Tag: Norovirus outbreaks

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Advice For Food Safety Managers Re Startling Norovirus Rise In MN

Advise for Food Safety Managers re Startling Rise in MN Norovirus Infection Rate

In our daily research on current food safety risks and outbreaks, we came across an article outlining a recent rise in norovirus infections in Minnesota. Norovirus spreads extremely easily and causes vomiting, diarrhea and other stomach issues. Even though it’s easily spread, it’s also easy to combat with simple food safety measures. Let’s take a look at how food safety managers can do their part to help control norovirus spread.

Advise for Food Safety Managers re Startling Rise in MN Norovirus Infection Rate
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Controlling the Norovirus Outbreak in Minnesota

Over the course of the past year, business has been down in the food service sector, but now that things are beginning to open, our restaurants are once again nearing capacity increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses like norovirus. Fortunately, norovirus can be controlled using basic sanitation methods and monitoring employee hygiene. The simplest way to stop the spread of norovirus includes the following simple food safety steps:

The good news is that these norovirus infection issues have been reinforced due to COVID-19 prevention, but as our restaurants begin to get busier and food service workers face more hectic shifts, we cannot become lax with these basic food safety management protocols or we’ll face more foodborne illness outbreaks such as the current rise in norovirus in our state. Remember to take the time to wash your hands often, wear food-service gloves or tongs when handling food and stay home when under the weather.

Have you taken steps to review basic food safety procedures as business begins to pick up?

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Revealing New Studies On Foodborne Illness Prevention

Foodborne Illness Prevention

With an increased emphasis on sanitation due to the global pandemic, many have speculated that these regulations have had an impact on other types of illness. We recently came across an article stipulating that foodborne illnesses are down due to coronavirus countermeasures. While the studies referenced were performed in Australia and Europe, we see a direct correlation between food safety training, COVID-19 measures and foodborne illness prevention.

Revealing New Studies On Foodborne Illness Prevention
Image credit: Iakov Filimonov via 123rf

How Coronavirus Measures have Impacted Foodborne Illness Prevention

The study conducted by the Australian Government is rather extensive, so we’ll briefly break down their findings.

The Australian study showed a rather large reduction of foodborne illness cases, especially when it came to the norovirus. Norovirus outbreaks are among the most common foodborne illness issues worldwide. This study shows norovirus cases were drastically reduced, almost 80-percent less than the previous year when compared to e.Coli and salmonella, which were reduced by approximately 50 percent. European studies have also suggested that norovirus rates lowered significantly over the past year.

We can speculate that reduced restaurant patronage contributed to the reduction of foodborne illness cases, but when you consider that the spread of norovirus is easily controlled through a food safety training emphasis on sanitation and handwashing, we can account for the vastly differing percentage when compared to e.Coli and salmonella, two bacteria that can also be spread through contaminated product.

We hope to be out of the water soon when it comes to dealing with COVID-19, but if we continue to emphasize good handwashing and sanitation, maybe we can keep the momentum going on preventing other illnesses that can be stopped by good food safety training.