[reblogged from wordpress]

  There are many very good reasons for having knowledge of basic food hygiene and one of the biggest of all is called ‘salmonella’.  In the United States, up to 142,000 people contract ‘salmonella enteritidis’ every single year.  99 percent of these people will make a full recovery, but it can actually prove to be fatal in a handful of cases. 

  Salmonella infection can come about in several different ways.  It is very important to be aware of these as they can all be avoided very easily.

• Water that is left pooled on worktops or unused water in containers.
• Dirty food or kitchen equipment.
• Unwashed hands (particularly after they have been in contact with animals).
• The water from frozen fowl if it has not been thawed properly. 

  Most kitchen hygiene boils down to simple common sense.  You should always wash your hands before handling produce, animals should never be allowed in a food preparation area and peelings, puddles or spillages should be cleaned up immediately and thoroughly.

Recently the Food Hygiene Blog reported a massive increase in cases of a certain type of salmonella across England and Wales in 2009. Regular readers will remember that it was suspected the incidents were related to eggs sourced from outside the UK, specifically one establishment in Spain.

Yesterday, the Food Standards Agency updated us on the progress of this investigation, reporting that Spanish authorities have found salmonella in a flock at Granja Avícola ‘El Angel’, in Spain. From now one, no eggs from the affected flock will be distributed until total decontamination is complete. Naturally the FSA is advising any companies that have received eggs from Granja Avícola ‘El Angel’ not to sell them and instead send them to be pasteurised. Although they have already contacting every establishment known to have purchased these eggs, they cannot be certain they have reached everybody.

As far as consumer advice goes, it is important to remember this is not a major outbreak; the majority of eggs on sale in the UK are sourced in the UK, meaning there is a much lower chance of them containing salmonella. However, as you can never be 100% certain, it is highly advisable to read up on food hygiene and eggs.

Salmonella is estimated to be responsible for around 1000 deaths ever year and is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the UK. For this reason, the latest findings into outbreaks of salmonella in the UK are especially worrying.

Last year, there were 137 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis (PT) 14b recorded across England and Wales. This year, there have been 443 cases – an increase of 223%! An investigation is being carried out in 144 clusters of cases, in an attempt to ascertain whether there is a common source of infection. After linking them outbreaks to some catering establishments and a care home, it is suspected the clusters may be connected to eggs sourced from outside the UK; including an establishment in Spain.

It is worth remembering that there are very low instances of salmonella being found in eggs sourced in the UK. Although there can be no guarantee that any egg will be free from salmonella, it is sensible to source your eggs wisely and make sure you cook them properly. For more help of cooking eggs properly, see the Cooking Eggs post.