The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has published its first national risk ranking of microbiological foodborne hazards, which is intended to support risk-based food safety management by helping prioritize prevention, surveillance, and control efforts.
Although the overall global burden has decreased, persistent and increasing burdens from specific foodborne parasites and in certain regions warrant continued public health attention.
Effective July 1, the amended Regulation (EU) 2073/2005 on the microbiological criteria for foods expands the requirements for food business operators regarding Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.
At least 106 people have been infected by the outbreak strain in 13 European countries. Young people are disproportionately affected. Some sickened children reported eating the noodles and seasoning dry, without adding boiling water as instructed on the package.
The Center for Produce Safety (CPS)-funded study also found that some produce items may naturally inhibit Listeria monocytogenes growth and that peracetic acid may sometimes promote Listeria growth during storage.
The Alert and Cooperation Network (ACN), which enables EU Member States to exchange information and coordinate responses to food safety incidents, processed a record 10,490 notifications. Notable incidents included a Listeria outbreak linked to French cheese, Salmonella in Italian tomatoes, and cereulide in infant formula.
When a certain protein pathway was disrupted in the assembly of extracellular matrices, normal Bacillus cereus biofilm formation was impaired, but compensatory responses enabled a level of matrix plasticity that could help explain why biofilms are difficult to eradicate.
Traceability investigations identified a common seed supplier, with implicated alfalfa seeds imported from India and distributed throughout Europe. Available evidence suggested the seeds were likely contaminated before entering the EU.
Reoccurring, emerging, and persisting (REP) strains cause foodborne illnesses over extended periods of time, rather than through isolated outbreaks. The REP framework was jointly developed by CDC, FDA, and USDA-FSIS through the Interagency Foodborne Outbreak Response Collaboration.
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