July 2006

Jul 25, 2006, 22:37
Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-023-2006 HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Steven Cohen
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2006 – Ramar Foods Corp., a Pittsburg, Calif., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 5.25 pounds of hot dogs that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.Continue Reading California Firm Recalls Hot Dogs for Possible Listeria Contamination

Foodinfo Online FSTA Reports 4 July 2006
http://www.foodsciencecentral.com/fsc/ixid14389
© IFIS Publishing 2006 – All Rights Reserved
Listeria monocytogenes is a significant foodborne pathogen, particularly in ready-to-eat (RTE) meats. Over recent years, there have been several illnesses and deaths associated with foodborne listeriosis. There is therefore a need to evaluate post-process interventions for their ability to enhance the safety of high-volume RTE foods.Continue Reading Listeria – going cold turkey

By Ahmed ElAmin
20/07/2006 – That copper cooking kettle may provide better protection against foodborne bacteria than a stainless steel one, according to scientists.
The study suggests that the use of cast copper alloys during food processing may help prevent cross-contamination of E. coli better than stainless steel, say researchers from the University of Southampton in the UK and the Copper Development Association in New York.
Their findings appear in the June 2006 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
The study could counter a current trend in the food processing sector to use equipment made of stainless steel in their plants. Stainless steel is believed to be easier to clean and does not corrode as easily as copper under the frequent chemical cleanings needed to remove harmful pathogens.Continue Reading Copper better than stainless steel for food safety, scientists say

The study will be posted on June 30 in the June issue of the online journal PLoS Pathogens.
For years, doctors have puzzled over why pregnant women are 20 times more likely than others to be infected by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, now think they have the answer, and it isn’t pretty.
Their research, conducted in guinea pigs, shows that the bacteria can invade the placenta, where – protected from the body’s immune system – they proliferate rapidly before pouring out to infect organs such as the liver and spleen. The illness they cause often results in miscarriage or infection of the fetus.Continue Reading Finally: A Study That Details Why Listeriosis Rates Are 20-fold Higher During Pregnancy

01.jul.06
Journal of Food Protection Volume 69, Number 7 pp. 1680-1689(10)
Sauders, Brian D.; Schukken, Ynte; Kornstein, Laura; Reddy, Vasudha; Bannerman, Tammy; Salehi, Ellen; Dumas, Nellie; Anderson, B
http://www.foodprotection.org/QuickLinks.htm
To better understand the transmission and epidemiology of human listeriosis, 647 Listeria monocytogenes isolates obtained from human listeriosis cases in four U.S. locations (Michigan, Ohio, New…

July 5, 2006
Matthew Borghese – All Headline News Staff Writer
Philadelphia, PA (AHN) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is issuing a recall of Shernoff’s Salads, Inc. brand Potato Salad because Listeria monocytogenes Poly O, type 1 was discovered in both environmental and product samples.
According to the FDA, “during an inspection,…

05.jul.06
RxPG News
National Institutes of Health
PLoS Pathogens, reviewed by: Dr. Priya Saxena
“It’s rare for a pregnant woman to get infected, but once she is, she can’t clear the infection unless the placenta is expelled.”
For years, doctors have puzzled over why pregnant women are 20 times more likely than others to be infected by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, now think they have the answer, and it isn’t pretty.
Their research, conducted in guinea pigs, shows that the bacteria can invade the placenta, where – protected from the body’s immune system – they proliferate rapidly before pouring out to infect organs such as the liver and spleen. The illness they cause often results in miscarriage or infection of the fetus.Continue Reading Why Listeriosis rates are 20-fold higher during pregnancy