Monthly Archives: October 2015

USDA

Video Link

In an effort to educate children and their families about the importance of food safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Ad Council are joining 20^th Century FOX to launch a series of public service advertisements (PSAs) featuring Alvin and the Chipmunks. The PSAs use footage from the upcoming film Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip to introduce viewers to four steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook and chill.

An estimated 1 in 6 (48 million) Americans get sick from foodborne illness each year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children are among the most vulnerable to food poisoning because their immune systems are still developing, so caregivers need to take extra precautions when preparing food for children under five.

The partnership includes TV, radio, out-of-home and web advertising. Parents and children can also find kid-friendly activities that further reinforce the food safety steps by visiting FoodSafety.gov.

“Young children are at a higher risk for foodborne illness, and keeping them safe is a top priority for FSIS,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Alfred Almanza. “These familiar characters offer USDA a great opportunity to communicate this valuable public health message in a way to get the attention of children and parents.”

The new PSAs are an extension of USDA and Ad Council’s Food Safe Families campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the risk of foodborne illness and encourage families to learn and practice key steps that will help everyone stay safe from foodborne illness through the following safe food handling behaviors:

• Clean: Wash hands with soap and warm water before and after handling raw food. Clean all surfaces and utensils with soap and hot water. Wash all produce under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.
• Separate: Use separate plates and utensils to avoid cross-contamination between raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs and foods that are ready to eat (like already cooked foods or raw vegetables).
• Cook: Cook foods to the safe temperature by using a food thermometer.
• Chill: Chill foods promptly if not consuming immediately after cooking. Don’t leave food at room temperature for longer than two hours, or 1 hour if temperature is above 90°F.

Consumers can see these new PSAs and learn more about key food safety practices at Foodsafety.gov, by ‘following’ @USDAFoodSafety on Twitter, and by ‘liking’ Facebook.com/FoodSafety.gov. Consumers with questions about food safety, can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or chat live with a food safety specialist at AskKaren.gov, available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, in English or Spanish.

If you have questions about storage times of food or beverages, download USDA’s new FoodKeeper application for Android and iOS devices.

BBC News

Another person has been diagnosed with E. coli in an outbreak linked with venison, Health Protection Scotland has said.

All 11 of those now affected by the same strain of E. coli O157 had consumed venison which was purchased raw and cooked at home before falling ill.

Health watchdogs have linked the outbreak to Dundee firm Highland Game.

None of the 11 patients are in hospital.

Visalia Times-Delta 

The California Food and Drug Administration has ordered a state-wide recall of raw milk produced by milk Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno.

That recall follow a quarantine order after campylobacter bacteria was discovered in some of the company’s milk. The CDFA reported on Friday that no illnesses have been reported from people drinking the affected milk

getwestlondon

A court heard how six elderly residents, who were staying at the Grange Care Centre in Southall, fell ill after eating a puréed beef meal.

The company was find  £14,500

Food Safety News 

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is collaborating with federal and provincial public health partners to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis in eight provinces.

To date, the source of this outbreak has not been identified, but the investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Currently, there are 34 cases of Salmonella Infantis illness in eight provinces: British Columbia (3), Alberta (6), Saskatchewan (2), Manitoba (2), Ontario (16), Quebec (3) Nova Scotia (1), and New Brunswick (1).

Individuals became sick between June 12 and Sept. 20, 2015. The majority of those sickened are female, with an average age of 41 years. Eight people have been hospitalized, and all have recovered or are recovering. No deaths have been reported.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Gogo squeeZ^®  is recalling some of its applesauce fruit pouches because some common mold has grown in some of the products. An independent lab tested the mold and found it doesn’t pose a health risk, but it is unpleasant, so the company is recalling the product.

The products with a “Best Before Date” between 6/30/16 and 7/26/16 made in the U.S. are being recalled. The product was shipped nationwide. No other GoGo squeeZ^® products are affected by this recall. The company is working with the FDA to find and fix the problem.

FDA

ECOLA Seafoods Inc. of Cannon Beach, Oregon is voluntarily recalling ALL canned salmon and tuna with any code starting with “OC” because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death.  Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms:  general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing.  Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms.  People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTED CASES OF ILLNESS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR PRODUCT TO DATE.

FDA

The Garibaldi Cannery LLC of Garibaldi, Oregon is voluntarily recalling ALL cans with any code starting with “OC” of The Garibaldi Cannery canned products because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms:  general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

There have been no reported cases of illness to date.

FDA

As a follow up to the recall issued by Skipanon Brand Seafoods, Pacific Oyster Company d/b/a The Fish Peddler of Bay City, Oregon, is voluntarily recalling canned tuna, salmon, and smoked salmon (any code starting with “OC” located under the can) that was sold at its restaurant/retail store, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension, and constipation. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

There have been no reported cases of illness to date.

FDA

P. East Trading Corp. located at 710 Longfellow Ave, Bronx, NY 10474 is recalling Salted Smoked Split Herring because the product was found to be uneviscerated.

The recalled Salted Smoked Split Herring was sold in New York and New Jersey. The Salted Smoked Split Herring is a product of Canada. The product was packaged in 18lb wooden boxes with a May 19, 2015 date. The product was repacked by stores for retail sale.

The uneviscerated Salted Smoked Split Herring was sampled by a New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspector during a routine inspection. Subsequent analysts of the product by New York State Food laboratory personnel confirmed the herring was not properly eviscerated prior to processing.

The sale of this type of fish is prohibited under the New York State Agriculture and Markets regulations because Clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish. Uneviscerated fish have been liked to outbreaks of botulism poisoning.

This product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause botulism, a serious and potentially fatal food-borne illness. Symptoms of botulism include blurred or double vision, general weakness, poor reflexes, difficulty in swallowing and respiratory paralysis.

No illnesses have been reported to date In connection with this problem. Consumers that have purchased Salted Smoked Split Herring are advised not to eat it and should return it to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions may contact P. East Trading Corp. at (718) 991-6070.

CFIA 

Portuguese Cheese Co. Ltd. is recalling St. Jorge and Queijo São Jorge raw milk cheese from the marketplace because they may contain the toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

The Queijo São Jorge raw milk cheese may have been sold in smaller packages, cut and wrapped by some retailers. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased affected products should check with their retailer.

CFIA

Costco Wholesale Canada Inc. is voluntarily recalling Alpine Fresh brand Snap Peas from the marketplace due to possible Cyclospora contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

The following product has been sold from Costco locations across Ontario.

RASFF-fumonisins (4734 µg/kg – ppb) in corn meal from Portugal in Luxembourg

RASFF-deoxynivalenol (DON) (3.06 mg/kg – ppm) in corn from Austria in Switzerland

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in blue cheese from the United Kingdom in the UK

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes in enoki mushrooms from South Korea in the Netherlands