Joe Whitworth

Joe Whitworth is a food and beverage trade journalist. Prior to reporting for Food Safety News, he worked for William Reed Business Media since 2012 as Editor of Food Quality News before becoming food safety editor for Food Navigator. Whitworth has moderated sessions at Food Ingredients Europe in 2015 and The Ingredients Show in 2018. Before joining William Reed, he worked on newspapers run by Fairfax Media in Australia. Whitworth graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

Firm/Organization: Marler Clark LLP, PS

Blogs: Food Safety News

Latest Articles

Food Safety News

Netherlands ‘vulnerable’ to emerging food safety risks

By Joe Whitworth on June 26, 2019

The food system in the Netherlands is vulnerable to emerging food safety risks, according to the Dutch Safety Board. After the discovery of fipronil in eggs in 2017, the Dutch Safety Board investigated how emerging risks to food safety are detected and assessed in the Netherlands. It found there is no structured approach to detecting and assessing such risks so they are not always identified or discovered too late and people can become ill unnecessarily as…

Food Safety News

Norwegian agency assesses Listeria risk from sushi

By Joe Whitworth on June 25, 2019

Proper storage of raw seafood and good hygiene is important to avoid contaminating sushi with Listeria at amounts that can cause illness, according to a risk assessment in Norway. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) looked at Listeria monocytogenes in sushi after a Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) request, so the agency can update its advice on eating sushi for pregnant women and other vulnerable groups. The likelihood of vulnerable groups being…

Food Safety News

Increase in vibrio illnesses prompts warning in New Zealand

By Joe Whitworth on June 23, 2019

Food safety officials in New Zealand are urging people to cook raw mussels thoroughly after an increase in food poisoning. New Zealand Food Safety reported a rise in people with food poisoning caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus during the past six weeks. A spokeswoman from the New Zealand Ministry of Health told Food Safety News that 28 Vibrio parahaemolyticus patients had been notified in the past six weeks but two infections were acquired overseas. “Of the 26…

Food Safety News

Law enforcement seizes tons of fake food in 78-country Interpol, Europol sting

By Joe Whitworth on June 22, 2019

interpol europol opson vii — Investigators found this poultry kept in substandard conditions in Albania.

More than $117 million worth of potentially dangerous food and drink has been seized in an operation coordinated by Interpol and Europol. Operation Opson VIII found tampered expiration dates on cheese and chicken, controlled medicines added to drinks, and meat stored in unsanitary conditions. Police, customs, national food authorities and the private sector in 78 countries took part in the five-month operation from December 2018 to April 2019. Some 16,000 tons and 33 million liters…

Food Safety News

Researchers develop screening method to find mycotoxins in raw wheat

By Joe Whitworth on June 20, 2019

Scientists have developed a method to detect two types of mycotoxins in wheat products. Researchers from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and CNR-National Council of Italy developed the method based on infrared spectroscopy to find Deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat bran and Ochratoxin A (OTA) in durum wheat. Research on DON was published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. The work on OTA is published in the Food Chemistry…

Food Safety News

Cyclospora parasites have infected nine in England so far this year

By Joe Whitworth on June 19, 2019

illustration Cyclospora whats in your gut

As of early June, nine people have been sickened by the Cyclospora parasite in England this year, with the source of infection not yet known. The sick people had traveled to several other countries, including the Dominican Republic, Indonesia and Mexico. Infection is usually acquired from food or water contaminated by human feces. Microscopic amounts of feces are enough to contaminate large amounts of food and beverages. Previous outbreaks have been traced to soft fruits like…

Food Safety News

Salmonella cases in UK from food on cruise ships confirmed with WGS

By Joe Whitworth on June 18, 2019

The United Kingdom has reported 24 cases of Salmonella linked to travel on cruise ships. Salmonella Enteritidis cases are from cruise ships visiting destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. The outbreak was detected through whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis. They have sampling dates from May 6 to 21, 2019. Five other cases have sample dates ranging from 2014 to 2018. Of the 24 cases in 2019, 12 are female and the median age is…

Food Safety News

Rise in UK chickens positive for top levels of Campylobacter

By Joe Whitworth on June 16, 2019

The percentage of chickens positive at the highest level of Campylobacter contamination in the United Kingdom has increased, according to the latest figures. For the top nine retailers, 3.5 percent of fresh whole chicken samples tested from January to March 2019 carried more than 1,000 colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) of Campylobacter. The figure for previous results from October to December 2018 was 3.1 percent, for July to September it was 3.5 percent while…

Food Safety News

Listeria outbreak expands with two more deaths

By Joe Whitworth on June 15, 2019

Tablet with the text Listeriosis the display

Another two people have died in England as part of a Listeria outbreak linked to eating pre-made sandwiches, bringing the total deaths to five. Whole Genome Sequencing analysis by Public Health England (PHE) has identified three more infections bringing the total number to nine. All cases had existing medical conditions or are from vulnerable groups in healthcare settings. PHE analyzed previously known cases of Listeria from the past two months to see if they were…

Food Safety News

Australian egg Salmonella outbreak a ‘learning experience’

By Joe Whitworth on June 14, 2019

Ash and Sons Eggs salmonella australia — Eggs previously recalled by CR and M Ash and Sons

Responding to a Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs has been a learning experience for government and industry, according to a group owned by egg farmers. Australian Eggs, which works with the industry and Australian Government, said Salmonella Enteritidis is not endemic in the country. The producer-owned company added government and industry have responded to a new and unique bacteria and novel scenarios from increased free range egg production. On June 14, The Egg Basket recalled Country Fresh…

Joe Whitworth

Netherlands ‘vulnerable’ to emerging food safety risks

Norwegian agency assesses Listeria risk from sushi

Increase in vibrio illnesses prompts warning in New Zealand

Law enforcement seizes tons of fake food in 78-country Interpol, Europol sting

Researchers develop screening method to find mycotoxins in raw wheat

Cyclospora parasites have infected nine in England so far this year

Salmonella cases in UK from food on cruise ships confirmed with WGS

Rise in UK chickens positive for top levels of Campylobacter

Listeria outbreak expands with two more deaths

Australian egg Salmonella outbreak a ‘learning experience’

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