[relayed from CDC Health Alert Network] The New York State Department of Health and Pennsylvania Department of Health are investigating Brucella RB51 exposures that may be connected to consuming raw (unpasteurized) milk from Miller’s Biodiversity Farm in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. Symptoms of brucellosis can include fever, sweats, malaise, anorexia, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and potentially more serious complications (e.g., endocarditis, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and neurologic symptoms). In pregnant patients, Brucella infections can be associated with miscarriage. Symptom onset can occur anywhere from five days to six months following exposure. As of January 22, 2019, exposures have been identified in 19 states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Yacine NIA and Isabelle MUTEL organised a training session held in our permises in Maisons-Alfort (FR) on 11-12 December 2018. This training session was dedicated to the detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins according to the European Screening method and the new EN ISO 19020. NRLs Participants : Ivana IVANOVIC - Agroscope of Switzerland; Thorsten BLUME - SpiezLab of Switzerland; Marina DOUKA - Department of Food Hygiene of Athens of Greece.

Bertrand LOMBARD participated virtually (teleconference) to a part of the last meeting of the Working Group 3 on method validation of the subcommitte ISO/TC 34/SC 9 “Food products-Microbiology”. It took place on 4-6 December 2018 at Sciensano (BE-NRL for Listeria monocytogenes & coagulase positive staphylococci, Brussels). WG 3 is in charge of developing the series EN ISO 16140 on method validation/verification in food chain microbiology. This meeting was mainly dedicated to the preparation of the final vote, further to the ISO/DIS vote and CEN Enquiry, on the 4 following parts: Part 3: method verification; Part 4: method validation in a single laboratory; Part 5: factorial interlaboratory validation for non-proprietary methods; Part 6: validation of alternative (proprietary) methods for microbiological confirmation and typing procedures. The final votes are expected to be launched by mid-2019. B. Lombard ensured a liaison with WG 2 which provides a statistical expertise to prepare these standards.

Bertrand LOMBARD participated virtually (teleconference) to a part of the last meeting of the Working Group 3 on method validation of the subcommitte ISO/TC 34/SC 9 “Food products-Microbiology”. It took place on 4-6 December 2018 at Sciensano (BE-NRL for Listeria monocytogenes & coagulase positive staphylococci, Brussels). WG 3 is in charge of developing the series EN ISO 16140 on method validation/verification in food chain microbiology. This meeting was mainly dedicated to the preparation of the final vote, further to the ISO/DIS vote and CEN Enquiry, on the 4 following parts: Part 3: method verification; Part 4: method validation in a single laboratory; Part 5: factorial interlaboratory validation for non-proprietary methods; Part 6: validation of alternative (proprietary) methods for microbiological confirmation and typing procedures. The final votes are expected to be launched by mid-2019. B. Lombard ensured a liaison with WG 2 which provides a statistical expertise to prepare these standards.

On 19 and 20 September 2018, Yacine NIA organised at the NRL a training session at AGES, the Autrian NRL for CPS in Graz. This training session was dedicated to the detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins according to the European Screening method. Sigrid Fleck, Kornelia Voetsch, Kathrin Hauser, Andrea Kormann-Klement took part to the practical session.

Yacine NIA from EURL CPS and Kati MIELKE from BfR (DE NRL) organised on 6th September a technical meeting on the confirmatory ELISA for Staphylococcal Enterotoxins in food matrices.

The working group 17 of  ISO/TC 34/SC 9 has conducted the revision of EN ISO 18593:2018 on Horizontal methods for surface sampling in the frame of microbiology of the food chain. This working group chaired by Léna Barre (EURL for Listeria monocytogenes) was composed by 24 members and 5 observers coming from all around the world. This CEN ISO standard published in June 2018 specifies horizontal methods for sampling techniques using contact plates, stick swabs, sponges and cloths on surfaces in the food chain environment in order to detect and enumerate culturable microorganisms such as pathogenic or non-pathogenic bacteria or yeasts and moulds: Microbiology of the food chain - Horizontal methods for surface sampling (ISO 18593:2018).

The proficiency test organised by the EU RL in 2019 will be on the identification of Paenibacillus larvae, the American foulbrood agent, by microscopic examination in crushed honeybee larvae. The proficiency test will be organised in March 2019 and it will aim at evaluating the conformity (specificity and sensitivity) of the results obtained using the method routinely used in the participating laboratories for the diagnosis of American foulbrood. The deadline for registration is 15th. February 2019. We remind that these proficiency tests are mainly intended for the National Reference Laboratories and the Official Laboratories of the European Union. If other laboratories are interested in participating in a proficiency test, please contact eurl.bee@anses.fr for more information.      

AOAC Europe – NMKL – NordVal International arrange an international symposium in Oslo on 3-4 June 2019 SPEEDING TOWARDS –OMICS …. Chemical and Microbiological Food Analyses The aim of the symposium is to bring together scientists, technicians and companies to discuss emerging technologies and techniques with emphasis on recent advances and applications in food analyses. The scope of this symposium is to discuss different aspects of use, validation and application of –omics related to food, but not only.. The topics listed by the programming committee are: Genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, foodomics New rapid methods Multi-methods Hand-held instrumentation Digitalization of the analytical process (from sampling to interpretation of results) The venue is Nationaltheatret konferansenter KS Agenda, Haakon VIIs gate 9, Oslo, Norway (https://www.nationaltheatretkonferansenter.no) Ordinary registration fee is 400 EUR, 200 EUR for students. Please submit abstracts to nmkl@food.dtu.dk for poster presentations before 19 March 2019. The abstract should include the title of the topic, name of the presenter(s) and contact information. Main contents should be max 150 words. Among the abstracts we will choose some to be briefly presented. The best poster will be awarded. If you would like to contribute as an exhibitor, please notify nmkl@food.dtu.dk. For further information, please also visit www.aoaceurope.com or www.nmkl.org Deadline for registration : 19 March 2019

Wishing you all the timeless treasures of Christmas… The warmth of home, the love of family and the company of good friends. The EURL Team