FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY ASSURANCE
Listeria is an infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. An estimated 1600 people are diagnosed with listeriosis each year around the world, and about 1/5th of these patients die.(“Listeria (Listeriosis) | Listeria | CDC,” n.d.)
The symptoms of Listeria include fever and diarrhea similar to other food contaminating germs, but the common nature of those means it is rarely diagnosed.
Invasive Listeria, or when the bacteria has spread beyond the stomach, is especially dangerous to pregnant women, as it can usually fly under the radar with symptoms analogous to that of flu and fatigue. It can, however, cause complications with childbirth, leading to stillbirth and miscarriages in some cases. The other demographic immediately and most at risk are the older people and people with weakened immunity- due to diseases such as HIV or other health issues.
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While other food borne diseases are quick to show symptoms, it can some times take as much as 10 weeks for the symptoms to show up after being exposed to the bacteria, which makes it far more difficult to treat. (“Symptoms | Listeria | CDC,” n.d.)
One of the most recent examples of Listeria outbreak in recent times has been that of Dole Salads. Dole Salads is a major US company with its products being sold under the umbrella of various brands in major supermarkets such as Lidl, Aldi, Walmart etc.
This outbreak was in many ways precedent setting. According to the Center for Disease Control in the US, this was one of the first major Listeria outbreak which could be attributed to Leafy greens. Listeria, in most cases is associated with deli meats, raw dairy products or seafood. The indication that the bacterium in question is slowly evolving to find new suitors for itself is scary enough, but not as scary as the actions taken by Dole Salads in this particular
An E. Coli outbreak was recently reported in sixteen states. The centers for disease control and prevention investigated the situation and found that chopped romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Ariz was the source of the problem. The article states that “at least 53 people in 16 states”(Romo, 2018, p.1). have been affected. An amount of five people have already “developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome”(Romo, 2018, p.1). Also “The CDC said people in the previous outbreak were infected with a different bacterium, as determined through DNA tests”(Romo, 2018, p.1). So, they encourage people to stay away from “any pre-cut romaine lettuce from the region”(Romo, 2018, p.1). This outbreak has caused mild to severe symptoms, so it is important for public to abide by the CDC, while they strive to seek out a cure.
On August 2008, after meat samples were collected from Toronto’s nursing homes and hospitals, a Toronto Maple Leaf Food’s plant was confirmed as being involved in the outbreak of the food-borne illness, caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes 2. Pregnant women, children and elderly were more at risk due to their weaker immune systems. The listeria outbreak claimed the life of over 20 people and caused panic among consumers who had ingested Maple Leaf products.
Initially, the outbreak and recall was set for bagged spinach on September 14th, but the very next day the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalled all spinach, both bagged and fresh. The outbreak was due to a suspected E. coli O157:H7. Because of the outbreak, 200 people were reported to the CDC from 26 states as having been infected with that particular outbreak strain; more than 100 of those cases were hospitalized, and 31 of them developed a form of kidney failure, which resulted in the deaths of three people. So why is a breakout that may only have affected 200 people so important and relevant to everyone? It’s important to make sure that our food is edible and not contaminated because in this situation with spinach—according to data collected through surveys— nearly half (48%) of Americans reported that they ate fresh spinach before the recall and did so frequently. There was no complete resolution on the exact cause of E. Coli on spinach, but it was believed to be from samples taken from a stream and from feces of cattle and wild pigs present on ranches, due to a genetic match from those who were infected. For some consumers, the spinach recall may be a type of “signal event” indicating a wider problem that they do not yet see as having been solved. Although spinach is something that is generally looked at as “healthy” to its consumers, it is apparent that there is still a problem with the safety and health concerning fresh produce for the public. This occurrence in 2006 was a turning point for many, realizing that even what should be our freshest food can be contaminated, and that more effort needs to be taken in order to protect the public from
If you are not aware of the recent food poisoning incident with Chipotle, then clearly you have been taking some time off from the internet. An outbreak occurred from Chipotle in which more than 40 people became ill with E. coli. Chipotle has been in hot water since this, and it makes us realize that not all food is safe. With this in mind, the idea of other dangerous foods, outside of Chipotle, should be addressed.
In Washington and Oregon, Chipotle restaurants have been shut down after health specialties investigated incidences related to an E. coli outbreak. Between the dates of October fourteen and the twenty-third, people who ate at Chipotle in the states of Washington and Oregon began to show symptoms in E. coli. No one has died yet due to the outbreak, but eight people have been hospitalized. Found in the intestines of animals and people, E. coli causes food poisoning and in severe cases, even death. It is most likely that the customers at Chipotle became infected with E. coli by eating the food prepared by employees who did not wash their hands before making the food. The bacteria can also be spread by improper preparation of food, such as food
This case study, finalized and updated onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, talks about the Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Wandsworth Infections Linked to Veggie Booty. Publishing this outbreak onto their website makes it very beneficial and helps the public realize the importance of food health. Food health is just as important as overall public health. It is essential because people need to consume food in order to live, and if their food is tainted or contaminated, it would cause health problems and sickness and in some extreme cases, death. Ensuring food health will overall promote public health in the long run.
This article talks about the E. Coli outbreak that has to do with Chipotle restaurants. They were given a federal jury subpoena because of the investigation of several reports of norovirus. Forty-three chipotle stores closed after 22 cases were linked to chipotle carrying E. Coli in the food. The FDA and the District of California are working on these cases to figure out why these people are contracting noroviruses.
Coli causes almost 100,000 illnesses and 30,000 hospitalizations, and 90 deaths annually in the United States alone.
Could this crisis have been predicted and prevented, YES. There are standard preparation practices clearly not followed by Chipotle. Additionally, in the companies zeal to have organic and fresh ingredients they didn’t identify any potential risks associated with these types of ingredients, namely the lack of treatment for this bacterium at the source like other ingredients would have been.
A report done by the CDC indicates that within the year of 2013, there have been two reported cases of E. coli. In one case, and investigation done by local, state and federal officials revealed that two consumptions of ready to eat salads produced by Glass Onion Catering and sold at Trader Joe’s had a total of 33 people infected with an outbreak strain of STEC O157:H7. Of the 33 there was 1 person in Arizona, 28 in California, 1 in Texas and 3 in
CDC says that 63 people were infected with the outbreak strains of E.Coli 0121 and that 026 have been reported from 24 states. The sickness started from December 21, 2015 to September 5, 2016 and 17 sick people were hospitalized. CDC found out that some people who got sick had to of eaten or dealt with raw dough. FDA’s investigation determined that the raw dough restaurants were using General Mills flour that had to of been produced in November of 2015. General Mills flour manufactured that it was likely to be the source of the outbreak. General Mills contacted all of the costumers who have gotten flour from there and told them about the recall. FDA and General Mills are working together to make sure that the costumers have all been notified.
There has been an outbreak of E-coli in about 16 states early this year, which was related to the romaine lettuce which was acquired from Yuma, Arizona. “The C.D.C. learned that the others infected by that particular strain, E. coli O157:H7, had also eaten chopped romaine lettuce at restaurants before getting sick. It turned over the information to the Food and Drug Administration, which helped trace the outbreak to Yuma, Ariz.”, (Chokshi,2018). The e-coli would have been transmitted through feces which may have come from either a human or an animal. States like Pennsylvania and Idaho have been affected the most.
Have you ever experienced putting any sort of treatment on a scrape, cut, or wound? Well Joseph Lister's concept of antiseptics helped influence that concept. Antiseptics helps with the limitation of the spread of bacteria and germs. This concept came from the idea that bacteria and germs were responsible for the infections people developed after surgery. This bacteria could normally come from the air, but also came from uncleaned equipment, unwashed hands, and dirty surgical aprons or clothing. For this conflict Lister developed antiseptics which were medicines that slowed or stopped the growth of bacteria. One of his contributions was an antiseptic chemical called, carbolic acid. This cleaned wounds after surgeries, it was also sprayed in
Currently, 38 people in 20 different states have been infected by a sickening strain of bacteria, some of whom were in such bad shape they needed to be hospitalized.
As stated in Chan-Tack and Bartlett’s article Botulism, “The incidence of foodborne botulism is approximately 24 cases per year.