Category Archives: Food Illness

US E.coli O145 Outbreak Now Hits Six States

Posted on June 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News 

Today the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the E. coli O145 outbreak that killed a young girl in Louisiana has sickened at least 14 people in six states:

Georgia (5 illnesses), Louisiana (4), Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1) and Tennessee (1).
 
Three people have been hospitalised. 
 
The source of the contamination remains unknown.
 
“The investigation is looking at both food and non-food exposures as part of the ongoing investigation,” a CDC statement read. “State public health officials are interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.”
 
Illness onset dates range from April 15 to May 12. Infections that began after May 12 may not have been reported yet. The most recent case was reported on June 4.
 
A 21-month-old girl in Louisiana died from her infection on May 31 after falling ill several weeks earlier. This outbreak has no connection to the May 26 death of a 6-year-old Massachusetts boy suffering from an E. coli O157:H7 infection.

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Posted in Bacteria, CDC, E.coli, E.coli O145, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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US Dietary Supplement Recalled – Salmonella

Posted on June 8, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Oregon Live

A company in Ferndale, Wash., announced a recall Thursday of certain bottles of a liquid dietary supplement that could be contaminated with salmonella.

Botanical Laboratories is pulling a limited number of its Digestive 3-in-1 Health supplement after a supplier said one of the ingredients could be contaminated with the bacteria, which can be fatal in young children and frail and elderly people. The supplier, Corn Products International, said its Purimune — galacto-oligosaccharide, a soluble fibre shown to be helpful in digestion — had tested positive for salmonella.

The recall affects 38 bottles of the 33.8 oz. size and 275 bottles of the 16 oz. size of the liquid dietary supplement.

The bottles were sold nationally in retail stores and online after May 1.

FDA Recall Link

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Salmonella

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Australia – Salmonella in Raw Eggs and E.coli on Greek Salad

Posted on June 7, 2012 by | 1 comment

The Poultry Site 

AUSTRALIA – Currently the NSW Food Authority is investigating 49 cases of Salmonella poisoning, suspected to be from consuming foods containing raw egg.

06.jun.12
FSANZ
Jmark Pty Ltd (trading as Gourmet Selections) has recalled Gourmet Selections Greek Salad from Woolworths, IGA and other independent supermarkets in WA due to E.coli contamination. Consumers should not eat this product and should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.
Date notified to FSANZ
6 June 2012
Food type
Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs
Product name
Gourmet Selections Greek Salad
Package description & size
150g and 300g plastic tub
Date marking
All Use By dates from 6 JUN 12 to 14 JUN 12 inclusive
Country of origin
Australia
Reason for recall
Microbial Contamination (E.coli)
Distribution
The product has been available for sale from Woolworths, IGA and other independent supermarkets in Western Australia.
Consumer advice
Consumers should not eat this product and should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.
Contact
Jmark Pty Ltd
08 9303 0600

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, FSANZ, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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US Multi State E.coli O145 Outbreak

Posted on June 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Florida is part of an E coli outbreak that includes Georgia and Louisiana, according to the Florida Department of Health. A spokesperson for the Florida DOH told Food Poisoning Bulletin that a case has been confirmed and that they are “using routine processes and working closely with the CDC in the investigation of a potential commonality.”

News of this multi-state outbreak began this week with the death of a toddler in New Orleans. Our investigation has found that Georgia and Florida also have patients ill with the same strain of E. coli 0145. No particular source has been pinpointed as the cause of this outbreak.

The CDC has not released any information about the outbreak. The case count is as follows:

  • Florida (1)
  • Georgia (5)
  • Louisiana (3) (1 death)

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O145, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, HUS, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, STEC

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Euro 2012 – Ukraine Players Food Poisoning

Posted on June 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

SI.COM

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -European Championship co-host Ukraine has concerns over 10 players who are struggling with food poisoning before its opening game against Sweden on Monday.

The main concern is over Ukraine’s most-capped player, midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who has been on a drip.

“We have to bring the guys out of this condition,” coach Oleg Blokhin said. “It’s good that the poisoning didn’t happen on June 11. For me, the most important thing is healthy footballers.”

Team doctor Leonid Mironov told reporters Wednesday that Tuesday’s match against Turkey, which Ukraine lost 2-0, was almost cancelled after the players had come down with the bug that was causing some of them to vomit. Blokhin said that fullback Bohdan Butko and midfielder Denys Harmash played against Turkey despite being ill.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen

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Toxoplasma Research Required

Posted on June 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Manufacture

More research is needed to determine how big a role food plays in the transfer of the parasitic disease toxoplasmosis to humans in the UK, according to scientists.

Toxoplasmosis has been implicated in the USA and UK as a  foodborne illness in about 50% of reported cases.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Protozoan, Toxoplasmosis

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Turkey – Tourists Food Poisoning

Posted on June 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CRI – English

Some 83 tourists were hospitalised Wednesday night due to an outbreak of food poisoning in the seaside city of Bodrum, about 790 km south of Turkey’s Istanbul, the semi-official Anatolia News Agency reported Thursday.

A provincial health director said that the tourists had been diagnosed with nausea and heavy stomach aches.

Officials from Food, Agriculture and Animal Breeding ministry took samples of the food and drinks that the tourists might have consumed.

Bodrum District Gov. Mehmet Godekmerdan said that they were conducting an investigation at the tourists’ hotel.

“We sent the samples to the laboratory and we will announce the results tomorrow,” he said.

Bodrum is a port city in Mugla Province in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

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Gleneagles Food Scare – Norovirus

Posted on June 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Scotsman

MORE than 100 people connected to the Gleneagles Hotel have been hit by a suspected norovirus outbreak.

The luxury Auchterarder venue is working with NHS Tayside to identify the cause of the cases of vomiting and diarrhoea and put in place infection-control measures.

Most of the cases only came to light after guests who had stayed there last weekend contacted the hotel after falling ill.

Some staff and hotel residents are still recovering, but an NHS spokeswoman said nobody had been taken to hospital.

A spokeswoman for Gleneagles said a “mix” of residents, guests and staff were affected

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

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Oysters Recalled – USA – Norovirus

Posted on June 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

As a result of the FDA ban on Korean shellfish for unsanitary conditions and the presence of norovirus, Crown Prince Seafood is recalling oyster products. All of the company’s wholesalers are instructed to suspend shipments, and retailers should remove these products from their shelves.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen

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Hawaii – Recall – Ready to Eat Pork – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

USDA 

Keoki’s Lau Lau, a Honolulu, HI establishment, is recalling approximately 400 pounds of a ready-to-eat pork product due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following product is subject to recall:

  • 12 oz. tubs of “Keoki’s Kalua Brand Pork”
  • 48 oz. tubs of “Keoki’s Kalua Brand Pork”

The problem was discovered by the firm during follow-up testing conducted after a positive result from a FSIS routine monitoring sample. FSIS and the company have not received any reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, USDA

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