Monthly Archives: April 2015

RASFF– high count of Enterobacteriaceae (3000 CFU/g) in dog chew from China

FDA

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a judge has ordered L.A. Star Seafood Company Inc., located in Los Angeles, and its owners, Sima and Sam Goldring, to halt operations until they demonstrate to the FDA that they can process food in compliance with food safety laws and regulations.

In 2012, at the FDA’s request, the company recalled some of its products due to potential contamination. In 2013, the FDA inspected the L.A. Star facility, and sent the company a warning letter detailing steps the company must take to comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements. In 2014, another inspection of the L.A. Star facility documented the company and its owners’ continued failure to comply with the law.

“The FDA takes legal action to protect the public’s health when it is necessary,” said Melinda K. Plaisier, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “This consent decree represents an agreement between the FDA and L.A. Star to ensure that if and when they reopen for business, they will be producing food that meets food safety requirements.”

The consent decree of permanent injunction requires L.A. Star to control for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) and Clostridium botulinum (C. bot), two disease-causing bacteria. The consent decree also requires the company to devise and implement Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point plans and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures, and train staff in both.

Radio New Zealand News

Campylobactor is the bug responsible for most cases of human food poisoning and most of those were linked to infected poultry.

But the MPI said since performance targets were introduced in 2008, setting contamination limits for poultry processors, the number of notified cases of people infected with campylobacter had halved.

There had also been a significant reduction in birds testing positive for the bacteria.

Two years ago, the Ministry introduced a campylobacter detection limit and it was now reviewing the effectiveness of that and seeking feed-back on options, which included tightening up limits.

Phnom Penh Post

Ingredients thought to have caused a mass outbreak of food poisoning on Saturday at a Siem Reap province event organised by the NGO World Vision were seized yesterday and sent to Phnom Penh to undergo tests.

A crowd of more than 700 people, mainly comprising schoolchildren, attended the event in Chi Kraeng district, which focused on raising awareness about child labour. But free snacks organised by the NGO – a baguette filled with meat and pickles – left the majority unwell.

Siem Reap Provincial Governor Khem Bunsung said 542 people, including 364 children, had fallen ill. He added that most had been quickly discharged from hospital, with just 30 people remaining at health centres yesterday afternoon.

However, Um Sareth, the head of a health centre in Pongro Loeu commune, said the real number was much higher, with more than 800 people reporting symptoms of food poisoning.

FDA 

Hannaford Supermarkets is alerting customers of a product recall. Nature’s Place Roasted Unsalted Mixed Nuts and Nature’s Place Cranberry Mix have been recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.

The mixed nut products are in 9 – ounce and 9.5 – ounce packages. The item numbers are 725439 94507 and 725439 94563.

The supplier of the items, Aurora Products, has been advised of a positive test result for Salmonella in walnuts that are contained in these products. Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall.

Customers are advised to discard these products and bring the sales slip to any store to receive a full refund.

About Hannaford Supermarkets

Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 186 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. All Hannaford stores feature Guiding Stars, America’s first storewide nutrition navigation system, and most stores have full-service pharmacies. Hannaford employs more than 26,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.

FDA

Aurora Products, Inc. is expanding its voluntary nationwide recall of certain lots of NATURAL WALNUTS and TRAIL MIXES CONTAINING WALNUTS, to include one additional Private Label branded customer and to clarify the name of two products previously recalled. Products are being recalled because they have the potential to contain Salmonella which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The expanded recall covers product that was distributed to one retail store located in New York City.

No illnesses have been reported to date.