USA – Worker with Hepatitis A at Applebee’s in Winchester, KY

Posted on December 13, 2018 | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A worker at the Applebee’s restaurant at 1525 West Lexington Avenue in Winchester, New York has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to a public health advisory posted by the Clark County Health Department. That person worked there from November 14 through November 25, 2018.

That means it is too late to get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination, since the shot is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. If you ate food or drank beverages there during that time period, all you can do is monitor yourself for the symptoms of hepatitis A.

Those symptoms include dark urine, lethargy, clay-colored stools, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skin. These symptoms can appear anywhere from two weeks to 50 days after exposure.

Leave a comment

Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized

USA – Del Monte Foods Announces Limited Recall of Canned Fiesta Corn Seasoned with Red & Green Peppers Due to Under Processing

Posted on December 13, 2018 | Leave a comment

FDA

Del Monte Foods Inc. announced a recall of 64,242 cases of FIESTA CORN Seasoned with Red & Green Peppers due to under-processing. These deviations were part of the commercial sterilization process and could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens, which could lead to life-threatening illness if consumed. It is important to note that there have been no reports of illness associated with these products to date. No other production codes or products are affected by this recall.

The products subject to recall are 15.25-ounce (432g) cans with the following UPC number printed on the label: 24000 02770. The product will also have one of the following “Best if Used By” dates stamped on the bottom of the can:

  • August 14, 2021
  • August 15, 2021
  • August 16, 2021
  • Sept 3, 2021
  • Sept 4, 2021
  • Sept 5, 2021
  • Sept 6, 2021
  • Sept 22, 2021
  • Sept 23, 2021

The product was distributed to multiple distributors and retail locations in 25 states and 12 international locations.

Leave a comment

Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Uncategorized

USA -Organic Sunflower Butter recalled over Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on December 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Inspired Organics, LLC has issued a voluntary recall of Organic Sunflower Butter due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The product was distributed exclusively by Lipari Foods. LLC in Warren, Michigan to food service and retail stores throughout Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Ontario, Canada.

The affected product can be identified by:

Brand Product Lipari Item # Size Best By Date Lot # UPC
Inspired Organics Organic Sunflower Butter 967064 16oz 10/2019 099 863669742526

Leave a comment

Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

Europe – The European Union summary report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and food-borne outbreaks in 2017

Posted on December 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

ECDC

This report of the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control presents the results of zoonoses monitoring activities carried out in 2017 in 37 European countries (28 Member States (MS) and nine non-MS). Campylobacteriosis was the commonest reported zoonosis and its EU trend for confirmed human cases increasing since 2008 stabilised during 2013–2017. The decreasing EU trend for confirmed human salmonellosis cases since 2008 ended during 2013–2017, and the proportion of human Salmonella Enteritidis cases increased, mostly due to one MS starting to report serotype data. Sixteen MS met all Salmonella reduction targets for poultry, whereas 12 MS failed meeting at least one. The EU flock prevalence of target Salmonella serovars in breeding hens, laying hens, broilers and fattening turkeys decreased or remained stable compared to 2016, and slightly increased in breeding turkeys. Salmonella results on pig carcases and target Salmonella serovar results for poultry from competent authorities tended to be generally higher compared to those from food business operators. The notification rate of human listeriosis further increased in 2017, despite Listeria seldom exceeding the EU food safety limit in ready-to-eat food. The decreasing EU trend for confirmed yersiniosis cases since 2008 stabilised during 2013–2017. The number of confirmed shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections in humans was stable. A total of 5,079 food-borne (including waterborne) outbreaks were reported. Salmonella was the commonest detected agent with S. Enteritidis causing one out of seven outbreaks, followed by other bacteria, bacterial toxins and viruses. The agent was unknown in 37.6% of all outbreaks. Salmonella in eggs and Salmonella in meat and meat products were the highest risk agent/food pairs. The report further summarises trends and sources for bovine tuberculosis, Brucella, Trichinella, Echinococcus, Toxoplasma, rabies, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), West Nile virus and tularaemia.

Leave a comment

Posted in Campylobacter, E.coli, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Salmonella, Toxoplasma gondii, Toxoplasmosis, Uncategorized, water microbiology

Research – University of Otago researchers study burden of Listeria in pregnant women in New Zealand

Posted on December 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

The first study of the burden of listeria in pregnant New Zealanders and their babies has found reassuringly low rates of the infection – indicating food safety warnings are working to prevent unnecessary cases of miscarriage, still birth, and meningitis in babies infected in the womb. However in those who contract the infection, the consequences are devastating, with the lives of 12 unborn babies claimed over two decades, and more than 100 people hospitalised.

The University of Otago, Christchurch, study found disproportionately high levels of the infection in mothers and babies identified as Pacific Islanders.

Listeria is most commonly transmitted by the consumption of contaminated food. Pregnant women are about 18 times more likely to get the infection than the general population. It most commonly presents in the third trimester of pregnancy (from 28 weeks) and is rarely fatal in the mother, but can seriously affect infants and children.

Leave a comment

Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized

France -83 now sick with Salmonella from raw milk cheese in France

Posted on December 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

Barf Blog

The number of people sick from Salmonella in reblochons, a type of raw milk cheese specific to the Savoy region of the Alps in France, has risen from 14 to 83.

Public Health France first withdrew the reblochons on Nov. 24, 2018.

Of the 83 people identified so far, 65 were able to be interviewed by the ARS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Public Health France about their symptoms and their food consumption before the onset of symptoms. Symptoms range from 16/09 to 19/11, with a peak in week 40 (from 1st to 07/10/2018). Fifteen people were hospitalized for their salmonellosis: they are now out and are well; no deaths have been reported. Consumption of reblochon with raw milk before the onset of symptoms is reported by 80% of the cases confirmed by the CNR and interviewed.

Leave a comment

Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Raw Milk, raw milk cheese, Salmonella, Uncategorized

UK – E.coli scare at nursery sparks NHS probe

Posted on December 12, 2018 | Leave a comment

The World News

kswfoodworld E.coli O157

Image CDC

 

Perthshire school was involved in an E.coli scare last week, the PA can reveal.NHS Tayside launched an investigation after a suspected case of the bacteria in a child at Errol Primary School’s nursery.

The nursery will undergo three days of deep cleaning as a “precautionary measure”.

Parents at the school were issued with letters from the health board with information on the infection.

The child was being tested for the non O157 strain of the infection.

Speaking on Friday a spokesperson at NHS Tayside confirmed: “NHS Tayside’s health protection team is aware of and currently investigating a single suspected case of E.coli non O157 infection in a child who attends a nursery in Perthshire.

“As a precaution, a letter has been issued to parents of children at the nursery for information and reassurance.

“The risk to the wider public is very low.”

Leave a comment

Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized