Category Archives: food death

Thailand – Salmonella found in ‘death dumplings’ that killed a Thai woman

Coconuts.co

Lab results on Sunday found a dubious dish dubbed “death dumplings” after at least one woman died contained the potentially fatal salmonella bacteria.

After sale of the dumplings in southeast metro Bangkok was blamed for one death and several illnesses, the lab results, which came out yesterday confirmed they contained salmonella, according to Prakit Wongprasert of the Samut Prakan provincial health office.

Earlier this month, 66-year-old Thanu Changpoopanga-ngam suffered severe diarrhea and was taken to a hospital. Her condition was allegedly caused by eating a dumpling bought from a local vendor. Others in Thanu’s family, who also ate the dumplings, said they also had severe diarrhea.

Thanu died a few days later. Her death, led the media to dub the dim sum snack as ‘death dumplings,’ after several others came forward to say they had taken sick from eating them.

Zimbabwe – 3 Family Members Die Of Suspected Food Poisoning

Pindula News

Three members of a family in Gwanda have died of suspected food poisoning. The tragedy was confirmed by Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele who said investigations were underway to establish the cause of the deaths.

Ndebele told The Chronicle that Jotham Sibanda (64) from Matshiye Village died on Saturday at home while his two grandchildren aged six and eight died, in that order, on Thursday at Mpilo and Friday at home. He said:

I can confirm that we recorded a case where a man and his two grandchildren aged six and eight years died in a suspected case of food poisoning. On May 7 in the morning Mrs Khohliso Sibanda prepared food which she ate with her husband and their three grandchildren aged six, eight and 12 years.

Thailand – Dumplings blamed for ‘poisoning’

Bangkok Post

CHACHOENGSAO: Public health officials and police in this eastern province on Monday launched a fact-finding investigation into a food outlet in Ban Pho district after several people fell sick and one died from what was suspected to be food poisoning.

The probe into the dumpling-making outlet in tambon Koh Rai came after a food vendor identified only as Mint reported to police at Ban Pho station and gave details about her supplier.

Local police said about 20 people were rushed to various hospitals with symptoms of food poisoning on May 8 with many of them saying they ate dumplings bought from a street vendor that day. A 66-year-old woman reportedly died due to complications.

Switzerland – Hospital Listeria cases linked to cheese in Switzerland; one death reported

Food Safety News

Four patients have been infected by Listeria and one has died after eating potentially contaminated cheese at a hospital in Switzerland.

During an internal check, Käserei Vogel AG, based in Steinerberg, found Listeria in semi-hard cheese and at its production site. The company issued a recall and informed its buyers to remove the products from shelves.

One of the buyers is a supplier to the Center Hospitalier du Valais Romand (CHVR). This supplier told the CHVR purchasing manager on April 30 about the problem. He instructed the immediate withdrawal of implicated cheeses. The last delivery was April 8, but it has not been ruled out that previous lots were also contaminated.

Research – Study reveals foodborne illness burden in Taiwan

Food Safety News

One in six Taiwanese people suffered from foodborne illness annually during a four year period studied by researchers.

From 2012 to 2015, almost 3.9 million foodborne illnesses and 50 deaths occurred annually in the country.

Scientists said the study, published in the Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, provided the first national estimates on the disease burden from foodborne illnesses in Taiwan.

Among just more than half of foodborne illnesses cases with identifiable causal microorganisms, non-typhoid Salmonella, norovirus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were leading pathogens.

Foodborne illnesses caused a substantial financial disease burden, with a medical cost up to NT $1.3 billion (U.S. $43,400) annually.

India -Three truckers stranded for 50 days die of ‘food poisoning’ in Odisha

The Hindu

Three truck drivers, stranded on the road for 50 days owing to the lockdown, died allegedly of food poisoning in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, 70 km from here on Friday.

On March 18, the three, hailing from Bihar, had come to collect spirit from the Dhenkanal-based Shakti Sugars Limited for a liquor manufacturing factory in Khordha district of Odisha.

 

Infographics: Estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases

WHO

   

Europe – Shiga toxin/verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC) infection – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2018

ECDC

Executive summary

  • For 2018, 30 EU/EEA countries reported 8 658 confirmed cases of infection with Shigatoxin/verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC/VTEC).
  • The overall notification rate was 2.4 cases per 100 000 population.
  • After a stable period from 2014 to 2017, the notification rate increased by 41% in 2018.
  • The highest notification rates were reported in Denmark, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Sweden.
  • The highest rate of confirmed cases was observed in 0–4-year-old children (11.5 cases per 100 000 population).

France – New report documents rise in foodborne illness outbreaks in France

Food Safety News

More than 1,600 foodborne outbreaks were declared in France in 2018 affecting 14,700 people with two deaths, according to statistics published by the national public health agency.

A total of 1,630 illness outbreaks were reported involving 14,742 people, and 777 of them needed hospital treatment.

Santé Publique France said the number has gone up from 2017 when 1,310 outbreaks were recorded affecting 13,010 people.

The two people that died were more than 85 years old. The first death was because of microbiologically confirmed poisoning from Bacillus cereus. The second followed intoxication where Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens were suspected.

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes: Enoki Mushrooms (March 2020)

FDA

Recommendation

Consumers should not eat and should check their refrigerators and throw away any recalled enoki mushrooms from Sun Hong Foods, Inc., Guan’s Mushroom Co., and H&C Food, Inc. because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve recalled enoki mushrooms distributed by Sun Hong Foods, Inc., Guan’s Mushroom Co., and H&C Food, Inc.

FDA recommends that anyone who received recalled products use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

At this time, high risk groups, including the elderly, people with weakened immune systems or chronic diseases, pregnant women and their newborn babies, should not eat enoki mushrooms from Korea (Republic of Korea), even if they were not part of the recalls.

Consumers, restaurants, retailers, and high risk groups should discard and not eat, sell, or serve enoki mushrooms if they cannot tell where they came from.

H&C Food Inc Enoki Mushrooms

 

Guan’s Mushroom Co.
Guan’s Mushroom Co.
Picture of enoki mushroom case
Sample Enoki Mushrooms Imported from Korea
Company Size UPC Code Retailers* Distribution*
Sun Hong Foods, Inc. 200 g/ 7.05 oz. 7 426852 625810 J&L Supermarket, Jusgo Supermarket, ZTao Market, New Sang Supermarket, Galleria Market, Distributors CA, FL, IL, OR, TX, WA
Guan’s Mushroom Co. 200 g/ 7.05 oz. 859267007013 Sold to Distributors and Wholesalers CA, NY, PA
H&C Food Inc. 200 g/ 7.05 oz. 831211204181 Great Wall Supermarket NY, MD, VA

*This includes confirmed distribution information from companies; products could have been further distributed and sent to additional retailers and states.

Update

FDA, CDC, and state and local partners are currently investigating a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to enoki mushrooms. Enoki mushrooms are a long thin white mushroom, usually sold in clusters. They are especially popular in East Asian cuisine and are also known as enokitake, golden needle, futu, or lily mushrooms.

On April 7, 2020, H&C Foods Inc. recalled 200 g/7.05 oz packages of enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. LTD of the Republic of Korea. FDA import samples of enoki mushrooms from Green Co. LTD tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and on April 6, 2020, whole genome sequencing analysis determined that the Listeria monocytogenes found in the positive samples matched the outbreak strain. As a result, On April 7, 2020, Green Co. LTD was placed on Import Alert 99-23, which flags imported shipments from this firm for potential detention without physical examination. The FDA is encouraging the international community to consult the Import Alert.

The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and if additional products are linked to illness. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.


Case Counts

Total Illnesses: 36
Hospitalizations: 30
Deaths: 4
Illness Onset Date Range: November 23, 2016 – December 13, 2019
States with Cases: AZ (2), CA (9), FL (2), HI (3), IN (1), KY (1), MA (2), MD (2), MI (1), MO (1), NC (1), NJ (1), NV (1), NY (4), RI (1), TN (1), VA (3)
Product Distribution*: CA, FL, IL, NY, MD, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA
*States with confirmed distribution; product could have been distributed further