Category Archives: food contamination

Ireland – Recall of Smoked Pork Sausage Produced by Rimantas Meats, due to the Presence of Listeria monocytogenes

FSAI

Summary
Category 1: For Action
Alert Notification: 2019.20
Product: Smoked Pork Sausage produced by Rimantas Meats, Belturbet,
Co. Cavan, approval number: IE 2826 EC
Batch Code: All batch codes, all expiry dates.
Country Of Origin: Ireland

Message:

Listeria monocytogenes was detected in a batch of ready-to-eat smoked pork sausage (use by date: 07/06/2019) which was produced by Rimantas Meats, Belturbet, Co. Cavan.  As a precautionary measure, all batches of Rimantas Meats smoked pork sausage are being recalled.  These products were mainly sold at food markets in the North East region.

Nature Of Danger:

Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness.  In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis. Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.  The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average 3 weeks but can range between 3 and 70 days.

Action Required:

Manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, caterers & retailers:

Food businesses which were supplied with the implicated products are requested to remove them from sale and clearly display a point-of-sale notice informing consumers not to eat the products.

Consumers:

Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated smoked pork sausage.

Large sausage
Small sausage.

Australia – Recall: Roza’s Gourmet Dip – Listeria monocytogenes

Food Authority NSW

The NSW Food Authority advises:

Roza’s Gourmet is conducting a recall of Roza’s Gourmet Miso and Edamame Dip. The product has been for sale at independent stores (including IGA and Harris Farm) in NSW, QLD, ACT, VIC, and TAS.

Product details:

  • Roza’s Gourmet Miso and Edamame Dip, 160g plastic tub
  • Best Before: Up to and including 23 JUN 19

Problem: Potential microbial (Listeria monocytogenes) contamination

Food safety hazard: Listeria monocytogenes may cause illness in pregnant women
and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems.

Country of origin: Australia

What to do: This product should not be consumed and should be returned to the
place of purchase for a full refund. Any consumers concerned about their health
should seek medical advice.

For further information please contact Roza’s Gourmet Pty Ltd on 1800 259 769.

Canada – Food Recall Warning – Pousses et Cie brand Mix Spicy Microgreens recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes

CFIA

Recall details

Ottawa, May 22, 2019 – Les Serres René Fontaine Inc. is recalling Pousses et Cie brand Mix Spicy Microgreens from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Recalled products

Pousses et Cie - Mix Spicy Microgreens - 75 gram

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Pousses et Cie Mix Spicy Microgreens 75 g Best Before 19MA20
061FE05
6 74001 03531 8

USA – FDA Investigates Shigella Illnesses Linked to Imported Raw Oysters

FDA 

May 21, 2019

Audience

  • Consumers who recently experienced symptoms of foodborne illness after eating raw oysters
  • Restaurants that sell raw oysters in California, Nevada, New York, and Arizona

Product

  • Oysters harvested from Estero El Cardon, Baja California Sur, Mexico
  • Oysters were distributed primarily to California, Nevada, New York, and Arizona
  • Oysters were sold to wholesale distributors with direct sales to restaurants and not to grocery retail outlets.

Purpose

Consumers should not purchase oysters marketed as being harvested from Estero El Cardon, in Baja California Sur, Mexico from restaurants. Consumers who have recently experienced symptoms of foodborne illness should contact their healthcare provider and report their symptoms and receive care.

Restaurants and retailers should not serve oysters from the Estero El Cardon harvest area in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Restaurants and retailers should dispose of any products with harvest tags that indicate a growing area of Estero El Cardon by throwing them away.

Symptoms of Shigella Illness (Shigellosis)

Shigella is a bacterium that spreads from contaminated feces. It often spreads through unclean water that an infected person has been in. Food can become contaminated when handled by an infected person who did not use proper hand hygiene after going to the bathroom, or if contaminated water is used in the process of growing or preparing the food.

Symptoms of shigellosis generally develop within 8 hours or up to about 2 days. Although shigellosis is often mild and goes away by itself in a week or less, it can become very serious in some cases. Severe cases can be treated with certain antibiotics. Symptoms of shigellosis may include watery stool that may have blood, pus, or mucus in it, vomiting, cramping, and fever. Young children, the elderly, and people with a weak immune system are more likely than others to develop severe illness.

If you suspect you have symptoms of shigellosis, contact a health professional.

Ireland – Recall of a Batch of Holland and Barrett Lucky Liquorice Roots Due to Ochratoxin A

FSAI

Summary
Category 2: For Information
Alert Notification: 2019.19
Product: Holland & Barrett good stuff lucky liquorice root, pack size: 100g
Batch Code: 130567, ‘best-before’ end: January 2020
Country Of Origin: Azerbaijan

Message:

A high level of ochratoxin A was detected in the above batch of liquorice roots. Ochratoxin A is a toxin which is produced by fungi growing on the plant material. Consumers who have the implicated batch should dispose of it or return it to Holland & Barrett.

Lucky_liquorice

Argentina -Argentina reports two Clostridium botulism cases linked to hummus

Outbreak News Today

cdc clost spore

Image CDC

Two people from Villa Urquiza have contracted botulism and health officials have linked it to consumption of hummus, according to a Perfil report (computer translated).

According to the report, the packaged hummus was from a a firm that marketed -without any type of authorization- vegan products in its Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo.

The two female patients, aged 25 and 32, presented Thursday with symptoms compatible with botulism: blurred vision, difficulty in swallowing, muscle weakness, muscle fatigue, among others. Both are hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Sanatorium Güemes.

The Buenos Aires Ministry of Health began an epidemiological investigation and prevention and control measures were implemented. It was determined that the cases of intoxication were associated with the product: “Hummus, organic chickpea, Tsuki Macro Vegan brand”.

Philippines – Food poisoning sickens 100s at Bukidnon event

Outbreak News Today

Philippines officials are reported an outbreak of suspected food poisoning in Bukidnon province in the  Northern Mindanao region.

It is reported that 233 delegates of the 8th National Youth Convention held by the Seventh Day Adventists at the Center of Ecological Development and Recreation (CEDAR) in Impasog-ong experienced vomited and loose-bowel movements with fever.

Some patients were transported to hospitals in Malaybalay for treatment, while others were locally by the Rural Health Unit.

A Department of Health response team was sent to the area.

Cambodia – Villagers poisoned in two separate cases over weekend

Khmer Times

One person was killed and about 40 others were injured over the weekend after they consumed wild mushrooms and salted crabs in Preah Sihanouk and Battambang provinces.

Seng Nong, director of the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Referral Hospital, yesterday said five people working at the special economic zone were sent to hospital on Friday after they consumed mushrooms, noting that one of the victims died.

“According to them, they used mushrooms in their cooking, and after eating, they began vomiting and having difficulty breathing,” Mr Nong said. “We suspect they had been poisoned by the mushrooms because they ate nothing else but those mushrooms.”

USA – Kwik Trip Del Monte Vegetable Trays Linked to Salmonella Outbreak in WI and MN

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A new Kwik Trip Del Monte vegetable tray outbreak has sickened three people in Wisconsin and one person in Minnesota with Salmonella food poisoning, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health. Last year, a cyclospora outbreak that was linked to Del Monte vegetable trays, also sold at Kwik Trip and Kwik Star locations in the upper Midwest, sickened at least 250 people.

USA – Possible Hepatitis A Exposure at Roy Moore’s Fish Shack in Rockport, MA

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is warning consumers that if they ate cold food or uncooked food at Roy Moore’s Fish Shack in Rockport, Massachusetts between April 21 and May 12, 2019 may have been exposed to hepatitis A. A food service employee of the restaurant who worked there during those dates has been confirmed as sick with hepatitis A.