Improvements made, but Wales still struggling with food safety

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Douglas Powell

The Welsh government has been criticized by a consumer group for failing to publish a key food safety review, more than a year after it was due.

Madeleine Brindly reports that Consumer Focus Wales called on First Minister Carwyn Jones to make public the findings of a report he commissioned in 2010 into how best to enforce food hygiene regulations in Wales. The Food Standards Agency report should have been published in February 2011.

Overall the consumer body said good progress has been made implementing the 24 recommendations made by official inquiry that followed the 2005 deadly E.coli O157 outbreak that claimed the life of five-year-old Mason Jones in the South Wales Valleys.

Consumer Focus Wales has praised a proposed new law to force restaurants and takeaways to display their food hygiene rating scores.

Liz Withers, head of policy at Consumer Focus Wales, said, “There have been great strides in food safety, with the Welsh Government promising to make it law for the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings on food business premises.

“But we are disappointed a year on from our last report, the Food Standards Agency food law enforcement review, commissioned by the Welsh Government, has yet to be published. It is 12 months overdue – this simply isn’t good enough for consumers in Wales.”

Professor Hugh Pennington led the inquiry into the 2005 E. coli O157 outbreak in the South Wales valleys, which was caused by rogue butcher William John Tudor and killed five-year-old Deri schoolboy Mason Jones.

The Consumer Focus Wales report, the third of its kind, said many of the Pennington recommendations have not been implemented.

Increase in Salmonella Poona in England and Wales

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Douglas Powell

There’s an apparent and on-going outbreak of Salmonella Poona that’s primarily affecting the elderly in the UK.

The Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Pathogens (LGP) has reported 49 non-travel associated, fully sensitive cases of Salmonella Poona with specimen dates on or after 24 October 2011 to 19 March 2012. This compares with 21 and 33 cases reported during the whole of 2009 and 2010 respectively. Those affected range from four months to 88 years of age with 65% of all cases aged over 60 years and a median age of 69.5 years; men and women are similarly affected.

Cases have been found across England and Wales, with most cases occurring in the South West (28%), South East (16%) and Wales (14%) regions. So far, no cases have been reported in London and the East Midlands and 14 cases have received treatment in hospital.

The Salmonella Poona isolates from 41 of the cases have been further typed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and all but one has the same PFGE profile XB.0003. This strain is indistinguishable from a strain seen in an outbreak in Sweden in 2010; however, a source was not been confirmed for that outbreak.

I did a little digging, but couldn’t find much about the 2010 Sweden outbreak. Anyone know? Suspect foods?

Scores on doors should be mandatory; can’t just choose to ignore a bad inspection grade; Wales will lead in UK

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Douglas Powell

Restaurants and takeaways in Wales could be required by law to publicly display food hygiene ratings on their premises.

It would be the first compulsory "scores-on-the-doors" scheme in the UK, the Welsh government says.

Ministers want customers to get more details about where they eat or buy food and say this will raise standards.

The proposals follow E. coli outbreaks in Wales which led to calls for a tougher stance.

Karen Morrisroe (right), who became seriously ill after an E. coli outbreak linked to a fish and chip shop at Llay, Wrexham two years ago, told BBC Wales, "I’m all in favour of a mandatory system. I know it could put some people out of business but if this is done properly it will provide customers with better protection."

During the outbreak it emerged that the fish bar had been given a 0 out of 5 rating by council officials after an earlier food hygiene inspection.

Under the scheme, businesses will be rated with a score of between zero to five based on standards on how the food is prepared, cooked, cooled and stored, as well as the condition of the premises.

All food businesses, including supermarkets, will be required to display their score in a prominent position or face fines of up to £1,000. Ratings will also be available online.

A statement from the Welsh government said a mandatory scheme has been backed by Prof Hugh Pennington who chaired a public inquiry into the 2005 E.coli outbreak in south Wales.

About 30,000 businesses in Wales would be covered by the scheme which could be in operation by 2014.

Currently, more than 13,500 have been rated under a voluntary scheme operated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), although it is estimated that only one in three display their rating.

Crypto sufferer from North Wales had ‘six years of torture’

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Douglas Powell

A woman who endured “six years of unnecessary torture” after being struck down by cryptosporidium is finally to get compensation.

Nicola Roberts (right), from Llangoed, Anglesey, was a happy and outgoing mum-of-three until she became one of 231 people affected by the bug after drinking tap water in November 2005.

Two years later Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water pleaded guilty to supplying water “unfit for human consumption.”

Dozens received compensation of between £1,300 and £5,000 after suffering symptoms like diarrhoea, stomach ache and fever for up to six weeks, others got more.

Nicola, who has just become a grandmother, is one of those still suffering six years on. She was initially offered £10,000 by Dr Cymru but refused it, claiming loss of earnings over six years. Her case was settled out of court before trial last week after Dwr Cymru improved its offer.

Nicola said: “They tested me and it was confirmed I had cryptosporidium. I was shocked. We weren’t told for about a month that the bug was in the water. It’s more embarrassing than anything else. I’m unable to go out anywhere. I’ve now got irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).”

3 confirmed with E. coli O157 at Welsh nursery

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Douglas Powell

Three cases of E. coli O157 have been confirmed in an outbreak at a children’s nursery on Anglesey.

Tri Ceffyl Bach Nursery in Amlwch was closed as a precaution last Thursday.

Dr Chris Whiteside, consultant in communicable disease control for Public Health Wales, said: "Given the nature of this infection it is not unusual for more cases to be identified amongst children attending the nursery. This is why the nursery was closed and the children and staff were asked to be tested.”

Mum of five-year-old E-coli victim Mason Jones nominated for Mum of the Year award

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Douglas Powell

Sharon Mills, the mother of five-year-old Mason Jones who died in an E. coli O157 outbreak in 2005, has been nominated for a Mum of the Year title for her campaigning work to improve food safety.

Madeleine Brindle of the South Wales Echo reports that Sharon, 36, who has two other sons Cavan(corr), seven, and Chandler, 14, has recently been at the forefront of the campaign to make the display of food hygiene scores mandatory.

The Welsh Government has said it will introduce legislation to ensure all takeaways and restaurants display their scores.

“There have been a considerable amount of changes made [in food hygiene laws] since 2005 and there are more tools for parents to find out more about where they and their children are eating. I don’t want his death to go in vain.”

Public urged to be ‘vigilant’ as number of E.coli cases linked to Welsh kebab shop expected to rise

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Douglas Powell

Health bosses last night urged the public to remain vigilant as the number of E.coli cases linked to the Adonis Kebab House on City Road in Cardiff rose to a possible nine, with three needing hospital treatment.

Since the E.coli O157 outbreak emerged on Friday, the number of confirmed cases has risen from five to seven – with another two under investigation – but could rise further, warned Dr Gwen Lowe, consultant in communicable disease control at Public Health Wales (PHW).

Maybe health inspectors and food service operators should be vigilant before people start barfing.

Cardiff kebab house closed after E. coliO157 leaves 1 in hospital, 4 others sick

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Douglas Powell

A city kebab house has been closed following an outbreak of E.coli in Cardiff, affecting five people, one of who has been hospitalised.

Two further cases are under investigation but the person taken to hospital was said to be recovering.

Dr Gwen Lowe, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, Public Health Wales and chairwoman of the Multi-agency Outbreak Control Team, said the Adonis Kebab House, City Road, Cardiff, had been closed by Cardiff Council on August 11, while investigations were carried out. Dr Lowe said letters have been sent to GPs and out of hours services across South East Wales to alert them to the situation.

Mum of E. coli victim backs UK hygiene ratings

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Douglas Powell

Sharon Mills, whose young son Mason Jones died in an E. coli O157 outbreak six years ago, has welcomed a new law that aims to force takeaways and restaurants to disclose hygiene records.

The Welsh Government will put forward legislation making it compulsory for all food businesses to put scores on their doors.

Currently it is up to the individual business whether to display their hygiene ratings – introduced last October – which range from five (excellent) to zero (in urgent need of improvement).

Mills told Media Wales,

“Consumers deserve to have this at-a-glance information because it can be hard work trying to find it. It will raise public confidence – it’s important people are able to make a choice about where the best and safest place to eat is.

A Welsh Government spokesman said,

“Wales will be the first country in the UK to introduce a mandatory food hygiene rating scheme.”

Crypto outbreak linked to petting farm at Welsh castle; 13 sick

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Douglas Powell

When health types warn about a certain activity, it’s code for, we have an outbreak but we can’t tell you just yet, so be careful.

I should have been more cynical when the health types in Wales warned this morning about infections from petting zoos. I’m still naively optimistic.

There are at least 13 people sick with cryptosporidium after a lambing event at a stately castle in Wales.

The BBC reports, those who became ill visited Erddig Hall, owned by the National Trust, over the last 12 months.

Public Health Wales said there was no ongoing risk and that it would continue to monitor the situation.

Dr Judy Hart, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, said: "Cryptosporidium is generally a mild disease.”

Unless you have the runs for six weeks.

A table of petting zoo-related outbreaks is available at:
http://bites.ksu.edu/petting-zoos-outbreaks

The table doesn’t include the ones in the U.K., which are particularly egregious, but will soon.

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