2011: 9 E. coli outbreaks in Irish daycare settings; Authority urges vigilance

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Douglas Powell

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has urged childcare workers and crèche owners to ensure they have robust hygiene practices in place to reduce the incidence of E coli.

The authority has said it is concerned at the high levels of E coli infection here, with 285 cases of human infection provisionally recorded last year.

There were nine outbreaks in children attending crèches, or who were cared for in the home by childminders.

This involved some 75 children and adults becoming ill, with seven being hospitalised last year.

The FSAI says young children and infants are particularly at risk from E coli infection, and children and workers in childcare settings can unwittingly spread infection.

Washing hands is the single most important way to stop the spread of these E coli. Young children should be helped to wash and dry their hands. Babies need to have their hands washed as often as older children.

As well as handwashing, infection can be prevented by using a safe water supply and preparing food hygenically.

Staff are asked to stay away from childcare facilities for 48 hours if they have had diarrhoea or vomiting, and they should contact the Department of Public Health for advice to prevent more cases.

The FSAI has just published a leaflet – How to Protect the Children in Your Care – which is freely available on www.fsai.ie.

Straight talk from Ireland ‘no excuse for ignorance of legal food safety hygiene requirements’

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Douglas Powell

How refreshing. A government type who doesn’t waffle because they’re worried about what industry might say, or what farmers might say, or all the uncertainties involved in managing risk.

Prof Alan Reilly, chief executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, said vigilance is always required in relation to food safety and standards must not be permitted to slip to such levels that consumer health is put at risk.

“Food business operators must recognize that the legal onus is on them to be responsible and ensure that the food they serve is safe to eat. The FSAI has stressed again and again that a basic food safety management system is not difficult to implement, so it is disappointing that there continues to be food businesses who choose not to comply with this legal requirement. With the long weekend upon us, food businesses are going to be under more pressure than usual. … There’s no excuse for ignorance of the legal food safety and hygiene requirements.”

The comments came as the exclusive Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club in Dublin was shut for four days last month by environmental officers.

Six other food businesses were also rapped for breaches in food safety legislation last month, including:
• Ocean Palace Chinese Restaurant, Main Street, Swinford, Mayo – closed since March 23.
• Oriental Express takeaway, 140 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 – closed from March 21-26.
• The kitchen area of the Lemon Cafe Bar, 42 St Stephens Street, Dublin 2 – closed on March 14-15.
• Netpol grocery (sale and portioning of cooked meats, cheeses and all ready-to-eat foodstuffs), Unit 9, Tyrrelstown Avenue, Dublin 15 – closed on March 6-7.
• Thai Orchid restaurant, 7 Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 – closed from March 6-13.
• The Superbites takeaway, New Street, Newmarket, Cork – closed from March 1-16.

See Something Say Something; rodents insects tooth false nail metal foodborne illness; food safety in Ireland 2011

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Douglas Powell

A small dead rodent in a bag of bananas; a bolt complete with nut and washer in meatballs; food contaminated with live and dead insects; a tooth; a false nail; pieces of metal; plastic rubber tubing; and a plaster.

Those were some of the 2,415 consumer complaints lodged with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in 2011, compared to 2,126 in 2010.

Other complaints ranged from suspected food poisoning, to poor hygiene standards, to food workers handling money and not washing their hands before handling food. All complaints received by the FSAI were individually followed up and investigated by environmental health officers throughout the country.

FSAI Information Manager Edel Conway said the increase in complaints is a positive indication of people’s heightened awareness of their right to expect high standards of hygiene and food safety.

Last year saw the FSAI launch its first digital communications campaign entitled ”See Something, Say Something!” which aimed to raise awareness among consumers of its advice line service.

Those were among the 82 Enforcement Orders served for breaches in food safety legislation in Ireland in 2011, up from 73 in 2010, a 12 per cent increase.

There were also two instances in 2011 whereby the breach of Closure Orders led to High Court action being taken by the FSAI. The High Court’s decisions to uphold the Closure Orders were welcomed and should serve as a warning that non-compliance with enforcement orders will not be tolerated.

The onus is on each individual food business to ensure that all staff handling and preparing food are uptodated on best safety and hygiene practices. If any food business operator is unsure of what is required of them by law, they can contact our advice-line on 1890 336677, visit our website, www.fsai.ie or our facebook page www.facebook/fsai.

Record 64 food outlets forced to shut in Ireland in 2011

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Douglas Powell

Rodent droppings, maggots on meat and putrid fish were just some of the nasties found by health inspectors in food businesses last year.

Documents obtained by the Irish Independent reveal how 2011 was the worst year on record for food safety infringements, with a record number of premises forced to close because they posed a grave risk to public health. Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) figures show that 64 restaurants, pubs, shops and other food businesses were served with closure orders last year — the highest tally since it was established in 1999.

But the statistics only tell part of the story, as documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the gory details behind the closures.
Maggots and mouldy meat at one foodstore led to the closure of its butchery department in April.

An environmental health inspector issued a closure order that remains in force to the butchery section of Cahill’s foodstore in Crookstown, Co Cork, after discovering problems including dirty bloodstained walls and flies.

"Maggots were found on the meat debris collected in the tray under the cutting plate. The meat debris, which had not been removed for some time, was hard, dried out and clumped together and mouldy," the order stated.

Out-of-date food was a recurring problem at many outlets, with putrid meat and fish leading to a closure order being served on Charlie Stewarts/Seasons 52 in Parnell St, Ennis, Co Clare, in March.

"Large volumes of malodourous meat and fish were found in refrigerated storage, which had become putrid and were clearly in advanced stages of decomposition," the order said.

E coli outbreak probed in Ireland; no worries, people ‘get better by themselves’

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Douglas Powell

In what appears to be an outbreak of E. coli O157, a child and several others are understood to have suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhea in and around Inch, Ireland.

But in a move that only fuels rumor mongering, the Health and Safety Executive has confirmed there has been an outbreak of E. coli, but won’t say how many people are affected because of patient confidentiality. The source of the illness has not been traced.

It says the Department of Public Health is investigating the outbreak, but all tests taken so far have ruled out the public water supply as the cause.

A spokeswoman for HSE West who apparently has never heard of the traumatic outcomes from E. coli O157 infection said, “In the majority of cases, this is a self-limiting illness, the patients get better by themselves.”

Xmas events shelved after Dublin hotel vomiting outbreak

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Douglas Powell

The Regency Hotel in Dublin has had to cancel a number of Christmas events and suspend its food and beverage service after a suspected outbreak of norovirus linked to its catering services.

Manager John Glynn told the Irish Times he had received “between 50 and 100” calls from people who had dined there last week complaining of being ill afterwards.

“Last Thursday a number of people were in touch saying they had been at a function on the Wednesday night and were not well.

“On the Friday evening the HSE was in touch saying they had had calls, and they visited the hotel and took samples from all the menus, including ice and water, which was stored in fridges over the weekend, to be examined in their labs.”

He said all food and beverage operations in the hotel had been suspended since yesterday morning while all food and drink service areas were decontaminated, a process he said would take 48 hours.

“We have had to cancel two events, affecting about 500 people, which is a pity but the people are very grateful and understanding of the stance I have taken.”

Be the bug: germs spread easily in kitchens but easy to prevent?

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Douglas Powell

A new study released by Safefood Ireland has found the vast majority of Irish people do not thoroughly wash their hands after handling raw chicken and fail to properly wash down their kitchen surfaces after food preparation.

The findings were released to coincide with a new campaign by Safefood, which aims to show how easily food poisoning germs can spread in the kitchen.

The study involved 120 people preparing two meals – a beef burger and a warm chicken salad. They had to follow specific instructions, with 60 of the people working in a test kitchen, while the other 60 worked in their own kitchens.

Throughout both kitchens, webcams were used to observe the task and swabs were taken from the food, kitchen surfaces and the participants’ hands to assess the presence of potentially dangerous bacteria.

When it came to the participants’ hands, at least eight in 10 had not washed theirs properly after handling raw chicken, while the hands of one in three were contaminated with raw meat bacteria after the exercise.

Almost all of the kitchen surfaces had not been washed properly after food preparation and almost half of the kitchens were contaminated with raw meat bacteria.

Half of the chopping boards used were also not properly washed and were contaminated with raw meat bacteria and the use of utensils was no better.

In fact, almost three in four people failed to properly wash the knife they had been using on raw chicken before reusing it on salad vegetables. Furthermore, at least one in three side salads that were server with a beef burger were contaminated with raw meat bacteria.

Meanwhile, results from a second study also showed that raw meat bacteria can live for at least 24 hours on kitchen surfaces.

According to Safefood chief executive, Martin Higgins, ‘by highlighting the trail of these germs around the kitchen and revealing their journey, the campaign emphasises the dangers to consumers of not following simple food hygiene practices and the risks this can pose to themselves and others’.

Another interpretation would be, bugs that make people sick are not simple to control; they’re everywhere and easily move about, which is why loads have to be reduced before foods enter a grocery store, or restaurant or home kitchen. Food safety is not simple.

Irish nursery to close after E coli O26 outbreak

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Douglas Powell

A creche in Limerick has been asked to close by the public health department of the Health Service Executive as a result of an outbreak of E coli O26.

Fewer than ten children have been infected; a number of linked cases have been identified.

The closure is to enable all staff and children attending the creche to be screened.

The HSE said it was satisfied that the creche was fully compliant with pre-school standards.

However, children from this creche will not be able to attend other child care facilities until they have been cleared of infection.

Cryptosporidium rampant in Ireland’s water

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Douglas Powell

Whether it’s a swimming pool in Wales, a rec center in Kansas, or anywhere in Ireland, the advice seems to be the same: don’t swallow to avoid cryptosporidium.

The Irish Independent reports that Dr Frances Lucy, an ecologist and lecturer at the Department of Environmental Science at IT Sligo, has warned that anyone who feels ill following watersports on our lakes and rivers should contact a doctor.

Concerns were raised after tests were carried out at Lough Gill, Co Sligo, and from the River Liffey, Dublin, as part of a joint research project being undertaken by IT Sligo and UCD. Dr Lucy’s warning relates to the dangers for people who accidentally swallow water while swimming or taking part in watersports.

Cryptosporidium is especially dangerous for anyone whose immune system is suppressed — with AIDS patients, the elderly and babies regarded as particularly vulnerable.

The study, which is being funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, hopes to establish why there is a spring peak in the number of human cryptosporidiosis cases in Ireland.

With the final report due to be published in the middle of 2012, Dr Lucy revealed the preliminary findings suggest contamination in both locations is due to both animal and human waste.

New guidelines in Ireland for ready-to-eat sprouted seeds

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Douglas Powell

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has published guidelines for the safe production of sprouted seeds to be consumed raw, following the recent outbreaks of E. coli O104:H4 in Germany and France linked to the consumption of these seeds.

These guidelines introduce pathogen control measures for seed suppliers and sprouted seed producers. These include testing and certification requirements for seeds and a disinfection step and testing for sprouted seeds. The measures are being introduced to reduce risks to consumers’ health.

Most sprouted seed outbreaks have been attributed to contamination of the seeds used for sprouting. The moist, warm conditions of sprouting can allow small numbers of pathogens present on seeds to multiply by several orders of magnitude during the sprouting period.

To avoid confusion among consumers, the FSAI is advising producers of sprouted seeds who are using these guidelines; to label their products as ‘ready-to-eat’. Sprouted seed producers who cannot implement the control measures specified in the new guidelines should continue to ensure that their products are labelled as ‘cook before consumption’. Retailers and caterers should check that their suppliers of ready-to-eat sprouted seeds are following these FSAI guidelines.

The FSAI is advising members of the public who choose to sprout seeds at home, that they should continue to cook these products before consumption. This is because seeds certified free of pathogenic bacteria are unlikely to be widely available for some time. These guidelines can be accessed on our website on the following link http://bit.ly/o9VWuW.

Unfortunately, no one knows if any particular sprouter is following the guidelines.

A table of sprout-related outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/sprouts-associated-outbreaks.

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