Lao Thai Nam Corp., of Dallas, Texas is recalling Number One Sompa Salted Fish, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.
Proposals are sought for research that investigates the factors affecting variations in Campylobacter disease rates in Scotland. Specifically the FSA is looking to commission research that will significantly improve our understanding whether deprivation continues to have a protective effect on the levels of Campylobacter infection and if so what factors are likely to be contributing to this effect. The FSA would like to know what factors are most likely to influence rates of Campylobacter infection in different socioeconomic groups in Scotland.
The food recall warning issued on March 17, 2014 has been updated to include additional product information identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation. The following products are being recalled because they were made from or contain shredded cheese products voluntarily recalled by Castle Cheese Inc. due to Listeria.
Industry is recalling various shredded cheese, pasta, and salad products from the marketplace due to possible Listeria contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described in the link above.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning distributors, retailers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes not to sell or use the products described below due to possible Listeria contamination.
| Brand Name | Common Name | Size | Codes(s) on Product | UPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Fruits LTD | 7 Fruits Blend | 5 L | Best before 23 April 2014 | 8 31341 00901 4 |
| All Fruits LTD | 7 Fruits Blend | 12 L | Best before 23 April 2014 | 8 31341 00910 6 |
| All Fruits LTD | “Coupe hôpital“ | 12 L | Best before 23 April 2014 | 8 31341 00903 8 |
| All Fruits LTD | 7 Fruits Blend + Orange | 12 L | Best before 23 April 2014 | 8 31341 00801 7 |
| Restaurant Maman Fournier | 5 Fruits Blend | 5 kg | Best before 23 April 2014 | None |
Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged canadian food inspection agency, Castle Cheese Inc., cfia, listeria contamination, shredded cheese products, The Canadian Food Inspection Agency
The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) is a scientific advisory committee that provides the FSA with independent expert advice. This helps the FSA ensure that policy development and consumer advice in relation to the microbiological safety of food are based upon sound science and relevant practical experience and expertise. The Committee’s terms of reference are to assess the risk to humans from microorganisms that are used or occur in or on food and to advise the FSA on any matters relating to the microbiological safety of food.
Since the publication of the 1998 ACMSF report on foodborne viral infections, with the exception of minor risk assessment work carried out on hepatitis E and avian influenza, no formal review has been carried out on foodborne viruses.
At the March 2010 ACMSF meeting the FSA asked the Committee to consider whether it was timely to carry out a review of foodborne viral infections, assessing the risk to consumers and highlighting any research and surveillance gaps.
The Committee agreed that an ad hoc group should be set up to revisit the issue of foodborne viruses in light of the significant developments in this area, so that an updated risk profile could be produced based on the findings.
The group met 13 times from November 2010 to July 2013 to assess the extent of viral foodborne infection in the UK.
The group considered information on all foodborne viruses including new and emerging viral pathogens and identified that the most important viruses associated with foodborne infection were norovirus, hepatitis A virus, and hepatitis E virus. These viruses are the focus of the group’s report, which concentrates mainly on viral foodborne infection in the UK. The report also gives consideration of two recent comprehensive reviews of viruses in food that have been published by WHO (2008) and EFSA (2011). The report provides key information that will be used to inform Risk Assessments and Risk Management on foodborne viruses across government.
The group’s draft report has now been approved by the full Committee and is attached for comment.
Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Laboratory, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Research, Rotavirus, Toxin, Virus
Tagged Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, foodborne infection, fsa, microbiological safety
Federated Co-operatives Ltd. is recalling Co-op and Market Town Co-op brands bakery products from the marketplace due to possible Listeria contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.
| Brand Name | Common Name | Size | Code(s) on Product | UPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op | California Garlic Bread | None | Best Before dates up to and including 14 MR 23 | 0 057316 130112 |
| Co-op | Garlic/Cheese Bread | 250 g | Best Before dates up to and including 14 MR 23 | 0 057316 073969 |
| Co-op | Garlic/Cheese Bread 2 Pk | 450 g | Best Before dates up to and including 14 MR 23 | 0 057316 146847 |
| Market Town Co-op | Pizza Bread | 425 g | Best Before dates up to and including 14 MR 23 | 0 057316 040305 |
The Meat Shoppe Inc. is recalling The Meat Shoppe brand shredded cheese products from the marketplace due to possible Listeria contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.
| Brand Name | Common Name | Size | Code(s) on Product | UPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Meat Shoppe | Shredded Cheddar Cheese | Variable | Packed On dates from 2014JA08 up to and including 2014MR03 | Starting with 200923 |
| The Meat Shoppe | Shredded Mozza Cheese | Variable | Packed On dates from 2014JA08 up to and including 2014MR03 | Starting with 200922 |
Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged CFIA Federated Co-operatives Ltd., listeria contamination, Meat Shoppe, Meat Shoppe Inc.
RASFF -aflatoxins (Tot. = 18.4 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio nuts from Iran in Germany
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 45.9; Tot. = 47.5 µg/kg – ppb) in peanut kernels from Mauritius, via the Netherlands in Germany
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 60.5; Tot. = 68.0 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernels from Iran, dispatched from Turkey in Italy
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 6.6; Tot. = 7.5 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched peanuts from China in France
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 29.8 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio nuts from Turkey in Germany
RASFF -ochratoxin A (22.5 µg/kg – ppb) in whole black pepper from India in Belgium
Posted in Aflatoxin, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, RASFF, Recall, Toxin
Tagged aflatoxins, pistachio nuts, ppb
RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (1 out of 5 subsamples /25g) in chilled enoki mushrooms from South Korea, via the Netherlands in Greece
RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (positive) in sheep’s milk to produce raw milk cheese from Spain in Portugal
RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (–> 80 CFU/g) in chilled pasteurised sheep’s milk cheese from France
RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (brie: 1200, 1810, 156000, 10000; camembert: 4700, 237000, 4000, 519000 CFU/g) in frozen brie and camembert from Germany
RASFF -too high count of Escherichia coli (400 MPN/100g) in live mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Greece in Italy
RASFF -too high count of Escherichia coli (16.000 MPN/100g) in chilled clams (Tapes philippinarum) from Italy
RASFF – shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC present in 12/15 samples) in frozen boneless beef meat from Argentina in Germany
RASFF -Salmonella in dried dog/cat food from China in Germany
RASFF -Salmonella (in 4 out of 5 samples /25g) and too high count of Enterobacteriaceae (>30000 CFU/g) in centrifuged egg white from Belgium
RASFF -Salmonella in processed animal proteins (poultry) from the Netherlands in Belgium
RASFF-Salmonella spp. (presence) in dog chews from Thailand in Spain
RASFF -Salmonella Tennessee (present /25g) in fish meal from Denmark in Sweden
