Category Archives: Food Inspections

USA- Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Chicken Products Final Update

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Final Outbreak Information
At A Glance
  • As of February 21, 2019 this investigation is over.
  • A total of 129 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Infantis were reported from 32 states.
    • Twenty-five people were hospitalized. One death was reported from New York.
  • Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicated that many types of raw chicken products from a variety of sources are contaminated with Salmonella Infantis and are making people sick.
    • In interviews, ill people reported eating different types and brands of chicken products purchased from many different locations.
    • The outbreak strain was identified in samples taken from raw chicken products, raw chicken pet food, and live chickens.
  • Antibiotic resistance testing conducted by CDC on Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people showed that the outbreak strain is resistant to multiple antibiotics. For more information read the advice to clinicians.
  • A single, common supplier of raw chicken products or of live chickens was not identified.
  • The outbreak strain of Salmonella Infantis is present in live chickens and in many types of raw chicken products, indicating it might be widespread in the chicken industry. CDC and USDA-FSIS shared this information with representatives from the chicken industry and requested that they take steps to reduce Salmonella contamination.

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

Hong Kong – Not to consume a batch of bottled salted egg paste suspected to contain excessive Staphylococcus aureus

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

CFS Staph

Issue Date 21.2.2019
Source of Information Food Safety Centre, Macau
Food Product Bottled salted egg paste
Product Name and Description Product name: Salted Egg Paste

Brand: English name not available

Place of origin: China

Distributor: Un Chi Enterprise Development Company

Net weight: 180 g per bottle

Best-before date: October 25, 2019
Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) received a notification from the Food Safety Centre, Macau, that a sample collected from the abovementioned salted egg paste imported from Hong Kong was detected with Staphylococcus aureus at a level of 150 000 organisms per gram, exceeding the standard of Macau. Under Hong Kong’s Microbiological Guidelines for Food, if ready-to-eat food contains Staphylococcus aureus and other coagulase-positive staphylococci at a level of more than 10 000 organisms per gram, it is also considered unsatisfactory.
  • The CFS immediately contacted the local distributor concerned for follow-up. According to the information provided by the distributor, the affected batch of product was available for sale in Hong Kong and had been sold out.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The distributor concerned has initiated a recall according to CFS’ instructions.
  •  The CFS is also tracing the distribution of the product concerned.
  •  The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action.
Advice to the Trade
  • Stop using or selling the product concerned immediately should they possess it.
Advice to Consumers
  • Not to consume the affected batch of product if they have bought it.
Further Information The CFS press release

Members of the public may call the distributor’s hotline at 2650 3802 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

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

Ireland – Recall of Old Irish Creamery Cheese Irish Cheddar with Chilli Due to Presence of Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

FSAI

Chilli_Cheddar

Message:

JOD Food Products is recalling the above batch of its Old Irish Creamery Cheese Irish Cheddar with Chilli following detection of Listeria monocytogenes in the batch. This batch of cheese was sold at Cork City Craft Fair on 24th-26th November 2018. Samples were also available at the craft fair.

Nature Of Danger:

Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness.  In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis. Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.

Action Required:

Consumers:

Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batch of cheese. Consumers who may have already consumed it and are feeling unwell should seek medical advice.

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

Norway – Nine sick in Norway from Salmonella; source unknown

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News 

Authorities in Norway are investigating a Salmonella outbreak that has affected nine people.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstituttet) said the patients became ill in January and early February. They are aged from 2 to 91 years old. The agency is investigating with local authorities, the Veterinary Institute (Veterinærinstituttet) and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet).

Five men and four women have been confirmed infected with Salmonella Agbeni. They live in Oslo, Akershus, Buskerud, Rogaland and Vest-Agder. Bacteria with a similar DNA profile has been detected in all nine people, which strongly suggests a common source. Officials are interviewing patients and sampling food leftovers to find the infection vehicle.

Officials from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said such investigations can be complicated and take time with no guarantee the source of infection will be found. They added it was too early to say whether it is a limited outbreak or whether additional patients will be identified.

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

Slovenia – Slovenia withdraws batch of Polish kebab meat over Salmonella and Listeria

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Reuters

Image CDC

 

LJUBLJANA (Reuters) – Salmonella and listeria bacteria have been found in another batch of kebab meat imported from Poland, Slovenia’s food safety authorities said on Friday, adding the meat in question will be removed from the Slovenian market.

The frozen meat was produced by Polish company Efes-pol Fedai Simsek Sp. z o.o. and distributed to Slovenia and Croatia by Slovenian distributor Alebon d.o.o., the Food Safety Administration said in a statement.

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

Australia – Source of Salmonella outbreak identified

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

9 News EGGS

SA Health says a raw egg butter product is to blame for more than fifty people being struck down by the illness.

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

Spain – Investigation opens into Michelin restaurant death and food poisonings

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

The Guardian

A Spanish judge has launched an investigation into the death of a woman who had eaten at a Michelin-starred restaurant now at the centre of a major food poisoning outbreak.

The 46-year-old woman, who has not been named, died in the early hours of Sunday after having a meal with her husband and son at the Riff restaurant in the eastern city of Valencia.

Regional health authorities say 30 people – including the woman, her husband and son – fell ill with food poisoning after eating at Riff between 13 and 16 February. The woman’s husband and son are recovering.

A judge in Valencia has opened an inquiry into the death and is awaiting the results of a postmortem and an analysis of samples taken from the restaurant.

The regional high court told the Europa Press news agency that no individuals were currently under investigation.

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

Australia – Elderly woman dies of Listeria infection as authorities warn thousands at risk

Posted on February 25, 2019 by | Leave a comment

The Age

A woman has died and thousands of people are at risk of listeria infection after the bacteria was detected in food from a south-east Melbourne catering company that supplies food to hospitals, aged care homes and Meals on Wheels.

The catering service I Cook Foods has been shut down after the woman, who was aged in her 80s and from the eastern suburbs, died in Knox Private Hospital on February 4.

The woman contracted a listeria-related illness while in hospital after being admitted for an unrelated condition in late January, a health department spokesman said.

Six positive samples of listeria were found at the company’s Dandenong South kitchen during an investigation into the cause of the woman’s death over the past two weeks.

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Posted in food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes

RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Frozen Beef and Turkey Kebab Meat – Sweet Gorgonzola Cheese – Chilled Sausage

Posted on February 22, 2019 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (up to 200 CFU/g) and Salmonella (presence /25g) in frozen beef and turkey kebab meat from Poland, via Slovenia in Croatia

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (in 2 out of 5 samples, up to 1900 CFU/g) in sweet gorgonzola cheese from Italy in Italy

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in chilled sausage from Poland in Poland

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

RASFF Alert – Campylobacter – Duck Breast Fillets

Posted on February 22, 2019 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF – Campylobacter coli (present /25g) in frozen duck breast fillets from France in Germany

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Posted in Campylobacter, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, RASFF, Uncategorized