Category Archives: Food Hygiene

Canada – CFIA Extended Recall – Cheese – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 18, 2014 by | Leave a comment

CFIA CIFA

Castle Cheese Inc. is recalling Meddo Belle and Okanagan’s Choice Cheese brands shredded cheese products from the marketplace due to possible Listeria contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

The following products have been sold in Alberta, British Columbia, and may have also been distributed in other provinces.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Meddo Belle Crumbled Feta Cheese 200 g Best Before 14 DE 13 0 62608 13907 0
Okanagan’s Choice Cheese Chipped Parmesan Cheese 175 g Best Before 14 DE 31 0 59756 07314 1
Okanagan’s Choice Cheese Shredded Parmesan Cheese 175 g Best Before 14 DE 31 0 59756 07210 6

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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New Zealand – Hepatitis A in Fresh Fruit

Posted on March 14, 2014 by | Leave a comment

MPI Close up 3d render of an influenza-like virus isolated on white

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is cautioning New Zealand  consumers of a small quantity of fresh fruit sold in late February and early March  that there is a relatively low risk that this fruit had been contaminated with  Hepatitis A virus.

MPI Deputy Director General Scott Gallacher says it is important that  consumers understand the risk of transmission of the virus is relatively low,  but MPI is issuing this information as a precaution so that people with any  related concerns about their health can contact their doctor.

“As always, MPI is placing the health and wellbeing of all consumers  first.

“We have been advised that a person packing some varieties of apples  and peaches in a Hawke’s Bay packhouse has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A.

 

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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USA – FDA Recall – Frozen Sliced Fruit – Salmonella

Posted on March 14, 2014 by | Leave a comment

FDA Salmonella

Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc. of Albany, OR has voluntarily recalled 59,780 cases of Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit, produced exclusively for Costco Wholesale Stores. In cooperation with Costco, the company issued the recall after determining the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Precautionary recall measures began on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Consumers who may have purchased the product were contacted by phone and US. Mail, and a letter regarding the voluntary recall was posted on the Costco website. Furthermore, the affected product was removed from Costco floors. No confirmed cases of Salmonella poisoning from consumption of this product have been reported at this time, Any Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit that is currently available for purchase has been rigorously tested and is safe for consumption. No other products made by Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc. are affected.

Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit is sold in a red and white case containing 20 pouches of freeze-dried snacks. Consumers who have purchased Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit with the following “Best Before Dates,” listed on the upper left corner of the front panel of the case, are urged to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Best Before Date: FEB 14 2015 – MAR 11 2015 (which reads FEB142015 – MAR112015)

Customers with questions may contact the company at recall@ofd.com. or 1-888-641-2933 (this line is staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time).

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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Ireland – Shellfish Recall – Possible Illness – DSP

Posted on March 13, 2014 by | Leave a comment

FSAIMussels

Following reports of illnesses associated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in Ireland, Shellfish De La Mer, Castletownbere, Co. Cork is recalling the above two batches of frozen cooked mussel meats, which were sold by Dunnes Stores and Tesco Ireland.  The implicated batches have been removed from sale.  A point of sale recall notice should be displayed in stores informing customers not to eat the implicated mussel meats.

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Posted in Bacteria, DSP, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, FSAI, Recall

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Canada – CFIA Recall Salad – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 13, 2014 by | Leave a comment

CFIACIFA

Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. is recalling Dole brand Italian Blend salad from the marketplace due to possible Listeria contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

The following product is known to have been distributed in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick and may have been also been distributed in other provinces.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Dole Italian Blend Salad 10 oz. (283 g) Best Before: 14-MR-12 0 71430 00819 5

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Raw Milk Cheese – Tuna Salad- E.coli – Razor Clams – Beef – Staphylococcus – Raw Ham

Posted on March 10, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Food Testing - Eurofins

RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (510 CFU/g) in raw milk cheese from Italy in Austria

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in chilled spicy tuna salad from Belgium

RASFF -shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in boneless beef meat (Bos taurus) from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF -too high count of Escherichia coli (490 MPN/100g) in live razor clams from Ireland

RASFF -coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (400 000 /g) in raw ham from Spain in France

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Miscarriage, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Staphylococcus aureus, STEC

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RASFF Alert – DSP – Risotto with Mussels – Histamine – Tuna – Sardines

Posted on March 10, 2014 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF -Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins – okadaic acid (190.8 µg/kg – ppb) in risotto with mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Spain in Italy

RASFF -histamine (721 mg/kg – ppm) in frozen yellowfin tuna bits (Thunnus albacares) from India in Italy

RASFF -histamine (470 mg/kg – ppm) in canned sardines in soja oil (Sardinella spp.) from Indonesia in Germany

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Posted in Algal Toxin, DSP, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Histamine, Laboratory, Microbiology, RASFF, Recall

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RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Turmeric Powder – Seasame Seeds – Poultry Meat

Posted on March 10, 2014 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF -Salmonella Livingstone (presence /25g) in turmeric powder from India in Greece

RASFF -Salmonella Livingstone in sesame seeds from India in Greece

RASFF -Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled poultry meat from Poland, with raw material from Slovakia in Poland

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella

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Research – Levels of microbial contamination of domestic refrigerators in Italy

Posted on March 7, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Science Direct iStock_000012710183Small

Aim

According to the EFSA Report 2013, 32.7% of outbreaks of foodborne illness registered in Europe occurs within the home, due to inadequate hygienic behaviour of consumers when preparing foods in the kitchen. The efficacy of proper cleaning of cutting boards, dishes and cutlery in limiting microbial cross-contaminations in the kitchen has been documented many times, whereas few researches have been performed to determine the microbial load of the internal walls of domestic refrigerators, in Italy. The aim of this investigation is to ascertain the role played by internal surfaces of home refrigerators as possible sources of microbial contamination of foods.

Material and methods

We analyzed 293 domestic refrigerators of students or workers at the university campus of Agripolis (Legnaro, Italy). For each refrigerator, 2 internal surfaces were sampled using sponge-bags. The amounts of total viable count (TVC), Gram-negative spoiling bacteria, moulds and yeasts and the main pathogenic bacterial species were determined.

Results

TVCs greater than 1 log CFU cm−2 are in a little over 50% of the samples analyzed and are found mainly on the bottom of the refrigerator (61%) compared to the walls (39%) (P < 0.001). Even for other microbial counts the risk ratio of finding them on the bottom of the refrigerator is significantly higher than on the walls; the possibility of there being a finding on the bottom with respect to the walls varies from 2.5 to 8.5 times respectively for moulds and Aeromonas spp. Salmonella spp. was found in 1.7% of the samples, Bacillus cereus in 5.6%, Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) in 4%, the prevalence of which is always higher on the bottom of the refrigerator. Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica were never found.

Conclusions

It is necessary to better educate consumers to clean their appliances more frequently.

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Posted in Bacillus cereus, Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus

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Australia Recalls – Organic Sprout Salad – Salmonella – Blue Cheese – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 7, 2014 by | Leave a comment

FSANZ FSANZ3

Energetic Greens has recalled Organic Sprouts Salad (Broccoli, sunflower and radish) from local greengrocers and IGA stores in northern NSW and the Mullumbimby, Bangalow and Glorious Organic Farmers Markets due to Salmonella contamination. Food products contaminated with Salmonella may cause illness if consumed. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

Food type

Mixed sprouts salad

Product name

Organic Sprouts Salad (Broccoli, Sunflower, and Radish) Energetic Greens

Package description & size

50g plastic punnet

Best Before 08/03/14
Australia
Salmonella contamination.
Whitestone Cheese (NZ) has recalled Whitestone Windsor Blue Cheese 110g from Woolworths Supermarkets in QLD, NSW, ACT and VIC due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.  Listeria monocytogenes may cause illness in
pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems. Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full cash refund

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, FSANZ, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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