Category Archives: Food Inspections

US – Grilling Trays Recalled Mushrooms – Listeria monocytogenes

Food Safety News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Saturday that Pure Hothouse Foods Inc. was recalling fresh cut grilling trays because the mushrooms used in the trays had tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.  

On August 16, Pure Hothouse Foods issued a recall for 1402 cases and 8,412 individually distributed units of fresh cut grilling trays, with Sell-by dates of August 11, 2012 through August 26, 2012.  The products were produced and distributed from Pure Hothouse Foods, Inc. of Leamington, Ontario, Canada to retailers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

Vibrio Outbreak – Shellfish Areas Closed for the Season

Washington Health

Vibrio bacteria have closed three commercial growing areas and caused 30 confirmed illnesses in Washington this summer, according to the state Department of Health. Totten Inlet near Olympia, North Bay and Dabob Bay in north Hood Canal are closed for the rest of the summer due to these bacteria, which are common in warm weather conditions. Once water temperatures begin to cool in October, these growing areas will reopen.

People get vibriosis from eating raw or undercooked oysters that have Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria in them. Cooking shellfish until the shells just open is not enough to kill Vibrio bacteria. Shellfish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for at least 15 seconds. Don’t rinse cooked oysters in seawater, which can re-contaminate them.

Vibriosis symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills. Symptoms usually appear 12-24 hours after eating infected shellfish, and can last two to seven days. Vibriosis can be life-threatening for people with low immunity or chronic liver disease. Also at greater risk are people who take antacids, heart or diabetes medication, or who’ve had antibiotic or cancer treatments recently.

Multistate US Salmonella Outbreak

FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections. The investigation is in the early stages. We are moving quickly to learn as much as possible and prevent additional people from becoming ill. We recognize that people will be concerned about this outbreak, and we will continue to provide updates and advice. 

A total of 141 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 20 states.

The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (7), Arkansas (3), California (2), Georgia (1), Illinois (17), Indiana (13), Iowa (7), Kentucky (50), Michigan (6), Minnesota (3), Missouri (9), Mississippi (2), New Jersey (1), North Carolina (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (6), Texas (1), and Wisconsin (2).     

31 persons have been hospitalized, and two deaths have been reported in Kentucky.

In the course of their investigation, state officials in Kentucky and Indiana found evidence that they believe indicate cantaloupes grown in southwestern Indiana may be a source of the ongoing Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak. FDA officials are actively investigating potential sources of the outbreak, and will continue to update the public as more specific information becomes available.

 

Japan – Ecoli O157 in Pickled Cabbage Outbreak – Six Dead

EcoliBlog

Sapporo, Japan news services report that four people, including a 4-year-old girl, have been confirmed dead of food poisoning from pickled Chinese cabbage produced by a Sapporo food company. Another two are suspected to have died due to the cabbage.

According to the city health care center, four people have died because of the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria after eating pickled Chinese cabbage produced in late July by Iwai Shokuhin. Three of the four victims were women in their 80s and 100s living in elderly care facilities in the city.

USDA Recall Chicken Caesar Salad – Salmonella

USDA

Real Mex Foods, a Vernon, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 77,688 pounds of Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Kits. The salad kits include dressing made with cilantro that is the subject of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recall by Fresco Green Farms Inc., due to possible Salmonella contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall are:

36-oz. trays of “El Torito Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Kit.”

  • 18-lb. cases that contain eight (8) 36-oz. trays of “EL TORITO Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Kit.”

RASFF Alerts – Listeria, Salmonella and Histamine

RASFF – Listeria In Chilled Chicken Pasta in Italy sourced in Romania

RASFF – Salmonella Frozen Chicken in Denmark sourced in Brasil

RASFF – Histamine in Canned Sardines in France from Morocco

CFIA – Mushroom Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Highline Mushrooms are warning the public not to consume the Sliced White Mushrooms described below because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The following Sliced White Mushrooms, sold in 227 g (8 oz) containers bearing lot code L410805 followed by a 4-digit time code (e.g., L4108051420) and a Best Before date of 12AU15, are affected by this alert:

Brand UPC
Highline Mushrooms 7 71163 00005 2
Compliments 0 68820 10090 4

These products have been distributed in Ontario and may have been distributed in other provinces as well.

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

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, Histamine, STEC, Aflatoxins, Pseudomonas

RASFF – Salmonella in White Pepper in Sweden sourced in Sri Lanka

RASFF – Salmonella in Marinated Pork in Sweden sourced in Denmark

RASFF – Salmonella in Pork Meat in Swede sourced in Germany

RASFF – Histamine Tuna Fillet in Italy sourced in Spain

RASFF – Histamine Tuna Loins in Italy from Spain

RASFF – Listeria in Smoked Salmon in Italy sourced in Spain

RASFF – Listeria in Raw Milk Cheese France

RASFF –  Listeria in Vac Pac Smoked Salmon in Italy sourced in Poland

RASFF – Campylobacter in Chicken Breast Fillet in Denmark sourced in France.

RASFF – Pseudomans aeruginosa in Mineral Water in Cyprus sourced in Greece

RASFF – STEC E.coli in Soyabean Sprouts in Austria sourced in Italy

RASFF –  Aflatoxins in Whole Nutmeg in France souced in Indonesia.

Cruise Ship Virus Strikes Again – Norovirus

Cruise Law News

A puke fest is underway on the Carnival Glory cruise ship, with passengers taking to the message boards at Cruise Critic to comment that passengers are suffering from diarrhea and other norovirus-like symptoms,

The message board states that Carnival prepared a letter to passengers this weekend that passengers on the prior cruise experienced norovirus sickness. Several passengers are stating that the current cruise has been plagued by norovirus as well.  Some comments mention the strong smell of vomit in public areas of the cruise ship.  

One passenger comments that the Centers for Disease control (CDC) came onto the Glory on August 9th.

CIFA Recall Smoked Salmon – Clostridium

CIFA

Reference Number: 7321
Recalling Firm: STELLAR SMOKED SALMON
Date of Recall: 8/7/2012
Recall Classification: 3
Distribution : Ontario
Extent of the Product Distribution : Retail

Product List

Brand Name Common Name Size Codes(s) on Product UPC Reason for Recall:
STELLAR SMOKE SALMON SLICED SMOKED SALMON 125 g All codes None / Aucun Microbiological – Clostridium botulinum