Cheese contaminated with Escherichia coli: removed from well-known Italian supermarkets



[ad_1]

The Department of Health issued a new notice of recall of food products. After the withdrawal of many lots of frozen foods against the risk of listeriosis, this alarm concerns many Fontina because of the microbiological risk due to the presence of Escherichia coli producer of toxins. Shiga (STEC). This can be seen on the ministry's web portal in the section on food warnings and recalls.

The product

The product concerned by the withdrawal is Fontina D.O.P. a brand Terre d 'Italia produced for GS Spa by the Cooperative Produttori Latte e Fontina Loc. arl in the factory of the province of Aosta

The batch concerned by the call is the number L171. This is a precautionary withdrawal ordered by the same producer as a result of random checks, but, as the warning of the Department of Health warns him himself , the consumers who had already purchased the lot of the product concerned not to consume it and to bring the packages back to the point of purchase.

Escherichia coli

Certain strains of E. coli, called "Shiga-Toxin producers", are capable of producing toxins dangerous to human health, inducing a severe form of hemorrhagic diarrhea . A possible complication following STEC infection, common in children, is hemolytic-uremic syndrome, characterized by severe acute renal failure .

Escherichia Coli: the five rules the prevention of foodborne infections

The outbreak in Germany at the end of May, caused by a virulent strain of Escherichia coli, has again drew attention to the possibility that foods could carry even serious infections. Beyond the difficulty of identifying food or responsible food, this circumstance served to reaffirm once again the importance of scrupulous hygiene in the preparation of food. With a little attention and by adopting some simple rules, you can avoid this risk.

Food poisoning is usually benign and usually heals quickly. But sometimes, they can even be deadly. Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk, but it can not be excluded that even adults and healthy people may succumb to a particularly virulent infection. Summer is the most risky period because heat and humidity promote the proliferation of dangerous germs, such as Escherichia or Salmonella, to remember the most common. As always, with common sense and adequate information, staying healthy is easier than you think.

Hygiene in the kitchen

Germs are everywhere and cooking is no exception. Our hands and raw food are the main vehicles. For the prevention of foodborne infections … the first rule is to wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and soap before and after handling potentially contaminated raw foods such as meats of all kinds, eggs, Fruits and vegetables. If this is not done, contaminated hands can transfer dangerous germs to other foods, utensils (eg knives) or surfaces (eg cutting boards); the second rule is to clean the surfaces of the kitchen on which they rest. raw foods and, most importantly, clean them after food preparation. Residues from parts of animals or vegetables or soil and any packaging material should be removed from the work plan promptly. Raw and ready-to-eat foods should always be "worked" on different cutting boards, using different tools, to avoid cross-contamination. Cleaning with water and detergent is enough to reduce the amount of germs present and it is not necessary to use disinfectants. Wet sponges and tea towels are ideal places for the multiplication of bacteria if they are not washed and replaced periodically. The waste must be quickly removed from the kitchen to prevent the development of sprout reservoirs; the third rule to observe is to wash the food carefully to remove the germs from their outer surface. This operation is essential for plants, especially those declared "organic" because it is very likely that they have been exposed to organic fertilizers (manure). Where possible, vegetables should be peeled (eg, cucumbers and carrots) after thorough washing. Those who do not skin or those with leaves (after washing the leaves with running water) may possibly be immersed in chlorinated water for 10-15 minutes (a 20 ml measure of water). Amuchina concentrated in one liter of water). This extra precaution is not strictly necessary if the washing is done properly. As fruits grow on trees, their microbial contamination is the fourth rule to avoid raw foods such as meat, fish and seafood because they are more at risk for transmitting infections like salmonellosis, toxoplasmosis, hepatitis and, fortunately rarely, botulism. Cooking is the most effective way to ensure the safety of the food we eat. Frozen foods (meat, poultry, fish, etc.) should be thawed by keeping them in the refrigerator and not at room temperature, where the surface parts remain exposed to high temperatures for a time sufficient to develop bacteria. Alternatively, they can be thawed in the microwave just before cooking, removing them from their packaging in trays. Special attention should be given to ground meat which, because of the high exposed surface and handling already undergone, is more likely to pollute, the fifth obvious rule of thumb is to store food in the refrigerator (or freezer, the preservation is extended over time). This avoids the proliferation of germs, including Salmonella and Clostridium botulinum. In the case of canned foods that are on the market, those with a swelling or leak indicating possible pollution should be eliminated

Botulism

It is a disease present all over the world because of The omnipresence of the bacterium is responsible for it, Clostridium botulinum, which is not a dangerous germ in itself but for the toxin that it produces. Clostridium produces spores that are in the soil and can contaminate food products; in the absence of oxygen, the spores can come back to life and produce the toxin. After 18-36 hours of introduction of the toxin appear symptoms of the disease, usually nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea that often precede symptoms of the nervous system such as weakness, difficulty to speak, the double vision. The danger to life comes from the paralysis of the diaphragm that prevents breathing.
Toxins are destroyed by cooking, so homemade foods are those that are not subjected to adequate heat treatment during preparation and before
consumption, including preserves. In preparation, the products, cleaned, placed in small containers (max 300-500ml), closed with lids, must be boiled for at least 10 minutes. Vegetables preserved in oil or natural must be cooked in the pressure cooker for at least 3 minutes. In jams, the sugar must be at least 50% of the weight of the already cleaned fruit, while in brine products, the salt must represent at least 10% of the weight of the food. The presence of vinegar and the preservation of the jars in the refrigerator, below 10 ° C, guarantee the safety of botulism. Foods containing nitrites, nitrates or spices are harmless

Salmonellosis
This is an infection contracted by ingestion of food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria . It occurs mainly in the form of gastroenteritis that appears 12 to 48 hours after the ingestion of microorganisms, with nausea, abdominal pain followed by diarrhea, fever and sometimes vomiting
The foods most likely to transmit the disease. Infection are eggs and by-products, raw or undercooked: mayonnaise, raw egg desserts, ice cream produced with inappropriate methods, homemade pasta eaten before cooking. Eggs should not be washed after purchase so as not to remove their natural "waterproofing" that keeps microbes from getting inside. however, it is advisable to wash them immediately before use when preparing food that should not be cooked. This precaution should not be forgotten, especially when the eggs are of uncontrolled origin, such as small domestic farms not under medical supervision and if they have been laid for at least 15 days. A quarter of the cases of salmonellosis is also caused by the ingestion of raw meat, mostly minced, and raw seafood.
Because diarrhea causes a huge loss of fluid, the treatment consists essentially of oral rehydration, taking abundant fluids, perhaps sweet; Pouches of oral rehydration solution (eg Reidrax) are available at the pharmacy. The doctor may possibly prescribe antibiotic treatment, usually only used in older or serious children and immunocompromised patients.

The genus Escherichia coli comprises a single species, subdivided into 171 serotypes, is a Gram-negative aerobic bacterium. an optional anaerobium with a stick-shaped shape that may have flagella and fimbriae and is capable of fermenting glucose and lactose. Bacteria can be found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals, but they are also ubiquitous microorganisms. The three major diseases, each of which depends on a particular stereotype, are urinary tract infections, intestinal infections, and meningitis in the newborn. The pathogenic mechanism is given by bacterial proteins that interact with host cell receptors (host-specific receptors) produce exotoxins. The most important serotype from a clinical and dietary point of view is Escherichia coli O157: H7 or enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli which often leads to enterohemorrhagic diarrhea and is also capable of inducing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a syndrome characterized by acute renal failure, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia, which is more common in children and the elderly.

[ad_2]
Source link