Category Archives: Bacteria

Canada – Recall Energy Nuggets – Salmonella Risk

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the Sunridge Farms brand Energy Nuggets described below because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The affected product, Energy Nuggets, was sold from the Organic Bulk section of Fortino’s located at 55 Mountainash Road, Brampton, Ontario between September 5 and September 26, 2012.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

This recall is part of an ongoing food safety investigation. The CFIA is working with various parties to identify and recall all affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

More Salmonella – Peanut Butter Related Recalls

Food Safety News

Chattanooga Bakery Inc. Tuesday recalled its MoonPie Peanut Butter Crunch products with “Best By” dates of 02/26/13, 03/25/13, and 04/29/13 because its peanut butter supply might be contaminated with a rare strain of Salmonella.
 

pbcrunch_175x.jpg

The Peanut Butter Crunch products are made with peanut butter from New Mexico-based Sunland Inc., which is involved in a recall of its own brands of peanut and almond butter and Trader Joe’s Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter, which was produced by Sunland, Inc.
 
Energy Nuggets, Peanut Butter Power Chews and Treasure Trove Mix in 10- and 20-pound cases are being recalled by SunrRidge Farms of Royal Oaks, CA because they may contain contaminated peanut butter as an ingredient.
 
Portales, NM-based Sunland Inc. supplied peanut butter contained in the recalled bulk items.
 
After Trader Joe’s recalled peanut butter on Sept. 22  supplied by Sunland because health officials linked it to a multistate outbreak of a rare Salmonella strain, Sunland followed with a recall of a long list of its own peanut butter brands.
 
Now companies like SunRidge that used Sunland peanut or almond butters manufactured between May 1, 2012 and Sept. 24, 2012 are doing their own recalls.

CFIA Recall – Steaks E.coli O157

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the Kirkland brand beef steaks described below because they may be contaminated with E. coliO157:H7.

All beef steaks including the Strip Loin Grilling Steak prepared and sold in variable weight packages from Costco Wholesale store #156, located at 13650, 50th street, Edmonton, Alberta are affected by this alert. These steaks were sold during the period September 4 through 7, 2012 and bear one of the following Packed On dates:

  • 12 / SE / 04
  • 12 / SE / 05
  • 12 / SE / 06
  • 12 / SE / 07

Consumers are advised to contact the above Costco Wholesale store to determine if the beef products in your home freezer are affected.

There have been several confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of the Kirkland brand Strip Loin Grilling Steaks purchased from the Costco Wholesale store #156 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Canadian E.coli O157 Recalls Expanded Further

CFIA

The public warning issued on September 22, 2012 has been expanded to include additional ground beef products and codes / dates because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Previously identified products included in this recall can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/recalls.

RASFF Alerts – Salmonell, Listeria, Enterobacteriaceae

RASFF – Salmonella in Raw Milk from France

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh Cheese in Spain sourced in Portugal

RASFF – Salmonella in Animal Feed Fish Meal in France from Peru

RASFF – Enterobacteriaceae in Fish Meal in Netherlands sourced in Belgium

Australian Report on Salmonella – Ready to Eat Nuts

NSW Food Authority

Nuts have traditionally been considered a microbiologically safe product because of their low moisture content (low water activity). However, there have been a number of documented foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls caused by Salmonella in nuts and nut products.

This survey was conducted to gather information on the prevalence of Salmonella and E. coli in ready-to-eat (RTE) nuts and their products sold in Australia, both imported and domestically produced products.

Between January and June 2011, a total of 915 samples were collected from retailers, manufacturers and growers in New South Wales (NSW), the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Queensland (QLD), Tasmania (TAS), and Western Australia (WA).

Products sampled included pre-packaged and unpackaged, plain and salted nuts and nut products such as flavoured nuts, bars, spreads and sauces.

Excluded were items where nuts were not the major component such as breakfast cereals, dairy products, chocolate covered nuts, fruit and nut mix, and seeds and seed products such as pine nuts.

Nut types included almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, mixed nuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts.

Survey Results

CFIA – Recent E.coli O157 Outbreak Summary

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has completed its in-depth review of the food safety controls at the XL Foods Inc. facility where positive E. coli O157:H7 findings have led to a voluntary recall of more than 250 products. The CFIA continues to identify additional products affected by this recall and conduct effectiveness checks to verify that affected product has been removed from the marketplace.

The in-depth review focused on the plant’s preventative control measures, food-safety policies and procedures, laboratory methodology, and equipment and quality systems.

While the review did not identify one single factor that would lead to E. coli O157:H7 contamination, the combination of several deficiencies could have played a role. By themselves, each of these findings would not typically signal an immediate concern during the course of normal inspection activities.

US – Another Peanut Butter Recall – Salmonella

FDA

Sunland, Inc. today announced a voluntary limited recall of its Almond Butter and Peanut Butter products, manufactured between May 1, 2012 and September 24, 2012, because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experiencefever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonellacan result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The voluntary recall was initiated after learning that between June 11, 2012 and September 2, 2012, twenty-nine people reported Salmonella Bredeney PFGE matching illnesses in approximately 18 states, including Washington, California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland, according to a report issued on September 22, 2012 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers, particularly the many families who enjoy our peanut butter everyday. While FDA, CDC, and State Health Agencies investigate to confirm the cause of illnesses reported, as a precautionary step, we have decided to voluntarily recall our Almond Butter and Peanut Butter products manufactured between May 1, 2012 and September 24, 2012. If you purchased these products, do not eat them. Please return the product to your supermarket for a full refund or dispose of it.”

Statement of Jimmie Shearer, President and CEO of Sunland, Inc.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). No other Sunland products are affected by this recall.

The products were distributed nationally to numerous large supermarket chains.

US – Pet Food Contaminated with Salmonella

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Kasel Associated Industries of Denver, Colorado is recalling its Boots & Barkley 6 count 5 inch American Beef Bully Sticks because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. The bacteria can sicken animals who can pass it to humans, and people can get sick by handling the contaminated product.

The products were distributed nationwide through Target stores from April through September 2012. The pet treats are packed in a clear plastic bag marked with bar code number 647263899189. All lot numbers are recalled. The lot codes that tested positive for Salmonella include   BESTBY20APR2014DEN, BESTBY01JUN2014DEN, BESTBY23JUN2014DEN, and BESTBY23SEP2014DEN.

No illnesses have been reported to date in humans or animals in connection with this product.

US- Romaine Lettuce Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria Blog

Fresh Express Incorporated is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of 9 oz. Leafy Green Romaine Salad with the expired Use-by Date of September 16 as a precaution in an unlikely event that consumers may still have the expired salad in their refrigerators. The recall was necessitated by a positive test result for Listeria monocytogenes on a single package out of many samples collected for the U. S. Department of Agriculture random sample testing program.

Because it is beyond the expiration date, the salad is no longer available for sale in stores. No illnesses are reported in association with the product recall. No consumer complaints have been received about the salad. No other Fresh Express products are being recalled.