Category Archives: food death

USA – Dave’s Sushi to reopen after sickening 50 with 2 dead – Morel Mushrooms suspect

Posted on May 19, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Gallatin City-County Health Department Rescinds Closure Order and Institutes New Health Officer Order with Corrective Actions Required Prior to Dave’s Sushi Reopening

Since being ordered to close on April 20, 2023, food samples – including salmon and morel mushrooms – from Dave’s Sushi have been collected and analyzed. To date, all samples have come back negative for a series of pathogens and toxins. A thorough investigation led by the Gallatin City-County Health Department, with support from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is still ongoing and it is known that this investigation may not be able to identify a specific pathogen/toxin as a source of the outbreak that impacted 50 people. Three individuals had severe outcomes, including hospitalizations, and the deaths of two individuals are being investigated after eating at the restaurant. The manner and cause of death for these two individuals will remain pending until autopsy and toxicology results are available.

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

India – Assam: One dies, several hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning

Posted on May 17, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Daiji World

One person died in Assam’s Goalpara district, while several others were hospitalised after they complained of food poisoning following a ritual feast organised in Mariampur village bordering Meghalaya, officials said on Friday.

The function was organised on Wednesday night by Garo community members living in that village. People started complaining about uneasiness soon after the dinner.

The fishery department has collected samples and sent those for the test. Some samples were also sent to an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) laboratory outside the state. Once we get the reports, the reason behind the mass illness can be ascertained.

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Posted in Death, food death, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

USA – Possible Foodborne Illness Kills Two People in Montana – Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Donna Ventura

Posted on May 17, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning News

On April 30th, a 64 year old woman, Donna Ventura, died of a suspected foodborne illness. The county police officer reports that she was a regular at Dave’s Sushi restaurant. One week before, a 74 year old man named William Lewis also died of a foodborne illness. He was also a patron of Dave’s Sushi. The cause of death is currently under investigation, though morel mushrooms are suspected. While the two deaths have not been “directly” linked to the sushi restaurant, yet, at least three dozen other patrons of Dave’s Sushi have reported illnesses. The autopsy results will be available in 4-6 weeks, and toxicology results will be available in 2-6 months.

The restaurant has been closed for more than 2 weeks after receiving multiple complaints from more than 30 consumers falling ill after eating Dave’s Sushi. The FDA has focused its attention on morel mushrooms, sourced from China, as the source of the illnesses. Although it is not yet confirmed that these mushrooms were what caused the outbreak, this was an off-menu addition and only those who consumed the tainted product became ill – usually within 30 to 270 minutes post-consumption.

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

USA – Two possibly dead linked to Dave’s Sushi in Bozeman

Posted on May 3, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

According to press reports, Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer tells MTN News that Donna Ventura, age 64, died of a possible foodborne illness, after eating at Dave’s Sushi. The cause of Ventura’s death has not been confirmed as officials are waiting on autopsy and toxicology results.

According to earlier press reports, William “Bill” Lewis 74, of Townsend, died after eating at Dave’s Sushi, according to Broadwater County Sheriff Nick Rauser, who is also the county coroner. Sheriff Rauser says the 74-year-old man died at his home in Broadwater County. Sheriff Rauser says the call came in at 6:34 AM on the morning of April 18 and a relative told the responding officer that the man had eaten at Dave’s Sushi the night before, the same night the Gallatin County Health Department reported they received complaints of people becoming ill which led to the investigation and closure of the restaurant.

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Posted in Death, food death, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness Death, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Denmark – Salmonella outbreak sickens 16 and kills one in Denmark

Posted on May 2, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Danish officials are searching for the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has affected 16 people with one recorded death.

During March and April 2023, 16 cases of Salmonella Muenchen have been recorded.

Eight men and eight women are sick. Patients are aged between 10 and 95 with a median of 73 years old. One person has died and seven have been hospitalized.

Ill people live all over the country with eight cases in Hovedstaden, four in Sjælland, three in Midtjylland, and one in Syddanmark.

The Statens Serum Institut (SSI), Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen), and DTU Food Institute are investigating the outbreak.

SSI is continuing to whole genome sequence isolates from patients and interview them or their relatives to try and identify a possible source of infection.

Whole genome sequencing of bacteria isolated from patients has found they were very closely related which suggests that there is a common source of infection.

Salmonella Muenchen is a rare type in Denmark with usually only around two to eight cases per year.

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Research – Nestlé strikes settlement deal over France E. coli scandal

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Just Food

Nestlé has agreed to a settlement with victims of a fatal E. coli outbreak last year.

Dozens of children fell sick after eating contaminated food – and two died. In April last year, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into alleged involuntary manslaughter. Health officials ordered production at the Caudry factory to cease five days later.

The company told Just Food today (18 April) it had settled with “the vast majority of claimants”, who are represented by lawyer Pierre Debuisson

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Posted in Death, E.coli, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

Kenya – Mukumu girls deaths linked to E.coli, Salmonella from contaminated water

Posted on April 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

KBC

Three students and a teacher at Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls in Kakamega died as a result of contaminated water.

The Ministry of Health Friday said preliminary findings had revealed E. coli and Salmonella typhi, a bacterium that is responsible for typhoid fever as the causes of the illness initially suspected to be cholera.

“The Ministry wishes to inform the general public that this disease is likely to be a mixture of E. coli and Salmonella typhi which usually occurs if water sources are contaminated with these micro-organisms” Ag. Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth said.

A comprehensive investigation is however underway even as the top health official ruled out aflatoxin.

Several learning institutions including, Mukumu Girls and Butere Boys in Kamamega and the latest being Mukuuni Boys High School in Chuka, Tharaka Nithi County have been closed after students were taken ill.

“The Ministry of Health has taken several water, food, and human tissue samples, from which preliminary laboratory investigations undertaken have revealed Enterotoxigenic E. coli and Salmonella typhi as the causes of the illness,” he said

“Further laboratory investigations carried out on the grains and pulses for aflatoxin have turned negative for aflatoxicosis- a dangerous fungal infection from poorly stored cereal grains” he added.

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Posted in Contaminated water, Death, Decontamination Microbial, E.coli, food death, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness Death, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella, Water, water microbiology, Water Safety

USA – Listeria Outbreak Linked to Deli Meat and Cheese

Posted on March 31, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CDC

This outbreak is over. Even when there are no ongoing Listeria outbreaks, people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system should reheat deli meat and deli-sliced cheese to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot to kill any germs.

Fast Facts
  • Illnesses: 16
  • Hospitalizations: 13
  • Deaths: 1
  • States: 6
  • Recall: No
  • Investigation status: Closed
Store with deli meat and cheese on shelves
Listeria in Deli Meat and Deli-Sliced Cheese

Deli meats (cold cuts, lunch meats, hot dogs, and pâtés) and deli-sliced cheeses are known sources of Listeria illnesses. This is because Listeria can easily spread among food, food preparation surfaces like deli slicers, and hands. Listeria is a hardy germ that can be difficult to fully remove once it is present in a deli or a food processing facility. It can survive and grow at cold temperatures in a refrigerator.

Outbreak Investigation Summary

Data showed that deli meat and cheese bought at deli counters in multiple states were the likely sources of this outbreak.

  • Of 12 people interviewed, 11 reported eating meat or cheese from deli counters.
  • The outbreak strain of Listeria was found in open packages of mortadella, ham, and salami sliced at the deli, as well as a deli in Brooklyn, New York.

A single deli or food source was not identified. It is difficult for investigators to identify the specific source of outbreaks linked to deli meats and cheeses. This is because Listeria spreads easily between food and the deli environment, and it can live for a long time in deli display cases and on equipment. A contaminated food likely introduced the outbreak strain of Listeria into delis in multiple states.

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Posted in CDC, Death, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

USA – Stewart Parnell looks for better Habeas in Atlanta than he just had in Mid-Georgia – Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on March 29, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

A decade after his indictment and a year after United States Magistrate Judge Thomas Q. Langstaff denied his petition for early release, one-time peanut butter mogul Stewart Parnell still has one more card to play.

Parnell, 68, has 15 years to run on his sentence imposed after a 2014 jury conviction for numerous federal felonies associated with the deadly 2008-09 multistate Salmonella outbreak traced to his Peanut Corporation of America peanut processing facility in Blakely, GA. He is serving his time at the federal correctional facility at Hazelton, WV.

Parnell begins this year with a new appeal of his Habeas corpus petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th U.S. Circuit in Atlanta. A Habeas petition claims unlawful detention or imprisonment because of constitutional infractions. It can open cell doors,

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Posted in Death, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter

USA – Woman’s estate wins big award from Big Olaf in wrongful Listeria death lawsuit – $4 Million

Posted on January 27, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Herald Tribune

SARASOTA — The estate of a 79-year-old Illinois woman who died after eating listeria-tainted ice cream from a Sarasota creamery was awarded $4 million by a U.S. District Court judge in Tampa this week.

The ruling came Tuesday in the wrongful death suit filed last year by Bill Marler, a nationally known foodborne illness attorney who represented the estate of Mary Billman. Marler was retained following Billman’s death on Jan. 29, 2022, and the listeria outbreak identified by federal and state regulators last summer that gained national attention.

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak