Category Archives: Food Inspections

FDA – Univiscerated Fish – Clostridium botulinum

FDA

Euphoria Fancy Food Inc. at 149-151 2nd Ave. Brooklyn NY 11215 is recalling DRIED BREAM discovered by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors during a routine inspection and subsequent analysis of product by Food Laboratory personnel confirming that the fish was not properly eviscerated prior to processing.

This product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause Botulism, a serious and potentially fatal food-borne illness.

The sale of this type of fish is prohibited under New York State Agriculture and Markets regulations because Clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish.  Uneviscerated fish has been linked to outbreaks of botulism poisoning. Symptoms of  botulism include blurred or double vision, general weakness, poor reflexes, difficulty in swallowing and respiratory paralysis.

The recalled DRIED BREAM comes in an un-coded, 7.5 ounce vacuum packed plastic bag and was sold nationwide.  The UPC number is 7 930042 250954. It is a product of Russia.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.  Consumers who have DRIED BREAM are advised not to eat it, but should return it to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 718-768-3400.

Spain – Salmonella Outbreak from Mining Bar

Lavadad 

There has been a trickle of cases throughout the week, although it was only last Friday when health officials confirmed that this was an outbreak of Salmonellosis.

About 30 patients who had moderate gastroenteritis being treated by emergency centres in La Union and Cartagena, had a common feature in addition to their condition: they had been guests at the popular bar Mining Union.

 

 

World Alerts – Listeria, Ecoli, STEC

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Organic Camembert from Denmark

China Post – E.coli in beverages and frozen foods in Taipei

Hong Kong – STEC case in hospital source unknown.

Free webcast with 3M and Professor Stephen Forsythe on the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens

3M’s Food Safety business has launched a fast, accurate and easy-to-use pathogen detection system.

The new 3M™ Molecular Detection System, based on an innovative combination of two technologies – isothermal DNA amplification and ATP bioluminescence detection – delivers highly sensitive results in real-time with positive results in as early as 15 minutes and negative results in 75 minutes.

With ready-made reagents and only one test protocol for all target pathogens, the system is easy to use, allows for multiple pathogen detection during each run and reduces the chance for human error or contamination. Individual assays for Salmonella, E. coli O157 (including H7) and Listeria spp are currently available.

For more details join a free webcast on Wednesday 27 June 2012 (3pm) presented by 3M and Professor Stephen Forsythe of Nottingham Trent University, follow this link to register.

2nd Link
http://view6.workcast.net/register?pak=4909146311582106&referrer=KW

Cryptosporidium Cases – USA

WKTV.COM

The Oneida County Department of Health has announced that there have been six confirmed cases of Cryptosporidium and that the Oneida County Health Department is currently investigating the origin of the outbreak.

Officials are looking into the possibility of the outbreak stemming from the recent Farmfest event, but caution that no direct causal link has yet been determined.

Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that causes the intestinal illness and that it is usually a self-limiting illness with watery diarrhoea as the most common symptom. Average incubation is one to 12 days.

US- Norovirus Outbreak

Walnut Creek Patch 

County environmental health officials have ordered the closing of a popular Walnut Creek pizza restaurant after test results confirmed that customers and restaurant staff have norovirus.

Contra Costa County Environmental Health Director Marilyn Underwood said the county ordered California Pizza Kitchen at Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek, closed at 5 p.m. Thursday after receiving lab resulting confirming norovirus.

Norovirus is a contagious virus that you can get from an infected person, contaminated food or by touching contaminated surfaces. Each year, norovirus causes about 21 million gastrointestinal illnesses, and contributes to about 70,000 hospitalisations and 800 deaths, according to the website of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

County officials have linked the norovirus to a food-borne illness outbreak connected with salad served Thursday, June 7, at the California Pizza Kitchen at Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek.

County officials went to the restaurant Thursday evening and posted a notice closing the restaurant under the authority of state law. They asked the staff to close the restaurant. The staff quietly asked customers to leave, Underwood said.

The first batch of samples came back Thursday. Of five employees tested, three positive for norovirus, Underwood said. Of two customers tested, both were positive for norovirus.

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin, Salmonella, E.coli, DSP, Listeria

RASFF – Aflatoxin in Peanut Paste Belgium sourced from the Ivory Coast

RASFF – Salmonella in Cumin Powder in the UK sourced from Denmark

RASFF – Salmonella broiler leg meat in France sourced from Lithuania

RASFF – DSP (Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning) Razor Clams UK

RASFF –  Salmonella Soya Bean meal in Italy sourced in Switzerland

RASFF – Aflatoxins in Spice Mix in Ireland sourced from India

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in smoked bacon from Poland

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in smoked Halibut from France

RASFF – Campylobacter in fresh chicken from Germany

RASFF – Salmonella in soya bean meal in Germany

RASFF – Salmonella in rape cake from Germany

RASFF –  High levels of E.coli Oysters in France

 

US Bans Korean Shellfish – Faecal Matter – Norovirus

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Korean shellfish is not safe to eat and Korea has been removed from the U.S. list of approved  shellfish shippers after officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered unsanitary conditions  that exposed molluscan growing areas to human fecal matter, norovirus and pollution, the agency announced yesterday.

Australia – Marinated Feta Recall – E.coli

AVA

12 June 2012: Food Standards Australia and New Zealand has issued a notice on the recall of some batches of Casa brand’s Marinated Feta in Australia due to a risk of microbial (E.coli) contamination.

 There is no import of the retail pack of the affected products in Singapore. While there is an import of the 1.5kg trade pack of the affected product, the consignment has not been distributed for sale and will be destroyed.

  Consumers who have bought the implicated products overseas should discard the products and not consume them.

 

US – Raw Milk E.coli O157

Ecoli Blog

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today warned consumers in and around Chautauqua County to not consume “unpasteurised” raw farm milk from Castle Farms due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Castle Farms, located at 1051 Route 249 in Irving, New York, holds a Department permit to legally sell raw milk at the farm. Samples of the milk are routinely tested by the New York State Food Laboratory to determine if the raw milk is free of pathogenic bacteria.

It is important to note that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization, which eliminates all pathogenic bacteria, including E. coli O157:H7. Producers who sell raw milk to consumers must have a permit to do so from the Department, must sell directly to consumers on the farm where the milk is produced and must post a notice at the point of sale indicating that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Farms with permits to sell raw milk are inspected by the Department monthly.

To date, no illnesses are known by the Department to be associated with product from Castle Farms.