Population-based food consumption survey as an additional tool for foodborne outbreak investigations, Germany, 2017.

We conducted a food consumption survey in the general adult population of 18 years and older in Germany to obtain data on the frequency of consumption of food items that caused foodborne disease outbreaks in the past. A total of 1010 telephone interviews were completed that queried the consumption of 95 food items in the 7-day period before the interview. Survey results were weighted to be representative. Six exemplary 'high risk' food items were consumed by 6% to 16% of the general population. These were raw ground pork: 6.5%; 'Teewurst' (=spreadable sausage-containing raw pork): 15.7%; unpasteurised milk consumed without prior heating: 9.0%; food items prepared with raw eggs: 9.8%; unheated sprouts or seedlings: 8.8% and frozen berries consumed without prior heating: 6.2%. Data from our food consumption survey were comparable to data obtained from control persons in case-control studies conducted during past foodborne disease outbreak investigations. We consider our survey an additional helpful tool that will allow comparison with food consumption data from case-patients obtained in exploratory, hypothesis-generating interviews early on in outbreak investigations, and which may assist in forming hypotheses regarding associations of illnesses with suspected food vehicles. This may facilitate and accelerate investigations of future foodborne disease outbreaks.

Avaliação do comportamento de consumidores quanto ao consumo e cuidados com produtos de origem animal no município de Maceió, Alagoas / Consumer behavior evaluation on consumption and care of products of animal origin in the municipality of Maceió, Alagoas

Com o objetivo de avaliar o comportamento de consumidores quanto ao consumo e cuidados com os produtos de origem animal foi aplicado um questionário a 197 consumidores divididos em 2 grupos (parte alta e baixa da cidade). Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos estudados, quanto aos cuidados, porém ambos apresentaram o hábito de consumir leite in naturae queijos crus, e não notificam as inconformidades observadas em estabelecimentos especializados em serviços de alimentação. As duas populações possuem o conhecimento básico sobre os cuidados necessários para uma alimentação segura, mas ainda há necessidade de uma educação sanitária e participação da população na área de Vigilância Sanitária. A cartilha entregue aos participantes introduziu a educação sanitária como forma de iniciar o interesse dos mesmos nessa área.

[Epidemiological survey on clonorchiasis and awareness of prevention and control knowledge in Xinfeng County of Jiangxi Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemic status of clonorchiasis and awareness of prevention and control knowledge in Xinfeng County of Jiangxi Province, so as to provide the evidences for control measures. METHODS: The baseline survey was carried out with a clue in vestigation of raw-fish eating behavior in potential endemic areas in 2016.The residents were examined by stool tests. The metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis in fish, the rediae and cercariae in freshwater mollusk were detected. The feces samples of cats, dogs and pigs were collected and examined by sedimentation technique. Meanwhile, the epidemic factors, health knowledge and behavior were also surveyed. RESULTS: The residents in 26 villages had the habit of eating raw freshwater fish, and 19.51% of the respondents had this habit. The average infection rates of the population, Parafossarulus striatulus, freshwater fishes and reservoir hosts were 21.56%, 0, 8.24% and 2.27%, respectively. The infection rate of the population increased with age. There was a significant positive correlation between the behavior and the infection rate of the population (r = 0.88, P < 0.01). Only 11.46% of the respondents knew that eating raw-fish might cause C. sinensis infection, and 5.28% of them knew that C. sinensis was harmful to health. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-six villages in five townships were endemic areas of clonorchiasis in Xinfeng County. The permanent solution of prevention and control of clonorchiasis is to strengthen the health education and change the habit of raw-fish eating gradually.

Influence of season and type of restaurants on sashimi microbiota.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, an increase in the consumption of Japanese food in European countries has been verified, including in Portugal. These specialities made with raw fish, typical Japanese meals, have been prepared in typical and on non-typical restaurants, and represent a challenge to risk analysis on HACCP plans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the type of restaurant, season and type of fish used on sashimi microbiota. METHODS: Sashimi samples (n = 114) were directly collected from 23 sushi restaurants and were classified as Winter and Summer Samples. They were also categorized according to the type of restaurant where they were obtained: as typical or non-typical. The samples were processed using international standards procedures. RESULTS: A middling seasonality influence was observed in microbiota using mesophilic aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophic microorganisms, Lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., H2S positive bacteria, mould and Bacillus cereus counts parameters. During the Summer Season, samples classified as unacceptable or potentially Hazardous were observed. Non-typical restaurants had the most cases of Unacceptable/potentially hazardous samples 83.33%. These unacceptable results were obtained as a result of high values of pathogenic bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus No significant differences were observed on microbiota counts from different fish species. CONCLUSION: The need to implement more accurate food safety systems was quite evident, especially in the warmer season, as well as in restaurants where other kinds of food, apart from Japanese meals, was prepared.