Category Archives: Food Illness

US – Six Year Old Dies – E.coli Infection with HUS

Posted on June 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

On May 26, 2012, a six year old boy in Massachusetts died from an E. coli infection, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health and the Worcester Department of Public Health. A press release by the City of Worcester, obtained by Food Poisoning Bulletin, confirms that he died from complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The source of exposure has not yet been determined at this time. Officials are treating this as an isolated case, consistent with a food borne illness.”

It only takes 100 E. coli 0157 bacteria to make a healthy person sick. One bacterium is about 0.002 centimeters long, so a small amount of food can be easily contaminated with that amount. Children are more susceptible to complications from this type of infection because their immune systems are still developing.

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, HUS, Microbiology, Pathogen

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CIFA Recalls – Salmonella and Clostridium botulinum

Posted on June 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Pusateri’s Fine Foods is warning the public not to consume certain vacuum packaged fish products, described below, because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Toxins produced by this bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Les Aliments 2000 Inc. are warning the public not to consume Cuisine du Viêt-nam brand Butterfly Knots Honey & Sesame because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The affected product, Cuisine du Viêt-nam brand Butterfly Knots Honey & Sesame, is sold in 102 g packages bearing UPC 8 59912 00102 1. All lot codes are affected by this alert.

This product has been distributed in Quebec.

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

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Posted in Bacteria, CIFA, Clostridium botulinum, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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FSANZ – Recall Chorizo Sausage – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSANZ 

Marsh Butcheries has recalled vacuum-packed chorizo sausages from its retail store in Stratford, Cairns in QLD due to the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes. Consumers should not eat this product. Listeria may cause illness in pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, FSANZ, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella, Listeria, E.coli

Posted on June 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella Caracas in Ground Cumin from Turkey ans Syria

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk sheep cheese coated with herbs from France

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Manouri Sheeps cheese from Greece.

RASFF – Salmonella Isangui in rapeseed meal from Kazakhstan.

RASFF – Salmonella in minced meat products from Sweden.

RASFF – Salmonella in poultry cutlets from Germany.

RASFF – Shigatoxin E.coli in rump steak from Argentina.

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

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Fiddleheads Warning – Foodborne Illness………

Posted on June 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Star

Fiddleheads can prove a delightful addition to any locavore’s diet, if, that is, the curled ferns are cooked properly.

Seven cases of illness associated with eating fiddleheads have been reported by residents to Toronto Public Health since the beginning of May, spokeswoman Kris Scheuer said. One case involved a family of four.

Raw or undercooked fiddleheads have been known to sporadically cause unpleasant symptoms of food poisoning since 1994, according to Health Canada. The symptoms typically last for less than a day.

Only a few people have been affected, but their temporary sickness serves as a reminder to the public to wash and cook the seasonal greens carefully and not to eat them raw.

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

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RASFF Reports – Salmonella – Aflatoxins

Posted on May 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella in Betel (Paan) Leaves from Bangladesh

RASFF – Salmonella paratyphi B in Mechanically separated frozen poultry meat, from the Netherlands.

RASFF – Aflatoxins in Peanuts in shell from China.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF

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Philipines 200 + Foodborne Illness Outbreak

Posted on May 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Manila Times 

BALANGA CITY, Bataan: The Provincial Health Office on Monday announced that it has conducted outbreak investigations on 122 victims of food poisoning and 117 persons struck down by diarrhea in Limay, Bataan and Balanga City in separate occasions on Tuesday to Thursday last week.

Dr. Rosanna Buccahan, acting Provincial Health Officer, said they are waiting for the results of rectal swab to be known in two weeks and stool culture in one week to determine the cause or causes that affected the victims.

“We are waiting for results of the random rectal swab and stool culture from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Metro Manila after the PHO in coordination with the Regional Epidemiology Research Center and the Department of Health conducted the tests,” she said.

Buccahan said that 117 inmates of the Bataan District Jail in Balanga City suffered from diarrhea Tuesday last week while 25 people were victimized by food poisoning after eating egg rolls (lumpia) during a funeral in Limay last Thursday. Ninety-seven, mostly children, were downed by food poisoning after eating dirty ice cream in Barangay Cabog-Cabog in Balanga last Wednesday

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Turks and Caicos – 150 Possible Norovirus

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Sun

More than 150 persons have been affected with gastroenteritis and sought medical attention in the Turks and Caicos Islands since the end of April 2012, according to health officials investigating the mysterious sickness that has affected about 12 hotels on the island of Providenciales.
 

The officials also reported they recently have discovered one case of norovirus, but they noted that this virus cannot be confirmed as the cause of the current outbreak of diarrhea and vomiting.

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Posted in Eurofins Laboratories, 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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China 100 Sick – Braised Chicken

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

China Daily

SHIJIAZHUANG – Nearly 100 people fell sick due to eating suspected contaminated chicken in North China’s Hebei province, local authorities said Sunday.

A total of 97 people in Quyang county of Baoding city have been hospitalized since Friday. Among them, two people have checked out of the hospital, one is critically ill and the others are in stable condition, officials with the county government said.

A preliminary investigation shows that the illness is caused by a certain braised chicken produced by the local Dalong braised chicken store.

The store has been closed down and the owner of the store is under police control. A further investigation into the incident is underway.

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

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Jensen Farms – Cantelope Listeria Outbreak – Bankrupt

Posted on May 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Denver Post 

Jensen Farms, the southeastern Colorado cantaloupe growers who were the source of a deadly listeria outbreak last year, filed for bankruptcy Friday.

Lawsuits from the outbreak, which caused at least 32 deaths and dozens of hospitalizations, are prominent in the filing. Attorneys for Jensen Farms and for wrongful-death plaintiffs welcomed the step.

Jensen Farms did not comment.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Research

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