US-NC-Citizen-Times.com-Food and Drug Administration looks to North Carolina in developing plan to better protect nation’s food supply

Raleigh – North Carolina food safety officials check store shelves each week to test for contaminated foods, and emergency plans are drafted in case of a widespread contaminated food supply.

The process, which continues to find problems that lead to recalls, has caught the attention of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is now working with North Carolina officials to develop a system to better protect the nation’s food supply.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture launched its food monitoring program in 2005, responding to concerns that terrorists could contaminate food. Now the program has a heavy focus on routinely catching food products — both imported and produced domestically — that may have bacteria, pesticides and other potentially harmful contaminants.

The testing has been successful, but concerning. In two years, the state has found staphylococcus, E.coli and salmonella bacteria in soft cheeses, undeclared allergens in imported raisins and illegal antibiotics in foreign-raised fish. In each case, the state’s tests led to recalls….more..

US-LA-Medical News Today-Do Not To Eat Raw Oysters Harvested From The West Karako Bay Section Of Growing Area 3 In Louisiana, FDA Warns

he U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat raw oysters harvested from West Karako Bay, a section of Growing Area 3 in Louisiana. These oysters, harvested from Dec. 3 through Dec. 21, may be contaminated with norovirus.

Symptoms of norovirus infection include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping. Affected individuals often experience low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. Most people show symptoms within 48 hours of exposure to the virus, with the illness lasting one to two days. However, the illness can become serious for the very young, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

Consumers who ate raw oysters on or after Dec. 3 and experienced these symptoms are encouraged to contact their health care providers and local health departments. Consumers concerned about the origin of oysters they have recently purchased should contact the place of purchase to determine if the oysters were harvested from the identified area during the Dec. 3-21 period. …more…

US-MN-WCBSTV.com-E. Coli Victim Awake After 9 Weeks In Coma

MINNEAPOLIS (CBS) ― Stephanie Smith’s family is calling her recovery a miracle. The 20-year-old Cold Spring, Minn., woman regained consciousness after spending more than nine weeks in a drug-induced coma.

Stephanie Smith contracted the e. coli bacteria after eating Sam’s Club hamburger in September and has been at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester ever since, reports CSB station WCCO-TV in Minnesota.

Until last week, it had been more than two months since Sharon Smith had seen her daughter smile. But just before the holidays Sharon got a Christmas miracle: Stephanie Smith woke up.

“The last time I was there, which was a couple days ago, she cried when I left. She’s moving her fingers and she winks now,” said Sharon Smith.

Every little movement Stephanie Smith makes is a step in the right direction. Especially considering that during the Thanksgiving holiday doctors told Sharon Smith they couldn’t do any more for her daughter. Until recently, every time they would try and take her out of her coma Stephanie Smith would have a seizure.

Because she was unconscious for so long, doctors aren’t sure if their patient will ever make a full recovery…more…

US-NJ-Daily Record-Beef recalled from Jersey City schools

The Maramont Corp. of Brooklyn, New York, recalled 88 pounds of beef patties distributed to schools in Jersey City because the meat may be contaminated with listeria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

The two-ounce broiled beef patties were produced on Dec. 18 and distributed to schools in the Jersey City area on Dec. 19, the USDA said in a statement yesterday. The potential contamination was discovered through routine department testing, and no illnesses have been reported, the USDA said.

Food contaminated with listeria can lead to listeriosis, which causes an estimated 2,500 flu-like illnesses and about 500 deaths annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Listeriosis also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness and nausea. Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible, the Agriculture Department said.

US-Reuters via Yahoo News- Beef from Safeway may have had salmonella: USDA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Agriculture Department said fresh ground beef products contaminated with multi-drug resistant Salmonella may have been ground and later sold at Safeway Inc stores in five states.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said the products were sold at supermarket chain Safeway Inc in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico between September 19 and November 5, 2007.

“This alert is being issued after an exhaustive and continuing investigation whereby FSIS could not identify specific establishments, lots and products that would be subject to a recall,” the agency said …more..

US-NV-KTVN Reno nws-Health officials: 3 Nevadans linked to salmonella outbreak

RENO (AP) – State health officials say three Nevadans have been linked to a salmonella outbreak that also has affected people in three other Western states.

The trio are among 38 people who contracted a similar strain of salmonella in Nevada, California, Arizona and Idaho between September 19th and November fifth.

In Nevada, officials say the outbreak affected a senior citizen, an infant and a young person in each of 3 counties: Clark, Washoe and Douglas.

Doctor Ihsan Azzam is Nevada’s state epidemiologist.

He says all patients, including those in Nevada, are doing well, and it was a “very small outbreak.”

He says 2 of the state’s three cases can be tied to a Safeway product, while the third case is inconclusive…more…

Europe-Farmers Weekly Interactive-EU agrees funding package for tackling poultry diseases

The European Commission has approved a financial package of €186m (£134m) to support programmes to eradicate, control and monitor animal diseases this year.

Of the package, 4.6% is for controlling salmonella in poultry breeder flocks in 19 Member States and 11.3% is for tackling salmonella in laying hens flocks. This is three times the amount allocated for this disease last year

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Member States will also continue to carry out surveillance for avian flu in poultry and wild birds with financial assistance from the EU towards laboratory testing and wild bird sampling costs. A total of €4.3m (£3.1m) will be available from the EU budget.

US-Food Production Daily.com-General Mills counts cost of pizza recall

US-based manufactuer General Mills yesterday said a pizza recall in November knocked $20m off its Q2 operating profit.
. In November, General Mills recalled over 400,000 products, after fearing that the E. coli 0157:H7 strain found its way into pepperoni meat used on Totino and Jeno pizzas.

The possible E. coli contamination was uncovered by state and federal authorities investigating 21 E. coli-related illnesses in 10 states.

General Mills said nine of the 21 people reported having eaten Totino’s or Jeno’s pizza with pepperoni topping at some point before becoming ill, although all recovered from the illness later on.

The recall hit the Pillsbury USA ranges particularly hard, as net sales for the division fell two per cent.

As well as the E. coli scare, higher input and commodity expenses had a negative impact on margins, together swelling the cost of sales to $2.3bn, a 7.8 per cent increase from the same period in 2006.

US-Meatingplace.com-USDA issues ground beef health alert for possible salmonella

USDA has issued a public health alert due to illnesses from Salmonella Newport associated with fresh ground beef products contaminated with multi-drug resistant Salmonella that may have been ground and sold at some Safeway supermarkets.

In a statement, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said the meat was sold at Safeway stores in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico between Sept. 19 and Nov. 5, 2007.

FSIS said it could not identify specific establishments, lots and products that would be subject to a recall. The agency said it has no reason to believe that these products are still available for sale in commerce.

USDA issued the alert after epidemiological investigations and a case control study conducted by the California Department of Public Health, Arizona Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, determined an association between the fresh ground beef products and 38 illnesses, of which 18 were reported in California, 16 in Arizona, 18 in California, three in Nevada and one in Idaho.

This particular strain of Salmonella is resistant to many commonly prescribed drugs, which can increase the risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals.

UK-ICWales-Researchers begin study into E.coli

A MAJOR research project that could cut the risk of E.coli spreading in rural communities began yesterday at Bangor University.

Around 500 people a year are thought to be affected by the E.coli O157 bug which, as well as having a detrimental effect on sufferers’ health, can damage the surrounding area’s economy.

Researchers from the university’s school of Environment and Natural Resources hope their collaboration with scientists from the University of Aberdeen and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will help create a set of guidelines that could help cut the bacteria’s spread in rural areas. Ecologists, microbiologists and economists from the universities will use a £1.3m grant to work alongside academics from Manchester University to learn about the bacteria and how it spreads.