Tag Archives: deli

But it’s natural: Investigating the control of Listeria monocytogenes on a ready-to-eat ham product using natural antimicrobial ingredients and postlethality interventions

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Ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products manufactured with natural or organic methods are at greater risk for Listeria monocytogenes growth, if contaminated, than their conventional counterparts due to the required absence of preservatives and antimicrobials. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the use of commercially available natural antimicrobials and post-lethality interventions in the control of L. monocytogenes growth and recovery on a RTE ham product.

publix.deli.warningAntimicrobials evaluated were cranberry powder (90MX), vinegar (DV), and vinegar/lemon juice concentrate (LV1X). Post-lethality interventions studied were high hydrostatic pressure at 400 (HHP400) or 600 (HHP600) MPa, lauric arginate (LAE), octanoic acid (OA), and post-packaging thermal treatment (PPTT). Parameters evaluated through 98 days of storage at 4±1°C were residual nitrite concentrations, pH, aw, and viable L. monocytogenes on modified Oxford (MOX) media. On day 1, OA, 90MX, DV, and LV1X yielded lower residual nitrite concentrations than the control, whereas HHP400, HHP600, and LAE did not. LAE, HHP400, and OA reduced L. monocytogenes population compared to the control after 1 day of storage by 2.38, 2.21, and 1.73 log10 colony-forming units per gram, respectively. PPTT did not achieve a significant reduction in L. monocytogenes populations. L. monocytogenes recovered and grew in all post-lethality intervention treatments except HHP600. 90MX did not inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes, while DV and LV1X did.

Results of this study demonstrate the bactericidal properties of HHP, OA, and LAE and the bacteriostatic potential of natural antimicrobial ingredients such as DV and LV1X against L. monocytogenes.

Lavieri Nicolas A., Sebranek Joseph G., Brehm-Stecher Byron F., Cordray Joseph C., Dickson James S., Horsch Ashley M., Jung Stephanie, Larson Elaine M., Manu David K., and Mendonça Aubrey F.

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. June 2014, 11(6): 462-467.

Listeria cases climb in Sweden, outbreak declared

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Sweden’s Public Health Agency has declared a specific outbreak of Listeria during the final three months of 2013, with 41 sickened compared to 25 for the same period the year before.

“There was a clear increase, which led us to suspect that this was an outbreak and therefore we decided to investigate the matter immediately, says Viktor Dahl with the listeriaPublic Health Agency.

While previous Listeria outbreaks have largely been linked to smoked or pickled salmon, investigators suspect cold cuts in the latest increase.

Police to investigate 2012 listeria deaths in NZ hospital

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In July 2012, it was publicly revealed that two people had died and two others sickened in a listeria outbreak linked to hospital food in New Zealand.

The two elderly women died after contracting listeria found in cold cuts supplied to the Hawkes Bay Hospital.

imagesNow, police have taken over the investigation.

In May, the Ministry for Primary Industries laid Food Act charges against Napier company Bay Cuisine.

It is understood the company is facing more than 100 charges. It was due to have made its first appearance in Napier District Court today, but this has been adjourned to November.

Listeria was found in pre-packaged ready-to-eat meats that had been supplied to Hawke’s Bay Hospital. Listeria was also found at Bay Cuisine, the sole supplier of pre-packaged meats to the hospital. The company issued a recall notice for affected products.

Robin Hutchinson, whose wife Patricia was one of the women who died, said he was determined that someone be held accountable for her death.

Mrs Hutchinson, a 68-year-old great-grandmother, was admitted to Hawke’s Bay Hospital on May 5 last year with symptoms similar to a stroke. It was later discovered she had contracted listeria. She died on June 5.

For the past year Mr Hutchinson has battled ACC and the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, which he feels should contribute to his wife’s funeral costs.

He said his wife was not properly informed of risks associated with prescribed immunosuppressants, and that the hospital should not have served her cold meat that presented a risk to people on the medication.

Norovirus outbreak closes Calif. deli

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A Concord deli has been closed by Contra Costa County environmental health officials due to norovirus contamination.

The Concord Patch reports Marilyn Underwood, environmental health department director, said the North Park Deli on Nelson Avenue was norovirus-2shut down late Tuesday afternoon. It’s uncertain when the eatery will re-open.

Underwood said two employees at the deli have tested positive for the virus.

She said her department was first notified of the illness when 15 people who were at an event catered by North Park Deli on Friday evening became sick over the weekend.

Can eating at your desk make you sick?

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 A new survey, released by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods’ Home food Safety program, found that while lots of us remain chained to our desks at meal time – 62 per cent at lunch time and 27 at breakfast – we’re skipping out on basic precautionary measures that reduce the risk of foodborne and other illnesses.

Alyssa Schwartz of iVillage.ca writes that while experts say perishable food needs to be refrigerated within two hours of leaving home or it will start to spoil, half of the survey respondents admitted they left theirs sit out for three or more hours.

That may not be particularly risky for some items, says Dr. Doug Powell, a professor of food safety at Kansas State University, but not storing others properly could put you at risk for serious – even deadly – bugs such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria. And here’s the rub: “It’s probably not the foods you think that will make you sick,” Powell says.

An egg salad sandwich, for example, will likely keep unrefrigerated until lunchtime – provided you use store-bought mayo, which acts as a built-in preservative. On the other hand, eat with caution when it comes to deli meats and soft cheeses and commercially prepared dishes (“all the foods they warn pregnant mummies about,” Powell says).

Powell also cites some unexpected culprits – in particular, salad fixings and rice. “When you cut produce, you create a lot of opportunities for existing microorganisms to grow,” he says. In the case of rice, leaving it sitting at room temperature, whether at home after cooking or on your desk at work, can allow spores to grow. For both, refrigeration is key. And for rice and other cooked foods, make sure to reheat your dish in the microwave up to at least 60°C, the minimum temperature for killing bacteria.

“If you do get sick,” Powell says, “it’s likely not going to happen for a few days. In the case of listeria, it can take up to 30 days. It can be very difficult to attribute food poisoning to a certain food.”

That’s why you shouldn’t assume that just because you haven’t gotten food poisoning in the past that your lunchtime practices are just fine.

“Most people mistake food bugs for the stomach flu. But they’re wrong.”

Magic glove syndrome

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Gonzalo already blogged about the last episode of the Real Housewives of New Jersey in which the ladies were preparing for Thanksgiving. I, however, am a bit behind on my television viewing and just got to the episode today on the DVR.

Caroline’s family went to visit their daughter Lauren’s boyfriend’s family at their Italian food store, Little Italy Deli. One of the men behind the counter handed Caroline a bowl of soup with a gloved hand, and then Marco (or Vito Jr’s brother) struck this pose (right, exactly as pictured). What’s the point of wearing sanitary gloves if you’re going to rub them on your unprotected hand? Apparently there is some cultural confusion about whom the gloves protect, the food handler or the client. In food safety language this is referred to as magic glove syndrome.

Next on the show, they got Lauren behind the meat slicer. She had her left hand gloved and her right hand unprotected. Presumably she was using her left hand only to touch the meat. When she was corrected about slicer use, however, she touched the meat with an ungloved finger. 

Magic glove syndrome

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Gonzalo already blogged about the last episode of the Real Housewives of New Jersey in which the ladies were preparing for Thanksgiving. I, however, am a bit behind on my television viewing and just got to the episode today on the DVR.

Caroline’s family went to visit their daughter Lauren’s boyfriend’s family at their Italian food store, Little Italy Deli. One of the men behind the counter handed Caroline a bowl of soup with a gloved hand, and then Marco (or Vito Jr’s brother) struck this pose (right, exactly as pictured). What’s the point of wearing sanitary gloves if you’re going to rub them on your unprotected hand? Apparently there is some cultural confusion about whom the gloves protect, the food handler or the client. In food safety language this is referred to as magic glove syndrome.

Next on the show, they got Lauren behind the meat slicer. She had her left hand gloved and her right hand unprotected. Presumably she was using her left hand only to touch the meat. When she was corrected about slicer use, however, she touched the meat with an ungloved finger. 

Hormel advertises food safety technology for deli

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Meatingplace reports the foodservice unit of Hormel Foods is launching an advertising campaign to publicize its use of high-pressure pasteurization on its deli meats.

The campaign contrasts the company’s pre-sliced HPP-treated deli meats to those sliced on premises, which can introduce listeria to the product via slicers that are not properly cleaned and sanitized.

The campaign is aimed at foodservice operators, and markets Hormel’s TrueTaste technology, stemming from the company’s use of HPP equipment installed in its plants.

The campaign is “designed to inform and educate foodservice operators of the potential food safety risks associated with deli meats,” the release says. “High-pressure pasteurization is the most effective way to eliminate dangerous foodborne pathogens such as listeria from sliced deli meats—without any compromise in flavor or texture. The technology also helps extend shelf life.”

The campaign includes print ads and a website that includes a video HPP demonstration and links to additional resources.

Now take it to the next level and advertise direclty to consumers; market food safety at retail so people can choose.
 

Canadian Walmart deli worker with hepatitis A; immunizations to employees and public

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A deli worker in a Duncan, B.C. Walmart (that’s in Canada) has tested positive for hepatitis A so the local health types are offering hepatitis A immunizations “to eligible members of the general public who have consumed certain deli products from the delicatessen in the Duncan Walmart.

The Vancouver Island Health Authority recommends members of the public who consumed ready-to-eat food, including sliced meat and cheese, from the delicatessen at the store between December 30, 2010 and January 4, 2011, or consumed meat or cheese sliced at the deli counter from January 5 to January 10, 2011 should receive hepatitis A vaccine as a precaution. Individuals who ate or purchased deli items after this time period are not at risk of contracting the disease.

This alert DOES NOT (sic) apply to produce or other foods purchased from the grocery department or to foods from the McDonalds restaurant located in the Walmart.

I don’t know why the press release writers think putting words in all caps will make readers pay double super-secret attention to the warning.
 

Salmonella in headcheese leads to plant closure – 3 weeks later

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Have Canadian officials resolved their federal-provincial-local turf issues involving food safety outbreaks with clear guidelines on when to issue public warnings and a clear commitment to place public health above corporate interests?

Doubtful.

The latest rolling recall involves products made by Toronto-based G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd.

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control got things rolling on July 14, 2010, when it confirmed 10 cases of Salmonella Chester in residents who consumed headcheese which had been purchased from various stores throughout the province from mid- to late June.

Headcheese is a deli product made from meat from the head of a pig, combined with gelatin and spices.

All anyone would say at the time was that B.C.’s Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd. was voluntarily recalling the product, which was produced by a third-party manufacturer.

On July 22, 2010, the mystery manufacturer was indentified as the feds and Brandt announced there were now 18 people sick and people shouldn’t eat headcheese from Brandt.

On July 28, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued an alert advising Canadians not to eat Freybe brand Ham Suelze – Frebe being the same distributor of the salmonella headcheese – but no mention was made of who produced the mystery ham, and CFIA added there were no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

I’m guessing the Toronto Star made some phone calls, and on Saturday published a story reporting that G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd. was closed for cleaning and that, “all Brandt cooked meat products bearing Establishment number 164 produced from May 30 up to and including July 30 are affected” and were potentially contaminated with either salmonella or listeria or both.

Later on July 31, CFIA published a huge list of recalled products all from the Brandt plant, and said the products may be contaminated with “foodborne pathogens” and insisted again that no one had gotten sick.

So later on July 31, 2010, the Public Health Agency of Canada issued its own release, stating,

“The Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising Canadians to avoid eating the cooked ready-to-eat meat products manufactured by G. Brandt Meat Products Ltd. listed in the CFIA recall notice.

The only illnesses associated to date with Brandt products have been caused by Salmonella Chester in Freybe brand headcheese.

Avoiding eating these products is especially important for Canadians at high risk of getting seriously ill from food-borne (sic, other agencies spell it foodborne) illness:
People 60 years and older.
Very young children.
People with weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing cancer treatment or who have HIV/AIDS or other chronic medical conditions.
Pregnant women, due to risk of harm to the fetus.

Besides terrible grammar, why hasn’t PHAC, or Health Canada, or CFIA said anything about the morons at Toronto’s Sick Kids’ Hospital who said that pregnant women could eat all the cold-cuts and ready-to-eat foods they want. This is wrong and dangerous.

A cluster of Samonella Chester was made publicly known by B.C. health types on July 14. It took until on or about July 30, 2010, for the feds to shut down the Toronto-based manufacturer. My guess is the plant had serious food safety issues. But that’s just a guess. The bureaucrats will never tell Canadians. And if they do, they’ll obfuscate, delay, patronize and pander.

Or just get it wrong.