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According to Canada Health Officials, as of July 30, 2020, there have been 114 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (43), Alberta (55), Manitoba (13), Ontario (2), and Prince Edward Island (1). The individual from Prince Edward Island reported traveling to Alberta before becoming ill. Saskatchewan has not reported any confirmed illnesses related to this outbreak, but provincial public health authorities are investigating some Salmonella Newport illnesses in the province. Individuals became sick between mid-June and mid-July 2020. Information is available for 102 illnesses. Out of 102 people, 16 individuals have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Individuals who became ill reported eating red onions at home, in menu items ordered at restaurants, and in residential care settings. The US CDC is also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Newport illnesses that have a similar genetic fingerprint to illnesses reported in this outbreak. The United States has been silent since July 24, 2020.  As of July 23, 2020, a total of 212 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Newport have been reported from 23 states. At this time, the investigation has not identified a specific food, grocery store, or restaurant as the source of this outbreak. CDC will provide more information as it becomes available. @ https://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/canadian-health-officials-out-united-states-red-onions-as-cause-of-salmonella-newport-outbreak-united-states-health-officials-are-silent/

The FDA announced a new protocol for the development and registration of antimicrobial treatments for pre-harvest agricultural water, such as the water used in farm irrigation systems.  The FDA and EPA developed the protocol that might help farmers address contamination issues in their water sources and protect consumers from foodborne illness. The goal is to develop treatment products for the agricultural water used to irrigate our nation’s leafy greens.  EPA’s approval of this protocol allows for companies to develop data on the effectiveness of their products in inactivating foodborne bacteria, such as E. coli or Salmonella, in pre-harvest agricultural water. While farmers are not required to treat their agricultural water, these treatments could be a valuable tool to help farmers ensure the safety of their produce. There currently are no registered antimicrobial treatment products that are authorized for use on agricultural fields, or for treatment of irrigation water systems or ponds. The FDA intends to release a proposed rule in late 2020, to revise certain agricultural water requirements in the Produce Safety Rule and to address practical implementation challenges while protecting public health. @ https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-announces-new-protocol-development-and-registration-treatments-preharvest-agricultural-water?utm_campaign=073020_PR_New%20Protocol%20Announced%20for%20Treatments%20for%20Preharvest%20Agricultural%20Water&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

The industry uses salmonella prevalence as an indicator of food safety. An article published in Risk Analysis by T. Oscar from the USDA claims that prevalence is only one of several factors that determine the risk of salmonellosis. He created a predictive model for the risk of salmonellosis from individual lots of ground turkey as a function of Salmonella prevalence and other risk factors. Scenario analysis was used to evaluate the effects of model variables on the risk of salmonellosis. Epidemiological data were used to simulate Salmonella serotype virulence in a dose‐response model that was based on human outbreak and feeding trial data Risk of salmonellosis.  AU (total arbitrary units per lot) was affected (p ≤ 0.05) by several factors including (Ii)Salmonella prevalence, (II) number of Salmonella, and virulence, (III) incidence and extent of undercooking, (IV) food consumption behavior (V) host resistance. However, it was not (p > 0.05) affected by serving size, serving size distribution, or the total bacterial load of ground turkey when all other risk factors were held constant. When other risk factors were not held constant, Salmonella prevalence was not correlated (r = −0.39; p = 0.21) with the risk of salmonellosis. Therefore, Salmonella prevalence alone was not a good indicator of poultry food safety. The author encourages the utilization of the process risk model developed in the present study, to better protect public health from foodborne pathogens like Salmonella.@ https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.13563

Pillsbury’s announced that they would produce cookie dough that can be eaten raw or cooked. To achieve cookie dough free of pathogens, they use heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs, creating a unique product that can be eaten straight from the package. Raw cookie dough caused several E. coli outbreaks. In recent years (2016 and 2019), two outbreaks of E. coli infections linked to raw flour made more than 80 people sick. In July of 2019, there was an outbreak E. coli O26 linked to ADM Milling Co. flour that resulted in many product recalls including cookie dough. Raw eggs are another ingredient in uncooked batter and dough that can make people sick because they can contain pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella. The new process established remove these dangers and make the product safe to eat raw. @ https://www.generalmills.com/en/News/NewsReleases/Library/2020/July/Pillsbury-brings-childhood-dreams-to-life