Category Archives: Food Hygiene

USA – Cooked Butterfly Tail-On Whiteleg Shrimp (Sushi Ebi), Lot #2019.10.02 – Vibrio

Posted on March 16, 2020 by | Leave a comment

FDA

CDC Vibrio

Image CDC

AFC Distribution Corp. (“AFC”) of Rancho Dominguez, California is voluntary recalling Cooked Butterfly Tail-On Whiteleg Shrimp (Sushi Ebi), Lot #2019.10.02, utilized in various prepared menu offerings with sell-by dates ranging from 02/19/2020 to 03/13/2020, because this ingredient may have a potential to be contaminated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an organism which can cause illnesses such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and chills.

The recalled ingredient, Cooked Butterfly Tail-On Whiteleg Shrimp (Sushi Ebi), was distributed to designated retail AFC sushi counters, where it is further processed into prepared sushi items, within grocery stores, cafeterias, and corporate dining centers in the following states: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, AD, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WY.

To date there have been no confirmed illnesses.

While AFC has ceased using the recalled ingredient, we urge anyone who has any AFC product containing Cooked Butterfly Tail-On Whiteleg Shrimp to discard or return product to their point of purchase for a full refund.

 

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Posted in FDA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Uncategorized, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

USA – Blackberries with Norovirus

Posted on March 16, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

 

March 13th, 2020, WinCo Foods, LLC. of Boise, ID is recalling frozen Blackberries in a 16 oz. bag and frozen Berry Medley in 16 oz. and 32 oz. bags, manufactured by Rader Farms of Lynden, WA, because both products have the potential to be contaminated with Norovirus. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus. Typical symptoms of norovirus infection are acute onset of vomiting, watery, non-bloody diarrhea with abdominal cramps, and nausea. Systemic manifestations include, fever, myalgia and malaise, anorexia, and headache. Although most symptoms end within 48 hours, the elderly, young children and immunocompromised persons may develop prolonged or more severe symptoms.

WinCo Foods has removed the recalled products from store shelves.

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus

Canada – Ecoideas brand Chocolate Cake Mix and Pancakes Mixes recalled due to Salmonella

Posted on March 16, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Canada Gov

Recall details

Ottawa, March 14, 2020 – Ecoideas Innovation Inc. is recalling Ecoideas brand Chocolate Cake Mix, Brown Rice Pancakes Mix and Buckwheat Pancakes Mix from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

Recalled product

Brand Product Size UPC Codes
Ecoideas Chocolate Cake Mix 454 g 8 75405 00243 6 Lot # 43619305
BB: 10/31/2021

and

Lot #: 43620050
BB: 02/28/2022
Ecoideas Brown Rice Pancakes Mix 454 g 8 75405 00242 9 Lot #: 42920034
BB: 01/31/2022
Ecoideas Buckwheat Pancakes Mix 454 g 8 75405 00241 2 Lot #: 41219304
BB: 10/31/2021

and

Lot #: 41220030
BB: 01/30/2022

What you should do

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.

Check to see if you have the recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

Background

This recall was triggered by the company. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing the recalled products from the marketplace.

Illnesses

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

Product photos

Printer ready version of photos

  • Ecoideas – Chocolate Cake Mix – 454 grams
  • Ecoideas – Brown Rice Pancakes Mix – 454 grams
  • Ecoideas – Buckwheat Pancakes Mix – 454 grams

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Posted in CFIA, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Salmonella, Uncategorized

USA – Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O103: Clover Sprouts (February 2020)

Posted on March 16, 2020 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Recommendation

FDA is recommending that consumers not eat the following sprout-containing items from Chicago Indoor Garden, Chicago, IL, with Best By dates between December 1, 2019 and March 12, 2020: red clover (with and without non-GMO labels), sprout salad, mixed greens, and spring salad. Labels of the products are below.

Sample Labels of Chicago Indoor Garden Sprout Products

(PDF: 849 KB)

The FDA’s analysis of a sample of this firm’s product identified the presence of E. coli O103. Whole Genome Sequencing of this bacteria showed that it matches the outbreak strain.

Generally, it is recommended that children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind.

Background

FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of 14 illnesses caused by E. coli O103 in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas and Utah likely linked to clover sprouts.

As the outbreak investigation progresses, the FDA will continue in its traceback investigation to determine where implicated sprouts have been distributed and will continue monitoring for additional illnesses associated with this outbreak.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O103, FDA, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

Research – Prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in alternative and conventionally produced chicken in the United States: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Posted on March 15, 2020 by | Leave a comment

JFP

The burden of foodborne illness linked to the consumption of contaminated broiler meat is high in the United States. With the increase in popularity of alternative poultry rearing and production systems, it is important to identify the difference in food safety risks presented by alternative systems when compared to conventional methods. While many studies have been conducted surveying foodborne pathogen prevalence along the broiler supply chain, a systematic overview of all of the available results is lacking. In the current study, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to quantify the differences in Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. prevalence in farming environment, rehang, prechill, postchill, and retail samples between conventional and alternative production systems. A systematic search of Web of Science and PubMed databases was conducted to identify eligible studies. Studies were then evaluated by inclusion criteria, and included studies were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. In total, 137 trials from 72 studies were used in the final meta-analysis. Meta-analysis models were individually constructed for subgroups that were determined by sample type, pathogen, and production type. All subgroups possessed high amounts of heterogeneity (I 2 > 75%). For environmental sample subgroups, Campylobacter prevalence was estimated to be 15.8 and 52.8% for conventional and alternative samples, respectively. Similar prevalence estimates for both production types were observed for Salmonella environmental samples and all retail samples. For conventional samples, Campylobacter and Salmonella prevalence was highest in prechill samples, followed by rehang and postchill samples, respectively. The presented results will be of use in future quantitative microbial risk assessments to characterize the differences in foodborne illness risks presented by different broiler production systems.

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Posted in Campylobacter, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, foodborne disease, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Uncategorized

Research – Exposure Assessment of Multi-Mycotoxins in Black and White Sesame Seed Consumed in Thailand

Posted on March 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

JFP

This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of 16 well recognized and emerging mycotoxins in black and white sesame seed samples being commercialized in Thailand, and to evaluate health risk assessment in consumers. Samples were extracted and cleaned up by a modified QuEChERS based procedure. Multi-mycotoxins in sesame seed samples were analyzed using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Additionally, the risk of mycotoxin exposure via dietary intake of sesame was evaluated using hazard quotient, margin of exposure (MOE) and quantitative liver cancer risk approaches established by EFSA and FAO/WHO, respectively. The results show that 21.5 % of total samples (n = 200) were contaminated with mycotoxins. 19.5 % of total samples (n = 200) were contaminated with a single mycotoxin and 2 % of total samples were contaminated with multiple mycotoxins. 9 % of total samples were contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs), however only one black and one white sesame seed sample was above the regulatory limits of the European Union (2 µg / kg). The MOE values derived from consumption of black and white sesame were generally below 10,000 especially in the heavily consuming group. The number of liver cancer cases over a life time associated with AFB 1 exposure based on upper bound values at high level of black and white sesame consumption (97.5th percentile) is estimated to be more than 1 liver cancer case per million persons. Therefore, a potential risk to consumer health exists through the dietary consumption of black and white sesame and subsequent exposure to AFB 1 . However, further evaluation using larger sample sizes is necessary for more accurate calculation. In addition, continuous monitoring of mycotoxin contamination of sesame with risk assessment is recommended.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Safety, Food Toxin, mold, Mould Toxin, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Toxin, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Curry powder – Chilli Powder – Groudnut Kernels – Almond Kernels

Posted on March 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 7.6; Tot. = 9.3 µg/kg – ppb) in curry powder from Malaysia, via the United Kingdom in Switzerland

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 9.2 µg/kg – ppb) in chili powder from India in Hungary

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 14; Tot. = 16 / B1 = 32; Tot. = 36 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from India in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 2.9; Tot. = 19) in almond kernels from the United States in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 19; Tot. = 22 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from India in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 49; Tot. = 55 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from India in the Netherlands

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 2.2; Tot. = 2.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands

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Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Raw Chicken – Chicken Legs – Pork Diaphragm – Camel Burger – Sesame Seeds – Chicken Cordon Bleu – Chicken Thighs – Minced Veal – Minced Beef – Frozen Kebab- Frozen Pork – Black Chia Seeds – Chicken Breast – Chicken Fillet – Turkey Meat

Posted on March 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium (presence /25g) in chilled raw chicken from France in Norway

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Kottbus (presence /25g) in frozen chicken leg quarters from Poland in Bulgaria

RASFF – Salmonella (in 1 out 5 samples /25g) in frozen pork diaphragm from the United Kingdom in the Czech Republic

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /10g) in frozen camel burger from Belgium in Belgium

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Herston (presence /25g) in sesame seeds from Sudan, dispatched from the United Arab Emirates in Greece

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Nessa (presence /25g), Salmonella enterica ser. salamae (presence /25g) and Salmonella enterica ser. Salford (presence /25g) in sesame seeds from Sudan in Greece

RASFF – Salmonella (in 1 out of 3 samples /25g) in chilled chicken cordon bleu from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken thighs from Poland, via Lithuania in Estonia

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (in 2 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled chicken broiler thigh meat from Poland in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in frozen minced veal from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in minced beef from Denmark, via Germany in Sweden

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium (presence /25g) in frozen chicken broiler thighs from Poland in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in chicken broiler quarters from Lithuania, with raw material from Poland in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Bredeney (presence /25g) and Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (presence /25g) in frozen kebab from Slovenia in Italy

RASFF -Salmonella (presence /25g) in frozen pork from Germany in Sweden

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Bredeney (presence /25g) in black chia seeds from Bolivia in Romania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Aberdeen (presence /25g) in sesame seeds from Sudan, via the United Arab Emirates in Greece

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (in 3 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled chicken breast fillets from Poland in the Czech Republic

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in frozen chicken breast fillets from Poland in Italy

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken fillet from Hungary in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium monophasic (1 ,4, [5], 12:i:-) (present /25g) in various chilled turkey meat from France in France

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, RASFF, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, Salmonella Sesame Seeds, Uncategorized

RASFF Alert – Ochratoxin A – Raisins

Posted on March 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – ochratoxin A (33.8 µg/kg – ppb) in raisins from South Africa, via Germany in Switzerland

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, RASFF, Uncategorized

RASFF Alerts – E.coli – Chilled Cheese – Live Mussels

Posted on March 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

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RASFF – too high count of Escherichia coli (110000 CFU/g) in chilled cheese from France in France

RASFF – high count of Escherichia coli (up to 1100 MPN/100g) in live mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Italy, with raw material from Spain in Italy

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Posted in E.coli, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, RASFF, Uncategorized