Monthly Archives: March 2018

FDA

International Harvest, Inc of Mount Vernon, NY is recalling 14,620 lbs. of bulk and 24,270 bags of Organic Go Smile! Raw Coconut, because it has the potential 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.

The product was distributed to customers via online retailers, retail stores, and distributors. Product was directly distributed to the following states: NY, NJ, CT, CA, CO, OK, GA, VT, IL, FL, ME, WA, NH, and UT.

Recalled products are as follows:

Retail: International Harvest Brand Organic Go Smile! Dried Coconut Raw, in a 9oz poly/plastic bag, UPC: 7 39446 40220 7, with the following “Sell by Dates” on the back of the bag: 010118, 020118, 030118, 040118, 050118,060118, 070118, 080118, 090118, 100118, 110118, 120118, 010119, 020119, 030119.

Bulk: Go Smiles Dried Coconut Raw in a 25-bulk case labeled with the following batch/Lot #’s: OCSM-0010, OCSM-0011, Lot# OCSM-0014.

This recall is being initiated as a result of FDA’s laboratory analysis, which identified Salmonella in the product. We are working in cooperation with FDA to determine the root cause of the problem.

Retailers that have sold bulk product should clean and sanitize the containers used to hold this product. Consumers who have purchased the product are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 914-699-5600 Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm.

Food Safety News

A grocery chain in the Pacific Northwest is recalling several deli salads, wraps and other products because they include diced onions from Taylor Farms of Salinas, CA, that are potentially contaminated with Salmonella.

Foods sold at a dozen Haggen grocery stores in Washington are included in the recall, which the regional chain posted on its website Sunday. Neither Taylor Farms not the Food and Drug Administration had posted any recall information for diced yellow onions from the California company.

The grocer’s recall notice did not report how the possible Salmonella contamination of the Taylor Farms onions was discovered.

AVMA 

Image CDC

Two companies are recalling raw pet foods linked with salmonellosis and listeriosis in people and pets.

Together, contamination in the products has been linked with two illnesses in children and at least six reports of illnesses in pets, including one in which a kitten died, according to notices published in February by the Food and Drug Administration.

Christofersen Meats Co., doing business as Swanson Meats of Minneapolis, recalled 1- and 5-pound sealed plastic tubes of Raws for Paws Ground Turkey Food for Pets manufactured Oct. 12, 2017, because of potential contamination with Salmonella serotype Reading. One of two children sickened developed septicemia and osteomyelitis, and the same Salmonella strain was isolated from the children and four samples of the pet food.

The products were packaged in Turkey Pet Food cases bearing codes of 9900008 or 9900009 and Pet Food Combo Pack cases bearing codes 9900014 or 9900015.

Arrow Reliance issued four recalls between Oct. 17, 2016, and Feb. 10, 2018, for ZooLogics and Darwin’s Natural foods linked with Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella infections in pets. The FDA received six complaints of illnesses in dogs and cats, some involving multiple animals.

The most recent recall involves potential Salmonella contamination in ZooLogics Duck and Vegetable Meals for Dogs from lot 41957 and ZooLogics Chicken with Vegetable Meals for dogs from lot 41567.

The full list of recalled products is available at http://jav.ma/FDAfoodrecalls.

Donga 

Image CDC

South Korea’s public health authorities have confirmed that the “water tanks of portable toilets” were the reason behind an outbreak of norovirus at the host city of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics that affected around 300 security personnel for the event last month.

The authorities announced Sunday that the water tanks of mobile toilets were what caused the norovirus infection as a result of its epidemiological investigation of Horeb Youth Camp Center and other related facilities. According to the investigation, the genotype of the virus detected in water tanks was matched with those of patients. There had been around 570 portable lavatories set up during the Olympic period and ironically, water used to wash hands or brush teeth before leaving a toilet for the sake of hygiene was the culprit of infection.

Water tanks had contained underground water from the Gangwon region. It is likely that the toilets’ water tanks and septic tanks had not been properly separated, according to the authorities. Norovirus is usually spread through water contaminated with the feces of the infected.

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

River Valley Sprouts of Minnesota is recalling some of its products for possible Salmonella contamination. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recalled products are 5 ounce Alfalfa Sprouts, 4 ounce Alfalfa Sprouts, 5 ounce Garlic/Alfalfa, and 5 ounce Variety Sprouts. They were packed and shipped from March 6, 2018 through March 15, 2018. The products are packaged in a plastic cup or clam container. The sprouts were distributed in Wisconsin and Minnesota through various grocery stores. Some of the packages have sell by dates on the label ranging from March 15 through March 25, 2018.

FDA testing revealed the presence of Salmonella in some of the Alfalfa Sprouts. Production of the sprouts has been suspended while the FDA and the company investigate the problem.

If you have purchased any of these products, do not eat them, even if you are going to cook them. Throw them away in a sealed or double packaged package, or take them back to the place of purchase for a full refund.

The Columbus Telegram

Food Safety News

Days after recalling 11 tons of donated chia seeds because of rodent droppings, the Oregon Food Bank recalled almost 32 tons of pumpkin seeds and half a ton of nutritional yeast.

The reason for the yeast recall was not included in the recall notice posted by the food bank. The 63,825 pounds of pumpkin seeds are under recall for possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

As of the posting of the recall notices, public health authorities had not confirmed any illnesses in connection with the seeds or yeast recalled by the food bank. The food bank reported all three recalled products were donated at the same time.

The Guardian

A Victorian man in his 80s has died and a woman has miscarried as a result of deadly outbreak.

An elderly man has died and a woman has miscarried as a result of the nationwide listeria outbreak, which has been linked to contaminated rockmelon.

The Victorian man in his 80s was the fifth person to die as a result of the outbreak.

The source of the outbreak has been traced to Rombola Family Farms in the Riverina region of NSW, according to authorities.

There have been at least 17 confirmed cases of listeria linked to the contaminated rockmelon, including two deaths in NSW and three in Victoria.

FSA

Product details

Product: Golden Sun Organic Grains Assorted (Amaranth)
Pack size: 500g
‘Best before’ date: All dates

No other Lidl products are known to be affected.

Risk

The presence of Salmonella in the product listed above. Symptoms caused by salmonella usually include fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

Action taken by the company

Lidl is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all Lidl stores that are selling this product. These notices explain to customers why this product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. Please see the attached notice.

Related media

Customer Information: Golden Sun Organic Amaranth, 500g(71.80 KB)

All Africa

None of the ST6 listeria strain believed to be behind the outbreak that has left 183 people dead since January 2017, was found at the Rainbow polony factory in Wolwehoek, RCL Foods said on Friday amid a precautionary recall of its polony.

“RCL Foods is pleased to state that tests conducted by an independent laboratory in France, which is considered to be a leading expert in this field, have confirmed that our Wolwehoek plant is clear of the ST6 listeria strain,” the company said in a statement.