Testing matters: EU Interlaboratory comparison study food on detection of Salmonella in minced chicken meat

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Douglas Powell

In 2013, it was shown that 32 out of 35 National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) in the European Union were able to detect high and low levels of Salmonella in minced chicken meat. Two laboratories made an initial transcription error when processing the raw data, which led to their performance being rated as ‘moderate’.

One laboratory continued to underperform during the follow-up study. Despite a significant improvement, this laboratory still had a sensitivity problem in the detection of Salmonella. Depending on the method used, the laboratories detected Salmonella in 61 to 78% of the contaminated samples. The detection of Salmonella in this study was made more difficult because of high levels of “interfering” bacteria in the minced chicken meat. These are some of the conclusions of the Sixth EU Interlaboratory Comparative Study of Food Samples, which was organized by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Salmonella (EURL-Salmonella).

Interlaboratory comparative study obligatory for EU Member States
The study was conducted in September 2013, with a follow-up study in January 2014. Participation was obligatory for all EU Member State NRLs that are responsible for the detection of Salmonella in food samples. EURL-Salmonella is part of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
The laboratories used three internationally accepted analysis methods (RVS, MKTTn and MSRV) to detect the presence of Salmonella in minced chicken meat. Each laboratory received a package of minced chicken meat contaminated with two different concentrations of Salmonella Infantis, or containing no Salmonella at all. The laboratories were required to analyse the samples for the presence of Salmonella in accordance with the study protocol. In this study, the RVS and MSRV analysis methods produced significantly better results than the MKTTn method in terms of detecting Salmonella in minced chicken meat. This underscores the benefits of using more than one analysis method.

Two new procedures were introduced and were positively received. For the first time, a food matrix was artificially contaminated with a diluted culture of Salmonella at the EURL-Salmonella laboratory. The NRLs were no longer required to combine the Salmonella samples. The feasibility of this procedure for subsequent studies will be assessed for each study. Furthermore, the participating laboratories were able to submit their findings via the Internet. This procedure will be optimized and continued.

Reported foodborne outbreaks due to fresh produce: US vs EU

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Douglas Powell

Consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a healthy lifestyle. Various international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, encourage the daily intake of at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables per day (excluding potatoes and other starchy tubers) for the prevention of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.

A large portion of this produce is consumed raw, and the number of foodborne outbreaks associated with these products has increased correspondingly. In this context, unpasteurized fruit juices and raw sprouts are also considered high-risk foods. The 2011 Escherichia coli O104:H4 outbreak from sprouted seeds in Germany gives a clear indication of the emerging relevance of the consumption of these products within food safety issues.

Globalization and growing international trade can also increase the risk, especially if produce comes from countries with lower safety standards. Nevertheless, nutrition educators and healthcare professionals believe that the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables outweigh the risk of contracting a foodborne illness by consuming fresh produce.

The number of reported outbreaks (defined as the occurrence of two or more cases of similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food) reported both in the United States and European Union represents only a fraction of the actual number of outbreaks that occur.

Large outbreaks, outbreaks associated with food service and institutions, and outbreaks that have a longer duration or cause serious disease are more likely to be investigated and reported. Conversely, the data may not reflect what occurs in

sporadic cases. Moreover, there are differences in the sensitivity of the national or state systems in identifying and investigating foodborne outbreaks.

A wide spectrum of pathogens and food vehicles has been documented in produce-associated outbreaks. The occurrence of food-related infections due to fresh produce calls for better control interventions and the need for improved prevention strategies worldwide, since food can be contaminated at any point in the food chain, and interventions must be applied where appropriate at every step. Hence, the future success of global efforts to prevent produce-related outbreaks depends on the understanding of the key contributing factors and the maintenance of best practices to reduce and eliminate contamination.

Reported foodborne outbreaks due to fresh produce in the United States and European Union: trends and causes

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. January 2015, 12(1): 32-38

Callejón Raquel M., Rodríguez-Naranjo M. Isabel, Ubeda Cristina, Hornedo-Ortega Ruth, Garcia-Parrilla M. Carmen, and Troncoso Ana M.

http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2014.1821#utm_source=ETOC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fpd

Abstract

The consumption of fruit and vegetables continues to rise in the United States and European Union due to healthy lifestyle recommendations. Meanwhile, the rate of foodborne illness caused by the consumption of these products remains high in both regions, representing a significant public health and financial issue. This study addresses the occurrence of reported foodborne outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and vegetables consumption in the United States and European Union during the period 2004–2012, where data are available. Special attention is paid to those pathogens responsible for these outbreaks, the mechanisms of contamination, and the fresh produce vehicles involved. Norovirus is shown to be responsible for most of the produce-related outbreaks, followed by Salmonella. Norovirus is mainly linked with the consumption of salad in the United States and of berries in the European Union, as demonstrated by the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). Salmonella was the leading cause of multistate produce outbreaks in the United States and was the pathogen involved in the majority of sprouts-associated outbreaks. As is reflected in the MCA, the pattern of fresh produce outbreaks differed in the United States and European Union by the type of microorganism and the food vehicle involved.

Salmonella in Europe lowest in Sweden, highest in Spain

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Douglas Powell

We developed a model that enabled a back-calculation of the annual salmonellosis seroincidence from measurements of Salmonella antibodies and applied this model to 9677 serum samples collected from populations in 13 European countries. We found a 10-fold difference in the seroincidence, which was lowest in Sweden (0.06 infections per person-year), Finland (0.07), and Denmark (0.08) and highest in Spain (0.61), followed by Poland (0.55).

These numbers were not correlated with the reported national incidence of Salmonella infections in humans but were correlated with prevalence data of Salmonella in laying hens (P < .001), broilers (P < .001), and slaughter pigs (P = .03). Seroincidence also correlated with Swedish data on the country-specific risk of travel-associated Salmonella infections (P = .001). Estimates based on seroepidemiological methods are well suited to measure the force of transmission of Salmonella to human populations, in particular relevant for assessments where data include notifications from areas, states or countries with diverse characteristics of the Salmonella surveillance.

Seroincidence of human infections with nontyphoid Salmonella compared with data from public health surveillance and food animals in 13 European countries

Clin Infect Dis. (2014) 59 (11): 1599-1606 first published online August 6, 2014

http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/59/11/1599.full

Poultry retailers in Europe may be penalized if they sell Salmonella contaminated fresh meat

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Douglas Powell

Ute Reindl is the manager of an Austrian branch of a supermarket (MPREIS Warenvertriebs GmbH). In 2012 a food safety body took a sample at that branch of vacuum packed fresh turkey breast processed and packaged by another company (MPREIS being involved only at the distribution stage). The sample was contaminated by salmonella and was therefore ‘unfit for human consumption’ for the purposes of EU law1.

The Austrian authorities brought proceedings against Ms Reindl for failure to comply with food safety rules and fined her. As Ms Reindl appealed against the fine to the Unabhängiger Verwaltungssenat in Tirol (Independent Administrative Chamber for the Land of Tyrol, Austria) which has asked the Court of Justice about the extent of liability of food business operators where they are active only at the distribution stage.

In today’s judgment, the Court of Justice states that the fresh poultry meat referred to by EU law2 must satisfy the microbiological criteria for salmonella at all the stages of distribution including the retail sale stage. In that connection, the Court notes that the microbiological criterion applies to ‘products placed on the market during their shelf life’3. The concept of ‘products placed on the market’ refers to foodstuffs (such as the fresh poultry meat) which are held for the purpose of sale, distribution or other forms of transfer, which thereby includes retail sale. Furthermore, failure to ensure compliance with microbiological criterion at all stages of distribution (including the retail sale stage) would amount to undermining one of the fundamental objectives of food safety legislation, that is, to attain a high level of protection of human health.

The Court of Justice states, moreover, that food business operators which are active only at the distribution stage may be fined for having placed on the market a foodstuff which fails to comply with the microbiological criterion. It is clear from EU law that the Member States must set penalties for infringements of food law, which are effective, proportionate and dissuasive. The Court considers that the system of fines put in place by Austrian law may help to attain the fundamental objective of food safety law (a high level of protection of human health). However, the referring court must ensure that that system satisfies the criterion of proportionality.

1 Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ 2002 L 31, p. 1).

2 Essentially, chickens, laying hens and turkeys (see Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2003 on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents (OJ 2003 L 325, p. 1).

3 Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, as

amended by Regulation No 1086/2011 (OJ 2005 L 281, p. 7).

This is the song that never ends: Regulations for sale of raw milk being considered in Ireland (paid for by taxpayers)

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Douglas Powell

Regulatory standards for the sale of raw milk are being examined by the Irish Department of Agriculture, following years of uncertainty over the sale of the milk, which is not pasteurized.

The department banned the sale of raw cow’s milk in 1996 over concerns about the health risks but EU hygiene legislation in 2006 legally permitted it.

Once the implications of EU legislation were realised, some farmers began to sell raw milk again but in 2011 the government said it would ban the sale of the milk on the advice of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

However, last year, the Department of Health received legal advice stating it could not introduce secondary legislation under the Health Acts and it told the Department of Agriculture it was a matter for it to decide whether to introduce the primary legislation required.

Asked if it was planning to bring this legislation forward, a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture said the department was “currently assessing the options available to it to counter the risks associated with the sale of unpasteurised milk for direct human consumption”.

He said a particular option being considered was the introduction of specified regulatory standards to apply to the sale of raw milk. He did not give a time frame for the introduction of such standards. The spokesman said unpasteurised milk could contain disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli O157, salmonellosis and brucellosis.

Fish fraud and safety in EU

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Douglas Powell

Deficiencies in food safety controls governing the production and sale of Irish fishery products have been highlighted in an audit by the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office.

The audit, in May, included inspections of two fishing vessels, five landing sites and 11 facilities handling fishery products, as well as meetings with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority.

Some 296,000 tonnes of fishery products were landed in Ireland in 2012. The audit noted that, between 2012 and 2013, there were six alerts to the international rapid alert system for food and feed involving Irish fishery products. Listeria was found in smoked salmon four times and once in crab, while there was also an alert about parasites in mackerel.

The audit team found that the official control system was not applied consistently.

“The control system presents some gaps with regard to registration/approval of cold stores, inspection of vessels, temperature recording devices, drafting and implementing food safety management systems . . .” it stated.

Cold storage

The audit team found that although two cold stores used for fishery products had been approved by the Department of Agriculture, the approval did not include the storage of fishery products. Also, the approval conditions were not satisfactory because they did not require a temperature of -18 degrees.

The authorities had not inspected some premises handling fishery products as often as stipulated. This was explained by “staff constraints”.

The cold stores and processing establishments inspected were found to have broadly met the hygiene and structural requirements.

“However, one establishment could not be considered compliant with EU requirements. There were structural deficiencies … and it was in a poor state of maintenance,” the report stated.

It found shortcomings in other establishments, such as storing exposed and packaged products in the same room and a lack of temperature-recording devices in some cold stores on vessels.

The audit made six recommendations, including the regular inspection of all fishing vessels.

It said authorities should ensure all food business operators maintained procedures based on HACCP principles and that facilities comply with requirements such as the use of temperature control devices in cold stores before being approved.

Hundreds sick: that egg problem in Europe; apparently came from Germany

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Douglas Powell

Sporadic or outbreak cases of Salmonella Enteritidis reported by Austria, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, in addition to one case reported in Luxembourg in a patient residing in France, appear to be linked by time of symptom onset and microbiological characteristics of isolates.

Cases in Austria, France and Germany share an epidemiological link to the same egg packaging centre in southern Germany. Isolates from contaminated eggs identified in France originating from the implicated German egg packaging centre share similar molecular characteristics to the human cases. Isolates from a sample of a Salmonella-contaminated strawberry cake, identified in Germany through an investigation unrelated to this outbreak, also share similar molecular characteristics to the human cases. Additional microbiological and environmental investigations could further strengthen evidence to support or discard the hypothesis of all cases being part of the same outbreak, and being infected after consumption of the same food (i.e. contaminated eggs produced in southern Germany).

This is particularly unclear with regard to the outbreak cases in the United Kingdom. Investigations and actions taken by the food sector have supposedly stopped the distribution of the suspected contaminated food to the market. However, due to the delay in case reporting, it is still possible that more cases will be notified. ECDC will continue to closely monitor the occurrence of human cases through EPIS-FWD and Member States could consider enhancing their surveillance activities for this Salmonella serovar and specifically for the phage type 14b.

It is noticeable that Salmonella Enteritidis-contaminated eggs have been able to reach the market, in spite of the strict regulations applying to table eggs for human consumption, and the success in reducing human and animal infections in recent years within the EU. EPIS-FWD and RASFF have been confirmed to be excellent tools for sharing information, identifying potential cross-border threats and linking independent investigations simultaneously occurring in different Member States.

European Food Safety Authority

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/pub/646e.htm

‘Diseased meat could go undetected’ due to EU rule change

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Douglas Powell

More diseased meat could end up in sausages and pies because of changes to safety checks in slaughterhouses, hygiene inspectors have warned.

Inspectors in abattoirs used to be able to cut open pig carcasses to check for signs of disease.

But under new European regulations, supported by Britain’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), they will have to rely on visual checks alone.

The FSA says the new system avoids the risk of harmful bacteria being spread.

Around eight million pigs a year are slaughtered for meat in the UK.

Ron Spellman, a British meat inspector with 30 years’ experience, says the new regulations, which took effect from 1 June, risk diseased parts of animals going undetected.

Mr Spellman, who is director general of the European Working community for Food inspectors and Consumer protection (EWFC), which represents meat inspectors across the EU, said: “Last year we know that there were at least 37,000 pigs’ heads with abscesses or tuberculosis lesions in lymph nodes in the head. They won’t be cut now.

“There’s no way to see those little abscesses, little tuberculosis lesions without cutting those lymph nodes.”

Meat from pigs’ heads, is recovered by specialised parts of boning plants and goes into pies, sausages and other processed foods.

The new regulations have been drawn up by the European Food Safety Authority, an agency funded by the EU, but they are based on scientific advice from the FSA.

Salmonella Stanley outbreaks – a prompt to reevaluate existing EU food regulations

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Douglas Powell

In a recent Eurosurveillance issue, Kinross et al. [1] describe a cross-border outbreak of Salmonella Stanley in the European Union, which could be traced back to a contamination in the turkey production chain. The aetiological clone is mono-resistant to nalidixic acid and characterised by a novel pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) type. We agree with Kinross et al. that the exchange of molecular data has to be improved to speed up outbreak investigations. However, although control measures were adequate to contain the multistate outbreak, they were not sufficient to eradicate the new clone, seeing as two outbreaks that occurred in Germany 12 months and Austria 16 months later [2] were caused by kebab contaminated with the newly described Salmonella Stanley outbreak clone. Rather, there is a considerable risk that the clone will become endemic in the turkey or poultry production chain in Europe.

In an editorial on this outbreak report, Hugas and Beloeil from the European Food Safety Agency conclude: If sufficient information becomes available to reliably identify particular strains of public health significance, the inclusion of such strains as part of the EU-wide targets should be considered [3]. In Austria we are already observing rising infection rates with Salmonella Stanley, with nine documented human infections in 2010 versus 101 documented infections in 2013. Moreover, the problem of antibiotic resistance inherent to the Salmonella Stanley outbreak clone was not addressed in this editorial. During the recent outbreak in Austria, we isolated three strains from infected humans that had developed resistance even against third generation cephalosporins and gentamicin. All strains harboured a CTX-M-15 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, rendering standard therapy regimens ineffective. To prevent further evolution and spread of Salmonella Stanley, countries must undertake every effort to eradicate this outbreak clone in the poultry production chain in Europe now.

Although European regulations have contributed substantially to reducing Salmonella infections, the recent Salmonella Stanley outbreaks should be seen as an opportunity to re-evaluate existing regulations in view of efficient risk management and consistency. According to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 [4], food shall not be placed on the market if it is unsafe. Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 [5] further specifies that Salmonella has to be absent in minced meat and meat preparations made from poultry meat. However, in 2011, Regulation 1086/2011 [6] set a food safety criterion for fresh poultry meat that unfortunately only covers Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium, leaving food inspectors in the difficult situation that safety criteria for meat preparations differ from those for raw meat. Further, in our opinion, Regulation 1086/2011 weakened the stricter standards originally intended by part E of Annex II to Regulation No 2160/2003 [7] specifying that fresh poultry meat may not be placed on the market for human consumption when contaminated with Salmonella.

Along with harmonisation and refinement of food safety criteria, inclusion of Salmonella Stanley in the community targets for the reduction of the prevalence of zoonoses and zoonotic agents should be implemented to efficiently support control measures.

Eurosurveillance, Volume 19, Issue 22

B Springer, F Allerberger, and C. Kornschober

http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20818

Food fraud: a la cartel

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Douglas Powell

The Economist writes that gangsters used to send their enemies to sleep with the fishes. Today they are more likely to mislabel the fishes and sell them at a profit. Organized criminals who have long trafficked drugs are diversifying into humdrum areas of commerce—particularly food, booze and cheap consumer goods.

The horsemeat scandal last year drew attention to food fraud. Such scams are not unusual. Some 22 tonnes of long-grain rice being sold as pricier Basmati were recently seized as part of an operation led by Interpol and Europol, respectively the world’s and Europe’s police agencies. In Worthing, in Sussex, trading standards officers spotted nearly 2,500 jars of honey that contained nothing but sugar syrup. Another scam, involving substituting a cheap species of white fish for a pricey one, is hard to spot once the fish has been flaked, breaded and fried. Others dilute expensive olive oil with low-cost soyabean oil. Criminals even sell counterfeit washing powder.

This brand of crime is growing. In 2007 the Food Standards Agency set up a food-fraud database. That year it received 49 reports of food fraud. In 2013 it received 1,538. The scale and organization required to produce fake food points to criminal groups. And this is no flash in the pan, reckons Huw Watkins of the Intellectual Property Office. Gangs are investing heavily in the machinery, raw materials and labor necessary to make fake food products.

Some crooks who once focused on drugs have switched to food, says Chris Vansteenkiste of Europol, partly thanks to the falling profitability of the former.

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