In the news

The FDA participated in a meeting of the Leafy Greens Food Safety Task Force formed in response to the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with romaine lettuce in Yuma AZ. As previously stated, samples of canal water have tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli. FDA continues to consider that contaminated water coming into contact with produce a viable explanation for the pattern of contamination. But other hypotheses were discussed as well. FDA noted that the canal is close to a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), a facility with a large number of cattle on the premises. The CAFO can hold in excess of 100,000 head of cattle at any one time and the FDA traceback information showed a clustering of romaine lettuce farms nearby. FDA experts continue to work on examining potential links between the CAFO, adjacent water, and geologic and other factors that may explain the contamination and its relationship to the outbreak. Additional sampling will be conducted to further explore and narrow down hypotheses. FDA urges other government and non-government entities, produce growers in the region, and those engaged in managing the canal systems to work with FDA to achieve our collective food safety goal. Broad engagement from the surrounding community is critical to developing and implementing remediation measures to reduce the potential for another outbreak. We believe local in-depth knowledge and actions are critical in helping resolve this issue in order to protect public health. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/recallsoutbreaksemergencies/outbreaks/ucm604254.htm?utm_campaign=Outbreak_Romaine_08062018&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

G & C Raw, of Versailles, OH recalled 30 1–lb containers of Pat’s Cat Turkey Cat Food and 40 2-lb containers of Ground Lamb Dog Food because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The products were distributed in OH, MI, IN, PAN, KY, NC, AND GA, through direct delivery. The recall was as the result of a routine sampling program by the Ohio Department of Agriculture which revealed that the finished products contained Listeria monocytogenes. The company stopped the production and distribution of the product. Pets with Listeria monocytogenes infections are rare, and pets may display symptoms such as mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, nervous, muscular and respiratory signs, abortion, depression, shock, and death. Infected animals can shed Listeria monocytogenes through their feces onto their coats and into the home environment and thus serve as sources of infection to humans and other animals in the household. No illnesses have been reported to date. @ https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm615902.htm?utm_campaign=G%20%26%20C%20Raw%2C%20LLC%20Recalls%20Pat%27s%20Cat%20Turkey%2C%20and%20Ground%20Lamb%20Pet%20Food&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

Neogen (NASDAQ: NEOG) announced that it has acquired Clarus Labs, Inc the owner of the patented Colitag™ water test. The acquisition provides Neogen greater access to the $400 million global water microbiology testing market. Colitag™ test, detects coliform bacteria, including E. coli, in water. Colitag also detects coliforms that have been weakened, but not killed. From 2004 Neogen has offered Colitag to the food and beverage industries in the United States and Canada through a distribution agreement. Now Neogen will own the technology and will work with a sister company to distribute the technology to markets outside of its traditional markets of foods. @ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neogen-acquires-water-microbiology-testing-technology-300690102.html

A new research published by Science Translational Medicine shows that several strains of bacteria found in hospitals have begun adjusting to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. They are not yet resistant to the alcohol but they’re becoming “more tolerant” of it, the authors write. That means the bacteria were able to survive for longer periods of time after being doused with alcohol. The study used different strengths of alcohol concentrations to kill the bacteria. While at 70% alcohol mixture, the bacteria were killed, at 60% the typical concentration of hand sanitizers, some did survive. Many of these alcohol-tolerant bacteria are resistant to multiple drugs as well. That means the bacteria are spreading more easily within hospitals, and there are limited options for treatment. The researchers compared 139 types of bacteria, looking at the same strains over a 19-year from 1997 to 2015. The bacteria evolved to tolerate alcohol better. Bacteria collected after 2009 were 10 times more tolerant than pre-2004 bacteria which correspond to the national push to use more hand sanitizers. @ https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/08/02/635017716/some-bacteria-are-becoming-more-tolerant-of-hand-sanitizers-study-finds
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