Brand : LA TOCONA
Name : DRIED FIGS SPAIN
Reason for reporting : Recall due to chemical risk
Publication date : 13 December 2023
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Author Archives: KSW
Italy – DRIED FIGS SPAIN – Aflatoxin
Posted in Aflatoxin, Aspergillus Toxin, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin
Research – Multi-country outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to fish products
Between 2022 and 2023, the outbreak has affected Austria, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands, with reports of 17 cases and two deaths. Infections have occurred mainly in the elderly. Historical human cases related to the outbreak have been detected since 2011.
Advanced molecular typing techniques identified a variant of Listeria monocytogenes which was detected in the majority of the 2022-2023 cases. The analysis of the data suggests a connection to two establishments in Lithuania during the same period. These establishments were found to have introduced contaminated fish products into the retail markets of Germany and Italy. Production has been stopped in a Lithuanian plant, likely reducing the risk of infections. Data regarding the distribution of contaminated products in Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands is currently not available.
EFSA and ECDC experts say that further investigations are needed to identify the origin of the contamination. This will allow national authorities to implement targeted control measures and mitigation actions. Experts also recommend following good manufacturing practices, hygiene rules, and effective temperature control throughout the entire food production, distribution, and storage chain, including in households. Consumers are advised to maintain low refrigerator temperatures to inhibit the potential proliferation of bacteria such as Listeria which could be present in ready-to-eat foods.
Sweden – Axfood recalls Garant Shredded smoked ham – may contain Listeria monocytogenes
2023-12-13
Axfood is recalling Garant, Shredded smoked ham because it may contain listeria.
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 monocytogenes, livsmedelsverket
EFSA – Story map on Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria bacteria are widespread in the environment and they are worldwide commonly found in soil and water, as well as in animal digestive tracts. There are more than 15 species of bacteria in this genus, but human cases of Listeria infection are almost always caused by Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) while Listeria ivanovii is pathogenic in animals but rarely in humans. The other species are not considered to be pathogenic in humans or animals.
L. monocytogenes are able to form communities of bacteria called biofilms and are therefore resistant to a wide range of stresses. This capacity varies among genotypes . They can tolerate acidic, dry and salty conditions, in the presence or absence of oxygen. Moreover, unlike most pathogenic bacteria, they are able to survive and multiply in refrigerated foods, making ready-to-eat foods of particular concern.
EFSA – Story map on Salmonella
Salmonella is a genus of highly diverse bacteria that live in the intestinal tract of humans and animals and are widespread in the environment thanks to their ability to survive and adapt even under extreme conditions.
The more than 2,600 Salmonella serovars are divided into typhoidal and non-typhoidal serovars and all of them are potentially harmful and can cause diseases in humans with different level of severity. Typhoidal serovars (S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi) are highly adapted to the human host, which constitutes their exclusive reservoir, so they are transmittable only through human-to-human contact, causing a potentially life-threatening syndrome known as typhoid or paratyphoid fever. Their prevalence is very low in high-income countries, and the few European cases that occur generally involve people returning from trips to low- or middle-income countries.
Non-typhoidal serovars are zoonotic agents. They are transmittable from animals and foods to humans, but also through human-to-human contact, and they can cause various syndromes, most of which are gastrointestinal. Due to its adaptability, Salmonella is widely prevalent in the environment and can infect animals and contaminate food.
EFSA – Story map on Campylobacter
The most clinically relevant species are Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and C. coli, which are responsible for almost 95% of Campylobacter-associated diarrheal diseases. Other emerging species have been recently identified as human or animal pathogens. The involvement of some of these species in human disease is still unclear.
Campylobacter are a group of small, curved, gram-negative, non-spore-forming, motile bacteria with a single polar flagellum or bipolar flagella.
Thermotolerant Campylobacter species (e.g. C. jejuni, C. coli) are able to grow at temperatures between 37° and 42˚C but not below 30˚C, while strains of non-thermotolerant Campylobacter species (e.g. C. fetus subsp. venerealis, C. fetus subsp. fetus) may not grow at 42˚C. Generally, they are highly sensitive to oxygen, desiccation, osmotic stress, and low pH , and they cannot grow in foods during handling or storage at room temperature in moderate climates. Freezing reduces the number of viable Campylobacter, but it must nevertheless be stressed that the bacteria can survive extended periods of refrigeration and freezing.
EFSA – Story map on Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli that produce cytotoxins known as Shiga toxins and that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Shiga toxins are proteins that have a cytotoxic effect, meaning they can harm cells. These toxins exist in two primary forms: Stx1 and Stx2. Each form can be neutralized by different antibodies. Further, these toxin types are subdivided into multiple subtypes based on small genetic variations. For example, Stx1 includes subtypes such as stx1a, stx1c, and stx1d. Similarly, Stx2 has several subtypes, more than ten described up to now, including stx2a, stx2b, and so on. ( Scheutz et al., 2012 ; Bai et al., 2021 ).
Posted in eae, Food Microbiology Research, Research, Shigatoxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, STX 1, STX 2
France – Plain minced meat – Salmonella
Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Meats
Product brand name
Unbranded
Model names or references
Plain minced meat
Product identification
Batch
06122023
Start/end date of marketing
From 06/12/2023 to 07/12/2023
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the refrigerator
Geographical sales area
Forest sur Marque neighboring communes
Distributors
DELBE CATERING SHOP
Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, 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, Salmonella
France- RAW SHRIMP TAILS 28-33 pieces – Vibrio vulnificus
Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Fishing and aquaculture products
Product brand name
Carrefour SIMPL
Model names or references
Raw shrimp tails with shell 450g
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
3560070422067 AI/22204 (3A06) Minimum durability date 01/05/2025
Packaging
450g bag
Start/end date of marketing
From 06/12/2023 to 12/11/2023
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the freezer
Geographical sales area
Whole France
Distributors
Crossroads
Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Vibrio, Vibrio vulnificans, Vibrio vulnificus
France – Burgundy parsley ham – Listeria monocytogenes
Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Meats
Product brand name
prestige of Sarthe
Model names or references
Burgundy ham 9 kg Burgundy ham 1.5 kg
Product identification
GTIN Batch Date
3700155205912 43298 Use-by date 12/15/2023
3700155201907 43298 Use-by date 12/15/2023
Products List
points_of_sale_-.pdfAttachment
Packaging
9KG TERRINE 1.5 KG BREAD
Start/end date of marketing
From 10/30/2023 to 11/16/2023
Storage temperature
Product to keep in the refrigerator
Health mark
FR 72 132 002 EC
Geographical sales area
Whole France
Distributors
Hyper U, AUCHAN, LECLERC, ESPRI RESTAURATION, CARREFOUR
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 monocytogenes
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