Category Archives: food bourne outbreak

Norway – Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak sickens 18 in Norway

Outbreak News Today 

 

The Norway Institute of Public Health reports investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal bacteria, Yersinia enterocolitica O:9. To date, 18 people from several counties have been diagnosed with the infection.

Health and Food Safety officials are are trying to determine if there is a common source of infection. Interviews are conducted with the patients, and samples from the homes are taken to find the source of infection, if possible.

“Investigations can be complicated and take time, and in many cases you will not be able to find the source of infection or to clarify if there is a common source”, says Solveig Jore Senior Adviser.

RASFF Alert – Foodborne outbreak – Salmonella homemade béarnaise sauce with eggs

kswfoodworld food safety poisoning

RASFF-foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium (presence /25g) in homemade béarnaise sauce with eggs from the Netherlands in Iceland

UK – Precautionary advice on cooking frozen vegetables following Europe-wide Listeriosis outbreak

FSA

The Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland, Public Health England and Health Protection Scotland are reminding people that most frozen vegetables, including sweetcorn, need to be cooked before eating. This includes if adding them to salads, smoothies or dips.

People should always follow manufacturers’ instructions when preparing their food. If the product is not labelled as “ready to eat”, the cooking instructions should always be followed before eating the food hot or cold.

Frozen sweetcorn is the likely source of an ongoing outbreak of listeriosis affecting five European countries including the United Kingdom. Listeriosis is a rare but serious foodborne illness caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes that can be more serious for those individuals who have weakened immune systems and also the elderly, pregnant women and infants.

USA – Texas officials report dozens sick from parasitic infections – Cyclospora

Food Safety News cyclo

Texas officials warned the public Monday about a seasonal increase in infections from Cyclospora parasites, reporting there have been 56 confirmed cases since the beginning of May.

Neither this week’s outbreak notice nor a June 21 health advisory from the Texas State Department of Health Services (DSHS) referenced an ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak in four other states. At least 185 people are infected in that outbreak, which is associated with trays of pre-cut fresh vegetables from Del Monte. 

Europe – Listeria monocytogenes: update on foodborne outbreak

EFSA kswfooworld

Frozen corn and possibly other frozen vegetables are the likely source of an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that has been affecting Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom since 2015.

Experts used whole genome sequencing to identify the food source, which initially was thought to be limited to frozen corn. As of 8 June 2018, 47 cases including nine deaths had been reported.

The same strains of L. monocytogenes have been detected in frozen vegetables produced by the same Hungarian company in 2016, 2017 and 2018. This suggests that the strains have persisted in the processing plant despite the cleaning and disinfection procedures that were carried out.

The available information confirms the contamination at the Hungarian plant. However, further investigations, including thorough sampling and testing, are needed to identify the exact points of environmental contamination at the Hungarian plant. The same recommendation applies to other companies belonging to the same commercial group if environmental contamination is detected.

On 29 June 2018, the Hungarian Food Chain Safety Office banned the marketing of all frozen vegetable and frozen mixed vegetable products produced by the affected plant between August 2016 and June 2018, and ordered their immediate withdrawal and recall. This last measure is likely to significantly reduce the risk of human infections and contain the outbreak. All freezing activity at the plant has been stopped.

New cases could still emerge due to the long incubation period of listeriosis (up to 70 days); the long shelf-life of frozen corn products; and the consumption of frozen corn bought before the recalls and eaten without being cooked properly.

To reduce the risk of infection, consumers should thoroughly cook non ready-to-eat frozen vegetables, even though these products are commonly consumed without cooking (e.g. in salads and smoothies). This applies especially to consumers at highest risk of contracting listeriosis – such as the elderly, pregnant women, new-borns and adults with weakened immune systems.

Technical Report

Multi-country outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes serogroup IVb, multi-locus sequence type 6, infections linked to frozen corn and possibly to other frozen vegetables – first update

 

USA – Canal water likely source of E. coli in romaine-related outbreak

Food Safety News 

 

Federal officials say contaminated canal water near romaine lettuce growing fields is the likely source of the unusually virulent strain of E. coli that has sickened people across 36 states, killing five.

The outbreak is over, according to an update this afternoon from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency has confirmed 210 people with infections. Twenty-seven of the victims have developed kidney failure. The most recent victim became sick on June 6.

“Samples have been collected from environmental sources in the region, including water, soil, and cow manure. Evaluation of these samples is ongoing,” according to an update this afternoon from the Food and Drug Administration investigators.

“To date, CDC analysis of samples taken from canal water in the region has identified the presence of E. coli O157: H7 with the same genetic fingerprint as the outbreak strain. We have identified additional strains of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli in water and soil samples, but at this time, the samples from the canal water are the only matches to the outbreak strain.”

RASFF – Foodborne outbreak caused by Hepatitis A virus

kswfoodworld food safety poisoning

RASFF -foodborne outbreak caused by hepatitis A virus (1B) in frozen strawberries from Poland in Sweden

Canada – Canada calls E. coli Outbreak over after 8 Sickened by US Romaine Lettuce

Food Poison Journal 

According to Food Safety News, Canadian officials say an E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce from Arizona has ended with eight confirmed cases in their country. The eight victims in Canada all reported eating chopped romaine lettuce in the days before becoming sick. They all said the romaine was in packaged salads from grocery stores or in salads from restaurants. Two of the Canadians reported traveling to the United States and eating romaine there before becoming ill. Canadians became sick between March 18 and April 22.

In Canada the investigation is officially over, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

USA – Cyclospora Kwik Trip Outbreak Linked to Del Monte Vegetable Trays Grows to 144 Sick

Food Poisoning Bulletin cyclo

The cyclospora Kwik Trip outbreak linked to Del Monte vegetable trays has now grown to 144 patients, according to an FDA update. The patients live in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Six people have been hospitalized in this outbreak because they are so sick.

Cyclospora Kwik Trip Del Monte Outbreak 622

RASFF Alert – Foodborne Outbreak – Infant Formula

kswfoodworld food safety poisoning

RASFF-foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by infant milk formula from Spain in France