Outbreak of Salmonella serotype Anatum infection associated with unpasteurized orange juice

Area of Science:

• Food safety
• Microbiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• A 1999 outbreak linked unpasteurized orange juice to Salmonella Anatum infections.
• Public health surveillance identified additional cases with similar Salmonella Anatum strains.

Observation:

• A cohort study investigated illness among consumers of orange juice and ice cream from a specific Florida manufacturer.
• Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) confirmed indistinguishable or closely related Salmonella Anatum strains in patients.
• Contamination was suspected during the manufacturing process, indicated by positive Salmonella and coliform tests in juice samples.

Findings:

• Nine percent of consumers who drank the manufacturer's orange juice or ate ice cream reported illness.
• A significantly lower illness rate (2%) was observed in individuals who did not consume these products.
• Three of four identified patients consumed orange juice from the implicated manufacturer.

Implications:

• The findings highlight the risk of pathogen transmission through unpasteurized juice.
• This study supports the recommendation for pasteurization or equivalent pathogen reduction processes for all commercially produced orange juice.
• Ensuring food safety in juice production is critical to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.