NEWS PLUS + Issue 39 | 28.09.2018

A global update on food safety brought to you by FOOD PLUS + an enhanced approach to food safety and quality. 

1. Sweden reports two E. coli outbreaks; more than 100 ill

25.09.2018. Sweden. E. coli

Sweden has been hit by two different outbreaks of E. coli, with one of them affecting more than 100 people. A pizza ingredient is suspected, but investigations are ongoing.

Source: Food Safety News

2. USDA unveils goals for animal disease traceability

27.09.2018. USA. Traceability

USDA announced four overarching goals for increasing animal disease traceability to protect the long-term health, marketability and economic viability of the U.S. livestock industry.

Source: Meating Place

3. 10 dead, 1200 sick: Praise the lord and pass the guacamole: Holy water blamed for Ethiopia cholera outbreak

15.09.2018. Africa. Cholera

According to Ooska News, a cholera outbreak in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has reportedly been blamed on holy water, after at least 10 people died over the past two weeks, while more than 1 200 people have contracted the disease.

Source: Barf Blog

4. Fipronil and Salmonella lead notifications in RASFF report

27.09.2018. Europe. Food Safety

Fipronil in eggs and Salmonella in poultry meat from Brazil dominated information exchanges between European countries in 2017, according to the annual Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) report.

Source: Food Safety News

5. That Venezuela Vibrio outbreak is over, but CDC still advises caution

28.09.2018. USA/Venezuela. Vibrio Parahaemolyticus

Fresh crab meat imported from the failed state of Venezuela caused 26 consumers in eight U.S. jurisdictions to suffer from Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections between April 1 and July 19 of this year, but the outbreaks over now.

Source : Food Safety News 

6. Rapid progress in public health implementation of whole-genome sequencing across the EU/EEA

18.09.2018. Europe. Whole Genome Sequencing

The EU/EEA countries are making great progress in the implementation of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) technology for outbreak investigation and surveillance. With a harmonisation of standards, this will enable exchange of WGS-derived data across the EU/EEA as prioritised in ECDC Roadmap for molecular surveillance and improve disease control and prevention in Europe.

Source: ECDC

7. EFSA and ECDC report sheds light on egg, sesame seed Salmonella outbreaks

26.09.2018. Europe. Salmonella

More detail has emerged about two past large multi-country foodborne outbreaks in Europe. One was caused by Salmonella Enteritidis linked to contaminated eggs from Poland and the other by a previously unknown Salmonella serotype and traced to imported sesame seeds.

Source: Food Safety News