Civil Law

APHA involved in 20 E. coli and Cryptosporidium outbreaks

Seven E. coli and 13 Cryptosporidium outbreak investigations in England and Wales required APHA assistance in 2024, according to a recent report.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was part of seven Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) investigations with two each in the first and second quarters of 2024, and three during the third quarter. There were three STEC O26 and two STEC O157 investigations epidemiologically linked to open farms; and two STEC O145 incidents traced to high-risk foods.… Read the rest

Civil Law

New Listeria outbreak detected; other outbreaks remain under investigation

Inspectors with the Food and Drug Administration are tracking a new outbreak of infections from Listeria monocytogenes.

So far there are three confirmed patients. The FDA has not reported the ages of the patients or where they live. 

There are likely many more sick people than have been confirmed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that for every patient confirmed in a Salmonella outbreak there are 29 patients who go undetected. This is because some patients do not … Read the rest

Civil Law

Legislators want the FDA to be able to test samples from feed lots during outbreaks

Two U.S. legislators have introduced a bill that would give the FDA the ability to collect microbial samples at feed lots during foodborne illness outbreaks.

Representative Rosa DeLauro, D-CT, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, want the Food and Drug Administration to be able to investigate foodborne illness outbreaks, or when there is a public need, involving crops that are close to concentrated animal feeding operations (CFAOs). They say the investigative tool is also needed because of the spread of bird … Read the rest

Civil Law

China links seven COVID-19 outbreaks to food packaging

China has linked seven COVID-19 outbreaks and almost 700 cases to contaminated imported frozen food packaging materials.

Scientists said the work supports speculation that cold-chain foods act as a pathway for SARS-CoV-2 and might present a risk for virus transmission between countries and regions.

They added handlers and processors of imported frozen foods should be effectively protected, monitored daily for symptoms of COVID-19, and tested for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid at regular intervals.

Seven outbreaks and 689 cases were linked to … Read the rest

Civil Law

More patients identified in outbreak of Salmonella infections; other outbreaks still under investigation by the FDA

The FDA is continuing to investigate several outbreaks, including a Salmonella Braenderup outbreak which has seen a jump of 17 patients in the past week.

Officials have not yet been able to find the food source that is causing the infections, according to an update from the Food and Drug Administration. A week ago the patient count stood at 42. As of July 6 there are 59 people who have been confirmed with infections.

The FDA first posted the Salmonella Braenderup … Read the rest