Category Archives: Food Hygiene

The African Union to Establish a Food Safety Authority.

HACCPEUROPA

The African Union announced an establishment of a food safety authority as well as a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) yesterday in Kigali. The Minister of Trade and Industry, Francois Kanimba, said the continent ought to have the food safety body based on the European model but tailor-made for Africa. The decision has been made following huge losses in international trade due to food safety issues. The minister pointed out that African food exports are at times destroyed or refused entry into developed markets thus leading to losses.

It is believed that the establishment of the authority would boost trade competence and avert food-borne diseases. It would uplift the living standards of Africans, especially those in rural areas.

Denmark – Recall – Dried Organic Peppermint – Salmonella

Denmark

Dried Organic Peppermint from Egypt

Best before date: 01.09.2013
Sold in 120 gram plastic tubs with lot No. 2352
Furthermore sold in 120 g’s and each 150 gram cans with the following Lot Numbers:
L.nr. 10352
L.nr. 10373
L.nr. 10484
L.nr. 1216
L.nr.1463
L.nr.1586
L.nr.  2173
Imported by Solhjulet A / S, greatness Way 32, 8850 Bjerringbro.

Sold with:
Sold in grocery stores, specialty shops, for institutions and for catering.

Company withdraws:
Solhjulet A / S, greatness Way 32, 8850 Bjerringbro.

Cause:
Salmonella have been detected in products

USA – Recall – Seasonal Peanut Butter – Salmonella

FDA

BT McElrath Chocolatier, Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of the seasonal peanut butter pave because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism that 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, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonellacan result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.

The decision to recall was made due to the expanded recall of Sunland Inc.’s peanut butter. To date, there have been no confirmed illnesses or injuries reported in connection with any of the BT McElrath Chocolatier, Inc. recalled products, and no other BT McElrath Chocolatier, Inc. products are being recalled at this time.

The following products are included in this recall:

2 and 5 Pieces Peanut Butter Pave

  • Lot# 12031 with a Best by date of 4-30-12 UPC code 693868102117 and 69386905312
  • Lot# 12046 with a Best by date of 6-15-12 UPC code 693868102117 and 69386905312
  • Lot# 12159 with a Best by date of 10-7-12 UPC code 693868102117 and 69386905312
  • Lot# 12201 with a Best by date of 11-26-12 UPC code 693868102117 and 69386905312 The “lot number” is located on the exterior backing of the product on a white sticker; the “Best by date” is also located on this sticker

The select products subject to this recall were manufactured between the dates of January 30th, 2012 through June 6th, 2012 and distributed nationwide through retail stores, mail order, and direct sales.

This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Consumers with recalled product are urged not to eat the product, and to dispose of it or return it to BT McElrath Chocolatier or the retail establishment where it was purchased for a full refund. Consumers with questions about the recalled products may phone BT McElrath at (612) 331-8800.

Canada – Recall – Sheeps Milk – Listeria monocytogenes.

CFIA 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Krinos Foods Canada Ltd. are warning the public not to consume Krinos brand Mini Kashkaval Cheese from Sheeps Milk because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The affected product, Krinos brand Mini Kashkaval Cheese from Sheeps Milk, product of Bulgaria, is sold in 470 g to 500 g packages bearing a Best Before date of 2013 SE 15. This product has been distributed in Ontario only.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

Canada – Recall Curry Spices Salmonella

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the Clef Des Champs brand products described below because these products may be contaminated with Salmonellabacteria.

The following Clef Des Champs brand products are affected by this alert:

Product Size UPC Code
Organic Ginger Ground root 200 g 6 97026 92441 2 BF011441B08
BF011441B09
Organic Curry Spices Culinary Mix 35 g 6 97026 74967 1 CC0112 967B07
CC0812 967B01
Organic Curry Spices Culinary Mix 275 g 6 97026 69967 9 CC0112 967B08
CC0812 967B02
Organic Curry Spices Culinary Mix 500 g 6 97026 70967 5 CC0112 967B05
CC0112 967B06
CC0112 967B09
CC0812 967B03
Organic Spice Cake
Culinary mix
45 g 6 97026 74974 9 CC0312 974B01
Organic Ginger
Root powder
20 kg 6 97026 70441 0 BF011441B

These products have been distributed nationally.

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

Microbial safety and quality of various types of cooked chilled foods

Science Direct

Refrigerated Processed Foods of Extended Durability (REPFEDs) are a diverse group of food products. Their production process consists of a variable sequence of different processing steps leading to various types of REPFEDs being introduced to the market. To assure microbial safety, the food industry relies on a combination of mild heat treatment (i.e. pasteurization), appropriate product formulation (i.e. pH, water activity, modified atmosphere packaging, preservatives), cold storage and shelf life limitation. In this paper a classification of REPFED food types is presented and their microbiological safety is evaluated. REPFEDs were classified according (i) to the production process and (ii) to the expected consumer’s reheating practices. To evaluate the microbiological safety, historical data on the microbial contamination of REPFEDS were collected from five companies, 706 analyses on the day of production (T0) and 2912 analyses at the end of shelf life (TEoS). Results demonstrated that the microbial safety of the products is overall satisfactory. The number of samples exceeding the acceptable levels for Bacillus cereus/sulfite reducing Clostridia (T0: 103 CFU/g, TEoS: 105 CFU/g) was 4.07%/1.94% at T0 and 2.04%/0.69% at TEoS. None of the samples exceeded the acceptable levels for Listeria monocytogenes (T0: Absent in 25 g, TEoS: max 102 CFU/g). In addition the temperature of 38 products was monitored during reheating according to instructions of the manufacturer. The pasteurization values obtained during reheating are very heterogeneous, and only 7 products obtained a P70 of 2 min throughout the entire product. To assess the effect of reheating on L. monocytogenes a challenge test (including reheating) of paella with L. monocytogenes was performed. This demonstrated that L. monocytogenes can grow up to 0.63 log CFU/g in 6 days at 4 °C and that reheating the paella according to the instructions on the label does not guarantee absence of L. monocytogenes. These findings demonstrate the microbial food safety of the tested REPFEDs is satisfactory, and that producers should not rely on the reheating at consumer level to eliminate L. monocytogenes.


FSA – Food Handlers with Food Poisoning

FSA

The Food Standards Agency is reminding those who work with food and are suffering from symptoms of food poisoning, or those in close contact with someone who is, to stay away from work and see their GP. This is in light of the current outbreak of E.coli O157 in Northern Ireland.

US – E.coli O157 Recalls

USDA–

Main Street Quality Meats, a Salt Lake City, Utah establishment, is recalling approximately 2,310 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to recall:

  • 10-lb cases of “GROUND BEEF BULK.”
  • 12-lb cases of “GROUND BEEF PATTIES.”

USDA

Higa Meat & Pork Market, a Honolulu, HI establishment, is recalling approximately 4,100 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to recall:

  • 10-lb. bags of “HIGA MARKET-GROUND BEEF BULK” – 1 to 6 bags per carton/case.

 

European Alerts – Salmonella – Yessotoxin

RASFF – Salmonella in Rump Beef Meat in Italy sourced in Poland

RASFF – Yessotoxin in Mussels in Italy (Other Link BBB) Planktonic Algae (Dinoflagellates)

 

 

China 110 Students Ill After School Dinner – Cause Unknown

China DailyFood Poisoning

Yunnan – More than 100 students in southwest China’s Yunnan province contracted infectious diarrhea from a school meal on Thursday, local authorities have confirmed.

Some 365 students from the Nationality Middle School in the Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna developed symptoms of fever and diarrhea after their supper at 6 pm and were sent to hospital, and 110 of them have been confirmed as suffering from infectious diarrhea, said an official with the prefecture government.

The local government has launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.