A team of Princeton researchers reported in the journal Cell that they have found a compound (SCH-79797), that kills both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The killing mechanism is through a unique dual-targeting mechanism of action (MoA) with undetectably low resistance frequencies. They demonstrated that SCH-79797 has two independent cellular targets, folate metabolism, and bacterial membrane integrity, and outperforms combination treatments in killing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) persisters. Building on the molecular core of SCH-79797, they developed a derivative, Irresistin-16, with increased potency and showed its efficacy against Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a mouse vaginal infection model. The Princeton team found that even with extraordinary effort, they were unable to generate any resistance to this compound. This promising antibiotic suggests that combining multiple MoAs onto a single chemical may be an underappreciated approach to targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria. @ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.05.005
ruth
Meatpacking plants and other food manufacturing facilities are closing due to coronavirus. Most reopen after a while as the facility goes through deep cleaning, reconfigures the spacing in their facility, and allowing employees finish to quarantine. Since the demand for food is high, it put pressure on manufacturers to open ASAP. Food Dive is tracking the status of operations of major manufacturers’ plants as they navigate the pandemic. In addition to meatpacking facilities, the list also includes other food manufacturers such as Firestone Pacific Foods fruit processing facility in Vancouver, Washington, shuttered on May 19, and is scheduled to reopen now. Bristol Seafood shuttered its processing plant on the Portland Fish Pier in Maine for two days after five workers tested positive for coronavirus. Bristol sells a line of ready-to-cook scallops, haddock, cod, and salmon. A Frito-Lay factory owned by PepsiCo in Modesto, California, briefly closed its doors for a deep cleaning after some workers showed coronavirus symptoms. Conagra Brands closed its Darien, Wisconsin Birds Eye Foods plant on April 19 after about 20 employees tested positive for coronavirus. The full list can be found @ https://www.fooddive.com/news/tracking-coronavirus-closures-at-food-and-beverage-factories/576559/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202020-06-01%20Food%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:27650%5D&utm_term=Food%20Dive
From pork plants to snack factories, food and beverage manufacturers across the country are forced to halt operations as COVID-19 spreads among their employees and communities.
ruth
Outbreaks of coronavirus have impacted nine industrial facilities in Vernon, including five meatpacking plants, Los Angeles County health officials said Sunday. The largest outbreak occurred at the Smithfield Foods-owned Farmer John plant — producer of the Dodger Dog — where 153 of 1,837 employees tested positive for COVID-19 between March and May. The other eight facilities with outbreaks are
CLW Foods (five confirmed cases); California Farms Meat (24 confirmed cases); Golden West Food Group (six confirmed cases); Rose & Shore (five confirmed cases); Vie De France Yamazaki (baked goods); Takaokaya USA (green tea); F. Gavina & Sons (coffee); and Overhill Farms (frozen food).
Smithfield said it took measures including a series of strict guidelines and protocols that follow or exceeding the guidance issued by the CDC and OSHA. Including boosting its supply of masks and face shields, installed Plexiglas barriers on the production floor and in break areas, and implemented mass temperature scanning systems to screen workers. Employees are offered free testing for the coronavirus and paid quarantine time, and are told not to report to work if they are sick, Smithfield said. Of the 153 Farmer John employees who tested positive, 41 have returned to work, according to LA County health officials. In California, at least 138 employees at Central Valley Meat Co. in Hanford tested positive for the virus. That company employs about 900 workers at its two plants; the other is in Vernon. @ https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-24/coronavirus-outbreaks-occur-at-9-industrial-facilities-in-vernon
Coronavirus outbreaks hits Farmer John and other food processing plants in Vernon.
ruth
Farmers North Carolina has started euthanizing 1.5 million chickens because of coronavirus-related slowdowns in the meat processing plants. It is the first time during this pandemic that North Carolina farmers have had to take the drastic step of euthanizing. Currently, about 1/3 of the chickens have already been killed. While euthanizing the chickens is a last resort, but lack of processing capacity created the situation.@