In the news

A team at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence tested the effects of 82,000 lab-made molecules on roundworms infected with MRSA or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. From the 185 compounds that showed some effect, they selected two of the most promising for further attention. Both belonged to a family of molecules known as retinoids, which were originally developed in the 1960s to treat acne and cancer. Tests on the two retinoids, combined with computer modeling, showed that the compounds killed not only normal MRSA cells, but dormant, or “persister”, cells too. The drugs worked by making the membranes that surround the bacteria leakier. The same effect explained why the retinoids worked even better when used in tandem with an existing antibiotic such as gentamicin. @ https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/28/discovery-mrsa-busting-antibiotic-hope-resistant-superbugs

Richard Spoor filed the class action in consultation with the United States Food Safety Law Firm, Marler Clark. Currently, the firm represents almost 70 people in the class action with new victims reaching out every day. There are four classes in this class action: individuals who contacted a Listeria infection but did not die, individuals who contracted the infection in utero but did not die, individuals who were dependent upon other individuals who died as a consequence of their Listeria infection, and individuals responsible for taking care of other individuals who contacted a Listeria infection. To date, 749 cases were reported in 2017, and 234 cases in 2018; 189 people have died due to this outbreak. @ http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/listeria-class-action-filed-against-tiger-brands-and-enterprise-foods/

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that Erie Meat Products Ltd. recalled Druxy’s Fresh Deli Revolution brand Seasoned Cooked Roast Beef that was sold at Druxy’s Famous Deli restaurant locations. The product has been portioned and served at the restaurant locations without a label or coding, and consumers are being advised to contact the restaurant if they believe they may have consumed the beef. The recall follows last week’s hospitalization of 3 people who may have contracted Listeria infections after eating deli sandwiches at a Druxy’s restaurant in Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. @ http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/78808

The U.S. Department of Agriculture gave the go-ahead to a handful of crops that have been genetically engineered using CRISPR (the DNA editor). This week, the USDA made their position official. US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the decision. The logic is this: You can alter a plant’s genetics through classical breeding techniques like crossbreeding. So as long as scientists are tweaking plants in ways that hypothetically could have been achieved through more traditional means there is no more health risk to consumers than any other breeding method. Genetic alteration through CRISPR is just a faster, more direct way of obtaining the same outcome. The USDA believes that a mushroom that has simply had one of its genes deleted isn’t much of a threat. None of those CRISPR crops have yet made it to supermarkets, but with this endorsement from the USDA, they may soon be on an aisle near you. @ https://gizmodo.com/the-usda-just-gave-the-green-light-to-crisprd-food-1824213151/amp