The ground beef E. coli O103 outbreak has now sickened at least 196 people in 10 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-eight people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Two people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No one has died. That’s an addition of 19 more ill persons since the last update on April 26, 2019.
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At least 16 people in the Evergem municipality of East Flanders province in northern Belgium has been sickened with Legionanaires’ disease, according to the Flemish Agency for Health and Safety (computer translated).
Ottawa, May 14, 2019 – The food recall warning issued on May 5, 2019 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.
DOM International Limited is recalling Dom Reserve brand Atlantic Salmon Strips (Hot Smoked) Cracked Black Pepper from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.
| Brand Name | Common Name | Size | Code(s) on Product | UPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dom Reserve | Atlantic Salmon Strips (Hot Smoked) Cracked Black Pepper | 150 g | 001851 All Best Before dates |
7 72945 11150 8 |
RA No.
2019/17556
Date published
15 May 2019
Product description
Washed rind goat cheese 200g
Batch 270319
Best Before 27 June 2019
Photograph of Frolicking goat cheeses
Identifying features
Best before date
27 June 2019
Other
APN/EAN 0793591387406
What are the defects?
The recall is due to (E. coli) microbial contamination.
What are the hazards?
Food products contaminated with E. coli may cause illness if consumed.
Cantaloupes contaminated with Listeria and Salmonella have caused large scale of foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years. Prior research has shown that heat treatment can be used to reduce microbial contaminates on fruit surfaces. However, no study has evaluated the use of kitchen steamers for inactivating foodborne pathogens on cantaloupes. The purpose of this study was to test the sanitization efficacy of three models of electrical kitchen steamers (steamer‐A, ‐B, and ‐C) for eliminating foodborne pathogens on cantaloupe surfaces. Fresh cantaloupes were spot‐inoculated with Listeria monocytogens or Salmonella enterica and kept at 4 or 22 °C for a day before steam treatment for ≤100 s. Test results show that the surface of nonrefrigerated cantaloupes can be decontaminated (with ≥5.0 log reduction) within 60 s using any of the tested steamers. For refrigerated fruits (4 °C), however, only two steamers (steamer‐B and ‐C) decontaminated the cantaloupes within 60 s and they were unable to render the pathogens undetected in enriched samples. Salmonella was more susceptible than Listeria to steam treatment. In conclusion, electrical kitchen steamers can be utilized by consumers to sanitize whole cantaloupes prior to consumption. However, fruit temperature and steamer selection can influence the heating time required for surface sanitization.
Melons with netted rind surfaces, such as cantaloupes, likely have caused more outbreaks because their surface shelters pathogens from being eliminated by conventional washing and sanitization. As whole melons marketed at retail stores typically are not treated due to shelf‐life considerations, the safety of untreated melons can be of concern to consumers, especially among at‐risk populations. This study focused on the evaluation of the use of commercially available kitchen steamers in eliminating foodborne pathogens on cantaloupe surfaces. This study showed that kitchen steamers can be utilized to sanitize whole cantaloupes and also at household level, be a highly beneficial for the average concerned consumer to reduce the risk of pathogens on produce before consumption.
67 confirmed Salmonella cases and 2 probable cases have been linked to sprouts consumption in New Zealand. Illness onset ranged from December 23, 2018 to April 1, 2019. 66 of the cases became ill between January 23, 2019 and January 25, 2019. 17 people required hospital treatment.
In the wake of the outbreak, GSF New Zealand recalled certain Pams, Sproutman, and Fresh Harvest brand sprout products. GSF New Zealand said the recall was due to a “production process concern.” Regarding the Salmonella outbreak, New Zealand’s Ministry of Health reported that “Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 108/170 was the causative pathogen identified from cases, sprouts and spent irrigation water tested in this outbreak. Subtyping using Multiple Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) and whole genome sequencing methods were performed on isolates to confirm cases in the outbreak as well as the outbreak source.”
The recalled sprouts had best before dates of March 31, 2019 to April 4, 2019.
Public Health France is currently investigating an increase in the number of children with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
As of May 6, 2019, 16 children infected with Escherichia coli serogroup O26 are being investigated by Public Health France and the National Reference Center (CNR) E. coli and its associated laboratory (Institut Pasteur, Paris, and Laboratoire de microbiology of Robert Debré Hospital, Paris). Fifteen children had HUS and one child had uncomplicated diarrhea.
Public Health investigated an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) associated with I Love Sushi and Café Mario at Nintendo of America campus in Redmond. Café Mario is operated by Sodexo and is not open to the public. I Love Sushi is a food establishment that operates out of Café Mario once a week.
This outbreak appears to be over. After a thorough investigation, we do not have enough evidence to connect I Love Sushi to this outbreak.. No single food item prepared by Café Mario has been identified as the source of the illnesses. Everyone who reported illness has recovered.
Image CDC
Biltmore smoked sockeye salmon is being recalled by Seven Seas International LLC USA St. Petersburg, FL because Listeria monocytogenes may be present in some product. This was discovered through routine regulatory testing conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Consumers who have purchased this product are being advised not to consume it and return it to the store where it was originally purchased for a full refund.
Mecox Bay Dairy, LLC, is recalling their Mecox Sunrise washed-rind Tomme style cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
This cheese was distributed and sold at seven retail locations and one restaurant on Eastern Long Island, NY, and served at one restaurant in Chicago, IL. The product comes in a clear plastic package marked with “Mecox Sunrise” cheese label. As of the date of this release, all affected Mecox Sunrise has been removed from all stores and restaurants.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.
FoodWorld 