Category Archives: Food Hygiene

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Pistachios – Watermelon Seeds – Red Watermelon Seeds – Groundnut Kernels – Chia Seeds – Groundnuts

RASFF

Aflatoxins in pistachios without shells from Iran via Turkey in Italy

RASFF

Aflatoxins in watermelon seeds from the Netherlands in Germany

RASFF

Aflatoxins in pistachios from Iran in Germany

RASFF

Aflatoxin in groundnuts kernels from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF

Aflatoxins in chia seeds from Uganda, via Germany in France and Belgium

RASFF

Aflatoxines in groundnuts from Cameroon in Belgium and France

RASFF

Aflatoxins in red watermelon seeds from Lebanon in Austria, Germany, Iceland and UK

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Polish Chicken – Black Pepper – Tahini and Halva – Polish Turkey – Frozen Basil – Psyllium Fibres – Polish Eggs – Merguez Sausage

RASFF

Salmonella in Brazilian black pepper in the Netherlands

RASFF

Salmonella in tahini and halva from Syria in Sweden

RASFF

Salmonella in chilled pieces of turkey from Poland in Poland and the Netherlands

RASFF

Salmonella Takoradi in frozen basil from Belgium in Finland

RASFF

S. Saintpaul, S. Morehead and S. Freetown in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

RASFF

Salmonella spp in chilled meat from Belgium in Poland

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in frozen poultry meat from Poland in Belgium

RASFF

Salmonella spp. in chicken neck skins from Poland in Poland, France, Netherlands and UK

RASFF

Salmonella Enteritidis in poultry meat from Poland in the Democratic Republic of Congo

RASFF

Salmonella Enteritidis in poultry meat from Poland in the Democratic Republic of Congo

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Newport in psyllium fibres from India, via Germany in Finland

RASFF

Salmonella Enteritidis in chilled chicken meat from Poland in Poland, Germany and France

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis in chilled chicken meat from Poland in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece, Czech Republic, Netherlands and Romania

RASFF

Salmonella enteritidis in chicken products from Poland in France, UK and the Netherlands

RASFF

Salmonella in chilled Merguez sausage from Belgium in the Netherlands

RASFF

Salmonella Enteritidis in eggs (found on eggshells) from Poland in Germany

RASFF

Salmonella Infantis in chicken from Poland in France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Oman, Poland and Slovakia

RASFF

Salmonella Enteritidis in fresh chicken meat from Poland in Germany, Netherlands, Poland and UK

RASFF

S. Kiambu and S. Minnesota in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

RASFF

Carcasses and elements of poultry meat – salmonella infantis from Poland in Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Italy, Netherlands and Poland

 

USA – Timeline for Identifying and Reporting Illnesses in Foodborne Outbreaks

CDC

Ever wonder why the number of illnesses in a foodborne outbreak can increase for weeks, even after the contaminated food is off the market?

A series of events happen before public health officials can report that a case of illness is linked to an outbreak. Each event takes a certain amount of time. This time is known as the “reporting lag” or “lag window” of an outbreak. It is usually 3–4 weeks. For illnesses caused by some bacteria, such as Listeria, it may be longer. Public health officials work to speed up this process when possible.

The steps below outline what typically happens from the day someone eats a contaminated food to the day their illness is linked to a multistate foodborne outbreak investigated by CDC.*

Day 1: You eat a food containing harmful bacteria.
Day 3: You start to feel sick.
  • Symptoms of food poisoning (such as nausea and diarrhea) could start anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks later, depending on the bacteria you ingested. The following chart describes how long it typically takes for someone to have symptoms after being infected with some of the most common foodborne bacteria.
How long it typically takes for someone to have symptoms after being infected with some of the most common foodborne bacteria.
Bacteria Typical start of symptoms
Campylobacter 2–5 days
E. coli 3–4 days
Listeria 1–4 weeks
Salmonella 6 hours–6 days
Vibrio 1-2 days
Should I call the doctor?

Find out when some common food poisoning symptoms are severe enough to need medical attention. See the list

Day 5: You still feel sick with nausea or diarrhea, so you decide to see a healthcare provider.
  • To learn which germ is making you sick, the healthcare provider collects a sample of your stool (poop), urine (pee), or blood.
  • The provider sends your sample to a clinical laboratory for testing.
Day 6: The clinical laboratory tests your sample.
  • After receiving your sample, the laboratory takes 1–3 days to run tests, depending on their capacity.
Day 9: Clinical laboratory test results show what germ is causing your illness.
  • The clinical laboratory identifies the germ making you sick and reports the test results to your healthcare provider.
  • The clinical laboratory should also report test results to the state or local public health department, and they notify CDC.
Days 9–16: The clinical laboratory sends a sample of your bacteria to a public health laboratory.
  • The clinical laboratory ships the bacteria found in your sample to a public health laboratory for whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis.
  • Shipping can take up to a week, depending on transportation arrangements in your state and the distance between the two laboratories.
Days 16–21: The public health laboratory performs WGS analysis and other tests on the bacteria.
  • The public health laboratory performs tests to determine the bacteria’s DNA fingerprint and other characteristics.
  • WGS testing and analysis of the results, including whether the bacteria is resistant to any antibiotics, can take 2–10 days depending on the bacteria.
What Is Whole Genome Sequencing?

CDC and public health laboratories use a technology called whole genome sequencing (WGS) to generate DNA fingerprints of bacteria causing illness. When bacteria have nearly identical DNA fingerprints, we consider them “genetically closely related.” Illnesses caused by bacteria that are genetically closely related are more likely to have a common source, such as a contaminated food. An outbreak is an event in which a group of people get similar illnesses from a common source. Disease detectives investigate outbreaks to find out what is making people sick.

Find out how CDC uses WGS to detect and solve foodborne outbreaks.

Day 22: The public health laboratory sends WGS results to CDC.
  • Within a day of analyzing the WGS results, state public health officials add the DNA fingerprint from the bacteria to PulseNet, a national laboratory network coordinated by CDC. PulseNet connects foodborne illnesses in order to identify outbreaks.
Day 23: CDC determines if your illness is related to other recent illnesses.
  • CDC scientists determine whether the bacteria causing your illness is closely related genetically to any other recent WGS results from other people in PulseNet.
  • If it is closely related to bacteria causing recent illnesses in other people, CDC may begin an outbreak investigation or add your illness to an ongoing investigation.

Total time: 3–4 weeks

*Most cases of illness, even those caused by common foodborne germs, are not linked to a foodborne outbreak. This can happen for many reasons. A major reason is that most illnesses are not part of an outbreak. Another reason is that germs that cause foodborne illness can also be spread in other ways, such as by water or directly from one person to another. Also, if an illness is diagnosed by a culture-independent diagnostic test, that case may not be linked to an outbreak because these tests do not provide the information needed to link it to an outbreak. In addition, many people do not seek medical care for foodborne illnesses, so their illnesses cannot be diagnosed or reported to public health officials.

Singapore – Tilapia linked to Streptococcus outbreak in Singapore

The Fish Site

Tilapia have been linked to an outbreak of Streptococcus, which affected 146 people in Singapore, prompting the FAO to issue a “risk profile report” to raise awareness of the threat.

In 2015, around 146 people became ill after eating a traditional raw freshwater fish dish in Singapore, with several people eventually having to have limbs amputated. It turns out that they had developed blood poisoning linked to a bacterium called Streptococcus agalactiae, also called Group B Streptococcus (SBS). The specific strain responsible for the outbreak was a unique sequence type 283 (ST283). A four-page factsheet, Invasive disease linked to raw freshwater fish, has just been made available, as has a more comprehensive Risk profile – Group B Streptococcus (GBS) – Streptococcus agalactiae sequence type (ST) 283 in freshwater fish.

Dr Tim Barkham, an associate professor at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore, first identified the human health risk. “Many microbiologists were surprised, as invasive GBS disease in people has not been known to be foodborne previously,” he said.

France – LA FROMAGERIE DU QUERCY ROCAMADOUR AOP 105G (3X35G) – STEC E.coli O26

Gov france

  • Product category Food
  • Product sub-category Milk and dairy products
  • Product brand name THE FROMAGERIE DU QUERCY
  • Names of models or references ROCAMADOUR AOP 3X35G
  • Product identification
    GTIN Lot Dated
    3443520068063 131-1 Date of minimum durability 06/24/2021
  • Packaging Wrapped wooden tray of 3 cheeses
  • Start date / End of marketing From 05/22/2021 to 06/23/2021
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Health mark FR 46.204.002 CE
  • Geographical sales area Whole France
  • Distributors Cora, Supermarkets Match, Leclerc, Intermarché, Comptoir du pêcher, Cellerier, Géant Casino, Casino, Vival, Spar, Casino distribution networks
  • Reason for recall Possible presence of Escherichia coli STEC O26
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Toxinogenic Escherichia coli shiga (STEC)
  • Consumer behavior Stop consuming
    Return the product to the point of sale
    Destroy the product
    • Contact number0800 352 919
    • Compensation modalities Refund
    • End date of the recall procedure Saturday July 10, 2021

France – MERGUEZ – Salmonella

Gov france

  • Product category Food
  • Product sub-category Meats
  • Product brand name homemade
  • Names of models or references merguez in bulk merguez in a tray
  • Product identification
    Lot Dated
    BF 1939202341 / AG 50494 Use-by date 06/15/2021
  • Packaging bulk or tray
  • Start date / End of marketing From 06/10/2021 to 06/15/2021
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Geographical sales area Martel, LOT
  • Distributors intermarche de Martel
  • Reason for recall presence of salmonella
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Salmonella spp (causative agent of salmonellosis)
  • Consumer behavior Stop using
    Return the product to the point of sale
    Contact the point of sale
  • Sanitary recommendation Food poisoning caused by salmonella results in sudden onset gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, vomiting) often accompanied by fever and headaches which generally occur 6 to 72 hours after consumption of the contaminated products. These symptoms may be more pronounced in young children, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals and the elderly. People who have consumed these products and who present these symptoms are invited to consult their doctor, notifying him of this consumption. In the absence of symptoms within 7 days after consuming the affected products, there is no need to worry and consult a doctor. If the product must be cooked before consumption:
  • Contact number 0565373865
  • Compensation modalities Refund
  • End date of the recall procedure Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Israel – Green Garden Salads – Oriental Chickpea Salad – Tahini salad _ Salmonella Contamination.

Click to access RCL_23062021.pdf

France – Product recall: LA FROMAGERIE DU QUERCY Rocamadour AOP – STEC E.coli O26

Oulah

ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM

Presence of Escherichia coli STEC O26: H11

PROPOSED SOLUTION

People who hold the product in question are asked not to consume them – and more particularly young children, pregnant women, immunocompromised people and the elderly – and to return them to the point of sale where they were purchased.

People who have consumed it and who present symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain or vomiting should consult their doctor as soon as possible, mentioning this consumption and the possible link with the bacterium Escherichia coli.

In the absence of symptoms within 10 days after consuming the affected products, there is no need to worry and consult a doctor.

The E. coli bacterium is naturally present in the digestive microflora of humans and warm-blooded animals. Some strains of E. coli are pathogenic, and can be responsible in humans for various disorders ranging from mild diarrhea to more serious forms such as hemorrhagic diarrhea or severe kidney damage such as HUS, mainly in young children.

FURTHER INFORMATION

▸ Names of models or references
Rocamadour AOP brand LA FROMAGERIE DU QUERCY (3x 35g)


▸ Barcode
3443520068063


▸ Lot
131-1


▸ DLC – DDM
06/24/202


▸ Packaging
3x 35g
Sold to self-service shelves


▸ Start / end date of marketing
from 05/25/2021 to 06/23/2021


▸ Health mark
FR 46.204.002 CE


▸ Consumer service contact
The Consumer Service is at your disposal to answer any questions
Toll Free: 0800 35 29 19 from France / From abroad: +33 (0) 2 48 66 23 78
Hours: 9h00 – 17h00


▸ Source
https://www.intermarche.com/

France – Sliced ​​dry duck breast or whole dry duck breast – Listeria monocytogenes

Gov france

  • Product category Food
  • Product sub-category Meats
  • Product brand name The Clauzolles farm
  • Names of models or references Sliced ​​dry duck breast Whole dry duck breast
  • Product identification
    Lot Dated
    21RY081F02F01 Date of minimum durability 06/12/2021
    21RY081F02F01T3 Date of minimum durability 08/10/2021
    21RY081F02F01T1 Date of minimum durability 07/17/2021
    21RY081F02 Date of minimum durability 07/28/2021
  • Packaging All the products were sold under vacuum either as whole duck breast or sliced ​​duck breast.
  • Start date / End of marketing From 04/12/2021 to 06/18/2021
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Health mark 81,162,002
  • Geographical sales area Departments: HAUTE-GARONNE (31), HERAULT (34), TARN (81)
  • Distributors only on markets, see attached list
  • List of points of sale Markets_concerned.pdf
  • Reason for recall Presence of listeria less than 10, aw equal 0.933
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Listeria monocytogenes (causative agent of listeriosis)
  • Consumer behavior Stop consuming
    Stop using the product
    Return the product to the point of sale
    Destroy the product
  • Sanitary recommendation People who have consumed the “products” mentioned above and who have fever, isolated or accompanied by headaches, and muscle aches, are invited to consult their doctor, notifying him of this consumption. Serious forms with neurological complications and maternal or fetal damage in pregnant women can also sometimes occur. Pregnant women as well as immunocompromised people and the elderly should pay special attention to these symptoms. Listeriosis is a disease that can be serious and can take up to eight weeks to incubate.
  • Contact number 0563752456
  • Compensation modalities Other (see additional information)
  • End date of the recall procedure Tuesday, August 10, 2021

France – Chipolatas – Listeria monocytogenes

Gov france

  • Product category Food
  • Product sub-category Meats
  • Product brand name unbranded
  • Names of models or references Chipolatas
  • Product identification
    GTIN Lot Dated
    0203921023756 4 171130 Use-by date 05/21/2021
  • Packaging sold in trays
  • Start date / End of marketing From 05/17/2021 to 05/20/2021
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Further information self-service
  • Geographical sales area Whole France
  • Distributors u express
  • Reason for recall Presence of Listeria
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Other risk
  • Consumer behavior Destroy the product
  • Contact number 0475220487
  • Compensation modalities Refund
  • End date of the recall procedure Wednesday, June 30, 2021