Salmonella Blog - Surveillance & analysis on salmonella news & outbreaks

Albertson's Inc. has announced that one of its suppliers had issued a precautionary warning over one-pound bags of peeled baby carrots after a bag in Canada tested positive for salmonella.

Although none of the potentially affected bags remain in its stores, the grocery chain said it was urging customers to discard the product or return any such bags to the store for a refund "out of an abundance of caution."

The warning issued by Grimmway Farms affects bags with a "Best If Used By" date of June 17.

Albertson's said there have been no positive tests of any illness or consumer complaints associated with the products.

A study disclosed on Thursday in Berlin showed that salmonella bacteria were present in 30 percent of Germany's large-scale egg-production farms, whereas the infection rate in Scandinavian nations was below one percent.

Some of the 2 000 known salmonella varieties can trigger life-threatening gastro-intestinal illness in children and old people.

The bacteria, which are found in raw eggs and raw poultry meat, can be killed by cooking.

The figures, derived from a 25-nation pilot study, were released by the Federal German Institute for Risk Analysis in Berlin. It said the rate of infection in some eastern European nations was 65 percent or higher.

The institute said final figures would be available in the autumn.

29.jun.06
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Volume 55 Number 25
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5525a3.htm

During 2004--2005, contact with Salmonella-contaminated pet treats of beef and seafood origin resulted in nine culture-confirmed human Salmonella Thompson infections in western Canada and the state of Washington. This is the third published report (1,2) of an outbreak of human illness associated with pet treats in North America and the first to describe such an outbreak in the United States. This report highlights the investigation of the outbreak by U.S. and Canadian public health officials and provides recommendations for reducing the risk that Salmonella-contaminated pet treats pose to humans. Public health practitioners should consider pet treats a potential source for Salmonella transmission.

Case Reports
Case 1. In February 2005, a man aged 26 years in Alberta, Canada, sought medical care because of diarrheal illness. Stool culture yielded S. Thompson. The patient reportedly had fed his dog beef pet treats a few days before the onset of his illness. The dog was asymptomatic. A package of the same brand of pet treats fed to the dog was purchased and submitted for testing. The treats yielded S. Thompson, S. Cerro, and S. Meleagridis. The S. Thompson isolates from the patient and the treats were indistinguishable (i.e., defined as the outbreak strain) by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using Xba1. The treats were packaged and distributed by a British Columbia (BC) manufacturing plant, but plant records were inadequate to determine where the treats had been produced.

Pets always welcome treats, but their owners may be putting themselves at risk of developing salmonella infection by handling beef or seafood snacks contaminated with the bacteria - so warned the authors of a report issued by the CDC.

The CDC study outlined nine cases of pet owners becoming sick with a specific type of infection, called Salmonella Thompson, in 2004 and 2005, after handling pet treats from two different manufacturers, one in the state of Washington and the other in British Columbia, Canada.

"This is the third outbreak in North America, the first in the United States, but we know these animal-derived pet treats are frequently contaminated with salmonella," said report co-author Fred Angulo, an epidemiologist at the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, part of the National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases.

"There probably have been more cases," Angulo said. "There's certainly salmonella being brought into people's homes on pet treats. People are probably getting sick but not attributing it to contact with pet treats," he added.

All the patients included in the CDC report developed diarrhea, and one also experienced vomiting. That patient, an 81-year-old woman, required hospitalization, according to the report.

In each case, the illness was traced back to pet treats contaminated with Salmonella.

To prevent getting an infection from contaminated pet treats, the CDC recommends that people wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling animal-derived pet treats. They also advise that children under the age of five, older adults and people with immune system problems stay away from animal-derived pet treats because of the possibility of severe infection or serious complications from salmonellosis.

The agency is also calling on pet store owners, health-care providers, veterinarians, and pet treat manufacturers to provide information to pet owners about the potential health risks of animal-derived pet treats and salmonellosis prevention.

In addition, they are urging pet treat manufacturers to use heat-treatment or irradiation that would destroy Salmonella and other bacteria during processing.

Attorneys for Sheetz convenience stores and scores of customers sickened during a salmonella outbreak two years ago have settled more than 80 lawsuits in recent weeks and agreed to delay a filing deadline in hopes that dozens of other claims might settle.

Saturday marks the two-year anniversary of the outbreak, which was traced to salmonella-tainted Roma tomatoes. Ordinarily, that would also represent the statute of limitations for some suits, but attorneys for Sheetz, its customers and various insurance companies involved have agreed to push that back to July 21.

"Basically, Sheetz and we want to resolve the claims without having to file lawsuits," said Bill Marler, the Seattle attorney who represents 139 of those who were sickened. Marler and Michael Cortez, Sheetz's vice president and general counsel, said the 88 settlements in recent weeks have prompted continued settlement talks.

But Marler represents 50 more clients whose claims he hopes to resolve during the three-week deadline extension.

If the cases don't settle, "the lawsuits are the next logical step in the process," Cortez said. Nobody died in the Sheetz outbreak. Most plaintiffs were sick for several days or weeks and sought damages for everything from medical bills to ruined vacations and embarrassment; one 7-year-old boy, for example, had to wear disposable training pants and lost 10 pounds due to diarrhea.

Others reported more serious injuries, including nerve damage from intravenous tubes inserted to combat dehydration, continuing bouts with irritable bowel syndrome and arthritis, Marler said.

Coronet shut down in October 2004 and filed for bankruptcy shortly after a few lawsuits were filed by other attorneys. Marler and Cortez said Coronet has $11 million dollars worth of insurance that also covers Sheetz, which Marler said is more than enough to cover all the legal claims.

Britain's food standards regulator is investigating why the company did not tell authorities earlier about a contamination incident at one of its factories in January.

British confectioner Cadbury Schweppes defended the safety of its products despite the recall of 1 million chocolate bars after finding traces of salmonella contamination.

Cadbury said a batch of chocolate was contaminated with waste water from a leaking pipe at its factory in Marlbrook, western England, in January. The company said it had rectified the problem and was withdrawing the products "purely as a precautionary measure."

The Health Protection Agency said it was too early to say whether there was a link between the chocolate and an outbreak of 45 cases of the rare Montevideo strain of salmonella over the last four months.

Hugh Pennington, a bacteriologist at Aberdeen University in Scotland, said even tiny amounts of salmonella in chocolate could cause illness.

"The fat in chocolate actually preserves the salmonella from the normal intestinal defences, so you don't have to eat very many salmonellas to get infected," Pennington told the BBC. "It's about a thousand times less than if you're eating it from traditional sources like meats."

Test results revealed that Norovirus caused the gastrointestinal problems felt by more than 30 people at Camp Twin Echo, a facility operated by the Greater Pittsburgh Council of Boy Scouts of America.

Bob DeWitt, spokesman for the council, said 28 Boy Scouts and four adults became ill.

About 170 people attended the leadership training program at the camp, which ended Saturday. All of the affected people quickly recovered. Only one went home early.

Richard McGarvey, spokesman for the health department, said it's likely that someone arrived at the camp already sick.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service today celebrated 100 years of protecting consumers by commemorating the Centennial Anniversary of the signing of the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

"Today, we commemorate the centennial of President Theodore Roosevelt's signing of the historic legislation that significantly improved the safety of our nation's food supply," said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner. "As we stand on the threshold of the second century of ensuring the safety of America's meat, poultry and egg products, we take pride in our achievements in public health protection and look forward to strengthening our commitment to safeguarding future generations."

On June 30, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the FMIA into law, requiring that meat products be inspected and that federally inspected slaughterhouses and processing plants operate under sanitary conditions.

Conner and Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond participated in a ceremony held on the patio of USDA's Jamie Whitten Federal Building, which also featured remarks by FSIS Administrator Dr. Barbara Masters and Anthony Arthur, author of a recently released biography of Upton Sinclair, whose book The Jungle is credited with spurring passage of the FMIA.

Today, more than 7,600 FSIS inspection program personnel are assigned to about 6,000 federally inspected meat, poultry and egg products facilities in the United States to ensure products are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. FSIS also inspects each shipment of imported meat and poultry from qualified countries to ensure U.S. food safety requirements are met.

The state continues to scrutinize a pet turtle and owl pellets while trying to nail down the cause of a salmonella outbreak at Jefferson Elementary School.

As of yesterday, 23 confirmed cases of salmonella mostly among fifth-grade students had been reported to the state Department of Public Health, reports the Metro West Daily News.

"Originally, 40 to 50 kids were sick, and we've confirmed 23 cases through stool samples," said DPH spokeswoman Donna Rheaume. "We're testing the owl pellets and turtle water to see if we can grow salmonella from the cultures."

Rheaume said the state likely will pinpoint the cause next week.

Every year, an estimated 76 million cases of foodborne illness and 5,000 associated deaths occur in the United States.

Traditionally, chemical additives have been used to preserve food, but more and more consumers are seeking natural alternatives. New research finds cranberries may offer a unique line of defense against food poisoning with their unique ability to reduce the growth of Salmonella and E. coli and other types of bacteria found in food. These findings suggest that cranberries may be a natural and delicious way to make that summer barbeque a safer one.

This latest study supports an earlier review published in the journal Biofactors that reported compounds in cranberries inhibit the growth of bacteria associated with food-borne illnesses. Cranberries are widely known for their unique "anti-adhesion" activity that protects the body from certain harmful bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, stomach ulcers and gum disease. This anti-adhesion activity is primarily due to a natural compound in the fruit called proanthocyanidins.

Since cranberry PACs also function as antioxidants, they provide a dual anti-adhesion and antioxidant health benefit. With more PACs and antioxidants per gram than most fruit, cranberries ward off certain bacteria and bolster the body's defenses against free radical damage that can contribute to many chronic diseases including heart disease.

Furthermore, research published in the Journal of Food Protection previously found that cranberry juice reduced E. coli, Salmonella and other bacteria in unpasteurized apple cider. Apple cider is particularly susceptible to E. coli and Salmonella contamination and cranberries provide a more natural way to reduce bacteria during the production process. Incorporating cranberry into food preparation, one day, may be a natural way to minimize food contamination.

Contrary to advertisements on the Internet, claims of now being safe and salmonella-free, and hundreds being sold by an area pet store that believed sales were legal, in fact the ban on the sale of baby red-eared slider turtles is still very much in place.

The FDA banned the sale in the United States of any turtle with a carapace length of less than four inches in 1975 because of the public health impact of turtle-associated salmonellosis.

That ban is absolutely still in place, said Dr. Joseph Paige, veterinarian and director of compliance at the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. He said there are many misconceptions being circulated throughout the country via the internet and other sources, but the simple fact is the sales are still against the law and those violating the law are subject to fines of up to $1,000 and up to a year in prison per offense.

Paige said the Illinois district office of the FDA will be investigating the sales of baby turtles in Southern Illinois as well as the sources of those turtles in Texas and anywhere else. He said Internet sales, where the local pet store reportedly received the "salmonella-free" turtles are illegal as well. He could not comment on what specific penalties may be meted out in connection with the sale of hundreds of turtles in Southern Illinois.

Chocolate giant Cadbury faces the prospect of legal action and a fine for its failure to tell the authorities immediately that some of its products were contaminated with salmonella.

Yesterday thousands of customers rang the helpline set up by the firm this weekend after more than one million chocolate bars were recalled. Many customers, demanding to know why it had taken the company five months to disclose the danger, found it could take an hour to get through as the company was taken aback by the scale of the reaction.

The Food Standards Agency, which oversees food safety in Britain, has begun an investigation, and lawyers from the FSA and the two local authorities covering Cadbury's Bournville headquarters and the Herefordshire factory where the infection was found will meet this week to decide whether to prosecute.

Simon Baldry, managing director of Cadbury, said there was "no need" to take products off the market when a rare strain of salmonella was found in January. He denied that the rare strain found in the chocolate had anything to do with the fact that the number of cases of people contracting the strain had quadrupled.

Cadbury yesterday announced it was removing more than a million chocolate bars from shop shelves after contamination was detected from a leaking pipe at one of the company's main factories in Marlbrook, Herefordshire.

Seven of the company's most popular brands were affected and the public was warned not to eat any products they may have already bought.

More than 250 million Dairy Milk bars are manufactured every year, and researchers have calculated that annual consumption in the UK is the equivalent to 8kg of the famous Cadbury chocolate for each person.

Since the incident, testing has been stepped up and in a further 17,000 samples, not a single trace of salmonella has been found.

Customers who have recently purchased Albertsons one-pound bags of peeled baby carrots or Grimmway Classic Cut and Peeled baby one-pound carrots with a "Best If Used By" date of June 17, 2006 should throw them out or bring them back to the store for a refund or exchange, reports the Central Valley Business Times.

Albertsons says its supplier, Kern County-based Grimmway Farms, has issued a precautionary warning after a single bag of baby peeled carrots in Canada tested positive for Salmonella.

There have been no subsequent positive tests or any illness or consumer complaints associated with these products, says Albertsons.

Media coverage of infectious diseases like Avian Flu and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is more pervasive today than ever before. Continuous reports about the growing number of disease cases around the world and endless predictions about the looming threat of a pandemic have raised global concerns about public health to near panic levels, causing widespread social and economic disruption.

The difference between antiquated diseases like the Black Plague and contemporary ones like SARS, says Ronald G. Nahass, M.D., is the environments in which they occur. Today, factors like rapid and widespread global travel, improved diagnostic capabilities and instantaneous communication influence not only the extent to which an infectious disease thrives, but also the way in which we perceive its threat.

Modern technology has allowed scientists to identify previously unknown (or unnamed) diseases that have actually been around for years, giving a false impression that more viruses are emerging today than ever before. Lyme disease, the most common insect-borne infection in the United States, for example, was first identified in 1975. However, cases of the disease have been recorded in medical journals since the 1950s. Since 1975, researchers have found its vector in mice archived at the Smithsonian for more than a century.

For those living in the United States, infection from everyday hazards poses a greater threat than the infectious diseases appearing so frequently on the evening news. In general, we are more likely to get sick from contaminated surfaces than to contract an infection from a disease-causing vector. According to the CDC, more than 44,000 cases of Salmonellosis are reported each year in the United States, though actual numbers are considered much higher.

Most alarming, however, are the silent epidemics largely excluded from media coverage and public discourse. An estimated 4.1 million Americans are living with Hepatitis C, the most commonly transmitted disease in the United States, yet only 20 percent are aware they are infected. And though hepatitis is curable, little has been done to educate the public about the virus, its symptoms and treatments.

Another infectious disease, tuberculosis, spreads through the air much like the common cold, and is easily contracted through inhalation of a small number of TB germs. With the recent resurgence of the disease, each second, someone new contracts tuberculosis. This results in 1.7 million deaths per year; estimates put world infection rates at 33 percent of the world's population.

Despite the inherent risk of infectious diseases, there are few simple steps that can help protect against most infections:

• Immunization. Many of today's most prevalent diseases can be easily avoided with vaccines, which are a safe and effective defense against infection.
• Proper hygiene. Cleanliness goes a long way in preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Wash hands frequently, especially after using the restroom or when preparing foods like raw meat. In addition, be sure to regularly disinfect high traffic areas in the home like the kitchen and bathroom.
• Common sense. Avoid behaviors that increase the risk of contracting a disease, like sharing a soda with someone who's sick or having sexual intercourse without a condom.
• Awareness. Check the local health department's Web site regularly for any alerts or advisories, keep up to date about the most dangerous diseases in that area, and know the warning signs of those diseases.

Grills just want to have fun this time of year, but you have to be careful when you cook with them, says Fadi Aramouni, a Kansas State University Research and Extension food scientist. "Common food safety mistakes, especially underestimating cooking times or overlooking the need to check cooked temperatures, increase the risk of food-borne illness," he says in a monthly bulletin from Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Researchers at Kansas State University have found that ground beef browns at different rates, so that browning is no longer an accurate indicator of doneness.

“With meats and poultry, the only sure way to test safety and doneness is by using a meat thermometer,” Aramouni says. “Primary food-borne pathogens, including salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli, are heat-sensitive. That means that cooking foods to recommended temperatures will kill any pathogens that may be present.”

Picnics can be the best part of the summertime, but can have hidden dangers for moms-to-be. There may be unseen dangers lurking in the potato salad and hot dogs that could make you and your unborn baby very sick.

Pregnant women have a weakened immune system, which makes it harder for their bodies to fight infection, leaving them at greater risk for developing a foodborne illness. The risks to mom and baby can be serious.

Certain foodborne illnesses that pose a particular threat to moms-to-be and their unborn babies include:

• Listeria, which comes from refrigerated ready-to-eat foods such as deli meat and unpasteurized milk and cheese.
• Toxoplasma, which comes from undercooked meat, unwashed fruits and veggies, and cat feces (get someone else to change the litter box while you're pregnant).
• E. coli and salmonella, which can also be found in undercooked meats.

Eleven students at a Franklin elementary school have confirmed cases of salmonella, and state health officials are investigating whether owl pellets used in a class project were the source of the bacterial infection.

Most of the sick students are fifth-graders at Jefferson Elementary School.

In a biology experiment, fifth-graders at the school pick out bones in owl pellets to identify animals, such as mice or chicks, the owls might have eaten. The experiment has been conducted by generations of students across the country.

Other possible sources of the infection include water from turtles in the classrooms and food consumed by fifth-graders at an event. The state Department of Public Health has ruled out school cafeteria food as a source.

The Health Department is interviewing students to determine their relationships and how they might have been exposed to the bacteria. It has also taken samples from the students and will test the owl pellets and turtles' water.

It could take several months before results are known, especially since yesterday was the last day of school at Jefferson Elementary.

Backyard chefs may think they know best when it comes to grilling that perfect burger, steak or barbeque chicken, but unless they follow key food safety practices their friends and family may wish to think twice before taking a seat at the picnic table.

"The risk of foodborne illness increases during the summer months because disease-causing bacteria grow faster on raw meat and poultry products in warmer weather," said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. "Bacteria also need moisture to flourish and summer weather, often hot and humid, provides the perfect conditions."

USDA's four key recommendations can help keep friends and family safe from foodborne illness:

• Clean - Wash hands and surfaces often.
• Separate - Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat and poultry apart from cooked foods.
• Cook - Use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked.
• Chill - Refrigerate or freeze promptly.

A total of about 47 food safety problems were reported across the EU last week, including a cluster of alerts about aflatoxins in nuts and unauthorised cheese from the UK.

Last year 538 notifications concerned aflatoxins in pistachios, of which 487 concerned those primarily originating from Iran. As a result the European Commission cracked down on imports from Iran and put in place new measures. All consignments from the country are analyzed twice, the first time prior to export by Iran's regulators and the second time prior to import by the EU member state.

Other alerts concerned cheese; corn flacks; and flower. Latvia reported finding insects in corn flakes imported from Estonia. The UK found undeclared gluten and milk ingredients in pate from Belgium.

The UK reported finding curd cheese made domestically x that had been produced using unauthorised processing methods and which had not properly been screened by the processor for antibiotics. The country's regulators also found unauthorised nitrofuran in raw shrimps imported from Bangladesh and from India. They reported finding benzopyrene in smoked fish and prawns from Ghana.

Denmark reported finding Salmonella typhiurium DT 104 in fresh pork tenderloin produced locally. The country also found ochratoxin A, a mould, in domestic wholegrain rye flour. Regulators there found Salmonella spp. in a minced turkey meat product imported from Germany.

The Slovak Republic found there had been bad temperature control measures taken in refrigerated fresh Nile perch fillets from Tanzania.

Last year Eurosurvelliance, the EU's cross-border warning network, recorded 691 alerts about bad foods, a 52 per cent jump in the number of alerts over the previous year. The EU's rapid alert notification list serves as an early warning system for regulators from member states and for those along the supply chain who use the foods as ingredients or put them up for sale.

A study by the European Food Safety Authority has found that more than 50 per cent of poultry farms in some European Union countries are contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

The findings of the study, which were leaked out, indicated that 62 per cent of the farms in Czech Republic were contaminated with a most dangerous strain of the deadly bacteria, 55 per cent in Poland and 51 per cent in Spain. The U.K. had the least count, just 12 per cent.

The report led to calls by industry and healthcare organizations to ban import of eggs from such countries. Andrew Wadge, head of Britain's Food Safety and Food Standards Authority, said Britain could impose a ban on Spanish egg imports if that country failed to introduce compulsory vaccinations for its flocks.
 

The Associated Press reports that a popular Minneapolis restaurant has reopened after passing an inspection following a food poisoning outbreak.

Cafe Barbette in the Uptown area was back in business yesterday after voluntarily closing on Sunday. Owner Kim Bartmann says the restaurant cleaned and upgraded equipment, and passed a fresh inspection.

Meanwhile, the number of people who got sick in last week's outbreak has climbed to 40, according to the Hennepin County Health Department.

All of those affected apparently had eaten chilled carrot soup at the restaurant on June fifth or sixth. Health officials traced the outbreak to salmonella.

Restaurant officials voluntarily closed Minneapolis Café Barbette over the weekend after the 20 cases of salmonella were reported. The city health department hasn't determined what caused the food poisoning, but restaurant officials say they believe it's isolated to one batch of chilled soup.

In April, restaurant inspectors found five critical violations serious enough to warrant a warning letter. A follow-up inspection three weeks later found all violations to have been corrected.

The restaurant has replaced their refrigerator.
 

Minneapolis Cafe Barbette, a popular restaurant in the Uptown area of Minneapolis, closed voluntarily over the weekend after more than 20 reported cases of salmonella poisoning at the restaurant.

The city health department has not determined what caused the food poisoning, but the restaurant believes it is isolated to one batch of chilled soup. "It probably went bad between the pureeing and chilling," the controller said. He believes the cooler may not have been cool enough.

Like all Minneapolis restaurants, Cafe Barbette is inspected every year. In April, inspectors found five critical violations that were serious enough to warrant a warning letter. Among the violations was a cooler that was five degrees too hot and an ice machine that needed to be cleaned.

In a follow-up inspection three weeks later, all the violations were found to be corrected.

The restaurant will be closed until Wednesday.

Researchers at Kansas State University have found that ground beef browns at different rates, so that browning alone, long considered the primary means of determining ground beef to be cooked, is no longer an accurate indicator of doneness.

"With meats and poultry, the only sure way to test safety and doneness is by using a meat thermometer," says Fadi Aramouni, a Kansas State University Research and Extension food scientist. "Primary food-borne pathogens, including salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli, are heat-sensitive. That means that cooking foods to recommended temperatures will kill any pathogens that may be present."

Summer food safety tips

• Allow plenty of time to prepare the grill and cook foods completely.
• Avoid cross-contamination: Use separate plates, platters, bowls, cutting boards and utensils for raw foods and cooked foods.
• Wait until grilled foods are ready -- or almost ready -- to eat before removing perishable salads and condiments from the refrigerator or cooler.
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables, including leaf lettuce, which can host salmonella.
• Keep food covered and out of direct sunlight.
• Clear picnic tables within 60 minutes of serving. Cover and chill leftovers or discard them.
• Clean grill after each use.
• Wash hands often, especially before and after handling foods, before and after eating, playing yard games and touching pets. If soap and water are unavailable, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good substitute.

Recommended internal cooking temps

• Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. Starting with frozen or partly frozen meat or poultry typically increases the time needed for cooking.
• Ground beef: 160 degrees
• Beef, veal and lamb roasts, steaks and chops: Medium: 160 degrees; Well done: 170 degrees
• Fresh pork: Medium: 160 degrees; Well done: 170 degrees
• Poultry: 165 degrees or higher

Each year, people become ill from drinking raw milk and eating foods made from raw dairy products, according to the National Center for Infectious Diseases.

Unlike most of the milk, cheese, and dairy products sold in the United States, raw milk and raw dairy products have not been heat treated or pasteurized to kill germs. Although many states outlaw the sale of these items, many people including dairy producers, farm workers and their families, and some ethnic groups continue to drink raw milk and eat foods made from raw dairy products. Several types of raw cheeses such as feta, brie, queso fresco, sheep's and goat's milk cheese have been illegally sold in the United States.

Raw milk and raw dairy products may carry many types of disease-causing germs such as Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Yersinia, and Brucella. When raw milk or raw milk products become contaminated, people who eat the contaminated foods can get sick. A few examples of outbreaks that have been reported since 2000:

• 2001: Outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni infections from drinking "raw" or unpasteurized milk.
• 2003: Outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections from eating unpasteurized queso fresco (a Mexican-style soft cheese)
• 2003: Outbreak of Salmonella infections from eating unpasteurized queso fresco.
• 2004: Outbreak of E. coli.O157 infections from eating unpasteurized queso fresco

When shopping for milk or cheese, the NCID warns consumers to play it safe. Carefully read food labels to make sure a product is pasteurized. Purchase only products that are pasteurized or made from pasteurized milk.

In addition, the NCID recommends these people should always avoid raw milk or raw dairy products:

• Pregnant women or women considering pregnancy
• Children under 5 years of age
• The elderly
• Persons infected with HIV
• Persons with cancer
• Anyone who is immunocompromised (such as persons with organ transplants)

Concerns were raised Monday in Denmark after a newspaper reported over the weekend that fresh turkey meat imported from German company Franziska Stolle contained salmonella bacteria, reports Poltiken.

Two months ago, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration agency detected salmonella of a type known as DT104 in turkey meat also bought in Netto from the same German firm. Some seven tonnes of meat were recalled.

Several Danish opposition parties have urged Family and Consumer Affairs Minister Lars Barfoed to move to allow Denmark to ban imports of meat with traces of salmonella, a measure taken by Nordic neighbours Sweden and Finland when they joined the European Union.

Ten cases of salmonella food poisoning have been linked to cured pork in Australia. The Department of Human Services has issued a recall of the pork after 10 people suffered salmonella food poising between April 20 and May 23.

Tibaldi Smallgoods has agreed to voluntarily recall the capocollo.

The Coburg-based smallgoods manufacturer has been linked to salmonella outbreaks in 1981, which affected more than 380 people, and in 1995.