Monthly Archives: August 2016

Hong Kong -Food Alert – Not to consume two batches of pre-packaged fish roe suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

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Issue Date 2016-08-05
Source of Information Food Safety Centre, Macau
Food Product Prepackaged fish roe
Product name and Description Product name: Fish roe Brand: QSeafoods Importer: Quality Products (HK) Ltd Net weight: 1000 grams / 35.27 ounces Manufacturing dates: February 25 and April 12, 2016 Best before dates: February 24 and April 11, 2018
Reason For Issuing Alert
– Upon receipt of a notification from the Food Safety Centre, Macau, that the two batches of prepackaged fish roe imported from Hong Kong were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) immediately contacted the local importer concerned, Quality Products (HK) Ltd. According to information provided by the importer, the affected products were all supplied to distributors in Hong Kong and Macau, with no stock left.
– The importer concerned is now recalling the products of the two affected batches and to stop the sale of products of same kind but of different batches.
– Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in the newborns.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
– The CFS is tracing the distribution of the products concerned. The CFS has also taken samples of products of the same kind but of different batches from the manufacturer for testing.
– The CFS will alert the trade of the incident and request them to stop using or selling the affected products.
– The CFS will continue to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate follow-up action to safeguard food safety and public health. Investigation is still ongoing.
Advice to the Trade
– Stop using or selling the affected products if having them in possession.
Advice to Consumers – Not to consume the affected batches of the products.
– Seek medical advice if feeling sick upon consumption.
Further Information The CFS press release

– For enquiries about the recall of the above-mentioned products, consumers may call the manufacturer (Tel: 2149 5266) during office hours.

Centre for Food Safety Food and Environmental Hygiene Department 2016-08-05

 

USA -FDA finds Listeria throughout onion processing plant in WA

Food Safety News

Inspectors from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently found Listeria monocytogenes in an onion processing facility in Washington state where some wholesale vegetable products, recalled in April, may be linked to several illnesses.

The Oregon Potato Co., doing business as Freeze Pack, was told in a July 15 warning letter from FDA’s Seattle District Office that, following a March inspection of its processing plant in Pasco, WA, a number of environmental swabs taken there tested positive for the pathogen.

 

USA -Texas advisory on Cyclospora suggests produce as source.

Food Safety News 220px-Cyclospora_cayetanensis_stained

Texas officials are investigating an increasing number of Cyclospora parasite infections, asking for help from health care providers and warning the public that fresh produce is the possible source.

As of Thursday, 72 cases had been confirmed in the state, said Press Officer Christine Mann. That’s up from the 55 cases reported Monday in a health advisory from the state health department.

 

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin -Pistachio – Hazlenut – Peanuts – Berber Spice

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RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 51.9; Tot. = 67.4 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernels from Turkey in Greece

RASFF – aflatoxins (Tot. = 14.93) in roasted chopped hazelnut kernels from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 14.7; Tot. = 16.3 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from the United States in the UK

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 83; Tot. = 94 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled pistachios from the United States in France

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 11.7; Tot. = 12.6 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts in shell from China in the UK

RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 22.3; Tot. = 63.2 µg/kg – ppb) and ochratoxin A (65 µg/kg – ppb) in berbere spice mix from Ethiopia in Germany

RASFF Alerts – Ochratoxin -Raisins – Grape Juice – Berbere Spice

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RASFF – ochratoxin A (18.43 µg/kg – ppb) in raisins with raw material from Uzbekistan, via Lithuania in Poland

RASFF – ochratoxin A (8.3 µg/kg – ppb) in grape juice from grape juice concentrate from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 22.3; Tot. = 63.2 µg/kg – ppb) and ochratoxin A (65 µg/kg – ppb) in berbere spice mix from Ethiopia in Germany

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella-Sesame Seeds – Chicken – Betel Leaves – Fuet Catalan

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RASFF – Salmonella (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in hulled sesame seeds from India in Greece

RASFF – Salmonella typhimurium (presence /25g) in chicken meat from France in France

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in frozen marinated chicken wings from the Netherlands in France

RASFF – Salmonella (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in betel leaves from India in the UK

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken fillets from Poland, via Germany in France

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in fuet catalan from Spain in France

RASFF Alert – Histamine -Chilled Bonito

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RASFF – histamine (>800 mg/kg – ppm) in chilled bonito (Sarda sarda) from Morocco in Spain

RASFF Alert – E.coli – Mussels

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RASFF – too high count of Escherichia coli (490 MPN/100g) in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Italy in Italy

RASFF Alert-STEC E.coli -Raw Milk Cheese

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RASFF – enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (O26:H11; stx1 -; stx2 -; eae +) in raw milk cheese from France in France

 

RASFF Alerts – Animal Feed – Enterobacteriaceae -Dog Chews

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RASFF – high count of Enterobacteriaceae in dog chew from China in Sweden

RASFF – too high count of Enterobacteriaceae (880; 230 CFU/g) in dog chews from China in Spain