Author Archives: KSW

Egypt – 382 fall ill after eating ice cream in Egypt

Gulf News

Dubai: 382 people fell ill after consuming ice cream from a market in the Egyptian governorate of Qena.

According to Dr Raji Tawadros, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health in Qena, the number of suspected food poisoning cases has reached 382.

Tawadros further stated that out of these cases, 295 individuals were transferred to Abu Tisht Hospital for treatment.

Fortunately, all patients have since been discharged and are recovering from the ordeal. The incident sparked a swift response from the security forces in Qena province, who managed to apprehend the ice cream vendor believed to be responsible for the food poisoning.

India – 12 fall ill after food poisoning in MP’s Ujjain

The News Mill

12 members of a family fell sick after eating food prepared from Rajgira flour in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district, officials said on Saturday.
The family members are the residents of Naliya Bakhal locality in the district and all of them were admitted to the district hospital on Friday evening, they said.

Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Ujjain district hospital, Bhojraj Sharma said, “12 people of a family were admitted here after they consumed food prepared using Rajgira flour which is used during the fast. They have been provided with treatment and their health conditions are stable now.”

USA – White cheese queso recalled over inadequate pasteurization

Food Safety News

Pool Forge Dairy, of East Earl, PA, is recalling certain white cheese queso because of the possible risk of pathogen contamination due to inadequate pasteurization.

According to the information posted online by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), the recall was initiated on March 14 and is ongoing.

The recalled products were distributed in New Jersey.

Recalled product:

  • White Cheese Queso Blanco Delicias del Campo Queso Blanco White Cheese Net Wt. 1lb (453g)
  • UPC: 7 69602 55441 9 White Cheese also packaged in Pool Forge Dairy LLC labeling
  • The product is vacuum packaged in plastic and in a plastic container with a press-on lid
  • Sell-by dates are Jan. 7 to March 28, 2023

Consumers who purchased the recalled product should immediately dispose of it and not consume it.

Hong Kong – Not to consume a batch of prepackaged caviar suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

CFS

Issue Date 5.5.2023
Source of Information The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission
Food Product Prepackaged caviar
Product Name and Description Product name: Lachskaviar

Brand: Balik Pearls

Net weight: 100 g

Place of origin: United States

Best-before date: December 31, 2023

Batch number: 113023

Importer: Caviar House & Prunier (HK) Limited

Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The CFS received a notification from the RASFF of the European Commission that the above-mentioned batch of product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and was being recalled.
  • Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted the local importer for follow-up. A preliminary investigation found that the importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The importer concerned has stopped sales, has removed the affected product from shelves and has initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions.
  • The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.
Advice to the Trade The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of products immediately if they possess it.
Advice to Consumers Do not consume the affected products.
Further Information The CFS press release

Members of the public may call the hotline of the importer, Caviar House & Prunier (HK) Limited, at 3974 6746 during office hours for enquiries about the recall of the product concerned.

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Hepatitis A Virus Infections: Frozen Strawberries (February 2023)

FDA

Product

California Splendor Recall: Kirkland Signature 4-lb. bag Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries in certain states with specific lot codes.

Scenic Fruit Recall: frozen organic strawberries with the following brand names and Best By Dates distributed to specific states:

  • Simply Nature, Organic Strawberries, Best By 06/14/2024
  • Vital Choice, Organic Strawberries, BEST BY 05/20/2024
  • Kirkland Signature, Organic Strawberries, Best If Used By 10/08/2024
  • Made With, Organic Strawberries, Best Before 11/20/2024
  • PCC Community Markets, Organic Strawberries, Best By 29/10/2024
  • Trader Joe’s, Organic Tropical Fruit Blend with the following Best By dates: 04/25/24; 05/12/24; 05/23/24; 05/30/24; 06/07/24

Stores Affected

California Splendor supplied recalled product to Costco stores in Los Angeles and Hawaii, and to two San Diego business centers. Scenic Fruit supplied recalled product to Costco, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in specific states, and to Trader Joe’s nationwide.

On March 17, 2023, the retailer, Meijer, also issued press to voluntarily recall Made-WithExternal Link Disclaimer brand frozen organic strawberries from certain market store locations.

This is not an exhaustive list of products or stores. FDA is continuing to work with the firms to identify potential additional product information.

Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Illness usually occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Symptoms of hepatitis A virus infection include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, and pale stool. In some instances, particularly in children under the age of six, hepatitis A infection may be asymptomatic.

Status

Ongoing

Recommendation

  • Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not sell, serve, or eat recalled frozen strawberries. These recalled products should be returned or thrown away.
  • If consumers purchased the recalled frozen organic strawberries and ate those berries in the last two weeks, and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A, they should immediately consult with their healthcare professional to determine whether post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed. PEP is recommended for unvaccinated people who have been exposed to hepatitis A virus in the last two weeks because vaccination can prevent a hepatitis A virus infection if given within 14 days of exposure. Those with evidence of previous hepatitis A vaccination or previous hepatitis A virus infection do not require PEP.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A virus infection after eating these frozen organic strawberries, or if you believe that you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks.

Current Update

May 8, 2023

As of May 5, 2023, a total of 9 outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A have been reported from 3 states. Based on epidemiological data collected by CDC, 9/9 (100%) people who provided information about what they ate before becoming ill reported eating frozen organic strawberries.

India – Ten Children Hospitalised In UP’s Badaun In Suspected Case Of Food Poisoning

Republic World

Ten children were hospitalised following complaints of vomiting and stomach ache after consuming food at a wedding function here, a health department official said on Monday.

The suspected case of food poisoning took place in Ushait area on Sunday, Chief Medical Officer Pradeep Varshney said.

The health and food departments of the district administration have collected samples of the food that was served at the function, Varshney said.

Hungary – Delicacy double sausage, 250 g and Paprika, spicy double sausage, 250 g – Salmonella

NEBIH

Date 2023-05-04
Name of Product Delicacy double sausage, 250 g and Paprika, spicy double sausage, 250 g
Nature of the problem Possible presence of Salmonella
DetailsNébih asks customers not to consume products that match the identification data below!

Notifier: ALDI Magyarország Élélmiszer Bt.

Name of products: Delicacy double sausage, 250 g and Paprika, spicy double sausage, 250 g

Picture of the products :

Delicacy double sausage, 250 g Peppery, spicy double sausage, 250 g

Nature of the problem: Possible presence of Salmonella

Quality retention time and lot number (L):

Delicacy double sausage, 250 g – 09.06.2023 and L: 38087

Peppery, spicy double sausage, 250 g – 09.06.2023 and L: 39087

Packaging: 250 g

Supplier: Tona Hungary Kft.

Action: Product recall

The affected products can be returned to any ALDI store in Hungary, the price of the products will be refunded even without a block. The store chain informed its customers about the recall on its website and on posters in stores.

You can read more about the nature of the problem here  .

The product recall only applies to products identified with the above data.

USA – Raw Milk recalled over Listeria Risk

Food Poison Journal

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The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture warns that consumers should immediately discard “A Joy” brand raw milk products sold in Susquehanna County. Tests following a report of potential bacteria contamination confirmed the presence of listeria monocytogenes bacteria in half gallon and gallon plastic jugs at the A Joy Farm store at 21 Lalor Lane in Little Meadows, Susquehanna County.

The tainted raw milk may be unlabeled and undated, or may bear the A Joy label and A2 or “A2/A2” product description. The producer refused to issue a recall, post a notice, or supply a customer list for direct notification.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an illness which has symptoms including fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. Listeriosis mainly affects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and adults with impaired immune systems. Listeriosis in pregnant women can result in miscarriage, premature delivery, serious infection of the newborn, or stillbirth.

No reported illnesses have been attributed to the product, but people who consumed the milk should consult their physicians if they become ill.

Research – Salmonella Outbreaks Associated with Not Ready-to-Eat Breaded, Stuffed Chicken Products — United States, 1998–2022

CDC

Not ready-to-eat (NRTE) breaded, stuffed chicken products (e.g., chicken stuffed with broccoli and cheese) typically have a crispy, browned exterior that can make them appear cooked. These products have been repeatedly linked to U.S. salmonellosis outbreaks, despite changes to packaging initiated in 2006 to identify the products as raw and warn against preparing them in a microwave oven (microwave) (1–4). On April 28, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed to declare Salmonella an adulterant* at levels of one colony forming unit per gram or higher in these products (5). Salmonella outbreaks associated with NRTE breaded, stuffed chicken products during 1998–2022 were summarized using reports in CDC’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (FDOSS), outbreak questionnaires, web postings, and data from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)† and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Eleven outbreaks were identified in FDOSS. Among cultured samples from products obtained from patients’ homes and from retail stores during 10 outbreaks, a median of 57% of cultures per outbreak yielded Salmonella. The NRTE breaded, stuffed chicken products were produced in at least three establishments.§ In the seven most recent outbreaks, 0%–75% of ill respondents reported cooking the product in a microwave and reported that they thought the product was sold fully cooked or did not know whether it was sold raw or fully cooked. Outbreaks associated with these products have occurred despite changes to product labels that better inform consumers that the products are raw and provide instructions on safe preparation, indicating that consumer-targeted interventions are not sufficient. Additional Salmonella controls at the manufacturer level to reduce contamination in ingredients might reduce illnesses attributable to NRTE breaded, stuffed chicken products.

Australia – Korea Connections Enoki Mushrooms – Listeria monocytogenes

FSANZ​​​

​Date published: 09/05/2023

Product information

Korea Connections is conducting a recall of Enoki Mushrooms 300G. The product has been available for sale at independent/Asian grocery stores in WA.​

Date markings

Best Before 17.08.2023

Problem

The recall is due to the contamination of Listeria monocytogenes and no instructions to cook the product prior to consumption.

Food safety hazard

Listeria monocytogenes may cause severe illness in pregnant women, unborn babies, neonates, the elderly, and individuals who are immunocompromised. The general population can also become ill from consuming food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

For more information about Listeria monocytogenes and enoki mushrooms please visit Listeria monocytogenes and imported fresh enoki mushrooms (foodstandards.gov.au).

Country of origin

South Korea

What to do​

Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.
For further information contact:
Korea Connections (WA)
Ph: 0433 888 639​

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