Author Archives: KSW

USA – Cargill Meat Solutions Recalls Ground Beef Products Due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

Posted on May 2, 2024 | Leave a comment

FSIS USDA

Cargill Meat Solutions, a Hazleton, Pa., establishment, is recalling approximately 16,243 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The raw ground beef items were produced on April 26-27, 2024. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]:

  • 2.25-lbs. plastic-wrapped trays containing “93% LEAN 7% FAT ALL NATURAL LEAN GROUND BEEF” with lot code 117 and establishment number “EST. 86P” printed on the back of the label.
  • 1.33-lbs. plastic-wrapped trays containing four “PRIME RIB BEEF STEAK BURGERS PATTIES” with lot code 118 and establishment number “EST. 86P” printed on the back of the label.
  • 2.25-lbs. plastic-wrapped trays containing “85% LEAN 15% FAT ALL NATURAL ANGUS PREMIUM GROUND BEEF” with lot code 117 and establishment number “EST. 86P” printed on the back of the label.
  • 2.25-lbs. plastic-wrapped trays containing “80% LEAN 20% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF CHUCK” with lot code 118 and establishment number “EST. 86P” printed on the back of the label.
  • 1.33-lbs. plastic-wrapped trays containing four “80% LEAN 20% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIES” with lot code 118 and establishment number “EST. 86P” printed on the back of the label.
  • 1.33-lbs. plastic-wrapped trays containing four “90% LEAN 10% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF SIRLOIN PATTIES” with lot code 118 and establishment number “EST. 86P” printed on the back of the label.

The products subject to recall all bear the USDA mark of inspection on the front of the product label, and establishment number “EST. 86P” printed on the back of the product label. These items were shipped to Walmart retail locations nationwide.

The establishment reported the issue to FSIS after they identified that previously segregated product had been inadvertently utilized in the production of ground beef.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Cargill Meat Solutions at 1-844-419-1574. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Chuck Miller, Senior Communications Manager, Cargill Meat Solutions at 612-430-2882 or media@cargill.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

Product Images

recall-labels-016-2024.pdf

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing

Mexico – Over 100 Guests Became Violently Sick With Food Poisoning After Eating Dessert at a Wedding in Mexico

Posted on May 1, 2024 | Leave a comment

Brides.com

Over 100 wedding guests, including children, became violently ill on-site after the dessert course at a celebration in Cuernavaca, Mexico, reports the Daily Mail—and it was so bad, that paramedics were called to the scene.

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, Illness, Poisoning

New Zealand – New reports highlight food recall system at work

Posted on May 1, 2024 | Leave a comment

MPI

A new report by New Zealand Food Safety identifies Salmonella in imported sesame seed-based products as the most significant food safety event of 2023, resulting in 14 recalls affecting 65 food products.

The ‘Consumer-level food recalls annual report for 2023’, one of 2 recall reports published by New Zealand Food Safety today, says the recalls were initiated after Salmonella was detected during routine testing by a New Zealand business making products containing tahini.

Consumer-level food recalls annual report for 2023 [PDF, 3.2 MB]

“A complex investigation by our Food Compliance Services team – involving product testing and tracing of ingredients through the domestic market – found the contamination was from tahini imported from a Turkish manufacturer,” says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.

“The team dug deeper and subsequent online surveillance and scanning of international food safety issues also identified concerns with products from a manufacturer in Jordan.

“By the time all the sesame seed-based products were tracked down and removed from sale, we had supported 14 recalls affecting 65 products. And, most importantly, we had no confirmed reports of related illness.”

The annual reports are a new initiative by New Zealand Food Safety to share information on consumer-level recalls with the public.

Food recalls annual reports

“Our priority is to protect consumers, and these reports help identify trends and find ways to prevent food safety incidents,” says Mr Arbuckle.

“New Zealand’s food safety system has a strong track record of keeping people safe and – given the volumes of food being produced, manufactured and imported – incidences of related illness remain rare.

“However, there are occasions when food safety issues occur, and that’s when we work quickly with food businesses to recall the affected product, removing it from the food supply chain and promoting public awareness.”

The 2023 report shows New Zealand Food Safety supported food businesses to conduct 70 consumer-level food recalls.

“It’s important to note that the number of recalls is not an accurate indicator of the level of risk to consumers. Numbers are dependent on many factors, including regulatory changes, business and public awareness of food-related problems, and reporting of those problems,” says Mr Arbuckle.

Of the 70 recalls, 48 were initiated for domestically produced foods and 22 were for imported foods.

“Another food safety event to highlight from 2023 was the possible presence of Listeria and Campylobacter in raw milk, which led to 3 recalls.

“Drinking raw milk carries inherent risks as it may contain harmful bacteria that would normally be killed through the pasteurisation process.

“In this case, there were fortunately no associated reports of Listeriosis, which can be very serious for vulnerable people like the very young, pregnant, older and those with low immunity. But we were notified of 3 related cases of Campylobacter, which causes vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, and body aches.”

Allergens in food were the leading cause for recalls in 2023, with milk being the allergen that triggered the most recalls.

“Food recalls are a sign that our food safety system is working to protect consumers,” says Mr Arbuckle. “You can help keep yourself and your family safe by subscribing to our recall alerts from the New Zealand Food Safety food recall page.”

Recalled food products list

By the numbers:

  • 70 consumer-level recalls in 2023
  • 48 recalls for domestically produced foods
  • 22 recalls for imported foods
  • 26 recalls for allergens (the leading cause for recalls)
  • 12 recalls for milk (the allergen triggering the most recalls)
  • 23 recalls due to microbiological contamination
  • 14 recalls due to physical contamination.

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Posted in Campylobacter, food bourne outbreak, Food Microbiology Research, food recall, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, outbreak, product recall, Raw Milk, Recall, Research, Salmonella, Salmonella Sesame Seeds

USA – Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O157:H7: Bulk Organic Walnuts (April 2024)

Posted on May 1, 2024 | Leave a comment

FDA

Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled organic walnuts sold in bulk bins at natural food and co-op retailers in multiple states. FDA’s investigation is ongoing.

Walnuts

Product

Recalled organic walnut halves and pieces sold in bulk bins at natural food and co-op stores in AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA, MT, NE, NM, NV, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, and WY. Some stores may repackage bulk walnut halves and pieces into plastic clamshells or bags.

FDA’s investigation is ongoing to determine if additional products or states are affected. This advisory will be updated as information becomes available.

Symptoms of E. coli

Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting. Symptoms begin anywhere from a few days after consuming contaminated food or up to nine days later.

The severity or presence of certain symptoms may depend on the type of pathogenic E. coli that is causing the infection. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea and lead to life-threatening conditions, such as a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and neurologic problems.

Stores Affected

Recalled organic walnut halves and pieces were sold in bulk bins at natural food and co-op stores in AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA, MT, NE, NM, NV, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, and WY. A full list of store names and locations is available.

FDA is working with the firm and its distributors to determine whether additional store locations, products, or states are affected. FDA is sharing what is known at this time and will continue to update as more information is available.

Status

Ongoing

Recommendation

  • Retailers and distributors that purchased recalled boxes of Gibson Farms, Inc. organic walnuts halves and pieces with lot codes 3325-043 and 3341-501 should not sell this product and should notify their customers of the recall. Product was shipped to distributors between the dates of October 1, 2023, to April 24, 2024. These products have expiration dates of 5/21/25 & 6/7/25.
    • Retailers that have or had recalled product in bulk bins should discard the contents of the bins and use extra care to clean and sanitize the bins before refilling.
    • Retailers that are unsure if they received recalled product may need to contact their supplier. If you are unable to determine whether or not recalled product was received, you should discard the contents of the bins and use extra care to clean and sanitize the bins before refilling.
  • Consumers who purchased organic walnut halves and pieces from bulk bins at stores listed below should check their pantries, refrigerators, and freezers and should not eat the organic walnuts halves and pieces. If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away and clean and sanitize surfaces they touched.
  • Retailers, distributors, and consumers should follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra care in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with this product to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of an E. coli infection after eating organic walnuts.

Case Counts

Total Illnesses: 12
Hospitalizations: 7
Deaths: 0
Last Illness Onset: April 4, 2024
States with Cases: CA, WA
Product Distribution*: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA, MT, NE, NM, NV, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, and WY

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella

Taiwan – Taipai – Causes clarified in food poisoning case

Posted on May 1, 2024 | Leave a comment

Taipei Times

A suspected food poisoning incident at a Hi-Lai Harbour restaurant at Kaohsiung Arena was not caused by norovirus or rotavirus, but might have been caused by pathogenic bacteria, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.

Testing for viral pathogens was negative for the two common causes of diarrhea, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said.

As of 9am on Monday, the number of people who had sought medical attention after dining at the upscale buffet restaurant in Zuoying District (左營) on Friday and Saturday last week had increased to 52 since Saturday, when 11 diners were first reported to have fallen ill, the Kaohsiung Health Department said in a statement.

All of the 52 people reported diarrhea and abdominal pain, while a handful also reported nausea and vomiting, the department said.

It had previously collected specimens from seven people who fell ill after eating at the branch and from 48 employees who handle food at the restaurant, as well as food samples.

Testing on the customers and employees came back negative for viral pathogens, meaning it is likely that pathogenic bacteria were involved, Tseng said.

Common bacteria that cause foodborne illness include Vibrio parahaemolyticus, salmonella, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae and Clostridium botulinum, she said, adding that testing was being conducted to clarify the situation.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Pathogen, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Pathogen, pathogenic

USA – Gibson Farms Voluntarily Recalls Organic Light Halves and Pieces Shelled Walnuts Because of Possible Health Risk – E.coli O157

Posted on May 1, 2024 | Leave a comment

FDA

Gibson Farms Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts, Bulk Boxes, Net Wt. 25 lbs

Company Announcement

On 04/26/2024, Gibson Farms recalled Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts because Gibson Farms received information that they may have the potential to be contaminated with E. Coli 0157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 causes a diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

The Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts were sold to distributors located in CA and WA. Gibsons Farms Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts were sold in bulk boxes in Net Wt. 25 lbs quantities and can be identified by lot 3325-043 & 3341-501 with expiration dates 5/21/25 & 6/7/25.

Gibson Farms, Inc. has voluntarily recalled the product(s) after being notified by the CDC of 12 recorded illnesses allegedly linked to the consumption of organic halves and pieces shelled walnuts. A full investigation is currently under way to determine the potential source of the contamination.

Gibson Farms requests consignees to hold and discontinue selling their existing stock of lot 3325-043 and lot 3341-501 and return any remaining inventory of the recalled products to our local warehouse Gibson Farms 1190 Buena Vista Rd Hollister Ca 95023. If you have distributed or sold this product to other retailers, please notify your clients as to the status of this product. Any retailers that have received the recalled walnuts are recommended to do the following:

  • Retailers that received recalled products and do not clean and sanitize bulk bins between refilling them, should discard the contents of the bin and clean and sanitize it before refilling.
  • Retailers that received recalled product from a distributor but do not know the brand or lot code information, you should hold product, sanitize your bins, and contact your supplier.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at Veronica Cheatham 831-637-3512 or email foodsafety@gibsonfarmsinc.com 8:30 am-4:40pm PST Monday through Friday

FDA has reason to believe that the following retail locations received the walnuts, included in the recall by Gibson Farms. These products may have been repacked from their original packaging or sold in bulk. This list may not include all retail establishments that have received the recalled product or may include retail establishments that did not actually receive the recalled product. Therefore, it is important that you use the product-specific identification information, available here, in addition to this list of retail stores, when you check the food you have to see if it has been recalled.

Retail Locations that Received Gibson Farms Walnuts

Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O157:H7: Bulk Organic Walnuts (April 2024) | FDA

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, FDA, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA – State officials warn consumers about pathogen in raw milk; at least one person ill

Posted on April 30, 2024 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

People in Schuyler County New York are again being warned not to consume unpasteurized, raw milk from Sunset View Creamer because of contamination with Campylobacter.

The new warning comes after the same pathogen was found in milk from the Odessa, N.Y., dairy in September 2023.

In its new warning, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets says one person has become ill after drinking raw milk from the dairy. The bacteria was found in raw milk from Sunset View Creamer in preliminary and followup testing.

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Posted in Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Raw Milk

France – THE HOT BOX 230g – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 30, 2024 | Leave a comment

Gov France

Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Milk and dairy products
Product brand name
BERNARD BROTHERS
Model names or references
THE HOT BOX 230g
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
3770001691336 07524 Minimum durability date 04/24/2024
Packaging
wooden box
Start/end date of marketing
From 03/11/2024 to 04/24/2024
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the refrigerator
Geographical sales area
Regions: Hauts-de-France
Distributors
GMS, retailer, cheese shop

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Listeria, Listeria France, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes

Finland reports Yersinia rise and 2023 recall data

Posted on April 30, 2024 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Public health officials in Finland are monitoring an increase in Yersinia infections seen so far in 2024.

168 Yersinia enterocolitica cases have been reported to the Infectious Disease Register compared to 64 cases from January to April 2023.

The National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) said it had received two suspected outbreak alerts in April and reports about increased Yersinia enterocolitica infections from Pirkanmaa, Uusimaa, and Ostrobothnia.

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Microbiology Research, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Research, Yersinia

France – CAP GRIS NOSE FRUIT 230g – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 30, 2024 | Leave a comment

Gov France

Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Milk and dairy products
Product brand name
BERNARD BROTHERS
Model names or references
CAP GRIS NOSE FRUIT 230g
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
3770001691206 07524 Minimum durability date 04/24/2024
Packaging
Stretch film
Start/end date of marketing
From 03/11/2024 to 04/24/2024
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the refrigerator
Geographical sales area
Regions: Hauts-de-France
Distributors
GMS, retailer, cheese shop

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria France, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes