Category Archives: Food Hygiene

Norway – Norway norovirus outbreaks linked to seaweed salad from China

Food Safety News

More than 100 people have fallen ill in Norway from norovirus likely in a frozen seaweed salad from China.

The first outbreak of norovirus suspected to be linked to the seaweed salad occurred in mid-June and the most recent was at the beginning of August. The implicated product was also shipped to Denmark.

“It is suspected that seaweed from China was the cause of more than 100 cases of gastroenteritis from at least 11 eateries in different areas of Norway. Most of the outbreaks were in June and July this year. Investigations are still ongoing. Norovirus was detected in patients from at least two of these eateries,” Guri Aanderud, senior adviser in the seafood section at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) told Food Safety News.

USA – Hepatitis A in Food Worker at Cracker Barrel in Bridgeport, MI

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A food worker at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant and Old County Store at 6450 Dixie Highway in Bridgeport, Michigan has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Saginaw County Health Department. That person worked there from August 25 through August 28, 2019. Anyone who visited that facility during that time frame may have been exposed to the virus.

USA -Campylobacter Illness Associated with Bad Farms PA Raw Milk

Food Poison Bulletin

 

One person is sick with a Campylobacter infection after allegedly drinking raw whole milk from BAD FARMS in Kempton, Pennsylvania, according to news reports. That farm is located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The milk has been recalled and removed from store shelves.

USA – 4 with Salmonella from Outpost Natural Food locations in Wisconsin

Food Poison Journal

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and local health departments are investigating an outbreak of salmonellosis linked to consuming food from Outpost Natural Food locations.

On August 23, 2019, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the City of Milwaukee Health Department suspended meat and food processing at Outpost Natural Foods(link is external) located in Milwaukee at 2826 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. due to insanitary conditions. DATCP has suspended the cooperative’s meat establishment license and the City of Milwaukee has suspended the cooperative’s retail food processing activities.

Insanitary conditions were discovered during a routine inspection and ready-to-eat products tested positive for Salmonella.

Spain – Spain Listeria outbreak: More than 200 cases, 3 deaths

Outbreak News Today

In a follow-up on the listeriosis outbreak in Spain associated with the consumption of roasted pork meat, Spanish health officials report (computer translated) an additional 29 cases, bringing the total to 204.

Andalusia, in southern Spain has reported the bulk of the cases with 197, with most of the cases in this community reported from Seville (162).

Of the patients confirmed in Andalusia, 58 percent presented symptoms compatible with acute gastroenteritis, 47% presented with fever, 10% (19) developed meningeal forms and four patients had sepsis.

Three fatalities have been reported to date–two people over 70 with serious comorbidities and a person over 90 years old.

In the rest of the Autonomous Communities, 4 laboratory confirmed cases have been registered (1 in Aragón, 1 in Castilla y León, 1 in Extremadura and 1 pregnant woman of 8 weeks in Madrid who lost the baby) and 3 cases confirmed by epidemiological link (1 in Extremadura and 2 in Aragon).

Canada – Food Recall Warning – Certain The Deli-Shop brand Pâtés recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes

CFIA

The Deli-Shop: Country-style Pâté - Cognac -150 g

Recall details

Ottawa, August 30, 2019 – Les Spécialités Prodal (1975) Ltée is recalling certain The Deli-Shop brand Pâtés from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size UPC Code(s) on Product
The Deli-Shop Country-style Pâté – Cognac 150 g 0 59749 95188 3 2019SE26
The Deli-Shop Country-style Pâté – Pepper 150 g 0 59749 95189 0 2019SE26
The Deli-Shop Country-style Pâté – Old Fashioned 150 g 0 59749 95187 6 2019SE26
The Deli-Shop Liver Pâté – Fine Herbs 150 g 0 59749 95191 3 2019SE26
The Deli-Shop Liver Pâté – Garlic 150 g 0 59749 95190 6 2019SE26
The Deli-Shop Liver Pâté – Old Fashioned 150 g 0 59749 95192 0 2019SE26

UK – Duck egg warning after Doncaster man dies of Salmonella

BBC News

The family of a man who died of salmonella has warned about eating duck eggs.

Niptoon Tavakoli’s family said he fell ill after consuming duck eggs bought at a village fair.

There has been a second case of salmonella involving someone who also said they ate duck eggs from the same farm – although this has not been confirmed as the source of infection.

The supplier of the eggs believes the salmonella came from elsewhere.

Mr Tavakoli’s sister-in-law Donna Martin said: “We just want to try and make people aware, if you buy duck eggs, please cook them thoroughly.

“We would never want another family to go through what we have.”

She “strongly believes” Mr Tavakoli, of Lindholme, Doncaster, contracted salmonella from duck eggs he bought at the Messingham Show in North Lincolnshire on Sunday 2 June.

USA – Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods, LLC Recalls The Milk Lady’s Herbal Tea Blend, Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea Blend, and Diges-teas Herbal Tea Blend, Because of Possible Health Risk – Salmonella

FDA

Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods, LLC of Welches, OR is recalling The Milk Lady’s Tea with LOT # ML6271950, Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea with LOT # PB781950, and Diges-Teas Herbal Tea with LOT # DT7619100, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonellacan result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The Milk Lady’s, Peaceful Baby, and Diges-Teas were distributed in Oregon and Washington through New Seasons Market, and nationwide through Azure Standard, Mountainmels.com and Amazon.com. The affected tea products were distributed by Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods June 27, 2019 and July 20, 2019.

The Milk Lady’s Herbal Tea Blend, UPC 7 99632 05658 4, is packaged in a tall thin tin container with 2 oz of tea per tin, with a purple label. The LOT# of the recalled batch is # ML6271950. The LOT# can be located on the bottom of the tin package. The Best By Date of the Milk Lady’s Tea is listed as 7/2021.

Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea Blend, UPC 7 99632 05656 0, is packaged in a tall thin tin container with 2 oz of tea per tin, with a blue label. The LOT# of the recalled batch is #PB781950. The LOT# can be located on the bottom of the tin package. The Best By Date of the Peaceful Baby Tea is listed as 7/2021.

Diges-Teas Herbal Tea Blend, UPC 7 99632 05665 2, is packaged in a tall thin tin container with 2 oz of tea per tin, with a brown label. The LOT# of the recalled batch is #DT7619100. The LOT# can be located on the bottom of the tin package. The Best By Date of the Diges-Teas Herbal Tea is listed as 7/2021.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

This recall was initiated because the herbal teas were made with the recalled fennel seed whole that was supplied and recalled by Mountain Rose Herbs in Oregon. Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods has ceased production and distribution of this product as of July 20, 2019.

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Consumers who have purchased Mountain Mel’s The Milk Lady’s Tea with LOT # ML6271950, Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea with LOT # PB781950, and/or Diges-Teas Herbal Tea with LOT # DT7619100 are urged to take a photo of the product and lot label, email that to info@mountainmels.com for a full refund.

Consumers with further questions may contact Mountain Mel’s via email at info@mountainmels.com.

Research – Assessment of the bioprotective potential of lactic acid bacteria against Listeria monocytogenes on vacuum-packed cold-smoked salmon stored at 8 °C.

Science Direct

Abstract

Smoked salmon is a highly appreciated delicatessen product. Nevertheless, this ready-to-eat (RTE) product is considered at risk for Listeria monocytogenes, due to both the prevalence and growth potential of this bacteria on the product. Biopreservation may be considered a mild and natural effective strategy for minimizing this risk. In this study, we evaluated the following three potential bioprotective lactic acid bacterial strains against L. monocytogenes in three smoked salmon types with different physicochemical characteristics, primarily fat, moisture, phenol and acid acetic content: two bacteriocin-like producers that were isolated from smoked salmon and identified as Lactobacillus curvatus and Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and a recognized bioprotective bacteriocin producer from meat origin, Lactobacillus sakei CTC494. L. sakei CTC494 inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes after 21 days of storage at 8 °C in all the products tested, whereas L. curvatus CTC1742 only limited the growth of the pathogen (<2 log increase). The effectiveness of C. maltaromaticum CTC1741 was dependent on the product type; this strain limited the growth of the pathogen in only one smoked salmon type.

These results suggest that the meat-borne starter culture, L. sakei CTC494, may potentially be used as a bioprotective culture to improve the food safety of cold-smoked salmon.

USA – Listeria Warning: Consumers Advised to Avoid Unsealed Food from We Share Hope

Food Poison Journal

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising consumers to avoid eating food products that are not commercially sealed from We Share Hope of Warren and East Providence, RI because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Various food products were distributed to soup kitchens and food pantries in Rhode Island and possibly other states or may have been purchased at the We Share Hope facility at 624 Main Street, Warren. No one should purchase or obtain food from the Warren or East Providence facilities until further notice. These products were distributed from a facility that previously had environmental samples that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. At this time, there have not been any reports of illnesses associated with these products.