News Headlines: 6 - 12 February 2010

http://www.foodsafetywatch.com

Report questions bagged salad safety; AFSSA publishes bisphenol A safety opinion; Evira releases contaminant report; Study finds mercury contamination in canned tuna; Helicobacter pylori survives on spinach in VBNC state; US Salmonella outbreak claims more victims; Danish gastroenteritis cases linked to lettuce

Report questions bagged salad safety

A recently published report in the March issue of the US consumer journal Consumer Reports found that the microbiological quality of some ready-to-eat bagged and packaged salad greens on sale in the USA showed "room for improvement."

The report was based on tests carried out by an independent laboratory on 208 containers of salad greens representing 16 different brands and purchased at outlets in three states, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. All samples were tested within their 'sell by date' for the presence of indicator organisms, including total coliforms and enteroccoci.

The results showed that 39% of the samples contained greater than 10,000 coliforms per gram, with 23% exceeding that level for enterococci. The results were very variable with some samples showing an absence of indicator bacteria and others recording levels in excess of 1 million CFU/g. Products containing spinach and those with less remaining shelf life tended to record the highest counts. The type of packaging did not appear to affect the results and there was no difference between organic and conventionally grown products.

Consumer Reports is published by the Consumers Union, which supports stricter food safety standards for fresh produce, including microbiological performance indicators.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/march/recalls-and-safety-alerts/bagged-salad/index.htm

AFSSA publishes bisphenol A safety opinion

The French food safety agency (AFSSA) has recently published a scientific opinion on the safety of low levels of the industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) leaching into certain foods from packaging. The opinion has been compiled in response to recent publications and studies suggesting possible health concerns.

The AFSSA scientific panels looked at the recent studies and data from other sources to provide an appraisal. A summary was also obtained from Réseau Environnement Santé. Based on this information, the Agency has concluded that the methodology used in the new studies "made it impossible to formally interpret their data."

Despite this, the Agency does recognise that there are some "warning signs" that may have implications for human health, such as behavioural effects seen in young rats. This has prompted further assessment in collaboration with EFSA and some recommendations for consumers and for further research. AFSSA highlights the need for more data on sources of exposure, and better toxicological methodology for very low doses of BPA and other endocrine disruptors.

The opinion has reportedly been criticised as "confused" and "unclear" by campaign group Antidote Europe, which wants the Agency to focus on data from human population studies rather than animal-based research.

http://www.afssa.fr/PM9100B6I0.htm

Evira releases contaminant report

The Finnish Food Safety Authority (Evira) has recently published a report entitled The chemical contamination of foodstuffs and household water providing comprehensive information on around 40 different contaminants that may occur in the food production chain.

The report was compiled by a panel of 20 experts from research institutes and includes data on the occurrence of contaminants in foodstuffs, dietary exposure estimates, adverse health effects and key food control requirements. Recent research findings and international risk assessments are also included. It is intended for use as a reference document by control authorities, researchers and interested consumers and is said to be of particular use in risk management.

The report is currently only available in Finnish via the link below, but will also be published in Swedish later.

http://www.evira.fi/portal/fi/evira/tilauspalvelu/julkaisut___publikationer___publications/eviran_julkaisuja_2009/13_2009/

Study finds mercury contamination in canned tuna

A recently published research study by scientists at the University of Nevada Las Vegas has reported mercury at levels above the US Environmental Protection Agency's safe level for human consumption (0.5 ppm) in more than half of canned tuna samples examined. The FDA action level (1.0 ppm) was exceeded in 5% of samples.

The researchers examined samples of canned tuna on sale in Las Vegas and analysed them for mercury concentration. They found the highest levels in canned white tuna products, while canned light tuna tended to be less contaminated. This may be related to the fact that white tuna contains meat from larger species, such as albacore, which are more likely to accumulate larger mercury concentrations.

The authors conclude that stricter regulation of canned tuna is necessary to protect vulnerable consumers, such as pregnant women and young children, and also recommend additional monitoring and the introduction of measures to reduce mercury levels.

The report is published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (Volume 29, Issue 2, Pages 237-42). An abstract can be found at the link below

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122638509/abstract

Helicobacter pylori survives on spinach in VBNC state

Researchers from the University of North Carolina in the USA have found evidence that the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori, which causes gastritis and stomach ulcers, may be able to survive in a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state when associated with spinach.

The researchers found that H. pylori soon became undetectable by conventional culture techniques when associated with spinach, but mRNA transcripts could still be detected six days later, suggesting the VBNC state. They also found evidence suggesting that sunlight could play an important role in this process. It is suggested that H. pylori cells could remain viable and infective even though they cannot be cultured and that this could explain why previous attempts to find environmental sources of the pathogen have been largely unsuccessful.

A report of the study is currently in press and will appear in the journal Food Control. An online abstract can be found on the journal web site via the link below.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09567135

US Salmonella outbreak claims more victims

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infection linked to pepper coated salami products has now affected at least 225 people in 44 states.

The ongoing investigation into the outbreak has also identified five related cases of Salmonella Senftenberg infection. The same serotype has been isolated from food samples during the investigation and at least one of the people affected consumed one of the implicated salami products shortly before falling ill.

The manufacturer of the salami, Daniele International Inc., has recalled over 1.25 million pounds of product and has halted production. It is suspected that the source of the contamination is pepper used as an ingredient, but the investigation is continuing and this has not yet been confirmed.

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/montevideo/index.html

Danish gastroenteritis cases linked to lettuce

The Danish health authorities have reported a series of outbreaks of gastroenteritis in the east of the country during mid-January. The outbreaks were caused by several different strains of norovirus and by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), but all were associated with imported lettuce.

So far, 11 outbreaks affecting 260 people have been linked as a cluster, with another eight under investigation. The investigation initially focused on norovirus as the cause, but it became clear that there was more than one disease agent involved and related ETEC cases were then identified. The cases were all associated with sandwiches supplied by caterers and the only common ingredient was found to be lollo bionda lettuce grown in southwest France. Norovirus was later detected in samples of the lettuce, which was recalled on 22 January. Similar outbreaks have since been reported in Norway.

The investigation into the outbreaks is ongoing and the Danish authorities are focusing on how the lettuce became contaminated. Since more than one disease agent seems to have been present, water containing human faecal matter is suspected as the likely source.

http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19484