Published Date: 2000-08-21 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> Food poisoning, milk - Japan (05)
Archive Number: 20000821.1393

FOOD POISONING, MILK - JAPAN (05)
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See Also

Food poisoning, milk - Japan 20000702.1091
Food poisoning, milk - Japan (02) 20000703.1108
Food poisoning, milk - Japan (03) 20000706.1118
Food poisoning, milk - Japan (04) 20000707.1135
Food poisoning, milk - Japan (Osaka): recall 20000630.1076
Date: Sun. 20 Aug 2000
From: Akira Goto <dolphin@mail.ne.jp>
Source: Mainichi Daily News
<http://www.mainichi.co.jp/english/news/archive/200008/20/news03.html>

Health officials conducted an on-the-spot inspection of a Snow Brand Milk
Products factory here Saturday following the discovery of a toxin in the
company's powdered skim milk. The inspection began after Osaka Prefectural
Institute of Public Health officials discovered harmful toxins in powdered
milk produced 10 Apr 2000 at one of the company's factories in Taiki,
eastern Hokkaido.
Each gram of the milk contained an average 4 nanograms of enterotoxin, the
officials said. One nanogram is 1-billionth of a gram. A dose of 100 to 200
nanograms of enterotoxin would be enough to result in food poisoning.
Operations at the Hokkaido plant were halted by 6 a.m. Saturday after the
Health and Welfare Ministry-directed inspection was announced. Roughly 200
tons of unprocessed milk the plant received for production Saturday would
be sent to another factory, company officials said.
Osaka health officials said contaminated powdered milk was detected in two
of 25 samples confiscated by police from the company's Osaka branch earlier
this month. This milk, which was produced in Hokkaido on 10 Apr 2000 and
delivered to the Osaka factory on 20 Jun 2000, was probably behind the
poisoning of thousands who drank the company's products in late June and
July, Osaka city officials said.
The officials have not ruled out the possibility, however, that a number of
other factors contributed to the poisoning.
Dairy farmers that produce the roughly 200 tons of milk the company
receives each day for processing say it is unlikely the milk came from
infected cows.
"[The toxin-producing bacterium, _Staphylococcus aureus_ can come from
cows with mammitis, but we do not deliver infected milk, and bacteria
inspections are made every day," said Machiko Sakamoto, a 44-year-old dairy
farmer. "We deliver the milk with complete confidence. To think that we are
the cause is inconceivable."
Company officials said they would resume production at the factory as soon
as possible if no problems were discovered after Saturday's inspection.
A prefectural inspection of the Taiki factory in July showed no lack of
hygiene standards at the factory. Samples of the company's powdered skim
milk were taken during the July inspection, but no toxins were detected in
the products, Hokkaido prefectural officials said. The company's own
inspection also discovered no abnormalities.
Snow Brand officials announced they were planning to reinspect powdered
skim milk at its factories nationwide to ensure that no further problems
had arisen.
--
Akira GOTO
Pediatrician
Yamato Municipal Hospital
Kanagawa-ken, Japan
<akira.gotou@gov.city.yamato.kanagawa.jp> or
<dolphin@mail.ne.jp>
[Most of the earlier reports on this outbreak suggested that staphylococcal
enterotoxin was the prime suspect, but one later report introduced the
suspicion that _Bacillus cereus_ contamination may also have played a role.
It now appears that there is ample evidence for staphylococcal enterotoxin
contamination as the principal culprit. This thread is cut. - Mod.ES
......................................es
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