Category Archives: Food Illness

France – Emergency Serious food poisoning: 10 cases of botulism, including 8 hospitalized and 1 death, linked to visiting a restaurant in Bordeaux

Sante Publique

kswfoodworld

The health authorities, in conjunction with Public Health France and the National Reference Center for Botulism (Institut Pasteur) recommend that people who have visited the Bordeaux establishment Tchin Tchin Wine Bar (3 Rue Emile Duployé, 33000 Bordeaux) between Monday 4 and Sunday September 10, 2023 to consult a doctor urgently or to contact the 15th, mentioning cases of botulism, in the event of symptoms appearing after this attendance.

The people concerned all frequented the same restaurant-bar in Bordeaux, the Tchin Tchin Wine Bar, over the last week. The suspected foods are at this stage canned sardines in oil homemade by the restaurateur and served between September 4 and 10, 2023 in this Bordeaux restaurant. 

Botulism is a serious disease (fatal in 5 to 10% of cases) whose incubation time can range from a few hours to a few days. 
Symptoms include, to varying degrees: early digestive signs which may be fleeting (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea), eye damage (failure to accommodate, blurred or double vision), dry mouth accompanied by a lack of swallowing or even speech, or neurological symptoms (wrong paths, more or less severe paralysis of the muscles). There is usually no fever.

If you have symptoms, consult a doctor urgently or contact 15, mentioning cases of botulism.

What are the possible sources of contamination?

Botulism is a serious neurological condition caused by a very potent toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. It develops particularly in poorly preserved foods. In France, the majority of cases of botulism correspond to food poisoning, by ingestion of the toxin produced by C. botulinum in preserved foods that have not undergone an extensive sterilization process: cured meats, cold meats or even family-made preserves. or artisanal.

It is the extremely powerful toxin that it synthesizes that is responsible for the disease.

USA – Mishandled rice sickens at least 28 people at Suffolk County restaurant

ABC7NY

STONY BROOK, New York (WABC) — More than two dozen people got sick from a likely food poisoning incident at a restaurant in Suffolk County.

It happened at “Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse” in Stony Brook on Saturday.

Of the 28 people sickened, 12 had to be taken to the hospital.

The County Health Department says the people were likely sickened by mishandled and improperly stored rice.

The department issued 15 violations to the restaurant including eight for foodborne illness risk factors.

Burgers suspected as source of E. coli outbreak in Norway – O26:H11

Food Safety News

Norwegian officials have named the suspected source of an E. coli outbreak that affected 15 people.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) said the same type of E. coli O26:H11 had been detected in all those infected.

Two hamburger products that are the likely source of the ongoing outbreak have been recalled.

In August, it was reported that six people across the country were sick.

Canada- Patient count exceeds 225 in E. coli O157 outbreak linked to daycare centers

Food Safety News

The patient count in an E. coli outbreak linked to daycare centers in Calgary, Canada, now stands at 231.

Alberta Health Services officials say 26 of the sick are currently hospitalized, 25 of them children and one adult. Eleven other children have already been discharged from hospitals. Twenty-one children have hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which is a type of kidney failure that also affects other organs.

A specific food has not been identified as the source of the E. coli O157:H7, but investigators have collected samples of leftovers and frozen food for testing. Eleven daycare centers that share a common kitchen were closed.

The central kitchen that serves the 11 daycare centers remains closed.

Four daycare centers were given permission to reopen Monday. The four centers did not have any illnesses linked to the outbreak. The remaining seven will be allowed to reopen Tuesday. Staff and daycare attendees from those seven centers must test negative before returning to any daycare center, according to Alberta Health Services.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has asked the provincial health minister and the provincial minister for children and family services to investigate the outbreak and provide a full assessment of the situation.

Critical food-handling violations found at Fueling Minds central kitchen in Calgary—Updated – STEC E.coli O157

EFOOD ALERT

The central kitchen that supplied food to eleven daycare centers in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was in violation of several fundamental safe food-handling practices, according to a report released by Alberta Health Services (AHS).

The kitchen was ordered closed on September 4, 2023, and was inspected by the AHS the following day.

The KidsU Centennial – Fueling Minds Inc. central kitchen was linked to an outbreak of E. coli O157 infections that has infected at least 264 individuals as of September 12, 2023, and sent 37 of them to hospital.

Eleven of the hospitalized victims have been released. Twenty-five individuals remain in hospital, and 22 of those patients are suffering from haemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS. Six patients are receiving peritoneal dialysis.

The Fueling Minds kitchen supplied food to eleven daycare centers in the Calgary area. All of the centers were ordered closed pending cleaning, sanitation and inspection. All of them have now been allowed to reopen.

India – Madhya Pradesh: 22 Hostel Students Fall Ill Due To Food Poisoning In Alirajpur

Free Press Journal

Alirajpur (Madhya Pradesh): A total of 22 students staying at a hostel in Badi Hirapur village under Jobat tehsil have fallen sick due to food poisoning after having dinner, police said on Saturday.

The students had developed stomach aches and vomiting on Saturday. They were rushed to the district hospital at night and given primary treatment. Relatives of the students had gathered outside the hospital where they had been admitted.

A team of officials have been sent to the hostel to check the water source, quality of food supplied, the area where food is stored and prepared, to ensure that cleanliness and hygiene are maintained in the hostel campus.

The collector has suspended hostel superintendent Karam Singh Rawat for negligence and lack of supervision.

USA – An E. coli Tragedy – 190 sick, 34 in hospital and 20 with hemolytic uremic syndrome

Food Poison Journal

According to CTV News, the number of lab-confirmed cases of E. coli climbed again Sunday, rising to 190, stemming from a shared kitchen that 11 Calgary Fueling Brains daycares use but four daycares have reported no E. coli cases at all.

An Alberta Health Services (AHS) spokesperson sent updated figures to CTV News, showing that there are currently 27 patients receiving care in hospital. Seven others have been discharged since the beginning of the outbreak.

The number of patients confirmed to have severe hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) rose to 20 from 19 on Saturday.

“Based on the epidemiology of the cases we’ve seen to date, it is highly likely the source of this outbreak is food that was distributed from the central kitchen,” AHS said. “At this point, AHS has not been able to identify a food item that was the source. We continue to investigate.”

USA – Kumo Japanese Steakhouse in Stony Brook likely linked to Bacillus cereus in improperly stored rice

Food Poison Journal

According to numerous press reports, several 911 calls were made around 4 p.m. Saturday alerting first responders to illnesses occurring at Kumo Japanese Steakhouse in Stony Brook.

A Suffolk County spokesperson said a total of 28 people reported getting sick. Twelve of them were rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment and were discharged.

The Suffolk Department of Health Services believes the likely culprit was “mishandled and improperly stored cooked rice that was served” at a restaurant on Nesconset Highway.

Witnesses reported that people were vomiting on scene.

The Suffolk County Health Department the incident was a result of the restaurant mishandling and improperly storing cooked rice. Out of the 15 violations issued against Kumo Japanese Steakhouse, eight were for risk factors for foodborne illness. 

Very few people realize that improperly stored cooked rice can be a cause of food poisoning. 

Singapore- Downgrading of food shop, due to food poisoning Incident.

SFA

Ten persons were reported to have developed gastroenteritis symptoms after consuming food prepared by The Line Restaurant located at Shangri-La Hotel (22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258350) on 26 December 2022. Two of them were hospitalised.
A joint investigation by the Ministry of Health and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) was conducted following the incident. No hygiene lapses were identified during the inspection of the food shop on 30 December 2022. However, SFA will be taking enforcement action against the licensee for selling unclean food.
SFA has adjusted the food shop’s food hygiene grade from “A” to “C” with effect from 8 September 2023, to be reviewed in 12 months. The premises will also be kept under surveillance.
Food business operators are reminded to adhere to good food safety processes. Good hygiene practices such as the washing of hands before handling food can greatly reduce the incidence of gastroenteritis when adopted by all key stakeholders, including the industry and public.
The information provided on this website should not be used as basis for any legal proceedings. Neither SFA nor any of its employees involved in the supply of the above information shall be liable for any loss or damage suffered by any member of the public by reason of any error or omission of whatever nature appearing therein or however caused.

RASFF Alert- Listeria monocytogenes – Smoked Salmon Illness Case

RASFF

Listeria monocytogenes ST155 isolated from a clinical case associated with the consumption of smoked salmon from Lithuania in Italy