Category Archives: bacterial contamination

Denmark – Fermentation in remoulade

Posted on September 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

DVFA

K-Salad recalls a batch of K-Salad Diner Remoulade due to the risk of fermentation in the product. The fermentation is due to the growth of air-producing lactic acid bacteria. This may cause the product to swell.

Recalled Foods , Published: September 25, 2020

What food: 
K-Salad Diner Remoulade 
Net content: 300ml 
Best before date: 19-12-2020
Lot No: DE20HSI 
Sold in:
Grocery stores across the country
Company recalling:
K-salad
Havnevej 32
4591 Føllenslev
Cause: 
Growth of air-producing lactic acid bacteria can form fermentation of the product. When the product ferments, the pressure in the product rises and it can swell.
Risk: 
Growth of lactic acid bacteria in the product makes it unsuitable as food.
Advice for consumers:
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration advises consumers to deliver the product back to the store where it was purchased or to discard it.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Spoilage, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, lactic acid bacteria, microbial contamination, Microbiology

Russia – Six botulism deaths in Volgograd in first half of 2020

Posted on September 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Outbreak News Today

Officials in the Volgograd region in Southern Russia have reported 60 botulism cases in the first half of 2020.

Of the sixty cases, six fatalities were reported.

About 200 people suffer from this severe disease affecting the central nervous system in the region every year. Now the inhabitants of the region are actively engaged in the preparation of homemade canned food for the winter.

This has prompted the Office of Rospotrebnadzor in the Volgograd region to put some restrictions.

Experts advise against buying pickles on the street and homemade smoked meats. Housewives should not reduce the amount of salt and vinegar or shorten cooking time during home preservation.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, Bacterial Toxin, Biotoxin, Clostridium botulinum, Death, food contamination, food death, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin

Belgium – Norenca Recall nv – Beef Carpaccio. – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on September 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

AFSCA

During microbiological checks, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes was observed in beef carpaccio.

In consultation with the AFSCA, Norenca nv has therefore decided to withdraw the products concerned from the sale.

Customers who have purchased these products are advised not to consume them and to bring them back to the store, where they will be reimbursed.

Product description: Product

name: Beef carpaccio
Lot: 91001010
Expiration date (DLC = best before date): 25/09/2020
Sale period: 18/09/2020 and 25/09/2020

 

         Carrefour Label Metro Label – Makro

 

The product was distributed via:

ALLIANCE GREGOIRE BV (Carrefour) – NINOOFSESTEENWEG 491, 1700 DILBEEK
GLOBE RETAIL BV (Carrefour) – GEELSEBAAN 30, 2430 VORST LAAKDAL
VELGA NV (Carrefour) – GENTSESTRAAT 61, 8870 IZEGEM
MEBA NV (Carrefour) – STEEG STOREY COO, 2490
EASY COO BV (Crossroads) – KERKSTRAAT 12, 2350 VOSSELAAR
BV BODEKO (Crossroads) – STATIONSSTRAAT 14, 3945 Oostham
Bastijns RETAIL BV (Crossroads) – Brusselstraat 64 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden
S & R BV (Crossroads) – JACOB LACOPSTRAAT 18, 9700 OUDENAARDE
METRO ANTWERPEN NOORD – HOUTDOK-NOORDKAAI 10, 2030 ANTWERPEN
METRO VORST – LUITENANT LOTINSTRAAT 20, 1190 VORST
METRO GENT – NOORWEGENSTRAAT 39, 9940 EVERGEM
METRO WEVELGEM – KORTRIJKSTRAAT 345, 8560 WEVELGEM
METRO BRUSSEL – WERKHUIZENKAAI 22-23, 1000 BRUSSEL
MAKRO ALLEUR – AVENUE DU PROGRES 12, 4432 ALLEUR
MAKRO EKE – SAVAANSTRAAT 1, 9810 EKE
MAKRO MACHELENKAAI – 11 WOLEN WOL

People who have consumed the product mentioned above and who have a fever, isolated or accompanied by headaches, are invited to consult their attending physician, notifying him of this consumption. These symptoms may be aggravated in young children, immunocompromised individuals and the elderly. These symptoms may suggest listeriosis, a disease that can be serious and can take up to eight weeks to incubate.

For more information, customers can contact Norenca via info@norenca.be or 014 / 58.45.11.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen

Belgium – Salmonella: Potentially contaminated chicken thighs recalled in Belgium

Posted on September 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Brussels Times

Biofresh Belgium has issued a call to remove any Picoreur brand chicken thighs from the shelves due to possible salmonella contamination. potentially

The withdrawal from the sale and the recall of the product from consumers was decided in consultation with the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca).

The product in question is a 250-gram white chicken leg from the Picoreur brand with a use-by date of 1 October 2020 (batch number 258001101). The product was sold between 18 and 24 September.

For further information, Biofresh Belgium’s consumer service can be reached on 015/79.59.39 or by e-mail at customer@biofresh.be.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken

Canada – Érablière Godbout brand “Sauce spaghetti” recalled due to potential presence of dangerous bacteria – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on September 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Recall details

Ottawa, September 27, 2020 – Érablière Godbout is recalling Érablière Godbout brand “Sauce spaghetti” from the marketplace because it may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

Recalled product

Brand Product Size UPC Codes
Érablière Godbout “Sauce spaghetti“ 500 mL None All units where the label does not mention “Keep Refrigerated”
Érablière Godbout “Sauce spaghetti“ 1 L None All units where the label does not mention “Keep Refrigerated”

What you should do

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.

Check to see if you have the recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.

Symptoms in adults can include facial paralysis or loss of facial expression, unreactive or fixed pupils, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking or including slurred speech, and a change in sound of voice, including hoarseness.

Symptoms of foodborne botulism in children can include difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, generalized weakness and paralysis. In all cases, botulism does not cause a fever. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

Background

This recall was triggered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) test results. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing the recalled products from the marketplace.

Illnesses

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Product photos

Printer ready version of photos

  • Érablière Godbout – "Sauce spaghetti" (label)
  • Érablière Godbout – "Sauce spaghetti" (ingredients)

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, Bacterial Toxin, Biotoxin, CFIA, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin

Canada – Provigo brand ground beef products recalled due to E. coli O157

Posted on September 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Recall details

Ottawa, September 27, 2020 – JBS Food Canada is recalling Provigo brand ground beef products from the marketplace due to possible E. coli O157 contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

The following products have been sold at Provigo Hull, 1 du Plateau, Gatineau, Quebec.

Recalled product

Brand Product Size UPC Codes
Provigo Medium ground beef club pack Variable Starts with 0 213026 All packages bearing Best Before 16.SE2020 or 17.SE2020 or 18.SE2020
Provigo Lean ground beef fresh club pack Variable Starts with 0 217334 All packages bearing Best Before 16.SE2020 or 17.SE2020 or 18.SE2020

What you should do

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.

Check to see if you have the recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with E. coli O157 may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, some people may have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

Background

This recall was triggered by the company. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing the recalled products from the marketplace.

Illnesses

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Product photos

Printer ready version of photos

  • Provigo – Lean ground beef fresh club pack
  • Provigo – Medium ground beef club pack

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, Bacterial Toxin, Biotoxin, CIFA, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, STEC, STEC E.coli

Finland – Salmonella detected in minced beef

Posted on September 28, 2020 by | Leave a comment

FFA

kswfoodworld salmonella

The Finnish Food Safety Authority has received information that salmonella has been detected in minced meat delivered to Finland by the Danish operator Skare Meat Packers. This is minced beef from Farmer Farms Favorites 10%, pack size 1000 g. The expiration date of this batch has been 13.09.2020 . The batch number is 2036120 0503. The product has been on sale in Lidl stores.

The Food Agency will notify you in the event that consumers have frozen the product for later use.

Salmonella can cause salmonellosis in humans if the product contaminated with the bacterium is not properly cooked before eating or if the bacterium ends up in edible products through heating surfaces or utensils.

The operator advises consumers either to dispose of the frozen product or to use the minced meat when cooked well.

Further information for customers: Lidl Finland, customer service, tel. 0800-0-5435 or customerservice@lidl.fi

Further information for the media: Lidl Finland, communications, media@lidl.fi or tel. +358 9 2345 6400

Mika Varjonen, Senior Inspector at the Finnish Food Safety Authority, tel. +358 50 386 8416 firstname.lastname@ruokavirasto.fi.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, FFA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Salmonella

Research – Association between Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 stx Gene Subtype and Disease Severity, England, 2009–2019

Posted on September 27, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Abstract

Signs and symptoms of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroup O157:H7 infection range from mild gastrointestinal to bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). We assessed the association between Shiga toxin gene (stx) subtype and disease severity for »3,000 patients with STEC O157:H7 in England during 2009–2019. Odds of bloody diarrhea, HUS, or both, were significantly higher for patients infected with STEC O157:H7 possessing stx2a only or stx2a combined with other stx subtypes. Odds of severe signs/symptoms were significantly higher for isolates encoding stx2a only and belonging to sublineage Ic and lineage I/II than for those encoding stx2a only and belonging to sublineage IIb, indicating that stx2a is not the only driver causing HUS. Strains of STEC O157:H7 that had stx1a were also significantly more associated with severe disease than strains with stx2c only. This finding confounds public health risk assessment algorithms based on detection of stx2 as a predictor of severe disease.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, Bacterial Infections, Bacterial Toxin, E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, eae, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Pathogen, pathogenic, Shigatoxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, STX 1, STX 2

Research – Listeria found for years at site of sandwich producer

Posted on September 25, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The factory of a sandwich producer in England linked to an illness was contaminated by Listeria for almost three years, a report into the incident has found.

In July 2017, Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from the blood of a 53-year-old in a hospital in Yorkshire and Humberside with an underlying health condition. The man had eaten sandwiches made by the company while in the hospital at least 12 times in the three weeks prior to illness.

The isolate was genetically indistinguishable to those from sandwiches and salads produced by the company based in Bradford who supplied National Health Service (NHS) hospitals, other institutions and retailers nationwide.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, food contamination, food death, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis, microbial contamination, Microbiology

USA – Outbreak of Salmonella Stanley Infections Linked to Wood Ear Mushrooms

Posted on September 25, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Recalls and Advice to Restaurants and Consumer

 

At A Glance
Peaches in a bag.

Do not eat, sell, or serve recalledexternal icon dried wood ear mushrooms distributed from Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. These mushrooms were sold only to restaurants and not directly to consumers.

Consumers can ask restaurants where mushrooms are from before ordering to avoid eating recalled mushrooms. Wood ear mushrooms are also commonly referred to as Kikurage, Dried Black Fungus, Dried Fungus, or Mu’er/Mu Er/Mu-Err.

  • Restaurant employees should check for recalled dried mushrooms and not serve or sell them. If you can’t tell where your dried mushrooms are from, throw them away.
  • Mushrooms were distributed to restaurants in six packs of five-pound bags labeled as Shirakiku brand Black Fungus (Kikurage) with Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code 00074410604305, item #60403, imported from China.
  • Clean and sanitizeexternal icon all surfaces that recalled mushrooms have come in contact with, including cutting boards, countertops, utensils, and storage bins.
  • In general, dried mushrooms should always be reconstituted using boiling water to kill any pathogens. This advice does not apply to recalled mushrooms, which should be thrown away.

Take action if you have symptoms of a Salmonella infection:

  • Talk to your healthcare provider.
  • Write down what you ate in the week before you started to get sick.
  • Report your illness to the health department.
  • Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.
  • Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria.
  • The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment.
  • In some people, the illness may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other places in the body.
  • Children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.
  • For more information, see Symptoms of Salmonella Infection.
Latest Outbreak Information
  • 41 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Stanley have been reported from 10 states.
    • 4 hospitalizations have been reported. No deaths have been reported.
  • Epidemiologic and traceback information show that wood ear mushrooms distributed by Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc., are the likely source of this outbreak.
    • 4 illness clusters were identified at restaurants serving ramen in three states.
    • 8 of 9 ill people linked to restaurant clusters reported eating wood ear mushrooms or ramen containing wood ear mushrooms before becoming sick.
    • Information from restaurants where ill people ate showed that wood ear mushrooms came from Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc.
  • On September 23, 2020, Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc., recalledexternal icon all Shirakiku brand imported Black Fungus that was distributed to restaurants because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • This investigation is ongoing. CDC will provide more information as it becomes available.

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Posted in Bacteria, bacterial contamination, cross contamination, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Salmonella