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  1. Fulltext Knowledge, attitude and practices among parents regarding food poisoning: a cross-sectional study from Palestine
    Zyoud S, Shalabi J, Imran K, Ayaseh L, Radwany N, Salameh R, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2019 May 16;19(1):586.
    PMID: 31096949 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6955-2
    BACKGROUND: Food serves as a vehicle for many pathogenic and toxigenic agents that cause food-borne diseases. Knowledge, attitude, and practices are key factors in reducing the incidence of food-borne diseases in food service areas. The main objective of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practices related to food poisoning among parents of children in Nablus, Palestine.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in primary healthcare centers in Nablus district from May to July 2015. Data were collected using structured questionnaire interviews with parents to collect information on food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices, alongside sociodemographic characteristics.

    RESULTS: Four-hundred and twelve parents were interviewed, 92.7% were mothers. The median knowledge score was 12.0 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 11.0-14.0. The median attitude score was 11.0 with IQR of 10.0-13.0, while the median practice score was 18.0 with IQR of 16.0-19.0. Significant modest positive correlations were found between respondents' knowledge and attitude scores regarding food poisoning (r = 0.24, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/psychology*
  2. Determination of trans- and cis-urocanic acid in relation to histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine contents in tuna (Auxis Thazard) at different storage temperatures
    Zare D, Muhammad K, Bejo MH, Ghazali HM
    J Food Sci, 2015 Feb;80(2):T479-83.
    PMID: 25586500 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.12752
    Scombroid fish poisoning is usually associated with consumption of fish containing high levels of histamine. However, reports indicate that some cases have responded to antihistamine therapy while ingested histamine levels in these cases were low. Potentiation of histamine toxicity by some biogenic amines, and release of endogenous histamine by other compounds such as cis-urocanic acid (UCA) are some hypotheses that have been put forth to explain this anomaly. Very little is known about the effects of storage conditions on the production of both UCA isomers and biogenic amines in tuna. Thus, the production of trans- and cis-UCA, histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine in tuna during 15 d of storage at 0, 3, and 10 °C and 2 d storage at ambient temperature were monitored. The initial trans- and cis-UCA contents in fresh tuna were 2.90 and 1.47 mg/kg, respectively, whereas the levels of putrescine and cadaverine were less than 2 mg/kg, and histamine was not detected. The highest levels of trans- and cis-UCA were obtained during 15 d storage at 3 °C (23.74 and 21.79 mg/kg, respectively) while the highest concentrations of histamine (2796 mg/kg), putrescine (220.32 mg/kg) and cadaverine (1045.20 mg/kg) were obtained during storage at room temperature, 10 and 10 °C, respectively. Histamine content increased considerably during storage at 10 °C whereas trans- and cis-UCA contents changed slightly. The initial trans-UCA content decreased during storage at ambient temperature. Thus, unlike histamine, concentrations of trans- and cis-UCA did not result in elevated levels during storage of tuna.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/pathology
  3. Fulltext Seafood poisoning symptom, treatment and prevention
    Yoshida, Teruaki, Zarinah Waheed, Mohd Yusof Ibrahim, Mohammad Illzam Elahee, Shahjee Hussain, Sharifa Mariam Uma Abdullah, et al.
    Borneo Journal of Marine Science and Aquaculture, 2018;2(1):64-69.
    MyJurnal
    Food related disease or food poisoning is prevalent worldwide and is associated with high mortality. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, enterotoxins, mycotoxins, chemicals, histamine poisoning (scombroid) ciguatera and harmful algal bloom (HAB). Illness can also result by red tide while breathing in the aerosolized brevitoxins (i.e. PbTx or Ptychodiscus toxins). Bacterial toxin food poisoning can affect within 1-6 hours and 8-16 hours, and illness can be with or without bloody diarrhea. The common symptoms of food poisoning include abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. Diagnosis includes examination of leftover food, food preparation environment, food handlers, feces, vomitus, serum and blood. Treatment involves oral rehydration, antiemetic, and anti-peristaltic drugs. Antimicrobial agents may be needed in the treatment of shigellosis, cholera, lifesaving invasive salmonellosis and typhoid fever. Proper care in handling and cooking is important to prevent any food borne diseases.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  4. Growth, bioconversion of isoflavones and probiotic properties of parent and subsequent passages of Lactobacillus upon ultraviolet radiation
    Yeo SK, Liong MT
    Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2012 Nov;63(7):821-31.
    PMID: 22264088 DOI: 10.3109/09637486.2011.652942
    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation (UVB; 90 J/m²) on growth, bioconversion of isoflavones and probiotic properties of parent and subsequent passages of L. casei FTDC 2113. UV radiation significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) the growth of parent cells in mannitol-soymilk fermented at 37°C for 24 h. This had led to an enhanced intracellular and extracellular β-glucosidase activity with a subsequent increase in bioconversion of isoflavones in mannitol-soymilk (P < 0.05). UV radiation also promoted (P < 0.05) the tolerance of parent cells towards acidic condition (pH 2 and 3) and intestinal bile salts (oxgall, taurocholic and cholic acid). In addition, parent treated cells also exhibited better (P < 0.05) adhesion ability to mucin and antimicrobial activity compared to that of the control. All these positive effects of UV radiation were only prevalent in the parent cells without inheritance by first, second and third passage of cells. Although temporary, our results suggested that UV radiation could enhance the bioactive and probiotic potentials of L. casei FTDC 2113, and thus could be applied for the production of probiotic products with enhanced bioactivity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/microbiology; Foodborne Diseases/prevention & control
  5. Fulltext Acute anuric renal failure following jering bean ingestion
    Wong JS, Ong TA, Chua HH, Tan C
    Asian J Surg, 2007 Jan;30(1):80-1.
    PMID: 17337378
    Djenkol beans or jering (Pithecellobium jeringa) is a traditional delicacy consumed by the local population in Malaysia. Jering poisoning or djenkolism is characterized by spasmodic pain, urinary obstruction and acute renal failure. The underlying pathology is an obstructive nephropathy, which is usually responsive to aggressive hydration and diuretic therapy. We present a case of djenkolism following ingestion of jering. The patient required urgent bilateral ureteric stenting following the failure of conservative therapy. Healthcare providers need to recognize djenkolism as a cause of acute renal failure and the public educated on this potential health hazard.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/etiology*
  6. Djenkol bean poisoning (djenkolism): proposals for treatment and prevention
    West CE, Perrin DD, Shaw DC, Heap GH, Soemanto
    Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1973 Dec;4(4):564-70.
    PMID: 4274568
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/etiology; Foodborne Diseases/prevention & control
  7. Fulltext An outbreak of typhoid from a wedding party in Bachok district, Kelantan, 2003
    Wan Mansor, W.H., Hamizah, M.S., Wan Sulaili, W.S., Jeriah, I., Che Nok @ Nawi, I., Noraini, I., et al.
    Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2003;3(2):53-57.
    MyJurnal
    On March 17, 2003 the Kelantan Health Department was notihed about a possible typhoid outbreak following a wedding party. An investigation was carried out to identiy the source and recommend control measures. Active case detection, yield investigation and case»control study were conducted. Cases were symptomatic attendees with a stool or blood culture positive for Salmonella
    typhii. Each control had a negative culture and denied symptoms. Of the more than 1 OOO guests, 477 experienced fever; 152 met the case definition. The party hostess was found to be an Salmonelb typhii carrier. Syrup prepared with untreated well water was identified as the most likely source for this outbreak, with an odds ratio 14.0 (95% C1: 2.9, 104.1). This was a common source
    outbreak of typhoid. We recommend that all food handlers at large parties be screened for typhoid and other foodborne diseases and samples of higherisk foods should be kept for few days after each event in case they are needed for testing.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  8. ENTEROAGGREGATIVE ESCHERICHIA COLI O104 FROM THAI AND IMPORTED MALAYSIAN RAW BEEF
    Wameadesa N, Sae-lim A, Hayeebilan F, Rattanachuay P, Sukhumungoon P
    Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2017 Mar;48(2):338-50.
    PMID: 29642296
    Local Thai and imported Malaysian beef in southern Thailand area carry
    several Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serotypes. STEC O104 is an
    important pathogen capable of causing outbreaks with considerable morbidity
    and mortality. This study investigated the presence of E. coli O104 from local Thai
    and imported Malaysian beef obtained from markets in Hat Yai City, Songkhla
    Province during August 2015 - February 2016. Thirty-one E. coli O104 strains
    were isolated from 12 beef samples (16% and 23% Thai and imported Malaysian,
    respectively). Thirty strains possessed aggA (coding for a major component of
    AAF/I fimbriae), a gene associated with enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) pathotype,
    and all strains carried fimH (encoding Type 1 fimbriae). Thirty strains
    belonged to phylogenetic group B1 and one strain (from Malaysian beef) to group
    A. Agglutination of yeast cells was observed among 29 E. coli O104 strains. Investigation
    of stx2 phage occupancy loci demonstrated that sbcB was occupied in 12
    strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility assay revealed that 7 strains were resistant
    to at least one antimicrobial agent and two were multi-drug resistant. One strain
    carried extended spectrum β-lactamase gene blaCTX-M and three carried blaTEM. PFGE-generated DNA profiling showed identical DNA pattern between that of
    one EAEC O104 strain from Thai beef and another from Malaysian beef, indicating
    that these two strains originated from the same clone. This is the first report
    in Thailand describing the presence of EAEC O104 from both Thai and imported
    Malaysian beef and their transfer between both countries. Thorough surveillance
    of this pathogen in fresh meats and vegetables should help to prevent any possible
    outbreak of E. coli O104.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/microbiology; Foodborne Diseases/epidemiology*
  9. Fulltext Molecular quantitation and characterization of Vibrio cholerae from different seafood obtained from wetmarket and supermarket
    Vengadesh, L., Son, R., Yoke-Kqueen, C.
    International Food Research Journal, 2012;19(1):45-50.
    MyJurnal
    Vibrio cholerae still represents a significant threat to human health worldwide despite the advances in hygiene, consumer knowledge, food treatment and food processing. In Malaysia, statistics in year 2009 have shown that among the food and water borne diseases, food poisoning has the highest incidence rate of 36.17 per 100,000 populations and with a mortality rate of 0.01 per 100,000 populations. In this study, 22 seafood samples comprising of fish, squid, crustacean and mollusks purchased from wet market and supermarket were analyzed. The Most Probable Number (MPN) and real time PCR was used to enumerate the Vibrio cholerae in seafood sample. The results showed that MPN-real time PCR of the samples from wet market had a maximum of >1100 MPN/g compare to 93 MPN/g enumerated from the MPN plate. The MPN-real time PCR in the samples from supermarket indicated 290 MPN/g as compared to 240 MPN/g enumerated from the MPN plate. The standard curves showed that there was a good linear correlation between the Ct values. The minimum level of detection of Vibrio cholerae standard DNA at targeted gene was 3 x 10-5 ng/μl.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  10. Fulltext Hemolysins and plasmid profiles of Vibrio parahaemolyticus
    Vadivelu J, Puthucheary SD, Mitin A, Wan CY, van Melle B, Puthucheary JA
    Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1996 Mar;27(1):126-31.
    PMID: 9031414
    Forty clinical isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were studied for the production of the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), and the TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) including the respective encoding genes, tdh and trh. The presence of TDH and its encoding genes were found amongst 95% of the strains, whereas the TRH was absent amongst these isolates. Thirty-two isolates were found to be plasmid-free, whereas eight isolates possessed plasmids with sizes ranging from 2.4 > or = 23 kb. Using a DNA probe coding for the homologous region of the tdh and trh, it was found that the tdh genes were present on the chromosomal DNA.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/microbiology*
  11. Fulltext Host, pathogen and the environment: the case of Macrobrachium rosenbergii, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and magnesium
    Tiruvayipati S, Bhassu S
    Gut Pathog, 2016;8:15.
    PMID: 27114742 DOI: 10.1186/s13099-016-0097-1
    Macrobrachium rosenbergii is well-known as the giant freshwater prawn, and is a commercially significant source of seafood. Its production can be affected by various bacterial contaminations. Among which, the genus Vibrio shows a higher prevalence in aquatic organisms, especially M. rosenbergii, causing food-borne illnesses. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a species of Vibrio is reported as the main causative of the early mortality syndrome. Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in M. rosenbergii was studied previously in relation to the prawn's differentially expressed immune genes. In the current review, we will discuss the growth conditions for both V. parahaemolyticus and M. rosenbergii and highlight the role of magnesium in common, which need to be fully understood. Till date, there has not been much research on this aspect of magnesium. We postulate a model that screens a magnesium-dependent pathway which probably might take effect in connection with N-acetylglucosamine binding protein and chitin from V. parahaemolyticus and M. rosenbergii, respectively. Further studies on magnesium as an environment for V. parahaemolyticus and M. rosenbergii interaction studies will provide seafood industry with completely new strategies to employ and to avoid seafood related contaminations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  12. Fulltext The effectiveness of food handler training programmes in Malaysia and Ireland to prevent food-borne disease
    Tirmizi, L.I.T., Brand, H., Son, R., New, C.Y.
    Food Research, 2018;2(3):247-257.
    MyJurnal
    According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), globally 600 million people suffer
    from food-borne diseases (FBD), and 420,000 people die as a result. The European Food
    Safety Authority (EFSA) has stated that FBD are linked to the food industry, with the
    most common means of transmission being due to poor food handling and hygiene by
    food handlers working in the food industry. The aim of this research was to investigate the
    effectiveness of mandatory food handler training programmes (FHTP) to prevent FBD in
    Malaysia and Ireland. To do this, the FHTP existing in Malaysia and Ireland were
    analysed, in addition to the legislation they fall under in each respective country.
    Effectiveness was determined by investigating the level of food safety knowledge (FSK)
    and food safety practices (FSP) of food handlers in Malaysia and Ireland. A systematic
    literature review (SLR) and a narrative literature review (NLR) were conducted for this
    research. The SLR was based on the PRISMA diagram, using the Confidence in the
    Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (CERQual) approach to evaluate the
    studies used for this research. A total of 8 Malaysian studies and 1 Irish study were used to
    determine the level of FSK and FSP of food handlers in each respective country, to
    examine the effectiveness of FHTP. The results of the studies used for this research have
    depicted overall good FSP and FSK of food handlers in Malaysia and Ireland; yet trends
    continue to show that food handlers are one of the biggest contributors to FBD,
    demonstrating that FHTP are not effective in preventing FBD. The findings from this
    research highlights that although these trainings can be an effective tool to prevent FBD, if
    they are not executed correctly, food handlers will continue to contribute to FBD.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  13. Molecular analysis of Salmonella enteritidis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and ribotyping
    Thong KL, Ngeow YF, Altwegg M, Navaratnam P, Pang T
    J Clin Microbiol, 1995 May;33(5):1070-4.
    PMID: 7615707
    A total of 61 isolates of Salmonella enteritidis were analyzed by the techniques of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and ribotyping. Twenty-three of the isolates were from Zurich, Switzerland, and 38 isolates were from the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Five of the Malaysian isolates were hospital-related outbreak strains and were shown to be indistinguishable by PFGE analysis following digestion with three different restriction endonucleases, XbaI (5'-TCTAGA-3'), SpeI (5'-ACTAGT-3'), and AvrII (5'-CCTAGG-3'). The PFGE pattern of an isolate from a suspected carrier staff nurse was found to be identical to those of the hospital outbreak isolates. These isolates were also indistinguishable by ribotyping with SmaI and SphI. The same single PFGE pattern was also detected in 29 of 32 sporadic isolates of S. enteritidis. Four closely related ribotypes were detected among these 29 isolates. Similarly, outbreak-related strains from Switzerland showed close genetic identity by PFGE and ribotyping. Strains obtained from poultry showed more variations in their PFGE patterns and ribotypes, although the patterns were still closely related. In addition, SphI ribotypes A and D among the Swiss strains correlated with phage types 4 and 8, respectively. No correlation of phage types with PFGE pattern was noted. Both PFGE and ribotyping indicate that the S. enteritidis strains circulating in Malaysia and Switzerland are very similar and may be clonally related. Comparison of the PFGE patterns with the ribotypes for 23 Swiss and 16 Malaysian isolates showed that there was a 69% concordance in the grouping of isolates. We conclude that the close genetic similarity observed between epidemiologically unrelated and outbreak-related isolates of S. enteritidis suggests that both PFGE and ribotyping are of limited value in the epidemiological analysis of these particular isolates, possibly because of the highly clonal nature of pathogenic strains of S. enteritidis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/microbiology; Foodborne Diseases/epidemiology
  14. Fulltext Draft Genome Sequences of Three Multiantibiotic-Resistant Campylobacter jejuni Strains (2865, 2868, and 2871) Isolated from Poultry at Retail Outlets in Malaysia
    Teh AH, Lee SM, Dykes GA
    Genome Announc, 2016;4(3).
    PMID: 27151799 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00331-16
    Campylobacter jejuni is a frequent cause of human bacterial gastrointestinal foodborne disease worldwide. Antibiotic resistance in this species is of public health concern. The draft genome sequences of three multiantibiotic-resistant C. jejuni strains (2865, 2868, and 2871) isolated from poultry at retail outlets in Malaysia are presented here.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  15. Fulltext Human and animal invasive muscular sarcocystosis in Malaysia--recent cases, review and hypotheses
    Tappe D, Abdullah S, Heo CC, Kannan Kutty M, Latif B
    Trop Biomed, 2013 Sep;30(3):355-66.
    PMID: 24189667
    Sarcocystosis, an unusual parasitic zoonotic disease, is caused by coccidian/ apicomplexan protozoa in humans and animals. The parasites usually develop in a heteroxenous predator-prey life-cycle involving final (carnivore) and intermediate (omnivore/herbivore) hosts. Besides the intestinal, non-invasive form of the disease in which humans and animals are the definitive hosts for certain Sarcocystis spp., the invasive form has come to recent attention. In the latter, humans and animals serve as intermediate host harbouring sarcocysts in their muscle tissue. Already in 1991 sarcocystosis was seen as a potential emerging food borne zoonosis in Malaysia, and in 2011 and 2012 the largest cluster of symptomatic human muscular sarcocystosis world-wide was reported from Tioman Island, Pahang state. In this review, we focus on invasive sarcocystosis in humans and animals in Malaysia, review the recorded cases and epidemiology, and present hypotheses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/epidemiology*; Foodborne Diseases/parasitology; Foodborne Diseases/pathology; Foodborne Diseases/veterinary*
  16. Fulltext Attachment of Salmonella strains to a plant cell wall model is modulated by surface characteristics and not by specific carbohydrate interactions
    Tan MS, Moore SC, Tabor RF, Fegan N, Rahman S, Dykes GA
    BMC Microbiol, 2016 09 15;16:212.
    PMID: 27629769 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0832-2
    BACKGROUND: Processing of fresh produce exposes cut surfaces of plant cell walls that then become vulnerable to human foodborne pathogen attachment and contamination, particularly by Salmonella enterica. Plant cell walls are mainly composed of the polysaccharides cellulose, pectin and hemicelluloses (predominantly xyloglucan). Our previous work used bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models to study the interaction between Salmonella and the various plant cell wall components. We demonstrated that Salmonella attachment was favoured in the presence of pectin while xyloglucan had no effect on its attachment. Xyloglucan significantly increased the attachment of Salmonella cells to the plant cell wall model only when it was in association with pectin. In this study, we investigate whether the plant cell wall polysaccharides mediate Salmonella attachment to the bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models through specific carbohydrate interactions or through the effects of carbohydrates on the physical characteristics of the attachment surface.

    RESULTS: We found that none of the monosaccharides that make up the plant cell wall polysaccharides specifically inhibit Salmonella attachment to the bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that Salmonella cells can penetrate and attach within the tightly arranged bacterial cellulose network. Analysis of images obtained from atomic force microscopy revealed that the bacterial cellulose-pectin-xyloglucan composite with 0.3 % (w/v) xyloglucan, previously shown to have the highest number of Salmonella cells attached to it, had significantly thicker cellulose fibrils compared to other composites. Scanning electron microscopy images also showed that the bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose-xyloglucan composites were more porous when compared to the other composites containing pectin.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that the attachment of Salmonella cells to cut plant cell walls was not mediated by specific carbohydrate interactions. This suggests that the attachment of Salmonella strains to the plant cell wall models were more dependent on the structural characteristics of the attachment surface. Pectin reduces the porosity and space between cellulose fibrils, which then forms a matrix that is able to retain Salmonella cells within the bacterial cellulose network. When present with pectin, xyloglucan provides a greater surface for Salmonella cells to attach through the thickening of cellulose fibrils.

    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  17. Fulltext Spatial analysis of food poisoning cases and its environmental relations in Sabah, Malaysia
    Syed Sharizman Syed Abdul Rahim
    Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(106):4-4.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Food poisoning usually occurs with the consumption of contaminated food. Some related factors are unsafe water supply, poor sanitation, unhygienic waste disposal and unhygienic practices or poor personal hygiene by food handlers. The purpose of this study is to describe the spatial epidemiology of food poisoning cases in the four districts of Sabah. Methods: This review consists of all food poisoning cases reported from 2011 to 2014 from Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Putatan and Papar, Sabah. The coordinates used for locations of cases are based on home addresses. Tools such as SPSS v20, ArcGIS v10 and CrimeStat IV were used for data analysis and mapping. Results: A total of 1,787 cases of food poisoning were reported during this review period. In 2011, only Kota Kinabalu and Pa-par illustrated significant food poisoning clusters. Meanwhile, in the year 2012 to 2014, Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan had clustering of cases. Analysis of nearest neighbour hierarchical clustering analysis showed 32 food poisoning clusters. There were 4 food poisoning points at 500 meters radius around a market place, 2 food poisoning points near a sewage plant and 1 food poisoning point near a water treatment plant. No cases were near a municipal landfill. For rivers and coastline, there were 37 points of food poisoning cases in the proximity of 500 meters. Con-clusion: Food poisoning usually occurs in clusters with possible associated environmental factors.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  18. AN OUTBREAK OF TETRODOTOXIN POISONING FROM CONSUMING HORSESHOE CRABS IN SABAH
    Suleiman M, Muhammad J, Jelip J, William T, Chua TH
    Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2017 Jan;48(1):197-203.
    PMID: 29644840
    The horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) is consumed by those
    residing near the coastal areas of Kota Marudu District in Malaysia, as it is considered
    a delicacy. During June to August, 2011 thirty cases of tetrodotoxin poisoning
    were reported from Kota Marudu District following ingestion of horseshoe
    crabs caught in Kota Marudu Bay. The purpose of this study is to describe this
    case series in order to determine risk factors to prevent further outbreaks. There
    were six confirmed and 24 probable cases of tetrodotoxin poisoning identified in
    the study area during the study period as diagnosed by clinical presentation and
    laboratory findings. Symptoms included dizziness (80%), circumoral and lingual
    numbness (80%), hand and feet numbness (63.3%), nausea and vomiting (30%)
    and weakness and difficulty in breathing (26.6%). Three cases (10%) died while 27
    cases recovered. Forty-seven percent of the cases had onset of symptoms within
    30 minutes of ingestion and 14% 31-60 minutes after ingestion of horseshoe crab
    meat. Urine samples were collected from the cases, while horseshoe crabs, cockles
    and sea water from the epidemic area were also taken for analysis. Tetrodotoxin
    was detected in the urine of six cases; the highest concentrations recorded were
    among the three cases who died. High tetrodotoxin concentrations were found
    in the hepatic cecum and eggs of the tested horseshoe crabs. Dinoflagellates were
    not detected in the sea water or cockle samples. Intensive health education was
    initiated quickly to stop other members of the Marudu Bay community from
    consuming the horseshoe crabs. This is the first documented epidemic of tetrodotoxin
    poisoning in Sabah.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases*
  19. Fulltext Structural equation modelling of food safety knowledge, attitude and practices among consumers in Malaysia
    Soon JM, Wahab IRA, Hamdan RH, Jamaludin MH
    PLoS One, 2020;15(7):e0235870.
    PMID: 32639978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235870
    Factors contributing to foodborne illnesses in Malaysia were identified as insanitary food handling procedures and lack of hygiene in food preparation area. Food safety at home is a critical point as consumers represent the final step in food preparation and prevention of foodborne diseases. This study aims to investigate the food safety knowledge, attitude and self-reported practices among consumers in Malaysia. An online survey was conducted, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. A model linking food safety knowledge and attitude and their direct effects on practices were confirmed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The proposed model fulfilled the goodness of fit indices and is deemed acceptable. Respondents demonstrate good level of food safety knowledge and positive attitudes and self-reported practices. Food safety knowledge has a negative and insignificant relationship with food safety practices (β1 = -0.284, p>0.05) while attitude significantly affects food safety practices (β1 = 0.534, p<0.05). The findings clearly indicate that food safety knowledge does not directly affect food safety practices This is also the first study to provide new empirical findings on thermometer usage among consumers in Malaysia. This study establishes an important point of reference where consumers use visual appearances to determine if food is thoroughly cooked and practice washing raw chicken prior to cooking. Food safety practices at home play a critical role in protecting consumers in reducing risks of foodborne illnesses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases
  20. Current intervention strategies for the microbial safety of sprouts
    Sikin AM, Zoellner C, Rizvi SS
    J Food Prot, 2013 Dec;76(12):2099-123.
    PMID: 24290689 DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-12-437
    Sprouts have gained popularity worldwide due to their nutritional values and health benefits. The fact that their consumption has been associated with numerous outbreaks of foodborne illness threatens the $250 million market that this industry has established in the United States. Therefore, sprout manufacturers have utilized the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended application of 20,000 ppm of calcium hypochlorite solution to seeds before germination as a preventative method. Concentrations of up to 200 ppm of chlorine wash are also commonly used on sprouts. However, chlorine-based treatment achieves on average only 1- to 3-log reductions in bacteria and is associated with negative health and environmental issues. The search for alternative strategies has been widespread, involving chemical, biological, physical, and hurdle processes that can achieve up to 7-log reductions in bacteria in some cases. The compilation here of the current scientific data related to these techniques is used to compare their efficacy for ensuring the microbial safety of sprouts and their practicality for commercial producers. Of specific importance for alternative seed and sprout treatments is maintaining the industry-accepted germination rate of 95% and the sensorial attributes of the final product. This review provides an evaluation of suggested decontamination technologies for seeds and sprouts before, during, and after germination and concludes that thermal inactivation of seeds and irradiation of sprouts are the most practical stand-alone microbial safety interventions for sprout production.
    Matched MeSH terms: Foodborne Diseases/etiology; Foodborne Diseases/epidemiology; Foodborne Diseases/prevention & control*
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