Biological Risks

This guidance is intended for primary seafood processors who purchase reef fish such as grouper, amberjack, snapper, lionfish, king mackerel, and barracuda. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is recommending that primary seafood processors take measures to minimize the risk of ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) from fish that they distribute.

Guidance

The purpose of this assessment was to identify public health risks linked to mechanically separated meat (MSM) types from pork and poultry and compare them with fresh meat, minced meat and meat preparations (non-MSM); and to select, rank and suggest objective measurement methods and values for parameters to distinguish MSM types.

EFSA Risk Assessmment linked to mechanically separated meat

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the risk of entry of Aethina tumida (small hive beetle, SHB) and Tropilaelaps spp. in the European Union (EU) and the identification and evaluation of risk reduction options.

Based on the results of the pest risk assessment and the evaluation of risk reduction options, the AHAW Panel identified a need for validated rapid detection methods for SHB and Tropilaelaps and a need for handling and sampling of imported bees in an insect-proof environment at the designated place of final destination. Education and training of people involved in beekeeping, or trade in or transport of bees, by improving awareness, skills and expertise, could help to monitor the distribution of SHB and Tropilaelaps in third countries and to prevent entry of both pests into the risk assessment area. It is recommended that research be carried out to ascertain the risk of SHB entry via products such as ripe fruits and soil associated with plants as well as the harmful effects of Tropilaelaps infestation. At present, there are only limited data available on the harmful effects of Tropilaelaps infestation and the current view is at least partially based on extrapolations from Varroa infestations.

Input risk bee diseases-EFSA

ECDC’s new Annual Epidemiological Report provides a comprehensive review of more than 50 communicable diseases currently notifiable under EU legislation.

ECDC Annual Report 2012

An increase in cryptosporidiosis notifications has been observed in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany since August 2012 that is likely to be real, and not due to surveillance or notification artefacts.

The available information from investigations in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany indicates that there is not a single, common source, but rather a combination of several causes. These may include climatic drivers, such as the increased rainfall in the summer of 2012 in these countries or a widely distributed commonly consumed product. There is however no evidence for it at this stage and further investigations are ongoing.

The overall threat for the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) is considered to be low.

EU/EEA Member States should be alert to an increase in cases as observed in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany, particularly in relation to immunocompromised and other at-risk groups as they may present with a more severe manifestation of cryptosporidiosis.

Full report

A risk profile on toxoplasma in the food chain by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) has recommended that further studies are needed to establish the importance of foodborne routes of infection and identify the highest risks. The suggested studies include work to assess the prevalence of toxoplasma in UK livestock and in food.

Risk profile

Vibrio parahaemolyticus are common causes of diarrhoeal disease worldwide. These marine micro-organisms, native in estuarine waters globally, concentrate in the gut of filter-feeding molluscan shellfish, such as oysters, clams and mussels. Raw and undercooked seafood, including finfish, represent the principal vehicle of transmission to humans.

Full text

The EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) has issued an opinion answering EFSA´s internal request about: (i) identify the serotypes of Yersinia enterocolitica which are pathogenic to humans, (ii) give advice regarding the analytical methods to be used to detect and identify the human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica serotypes from food and animals, (iii) consider the need to monitor Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in animals and food and (iv) recommend the monitoring methods for Yersinia spp. in animal populations and foodstuffs that are most optimal from the public health point of view.

A qualitative risk assessment identified Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. bacteria as the most relevant biological hazards in the context of meat inspection of poultry.

Scientific Opinion

An outbreak of Salmonella Stanley infection involving 167 confirmed and 254 probable cases is on-going in several Member States of the European Union (EU). As cases do not have travel history outside the EU within the usual incubation period for salmonellosis, these findings strongly suggest a multi-state outbreak currently taking place in several countries in the EU.

The EFSA has delivered a Scientific Opinion on a Quantitative estimate of the public health impact of setting a new target for the reduction of Salmonella in laying hens.

The quantitative risk assessment model used to support this Scientific Opinion suggests a linear relationship between the flock prevalence as currently observed in different MSs and the number of eggs contaminated with S. enteritidis.

Based on the median estimates from the model, changing from the EU average flock prevalence reported in 2008 (3.1% for Salmonella Enteritidis) to a transitional EU target of 2% is expected to result in an approximately one third reduction in the number of Salmonella enteritidis contaminated eggs produced the EU. Changing the EU target from 2% to 1% of flocks remaining positive would result in a further reduction of a similar order of magnitude in the number of contaminated eggs produced in the EU.

EFSA Opinion

The EFSA has assessed the public health risks from Salmonella in pigs and the impact of possible control measures.

The assessment suggests that pigs and pig meat may be responsible for 10 to 20% of all human cases of salmonellosis in the EU - but with differences between countries - and that controlling Salmonella more effectively within the pig meat food chain would have a direct impact on reducing the number of human cases.

EFSA opinion

This report summarized the 2008 European Union-wide baseline survey was carried out at slaughterhouse level to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter in broiler batches and of Campylobacter and Salmonella on broiler carcasses.

At Community level the prevalence of Campylobacter-colonised broiler batches was 71.2% and that of Campylobacter-contaminated broiler carcasses was 75.8%. About two-thirds of the Campylobacter isolates from the broiler batches as well as those from the broiler carcasses were identified as Campylobacter jejuni, while one-third was Campylobacter coli.

EFSA report 2008

This report and others in this Microbiological Risk Assessment Series issued by the FAO/OMS, contain information that is useful to both risk assessors and risk managers, including international scientific committees, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, governments and food regulatory agencies, scientists, food producers and industries and other people or institutions with an interest in the area of microbiological hazards in foods, their impact on human health and food trade and their control.

FAO/OMS Report

This is the second report issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the Analysis of the baseline study on the prevalence of Salmonella in holdings of laying hen flocks of Gallus gallus. The three most frequently isolated Salmonella serovars in the European Union were S. Enteritidis, S. Infantis and S. Typhimurium. S. Enteritidis was by far the most common serovar and it was detected in 60% of the Salmonella positive holdings.

First Report

The Food Standards Agency has announced that from today, certain farmed fish destined to be eaten raw in dishes like sushi no longer need to be frozen before use to protect consumers against parasites.

FSA News

The Spanish National Association APROMAR (Business Association of Marine Aquaculture Producers), together with the Institute of Science and Technology of Foods and Nutrition, Center for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Association of Health Protection of Aquaculture of Valencia (ACUIVAL) have developed over the years 2010 and 2011, the study "Evaluation of the presence of Anisakis in fish marine aquaculture Spanish."

Copnclusion:

- The reason that the presence of Anisakis in fish under controlled conditions exploited in aquaculture systems is negligible, is because they are bred in captivity and fed foods that contain the parasite.

The Catalonian Food Safety Agency (ACSA) has carried out an updated scientific recopilation about the treatments and their effectiviness on the elimination of Anisakis in fishery products, including scientific opinions of EFSA and AESAN.

Overall, the congelation and heat treatments are the most effective measures to guarantee the inactivation of the Anisakis larvae in fish. Whereas, the traditional marinate method and cold smoking process are not effective to destroy the larvae.

Anisakis elimination treatments

Scientific Report on the reduction in the prevalence of anisakiosis in humans - AESAN - 2009 In May 2009, the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has assessed the incidence of the elimination of fish or parts of fish in relation to the reduction in the prevalence of anisakiosis in humans.

The proliferation of fishing in all fishing-grounds, with the subsequent elimination of viscera and other remnants of fish and cephalopods thrown overboard has increased the prevalence of Anisakis among those species remaining in the sea, so it seems appropriate for the competent authorities to promote the prior application of technological treatments (freezing, etc.) to the discarded fish waste before it is thrown into the sea to ensure the inactivation of any Anisakis larvae.

Scientific Report Anisakis

The EFSA has issued a Risk Assessment on parasites in fishery products, concluding that the only parasite in fishery products that is implicated in allergic reaction is the nematode Anisakis simplex and that the primary initiator of the different forms of allergy is via infection by live larvae.

All wild caught seawater and freshwater fish must be considered at risk of containing any viable parasites of human health concern if these products are to be eaten raw or almost raw.

EFSA recommends that co-ordinated studies to improve surveillance and diagnostic awareness of allergic reactions to parasites in fishery products should be implemented, and encourage epidemiological studies on a European scale to assessing the impact of A. simplex parasitized fish on human associated disease, including all allergic forms.

EFSA Risk Assessment

The CIBT (Círculo de Innovación en Biotecnología) has issued this report introducing the inactivation and detection methods of Anisakis and illness that these worms produce in humans. The report contains research groups, projects and patents related to Anisakis.

Control strategies to reduce the burden of Campylobacter spp. in broiler meat must be based on the strict implementation of Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system along the whole food chain.

A qualitative risk assessment identified Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. bacteria as the most relevant biological hazards in the context of meat inspection of poultry.

Scientific Opinion

EFSA’s BIOHAZ Panel has published a scientific opinion assessing the public health impact of control measures which could be used to reduce the occurrence of Campylobacter in chickens and chicken meat.

EFSA Risk Assessment on Campylobacter

EFSA has published an evaluation of factors that may contribute to the spread of Campylobacter in live chickens and chicken carcasses in the European Union.

More info

This report summarized the 2008 European Union-wide baseline survey was carried out at slaughterhouse level to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter in broiler batches and of Campylobacter and Salmonella on broiler carcasses.

At Community level the prevalence of Campylobacter-colonised broiler batches was 71.2% and that of Campylobacter-contaminated broiler carcasses was 75.8%. About two-thirds of the Campylobacter isolates from the broiler batches as well as those from the broiler carcasses were identified as Campylobacter jejuni, while one-third was Campylobacter coli.

EFSA report 2008

The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the geographic distribution of tick species which have proven involvement in the transmission of pathogens causing animal diseases and zoonoses in Eurasia. The report provides maps of the region that display the occurrences of ticks and tick-borne pathogens.

More info

Infection with Coxiella burnetii (the causal agent of Q fever) is endemic in domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) in most, if not all, EU MS. Although infection in domestic ruminants is common, disease is rare.

Regarding disease control, the opinion focused on control options applicable to domestic ruminants, and on the effectiveness of these options to reduce within-herd transmission, between-herd spread (each in domestic ruminant populations), and/or the spillover of infection from domestic ruminants to humans.

There is no conclusive evidence that the consumption of milk and milk products containing C. burnetii has resulted in clinical Q fever in humans.

EFSA Q Fever

The French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) has issued a report on the Risk Assessment on Q Fever. In this way, a Working Group was created to assess the risk of the illness for the public health, for the animal health and to establish measures to prevent the risk.

This Working Group has recommended a pilot study to be made in the field to allow an appraisal to be made of the diagnostic and prevention methods. Likewise, it would be necessary to apply hygiene measures, antibiotic treatments and vaccination on infected farms identified as excreters of Coxiella burnetti. Milk coming from these farms should be pasteurised at 72º C for 15 seconds.

The Interagency Risk Assessment - Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens provides a scientific assessment of the risk of foodborne illness associated with consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods commonly prepared and sold in the delicatessen (deli) of a retail food store.

The risk assessment evaluates the extent to which retail practices may increase or decrease the relative exposure to L. monocytogenes in RTE foods, and the subsequent public health risk of listeriosis from these RTE foods (e.g., deli meats, cheeses, or deli salads sliced, prepared, or packaged in grocery delis).

The key findings from this assessment of risk of listeriosis associated with RTE foods prepared and served in retail deli operations include:

• Control Growth. Employing practices that prevent bacterial growth dramatically reduced the predicted risk of listeriosis, as observed in other L. monocytogenes risk assessments.
• Control Cross Contamination. Cross contamination of L. monocytogenes in the retail environment dramatically increases the predicted risk of listeriosis.
• Control Contamination at its Source. Increasing the concentration and transfers of L. monocytogenes from incoming products, the environment, or niches directly increases the predicted risk of illness.
• Identify Key Routes of Contamination. The slicer (for deli meats and cheeses) and the salad utensils (for deli salads) are sources of L. monocytogenes cross contamination to RTE foods.
• Continue Sanitation. Sanitation practices that eliminate L. monocytogenes from the deli area food contact surfaces results in a reduction in the predicted risk of illness.

QRA -Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens

The FSANZ Listeria risk management strategy is intended to estimate the proportion of cases of listeriosis attributable to foods, and to identify, implement and evaluate effective control measures. In consequence, the New Zealand Agency has developed the Guidance for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods which provides information on the characteristics of Listeria, the sources, the consequences of food contamination and how it may enter the processing environment.

The Guide contains three parts:

1. Listeria Management
   This document provides the general principles relating to the control of Listeria monocytogenes in the production of RTE foods explaining why control measures for Listeria should be put in place and how they should be applied. It also describes how the control measures applied depend on the particular type of RTE foods, the production process and the processing environment.
2. Good Operating Practice
   This document provides information (guidance, and where appropriate legal requirements) related to the Good Operating Practice (GOP) with specific focus on minimising the contamination of foods with L. monocytogenes during production if implemented effectively.
3. Microbiological testing for verification of the control of Listeria monocytogenes
   This document provides guidance on the verification through testing of Listeria control measures including an appropriate response if Listeria is detected. The key source of listeriosis cases is the consumption of foods contaminated with L. monocytogenes, in particular those that are ready-to-eat, support the growth of Listeria, are stored under refrigeration temperatures and have a long shelf-life. This Part describes microbiological testing of the environment and of product for the purposes of verifying that the Listeria control measures in place are effective and provide some useful information for those food operators for whom Listeria requirements are described elsewhere, e.g. dairy and seafood industry requirements for pathogen control. This guidance will also assist food operators who are developing new operations and/or product lines or ranges.

Listeria risk management strategy
Listeria Management
Good Operating Practices
Microbiological testing for verification of the control of Listeria monocytogenes

A critical review of literature relating to Listeria monocytogenes contamination of raw and finished fish during the hot and cold smoking processes was undertaken from a variety of academic and other bibliographical sources.

Full Report

The probability distributions and mathematical models derived here can be used to evaluate L. monocytogenes cross-contamination dynamics in environments where foods are handled, and to assess the potential impact of different intervention strategies.

Read more

Access to the full article

The BIOHAZ Panel has issued an opinion on Listeria monocytogenes risk related to ready-to-eat foods and provide scientific advice on different levels of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and the related risk for human illness. Surveys of foods have not only collected data on the prevalence and contamination levels of L. monocytogenes in different food types, but also revealed associations with other parameters including: food packaging type, preparation practices (e.g. the use of slicing machines for meat products), storage temperatures, the stage of sampling with respect to shelf life, the lack of an effective HACCP system, and lack of education and training of food handlers.

Risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods In response to a request from the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH), World Health Organisation (OMS) and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) have published the risk assessment on Listeria monocytogenes developed by an international team of scientists. The work includes four assessments addressing the risk of listeriosis associated with pasteurized milk, ice cream, fermented meats and cold-smoked fish. Also, the report provides answers to the specific risk management questions posed by the CCFH and it outlines issues to be considered when implementing control measures.

full report

The antimicrobial resistance data among zoonotic and indicator bacteria in 2011, submitted by 26 European Union Member States, were jointly analysed by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Data covered resistance in zoonotic Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates from humans, food and animals, and in indicator Escherichia coli and enterococci isolates from animals and food.

EFSA antimicrobial resistance report 2013

Every year, 18 November is European Antibiotic Awareness Day. In recent years, the overuse or misuse of antibiotics has been linked to the emergence and spread of micro-organisms which are resistant to them, rendering treatment ineffective and posing a serious risk to public health.

EFSA Infography

Data covered resistance in zoonotic Salmonella and Campylobacter from humans, food and animals, and in indicator Escherichia coli and enterococci from animals and food. Some data on meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in animals and food were also included.

Antimicrobial resistance in Europe 2010

EFSA and The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control have combined their expertise to analyse Member State data and compile the first joint EU report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic bacteria affecting humans, animals and food.

Full article

Based on data collected by the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) and the former EARSS, the present study describes the trends in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and occurrence of invasive infections caused by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in the period from 2002 to 2009.

More information

Among Salmonella isolates, resistance to the commonly used antimicrobials of tetracycline, ampicillin and sulfonamide were frequently reported, and the proportion of resistant isolates in animals varied between 13%-47% in the reporting MS group. The resistance levels were higher in isolates from pigs and cattle compared to isolates from fowl. However, resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid was highest among Salmonella isolates from Gallus gallus where it reached 18%-19%, at reporting MS group level.

Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter isolates was more common than in Salmonella isolates from food and animals. Resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid varied between 34%-62% in the reporting MS group, and were highest among Campylobacter isolates from Gallus gallus and broiler meat.

EFSA report on Antimicrobial Resistance

Resistance to antimicrobials was commonly found among the Salmonella, Campylobacter and the indicator E.coli and enterococci isolates from animals and food in the EU.

The proportion of Salmonella and E. coli isolates resistant to ampicillin, sulfonamide and tetracycline varied between 5% and 68% among the isolates from poultry, pigs and cattle in the reporting Member State group. Some Member States reported a high occurrence of fluoroquinolone resistance in Salmonella isolates from poultry and in Campylobacter isolates from poultry, pigs and cattle as well as from meat.

At Member State group level these resistance levels varied from 5% to 38% and from 20% to 64% for the Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates, respectively, during the years 2004 to 2007.

EFSA Report

The report summarises data collected in 2007 from across the UK for a range of bacterial organisms of medical and veterinary importance in the UK. It brings together data on antimicrobial consumption, significant pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibilities across the fields of human health, animal health and food.

Report

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) developed a quantitative risk assessment for the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus(es) (HPAIV) in food.

The purpose of this risk assessment was to 1) estimate the exposure and potential human illness from consumption of HPAIV-contaminated poultry, shell eggs, and egg products from the index flock, and 2) examine the effectiveness of mitigation strategies to control HPAIV if detected in the United States.

USDA Report on HPAIV

EFSA conduct a review of the available information on the potential of transmission of the new (2009) nH1N1 human influenza pandemic virus to humans via food (pork and turkey meat and by-products).

Report main conclusions:

Swine are fully susceptible to the nH1N1 virus and may become infected after contact with infected humans, but no contact infections have been reported from swine to humans;

The infection in swine is purely respiratory with no viraemia or virus dissemination to muscles or edible organs;

1. Low virus quantity contamination of food, including pork or pork products could be introduced by respiratory secretions containing nH1N1 virus during slaughter or handling;
2. If ingested with food, the number of viable influenza virus particles will be reduced by acidic pH in the stomach and bile salts in the duodenum;
3. There is no evidence that the human gastro-intestinal tract tissues can serve as a portal of entry or as a target organ for mammalian type A influenza viruses, including nH1N1;
4. As oropharyngeal tissues are known ports of entry for mammalian influenza viruses, food that passes such tissues, if contaminated with nH1N1 virus, could hypothetically transmit an infection to humans; normal cooking procedures inactivate the virus in food;
5. Commercially available disinfectants used for sanitation of food processing equipment rapidly destroy influenza viruses;
6. Overall, food contaminated with nH1N1 influenza viruses does not appear to be a vehicle for infection in humans.

nH1N1 EFSA report

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) publishes in this web page the relevant information concerning H5N1 Avian Influenza.

information

These European Commission websites provides detailed information on avian influenza, the response at EU level, and animal health concerns. You will also find details on public health concerns, as well as a range of useful links and the latest news.

Animal Health
Human Health

The British Department of Environment, Rural Affairs and Food (DEFRA) publishes in its web information relating to farmed, pet or otherwise kept birds, such as, control and biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of introducing Avian Influenza into the birds farms, worker protection advice and risk assessment of the threat posed to the UK of the introduction of the H5N1 virus.

More information

The Dutch Institute for Pubic Health and the Environment (RIVM) has developed a risk profile of the virus that can be transmitted to humans through food, for what you have collected all available information on three types of food virus :

• Hepatitis A in seafood
• Norovirus in fruits and vegetables
• Hepatitis E in pigs

Risk profile

Fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables are treated during production to decrease the numbers of harmful microorganisms. This will extend the produce’s shelf life and will reduce the numbers of pathogenic microorganisms on the food. These treatments are especially effective for the inactivation of bacteria, thereby reducing the risk of consumers becoming ill. However, viruses are not efficiently inactivated when treatment is performed with the doses currently used in the food industry. Higher doses may be more effective but adversely affect the quality, color and texture of the product. This has emerged from a literature review conducted by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) on the effectiveness of disinfection processes for viruses in the food industry. The study was commissioned by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

One of the possible treatments is the washing of produce in water containing disinfectants, such as chlorine compounds, hydrogen peroxide or ozone. Other treatments that are applied on a small scale, such as treatment by UV or gamma rays or high-pressure processing, have the advantage that they not only affect the surface of produce but penetrate the produce to inactivate pathogens sheltered in e.g. crevices or seed pockets. However, they are most effective at doses that induce undesirable structural changes and deteriorate food quality.

A promising solution is a combination of treatments (‘hurdle technology’). This enables each treatment to be applied at low intensity, thus preserving the freshness and structure of produce but giving it a longer shelf life. The selection of hurdles needs to be made carefully to obtain effective virus inactivation while preserving the quality of the fresh produce.

Report

Data published in recent years show clearly that norovirus occur on deep-frozen berries and that they can cause outbreaks of illness. Laboratory detection of norovirus in the batch of deep-frozen strawberries that caused the outbreak in autumn 2012 has now also confirmed this insight for Germany.

Berries can come into contact with norovirus at different points of their production, for example through improper irrigation or fertilisation. In addition, persons infected with norovirus can spread the virus to the berries during the harvest or packaging. In the case of deep-frozen berries, norovirus also comes into contact with the berries through contaminated water which is added as part of the freezing process.

Noroviruses cause acute diarrhoea with vomiting in humans of all age groups, with the illness leading to a considerable loss of fluids. For babies and young children as well as old and ill persons, the illness can be severe and end in death in some cases.

According to the current state of knowledge, it is to be assumed that a high risk of infection is posed not only by raw but also by briefly or unevenly heated dishes made from deep-frozen berries, if they are contaminated with norovirus. However, heating to a core temperature of over 90 °C seems sufficient to completely inactivate any viruses that may be present.

BFR

In order to assess the potential impact of this epizootic on public health, both RKI and RIVM have completed the 2 epidemiological studies, summarized in this ECDC report.

EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ Panel) concludes in its risk assessment that the most effective public health measures to protect consumers from exposure to norovirus in oysters are to produce oysters in areas which are not contaminated or to prevent contamination of mollusc production areas.

More information

This review summarized the biology, epidemiology, diagnosis and public health importance of foodborne viruses. Data needs to support a risk assessment were also identified. In addition possible control options and their anticipated impact to prevent or reduce the number of foodborne viral human infections were identified, including the scientific reasons for and against the establishment of food safety criteria and process hygiene criteria for viruses for certain food categories.

EFSA review on Enteric Viruses

The NZFSA have commissioned this Risk Profile in order to re-evaluate the risk in the light of recently published information collected from multi-site shellfish quality surveys in New Zealand.

Risk Profile

The notifications of cases of disease caused by noroviruses and rotaviruses have steadily increased in recent years. At the first nationwide symposium in Germany "Foodborne Viruses" staged by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin around 100 experts from research institutes, test agencies and food control discussed the latest findings on foodborne viruses. They looked at transmission pathways, the development of new detection methods and ways of inactivating viruses in food.

More information

The present study was set up as an extensive literature review aimed at evaluating biological hazards associated with FoNAO (Food-borne diseases caused by food of non-animal origin) with high water content.

Data were extracted from 432 publications to identify the most critical FoNAO/pathogen combinations. The number and severity of outbreaks of disease provided the basis for a primary evaluation, and qualitative criteria relating to pathogen prevalence, food/pathogen interaction, and the production of FoNAO items were used for defining three priority groups:

Priority group 1: leafy green vegetables (in particular lettuce and spinach) in combination with pathogenic E. coli. Salmonella spp. on/in leafy greens and on/in tomatoes, respectively, were also given priority one for EU and non-EU countries, respectively. In the EU, berries (in particular frozen strawberries) linked to Norovirus were also attributed level 1 priority. In non-EU countries, the level 1 priority group included also melon (cantaloupe) with Salmonella and tropical fruit (mango and papaya) with Salmonella.

Priority group 2: for EU countries comprised the combinations lettuce/Norovirus and fresh herbs (basil)/Salmonella spp., while semidried tomatoes combined with Hepatitis A virus, grated carrots combined with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. For non-EU countries, priority group 2 included lettuce/Norovirus, spinach/pathogenic E.coli and cantaloupe melon/Listeria monocytogenes.

Priority group 3: For Eu countries, cucumber in combination with parasites. Hepatitis A virus both in unpasteurized orange juice and on/in green onion for non-EU-countries.

The study provides a broad scientific database that will be instrumental in the conceptualisation of specific measures for improving the safety of FoNAO. Ultimately, it may contribute to the prevention and a better control of food borne diseases.

Microbiological hazards linked to food of non-animal origin

Report

Food of non-animal origin (FoNAO) is consumed in a variety of forms, and a major component of almost all meals. These food types have the potential to be associated with large outbreaks as seen in 2011 associated with VTEC O104. A comparison of the incidence of human cases linked to consumption of FoNAO and of food of animal origin (FoAO) was carried out to provide an indication of the proportionality between these two groups of foods.

Part 1 Outbreak data analysis and risk ranking of food/pathogen combinations

EFSA has published a fact sheet explaining that zoonoses are infections or diseases that can be transmitted directly or indirectly between animals and humans, for instance by consuming contaminated foodstuffs or through contact with infected animals.

Food-borne zoonotic diseases are caused by consuming food or drinking water contaminated by pathogenic (disease-causing) micro-organisms such as bacteria and their toxins, viruses and parasites.

The most common micro-organisms in the European Union (EU) causing foodborne diseases are Campylobacter,Salmonella and viruses such as hepatitis A and norovirus. Many of these micro-organisms are commonly found in the intestines of healthy food-producing animals.

The risks of contamination are present from farm to fork and require prevention and control throughout the food chain. Safe handling of raw meat and other raw food ingredients, thorough cooking and good kitchen hygiene can prevent or reduce the risk posed by these micro-organisms.

EFSA’s work includes annual monitoring, analysis of risk factors, risk assessments and recommendations and advice on reduction measures. Also, it includes the work fighting Salmonella and in antimicrobial resistance.

EFSA fact sheet on food-borne zoonotic diseases

The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF), who provides advice to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on a range of issues relating to the microbiological safety of food, has presented its 2011 Annual Report.

ACMSF 2011 Annual Report

Article

The results from the analysis of food samples collected from Scottish businesses in 2011 have shown a slight increase in the levels of satisfactory samples in comparison with the previous year.

During 2011, almost 9,200 food samples were collected from Scottish businesses and analysed by the Public Analyst Laboratories in Scotland. More than 5,000 samples were examined microbiologically and a further 4,188 underwent chemical analysis, including tests for contaminants, additives and labelling inaccuracies.

As in previous years, the results of sampling in 2011 show that there were very few issues relating to foodborne pathogens (illness causing organisms). The majority of failures in microbiological testing (83%) were due to the elevated levels of hygiene indicators (bacteria that can be used as indicators of general hygiene practices in food premises) and total bacterial counts (total number of bacteria on a food sample). These are not inherently a hazard but can indicate poor hygiene practices during food preparation and handling. Chemical failures were largely because of labelling issues (88%), rather than due to the presence of harmful substances or inappropriate use of food additives.

It provides reassurance to consumers that the majority of samples collected in Scotland comply with food safety and standards legislation and that appropriate mechanisms are in place to identify and respond to unsatisfactory results.

Scottish food surveillance report 2011

This report identifies the relationships between meteorological and climate variables and six food- and waterborne pathogens.

ECDC Report on Climate Change and Foodborne diseases

The European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control analysed the information on the occurrence of zoonoses and food-borne outbreaks in 2010 submitted by 27 European Union Member States.

Article

This edition of the Annual Epidemiological Report, presents the surveillance data reported to ECDC for 2009.

ECDC Annual Epidemilogical Report 2009

Epidemiologic data on food transmitted illnesses in Spain during 2010.

CNE Report 2010

Epidemiologic data on Foodborne illnesses in Gipuzkoa (Basque Country) during 2010.

Epidemiology Report Gipuzkoa 2010

This report summarized the data on food-borne and zoonoses over 2009. Conclusions:

• The number of salmonellosis cases in humans decreased by 17.4 %, compared to 2008, and the statistically significant decreasing trend in the European Union continued for the fifth consecutive year.
• The notification rate of campylobacteriosis in the European Union increased slightly in 2009 compared to 2008, and campylobacteriosis continued to be the most commonly reported zoonosis in the European Union with 198,252 confirmed human cases.
• The number of listeriosis cases in humans increased by 19.1 % compared to 2008, with 1,645 confirmed cases recorded in 2009.

EFSA Report 2009

The fourth edition of the Annual Epidemiological Report on Communicable Diseases in Europe provides a comprehensive summary of surveillance data for 2008. The data presented show that EU citizens, in general, enjoy a high level of protection against infectious diseases. For some diseases further joint actions (e.g. through vaccination and similar control measures) could lead to the EU, and eventually Europe, being declared ‘free’ of the disease, as is the case for several vaccine preventable diseases.

Report

This report presents the analysis of data reported for 2008 by the 27 EU Member States and three EEA/EFTA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The main aim of this report is to provide some indication, based on the available data, of where the main burden of communicable diseases now lies in the European Union. In these areas, more concerted action is required in order to decrease the present and potential future burden on society, on public health and healthcare systems, and to reduce human suffering.

ECDC report 2010

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has completed studies on the microbial load of sprouts and ready-to-eat salads mixtures. In 2009, 59 samples of fresh, packaged sprouts and shoots from retail shops were analysed. The results showed that the number of bacteria in packaged sprouts increase considerably within a few days and are an above average microbial load when they reach the best before date. In 2008 BfR analysed ready-to-eat salads mixtures from retail shops with regard to Listeria bacteria. Out of 133 salad mixtures, 5% of samples contained the disease-causing bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, especially mixed salads that contained white cabbage.

The factors which can promote the growth of bacteria Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli or viruses such as norovirus or hepatitis A virus in sprouts and salads, are the cut of lettuce and cabbage leaves, the humidity inside plastic packaging, the lack of hygiene during processing such as contaminated washing water or a lack of refrigeration, among others.

However, BfR concludes that the incidence of human illness brought on by the consumption of vegetables contaminated with bacteria is relatively low compared with the number of foodborne infections that result from the consumption of foods of animal origin especially poultry and pork. BfR recommends that consumers wash sprouts and packaged salads thoroughly before consumption in order to reduce the microbial load.

Report on microbial in sprouts and ready-to-eat salad mixtures

Compilation on the microbiological standards for foodstuffs Public Health Division of Bizkaia, Basque Government has issued an update dated 2010, March on the national microbiological criteria and physico-chemical parameters that the foodstuffs should fulfill.

According to the principles established on the 2073/2005 Regulation, modified by the 1441/2007 Regulation, the Royal Decree 135/2010, dated 2010, February has abolished several legislation standards related to the national microbiological criteria applied the 80s and part of the 90s. Due to that fact, the Basque Government has forseen the need to compile the legislation and recommendations in force in the field of Food Safety and Hygiene.

Foodstuffs microbiological standards

EFSA New
Report

The CONTAM Panel decided to establish an acute reference dose (ARfD) using the lowest-observed-adverse-effect-level (LOAEL) for oral toxicity (gavage) in mice of 200 µg/kg b.w. as the reference point. In order for a 60 kg adult to avoid exceeding the ARfD of 0.2 µg/kg b.w., a 400 g portion of shellfish meat should not contain more than 12 µg of the sum of PlTX and ostreocin-D, corresponding to 30 µg/kg shellfish meat.

Opinion

The BIOHAZ Panel concluded that the risk of TSE transmission associated with semen and embryos collected from Classical Scrapie incubating sheep and goats ranges from negligible to low. However, data are insufficient to conclude that such a risk is negligible. Because of the similarities between Classical scrapie and BSE pathogenesis in small ruminants, these conclusions are also to be considered valid for BSE.

Furthermore, it was highlighted that there is an inherent but unquantifiable risk of iatrogenic TSE transmission that is associated with artificial insemination and embryo transfer procedures (use of animal-derived hormones and surgical devices)

EFSA opinion

During 2007-2010, 13 545 confirmed human VTEC infections and 777 haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) cases were reported in the EU; isolates from 85 % of cases were not fully serotyped and therefore could not be classified using the Karmali seropathotype concept.

Seropathotype group D covered 5 % of isolates from fully serotyped cases; 14 cases (0.7 %) belonged to seropathotype group E, defined by Karmali et al. (2003) as non-human only. Isolates from around 27 % of cases could not be assigned. There were no HUS cases reported for the serotypes in groups D and E but 17 HUS cases could not be assigned. The health outcome was reported for only a fraction of confirmed cases. About 64 % of patients presented with only diarrhoea; VTEC infection resulted in HUS in around 10 % of cases. The new ISO/TS 13136:2012 standard improves the detection of VTEC in food. An alternative concept based on the detection of verocytotoxins alone or genes encoding such verocytotoxins does not provide a sound scientific basis on which to assess risk to the consumer.

EFSA VTEC

The Food Standards Agency has produced this Q&A to reflect comments and requests for clarification we have received since issuing guidance on controlling the risk of cross-contamination with E. coli O157 in February 2011. General hygiene guidance already exists and is outside the scope of this Q&A.

Q&A

This risk profile provides current scientific information relevant to this issue, i.e. whether certain enterohemorrhagic Shiga toxin producing serotypes of E. coli, including non-O157 serotypes, can be considered as adulterants, analogous to E. coli O157, within the meaning of the FMIA.

Report

The BIOHAZ Panel has issued a scientific Opinion on the public health risk of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and other pathogenic bacteria that may contaminate seeds and sprouted seeds.

EFSA opinion on STEC in sprouted seeds

Draft Risk Profile for Pathogenic non-O157 Shiga Toxin producing Escherichia coli (non-O157 STEC)

More information

Spanish government´s statement on E. coli outbreak.

More info
EFSA/ECDC joint advice

Según el presente informe la cepa causante del brote alemán, presenta similitudes con las VTEC (E. coli Verotoxigénica, también conocida como STEC) así como con las EAEC (E.coli Enteroagregativa). Las VTEC suelen tener como reservorio a animales, mientras que las EAEC, tienen a los humanos como principal reservorio. Este tipo de E. coli, es conocida hace tiempo, por lo que esta cepa no puede calificarse de “nueva”, sin embargo, es cierto que hasta la fecha no se han descrito casos tan virulentos como el ocurrido en Alemania.

Por otro lado, se observa una cada vez mayor relación entre la VTEC y los brotes relacionados con el consumo de vegetales, especialmente con hortalizas de hoja verde y brotes germinados para ensaladas. También habrá que recordar, que los brotes de enfermedades, pueden tener una o varias vías de exposición. La contaminación de vegetales por la VTEC, suele ser rara, pudiendo tener como origen el agua de regadío contaminada o el acceso fortuito de animales a zonas destinadas a la producción agrícola.

La contaminación de los vegetales puede ocurrir durante su producción, recolección, manipulado, distribución, venta y preparación, ya sea en el ámbito domestico o catering.

Las medidas para la reducción del peligro de esta bacteria, pasa por la asunción de Buenas Prácticas Agrícolas (BPAs), Buenas Prácticas de Fabricación (BPF)y el APPCC.

Informe VTEC -caso Alemán-