Microbiological Control

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During 2006–2021, Canada saw 55 laboratory-confirmed outbreaks of foodborne botulism, according to a recent article published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

A team of scientists is developing a rapid sensor-based decision-making system to assess and mitigate Salmonella contamination across the entire poultry supply chain, with an emphasis on improving health equity by leveraging data to help disproportionately affected communities make informed food safety decisions. 

The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) has published its list of priorities for 2024–2028, which includes improving foodborne illness source attribution estimates for Campylobacter, making non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) a pathogen of focus, and other activities.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like big data and machine learning for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in livestock production shows promise for informing AMR mitigation efforts, according to a recent study led by University of Nottingham researchers.

Based on the results of a recent Clostridium perfringens Market Basket Study, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) has concluded that the guidance currently being used for the cooling of large-mass, non-intact ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products is adequate and does not merit revision.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by Kris de Smet, D.V.M., Head of the Food Hygiene Team under the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety at the European Commission. Dr. de Smet discusses his work with the European Commission and Codex Alimentarius in areas such as Salmonella mitigation, foodborne illness outbreak preparedness and management, and food safety culture improvement and measurement.

In a recent article published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated the global incidence of human brucellosis to be 1.6–2.1 million new cases per year, which is three to four times higher than the previous estimate of 500,000 new cases per year.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified a reoccurring, emerging, and persistent (REP) strain of Escherichia coli O157:H7—REPEXH02—that has been implicated in significant foodborne illness outbreaks linked to leafy greens from 2016–2019.

A survey of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) found on retail foods sold in the UK has shown the overall prevalence of Salmonella to be low, although there is great genetic diversity among the Salmonella that was present, which may hinder outbreak investigations and source attribution in the case of foodborne illness outbreaks. 

A recent literature review has provided an overview of the impacts of climate change on significant foodborne pathogens, parasites, and toxins; specifically, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Vibrio, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and marine biotoxins.