A batch of Normandy PDO camemberts marketed between March 20 and April 26, 2018 was recalled on Thursday, after the discovery of the bacterium Escherichia coli. What are the health risks if you have eaten it?
A batch of pie charts de Normandie AOP – marketed under various brands in all shops across the country – was recalled on Thursday, following a test revealing the presence of “Escherichia coli O26: H11”, the bacteria Escherichia coli. Fromagerie du Plessis indicates in its press release that the recall targets lot 260218DS0, packaged in a wooden box and marketed between March 20 and April 26, 2018. The expiry date of the lot has been set for May 11, 2018.
“No patient or case of food poisoning related to the affected batch has been brought to the attention of the company and the health authorities” specified the company. People who notice that they are in possession of a product from the lot concerned are asked to bring it back to where they bought it.
Presentation of the bacteria Escherichia coli
The bacteria Escherichia coli multiplies every 20 minutes at a temperature of 37 °. There are many different strains. Some are constantly present in our digestive system and completely harmless while others can cause various infections such as gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections or meningitis.
Regularly, these strains are the cause of food poisoning via the consumption of animal products that are poorly cooked or eaten raw, dairy products made from raw milk and, more rarely, raw vegetable products. The faeces of ruminants present in the soil, in manure and in water (ponds, streams) are also a possible source of contamination.
In the case of food infections, as it could be the case because of these contaminated pie charts, the incriminated strain is a Escherichia coli capable of producing Shiga-toxins, that is, toxins that destroy certain cells in the intestine.
Symptoms of a food infection
The first symptoms appear in the week following the consumption of contaminated food and take the form of gastroenteritis with diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting … It often heals spontaneously within 8 days, but it happens in children. , in 5 to 8% of cases, that the infection progresses to a more serious form.
This is because the infection can lead to bloody diarrhea which produces a potent toxin that causes hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which attacks red blood cells and kidneys and sometimes requires heavy treatments such as blood transfusions and dialysis. HUS is fatal in 3-5% of cases. In France, around a hundred cases of hemolytic and uremic syndromes are declared each year in children under 15 years old: 60% of them are under 2 years old, in particular because their digestive and immune system is less able to recover. defend against infection.
In 2005, contaminated chopped steaks had infected about sixty people, including more than two thirds of children under 13 years old. In 2012, three children were hospitalized at the Bordeaux University Hospital for infections also caused by the bacterium E. coli. In 2015, the infection was diagnosed in 111 children under the age of 15, one of whom died. People with this type of symptom after consuming contaminated cheese are therefore advised to seek medical advice promptly and inform them of the nature of the germ.
Some hygiene tips
We find the bacteria Escherichia coli in large quantities in the intestines of cattle. It is in fact recommended to cook minced beef thoroughly, especially for children under 5 years old.. Raw milk cheeses are not recommended for young children and the elderly.
Some basic hygiene rules must also be observed in the kitchen: separate raw food from cooked food, clean fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs well before eating them raw and wash your hands before preparing meals and as often as needed. It is also recommended to avoid contact of very children under 5 years old with farm animals, especially cattle, sheep and their environment.
La Fromagerie du Plessis is available to answer their questions at the following telephone number: 0 805 805 950 (free number from France).
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