Category Archives: Food Illness

Foodborne sources suspected in fatal South African cases

Posted on October 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Officials in South Africa have issued a warning after several cases of children falling seriously ill after eating different types of snacks.

Authorities appealed for calm following reports claiming children had died after consuming items bought from spaza shops. These sites are also called tuck shops and are informal grocery stores.

The Gauteng Health Department confirmed the deaths of at least five children due to suspected foodborne sources.

In one incident, four boys aged 2, 3, 4, and 6 allegedly ate sweets and chips from a vendor in Westonaria. The youngest two died. In another case, two 6-year-olds died after consuming biscuits and juice from a local shop. Police have taken samples for processing to find the source.

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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 Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management

EU – Multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis in chicken meat and chicken meat products

Posted on October 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

EFSA

Between January and October 2023, 14 EU/EEA countries, the UK and the US reported 335 cases related to this outbreak.

Chicken meat and chicken meat products (kebab) are the likely source of a multi-country outbreak caused by three types of Salmonella Enteritidis, according to EFSA and ECDC’s latest Rapid Outbreak Assessment.

Bacteria similar to those causing the outbreak have been detected in samples of chicken meat and chicken kebab. While food traceability data points to producers located in Poland (7 producers) and Austria (1 producer), no microbiological evidence of a contamination at their facilities has been found.

Scientists expect that new cases are likely to occur in this multi-country outbreak as the source has not yet been identified. EFSA and ECDC experts recommend further investigations to identify the potential locations within the chicken meat production chain where the contamination may have occurred.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, ECDC, EFSA, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Polish Chicken Salmonella, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, Salmonella Poland

USA – 3 hospitalized as cases of salmonella tied to raw milk rise in San Diego County

Posted on October 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

NBC San Diego

County of San Diego health officials reported three more cases of salmonella linked to unpasteurized or “raw” milk products from a producer in Fresno on Wednesday, bringing the total number of local cases to 12.

Three of the 12 people were hospitalized, according to the county Health and Human Services Agency.

The cases began in late September with products from Raw Farm LLC, with the most recent person falling ill on Oct. 17, the HHSA said.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Raw Milk, Salmonella

USA – Another 4 reported STEC E. coli cases bring total sick to 17 linked to 4S Ranch restaurant

Posted on October 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

NBC San Diego

Four more people have reported being sickened by an E. coli outbreak linked to Miguel’s Cocina in the 4S Ranch community of San Diego within the past two days, bringing the total to 17 cases, county health officials said Thursday.

Seven people had to be hospitalized, including four children, according to the county’s Health and Human Services Agency.

“The joint public health and environmental health investigation is ongoing,” HHSA spokesperson Fernanda Lopez said.

Those who fell ill, or their families, reported eating at Miguel’s 4S Ranch location from Oct. 6 to Oct. 18 and developed symptoms from Oct. 13 to Oct. 19, according to the HHSA.

County health officials are still investigating the specific food items that were the source of the Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) at the restaurant. Miguel’s voluntarily closed its doors on Tuesday and has been working closely with the County to identify the outbreak.

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

USA – Ice Cream recalled after two with Listeria in New York and Pennsylvania – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on October 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

recalled-ice-cream-2

Two people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria were reported from two states: one from New York and one from Pennsylvania. Sick people’s samples were collected in May and June 2023. Both sick people were hospitalized, and neither died.

The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and this outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria.

One sick person ate “Soft Serve on The Go” ice cream cups, and the other person likely ate the same ice cream cup at a long-term care facility they lived.

The outbreak strain of Listeria was found in “Soft Serve On The Go” ice cream cups, “Ice Cream House” mini dessert cigar novelty ice cream, and several environmental samples taken from two of The Ice Cream House stores.

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

USA – Three Current – Raw Milk Outbreaks – Salmonella – Campylobacter

Posted on October 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Idaho – Public health officials in Ada County, ID, are investigating an outbreak of infections from Campylobacter linked to the consumption of unpasteurized, raw milk.

Food Safety News

Utah –

Investigators have identified Utah Natural Meat and Milk as the source of unpasteurized raw milk that has sickened people in the state.

At least 14 people have contracted infections from Campylobacter, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. One patient who was hospitalized has been released. Patients range in age from 2 to 73 years old.

Food Safety News

California – Three more people in San Diego have been confirmed to have Salmonella infections linked to raw, unpasteurized milk from Raw Farm LLC dairy in California. Another seven people are now sick in Orange County.

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Posted in Campylobacter, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Raw Milk, Salmonella

A Dozen Salmonella cases linked to Raw Farm Milk

Posted on October 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

County of San Diego health officials are reporting three additional cases of Salmonella illness linked to unpasteurized or “raw” milk from a producer in Fresno, CA.

This brings the total number of local cases to 12, including three people who were hospitalized. The cases began in late September and the most recent person became ill on Oct. 17.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a recall of Raw Farm milk and heavy cream Oct. 24, and a PDF that contains the specific product identification numbers with “best by” dates between Oct. 11 and Nov. 6. Additional raw milk products were not recalled.

The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency urges anyone who may have recently purchased Raw Farm LLC raw milk to not consume it and discard the product.

The illnesses have been caused by Salmonella bacteria, which is commonly found in human and animal intestines. The 12 San Diego County residents who became ill have reported consuming Raw Farm LLC raw milk the week before they became ill. Cases in other parts of the state are being tracked by CDPH and other local health departments.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Raw Milk, Salmonella

USA – Raw Farm Milk Salmonella Outbreak expands to Orange County

Posted on October 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has identified seven cases of Salmonella illness in Orange County (OC) residents following consumption of unpasteurized or “raw” milk from Raw Farm LLC, which recently issued a recall of its raw whole milk and raw heavy creams products.

The HCA urges those who may have purchased raw whole milk or raw heavy cream products from Raw Farm LLC to not consume the products and discard them immediately. Anyone who becomes ill after consuming raw milk or products made from raw milk, particularly products from Raw Farm LLC, should seek medical care immediately.

All confirmed cases had illness onset within the past 30 days, with affected individuals ranging in age from one to 20 years old. The HCA continues to investigate the situation in coordination with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The HCA is also reaching out to stores in the county who may be selling these products to assure that they are aware of the recall.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Raw Milk, Salmonella

USA – Utah Natural Meat and Milk Source of Campylobacter Outbreak

Posted on October 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Utah Natural Meat and Milk has been identified as the source of the Campylobacter outbreak in that state that has sickened at least 14 people, according to news reports. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services and the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food said that the pathogen came from that dairy that is located in West Jordan. According to the Salt Lake County Health Department, one patient was hospitalized but is recovering at home. The patient age range is from 2 to 73 years.

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Posted in Campylobacter, campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Raw Milk

Research- Three clusters of Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 infections linked to chicken meat and chicken meat products

Posted on October 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

From 1 January–24 October 2023, 335 laboratory-confirmed Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 cases belonging to three distinct microbiological clusters have been reported in 14 EU/EEA countries, the United Kingdom and the United States, affecting all age groups. Most interviewed cases reported consumption of chicken meat, including chicken kebabs. Nine cases in three countries were hospitalised and one case in Austria died, highlighting the potential for severe and fatal infections from this outbreak. Following the food exposure information and the national investigations in 2023, the food safety authorities in Austria, Denmark and Italy investigated 10 food products (six contaminated by Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 cluster 1 and/or cluster 2), seven final producers in Poland and one in Austria. Traceability information revealed that three Salmonella-contaminated kebabs shared a number of Polish food business operators. The trading link of the suspected kebab suggests one or more common source(s)/point(s) of contamination in Austria, Denmark, and Italy. Following the collection of genomic information, the cluster analysis revealed the presence of the outbreak strains in the food chain in multiple European countries. Most positive foods sampled in 2022–2023 with shared epidemiological data originated from Poland. Given the information collected, contaminated chicken kebab and chicken meat are the plausible vehicles of the human infections reported in these three clusters. In the absence of conclusive microbiological evidence and comprehensive traceability, the role of the identified final producers, their meat suppliers, and the possible involvement of other food business operators as sources of the infections could not be confirmed or excluded. Further investigations are needed to identify the root cause of the contamination and the source of infections, which is crucial for prompt implementation of targeted effective control and corrective measures. As the source(s) have not been identified, new cases are likely to occur in this prolonged multi-country outbreak.

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Posted in Death, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Polish Chicken Salmonella, Salmonella, Salmonella Poland