In the news

Several Jay & Joy vegan products (plant base cheese) were recalled due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes in France. The outbreak includes four pregnant women who gave birth prematurely. They were infected with the same type of Listeria and reported symptoms between April and December 2022. Health officials said the patients had consumed products sold under the Jay & Joy brand in the weeks before their illness. The company makes cheese alternatives with organic almond and cashew milk. An inspection revealed “irregularities” in the company, especially on controls to manage the risk of microbiological contamination of products made in the factory. The authorities have suspended the marketing of all products stored and manufactured on the site. Epidemiological and microbiological investigations are underway. Jay & Joy has issued a recall notice for all products with dates between January 14 and March 30, 2023. Distributors include Biocoop, Naturalia, Relais Vert, Vita Frais, Natureco, and Effegi. The distribution of the affected products also includes Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, according to a notification on the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) platform. @ https://deleciousfood.com/five-sufferers-in-french-listeria-epidemic-linked-to-cheese-alternative/

The CFIA initiated a recall of surface ripened soft and semi soft cheeses during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products distributed by Le Fromage au Village Inc. include Angelus, Le Casimir, Le Cendré de Notre-Dame, and Mélo-Dieux cheeses, sold in 150g, 200g, and 275g packages. There have been reported illnesses that may be associated with consuming these products. Further lab testing is underway to confirm the link. The cheeses were sold in Quebec and Ontario online and may have been distributed nationally. @ https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/surface-ripened-soft-and-semi-soft-cheeses-recalled-due-listeria-monocytogenes?utm_source=gc-notify&utm_medium=email&utm_content=en&utm_campaign=hc-sc-rsa-22-23&

The FSA published their Consolidated, Westminster, Wales, and Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts for the past financial year. These cover our performance and activities in 2021/22 across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland at a net cost of £130.5 million. Chief Executive Emily Miles explained that last year the FSA took on responsibility for many of the risk analysis functions previously carried out by the European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority. She explained that we have progressed reforms and continued with our key regulatory responsibilities, from classifying shellfish beds to operating meat hygiene inspections to investigating the most egregious examples of food fraud. We also saw a 21% increase in the number of notifications of food incidents during the reporting period. Foodborne disease laboratory confirmed cases in the UK per 100,000 population in 2021(footnote) were Campylobacter 101.9, Salmonella 8.8, Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli 0.89, Listeria monocytogenes 0.28. There were 2,336 food, animal feed, and environmental contamination incidents. Animal welfare 1,036,098,739 animals inspected. 99%+ recorded compliance with animal welfare legislation in slaughterhouses.@ https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/the-fsa-publishes-its-annual-report-and-accounts-for-202122

Tufts University School of Engineering has developed a sensor to detect bacteria, toxins, and dangerous environmental chemicals. The sensor uses a biopolymer sensor that can be printed like ink on a wide range of materials, including wearable items such as gloves, masks, or everyday clothing, using an enzyme similar to that found in fireflies. , the sensor glows when it detects these threats. The new technology is described in the journal Advanced Materials. The biopolymer sensor, based on proteins and silk fibroin extracted from the cocoons of the silk moth Bombyx Mori, can be embedded in films, sponges, filters, or molded like plastic. The sensor can sample and detect airborne and waterborne dangers, signal infections, or even cancer in our bodies. The researchers demonstrated how the sensor emits light within minutes as it detects the SARS-CoV-2 virus, anti-hepatitis B virus antibodies, the food-borne toxin botulinum neurotoxin B, or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), an indicator of the presence of breast cancer. The biopolymer sensors are a big leap forward from the current methodology. The research team envisions a wide variety of applications for the biopolymer sensors, such as infection control in healthcare settings to environmental sensing at home, workplace, military, and disaster settings. @ https://phys.org/news/2023-01-wearable-printable-shapeable-sensors-pathogens.amp