A new study conducted at McMaster University confirms that people who suffer from food poisoning by a particular bacteria may be at increased risk for developing Crohn's Disease, also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In every Salmonella outbreak over the past four years, Food Poisoning Bulletin has stated that one of the long term complications from one of these illnesses is IBD. Researchers found that infectious gastroenteritis (food poisoning) caused by a common food poisoning bacteria increases and accelerates the growth of adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC). The scientists used a mouse model of Crohn's Disease. Even after the mouse had cleared the food poisoning bacteria from their bodies, researchers still found increased AIEC levels in the gut. In the study, the … [Read more...]
Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Found in Florida Sewage
According to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, antibiotic resistant bacteria has been found in Florida sewage. The bacteria was discovered in samples taken from water and sediment after a 2014 sewer-line spill that released 500,000 gallons of untreated wastewater into a St. Petersburg neighborhood. This information was published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. The bacteria, Enterococcus faecium, is resistant to vancomycin, one of the "last resort" antibiotics we have to fight serious infections. That antibiotic has not been used for years because it has toxic side effects. But since more and more antibiotics are becoming less effective against infections, it is being brought back. And that vancomycin-resistant … [Read more...]
People Work Sick, Even When They Should Stay Home
A poll of working adults conducted by National Public Radio (NPR), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of public health has found that many people work when they are sick, even when they should stay home. This is especially problematic in the food service industry, since sick food handlers can cause serious outbreaks that can sicken many people. In addition, many working adults say that their current job adversely affects their health. And almost half of all working adults give their workplace only fair or poor ratings in efforts to reduce stress. Workers in restaurant jobs say their job has a bad impact on their stress level. In fact, 54% of restaurant workers, by far the most of any sector, say that their current job is bad for their stress … [Read more...]
Researchers Find Sensing Mechanism in Food Poisoning Bacteria
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found a mechanism used by some types of bacteria that cause food poisoning. That mechanism is used to tell the bacteria when they are in the human gut, where they release the toxins that cause illness. Scientists studied Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a bacterium that grows in shellfish in saltwater during the summer months. Vibrio is one of the leading causes of food poisoning worldwide. And rising ocean temperatures because of global warming have contributed to the pathogen's growth. When people eat raw or undercooked seafood that contains the bacteria, they get sick. Dr. Kim Orth, Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study, said, "during recent years, rising temperatures in the … [Read more...]
New Research Reduces Salmonella in Meat by 90%
New research conducted at the University of Nevada, Reno in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources has reduced Salmonella bacteria in meat products by 90%. Assistant Professor Amilton de Mello is using bacteriophages, which are natural predators of the microorganisms. Professor de Mello said, "we were able to reduce Salmonella by as much as 90% in ground poultry, ground pork, and ground beef. We're excited to be able to show such good results. Food safety is an important part of our work and Salmonella is one of the most prevalent bacteria in the nation's food supply." Salmonella food poisoning sickens one million Americans every year, hospitalizes 19,000 and kills almost 400. It is one of the most common causes of food poisoning worldwide. The … [Read more...]
Study Finds E. coli Can Survive High Cooking Temperatures
Food Poisoning Bulletin has been telling you for years to cook ground meat, especially ground beef, to a minimum temperature of 160°F to kill any pathogenic bacteria that may be present in the meat. Now a new study conducted at the University of Alberta's Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science Center has found that some E. coli bacteria are not destroyed by cooking ground beef to 160°F, the temperature recommended by the CFIA and the USDA. Not all strains of E. coli are dangerous to human health, but some, the so-called STEC bacteria, can cause kidney failure and death. E. coli O121, E. coli O157:H7, and other strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli cause millions of illnesses, thousands of hospitalizations, and dozens of deaths every year. Food … [Read more...]
Soy May Be Natural Antimicrobial Agent
Research conducted by Professor Suresh Neethirajan at the University of Guelph in Canada has shown that soy isoflavones and peptides may inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes that cause food poisoning. The study, published in Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports for the July 2016 issue, tested soy peptides against bacterial biofilms for antimicrobial activity. The researchers found that the soy peptides had an inhibitory effect on Listeria monocytogenes. Another peptide was effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Listeria monocytogenes. This could make these compounds an alternative to antimicrobials and antibiotics currently used. Pathogenic bacteria can develop biofilms in different conditions, which enable them to emerge as resistant strains. There is always a need to … [Read more...]
Study Finds WIC Improves Preschool Children’s Diet
A study conducted by the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, California has found that WIC (USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children) improves preschool children's diets. A change made in that program in 2009 provided more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat milk in the food voucher package. Diet quality improved for the 4 million children who are served by this federal program. Unfortunately, some in Congress want to cut this efficient and effective program. In the past few years, Republicans in Congress have tried to cut WIC funding, despite the fact that the program improves birth weight, decreases infant mortality, and improves food security. In fact, the program has faced an 8% cut in the past five years, and many WIC clinics … [Read more...]
E. coli O157:H7 on Leafy Greens? It’s the Cows
Most people are surprised when a food poisoning outbreak is linked to leafy greens. Fresh vegetables are not the foods we think of in relation to foodborne illness. But the fact remains that leafy greens are the most common vector for delivering pathogenic bacteria to humans. Bacteria get onto leafy greens and other produce in several ways. They can be contaminated in the field by feces from birds and other animals. They can be contaminated in the field by poor worker hygiene. They can be contaminated in transport in dirty containers and trucks. They can be contaminated during processing if a facility doesn't keep animals out, or if workers are sick. But there is one means of contamination that may be most troublesome: location of a farm field next to a cattle feedlot, as a study … [Read more...]
University of MN Identifies New Strain of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
Dr. Tim Johnson of the University of Minnesota has identified a new strain of antibiotic resistant bacteria. This bacteria, known as Enterobacter cloacae, was reported in a hospital outbreak in Fargo, North Dakota. Whole genome sequencing revealed that 32 of the strains collected from patients in the Upper Midwest were clonal. The bacteria is spreading throughout this region of the country. Dr. Johnson said, "this provides evidence for the origin of this multidrug resistant clone in the Fargo-Moorhead area, followed by its spread over time through nursing homes and hospitals in western Minnesota, and more recently in the Twin Cities metro area." He added, "this is a public health crisis. This is probably the biggest challenge we're going to face from a public health standpoint in our … [Read more...]
