FoodNet monitors laboratory-diagnosed infections caused by eight pathogens regularly transmitted through food (Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia). Cases of infection cover 10 states (covering roughly 15% of the United States’ population). A new research was published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly based on preliminary data from 2020 and issued by the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). The study identified 26% fewer infections in 2020, compared with the average annual number during 2017–2019, including decreased infections associated with international travel. The decline was from 50 cases/100,000 during 2017-2019 to 37...
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Cornell University Dr. Martin Wiedmann, Jingqiu Liao, and the team created an atlas of Listeria monocytogenes in US soils. The research was published in Nature Microbiology. The study developed a nationwide atlas of 1,854 Listeria isolates, collected systematically from soils across the United States. The Cornell team found that Listeria was present in a variety of environments. Listeria presence was affected by soil moisture, molybdenum, and salinity concentrations. When scientists identify a Listeria, the atlas will inform them where the Listeria resides in the USA. Identifying the location can pinpoint the source of the organism found in ingredients processing facilities...
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New research presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) reveals that raw dog food is a significant source of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making it an international public health risk. According to WHO, drug-resistant infections kill ~700,000 people/ year globally and, it is projected to rise to 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken. The researchers say that the trend of feeding dogs with raw food may be fuelling the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Some of the multidrug-resistant bacteria in raw dog food were identical to those found in hospital patients in several different European...
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On May 28, the FDA reported the recall of enoki mushrooms due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes by five companies. All recalls were initiated after the California department of health found Listeria monocytogenes in a product. The recalling companies are Marquis Worldwide Specialty Inc (City of Industry, CA), California Terra Garden Inc. (Commerce, CA), CONCORD FARMS (Vernon, CA), Rainfield Marketing Group, Inc. (Vernon, CA), and Sun Hong, Inc (1105 W Olympic Blvd, Montebello, CA). The question remains why so many recall of a similar product in one state? Did other states fail to test similar products?