In the news

It is estimated that more than 144 million pounds of fresh poultry meat products are lost as a result of microbiological spoilage each year. Various treatments such as chilling with chlorinated water and cold-chain management are used to control microbial spoilage and foodborne pathogens of fresh poultry meat products. Dr. Hong Zhuang at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recently completed a study optimizing atmospheric cold plasma (CP)-based antimicrobial packaging system that uses high electrical voltages to generate plasma with ozone and other bactericidal components to reduce foodborne pathogens in raw chicken breast meat without compromising quality. Cold Plasma reduced total bacterial count and Campylobacter by more than 90 percent and salmonella by more than 60 percent on raw chickens. It further reduced spoilage microbes and Campylobacter by more than 90 percent when the raw meat was packed in high O2/CO2 atmosphere compared with that packed in air Treatment of chicken breast in modified atmosphere tray packs with this system at 75 kV for three minutes can double the shelf life at refrigerated temperatures. Regardless of packaging atmosphere, the system generated ozone in packages and affected color of treated meat after storage, making meat look paler or lighter. @ http://www.uspoultry.org/research/resproj/PROJ_F066.html

G & C Raw, a raw pet food manufacturer of Versailles, Ohio, has recalled 70 products on August 31, 2018, on October 24, 2018, an additional 29 pet food products were recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The products were manufactured between Feb. 27 and July 20, 2018. This is a recall of almost five months of production. No confirmed illnesses have been reported. Recalled products were delivered directly to consumers under brand names G & C Raw and G & C Raw Cat food in Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Illinois. The expanded recall was initiated after the Ohio Department of Agriculture found Listeria monocytogenes in some G & C finished products. @ https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/12764-g-c-raw-expands-raw-pet-food-recall

SINGAPORE – About 200 Raffles Institution (RI) students displayed symptoms of food poisoning over the past weekend, just days before many are due to sit their A-level examinations, The Straits Times has learnt.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/about-200-ri-students-down-with-food-poisoning-last-week-days-before-a-level

On October 23, 2018, the CDC updated its post from October 4th and added 63 ill people from 14 states. A total of 22 states are involved in this outbreak including Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Most cases were reported in California (27), Colorado (23) and Arizona (21). This brings the total people infected From Salmonella Newport to 120, with 33 people hospitalized. Epidemiological evidence generated by the CDC points to JBS Tolleson, Inc. as the source of the outbreak. Sixty-six (93%) of 71 people interviewed reported eating ground beef at home. This percentage is significantly higher than results from normal healthy people in which 40% of respondents reported eating any ground beef at home in the week before they were interviewed. The beef, distributed by JBS Tolleson, Inc., of Tolleson, Arizona, was sold by several large chains including Walmart and Sam’s Club, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. @ https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/newport-10-18/index.html