Category Archives: Food Inspections

USA – Lipari Foods Issues Voluntary Recall Expansion on Additional Sandwiches Due to Potential Contamination of Listeria Monocytogenes

Posted on January 15, 2020 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Company Announcement

Lipari Foods has issued a voluntary recall expansion of additional Premo and Fresh Grab sandwiches due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The product was distributed exclusively by Lipari Foods in Warren, Michigan to food service and retail stores throughout Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The affected product can be identified by:

Brand Product Lipari # Size Best By Date Lot # UPC
Fresh Grab Breakfast Muffin Sandwich 252153 6 oz. 1/23/2020 03202001 612510003039
Fresh Grab Chicken & Swiss Sandwich 252204 5 oz. 1/23/2020 03202001 612510003213
Fresh Grab Turkey & Swiss Sandwich 251694 6 oz. 1/23/2020 03202001 612510001042
Premo Meat Lover’s Sub 970844 7 oz. 1/21/2020 03202001 612510093832
Premo Pub Burger 207970 5 oz. 1/23/2020 03202001 612510003015
Premo Turkey & Cheese on Pretzel Sub 996428 7 oz. 1/23/2020 03202001 612510094037
Premo Turkey & Swiss Sandwich 915537 6 oz. 1/23/2020 03202001 612510001042
Premo Turkey & Garlic Mayo Sandwich 207455 5 oz. 1/21/2020 03202001 612510088494

This recall was brought to our attention by JLM, who is expanding their recent recall to include additional sandwiches due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported in relation to this recall.

Lipari Foods began shipping this product on January 3, 2020.

Consumers who have purchased these recalled products should not consume them. Consumers should discard the products or return them to the point of purchase. Consumers with questions should call Customer Service at 800-729-3354, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm, EST, Monday through Friday.

Original Recall

Product Photos

  • fresh grab Breakfast Muffin Sandwich
  • fresh grab Chicken & Swiss Sandwich
  • fresh grab Turkey & Swiss Sandwich
  • PREMO BRAND Meat Lover’s Sub
  • PREMO BRAND Pub Burger
  • PREMO BRAND Turkey & Cheese on Pretzel Sub
  • PREMO BRAND Turkey & Swiss Sandwich
  • PREMO BRAND Turkey

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Posted in FDA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

Viet Nam -101 hospitalized during school trip with food poisoning

Posted on January 14, 2020 by | Leave a comment

VN Express

101 secondary school students and teachers from Tay Ninh Province traveling to neighboring HCMC were hospitalized with food poisoning on Sunday.

After picked up at 5:30 a.m., students of Chu Van An Secondary School, upon traveling to Dam Sen amusement park in HCMC, received a box of chicken sticky rice provided by the hosting travel agency.

At around 9:30 a.m., 71 students started to experience nausea, and were immediately sent to the emergency room at HCMC’s Children’s Hospital 1.

At noon, another 30 cases, including both students and teachers, were sent to HCMC’s District 11 Hospital, with similar symptoms.

In the late afternoon, 22 cases at District 11’s Hospital were released home, while the rest, including one teacher, remained.

HCMC’s health department has collected the food sample to determine the cause of the accident.

Food poisoning occurs

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Uncategorized

Argentina -More than 50 sick in Argentinian city due to Salmonella

Posted on January 14, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

An emergency committee to control the sale of food has been created in a city in northwest Argentina after a spike in Salmonella cases in early 2020.

There have been 51 confirmed cases of Salmonella in Salta so far this year. At least five people have been hospitalized but recovered after treatment.

The committee will be responsible for controlling food sold on public roads at street stalls and at commercial premises. It includes experts from the National University of Salta (UNSA) and Catholic University of Salta (Ucasal).

Officials hope by increasing controls they can bring the rise in infections under control and minimize the risk to the public.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Salmonella, Uncategorized

USA -Yosemite National Park Stomach Illness Outbreak Sickens Visitors

Posted on January 14, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Federal health officials say a Yosemite National Park stomach illness outbreak has sickened at least a dozen people, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. An investigation has been launched after the reports of illness began, and inspections are being conducted at the service facilities.

The illness or origin of the outbreak have not been identified. Those sickened are recovering or have already recovered. There is no information about this outbreak on Yosemite’s web site.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Uncategorized

Canada -Scarpone’s Italian Store brand frozen Ground Veal recalled due to E. coli O157:H7

Posted on January 14, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

Recall details

Ottawa, January 13, 2020 – The Italian Store is recalling Scarpone’s Italian Store brand frozen Ground Veal from the marketplace due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Recalled products

Brand Product Size UPC Codes Additional Information
Scarpone’s Italian Store Ground Veal (frozen) Variable Starting with:
0 200904		 All units sold between December 23, 2019 and January 13, 2020, inclusive. Sold at The Italian Store, 5140 Skyline Way NE, Calgary, AB.

What you should do

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.

Check to see if you have the recalled product in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, some people may have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

Background

This recall was triggered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) test results. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing the recalled product from the marketplace.

Illnesses

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

Product photos

Printer ready version of photos

  • Scarpone's Italian Store - Ground Veal (frozen)
  • Universal Product Code - Scarpone's Italian Store - Ground Veal (frozen)

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Posted in CFIA, E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

Hong Kong – Import and sale of shellfishes harvested in production areas 35.11 and 35.06 in France suspended

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CFS

Issue Date 10.1.2020
Source of Information Centre for Food Safety
Food Product Shellfishes
Product Name and Description Shellfishes harvested in production areas 35.11 and 35.06 in France
Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that shellfishes harvested in the abovementioned areas which were suspected to be contaminated with norovirus were under recall.
  • The CFS immediately followed up with major local importers and retailers. Preliminary investigation found that a local importer had imported not ready-to-eat mussels from the abovementioned areas into Hong Kong which were on sale in its supermarkets.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • For the sake of prudence, the CFS has immediately suspended the import into and sale within Hong Kong of all shellfishes harvested in the two areas concerned.
  • The importer concerned had already voluntarily stopped sale and removed from shelves of the affected product for the sake of prudence.
  • The CFS is tracing the distribution of the affected product.
  • The CFS has informed the French authorities of the import suspension and will also notify the local trade.
  • The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.
Advice to the Trade Stop using or selling the affected product harvested in the abovementioned areas concerned immediately.
Advice to Consumers
  • One may be infected by norovirus or other pathogenic microorganism if consuming undercooked shellfish which is contaminated. So, shellfish should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
  • Young children, elderly people, pregnant women and others with weakened immune systems should pay special attention when consuming shellfish.
Further Information The CFS press release

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Posted in CFS, food contamination, food handler, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus

France -Collective food-borne infections suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish, epidemiological report as of January 8, 2020

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Sante Publique France

Cases of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish in mainland France have been reported since December 2019.

A collective food poisoning (TIAC) ​​is defined by the appearance of at least 2 cases of illness with a similar symptomatology, generally gastrointestinal, the cause of which can be related to the same food or meal. Any person (doctor, manager of collective catering establishments, consumer, etc.) who is aware of an episode that may be a TIAC, must declare this suspicion of TIAC to the administration (Regional Health Agency (ARS) and / or the Departmental Directorate (for social cohesion) and for the protection of populations (DD (CS) PP). This declaration involves local information from the other structure (ARS or DD (CS) PP).

Since the beginning of December 2019, 179 compulsory declarations (DO) of collective food poisoning (TIAC) ​​suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish, mainly oysters, have been sent to Santé publique France. The reports come from the majority of regions in mainland France (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Number of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish, by reporting region. Metropolitan France, December 1, 2019 – January 8, 2020.
Figure 1 - Number of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish, by reporting region. Metropolitan France, December 1, 2019 - January 8, 2020.

The vast majority (138/179, 77%) of these TIAC occurred from December 23 (Figures 2 and 3). A peak of patients is observed around December 25-27 (Figure 2). The offending meals are grouped around December 24-25 (Figure 3).

A total of 1,033 people were sick, of whom 21 (2%) were hospitalized. Most of them are people over the age of 15. Of the 595 patients with age information, 19 (3.1%) were children under the age of 15. The symptoms, mainly diarrhea and vomiting, as well as the incubation times, are compatible with infections with norovirus or other enteric viruses. Stool tests performed to date by the National Reference Center for Gastroenteritis Viruses have confirmed the presence of norovirus and other enteric viruses.

Figure 2 – Number of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish by date of first signs of patients (information available for 125/179 TIAC). December 1, 2019 – January 8, 2020.
Figure 2 - Number of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish by date of first signs of patients (information available for 125/179 TIAC). December 1, 2019 - January 8, 2020.
Figure 3 – Number of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish by date of the offending meal (information available for 176/179 TIAC). December 1, 2019 – January 8, 2020.
Figure 3 - Number of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish by date of the offending meal (information available for 176/179 TIAC). December 1, 2019 - January 8, 2020.

The number of TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish is significantly higher than in previous years. Each year between 25 and 120 TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of shellfish are reported to Public Health France, of which between 4 and 30 occurred during the December-January periods.

Following reports from TIAC suspected of being linked to the consumption of raw shellfish, the Directorate General for Food (DGAL) in conjunction with the Departmental Directorates in charge of protecting populations (DD (CS) PP) is carrying out an investigation traceability in order to trace back to the production area for suspected shellfish and confirmation analyzes are carried out on the areas concerned. To date, several areas have been closed due to contamination by noroviruses. Zone closings can be viewed on this site:
http://www.atlas-sanitaire-coquillages.fr/ (“Statutes” section)

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, outbreak, Uncategorized, Virus

USA – Seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants Associated with E. coli Outbreak

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

There are now seven Seattle Evergreen Restaurants associated with an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened 15 people, an increase of two more patients since the last update posted in December 2019. The outbreak appears to be over, according to the Seattle King County Health Department, but the investigation is ongoing. Three people were hospitalized because they were so sick.

The seven Seattle Evergreen restaurants named by the health department include Evergreen locations at:

  • Pioneer Square (106 1st Avenue S, Seattle)
  • University District (4609 Village Ter NE, Seattle)
  • Downtown (823 3rd Avenue, Seattle)
  • Chinatown-International District (504 5th Ave South, Seattle)
  • Sammamish Highlands (600 228th Avenue NE, Sammamish)
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (17801 International Blvd, Seattle)
  • 2nd and Pike Street (1430 2nd Ave, Seattle)

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Posted in E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized

Cruise Ship – Norovirus – What you need to know.

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Cruise Critic

With cruise ship “outbreaks” regularly appearing in the news, awareness of Norovirus — an extremely common and highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis — has been significantly raised.
But before you reconsider that long-awaited cruise vacation because of gloom-and-doom reports on television and in your daily paper, know these facts:

  • Norovirus is not a “cruise ship” virus, nor does it limit itself to sea-going vessels.
  • Norovirus spreads swiftly wherever there are many people in a small area, including nursing homes, restaurants, hotels, dormitories … and cruise ships.
  • The common cold is the only illness more common, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta estimates that there are more than 20 million cases of Norovirus annually.
  • Norovirus is associated with cruise travel simply because health officials are required to track illnesses on ships (and are not at hotels and resorts); therefore, outbreaks are found and reported more quickly at sea than on land.

Here’s everything you need to know about Norovirus — and how to avoid getting sick on your next cruise vacation. See the link above.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized, Virus

Singapore -SFA recalls live mussels from France due to presence of Norovirus

Posted on January 13, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CNA

 

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Saturday (Jan 11) that it has directed food specialist Classic Fine Foods to recall the Bouchot live mussels from France.

In a media release, SFA said that the European Commission Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed has issued a recall for the live mussels from Baie Du Mont-Saint-Michel Aop in France “due to the presence of a norovirus”.

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Toxin, Food Virus, Norovirus, Uncategorized