Food Protection Trends - August 2008 - 620

NEWS agrees to supply the food; however, before the delivery is made, the driver is contacted and the location switched – usually to the roadside or a car park. The fraudsters then make off with the goods and attempt to sell them on elsewhere. West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit is leading the investigation into the fraud, which has affected a number of businesses in West Yorkshire as well as other firms across the country. Detective Sergeant Peter McBay, of West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit said, “This fraudulent activity has cost a number of legitimate food companies many thousands of pounds and has also raised questions about the safety of the food that is stolen from the delivery vehicles. Some of the food has cropped up for sale in locations around the country but we do not know how it has been stored in the meantime.” “We would urge all food businesses to be on the lookout for this sort of fraud and urge them to: • always check who you are doing business with • as well as doing credit checks, make a call to the business too • get your delivery drivers to ring if they are asked to make changes to their schedule • if you are suspicious at any stage call your local police.” Officers have arrested seven men, aged between 19 and 44, from Dewsbury, Bradford, Wakefield and Brighton, on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. They have all been released on police bail pending further enquiries. Colin Houston, deputy head of enforcement support division at the FSA said, “This alleged scam could be a matter of concern for consumers. If food is not stored or handled correctly it can become a breeding ground for germs and eating it could cause food poisoning. We would urge people to be on the lookout for food that might not appear to be fresh and/or is being sold very cheap. Remember if the offer looks too good to be true, it probably has a hidden catch. In this case it could be the safety of the produce. If you see anything that makes you concerned you should contact your local authority.” resistant strain, even in the absence of antibiotics. The persistence of antibiotic-resistant C. jejuni in poultry highlights the need for new strategies to control it. To prevent emergence and transmission of the antibioticresistant organisms, researchers are targeting the genes involved in the development and persistence. “We will continue our efforts to understand the antibiotic resistance mechanisms and ecology of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter,” Mr. zhang said. “We are also interested in developing intervention strategies to prevent the transmission and colonization.” Researchers tested fecal samples from both poultry and swine farms to isolate Campylobacter. They examined the isolates for susceptibility to various antibiotics and used molecular techniques to analyze the resistance-associated genetic mutations. Antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter can infect humans through contaminated poultry meat, water, or raw milk, resulting in an infection called campylobacteriosis. C. jejuni is responsible for 95 percent of Campylobacter infections in humans. Although the consumption of pork is not a major mode of Campylobacter transfer, the presence of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter on pig farms makes pork a potential source of horizontal transfer across production systems. CSREES funded this research project through the National Research Initiative’s Food Safety program. Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov. Why Does AntibioticResistant Campylobacter Persist in Poultry? ne of the most common foodborne pathogens, Campylobacter, sickens more than two million people in the United States every year. With funding from USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), scientists in Iowa are examining how this pathogen develops resistance to antibiotics and is transferred to humans via the food chain causing foodborne illness. The results of this study will help improve the safety, quality, and value of the nation’s food supply, particularly through pre-harvest intervention strategies. Campylobacter jejuni is a species associated mainly with poultry. The pathogen developed resistance to fluroquinolone antibiotics, such as Cipro, after antibiotic treatment of animals. Although the poultry industry banned these antibiotics in 2005, the presence of antibiotic-resistant strains of C. jejuni remained high. Qijing zhang and colleagues at Iowa State University found that the antibiotic-resistant strains grow more successfully in the intestinal track of poultry than the non- O 620 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | AUGUST 2008

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Food Protection Trends - August 2008

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