Monthly Archives: July 2015

Sweden – Salmonella – Spice

The Local

A seasoning mix has been withdrawn from Swedish supermarkets after it was linked to one of the biggest salmonella outbreaks in the country in recent years.

In the latest incident, at least 80 people picked up salmonella at a restaurant on the Swedish island of Öland last week, with Sweden’s Public Health Authority connecting the outbreak to the savoury spice mix, known as Allkrydda, which is sold in supermarkets across the nation.

It said the mix was already suspected of making dozens of other people ill, with a total of 143 salmonella cases reported in 17 out of Sweden’s 21 regions since December 2014.
Sevan has recalled all of its all spice mixes sold since October 2014 today (see below) after health officials in Sweden’s Public Health Agency suggested that the product may be linked to the outbreak, according to the Folkhälsomyndigheten – Public Health Agency of Sweden today (computer translated). It must be pointed out that health authorities had yet to definitively prove a link.

USA – STEC E.coli Outbreak

North Dakota Department of Health

The North Dakota Department of Health is investigating a possible cluster of shiga toxin – producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) (STEC) infections in eastern North Dakota. Three cases have been reported and all are less than 18 years of age and reported attending the Red River Valley Fair in West Fargo. The fair was held July 7 through 12. One of the cases has been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication of STEC infections.

Australia – High Tea – Salmonella

News.com.au

OPULENT high tea at a luxury Melbourne hotel has sent 44 people to hospital with salmonella poisoning.
Health authorities say it could take weeks to trace the cause of the outbreak, but suspect egg or chicken products may be the most likely culprit.

Those who fell sick account for more than half of 77 people identified by the Health Department as having eaten high tea at the Langham Hotel on July 11 and 12.

Herald Sun

A MOTHER almost lost her baby after becoming seriously ill with salmonella poisoning after a luxury high tea baby shower at a top city hotel.

A day after her July 12 baby shower at the Langham Hotel, the 29-year-old had to be taken to hospital.

UK – UK Retailer Sets Aggressive Targets for Campylobacter Reduction in Chicken

Food Safety News imagesCAYZ5I84

Tesco has made some of the strongest progress among U.K. retailers with regard to reducing Campylobacter levels in store-bought chicken — currently a major problem in the country, where 73 percent of chicken sold in stores is contaminated with the bacteria.

Despite its progress, the company is making continued pledges to reduce Campylobacter rates and is now setting new targets for its suppliers to reduce contamination rates even further.

By 2017, Tesco aims for its poultry suppliers to reduce the rates of chicken contaminated with high levels of Campylobacter to below five percent.

USA – FDA – Recalls – Frozen Tuna – Salmonella – Dog Treats – Salmonella

FDA

Osamu Corporation of Gardena, CA is recalling Frozen Yellow Fin Tuna Chunk Meat (Lot #68568) sold to AFC Corporation of Rancho Dominquez, CA sourced from one processing plant in Indonesia because the Minnesota Department of Health Investigators found samples of this product from one retail location in Minnesota to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism 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.

There have been two reports of illness to date associated with exposure to AFC sushi in Minnesota.

FDA

Osamu Corporation of Gardena, CA is recalling all of its frozen tuna (loin, saku, chunk, slice, and ground market forms) sourced from one processing plant in Indonesia because the Minnesota Department of Health Investigators found samples of this product from one retail location in Minnesota to be contaminated with Salmonella , an organism 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.Persons developing these symptoms should seek medical attention. There have been two reports of illness associated with a single distributor in Minnesota

The frozen tuna was sold in bulk packaging to distributors who further sold it to sushi restaurants, and grocery stores who packaged sushi rolls made available for consumers to purchase and take home, throughout the U.S. from 05/09/14 to 07/09/15 containing all sequential four digit Purchase Order Numbers (PO#) of 8563 through 8599.

The bulk frozen tuna products can be identified from the Purchase Order Number (PO#) printed on each product carton box end panel; see example below.

FDA

The Natural Dog Company, Inc. of Windsor, CO, is recalling its 12oz bags of 12″ Tremenda Sticks pet chews because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The recalled 12″ Tremenda Sticks were distributed to retail stores in CA, CO, FL, IL, MO MT, NC, OH UT and WA.

The recalled product comes in a 12oz bag without a lot number or expiration date with UPC number: 851265004957. Products with new packaging, which includes both a lot number and expiration date but the same UPC are not affected by this recall.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

USA – Green Beans – Listeria monocytogenes

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Wegmans is recalling one lot code of green beans for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. there is no word on whether or not any illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product is River Valley Gold Italian Green Bans in 16 ounce packages. The UPC number is 7898211445 and the lot code is 29520-4J11B3N. They were sold in Wegmans stores.

If you purchased this product, do not eat it. Discard in a sealed container or return to the place of purchase for a refund. Then wash out your refrigerator with a mild bleach solution, since Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures

USA – E.coli STEC – Source Unknown

E.coli Blog

The North Dakota Department of Health is investigating a possible cluster of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections in eastern North Dakota.

Three cases have been reported, all are less than 18 years of age and all reported attending the Red River Valley Fair in West Fargo which was held July 7 through 12.

One of the cases has been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe complication of STEC infections, in which red blood cells are damaged and can cause kidney damage and kidney failure.

Vietnam – Nearly 100 footwear workers hospitalised for food poisoning

Viet Nam News

HCM CITY (VNS) — Nearly 100 workers of a footwear company in HCM City’s Thu Duc District were rushed to hospitals on Wednesday evening allegedly for food poisoning.

The workers reportedly suffered from stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhoea after having dinner before the late shift.

Nguyen Thanh Binh, a doctor at the Emergency Department of Thu Duc District Hospital said that the workers displayed symptoms of food poisoning.

Forty workers received intravenous fluids.

The district’s preventive medicine centre and relevant agencies took food samples from the company’s canteen for testing.

This food poisoning case occurred just a day before a conference in northern Thai Nguyen Province on food safety at collective canteens organised by the health ministry.

Research – Microbiological Safety and Food Handling Practices of Seed Sprout Products in the Australian State of Victoria

ingentaconnect alfalfa

Seed sprouts have been implicated as vehicles for numerous foodborne outbreaks worldwide. Seed sprouts pose a unique food safety concern because of the ease of microbiological seed contamination, the inherent ability of the sprouting process to support microbial growth, and their consumption either raw or lightly cooked. To examine seed sprout safety in the Australian state of Victoria, a survey was conducted to detect specific microbes in seed sprout samples and to investigate food handling practices relating to seed sprouts. A total of 298 seed sprout samples were collected from across 33 local council areas. Escherichia coli was detected in 14.8%, Listeria spp. in 12.3%, and Listeria monocytogenes in 1.3% of samples analyzed. Salmonella spp. were not detected in any of the samples. A range of seed sprout handling practices were identified as potential food safety issues in some food businesses, including temperature control, washing practices, length of storage, and storage in proximity to unpackaged ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods.

UK – Four more affected by E.coli outbreak centred on butcher

ITV News

Four more reports of E.coli O157 infections in the North East have been received by health officials in the last 24 hours

This brings the total number of people affected to 12, of which five are in hospital.

Four of the people in hospital are children aged between eight and fourteen. The fifth person in hospital is an adult.

Although a definite source has not yet been identified, many of the affected people are known to have eaten pre-cooked meats or savoury products supplied by Robinson’s butcher and caterer who have shops in Wingate and Billingham.