Monthly Archives: November 2016

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 58; Tot. = 70 µg/kg – ppb) in nutmeg from Indonesia in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 19; Tot. = 22 µg/kg – ppb) in nutmeg from Indonesia in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 4.1 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 11.8 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Italy

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 24; Tot. = 30 / B1 = 31; Tot. = 34 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Denmark

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 1.5; Tot. = 17.6 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 31.4; Tot. = 40 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from the United States in the UK

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 12.7; Tot. = 13.6 µg/kg – ppb) in whole nutmeg from India in Germany

RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 72; Tot. = 180 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled pistachios from Iran in Italy

RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+ /25g) in fresh basil from Thailand in the Netherlands

RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella (presence /25g) in fresh mint from Laos, via the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF – histamine (2200 mg/kg – ppm) in chilled mackerel fillets from the United Kingdom in Italy

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in chilled smoked salmon from the United Kingdom in Italy

RASFF – ochratoxin A (20 µg/kg – ppb) in dried raisins from Turkey, via France in Switzerland

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in sesame seeds from India in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella Mbandaka (presence /25g) in beef trimmings from the Netherlands in Sweden

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in chives from Laos, via the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella (presence /25g) in fresh mint from Laos, via the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in turkey burger with rosemary from Italy in Croatia

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken kebab from the Czech Republic in the Czech Republic

RASFF – Salmonella Kentucky (presence /25g) in chilled turkey breast from Italy in Croatia

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken breast fillets from Poland in Croatia

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in fish meal from Morocco in Greece

RASFF – Salmonella Mbandaka (presence /25g) in frozen petfood for dogs from the United Kingdom in Norway

Food Poisoning Bulletin

In the ever-expanding group of secondary recalls of foods that were made with Sabra Hummus recalled for possible Listeria, now Greencore USA is recalling sandwiches made with those products. “Fresh to Go Mediterranean Chicken Hummus” sandwiches that were manufactured solely for 7-Eleven stores are being recalled because the Red Pepper Hummus used in the product has been recalled. The UPC number of the recalled product is 5254858888.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

LSG Sky Chefs Supply Chain Solutions is recalling sandwiches it makes for 7-Eleven stores in Washington because they were produced with recalled Sabra Dipping Company hummus. That product was recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. No reports of illness have been received to date, but the illness caused by this bacteria can take 70 days to appear.

Food Safety News

Following a customer complaint, National Steak and Poultry late Wednesday recalled about 17,500 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products because of possible undercooking.

Undercooking can allow the survival of bacterial pathogens, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

“The problem was discovered on Nov. 14 when a food service customer complained to the establishment that product appeared to be undercooked. No confirmed reports of adverse health effects or illnesses due to consumption of these products have yet to received. Anyone concerned about a health effect should contact a healthcare provider,” according to the recall notice.

7th Space

Hong Kong (HKSAR) –      The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (November 15) noted that a sample of mixed vegetable ingredient of a made-to-order smoked salmon mixed vegetable salad was found to have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Follow-up is in progress.

A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS took the sample of smoked salmon mixed vegetable salad for testing from a licensed food premises in Sha Tin under a risk assessment study on microbiological quality of vegetables and vegetable salads. The result showed that the salad sample contained Listeria monocytogenes at a level of 2 400 per gram, exceeding the standard of the Microbiological Guidelines for Food which states that no more than 100 of the pathogen per gram should be detected.”

The CFS has informed the premises concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling the food item in question immediately.

The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the premises. The premises have voluntarily suspended its business temporarily to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection. The CFS is also tracing the sources of the ingredients of the affected food item.

“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 newborns,” the spokesman said.

The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.

Investigation is ongoing.