In the news

As we reported a few days ago, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection services (USDA-FSIS) Issues Public Health Alert for Empire Kosher poultry raw chicken products due to Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- infections. As of August 27, 2018, 17 people have been reported ill from four states (Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia). Eight people have been hospitalized, including one person whose death was reported from New York. CDC began investigating this outbreak in late June 2018 after the New York State Department of Health found several ill people reported eating kosher chicken. Data showed that some kosher chicken products are contaminated with Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- and they made people sick. The outbreak strain was also identified in samples of raw chicken collected from two facilities, including one facility that processes Empire Kosher brand chicken. WGS showed that the Salmonella strain from the slaughterhouse samples is closely related genetically to the Salmonella strain from ill people. @ https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/s0829-salmonella-kosher-chicken.html

HP is employing its Biohacker technology, and working with the CDC on a pilot program to “print” and test antibiotics faster, in an attempt to catch the antimicrobial resistant strains faster and prevent them from spreading. The HP D300e Digital Dispenser BioPrinter technology works like a regular printer, dispensing very small volumes of drugs instead of ink. The technology should allow hospitals to test lower amounts of antibiotics to prevent the development of resistance. CDC hopes that the new technology will help ensure newest drugs last longer and put gold-standard lab results in healthcare providers’ hands faster. The HP BioPrinter is currently used by labs and pharmaceutical companies such as Gilead, which tests for drugs used against the Ebola virus. It is also being used in various CRISPR applications. The CDC will use these printers in four regional areas spread throughout the U.S. within the Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Lab Network to develop antimicrobial susceptibility test methods for new drugs, according to HP. @ https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/27/hp-is-printing-drugs-for-the-cdc-to-speed-up-antibiotic-testing/

Neogen’s ANSAR Listeria Right Now™ is designed to analyze environmental samples within 60 min, without the requirement of enrichment. The system had officially achieved AOAC approval, license number #081802. The system is also the winner of the 2018 CFIA innovation trophy. The ANSAR system detects very low numbers of Listeria spp., including L. monocytogenes, from environmental samples without enrichment. The system employs an isothermal, amplified nucleic acid-based reaction to target rRNA. Amplification occurs through a polymerization mechanism by a specific endonuclease. Detection occurs in real-time using a fluorescent molecular beacon. The system works so quickly because the technology that targets rRNA, which is present in much greater numbers than the traditional DNA target. An isothermal reaction also causes the replication and amplification to occur at a constant rate instead of the normal thermal-cycle technology from traditional PCR systems. The validation by AOAC adds another layer of assurance to the product. @ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neogens-one-hour-listeria-right-now-receives-aoac-approval-300699393.html

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) announced the third recall this month by Randsland Farms Inc. due to Listeria monocytogenes presence in their produce. This time they are recalling Randsland brand Super Salad Kit sold in plastic bags. The food recall warning issued on August 16, 2018, has been updated to include additional product information. The Randsland Farms Inc. recalled products were distributed to New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Canadian food safety officials also found Listeria monocytogenes in samples of previously recalled products (coleslaw and broccoli slaw) and in the currently recalled salad kits. @ https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/inspection/2018/67606r-eng.php