Category Archives: Food Inspections

Canada – Recalls – Pizza and Macaroni Salad- Listeria monocytogenes

CFIAEurofins Food Testing UK

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Direct Plus Food Group, a division of Premium Brands Operating Limited Partnership, are warning the public not to consume the Grimm’s Fine Foods brand Pizza Pack described below because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

This product was sold at the following two stores:

  • Pemberton Valley Supermarket, Pemberton, British Columbia
  • Three Hills IGA, Three Hills, Alberta

There has been no reported illness associated with the consumption of this product.

The manufacturer, Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd., Langley, BC, is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Reser’s Fine Foods Inc. are warning the public not to consume certain Reser’s Fine Foods brand Cheesy Macaroni Salad, described below, because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

These products have been distributed in Walmart stores located in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and nationally in Loblaw banner stores.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

The manufacturer, Reser’s Fine Foods Inc., Beaverton, Oregon, USA, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace.  The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

Research – Salmonella – Listeria Harvest Contamination

Applied and EnvironmentalSalmonella

Identification of management practices associated with preharvest pathogen contamination of produce fields is crucial to the development of effective Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). A cross-sectional study was conducted to (i) determine management  practices associated with a Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes positive field and (ii) quantify the frequency of these pathogens in irrigation and non-irrigation water sources. Over five weeks, 21 produce farms in New York State were visited. Field-level management practices were recorded for 263 fields, and 600 environmental samples (soil, drag swab, and water) were collected and analyzed for Salmonella and L. monocytogenes. Management practices were evaluated for their association with the presence of a pathogen-positive field. Salmonella and L. monocytogenes were detected in 6.1% and 17.5% of fields (n=263), and 11% and 30% of water samples (n=74), respectively. The majority of pathogen-positive water samples were from non-irrigation surface water sources. Multivariate analysis showed that manure application        within a year increased the odds of a Salmonella-positive field (odds ratio [OR] 16.7), while presence of a buffer zone had a protective effect (OR 0.1). Irrigation (within 3 days of sample collection, OR 6.0), reported wildlife observation (within 3 days of sample collection, OR 6.1), and soil cultivation (within 7 days of sample collection, OR 2.9) all increased the likelihood of an L. monocytogenes-positive field. Our findings provide new data that will assist growers with science-based evaluation of their current GAPs and implementation of preventive controls that reduce the risk of preharvest contamination.

RASFF Alerts – E.coli in Clams – Aflatoxin in Chilli Powder and Peanuts – Histamine in Tina- Listeria in Mushrooms

RASFF -Too high count of Escherichia coli (9200 MPN/100g) in chilled live clams (Tapes semidecussatus) from Italy

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 33.4; Tot. = 35.2 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli powder from Sri Lanka in Italy

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 12.4; Tot. = 33.6 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts in shell from China in Slovakia

RASFF -Histamine (3.170 mg/kg – ppm) in yellow-fin tuna carpaccio from Spain in Italy

RASFF -Histamine (120; 140; 160 mg/kg – ppm) in fresh tuna (Thunnus albacares) from Spain in Italy

RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (2600 CFU/g) in enoki mushrooms from China in Belgium

RASFF – Salmonella – Poultry Sausage – Bovine Halfe – Pate – Salad – Turkey Meat

RASFF – Salmonella Montevideo (presence /25g) in frozen poultry sausages made with mechanically separated meat from France

RASFF –Salmonella spp. (positive /25g) in bovine halfe from Germany

RASFF-Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in pate from France

RASFF -Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in baby spinach and rucola salad with raw material from Italy, packaged in Sweden

RASFF -Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen turkey meat preparation from Brazil

 

UK – FSA – Salmonella Gold Coast

FSASalmonella

The Food Standards Agency, with Public Health England and local authorities, is investigating an outbreak of a particular strain of salmonella, called Salmonella Gold-coast, which is known to have caused 18 cases of illness.

The investigation has identified potential links between the outbreak and the consumption of whelks from independent shops, market stalls and mobile seafood vans, largely in the East Anglia area. As part of this investigation, Lynn Shellfish Ltd of King’s Lynn (formally known as Heiploeg or Heiploeg and Lynn Shrimpers) has issued a recall of all batches of frozen and chilled whelks.

Research -Mycotoxin Producing Moulds

NeoGen BlogAspergillus

With the harvest underway, it’s important to keep a watchful eye out for mycotoxin-producing molds. These species include Aspergillus flavus, which causes Aspergillus ear rot and produces the carcinogenic toxin aflatoxin, as well as species of Fusarium molds. These toxins can lead to production losses as grain may be rejected, as well as leading to illness in humans or animals that consume the toxin in significant quantities. Here’s a quick primer on some molds of concern and the toxins they produce. For more information and regulatory thresholds for toxins, please see Neogen’s Mycotoxin Handbook.

UK – FSA Recall – Listeria monocytogenes – Oak Roasted Salmon

FSA

As a precautionary measure, Loch Duart Artisan Smokehouse is recalling two batches of a further product due to detection of Listeria monocytogenes, which may pose a risk to health. Listeria monocytogenes can cause illness in certain groups of people, such as pregnant women, unborn and newborn babies, and anyone with reduced immunity, particularly the over-60s.

FSA

Loch Duart Artisan Smokehouse has recalled two further batches of its Oak Roasted Flaky Salmon, because Listeria monocytogenes has been detected in them and may pose a health risk. If you have bought this product with the batch code listed, do not eat it. The Agency has issued a Product Recall Information Notice.

USA -Garden Fresh Foods Recall RTE Chicken and Ham Products

Food Safety News

Garden Fresh Foods of Milwaukee, WI, is recalling more than 19,000 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken and ham products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service sent out an announcement about this recall on Wednesday evening.

USA – Recall Kale – Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria Blog

Customers are advised to discard prepacked fresh kale that was purchased from the Roosevelt Square Whole Foods in Seattle.

The kale sold at 1026 Northeast 64th Street may be contaminated with Listeria moncytogene.

The produce was sold in rectangular plastic containers labeled Whole Foods Market Kales Mixed OG (Organic), PLU 0258622 with packed-on date of 9.15.13 through 9.20.13.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people or those with weakened immune systems.  Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, and abdominal pain and diarrhea.

No illnesses have been reported, but notice was given after a routine test by Washington State Department of Agriculture.

USA- Hepatitis A – Townsend Farms and Hawaii Restaurant NYC

Food Poisoinng Journal

As of September 20, 2013, 162 people have been confirmed to have become ill from hepatitis A after eating ‘Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend’ in 10 states: Arizona (23), California (79), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (11), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). [Note: The cases reported from Wisconsin resulted from exposure to the product in California, the cases reported from New Hampshire reported fruit exposure during travel to Nevada, and the case reported in New Jersey was a household contact of a confirmed case from Colorado.] Currently, 6 of the confirmed cases are household contacts of confirmed cases (secondary cases).

Food Poisoning Journal

In response to cases of hepatitis A infections in an employee and four customers at New Hawaii Sea restaurant, located at 1475 Williamsbridge Road in the Bronx, the New York City Health Department is urging customers who ate at the restaurant, either in-store, through catering or delivery, between September 7th and September 19th to receive hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. Any leftover food from this restaurant should also be discarded. Any person who ate at New Hawaii Sea, either in-store, through catering or delivery, between September 7th and September 19th is considered at risk and is recommended to receive hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. Any person who ate food from this restaurant before September 7th should be evaluated if they have symptoms suggestive of infection. The Health Department is working with the restaurant to ensure that all the food handlers are vaccinated.