San Jose Valley Veal, a Santa Clara, Calif. establishment, is recalling
approximately 1,260 pounds of veal trimmings that may be contaminated with
E. Coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
Researchers at the Institute of Food Research on the Norwich Research Park have uncovered how the food-borne bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni can change its swimming behaviour to find a location with more food.
Using a newly developed assay, the researchers found that Campylobacter balances the directions given by two different systems to either seek out more nutritious locations, or to find places where respiration is most efficient. Genetic tools were used to show that the system controlling swimming towards food overrides the other system, suggesting that the “need to feed” is the foremost concern for Campylobacter.
RASFF – Salmonella in Dog Chews in Germany sourced in Argentina
RASFF – Ochratoxin A in Coffee in Belgium
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Ochratoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella
Tagged dog chews, nature, transportation
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada Safeway Limited are warning the public not to consume the LifeForce Foods brand Sprouts described below because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
All codes of the following LifeForce Foods brand sprouts, product of USA, packaged in plastic clamshell containers of 85 grams, are affected by this alert:
| Product | UPC |
|---|---|
| Brocco Sprouts | 8 51042 00400 2 |
| Spicy sprouts | 8 51042 00401 9 |
| Alfalfa sprouts | 8 51042 00402 6 |
These products have been distributed through Canada Safeway stores in British Columbia only.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged environment, nature, science, water
Sprouters Northwest of Kent, Washington is recalling 1953 pounds of alfalfa, clover, brocco sandwich sprouts, and spicy sprouts due to the potential contamination 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 infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Products were distributed from 1/10/13 to 1/18/13 in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and British Columbia, Canada through retail stores and food service distribution chain.
The affected products are sold under the Sprouters Northwest brand and are packaged in plastic clamshell containers and plastic 1 lb bags.
The problem was identified through a surveillance sampling and two samples collected at retail locations were tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).
The firm is working with WSDA and the Food & Drug Administration on this recall.
Consumers should not consume the recalled sprouts products and are advised to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-253-872-0577 from 7AM to 2PM PST.
Poultry producers can reduce bacterial cross-contamination in poultry cages by treating the cages with forced air that’s been heated to 50 degrees Celsius.
While being transported in coops on trucks, poultry that have bacteria such as Campylobacter can contaminate, through their feces, other poultry that are free of pathogens. Those disease-causing bacteria can then be passed on to the next group of birds during the next trip, and so forth, unless the cycle is broken.
Campylobacter is a food-borne pathogen that can be present in raw or undercooked poultry. Since the bacteria are commonly found in the digestive tracts of poultry, they’re readily deposited onto coops and trucks when contaminated animals are transported to processing plants.
The researchers tested the use of hot flowing air to speed the process of drying soiled or washed cages to lower or eliminate detectable Campylobacter on cage flooring.
When the hot flowing air was applied to fecally soiled transport cage flooring samples for 15 minutes after a water-spray wash treatment, Campylobacter levels declined to an undetectable level. Static heat at similar temperatures was not nearly as effective, and unheated flowing air was moderately effective, but less so than hot flowing air.
Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research
Tagged nature, poultry producers, water
Food Safety News – First Outbreak Update
An emerging outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium has expanded to five states with 16 people infected with the outbreak strain, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta said Friday.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)– just 24 hours earlier– announced the existence of the outbreak with seven illnesses in two states, Michigan and Arizona.
CDC said the states and the number of persons infected in the outbreak now includes: Arizona (!), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (9), and Wisconsin (3). No deaths have been reported, but 53 percent of the ill persons have required hospitalization.
Food Safety News – Second Outbreak
A second Michigan retail store has recalled about 550 pounds of ground beef products that may be associated with a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to a Macomb County restaurant.
Troy-based Gab Halal Foods recalled various size bags of ground beef, wrapped in clear plastic. The recalled product was produced between Dec. 4, and Dec. 10, 2012 and distributed to the Macomb County restaurant and directly to consumers.
The beef products were sold without labels.
According to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the second recall was initiated out of concern for a cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses that may be caused by eating a raw ground beef product at a restaurant in Michigan’s Macomb County.
Whole Foods Market is recalling one lot code of Whole Catch Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon (4 oz), cold smoked and sliced, sold in stores in 12 states, because it may contain Listeria Monocytogenes, an organism which can cause a sometimes fatal infection in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer short term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headaches, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The recalled items were sold in stores in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Utah.
The recalled salmon is sold in black-and-gold, flat, rectangular vacuum-sealed packages; the lot code being recalled is 7425A2298B. The lot code is ink-jet printed on the back of the package, on the upper left side. The UPC code is 0 99482 40880 0. Signage is posted in Whole Foods Market stores to notify customers of this recall. Pictures of the product are enclosed.
No illnesses have been reported. A sample of the product tested positive for listeria.
Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged science
RASFF – Salmonella in Frozen Poultry in Spain sourced in Brazil
RASFF– Salmonella in Fresh Chicken in UK and Poland sourced in Poland
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella
Tagged food, frozen poultry, nature, plants, rasff
Ministry for Primary Industries
Jindi’ Brand Cheese imported from Australia – includes brand names ‘Old Telegraph Road’ and ‘Top Paddock’.
This is a precautionary recall due to an outbreak of Listeriosis illness in Australia linked to other Jindi brand products.
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged climate, environment, outbreak, paddock, science, telegraph road
FoodWorld 