Category Archives: Food Hygiene

Research – Thailand –

The Poultry SiteCampylobacter

THAILAND – To reduce Campylobacter prevalence on broiler skin, on-farm biosecurity measures need to be accompanied by controls at the slaughterhouse, according to new research from Thailand.

Even though most Campylobacter-positive broiler skin samples were contaminated with only up to 230 most probable number per gram, a substantial share (13.3 per cent) showed very high Campylobacter numbers on the broiler skin samples (most probable number = infinity; lower confidence limit T0 580 per gram).

The researchers report their data suggest that intense cross-contamination during the slaughter process led to a strong increase of Campylobacter prevalence on broiler skin compared with the prevalence in broiler caeca.

USA – FDA Recall – Smoked and Pickled Herring – Clostridium botulinum

FDAFDA

Little Mermaid Smoke House is recalling Smoked Herring and Pickled Herring fish because the products were found to be uneviscerated, 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.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

The following products are recalled:

Little Mermaid Smoked Herring fish Sold prior to 04/04/2013
Little Mermaid Pickled Herring fish Sold prior to 04/04/2013

The recalled products are manufactured by Little Mermaid Smoke House and distributed in the state of California. These products are sold as whole fish, packaged in vacuum sealed packaging, and labeled “Little Mermaid Smoke House” which varies in weight and size. There are no codes listed on the products. The recall includes products sold prior to 04/03/2013.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Canada – Expanded Recall – Salmon and Salmon Prodcuts – Listeria monocytogenes

CFIACIFA

The public warning issued on March 22, 2013 has been expanded to include additional products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Previously identified products included in this recall can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/recalls.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Central-Epicure Food Products Ltd. are warning the public not to consume the Central-Epicure brand Smoked Salmon products described below because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

The manufacturer, Central-Epicure Food Products Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Offal – Halva with Pistachios

RASFF -Salmonella Heidelberg (presence /25g) in frozen cuts and offal (Gallus gallus) from Brazil in Spain

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in halva with pistachios from Lebanon in Cyprus

RASFF – Alerts – Aflatoxins – Histamine – Almonds – Dried Figs – Pistachios – Tuna

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 15.9; Tot. = 17.8 / B1 = 4.9; Tot. = 5.8 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled almonds from the United States in Spain

RASFF– Aflatoxins (Tot. = 60.6 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in the Czech Republic

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 26; Tot. = 29 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios in shell from Iran in France

RASFF – Histamine (500 mg/kg – ppm) in frozen yellowfin tuna loins (Thunnus albacares) from Indonesia in Italy

RASFF – Histamine (2690; 2740; 2481 mg/kg – ppm) in canned tuna in olive oil from France, with raw material from Côte d’Ivoire in Italy

Egypt – Cairo University 479 Students with Food Poisoning

Food Safety News

Food poisoning has sent at least 479 students at Cairo’s al-Azhar university to hospitals and sent hundreds of others into the streets to demand the resignation of the school’s president.

The outbreak is so politically charged that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi took a page out of the West’s political playbook by visiting one of the hospitals where the sickened students are being treated.

Egypt’s Health Ministry said that while hundreds were ill, there have been no deaths recorded among the patients. Those suffering from food poisoning were divided among several Cairo hospitals so they could receive medical attention more promptly. The Health Ministry said all the cases were stabilized.

“Basic hygiene standards are not always observed at Egyptian universities, but this incident is one of the largest cases of food poisoning in recent years,” said BBC, reporting from Cairo.

BBC News

 

USA – Walmart Recall Pizza – Possible E.coli Contamination

Food Safety News

Walmart is recalling Farm Rich Pizza Slices from its stores nationwide because they may be contaminated with E.coli. The frozen pepperoni pizza slices were sold in 7.2 oz cartons and 22 oz cartons with “EST. 27232″ or “P-27233″ stamped inside the USDA mark of inspection. The “best by” dates for both sizes under recall is May 15 or May 16, 2014.

The products under recall contain cheese, pepperoni, sauce and dough, according to information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which, along with Farm Rich, has posted the recall on its website. The pizza slices are among several Farm Rich items being recalled for potential E. coli contamination including: mini chicken and cheese quesadillas, mini mozzarella bites and cheesesteak sandwiches.

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxins in Pistachio Nuts

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 24; Tot. = 27 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted pistachio nuts from Turkey in France

RASFF Alerts – E.coli – Enterobacteria – Aflatoxins – Mussels – Beef – Duck Meal – Maize

RASFF – High count of Escherichia coli (330 MPN/100g) in chilled mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis from Spain in italy

RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in chilled boneless beef (Bos taurus) from Argentina in Germany

RASFF – Too high count of Enterobacteriaceae (<10; <10; <10; 5000;<10 CFU/g) in duck meal from France in Belgium

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 32.1 µg/kg – ppb) in maize from Ukraine in the Netherlands

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Frozen Turkey – Duck Legs

RASFF – Salmonella Hadar (presence /25g) in frozen turkey breast with white pepper from Brazil in Sweden

RASFF – Salmonella Newport (present /25g) and Salmonella Saint Paul (present /25g) in frozen turkey meat preparation from Poland in Estonia

RASFF – Salmonella spp. in frozen duck legs from France in Finland