We describe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among US food manufacturing and agriculture workers and provide updated information on meat and poultry processing workers. Among 742 food and agriculture workplaces in 30 states, 8,978 workers had confirmed COVID-19; 55 workers died. Racial and ethnic minority workers could be disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
SUMMARYIn November 2009, we initiated a multistate investigation of Salmonella Montevideo infections with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern JIXX01.0011. We identified 272 cases in 44 states with illness onset dates ranging from 1 July 2009 to 14 April 2010. To help generate hypotheses, warehouse store membership card information was collected to identify products consumed by cases. These records identified 19 ill persons who purchased company A salami products before onset of illness. A case-control study was conducted. Ready-to-eat salami consumption was significantly associated with illness (matched odds ratio 8·5, 95% confidence interval 2·1–75·9). The outbreak strain was isolated from company A salami products from an environmental sample from one manufacturing plant, and sealed containers of black and red pepper at the facility. This outbreak illustrates the importance of using membership card information to assist in identifying suspect vehicles, the potential for spices to contaminate ready-to-eat products, and preventing raw ingredient contamination of these products.
Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) is commonly found in retail deli environments. Proper types and concentrations of sanitizers must be used to eliminate this pathogen from surfaces and reduce the consumer’s risk for infection. In 2012, the CDC’s Environmental Health Specialists Network completed a study on practices in retail delis that can help prevent cross-contamination and growth of L. mono. This report focuses on the sanitizing solution used by delis, given its importance to cleaning and reducing pathogen contamination in retail food environments. In this study, we identified deli, manager, and worker characteristics associated with use of improper concentrations of sanitizing solution used to wipe down food contact surfaces. Results indicate that 22.8% of sanitizing solutions used for wiping food contact surfaces were at improper concentrations. Independent delis were more likely to use improper concentrations of sanitizing solution, as were delis that sold fewer chubs (plastic tubes of meat) per week. Counter-intuitively, improper sanitizing solution concentration was associated with required food safety training for managers; additional analyses suggest that this relationship is significant for independent, but not chain, delis. It is important to emphasize cleaning and sanitizing education and focus food safety efforts on independent and smaller delis.
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