Category Archives: Food Illness

Research – Prolonged multi‐country cluster of Listeria monocytogenes ST155 infections linked to ready‐to‐eat fish products

Posted on December 28, 2023 by | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

A genomic cluster of Listeria monocytogenes sequence type (ST) 155, serogroup IIa, infections has been identified in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK). Based on genomic similarity, the cluster can be divided into three sub‐clusters, of which only cases due to sub‐cluster 1 continue to be reported. Sub‐cluster 1 is therefore the focus of this assessment, with 64 cases reported in five EU/EEA countries between 2016 and 2023, of which 17 were in 2022 and 2023 (one in Austria, one in Belgium, eight in Italy, six in Germany, and one in the Netherlands). It includes 10 fatal cases between 2019 and 2023. Sub‐clusters 2 and 3 are historical, with 30 cases reported between 2011 and 2021. Based on case interviews, ready‐to‐eat (RTE) fish products have been implicated as vehicles of infection.

National food investigations, traceability, and genomic data identified 34 L. monocytogenes isolates from 12 fish products and one isolate from a fish processing environment within sub‐cluster 1. Sequencing analysis identified a link with two processing plants in Lithuania. In 2022–2023, contaminated fish products from these plants had reached retail markets in Germany and Italy, but there was no information on the product distribution in the other three countries reporting cases. The recurrent detection of the sub‐cluster 1 strain from marketed sealed RTE fish products revealed the persistence of the strain in one processing plant over eight years.

Further targeted investigation in the RTE fish production chain is needed to identify the point(s) of contamination. The interruption of the production of RTE fish products in one of the processing plants is likely to reduce infections, but until all sources and sites of contaminations are properly controlled new cases are expected to occur, particularly among vulnerable people (the immunosuppressed and those aged over 75 years).

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria Smoked Fish, outbreak, ST155

UK – Girl, 17, fighting for life in hospital after catching deadly E-coli from a Christmas market food stall which caused her kidneys to fail and forced doctors to remove part of her bowel

Posted on December 28, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Daily Mail

A girl has been left fighting for her life after she caught a deadly strain of E.coli from food bought at a Christmas market.

Antonia Hay, 17, from Buckinghamshire, has spent the past two weeks in intensive care after likely catching STEC-HUS, caused by E-coli O157.

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Illness, STEC, STEC E.coli

UK – STEC O145 E. coli tainted cheese sickens 30 in the UK

Posted on December 28, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

There have been at least 30 confirmed cases of this specific outbreak strain of STEC in the UK.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland, (FSS) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are warning the public not to eat four Mrs. Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese which has been recalled because they may be contaminated with a specific type of E. coli bacteria called Shiga toxin producing E. coli, also known as STEC or VTEC or E. coli O145.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O145, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, fsa, Illness, STEC, STEC E.coli

Belgium – ORGANIC GOJI BERRIES (100g) from the ALNATURA brand – Salmonella

Posted on December 27, 2023 by | Leave a comment

afsca

Cora recall
Product: ORGANIC GOJI BERRIES (100g) from the ALNATURA brand
Nature of the problem: possible presence of Salmonella

WE ARE RECALLING THE PRODUCT DESCRIBED BELOW:

DESIGNATION ORGANIC GOJI BERRIES (100g)
BRAND ALNATURA
Bar Code 4104420174009
DDM FROM 07/04/2024 TO 10/22/2024

This product was sold in Cora supermarkets in La Louvière (7100), Chatelineau (6200), Rocourt (4000), Messancy (6780), Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (1200) and Anderlecht (1070).

CORA has decided, in consultation with the AFSCA (Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain), to recall this product from consumers.
Customers who have purchased this product are asked not to consume it and return it to the point of sale, where they will be refunded.

People who have consumed the product mentioned above and who experience gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain are invited to consult their doctor and report this consumption. The incubation time can range from 6 to 72 hours.

The risk of infection is higher in the elderly, children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people

In the meantime, the product has been removed from all store shelves.

We sincerely apologize to our customers for these inconveniences and assure them that we are taking the most effective measures to prevent such incidents.

Any customer who wants more information can contact our quality department on 071. 69.95.24 or by e-mail at the following address: ALERTES-RETRAITS@CORA.BE .

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Salmonella

USA -Canada – As many as 17,941 with Salmonella linked to Cantaloupe in U.S. and Canada

Posted on December 27, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Marler Blog

Canada:164 lab confirmed cases with 61 hospitalized with 7 deaths. (as of December 22)

United States: 302 lab confirmed cases with 129 hospitalized with 4 deaths. (as of December 14)

According to health officials, only a small proportion of all Salmonella infections are diagnosed and reported to health departments. It is estimated that for every reported case, there are approximately 38.6 undiagnosed infections.[1] The CDC estimates that 1.4 million cases, 15,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths are caused by Salmonella infections in the U.S. every year.[2]

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Microbiology Research, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Research, Salmonella, Salmonella Cantaloupes

France – Over 700 Airbus Employees Suffer Severe Suspected Food Poisoning Following Christmas Dinner

Posted on December 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

PYOK

Over 700 employees of Airbus Atlantic have fallen sick with severe gastrointestinal symptoms after a Christmas dinner laid on at the company’s dining facilities in Montoir-de-Bretagne in northwest France.

French health authorities say they are now investigating the cause of the mass sickness, which started at the end of last week.

Employees enjoyed the Christmas dinner just before the weekend of 16th and 17th December, but in the following days, hundreds of workers had fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhoea.

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Posted in Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness

USA – Final Report Released of September E. Coli Outbreak at Huntley High School

Posted on December 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MCH

This is a very detailed 15 page report.

The most likely mode of transmission of STEC in the HHS cafeteria was through an
infected food handler. At the time of the investigation a HHS food handler, that worked at both the cold sandwich station, providing garnishes (lettuce and cheese) to the sandwiches, and at the cookie station was confirmed by PCR, to have been intermittently shedding STEC, Shiga toxin 2.
The laboratory was unable to perform a culture of the stool specimen, which is indicative of an insufficient amount of the pathogen present at the time of testing to culture. The food handler denied illness. However, since most infections are self-limiting and most individuals do not seek health care and/or are not tested, and since it has been documented that STEC can be shed for up to 62 days, it is likely that the food handler was previously mildly ill and did not associate that illness with this outbreak investigation. Since shedding of the pathogen declines over time it is not unexpected that a culture could not be performed

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA- FDA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks – Core Outbreak Table

Posted on December 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Sundsvall and Oranienburg (ref #1203) linked to cantaloupe, the recall was expanded to include additional retailers and wholesalers who received the recalled melons. See the Outbreak Advisory for additional information.
  • For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #989) linked to peaches, plums, and nectarines, the advisory was updated to include the full list of retailers who received the recalled product.
  • For the investigation of elevated lead levels in Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches (ref # 1198) the advisory was updated to include additional adverse event reports and Investigation updates.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Thompson (ref #1190) in onions, the investigation is complete and the outbreak has ended. See the Outbreak Advisory for additional information.
  • For the outbreak of E. coli O121 (ref #1195) in a not identified food, the investigation is complete and the outbreak has ended.
Date
 Ref Pathogen
or
Cause of
Illness		 Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses
(if any)		 Total
Case
Count
Status
12/6/

2023

 1205 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Not Yet
Identified		 3 Active
11/22/

2023

 1201 Salmonella
Newport		 Not Yet
Identified		 44 Active
11/22/

2023

 1203 Salmonella
Sundsvall and
Oranienburg		 Cantaloupe See

Advisory

 Active
11/15/

2023

 989 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Peaches, Plums,
and Nectarines		 See

Advisory

 Active
11/8/

2023

 1198 Elevated Lead
Levels		 Apple
Cinnamon
Puree		 See

Advisory

 Active

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Posted in CORE Investigation Table, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Cantaloupes

Salmonella outbreak over in Norway, but source not found

Posted on December 19, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

An outbreak of Salmonella has ended in Norway without officials finding the source.

An investigation into the outbreak of Salmonella Napoli has been completed as no cases have been detected since the end of September.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) had reported seven outbreak cases.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak

USA – FDA releases retailer lists for stone fruit linked to deadly Listeria outbreak

Posted on December 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Retailer lists are now available for peaches, nectarines and plums linked to a Listeria outbreak that has killed one person and sickened others.

Samples from sick people were collected from Aug. 22, 2018, to Aug. 16, this year. The outbreak is considered ongoing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sick people are spread across seven states and all of them have required hospitalization.

Whole genome sequencing has allowed public health officials to match patients across several years, all with the outbreak strait of Listeria monocytogenes. The Food and Drug Administration has also found the pathogen on samples of peaches from the producer.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak