Category Archives: Food Illness

Norway – Outbreak of Salmonella infection

Matportalen

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has been notified by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health about a national outbreak of the gastrointestinal bacterium Salmonella Napoli. So far, infection has been detected in seven people. The source of infection is not known.

An outbreak investigation has been initiated in collaboration between the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the Veterinary Institute and municipal chief medical officers. It is currently unknown what the source of infection is, but it is common for gastrointestinal bacteria to become infected through food. According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the most common symptoms are diarrhoea, headache, abdominal pain, nausea and possibly fever.

– The Norwegian Food Safety Authority collects information from the sick persons about what they have eaten and what they have been in contact with. It may also be relevant to take samples of food and food packaging, says Anne Mæland, senior advisor in the biological food safety section of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Outbreak investigation takes time and the work is complicated. It is not always possible to find the source of infection in such outbreaks. If a common source of infection from food, animals or the environment is identified, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will follow up the tracing work along the food chain.

Finland – Sprouts suspected in Finnish Salmonella outbreak

Food Safety News

A Salmonella outbreak in Finland, which affected more than 60 people, has been linked to sprouts.

The National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) reported that 62 people in different parts of the country became ill from Salmonella Enteritidis in August and October.

In September, it was reported that authorities were investigating an increase in Salmonella Enteritidis infections.

In interviews by local authorities, 23 of 24 people said that they had eaten sprouts before getting sick.

THL surveyed salmonellosis patients in Finland to find out the extent and source of the epidemic. This survey was answered by 16 cases part of the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak and 11 other controls infected with Salmonella.

People who became infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis had eaten sprouts more often than people who were not part of the outbreak.

Patients had eaten two different sprout products in the seven days before becoming ill. Both products had the same unnamed producer.

USA – Miguel’s Cocina 4S Ranch linked to E. coli Outbreak in San Diego

Food Poison Journal

The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is reporting an outbreak of 13 confirmed or probable cases of Shiga-toxin-producing E. Coli (STEC) linked to dining at Miguel’s Cocina 4S Ranch location in San Diego.

HHSA Epidemiology Program and the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality are investigating the cluster of E. coli infections. Ages range from 6 to 87 years of age.

The ill persons or their families reported eating at the Miquel’s 4S Ranch location from Oct. 6 to Oct. 18 and had symptoms from Oct. 13 to Oct. 19.  Seven cases were hospitalized with at least one case developing the more severe complication of the infection called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

The specific food items that were sources of the E. coli bacteria at the restaurant are under investigation.  The restaurant is cooperating and working closely with the County. This morning its management voluntarily decided to close until the source can be identified.

“People who visited the restaurant and are feeling ill should see their doctor as soon as possible,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer.  “We want them to get tested and have the results sent to the local health department. Those most at risk from infection are children, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems.”

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Onions (October 2023)

FDA

Product

Recalled Gills Onions-brand diced yellow onions, diced onions & celery, diced mirepoix, and diced red onions with use-by dates in August 2023.

FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.

Stores Affected

  • Recalled Gills Onions were sold to foodservice and institutions nationwide and in Canada. The firm has directly notified foodservice customers who received recalled product.
  • Recalled product was sold to retailers in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.

Symptoms of Salmonella Infection

Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually lasts four to seven days. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Children younger than five, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections.

Status

Ongoing

Recommendation

  • Consumers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled onions and should check their freezers if they froze recalled products. Full descriptions of recalled products sold to retailers in AZ, CA, ID, MT, OR, and WA can be found in the recall announcement.
  • Direct customers, including restaurants, institutions, and retailers will be contacted by the company and should check their refrigerators and freezers and throw away recalled onions.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a Salmonella infection after eating recalled onions.

Current Update

October 24, 2023

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Thompson infections linked to fresh diced onions from Gills Onions of Oxnard, California.

Based on epidemiological data collected by CDC, 14 of 19 cases with information available reported exposure to fresh diced onions before becoming ill. Additionally, based on traceback data collected by FDA, FDA determined that onions processed at Gills Onions were available at points of service where people ate prior to becoming ill.

In response to this investigation, Gills Onions has voluntarily recalled diced yellow onion, diced onions & celery, diced mirepoix, and diced red onions.

The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses. FDA will update this advisory should additional consumer safety information become available.

USA – 9 Cases Of Salmonella Linked To Raw Milk Reported In San Diego County

Patch

Nine San Diego area residents became ill after consuming raw milk or milk products from Fresno-based Raw Farm LLC, officials said.

Research – Annual report concerning Foodborne Diseases in New Zealand 2022

NZFS

Human health surveillance and its relationship to foodborne illness is essential for informing
the strategic direction that New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) takes and regulatory measures
it puts in place to minimise foodborne illness in New Zealand and overseas consumers. The
annual ESR foodborne disease reports are critical, allowing NZFS to monitor trends in
foodborne illness in New Zealand by describing in a consistent manner evidence from case
notifications, case enquiries, outbreak investigations, and other epidemiological studies of
human enteric disease.
This report is the latest in a series providing a consistent source of data annually to monitor
trends in foodborne illness in New Zealand. The series can be found here.
When reading these reports, it is necessary to bear in mind that notified cases of illness
represent only a subset of all the cases that occur in New Zealand each year.
• Many sick individuals do not visit a GP or otherwise come to the attention of the
health system.
• Multiple factors (e.g., change in sensitivity of testing methods, proportion of human
faecal specimens being tested) affect the notification rates on top of any underlying
changes to disease incidence happening in New Zealand. Some cases notified in
New Zealand are due to exposure to a pathogen or toxin while they were overseas.
Most cases of foodborne diseases in New Zealand are sporadic, which makes attribution to a
source or event difficult. In contrast, outbreaks offer a better opportunity to identify the source
and most of the 271 outbreaks (253 cases) of potential foodborne disease in 2022 were
associated with commercial food operators and only five outbreaks in 2022 were associated
with food prepared in consumer’s homes. Despite robust investigation, some outbreaks
reported as “foodborne with an unidentified food source” could also be attributed to other
routes of transmission, such as water, animal contact, or person to person contact.
Listeriosis is perhaps the only disease fully attributable to consumption of contaminated food.
Campylobacteriosis, yersiniosis, infection by shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), and
salmonellosis remain the predominant notified foodborne illnesses. Notification rates per
100,000 population are generally stable, being highest for very young children (0 to 4 years
age group) and for elderly people (70+ years)

Fatal Spanish Salmonella outbreak under investigation

Food Safety News

More information has come to light about a deadly outbreak of Salmonella in Spain in 2022.

The outbreak occurred at the Geriàtric Aragó care home in Barcelona. According to officials, it started in July 2022 and affected 39 residents, of which 15 were hospitalized and eight died.

Additional information was revealed in documents from the Parliament of Catalonia in response to a question on action taken by the Departament de Drets Socials (Department of Social Rights).

An investigation is ongoing by the Fiscalía Provincial de Barcelona, the local prosecutor’s office.

In March 2022, an inspection was carried out to collect information concerning a complaint submitted in February by a resident’s family. No irregularities were detected from the documentation and observations made during the visit. Another check was undertaken in May due to a separate complaint, but no related non-compliances were found.

USA – FDA Core Outbreak Table

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Thompson (ref #1190) linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 67 to 72.

Philippines – Food poisoning

Mindanao Times

ELEVEN individuals, mostly kids, were rushed to the hospital on Monday evening after they were downed by food poisoning at Sitio Matigsalug, Barangay Marilog, Marilog District.

According to the report, the caretaker Evangeline Palao told investigators that their employer Geraldina Bocuya from Deca Homes Mintal brought spaghetti when she visited their place at noon on Monday.

But after a few hours, the patients complained of stomach ache and started vomiting.

However, Tuazon said they could not yet ascertain if the spaghetti was the cause of the food poisoning or the tubod (spring water).

France Two people in deadly Botulism outbreak remain in hospital

Food Safety News

According to researchers, at least two patients in a botulism outbreak in France remain in hospital.

The study covered eight individuals from four countries admitted to the intensive care unit at Bordeaux University Hospital, where six required invasive mechanical ventilation. Cases reported consuming locally produced canned sardines at a Tchin Tchin Wine Bar restaurant.

As of Oct. 12, six of them had been discharged, but two people still needed mechanical ventilation, according to the study published in the journal Eurosurveillance.