Outbreak of Salmonella Serotype Kottbus Infections Associated with Eating Alfalfa Sprouts in CA in 2001 Outbreak of Salmonella serotype Kottbus Infections Associated with Eating Alfalfa Sprouts --- Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico, February--April 2001 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report Report On March 12, 2001, the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) identified a cluster of Salmonella Kottbus isolates with indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. During February 1--May 1, CDHS identified 23 patients with S. Kottbus infections in several California counties and an additional patient from Arizona. This report summarizes the results of the investigation of this outbreak, which identified cases in four states and implicated alfalfa sprouts produced at a single facility. The median age of case-patients was 36 years (range: 9--72 years); 16 patients (67%) were female. Twenty-one patients developed an acute diarrheal illness, and three patients had urinary tract infections. Three patients were hospitalized. Using a standardized questionnaire, a matched case-control study was conducted. A case was defined as culture-confirmed S. Kottbus infection with onset after January 2001 in a

Detection of Verotoxigenic Escherichia Coli O157 and O26 in Food by Plating Methods and LAMP Method Detection of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157 and O26 in food by plating methods and LAMP method: A collaborative study 29.feb.08 International Journal of Food Microbiology National Institute of Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, Saitama Institute of Public Health Yukiko Hara-Kudo, Noriko Konishi, Kayoko Ohtsuka, Reiji Hiramatsu, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Hirotaka Konuma and Kosuke Takatori In order to establish a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157 and O26, a collaborative study was conducted focusing on a comparison of the efficiency of loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the Verocytotoxin (also called Shiga toxin) gene, utilizing a direct plating method and a plating method with immunomagnetic separation (IMS-plating method) using various agar media. In combination with enrichment with the modified EC supplemented with novobiocin, E. coli O157 was detected in most samples of ground beef and alfalfa sprouts by LAMP assay, the direct plating method and the IMS-plating method.

Monte Carlo Simulation of Pathogen Behavior During the Sprout Production Process Monte Carlo Simulation of Pathogen Behavior during the Sprout Production Process. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Feb;71(2):746-53. Montville R, Schaffner D. Food Risk Analysis Initiative, Rutgers University, 65 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520. schaffner@aesop.rutgers.edu. Food-borne disease outbreaks linked to the consumption of raw sprouts have become a concern over the past decade. A Monte Carlo simulation model of the sprout production process was created to determine the most-effective points for pathogen control. Published literature was reviewed, and relevant data were compiled. Appropriate statistical distributions were determined and used to create the Monte Carlo model with Analytica software. Factors modeled included initial pathogen concentration and prevalence, seed disinfection effectiveness, and sampling of seeds prior to sprouting, sampling of irrigation water, or sampling of the finished product. Pathogen concentration and uniformity of seed contamination had a large effect on the fraction of contaminated batches predicted by the simulation. The model predicted that sprout sampling and irrigation water sampling at the end

Effect of Storage Effect of storage, processing and cooking on glucosinolate content of Brassica vegetables. Food Chem Toxicol. 2007 Feb;45(2):216-24. Epub 2006 Aug 30. Song L, Thornalley PJ. Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutic Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom. Epidemiological studies have shown that consumption of Brassica vegetables decrease the risk of cancer. These associations are linked to dietary intake of glucosinolates and their metabolism to cancer preventive isothiocyanates. Bioavailability of glucosinolates and related isothiocyanates are influenced by storage and culinary processing of Brassica vegetables. In this work, the content of the 7 major glucosinolates in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and green cabbage and their stability under different storage and cooking conditions is examined. Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates were quantified by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS/MS). Isothiocyanates were detected with high sensitivity as the corresponding thiourea derivatives. Storage at ambient temperature and in a domestic refrigerator showed no significant difference and a minor loss (9-26%) of glucosinolate levels over

Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition October 27 Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition October 27, 1999 GUIDANCE FOR INDUSTRY Sampling And Microbial Testing Of Spent Irrigation Water During Sprout Production(1) Introduction Raw sprouts have been associated with at least eleven foodborne illness outbreaks since 1995. FDA and other public health officials are working with industry to identify and implement production practices that will assure that seed and sprouted seed are produced under safe conditions. While these efforts have improved food safety awareness within the industry and have led to a significantly better understanding of the microbial ecology of sprout-associated foodborne illness, not all industry segments have been reached and outbreaks continue to occur. Consequently, FDA released a guidance document, entitled "Guidance for Industry: Reducing Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Sprouted Seed" (the "sprout guidance"). The sprout guidance identifies a number of areas, from the farm to the sprout facility, where FDA believes immediate steps should be taken to reduce

Clinical Experiences in Sakai City Hospital During the Massive Outbreak of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli O157 Infections in Sakai Clinical experiences in Sakai City Hospital during the massive outbreak of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 infections in Sakai City, 1996. Pediatr Int 1999 Apr;41(2):213-7 Fukushima H, Hashizume T, Morita Y, Tanaka J, Azuma K, Mizumoto Y, Kaneno M, Matsuura M, Konma K, Kitani T. Department of Pediatrics, Sakai City Hospital, Osaka, Japan. In the middle of July, 1996, a massive outbreak of hemorrhagic colitis (HC) occurred among elementary schoolchildren in Sakai city. This is the most widespread outbreak of O157 infection ever experienced to our knowledge. Lunch foods supplied in the elementary schools in Sakai were contaminated by Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157. One hundred and twenty-one cases developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) from 12,680 symptomatic patients, including putative secondary infections, and three girls died during this outbreak. Sakai City Hospital is one of the core medical facilities in this community; hence, 425 children with HC were treated at the hospital. Antibiotics

Virginia Tracks Sprouts As the Cause of an Ecoli Outbreak Virginia Tracks Cause of E.coli Outbreak Virginia Department of Health August 4, 1997   (Richmond, Va.)--The Virginia Department of Health has identified a specific lot of alfalfa sprout seeds as the cause of an E. Coli 0157:H7 outbreak. Any alfalfa sprouts with the label "Krisp-Pak Company, Inc." should be disposed of or returned to the store where they were purchased. Krisp-Pak of Norfolk appears to be the only company in Virginia which received the implicated seeds.   The contaminated alfalfa sprouts are likely responsible for 24 of 45 E. coli 0157:H7cases reported in Virginia. Virginia saw an increase in the number of E. coli cases and after a thorough investigation the source of infection was determined. The E. coli0157:H7 infections not linked to alfalfa sprouts are still being investigated, but the exact source may never be identified.   As soon as Krisp-Pak learned it might be selling sprouts associated with the outbreak, it notified its distributors and removed the alfalfa sprouts from the market. The Norfolk-based company

Hope Sprouts Eternal American Vegetable Gardner September Hope Sprouts Eternal American Vegetable Gardner September, 2001 Editorial by Rick Melnick Some eyebrows went up internally about a year-and-a -half ago when I used thisspace to come to the defense of America's sprout growers.  Not all sproutgrowers, mind you, just the ones that have been locking horns with BrassicaProtection Products (BPP) in a patent war over broccoli sprout production. Why the raised brows?  Since the concept of intellectual property rights isof major interest to a number of our biggest clients, the preservation of thoserights it critical to our company.  And since intellectual property alsohappens to be the cornerstone of BPP's attempt to corner the broccoli sproutmarket, some questioned whether it was wise for me to challenge BPP publicly. Illusory Conflict But in my opinion, comparing the "patentability" of broccoli sproutsto the technological development of a new fungicide, for example, is likecomparing 'taters and turnips. BPP contends its discovery that broccoli sprouts contain elevated levels of thecancer-fighting compound sulforaphane warrants a patent of

Court Upholds Redress for Farmer State Fined Over Wrongful Report About Food Poisoning the Japan Times Court upholds redress for farmer State fined over wrongful report about food poisoning The Japan Times: Feb. 20, 2004 OSAKA (Kyodo) The Osaka High Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling ordering the government to pay 6 million yen to a farmer for damaging his livelihood in 1996 by erroneously identifying his daikon sprouts as the probable cause of a fatal outbreak of food poisoning caused by the 0-157 strain of E. coli bacteria. Hajimu Minamino (center), who had been seeking government compensation over the E. coli bacteria outbreak in 1996, faces reporters in Osaka. Hajimu Minamino, 66, of Habikino, Osaka Prefecture, had been seeking 52.5 million yen in compensation from the government. The government had appealed the March 15, 2002, ruling by the Osaka District Court, arguing that the circumstances justified the announcements. Presiding Judge Akitaka Nakata said the announcements by the health minister and other officials at the time were "illegal, as