Salmonella and listeria are responsible for most food-related illnesses (03/2015)

The CUVA Stuttgart (Chemical and Veterinary Examination Office) issued an overview of the results of examinations aimed at clarifying food-related illnesses. (See link) More than 33,500 foodstuffs were examined, including approx. 7,100 illness samples, i.e. samples that were tested as suspected sources a food-related infection.

Salmonella and listeria monocytogenes are the main cause

The list of harmful microorganisms was again headed by salmonella (25 cases) and listeria monocytogenes (20 cases) closely followed by bacillus cereus (19 cases). Verotoxigenic E. coli strains also featured in the upper third of the list by the inspectors from Baden-Württemberg causing 14 cases within the examination period.  

Unexpected foodstuffs contain pathogens

The publication of the monitoring results also contained a table with food in which the respective pathogens were verified. Interestingly, in addition to the known risk matrices such as minced meat, poultry meat, onion ground pork and smoked salmon, other unlikely foodstuffs such as cooked lentils (B. cereus), dietary supplements (salmonella), cooked green beans (listeria monocytogenes) and beef liver (Staphylococcus aureus) also cropped up on the list.

Your benefit: our food laboratories offer an all-round service  

Regular hygiene controls and microbiological product controls as internal controls on all process levels should always be a top priority in every organisation involved in the processing and preparation of food.

The food laboratories of the AGROLAB GROUP offer you professional and comprehensive support when taking samples, conducting stage controls in the company through to inspections of raw materials and finished products by drafting coordinated test plans for you that can be integrated into your HACCP concept.

If an examined sample tests positive, we will of course inform you immediately and confidentially about the suspicion and offer you competent advice about what further action is necessary to solve the problem in the long-term.

If you are interested, please contact our regional sales specialist (see contact finder on the right-hand side)

Source: D.Otto-Kuhn, A.Friedrich Chemical and Veterinary Examination Office Stuttgart, harmful food: Evidence of pathogens in food samples 2010 – 2014,
published on 16.10.2014 at http://www.cvuas.de