Partner Content:
According to a 2015 study by the World Health Organisation, an estimated one in ten people are sickened by foodborne diseases every year – and of those 600 million people, 420 000 die as a result. Foodborne diseases in this case includes any illness that results from contaminated food, viruses, parasites that contaminate food, toxins, and pathogenic bacteria.
Low to mid-level income countries have the highest risk of foodborne diseases, where it’s linked to preparing food with unsafe water, poor hygiene and inadequate conditions in food production and storage. However, the outbreak of foodborne diseases linked to Pathogenic Bacteria has happened in countries all over the world.
Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria, which include Salmonella, E. Coli, Clostridium botulinum (which causes Botulism), Campylobacter, the Norovirus, and Listeria, have been under the spotlight recently due to the Listeriosis outbreak in South Africa. The outbreak killed over 200 people, with over 1000 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection, and is the largest Listeriosis outbreak in the world to date. Europe and Australia have also had their own Listeriosis outbreak recently, where frozen corn and rock melon respectively have been identified as the likely source.
The United States is currently battling an outbreak of E. Coli linked to Romaine Lettuce, where the outbreak has spread to 29 states and sickened 149 people. This outbreak is said to be the worst since the 2006 outbreak of E. Coli illness from baby spinach, which saw 205 people becoming ill and 5 dying.
Over 200 million eggs were recently recalled in the U.S. after more than 20 consumers became ill from suspected Salmonella poisoning, and health officials in Chile recently reported a large outbreak of Salmonella that was said to be linked to homemade mayonnaise and affected 174 people.
Clearly Pathogenic Bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses are a definite concern after the recent Listeriosis outbreak in South Africa, and food safety in general should be of utmost importance to everyone in the food supply chain – from producers to food manufacturers and distributors, through to food handlers, chefs and consumers.
Bidfood has teamed up with local and international speakers to hold a series of free-to-attend seminars on food safety throughout the supply chain and the hospitality foodservice industry sector. Speakers will discuss the listeriosis outbreak, providing the facts and figures you need to know, as well as provide insights and advice as to how you can manage food safety risks in your own kitchen and business, therefore giving consumers assurance and protecting your reputation.
To find out more information and to register for the events, click here.
Even if the events are full, please register your interest with Bidfood as they’re planning to host more workshops due to the successful response from industry so far. You can also read more about the free-to-attend seminars and the full Agenda below – click on the image to link through to the registration page.
