At least 27 Floridians have been sickened this year – and nine have died– from infections of Vibrio vulnificus, a deadly bacterium that lives in warm seawater and is commonly associated with eating raw oysters and other shellfish. The figure came from a news release published last week by the Florida Department of Health.
Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged deadly bacterium, Florida Department of Health, food safety news, Vibrio vulnificus
Orange County Produce, LLC (“OC Produce”) is voluntarily working with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) to coordinate a recall of fresh red and green Bell Peppers for potential contamination with Salmonella. The FDA has advised that a random sample of OC Produce Bell peppers has tested positive for Salmonella.
Salmonella is 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 Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
RASFF -Bacillus cereus diarrheal enterotoxin (11000 CFU/g) in food supplement from the United States in Finland
RASFF -too high count of Escherichia coli (>18000 MPN/100g) in frozen clams (Venus gallina) from Turkey in Greece
RASFF -shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in frozen springbok meat (Antidorcas marsupialis) from Namibia in the Netherlands
RASFF -shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (present /25g) in frozen game meat from Namibia in the Netherlands
Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Shigatoxin, STEC
Tagged Antidorcas marsupialis, escherichia coli, Greece RASFF, Namibia in the Netherlands RASFF, rasff
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 9.6; Tot. = 26 / B1 = 9.6; Tot. = 44 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the Netherlands
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 11.5 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 6.8; Tot. = 8.8 / B1 = 6.9; Tot. = 7.9 µg/kg – ppb) in peanut buter from India in Germany
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 32; Tot. = 35 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted pistachios from Turkey in France
RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 11.33; Tot. = 12.56 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio nuts with shell from Syria, via Turkey in Spain
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Direct Plus Food Group, a division of Premium Brands Operating Limited Partnership, are warning the public not to consume the Grimm’s Fine Foods brand Pizza Pack described below because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
This product was sold at the following two stores:
There has been no reported illness associated with the consumption of this product.
The manufacturer, Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd., Langley, BC, is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Reser’s Fine Foods Inc. are warning the public not to consume certain Reser’s Fine Foods brand Cheesy Macaroni Salad, described below, because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
These products have been distributed in Walmart stores located in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and nationally in Loblaw banner stores.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
The manufacturer, Reser’s Fine Foods Inc., Beaverton, Oregon, USA, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged canadian food inspection agency, cfia, Direct Plus Food Group, listeria monocytogenes, Premium Brands Operating Limited Partnership
Identification of management practices associated with preharvest pathogen contamination of produce fields is crucial to the development of effective Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). A cross-sectional study was conducted to (i) determine management practices associated with a Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes positive field and (ii) quantify the frequency of these pathogens in irrigation and non-irrigation water sources. Over five weeks, 21 produce farms in New York State were visited. Field-level management practices were recorded for 263 fields, and 600 environmental samples (soil, drag swab, and water) were collected and analyzed for Salmonella and L. monocytogenes. Management practices were evaluated for their association with the presence of a pathogen-positive field. Salmonella and L. monocytogenes were detected in 6.1% and 17.5% of fields (n=263), and 11% and 30% of water samples (n=74), respectively. The majority of pathogen-positive water samples were from non-irrigation surface water sources. Multivariate analysis showed that manure application within a year increased the odds of a Salmonella-positive field (odds ratio [OR] 16.7), while presence of a buffer zone had a protective effect (OR 0.1). Irrigation (within 3 days of sample collection, OR 6.0), reported wildlife observation (within 3 days of sample collection, OR 6.1), and soil cultivation (within 7 days of sample collection, OR 2.9) all increased the likelihood of an L. monocytogenes-positive field. Our findings provide new data that will assist growers with science-based evaluation of their current GAPs and implementation of preventive controls that reduce the risk of preharvest contamination.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Belmont Meats Ltd. (Est. 112) are warning the public not to consume certain Compliments brand Super 8 Beef Burgers described below because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
This recall is the result of an ongoing food safety investigation initiated as a result of a recent outbreak investigation. There may be recalls of additional products or best before dates as the food safety investigation at this facility continues.
This product has been distributed in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador in Sobeys banner stores, which might include Sobeys, Foodland, FreshCo, and Price Chopper.
There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.
The manufacturer, Belmont Meats Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, is voluntarily recalling all affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
Big Blue Fisheries is recalling ALL smoked products from all lots and codes,
various sizes, in vacuum packages because the products may not have been
properly cooked and have 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. Because the products may not have been fully processed, product
contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens could lead to illness if
consumed.
