Two years ago, scientists at the CDC launched a pilot program to sequence the DNA of every Listeria monocytogenes bacteria sample tied to an illness in this country. As a result, many more outbreaks are being identified, including ones that were hidden. Brendan Jackson, a medical epidemiologist with the CDC told Science that “now that … Read more
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a research project at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, which developed a rapid detection assay for Salmonella that may be used in U.S. poultry processing plants. Salmonella contamination on poultry has been a huge problem in U.S. facilities, as evidence by the large Salmonella outbreak … Read more
A new peer-reviewed article by Jeannie Sneed, et al, published in Food Protection Trends says that consumer food handling practices lead to cross-contamination. Although outbreaks that sicken multiple persons are usually linked to mass produced foods or restaurants, about 9 to 15% of most foodborne illnesses occur in the home. The study looked at the “Food … Read more
A study conducted by the Department of Environmental Health Services at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future has found that the benefits of consuming raw milk do not outweigh the risks. The study was done for the Maryland General Assembly as they consider a bill to … Read more
A new study conducted at the University of Washington School of Nursing has found that local government spending on food safety and sanitation programs affects the number of illnesses occurring in surrounding areas. Researchers looked at 11 years of data from county health departments in Washington state and New York. In Washington state, cuts to … Read more
A new study conducted at the University of Markansas at Fayetteville has found that Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens attach to reusable plastic containers used in industry and remain even after cleaning. Those pesky biofilms are, again, the culprit. Scientists looked at the materials used to make these food containers that are used to transport … Read more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a new study in Emerging Infectious Diseases stating that the number of food poisoning outbreaks in the United States caused by raw (unpasteurized) milk increased from 30 in 2007 – 2009 to 51 in 2010 – 2012. Most of the outbreaks were caused by Campylobacter bacteria, … Read more
Most food poisoning cases happen in the home. Why? Research from Kansas State University finds that 90% of home chefs violate food safety rules, especially rules about hand washing and cross-contamination. Cross-contamiantion happens when hands are not washed after handling raw meats, when cutting boards and utensils are used for fresh foods after coming into … Read more
Researchers at Texas Tech University’s Department of Animal and Food Science have discovered a new serotype of Salmonella bacteria. It was confirmed by the Pasteur Institute in Paris, which has the international reference center for Salmonella. The new strain is called Salmonella Lubbock. Marie Bugarel, a research assistant professor at the University, discovered the bacteria. … Read more
A new study conducted at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health finds that children exposed during pregnancy to elevated levels of phthalates had lower IQ scores. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that those children had an IQ more than six points lower than the average. The two chemicals are … Read more