Estimating Foodborne Gastroenteritis, Australia

An estimated 4.0–6.9 million episodes of foodborne gastroenteritis occur in Australia each year

Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever: Systematic review to estimate global morbidity and mortality for 2010

Typhoid and paratyphoid fever remain important causes of morbidity worldwide. Accurate disease burden estimates are needed to guide policy decisions and prevention and control strategies

Experts\u27 views regarding Australian school-leavers\u27 knowledge of nutrition and food systems

Objective: To explore Australian experts\u27 views regarding strengths and gaps in school-leavers\u27 knowledge of nutrition and food systems ( N & FS) and factors that influence that knowledge. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 highly experienced food-related experts in Australia. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using Attride-Stirling\u27s thematic network framework. Results: Two global themes and several organising themes were identified. The first global theme, \u27structural curriculum-based problems\u27, emerged from three organising themes of: inconsistencies in provided food education programs at schools in Australia; insufficient coverage of food-related skills and food systems topics in school curricula; and the lack of trained school teachers. The second global theme, \u27insufficient levels of school-leavers knowledge of N & FS \u27, was generated from four organising themes, which together described Australian school-leavers\u27 poor knowledge of N & FS more broadly and knowledge translation problem for everyday practices. Conclusion: Study findings identified key problems relating to current school-based N & FS education programs in Australia and reported knowledge gaps in relation to N & FS among Australian school-leavers. Implications: These findings provide important guidance for N & FS curriculum development, to clearly articulate broadly-based N & FS knowledge acquisition in curriculum policy and education documents for Australian schools

In the interest of food safety: a qualitative study investigating communication and trust between food regulators and food industry in the UK, Australia and New Zealand

Background Food regulatory bodies play an important role in public health, and in reducing the costs of food borne illness that are absorbed by both industry and government. Regulation in the food industry involves a relationship between regulators and members of the industry, and it is imperative that these relationships are built on trust. Research has shown in a variety of contexts that businesses find the most success when there are high levels of trust between them and their key stakeholders. An evidence-based understanding of the barriers to communication and trust is imperative if we are to put forward recommendations for facilitating the (re)building of trusting and communicative relationships. Methods We present data from 72 interviews with regulators and industry representatives regarding their trust in and communication with one another. Interviews were conducted in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia in 2013. Results Data identify a variety of factors that shape the dynamic and complex relationships between regulators and industry, as well as barriers to communication and trust between the two parties. Novel in our approach is our emphasis on identifying solutions to these barriers from the voices of industry and regulators. Conclusions We provide recommendations (e.g., development of industry advisory boards) to facilitate the (re)building of trusting and communicative relationships between the two parties

Recovery of Salmonella from eggshell wash, eggshell crush, and egg internal contents of unwashed commercial shell eggs in Australia

The experiment was conducted to study the prevalence of Salmonella spp. on the eggshell surface, eggshell membranes or pores, and in egg internal contents from unwashed eggs collected from commercial caged layer farms in Australia. Eggshell rinsate, shell crush, and egg internal contents (yolk and albumen) of eggs were processed for Salmonella spp. Salmonella Infantis and Salmonella subspecies 1, serotype 4,12:d were isolated from the eggshell surface. Salmonella spp. were not isolated from any eggshell crush or egg internal contents. It would appear that the occurrence of Salmonella in the Australian egg industry is low.K. K. Chousalkar and J. R. Robert