The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued an alert for cheese products thought to contain Listeria monocytogenes. The products are certain Deschamps brand and Fromagerie Marie Kadé brand cheese these products have been distributed in Quebec and Ontario. There have been no reported illnesses but these products have possible contamination.
Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Listeria, Microbiology, outbreak
The FDA have warned consumers not to eat certain brands ASSI Brand Oysters from Washington State as they are contaminated with Norovirus and have caused illness. The oysters, were served in a Washington state restaurant and were eaten by three people who became ill, have been sampled and tested positive by FDA for norovirus genotypes I and II.
Records indicate that this product was shipped to the states of Washington, California, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, and Utah
Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Virus, Microbiology
An outbreak of Shigella sonnei in Norway has been linked to fresh basil used in making pesto, there were 46 cases have been detected the product has been withdrawn from the market. The link above describes the investigation that was undertaken.
Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Microbiology, outbreak
Schreiber Processing Corporation have recalled some broiled chicken liver products linked to a cluster of Salmonellosis illness around New Jersey and New York, the products appear to be cooked but do in fact require further cooking before consumption. The serotype implicated is Salmonella Heidelberg, the full article can be found at the link above.
Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak, Salmonella
According to an article from the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) the recent Salmonella outbreak in Denmark was traced to tomato’s from a producer in Southern Italy. The Salmonella serotype found was Salmonella Strathcona previously not found in Denmark. There were 24 known cases in this outbreak there is none of the product left on the shelves and it is thought that the outbreak is finished.
Posted in Uncategorized
The BSA has announced that it is going to adopt the FSA Food Hygiene Rating System. The BSA are rolling the scheme out and will require members to operate to level three, this will provide a controlled monitoring system and highlight the importance of food safety and manufacturing.
Posted in Uncategorized
Food Production Daily has reported that food recalls in the US were up by six fold between July and September with Listeria accounting for 25% of the recalls. Although recalls due to Salmonella had reduced. The report also goes into further detail of other reasons for product recall.
One of the thoughts that I had on this was that perhaps the switch to ‘zero’ tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes, much talked about in the UK and Europe had been introduced in the US. Therefore it is probably not surprising that recalls based on possible Listeria contamination had gone up. This along with the recent cantaloupe outbreak which has left 29 dead.
Lab M have updated their online and hard copy media catalogue which can be found at the following link. Rapid Microbiology
Posted in Uncategorized
RTT News has reported that Texas food company Whittington’s has recalled some beef jerky products in Texas after possible Salmonella contamination was discovered during a routine inspection by an official body.
An article in Food Navigator USA has reported concerns in the US about the funding of the Food Safety Modernisation Actt and the impact the act has had in light of the US Listeria Cantaloupe outbreak which is now the worst in US history with 29 deaths.
Posted in Uncategorized
FoodWorld 