroup, and when the H type is also known (e.g., H7), O157:H7 is referred to as the E. coli serotype.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that non-O157 STEC bacteria are responsible for 36,000 illnesses and 30 deaths each year in the United States. The majority of these infections have been associated with six serogroups: O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. The most recent out-break was in spring 2010, when the O145 serogroup was found in shredded romaine lettuce.
Since the reporting of all STEC illnesses to CDC began in 2001, instances of non-O157 STEC illnesses have steadily increased. USDA research microbiologist/research leader Pina Fratamico said that in the past 25 years there have been at least 30 outbreaks associated with non-O157 STEC serotypes in the United States. Foods involved have included pasteurized milk, punch, lettuce, pasteurized cider, berries, and lettuce; ground beef has also been suspected. In addition, outbreaks have been associated with drinking and recreational water, animal contact, and person-to-person transmission.
The non-O157 STEC serotypes are not as well understood as the O157:H7 serotype partly because such outbreaks are rarely identified, many infected people do not seek medical care, and many clinical laboratories do not test for STEC infection since this group of bacteria are more difficult to identify than E. coli O157.
To prevent human infections with non-O157 STECs, Fratamico said, it is important to have reliable methods for detecting these pathogens in food. The test being developed with DuPont Qualicon will be rapid and simple to perform and will be useful for screening the top six non-O157 STEC serogroups in food.
Testing for E. coli O157:H7
Diagnosis of O157 STEC illnesses involves taking a stool specimen, testing for Shiga toxins, isolating a colony on sorbitol-MacConkey agar, agglutinating with O157 antiserum, and then conducting pulsedfield gel electrophoresis. Food testing requires a similar method, which is time-consuming and requires trained microbiologists. Consequently, DuPont Qualicon technical and regulatory specialist Amy Smith said, the company developed its BAX® System to bring high-tech capabilities to food laboratories that may not have highly skilled scientists on staff.
The system uses simplified sample preparation, tableted reagents, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to detect specific bacteria. It was introduced for detection of Salmonella in 1995, and the company has since developed applications for detection of many other pathogens (see table below).
In 2005, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) began using the BAX System E. coli O157:H7 MP assay to monitor meat and poultry. A few years later, DuPont Qualicon began working with USDA scientists to develop a new assay that used real-time technology to detect E. coli O157:H7. The BAX System Real-Time PCR Assay for E. coli O157:H7 was introduced in 2009 and has been certified by the AOAC Research Institute as a Performance Tested MethodSM for detection of E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef, beef trim, lettuce, and spinach.
The assay uses PCR to amplify (replicate) specific sequences of bacterial DNA that are unique to E. coli O157:H7. The company simplified the PCR process, Smith said, by combining the required reagents into a dry tablet that is hydrated with a prepared sample and processed in the BAX System instrument. The instrument amplifies the targeted DNA fragments through a series of heating and cooling cycles. During each cycle, the instrument measures the change in fluorescence of the Scorpion® probes (see sidebar) and translates that information into a visual indication of presence or absence of the targeted organism within an hour of loading samples. The time to results, Smith said, can be as quick as the same day as sample collection; other methods can take days.
Developing an Assay for Non-O157 Serotypes
Detection methods for non-O157 STEC serotypes are extremely limited, Smith said, because these serotypes are very hard to identify. Some grow much more easily than others, and there are few outstanding characteristics to differentiate them from one another or from background flora.
Fratamico said that the current testing for STEC serotypes relies on culture-based methods, namely enrichment followed by plating onto selective agar, confirmation of presumptive colonies by biochemical tests, and serotyping to identify the O somatic and H flagellar antigens. PCR-based methods targeting Shiga toxin genes and other virulence genes have also been used to screen enrichments for STEC, followed by plating onto selective agars and confirmation of presumptive colonies.
Smith said that nonculture methods such as enzyme immunoassays and PCR are used to detect non-O157:H7 STEC serotypes, but there is little standardization or uniformity to their use. Thus, there is a need for an easy, rapid method that can be used by diagnostic laboratories as well as food and regulatory laboratories. Fratamico added that enzyme immunoassays will only determine whether the sample contains one or more strains that produce Shiga toxins but will not provide information on the serotype. To do that requires isolating the organism and performing serotyping.
The scientists at DuPont Qualicon in Wilmington, Del., and USDA's Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa., are working together to design a PCR assay and determine test conditions to detect non-O157 STEC serotypes. DuPont Qualicon will incorporate the reagents needed into tablets, as in other BAX System kits, and USDA scientists will test them. Fratamico said that the test will target important STEC virulence genes as well as genes in the O antigen gene clusters of important STEC serogroups, thus identifying the O group.
"USDA continually looks for opportunities to collaborate in ways that will expedite research to assist regulatory agencies and move technologies into the marketplace," Fratamico said. "This collaborative project to develop a discriminating STEC test is a good fit with our mission."
There are three major areas of focus in the design of this assay, Fratamico said: (1) enrichment of the six serogroups, making sure that the method can allow propagation of all six non-O157 STEC serogroups to detectable levels; (2) real-time PCR detection; and (3) isolating a colony on agar medium to confirm that the non-O157 STEC serogroup is in the sample. Once a reliable test method has been developed, she said, FSIS will perform a baseline study to determine which non-O157 STEC serogroups are in a beef supply and then consider whether those serogroups will be considered adulterants in meat. At present, FSIS is concerned with whether the strain belongs to one of the top six serogroups regardless of what H type they possess. However, the strains belonging to the six serogroups must possess the Shiga toxin and eae genes.
The method is in the very early stages of development and is estimated to launch in 2011, Smith said. When the company releases the method, it will be submitted to the AOAC Research Institute for Performance Tested Method certification.
Regulatory Matters
USDA's FSIS considers E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant in ground beef, but it's the only STEC serotype considered as such. In October 2009, foodborne illness lawyer Bill Marler petitioned FSIS to declare all non-O157 STECs to be adulterants in ground beef, and in April 2010, U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) asked USDA to declare all STEC serotypes to be adulterants and to accept a petition by Safe Tables Our Priority (S.T.O.P.) to expand the definition of adulterant to include E. coli O157:H7 and the six major non-O157 STEC serotypes in any type of beef, not just ground beef or beef intended for ground beef.
FSIS replied that it cannot reach a decision about the substance of the petition until it has developed additional laboratory capacity to detect and isolate various non-O157 STEC serogroups.
In May 2010, Senator Gillibrand proposed legislation (S. 3435) that would, among other things, specifically name E. coli strains O157:H7, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 as adulterants in beef and require USDA and beef manufacturers to test for all seven strains and dispose of meat product in which any of the strains is found. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
The American Meat Institute (AMI) stated that no confirmed outbreak of any of the six non-O157 strains in the bill has ever been associated with a meat product, there is no test currently available to easily detect them, and USDA experts have said in public meetings that food safety systems currently in place work equally well against O157 and non-O157 STEC serotypes.
AMI said that additional research is needed to quantify the prevalence and virulence of these additional strains in beef and to ensure not only that an effective test is readily available but also that the test could be easily obtained and quickly administered.
How the BAX System Works
After standard collection steps, a sample of food is added to enrichment media, homogenized, and incubated. The enrichment step takes as little as 8 hr for produce and 9 hr for ground beef. Next, a lysis reagent breaks the cell wall and releases the DNA. PCR tablets are hydrated with a sample of the lysate, and the mix is then processed in the BAX System instrument.
The BAX System Real-Time PCR Assay for E. coli O157:H7 uses Scorpions technology to target selected sequences of the DNA. The Scorpions consist of a primer (targeted DNA sequence) and a hair-pin-shaped probe with fluorescent and quencher dyes in close proximity. A series of heating cycles open the double-stranded DNA to form single strands, followed by cooling cycles that allow primer to attach to the targeted DNA sequence. Polymerase extends the DNA into a complementary strand. With the next heating cycle, double-stranded DNA separates and the hairpin structure of the probe unfolds. Then cooling causes the probe segment to bind to the amplified target sequence. This prevents the hairpin structure from reforming and allows the fluorescent dye to emit a signal, which is measured at the end of each cycle. As the process is repeated over and over, the fluorescent signal, if present, increases with each cycle to a level that is interpreted as positive by the instrument. If the target is not present in the sample, the primers do not bind and fluorescent signal is not released.
The results are presented—within an hour—as color-coded icons indicating presence or absence of the target. In validation studies, the BAX System has demonstrated extremely low limits of detection: one cell per sample volume of 65 g of ground beef, 375 g of beef trim, and 25 g of spinach and lettuce.
by Neil H. Mermelstein, a Fellow of IFT, is Editor Emeritus of Food Technology


bites is produced by Dr. Douglas Powell and food safety friends at Kansas State University. For further information, please contact dpowell@ksu.edu or check out bites.ksu.edu.

TO SUBSCRIBE to the listserv version of bites, send mail to:
(subscription is free)
listserv@listserv.ksu.edu
leave subject line blank
in the body of the message type:
subscribe bites-L firstname lastname
i.e. subscribe bites-L Doug Powell

TO UNSUBSCRIBE from the listserv version of bites, send mail to:
listserv@listserv.ksu.edu
leave subject line blank
in the body of the message type: signoff bites-L

archived at http://archives.foodsafety.ksu.edu/fsnet-archives.htm and bites.ksu.edu

Fw: FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 honours innovation of the year

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: "Dacosta, Diana" <Dacosta@messe-berlin.de>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:04:00 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
Subject: FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 honours innovation of the year

 

Fruit Logistica Berlin – 9-11 February 2011
The World of Fresh Produce
International Trade Fair for Fruit and Vegetable Marketing in Berlin

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 honours innovation of the year

 

Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2011 recognises pioneering developments in the fresh produce trade

 

Application deadline for Fruit Logistica 2011 and FRESHCONEX 2011 exhibitors is 26 November 2010

 

Berlin, 12 October 2010 – For the sixth time, Messe Berlin and FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE (Dusseldorf) are inviting exhibitors at the leading international trade fair for fruit and vegetable marketing to submit their entries for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA). Presented to honour outstanding innovations in the fresh produce sector and its service industries, the award recognises new products or services that have had a positive impact on the market. The award competition is open to all FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 exhibiting companies that have introduced an exceptional innovation to the market between 1 November 2009 and 31 October 2010. Exhibitors at FRESHCONEX 2011 are also invited to submit entries for the FLIA. FRESHCONEX, the international trade fair for fresh produce convenience, takes place parallel to FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 on 9-11 February in Halls 7.2a, 7.2b and 7.2c at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. Application deadline for the FLIA is 26 November 2010.

 

A panel of experts will select the year's ten most significant innovations from the submitted entries and nominate them for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award 2011. These ten innovations will be presented at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 in a special exhibit area between Halls 20 and 21. More than 50,000 trade visitors expected from 125 countries will have the opportunity to vote for the innovation of the year during the first two days of the fair. The winner will be announced at the official award ceremony on 11 February 2011. Registration forms and detailed conditions of entry are available in PDF format from the FRUIT LOGISTICA website under Exhibitor Service / FLIA Registration.

 

Attracting widespread interest from industry experts and the media, the FLIA has become the most coveted award in the fresh produce industry. Previous FLIA winners include "Salanova" lettuce produced by Rijk Zwaan (2006), "Vitamini's" vegetable snack produced by FresQ/Rainbow Growers Group (2007, the "Intense" beef tomato from Nunhems Netherlands BV (2008), the "Sweet Green Pepper" produced by Enza Zaden (2009) and the Arils Removal Tool (ART) for pomegranates developed by Mehadrin Tnuport Export.

 

This press release is also available on the Internet: www.fruitlogistica.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press contact:

Messe Berlin GmbH

Michael T. Hofer

Director, Corporate Press and Public Relations

 

Wolfgang Rogall

Press Officer

Messedamm 22

14055 Berlin

Tel.: +4930 3038-2218

Fax: +4930 3038-2287

rogall@messe-berlin.de

 

Executive Board: Raimund Hosch (CEO),
Dr. Christian Göke

Chairman of the Supervisory Board:
Hans-Joachim Kamp

Commercial Registry:

Charlottenburg Admin. Court, entry no. HRB 5484 B

 

 

Additional information:

www.fruitlogistica.com

www.messe-berlin.com