Consistent with the need to provide safe feeding for all infants, FAO and WHO jointly convened an expert meeting on Enterobacter sakazakii and other microorganisms in powdered infant formula (Geneva, 2 to 5 February 2004). The workshop was organized in response to a specific request to FAO/WHO for scientific advice from the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene to provide input for the revision of the Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practice for Foods for Infants and Children. After reviewing the available scientific information, the expert meeting concluded that intrinsic contamination of powdered infant formula with Enterobacter sakazakii and Salmonella has been a cause of infection and illness in infants, including severe disease which can lead to serious developmental sequelae and death. This report, co-published with WHO, looks at a range of control strategies during both manufacture and subsequent use of powdered infant formula that may be implemented to minimize the risk.

This report provides a review of documented Enterobacter sakazakii (Cronobacter spp.) infections worldwide in infants and young children as well as the existing surveillance systems and their capacity to capture cases of E. sakazakii (Cronobacter spp.) infection. It reports the discussions and outcome of the third FAO/WHO technical meeting (Washington, D.C., 15-18 July 2008) convened to inform the decision-making process on the development of a microbiological criterion in the Codex Alimentarius--Publisher's description.

In response to a request from Codex for additional advice on this issue FAO/WHO implemented an expert meeting on 16 - 20 January 2006 to address the questions from Codex and evaluate a quantitative risk assessment model for E. sakazakii in powdered infant formula that the organizations had developed.

Jointly issued by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. This publication contains the findings of an FAO/WHO expert meeting, held in Geneva in February 2004.

Enterobacter sakazakii and Salmonella are the primary pathogens of concern with regard to powdered infant formula. Guidance for the control of these hazards is currently being developed by Codex Alimentarius through the revision of the Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practices for Foods for Infants and Children. FAO and WHO are providing the scientific advice to facilitate this work. FAO and WHO implemented the first meeting on this issue in 2004, the outcome of which is reported in number six of this series. This report builds on the information and advice provided in 2004. Following the analysis of new and additional information and the development of a more extensive risk assessment on E. sakazakii in powdered infant formula, this volume aims to provide the most up-to- date information on these microorganisms, the risk associated with their presence in powdered infant formula and scientific advice to facilitate the management of that risk.--Publisher's description.

The first and only comprehensive reference/solutions manual for managing food safety in low-moisture foods The first book devoted to an increasingly critical public health issue, Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods reviews the current state of the science on the prevalence and persistence of bacterial pathogens in low-moisture foods and describes proven techniques for preventing food contamination for manufacturers who produce those foods. Many pathogens, such as Salmonella, due to their enhanced thermal resistance in dry environments, can survive the drying process and may persist for prolonged periods in low-moisture foods, especially when stored in refrigerated environments. Bacterial contamination of low-moisture foods, such as peanut butter, present a vexing challenge to food safety, and especially now, in the wake of widely publicized food safety related events, food processors urgently need up-to-date, practical information on proven measures for containing the risk of contamination. While much has been written on the subject, until now it was scattered throughout the world literature in scientific and industry journals. The need for a comprehensive treatment of the subject has never been greater, and now this book satisfies that need. Discusses a wide variety of foods and evaluates multiple processing platforms from the standpoint of process validation of all food safety objectives for finished food products Takes a practical approach integrating the latest scientific and technological advances in a handy working resource Presents all known sources and risk factors for pathogenic bacteria of concern in the manufacturing environment for low-moisture/water activity products Characterizes the persistence and thermal resistance of bacterial pathogens in both the environment and most low-moisture food products Control of Salmonella and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Low-Moisture Foods is a much-needed resource for food microbiologists and food industry scientists, as well as managers and executives in companies that produce and use low-moisture foods. It also belongs on the reference shelves of food safety regulatory agencies worldwide.