Category Archives: food contamination

Korea – Food poisoning cases fall to record low

Korea Herald

The number of food poisoning cases last year was the lowest ever recorded as the COVID-19 pandemic forced cafeterias to close and increased an emphasis on personal hygiene, data showed Sunday.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the number of reported food poisoning cases reached 178, down 52 percent from five-year average of 343 cases since 2015.

The number of food poisoning patients reached 53 per million, down 40 percent from an average of 133 patients per million from 2015 to 2019. The ministry said both figures for 2020 are the lowest rates ever recorded since data was compiled in 2002.

The ongoing virus pandemic has played a big role in curbing infections, the ministry said, as the number of mass food poisoning outbreaks significantly dropped with closure of mass dining facilities in schools and offices.

USA – Food Evolution Recalls Ready-to-Eat Dip and Salad Products Containing Meat Produced Without Benefit of Inspection

FSIS USDA

Food Evolution, a Schiller Park, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 6,806 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) dip and salads products containing meat that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The RTE dip and salad items containing meat were produced on various dates from Nov. 9, 2020, through Jan. 29, 2021 and have “USE BY” dates through Feb. 6, 2021. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF only)]

  • 31-oz. container containing “Taco Dip With Refried Beans, Chili, Sour Cream, Cheddar, Onions, Black Olives, Jalapenos, & Red Pepper thoughtfully handmade —fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”
  • 18-oz. container containing “Taco Dip With Refried Beans, Chili, Sour Cream, Cheddar, Onions, Black Olives, Jalapenos, & Red Pepper thoughtfully handmade —fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”
  • 7-oz. container containing “Tri-Colored Italian Style Rotini Pasta Salad with Salami thoughtfully handmade — fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”
  • 8-oz. container containing “German Style Potato Salad with Bacon thoughtfully handmade — fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 34309” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Illinois.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS verification tasks. FSIS personnel discovered that the establishment produced amenable product at an off-site facility without the benefit of federal inspection, then repackaged and labeled the products with the USDA mark of inspection at the federal establishment.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Art Sezgin, President of Food Evolution, at (818) 837-7600.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

France – Product recall: Sélection du Fromager brand Reblochon – Listeria monocytogenes

Oulah

Product recall: Sélection du Fromager brand Reblochon

ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM

Presence of Listeria monocytogenes

PROPOSED SOLUTION

People who hold this product are asked not to consume it and to return it to the point of sale where it was purchased for reimbursement even without presentation of the receipt.

People who have consumed this product and who have a fever, isolated or accompanied by headaches, are invited to consult their doctor, notifying him of this consumption.
Pregnant women should pay special attention to these symptoms, as well as immunocompromised people and the elderly. These symptoms may suggest listeriosis, a disease that can be serious and can take up to eight weeks to incubate.

FURTHER INFORMATION

▸ Barcode
4052917134848

▸ Lot
001131612

▸ DLC
02/28/2021

▸ Marketing date
from 01/29/2021 to 02/04/2021

▸ LIDL supermarkets concerned
Click here

▸ Consumer service contact
The LIDL consumer service is at your disposal at the following telephone number 0 800 900 343.

▸ Source
https://www.lidl.fr/fr


Research – Researchers Are Screening Social Media to Help Identify Foodborne Illness

Very Well Health

CDC E.coli

Consumer online posts and content can help identify food safety concerns, and possibly reduce the risk of a foodborne illness, according to new research.

Research – Are you a safe smoked fish producer?

Safe Smoked Fish

This is a free tool developed by Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency to help smoked fish producers manage the risk of contamination of their product by Listeria monocytogenes.

USA – A dozen sick with 1 death from Listeria tainted Deli Meat – no common source found

Food Poison Journal

kswfoodworld

As of January 26, 2021, a total of 12 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes were reported from four states. A list of the states and the number of cases in each can be found on the Map of Reported Cases page.

Listeria samples from ill people were collected from August 6, 2020, to October 30, 2020. Ill people ranged in age from 40 to 89 years, with a median age of 81 years, and 83% were female. All 12 people were hospitalized, and one death was reported from Florida.

Epidemiologic evidence showed that deli meat was the likely source of this outbreak.

USA – Multi-state Salmonella outbreak of unknown origin now up to 60 patients

Food Safety News

Traceback efforts continue in a Salmonella Miami outbreak, but few details are available. Federal investigators report that the patient count has increased to 60. The source has not yet been determined.

In its original outbreak notification on Jan. 13 the Food and Drug Administration’s weekly CORE investigation table listed 48 patients. The FDA has not revealed what states are involved in the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not released information about the outbreak.

The CORE investigation table indicates that traceback is underway, but it does not provide any other information about what food or foods are part of that effort. The table refers the public to general information pages on Salmonella and the FDA investigation process.

When the outbreak was added to the weekly CORE update an FDA spokesperson told Food Safety News the agency just doesn’t have enough information on the traceback efforts yet.

India – Maha: 11 children hospitalized for suspected food poisoning

Outlook India

Palghar, Feb 3(PTI) Eleven children have been hospitalized for suspected food poisoning in Maharashtra”s Palghar district, a health official said.

District Health Officer Dr Dayanand Suryavanshi said all of them were now stable and out of danger.

The children, in the age group of 5 to 12, reported symptoms such as vomiting and nausea after eating lunch at a wedding at Kirat village on Monday and were shifted to Somta Primary Health Centre.

On Tuesday they were shifted to Rural Hospital at Kasa.

The samples of the food have been sent to a laboratory.

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Organic Dried Figs – Dried Figs

European Food Alerts

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 8.7 µg/kg – ppb) in organic dried figs from Turkey in Germany

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 68.89; Tot. = 128.26 µg/kg – ppb) in organic dried figs from Turkey in Germany

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 43; Tot. = 63 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France

 

RASFF Alert – Listeria monocytogenes – Raw Milk Cheese – Chilled Vegetarian Soya Sausage

European Food Alerts

RASFF

Listeria monocytogenes (detected /25g) and high count of Escherichia coli (>1500000 /g) in raw milk cheese (Fourme d’Ambert) from France in France

RASFF

Listeria monocytogenes (650 CFU/g) in chilled vegetarian soya sausages from the Netherlands in the Netherlands