Tag Archives: Listeria

By Shawn K. Stevens

There was been a significant uptick in the amount of foodborne illness outbreaks and food product recalls (there were more than 500 food product recalls last year), many of which have been caused by dangerous pathogens. As FSMA plays a role in addressing this alarming trend, FDA is making several policy changes that will only continue to intensify. The agency is conducting microbiological profiling both inside food processing facilities during routine inspections and testing large amounts of food at the retail level. In addition, it has launched criminal investigations against food companies distributing products that have the potential to cause human illness. In many of these cases, company executives did not have direct knowledge that their products were causing, or had the potential to cause, illness. Many investigations involve Listeria monocytogenes (LM) found in food processing environments or in food products in commerce. Under FDA’s new approach, the failure to eliminate sporadic LM findings in the environment can subject companies to criminal liability. The immediate challenge to the food industry is to find a more effective solution to identify and reduce pervasive pathogens in the processing environment using pathogen-reduction technologies, while simultaneously employing written food safety protocols that can provide additional protection against criminal sanctions.

PulseNet Makes Foodborne Illness Link

Following the conclusion of the infamous the Jack-In-The Box outbreak that sickened 600 and killed four people more than two decades ago, the federal government recognized that similar outbreaks were probably occurring throughout the country, but there were no viable means of detection. As a result, the CDC created the PulseNet database, a mandatory foodborne illness reporting system to detect and track outbreaks in real time. From there, when a patient tested positive for a pathogen of concern (such as Listeria Monocytogenes, Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7), his or her doctor had to report that finding to the state health department. Each state requests copies of the isolates and tests them for the specific genetic DNA fingerprint of the pathogen of interest. These fingerprints are uploaded to PulseNet, and when indistinguishable genetic DNA fingerprints are uploaded from multiple victims, the CDC can recognize that an outbreak is emerging. The agency shares this information with FDA and other federal, state and local health departments as they work to determine a common source. Despite the fact that most illnesses uploaded to PulseNet remain unsolved, the database has helped CDC and FDA solve hundreds of outbreaks that have affected thousands of victims.

My subsequent columns will look at the emerging challenges faced by the food industry, including recent federal criminal investigations, some solutions designed to assess environmental contamination and reduce pathogens, and strategies that you can employ to reduce criminal liability.

February 16, 2016

PCR Assay Detects Listeria in Dairy, Produce, RTE Products

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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The AOAC Research Institute approved a method extension of Performance Test Method #030502 to include the DuPont BAX System X5 PCR Assay for Genus Listeria. The assay has been validated as a reliable method for detecting the pathogen in frankfurters, smoked salmon, spinach, and cheese, as well as from environmental surfaces. Using the system, automated PCR-based DNA amplification and automatic pathogen detection can be conducted on 32 samples simultaneously within a smaller and more lightweight unit. The system is also validated by AOAC-RI for detecting Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in good and environmental samples.

February 11, 2016

Food Safety Think Tank

Listeria, the Pesky Bug is Everywhere!

By Gina R. Nicholson-Kramer

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“When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” A quote, by Alexander Den Heijer, trainer, speaker, purposologist, that rings true in food safety. When there is a contamination issue in food processing, one must fix the environment in which food is being processed. Safe food is a product of a clean environment.

We have better environmental sampling programs in our food manufacturing plants and processing facilities, and we have sanitation standard operating procedures, so why are we seeing a prevalence of Listeria, and in rising numbers? I recently sat down with Jeff Mitchell, vice president of food safety at Chemstar, about the recent increase in Listeria outbreaks and how you can rid your facility of the dangerous pathogen.

We’re seeing Listeria—in product recalls and outbreaks—over the last couple of years, and in multiple numbers. Why do you think this is happening?

Jeff Mitchell: The distribution of Listeria in the environment has not changed, and the processes that we use for processing food really haven’t changed. What’s changed is the way that we collect data. We have PulseNet now, which gathers information. If someone goes to a medical treatment facility with a foodborne illness, they’re going to investigate that and they’re going to get the whole genome sequencing on the pathogen.

There’s a difference between understanding what transient Listeria is and resident Listeria. I think there are a lot of sanitation efforts being put forth to eliminate the resident populations—those are the populations we’re most concerned about, and they’re the ones that are being related back to a lot of these recalls.

If I have resident Listeria in my facility, why can’t I find it?

Food Safety Tech is organizing a Listeria Detection & Control Workshop, May 31 – June 1, 2016 in St. Paul, MN. LEARN MOREMitchell: Resident populations of Listeria are found in a biofilm—most bacteria aggregate within a biofilm. A biofilm is a survival mode for the bacteria; it protects it from sanitizer penetration. That layer actually masks it from sampling. You could swab a surface or an area and not pick it up, because the biofilm is masking it.

Jeff goes on to discuss the type of sanitation program that companies should have in place to get rid of resident Listeria. You can learn about the steps you need to take in my video interview.

February 1, 2016

FDA Traces Three More Listeria Cases to Dole’s Bagged Salad

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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Dole’s bagged salad was the culprit of three more Listeria cases last month. Last week the FDA released the latest figures on the outbreak, which began in July 2015. An investigation was not initiated until September, and the source of Listeria—a Dole processing facility in Springfield, Ohio—was not known until January 2016. The CDC reports that 15 people, all which were hospitalized, in eight states have been infected with Listeria traced back to the Dole facility since July.

On January 21 Dole told the FDA and CDC that it both stopped producing all packaged salads at the Springfield facility and stated that it would be withdrawing all packaged salads on the market that were produced there. The company initiated the recall of the salads, which were sold under the brand names Dole, Fresh Selections, Simple Truth, Marketside, The Little Salad Bar, and President’s Choice Organics, last week. The bagged salads were distributed in 24 states.

The Public Health Agency of Canada also issued a food recall warning for products made at the Springfield facility. The products were shipped to six Canadian provinces.

January 21, 2016

Sample6 Gets Patent for Phage Engineering Technology

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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Today Sample6 announced a new patent for phage engineering technology. Issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the patent, “Recombinant Phage and Methods”, is the first awarded to the company.

“As an industry, we need to set a new bar for food safety programs – widespread illness outbreaks and massive recalls should not happen in this day and age,” said Tim Curran, CEO of Sample6, in a company release. “Contaminated food should be found and stopped before it ever enters the food chain.”

The Sample6 DETECT/L system is the first in-plant, in-shift pathogen detection for Listeria. A continuation of the company’s effort to prevent contaminated foods from leaving food processing warehouses and distribution centers, the phase-based bacterial detection assay has been approved by USDA and AOAC.

January 8, 2016

The Increase in Listeria Recalls and What You Can Do About It

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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Why has the food industry been seeing more Listeria outbreaks in recent years? What is the reason behind it? According to Jeff Mitchell, vice president of food safety at Chemstar, the prevalence in Listeria-related recalls may have more to do with the fact that industry is collecting more meaningful data. During a Q&A with Gina Kramer, founder and executive director of Savour Food Safety International, Inc., Mitchell discusses the methods through which industry is collecting data and how food companies should be using a sanitation program to rid facilities of resident Listeria at the 2015 Food Safety Consortium.

January 5, 2016

Fast Facts About Listeria

By Maria Fontanazza

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Attend the Listeria Detection & Control Workshop, May 31–June 1 in St. Paul, MN | LEARN MOREAccording to the CDC’s Foodborne Outbreak Online Database (FOOD Tool), there were 29 Listeria outbreaks between 2010 and 2014, resulting in 325 illnesses and 68 deaths (nearly a 21% fatality rate). In light of the recent reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is looking into Blue Bell Creameries following the Listeria outbreak in its facilities that killed three people, food companies need to have a strong mitigation and control program before it’s too late. The government is placing is a higher level of accountability on employees at all levels within food organizations and no one, including company executives, are immune to it.

“It’s extremely important that we understand how deadly Listeria is,” said Gina Nicholson-Kramer, founder and executive director at Savour Food Safety International, Inc. during a Listeria workshop at the 2015 Food Safety Consortium. “We’re put here to protect our consumer.”

Containing what may be growing (and rapidly spreading) within the nooks and crannies of a facility is a challenge. To learn more about how to prevent product contamination within all areas of food production, read the column by Nicholson-Kramer and Jeff Mitchell, vice president of food safety at Chemstar, Activate Your Listeria Mitigation and Control Program.

*Fast Listeria* Facts**
Types of Infections	Non-invasive gastroenteritis: Self-limiting, diarrhea, fever, fatigue Invasive gastroenteritis: Headache, stiff neck, loss of balance
At-Risk Populations	Pregnant women, neonates, elderly, immune-compromised
Where It’s Found	Soil, water, silage, manure, sewage, processing plants
How It Spreads in Facilities	Foot traffic, wheels, forklifts, pallets, boxes, bins
Average Fatality Rate	Up to 25%
Other Traits	Psychrophilic bacteria (grows well in cold temperatures) Adheres to surfaces and creates biofilms on equipment that is difficult to remove (Preventing transient Listeria from becoming resident Listeria is critical)

January 4, 2016

Department of Justice Reportedly Investigating Blue Bell Creameries Over Listeria Outbreak

By Maria Fontanazza

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Several news outlets have reported that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating Blue Bell Creameries following the Listeria outbreak that resulted in three deaths in Kansas and 10 illnesses in Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas between January 2010 and January 2015.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the DOJ is mainly interested in the involvement of company executives—did they know about the Listeria contamination? If so, what did they do about it?

Last April Blue Bell recalled all of its products over concerns of Listeria contamination and shut down the production line where the products were manufactured.

Blue Bell started a limited-release of its ice cream products last August. The company has not yet issued a response to the reports about the DOJ investigation, but last week it announced that it would begin a “bonus phase” of product re-entry in El Paso, Texas, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee. This is scheduled to be followed by phase five of market re-entry in parts of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia the week of January 18, and then shipment into all of Florida, southern Georgia and southern South Carolina the week of January 25.

The company stated in a press release that after phase five is completed, all of Blue Bell’s furloughed employees will have returned to work.

Following the landmark sentencing of Peanut Corporation of America executives last fall, industry will be watching the outcome of the investigation very closely.

December 29, 2015

Food Safety Testing Market to Hit $6.4 Billion by 2020

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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As a result of the rising incidence of food contamination and foodborne illness outbreaks such as Listeria, Salmonella and E.coli, the North American market for food safety testing is expected to hit $6.4 billion within the next four years. According to a recent report by Markets and Markets, the 7.4% compound annual growth rate will also be fueled by the following factors:

Actions taken by food manufacturers to implement more testing at different stages of the chain in order to strengthen food safety standards
Increased concern to reduce the amount of product recalls
Increased consumer interest in ingredients and food safety
FSMA and the regulatory effort to reduce the presence of pathogens or contaminants in food

Learn more about how food laboratories are working to detect dangerous pathogens.

The Markets and Markets report:“North American Food Safety Market by Contaminant , Technology, Food Tested (Meat & Poultry, Dairy, Fruit & Vegetable, Processed Food), & by Country – Trend & Forecast to 2020″

Update: (1/14/2016): According to a report released by Research and Markets on January 14, the global food safety testing market can expect to achieve a 7.1% CAGR over the next five years, hitting $16.2 billion by 2020.

December 28, 2015

Worst Foodborne Illness Outbreaks of 2015

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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The CDC highlighted the following cases of contaminated food that resulted in foodborne illness outbreaks for 2015.

Pathogen	Company and/or Product	Cases	States	Hospitalizations	Deaths	Status
*Listeria*	Blue Bell Ice Cream	10	4	10	3	Investigation complete
*Listeria*	Karoun Dairies, Inc. (soft cheese)	30	10	28	3	Investigation complete
E.coli O26	Chipotle Mexican Grill	53	9	20	0	Investigation ongoing
*Salmonella*	Cucumbers	838	38	165	4	CDC provided last update 11/2015
*Salmonella*	Pork	192	5	30	0	CDC says outbreak “appears” to be over

PulseNet Makes Foodborne Illness Link

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