Welcome to the Microbiology Information

Recall - June 24, 2010 – Jessup, Maryland – Lancaster Foods, LLC is voluntarily recalling fresh Spinach with the Best Enjoyed By dates of 19 JUN 10 through 27 JUN 10 sold under the brand names Krisp-Pak, Lancaster Fresh, Giant, and America’s Choice because they could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall extends only to products with this Use-by Date or Product Code and sold in the following states: New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. No other Lancaster Foods, LLC products are included in the recall.

The recall notification is being issued out of an abundance of caution based on a random sample test conducted by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Food & Drug Protection Division (NCAGR) on fresh Spinach with the Best Enjoyed By dates of 23 JUN 10 sold under the brand name Krisp-Pak that was confirmed positive for Listeria monocytogenes in NCAGR labs. No illnesses have been associated with this possible contamination.

Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria M. infection can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail, or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Consumers with any of these symptoms should consult their health care provider.

Because it is still possible that the spinach with the Best Enjoyed By dates of 19 JUN 10 through 27 JUN 10 sold under the brand names Krisp-Pak, Lancaster Fresh, Giant or America’s Coice could be on store shelves, this recall extends to retailers as well as consumers. Lancaster Foods, LLC believes that it is important to alert consumers who might still possess one of the potentially affected expired packages of spinach to immediately dispose of it.

Spinach included in the recall notification includes the items listed in the table below with Best Enjoyed By dates of 19 JUN 10 through 27 JUN 10.

Instructions for Consumers:
Check your refrigerator for packaged fresh Spinach with the Best Enjoyed By dates of 19 JUN 10 through 27 JUN 10 sold under the brand name Krisp-Pak, Lancaster Fresh, Giant, or America’s Choice. The Use-by Date is found on the front of the package in the upper right hand corner.

Consumers who may have potentially affected product are asked to empty the contents of the package into your garbage, save the package, and contact a Lancaster Foods, LLC consumer representative toll-free at (800) 247-8125 between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Instructions for Retailers:
All Product Codes indicated expire between June 19, 2010 and June 27, 2010, inclusive, however, retailers are asked to reconfirm with their distribution centers and all individual stores to ensure that no product remains in their inventory or at store locations. A separate letter and instructions will be forwarded to all relevant Lancaster Foods, LLC customers. For additional details, retailers are asked to contact their Lancaster Foods, LLC customer service representative.

Complete Listing of Recalled Lancaster Foods, LLC spinach packed under the Krisp-Pac, Lancaster Fresh, Giant, and America’s Choice brands, Use-by Dates and Product Codes.

Bag UPC Code Product Description Oz
33383 65201 Krisp-Pak Hydro-Cooled Fresh Spinach, Best Enjoyed by 19 JUN 10 thru 27 Jun 10 10 oz
13055 01145 Lancaster Fresh, Triple Washed, All Natural, Curly Leaf Spinach, Best Enjoyed by 19 JUN 10 thru 27 JUN 10 8, 10, and 12 oz
88267 09813 Giant, Fresh Spinach, Best Enjoyed by 19 JUN 10 thru 27 JUN 10 10 oz
54807 76060 America’s Choice, Spinach, Cold Water Washed, Best Enjoyed by 19 Jun 10 thru 27 Jun 10 oz

Cocoa powder is one of the main ingredients used in the manufacture of chocolate Ultra Heat Treated (UHT) milk. Chocolate milk is also one of the most common flavors to have spoilage.

Unfortunately, microbial spoilage does occur. There are many reasons; however two of the main points are poor hygiene and lack of maintenance to the plant. Both are due to poor management.

Although cocoa powder is the main ingredient, it gets most of the attention. Incidentally, cocoa powder is rarely the cause, yet it is the easiest to blame and this is poor judgment by the management. If there is any premature spoilage of UHT milk, then it lies squarely at management. The best UHT milk manufacturers in the world remain their because of choosing the right management team. Excellent management results in retaining people with strong experience and technical knowledge in the field of UHT manufacture. Experienced Engineers, production managers and especially their technical support member such as the microbiologist. If the company is not committed to maintaining the right people and the right attitude, then they should exit the UHT business. Otherwise expect lots of rejected production runs.

Did you know that the microbiologist is probably one of the most valued employees in Nestle, the world No.1 food manufacturer. Why, because the majority of spoilage is caused by micro-organism. That is why I believe all senior management must have background in microbiology so that critical decision can be made.

Japan’s largest dairy company, Snow Brand had the largest food poisoning case in the world with Staphylococcus aureus enter toxin growing and contaminating their product. Their president resigned and the company even considered changing the brand name as it was the biggest disasters in their company’s history.

So to all the President and CEO of food manufacturing companies out there, please ensure your microbiologists are well looked after.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have designed a vaccine that successfully fought the bird flu virus in mice and chickens.

Findings from their collaboration with investigators at the Influenza Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are in the Feb. 15 issue of the Journal of Virology, a publication of the Washington, D.C.-based American Society for Microbiology.

The researchers tested slightly different viruses that contained either the whole, part of or none of a bird flu protein called hemagglutinin (HA).

They injected mice with the viruses to see which offered protection from H5N1 infection. The mice were then inspected for any signs of illness (i.e., weight loss and death) and for antiviral antibodies and other immunity markers in their blood.

Most of the mice immunized with the virus containing either the whole or part of the HA protein showed only mild and short-lived weight loss, and they survived.

Those exposed to the common H5N1 virus died within six to nine days of exposure.

Researchers determined that the genetically engineered versions of the vaccine stimulated several lines of defense against the H5N1 virus, and they suggested that even if H5N1 mutates or changes its structure rapidly, the vaccine would still likely be effective.

There is one caveat, though. The researchers determined that the vaccines were only effective when delivered through the skin, not inhaled nasally. They aren’t sure why, but suggested that it may be because the virus they used had limited infectivity in the nose and respiratory tract.

After testing mice, the researchers moved onto chickens, where they tested a dose of the virus that was 10,000 times greater. They saw no signs of bird flu.

Researchers said these findings suggest that adding their vaccine to the traditionally inactivated flu vaccines in chickens could successfully render the bird flu harmless.

Flu vaccines currently are prepared in fertilized chicken eggs, a process developed more than 50 years ago that requires millions of eggs. The U.S. and the world would be in short supply of such a volume of eggs if a pandemic were to occur.

“Although the development of a vaccine for H5N1 in humans has been difficult, the recent study suggests it should be possible,” said Tony Mazzulli, M.D., of Mount Sinai Hospital Department of Microbiology in Toronto. “The overall process of producing the vaccine and ensuring that it not only works, but that it is also safe, may take some time.”

He added:”Although measuring a person’s antibody response following vaccination is a good way of determining if a vaccine can stimulate an immune response, it is impossible to know if the response will be protective against the wild type virus.”

Mazzulli said given the high death rate of H5N1, it will not be possible to determine by exposure if people are protected by the vaccine. “Even if the vaccine works initially, how will a person’s immune response protect them from infection?” he asked. “Will the response fade with time, in which case repeated vaccination will be needed - but at what frequency or at what intervals?”

The researchers are working on a small clinical trial of the vaccine in humans in the very near future.

Source: myDNA