Category Archives: Food Hygiene

USA – Sprout Creek Farm Recalls “Kinkead” Cheese due to Possible Health Risk – Listeria monocytogenes

FDA

Listeria kswfoodworld food safety food poisoning

Image CDC

 

Sprout Creek Farm of Poughkeepsie, New York is recalling 4 wheels of “Kinkead” cheese made on 5-10-18, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

No illnesses have been reported to date. Any consumer with the product should dispose of it immediately. Sprout Creek Farm has been in contact with distributors and markets to immediately remove this batch of “Kinkead” cheese from their shelves.

The recalled batch of “Kinkead” cheese was distributed to the following locations, which have all been notified of the recall and instructed to dispose of the cheese:

Adams Fairacre Farms 160 OldPost Rd, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
Rocking Horse Ranch 600 US-44, Highland, NY 12528
Mountain Brauhaus 3123 US-44, Gardiner, NY 12525
Online Order 2003 Avondale, Wichita Falls, TX 76308
The Amsterdam 6380 Mill Street Rhinebeck, NY 12572

“Kinkead” is a raw semi-firm, washed natural rind cheese, packaged with an orange label. Some of the distributed cheese was cut and sold by weight within the stores listed.

The issue was discovered as Sprout Creek Farm was taking proactive measures as part of determining the root cause of the Listeria monocytogenes contamination discovered during routine testing earlier this month. In conducting a thorough review, Sprout Creek Farm determined that Listeria monocytogenes may have been present in the environment. In line with Sprout Creek’s mission of providing healthy, sustainable food, all cheese in the farm’s aging caves is being tested to ensure its safety. No new cheese will be produced until a complete review and overhaul of creamery facilities, procedures, and standing practices are complete.

Sprout Creek Farm voluntarily ceased all production of cheese immediately following that recall initiated on November 6.  Additionally since the November 6 recall, there has been no production or distribution of any cheese by the farm. The 5-10-2018 “Kinkead” cheese was distributed prior to the November 6 recall.

For additional information regarding this recall, call Sister Margo Morris at Sprout Creek Farm (845) 485-8438 from 9:00am – 5:00pm, Monday – Friday EST.

“Sprout Creek Farm takes this very seriously and we have voluntarily gone above and beyond what is required to ensure our cheese is both safe and exquisite,” said Mark Fredette, Executive Director of Sprout Creek Farm.

USA – Nearly 100K pounds of ground beef recalled due to possible E. coli contamination

WTKR

 

JBS USA, a unit of the world’s largest meat processor, has recalled nearly 100,000 pounds of ground beef due to concerns it may be possibly tainted with E. coli.

According to CBS News, this is the unit’s second largest meat recall in as many months. In early October, Swift Beef, part of JBS USA, recalled 6.9 million pounds of beef tied to a 25-state salmonella outbreak that affected more than 200 people. Swift Beef is part of JBS USA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Swift Beef Co. recalled 99.260 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli. Swift Beef shipped the recalled meat to retail distributors for further processing and food service providers for institutional use in the following five states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

The bulk ground beef was produced on October 24, the FSIS said.

USA -FDA Investigating a Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Concord Linked to Tahini Produced by Achdut Ltd

FDA

Salmonella

 

November 27, 2018

United States Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Concord illnesses linked to tahini imported from an Israeli manufacturer, Achdut Ltd., located in Ari’el, Israel.

Achdut Ltd. has voluntarily recalled all brands of tahini products manufactured from April 7, 2018 to May 21, 2018 with expiration dates of April 7, 2020 to May 21, 2020.

Recommendations

The FDA is advising consumers not to eat recalled Achva, Achdut, Soom, S&F, Pepperwood, and Baron’s brand tahini with expiration dates ranging from April 7, 2020 to May 21, 2020. The product lot codes range from 18-097 to 18-141. Consumers should discard the product or return the product to the store for a refund.

Some brands of tahini manufactured by Achdut Ltd. may lack specific dates or may have labels that are written in Hebrew. Consumers who have purchased a tahini product and are uncertain of where the product was manufactured or cannot identify the brand by lot codes or expiration dates should use caution and discard the product or return the food to the store for a refund. More product information and pictures of the recalled product labels can be found in the firm’s recall announcement.

Retailers and restaurants should not use any of the recalled tahini manufactured by Achdut Ltd. at their establishments. Retailers and restaurants should throw the product out.

Firms that may have used the recalled tahini (either repacked or used as an ingredient in a food without a kill step) should consider recalling their products. Recalls should be reported to your local FDA office. A list of recall coordinators can be found here.

Consumers who have symptoms of salmonellosis should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care.

Background

CDC identified five ill people in the U.S. infected with Salmonella Concord that had the same genetic fingerprint as the Salmonella Concord found in tahini sampled at the point of import into the United States. Of the five U.S. cases interviewed, all five reported consuming hummus made with tahini; three people reported eating tahini or hummus made with tahini in a restaurant in the U.S., while the other two people reported consuming tahini or hummus made with tahini during international travel.

A sample of imported tahini collected by FDA at the point of import tested positive for Salmonella Concord. The tahini was Baron’s brand manufactured by Achdut Ltd. This manufacturer was placed on an FDA Import Alert, detaining additional product from the firm at the U.S. border until evidence is presented demonstrating that Salmonella is not present in the product. Whole genome sequencing analysis has indicated the positive sample of imported Baron’s brand tahini is highly related to clinical isolates from ill people in the U.S.

USA – Florida: Hepatitis A warning for patrons of Morimoto Asia restaurant

Otbreak News Today

Florida health officials have issued a warning for patrons of a Lake Buena Vista restaurant after a food service worker tested positive for hepatitis A.

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County (DOH-Orange) reports the individual worked at the Morimoto Asia restaurant located at 1600 East Buena Vista Drive in Lake Buena Vista.

Health officials advise people who consumed any food or beverage at this restaurant from November 6 – 16, 2018, may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus. Patrons that haven’t previously had hepatitis A or been vaccinated for hepatitis A should seek post-exposure prophylaxis.

Vietnam – Food safety still a problem in school canteens

Vietnamnet

VietNamNet Bridge – Several food poisoning cases reported at public canteens, including a number in schools, across the country in recent months have raised concerns among parents and the public about food safety.

In the latest incident, hundreds of students at Xuan Non Kindergarten in Dong Anh District suffered food poisoning after attending a party at their school on November 14.

Days later, nearly 200 students were taken to local medical facilities for emergency treatment after experiencing stomach aches, headaches, vomiting and high fevers.

One of 13 food samples tested positive for Salmonella type 2 – a bacteria that causes intestinal infection, fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

In October, more than 300 students from Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School in Ninh Binh Province also suffered food poisoning.

Health authorities confirmed that bacteria was to blame for the mass poisoning that affected hundreds of children at the schools after they ate chicken floss.

The samples taken from the food and victims’ vomit tested positive for microbes and bacteria, according to Dr Cao Van Trung, deputy director of the Food Poisoning Supervision Office at the Food Safety Department.

Results of the investigation showed the samples contained Staphylococcus aureus, also known as golden staph, or a type of bacteria frequently found in the nose, along the respiratory tract, and on the skin in humans. It is a common cause of skin infections including abscesses, respiratory infections, and food poisoning.

Nigeria -Three Kebbi schoolgirls die after eating food allegedly prepared by parent

Punch NG

Three schoolgirls at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Mega, Kebbi State, have reportedly died of suspected food poisoning.

The children reportedly died after eating a meal called Rama, allegedly prepared by a parent of one of the victims.

The school’s principal, Hajiya Lami Abubakar, disclosed that the food was not a school meal, but it was prepared from home by a parent of one of the girls.

Pakistan – Food poisoning sends 18 Islamabad madrassa students to hospital

SAMAA TV

As many as 18 madrassa students in Islamabad were hospitalised after eating stale food for breakfast. 

The students have been admitted at the PIMS Hospital.

Canada – E. coli outbreak: 22 cases in three provinces

Outbreak News Today

The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with provincial public health partners, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada, as well as the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA), to investigate an outbreak of E. coli infections in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and several U.S. states.

In Canada, based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to romaine lettuce has been identified as a source of the outbreak, but the cause of contamination has not been identified.

The current outbreak appears to be ongoing as illnesses linked to romaine lettuce continue to be reported. These recent illnesses indicate that contaminated romaine lettuce may still be on the market, including in restaurants, grocery stores and any establishments that serve food. At this time, the investigation evidence in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick suggests that there is a risk of E. coli infections associated with eating romaine lettuce.

South Africa – Salmonella outbreak reported in KwaZulu-Natal

Outbreak News Today

South African health officials reported recently an increase in Salmonella cases in KwaZulu-Natal Province over the past two months and say Salmonella was also the most likely cause of two recent foodborne disease outbreaks reported from eThekwini Municipality.

Two weeks ago, local media reported at least 20 people have been hospitalized in Durban.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) is assisting the district and provincial health department outbreak response teams’ ongoing investigations. Teams are gathering additional information about the outbreaks and other reported cases, and also collecting food and environmental samples to investigate the source/s of the outbreaks.

UK – Northern Ireland – Galmere Fresh Foods recalls Pestle and Mortar Fresh Green Basil Pesto and Pestle and Mortar Fresh Red Sundried Tomato Pesto due to the possible presence of Salmonella

FSA

Galmere Fresh Foods is recalling Pestle and Mortar Fresh Green Basil Pesto and Pestle and Mortar Fresh Red Sundried Tomato Pesto because they might contain Salmonella.

Product details

Pestle and Mortar Fresh Green Basil Pesto

Pack size 140g
Use by All use by dates
Pestle and Mortar Fresh Red Sundried Tomato Pesto

Pack size 140g
Use by All use by dates

No other Galmere Fresh Foods products are known to be affected.

Risk statement

Salmonella

The products listed above might be contaminated with Salmonella. Symptoms caused by Salmonella usually include fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

Action taken by the company

Galmere Fresh Foods is recalling the above products. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling these products. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought any of the products.

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought any of the above products do not eat them. Instead, return them to the store from where they were bought for a full refund.