Category Archives: Food Inspections

Turkey – Tourists Food Poisoning

CRI – English

Some 83 tourists were hospitalised Wednesday night due to an outbreak of food poisoning in the seaside city of Bodrum, about 790 km south of Turkey’s Istanbul, the semi-official Anatolia News Agency reported Thursday.

A provincial health director said that the tourists had been diagnosed with nausea and heavy stomach aches.

Officials from Food, Agriculture and Animal Breeding ministry took samples of the food and drinks that the tourists might have consumed.

Bodrum District Gov. Mehmet Godekmerdan said that they were conducting an investigation at the tourists’ hotel.

“We sent the samples to the laboratory and we will announce the results tomorrow,” he said.

Bodrum is a port city in Mugla Province in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey.

 

Gleneagles Food Scare – Norovirus

Scotsman

MORE than 100 people connected to the Gleneagles Hotel have been hit by a suspected norovirus outbreak.

The luxury Auchterarder venue is working with NHS Tayside to identify the cause of the cases of vomiting and diarrhoea and put in place infection-control measures.

Most of the cases only came to light after guests who had stayed there last weekend contacted the hotel after falling ill.

Some staff and hotel residents are still recovering, but an NHS spokeswoman said nobody had been taken to hospital.

A spokeswoman for Gleneagles said a “mix” of residents, guests and staff were affected

Oysters Recalled – USA – Norovirus

Food Poisoning Bulletin

As a result of the FDA ban on Korean shellfish for unsanitary conditions and the presence of norovirus, Crown Prince Seafood is recalling oyster products. All of the company’s wholesalers are instructed to suspend shipments, and retailers should remove these products from their shelves.

Hawaii – Recall – Ready to Eat Pork – Listeria monocytogenes

USDA 

Keoki’s Lau Lau, a Honolulu, HI establishment, is recalling approximately 400 pounds of a ready-to-eat pork product due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following product is subject to recall:

  • 12 oz. tubs of “Keoki’s Kalua Brand Pork”
  • 48 oz. tubs of “Keoki’s Kalua Brand Pork”

The problem was discovered by the firm during follow-up testing conducted after a positive result from a FSIS routine monitoring sample. FSIS and the company have not received any reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

CIFA Recalls – Salmonella and Clostridium botulinum

CIFA 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Pusateri’s Fine Foods is warning the public not to consume certain vacuum packaged fish products, described below, because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Toxins produced by this bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Les Aliments 2000 Inc. are warning the public not to consume Cuisine du Viêt-nam brand Butterfly Knots Honey & Sesame because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The affected product, Cuisine du Viêt-nam brand Butterfly Knots Honey & Sesame, is sold in 102 g packages bearing UPC 8 59912 00102 1. All lot codes are affected by this alert.

This product has been distributed in Quebec.

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

FSANZ – Recall Chorizo Sausage – Listeria monocytogenes

FSANZ 

Marsh Butcheries has recalled vacuum-packed chorizo sausages from its retail store in Stratford, Cairns in QLD due to the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes. Consumers should not eat this product. Listeria may cause illness in pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella, Listeria, E.coli

RASFF – Salmonella Caracas in Ground Cumin from Turkey ans Syria

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk sheep cheese coated with herbs from France

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Manouri Sheeps cheese from Greece.

RASFF – Salmonella Isangui in rapeseed meal from Kazakhstan.

RASFF – Salmonella in minced meat products from Sweden.

RASFF – Salmonella in poultry cutlets from Germany.

RASFF – Shigatoxin E.coli in rump steak from Argentina.

US – E.coli STEC Strains Testing to Start Monday?

Vitals MSNBC

Barring any last-minute delays, U.S. food safety inspectors will begin testing Monday for six new strains of potentially deadly E. coli bacteria to be banned from certain cuts of raw beef.

The move implements long-delayed federal regulations aimed at a group of E. coli bacteria collectively known as “the Big Six,” bugs capable of causing severe infection and death.

Under the new rules, the six additional strains of E. coli will be classified as adulterants on par with the better-known E. coli O157:H7, which is often linked to serious illnesses tied to hamburger. The new strains include E. coli O26, O111, O103, O121, O45 and O145.

Meat producers such as Cargill Inc., who have long opposed expanded testing, said they are ready to begin.

Turks and Caicos – 150 Possible Norovirus

Sun

More than 150 persons have been affected with gastroenteritis and sought medical attention in the Turks and Caicos Islands since the end of April 2012, according to health officials investigating the mysterious sickness that has affected about 12 hotels on the island of Providenciales.
 

The officials also reported they recently have discovered one case of norovirus, but they noted that this virus cannot be confirmed as the cause of the current outbreak of diarrhea and vomiting.

China 100 Sick – Braised Chicken

China Daily

SHIJIAZHUANG – Nearly 100 people fell sick due to eating suspected contaminated chicken in North China’s Hebei province, local authorities said Sunday.

A total of 97 people in Quyang county of Baoding city have been hospitalized since Friday. Among them, two people have checked out of the hospital, one is critically ill and the others are in stable condition, officials with the county government said.

A preliminary investigation shows that the illness is caused by a certain braised chicken produced by the local Dalong braised chicken store.

The store has been closed down and the owner of the store is under police control. A further investigation into the incident is underway.