Salmonella

  • UWO is finished with Salmonella

    Posted: December 14th, 2007 - 2:31pm by Casey Jacob

    A few hours ago, I did an adorable "finals-are-finished" jig outside the library, as I finished up my final exams for the semester. As much as I love HACCP and handwashing, it's always nice to have another semester of my Food Science education completed.

    Students at the University of Western Ontario are also joyfully celebrating... the end of the Salmonella outbreak that originated in the university's food court and sickened over 90 students

    London Topic in Ontario reported today that, "Cross-contamination of surfaces or equipment is felt to be the likely cause of the outbreak." And notes that "extensive cleaning and disinfection of the University Community Centre's (UCC) food preparation area...has been successful in controlling the outbreak."

    Always wash your hands, utensils and workspace after finishing with one food product and before moving onto the next; especially when working with raw meat and poultry. Keeping hands and equipment clean helps keep bacteria and viruses off of ready-to-eat foods, and keeps Salmonella out of the dining halls.
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  • Georgia Lions Club serves Salmonella: 67 ill

    Posted: December 9th, 2007 - 7:58pm by Doug Powell

    A report released Friday by the East Metro Health District concluded that the October outbreak of salmonella in Newton County, Georgia, was associated with consumption of pulled pork sold by the Covington Lions Club at Sherman's Last Burning.

    A total of 67 illnesses were reported among attendees at the event, which took place from Oct. 12-14, 2007, at the Newton County Fairgrounds, and that stool cultures from 17 of the cases tested positive for Salmonella Newport.

    Of those 67 reported cases, 28 individuals sought medical attention and five people were hospitalized.

    The report concluded that salmonella was significantly associated with four factors: attendance on Oct. 12, eating the ticketed meal prepared by the Lions Club on Oct. 12, eating the pulled pork from the meal on Oct. 12 and consumption of some "other" food item from the ticketed meal.

    Covington Lions Club President Mike Free said,

    "The Lions Club is just mortified that people got sick at our event. We're just glad that no one got seriously hurt. … The Lions have been cooking barbecue for 35 years and have never had this problem before and don't plan on having it again and we'll do everything in our power to make sure it doesn't happen again."

    Anyone who serves, prepares or handles food, in a restaurant, nursing home, day care center, supermarket, local market or yes, even  a Lion's Club BBQ, needs some basic food safety training. And health inspectors are there to provide some minimal oversight.

    BTW, kudos to the local health unit for some speedy reporting on the outbreak. Other outbreaks happen all the time, and the government-types involved -- local, state/provincial, federal -- are never heard from once the initial media interest is replaced by whatever celebrity is currently in rehab.
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  • Conspiracy alert: Safe almonds are part of big food agenda

    Posted: December 2nd, 2007 - 7:58pm by Doug Powell

    After two salmonella outbreaks in 2001 and 2004 were traced to almonds from California farms, the Almond Board of California, the marketing agency for California's largest tree crop, decided to push for a regulation requiring nearly all almonds grown in the United States to go through a pasteurization process before they are passed on to consumers.

    The new regulation applies to growers who sell more than 100 pounds per day to an entity, typically retailers and restaurants. Generally, farmer's markets and roadside stands will remain unaffected.

    That exception is not enogh for some folks.  Vinicio Penate says that eating a raw almond is like eating the almond tree, stating,,

    "All that strength, all that force, all that information, all the genetics. They're all there. They're just untouched."

    Jean Chevalier of Taber Ranch in Yolo, whose almonds will now be pasteurized, called the regulation ridiculous, adding,

    "I eat 'em raw right out of the field. I still have both legs and I'm not sick."

    Judith Redmond, owner of Full Belly Farms in Capay Valley, who has grown organic almonds since 1985, said,

    "The mode of industrial agriculture is that instead of addressing the cause, they deal with the problems.''

    Apparently the cause is being a farm larger than an acre. And while we're all delighted to know that Chevalier still has both legs, those who have barfed on almonds in the past may prefer the pasteurization approach.

    Almond board spokeswoman Marsha Venable said,

     "As an industry, we have our consumer's health and safety in mind."
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  • Sprouts strike again

    Posted: November 29th, 2007 - 9:30pm by Doug Powell

    Once again, raw sprouts are sickening someone.

    Eurosurveillance.com reports today that,

    Between 10 and 15 October 2007, the national reference laboratory at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) detected Salmonella Weltevreden in samples from four gastroenteritis patients. The patients were all living in the south-eastern part of Norway, and had no history of foreign travel during the month prior to onset of illness.

    S. Weltevreden is a common cause of gastroenteritis in south-east Asia [1,2], but is a very rare serovar in Norway. Over the past 30 years, fewer than 10 cases were reported annually, only seven of which were domestically acquired.

    In response to the detected cases, an outbreak investigation was initiated on 19 October in order to identify the source of the outbreak. It involved FHI, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA), and the municipal medical officers.

    An urgent enquiry was sent out through the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on 22 October. In response to the enquiry, Denmark reported a cluster of 18 cases of S. Weltevreden that was under investigation at the time. The onset of illness of the first cases had been in late July. In three cases, it was thought likely that the infection had been acquired abroad. On 26 October, Finland reported a cluster of seven cases that had occurred between 1 August and 1 October.

    On 23 October, a salmonella isolate obtained from a major Danish alfalfa sprout producer was serotyped as Weltevreden. The Danish authorities issued an alert through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) on the same day. The isolate was later shown to have the same multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles as the isolates from the case-patients from Denmark, Norway and Finland. S. Weltevreden has also been verified in the sprouts sold in Finland, but the PFGE result of this strain is pending.

    The seeds for growing the alfalfa sprouts had been imported to Denmark in July and August 2007. The Danish producer had then exported part of the batch of seeds to a Norwegian alfalfa sprout producer on 19 September. The batch of seeds used in Denmark and Norway was traded, according to invoices, via retailers in Germany and the Netherlands to Denmark, and probably originated from Italy (further information is pending). No clear link has been found as yet to the seeds used in Finland, except that they came from the same Dutch supplier. A link may appear when the full traceability accounts from the Netherlands are provided through the RASFF system. The batch of alfalfa seeds had been imported to Finland in June. However, sprouts from this batch were not on the market in Finland before August.

    The alfalfa sprouts were recalled and withdrawn in Denmark on 18 October, in Norway on 23 October, and in Finland on 28 October.
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  • Sorry for the Salmonella says food services

    Posted: November 28th, 2007 - 6:51am by Doug Powell

    The University of Western Ontario has taken what one newspaper called "the unusual step" of apologizing the salmonella food poisoning outbreak that has been linked to its on-campus food service.

    The move comes a day after some pushback to statements made by Susan Grindrod, Associate Vice-President of Housing and Ancillary Services, who earlier said,

    "This is the first [salmonella contamination] we’ve had in 25 years. … We serve 30,000 people per week, and while it’s nice to have sanitary practices, there’s no 150 per cent guarantee.”

    In the apology yesterday, Grindrod said,

    “We have made a number of recommended changes to further improve all our food handling and sanitary practices. These include the installation of hands-free sanitization stations at entrances to the Centre Spot, the hiring of an independent health and safety inspector to provide suggestions on enhanced food safety processes, and further measures to avoid cross contamination between foods.” 

    What Grindrod did not mention is the steps Western takes to verify that suppliers -- especially suppliers of fresh fruits and vegetables -- are taking steps to reduce the risk of contamination from the farm through to the Western receiving dock.

    The Rochester Post-Bulletin in Minnesota reported yesterday that a salmonella outbreak that sickened 20 who ate at a Quizno's Subs had been traced to tomatoes that were contaminated before they even got to the restaurant.
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  • 85 confirmed with Salmonella at Western, frustration increasing

    Posted: November 27th, 2007 - 6:26am by Doug Powell

    The Middlesex-London Health Unit reports that the number of people confirmed with salmonella food poisoning at the University of Western Ontario jumped by eight bringing the official toll to 85, with dozens of others suspected.

    At least five students have been hospitalized from the illness.

    Competing letters in the Western student paper, the Gazette, provide a glimpse of the growing frustration.

    Mark Lepore says 85 confirmed sick people is no biggie:

    "As with every food operation, there is always a risk of contamination. While measures are taken to prevent this — and Western is pretty strict — it is bound to happen eventually. ...

    "Yes, people were made sick and suffered discomfort, but before criticizing the first salmonella outbreak in 25 years, try looking around your own house for sanitation problems."

    Susan Varills, has a less complacent view, saying she was "shocked and dismayed" by comments made by Susan Grindrod, vice-president housing and ancillary services at Western, in a Nov. 23 story,

    "This is the first [salmonella contamination] we’ve had in 25 years. … We serve 30,000 people per week, and while it’s nice to have sanitary practices, there’s no 150 per cent guarantee.”

    As a former cook, Varills asks,

    "… is she kidding? First of all, having sanitary practices at a public food service establishment isn’t supposed to be “nice” – it’s supposed to be mandatory. After all, it is the law to ensure the food you prepare and serve is not contaminated.

    "If a regular restaurant had such a contamination with so many confirmed cases, they would not only face closure, but I’m sure such a restaurant would face a number of lawsuits.

    "The high level of traffic through Food Services is no excuse to become lax on sanitary practices; instead, the opposite should be true!"
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  • Paan can carry Salmonella

    Posted: November 27th, 2007 - 6:16am by Doug Powell

    The Indian anytime delight and after dinner digestive, the Paan, can be a terrific source of Salmonella.

    A study by researchers at the National Salmonella Centre at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Uttar Pradesh's Izatnagar, found salmonella in Paan as well as betel leaves.

    Sandeep Budhiraja, head of the department of internal medicine said,

    "It is not surprising if it is found in Paan, as the shopkeepers keep the betel leaves soaked for long hours in water that may be infected."

    Rajan Gupta, MD pathology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said,

    "This disease is not acquired because of lack of personal hygiene but because of contamination via food or water. In India, when people go out to eat in a restaurant they drink mineral water but they never think of cleanliness when it comes to Paan.

    "If everybody makes sure that what they eat is prepared in a clean place with pure hands and water then it can be easily avoided. It is best to make a Paan at home."
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  • Thanks for the salmonella, Western food services

    Posted: November 25th, 2007 - 7:10am by Doug Powell

    With the number of confirmed cases of Salmonella food poisoning reaching 77 at the University of Western Ontario Friday -- and over 50 more showing symptoms -- Erin Haertel, an Astrophysics II student expressed his feelings in the student paper, The Western Gazette:






    I would like to thank and congratulate you, Western Food Services. No really, thank you. Finally, you have successfully sent us asshole university students to the hospital with your shitty-ass food.

    We certainly appreciate the experience. Yep, thoroughly enjoyable. Although some people may have missed the sign that said: “Today’s Special: Pay $5 for tasteless crap and receive free salmonella poisoning.”

    I can’t believe that deal even included ceaseless vomiting and diarrhea — a regular value of your health — only at the cost of your grades! That’s okay — we didn’t have to write that midterm anyway.

    It’s unfortunate it was only available for a limited time while contaminated quantities lasted. Or at least until the Middlesex-London health inspectors got on the scene. Oh, by the way, the inspectors are sorry for their absence before the outbreak — they were on vacation in Fiji.

    One teensy problem, though — I guess the “general public” prefers to stay healthy (I know, what gives?) and people view a hospital as a place to go when something is “wrong.”

    So maybe it’s not a good idea to slack when it comes to health and safety. Just a suggestion. Oh, and apparently people have a problem with expired food. I just thought I’d throw that out there.

    But good job on the food variety — now we have healthy food places. I can get Evian water for $3 and a salad for only $6, which is understandable considering the two and a half cherry tomatoes are really expensive.

    So, again, thank you so much for realizing people actually live on campus (key word: live), and providing them with some drama over Western’s ass-tastic food. A business with legal issues never bores.
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  • Pet turtles can kill

    Posted: November 24th, 2007 - 3:19pm by Doug Powell

    MyFox Orlando interviewed Julie and William Godwin, the parents of three-week-old Shanna Godwin (below), who was killed by Salmonella Pomona in Feb. 2007. The same Salmonella Pomona was found in a pet turtle in the home.

    William Godwin was quoted as saying,

    "I felt really bad because I brought them home. I would have never brought them home if I would have known that, she didn't have a chance."

    The Godwin’s said their friends bought the turtles at a flea market. And while they've hired a lawyer to help with their complaint against that flea market, Julie says this is not about a legal claim, it’s about getting the word out to all parents.

    “I think parents should know that they can make your kids sick and are deadly," she said. ”They should know before they bring them home.”

    Since 1975 the sale of turtles with a shell less than 4 inches long is illegal. They can only be sold for scientific, educational or exhibition purposes.
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  • 132 now sick with Salmonella at Ontario university

    Posted: November 22nd, 2007 - 8:52am by Doug Powell

    The number of confirmed cases of salmonella food poisoning at the University of Western Ontario climbed by six yesterday, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases to 70, with more than 50 others who haven't been tested, but show symptoms consistent with salmonella infection.

    Bryna Warshawsky, associate medical officer of health with the Middlesex-London Health Unit, said it's hard to tell if the outbreak is starting to slow, adding,

     "You can't really judge that until you have seen several days of consistent numbers. We would like to get down to zero. We are hoping as we get into next week and more than a week past the thorough cleaning and disinfection that we will get down to zero."

    It may require more than cleaning. Check employee practices and the food safety standards of suppliers, especially fresh fruits and vegetables.
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