Category Archives: Food Inspections

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Turkey Escalope – Black Pepper – Sesame Seeds -Chicken Quarters – Chicken Breast Fillets – Salted Chicken Breast and Legs -Broiler Fillets- Chicken Wings – Polish Chicken!

Posted on April 24, 2020 by | Leave a comment

RASFF-Logo

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium (detected /25g) in turkey escalope from Germany in Austria

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in black pepper from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in organic sesame seeds from Ethiopia in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken quarters from Poland in Slovakia

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (present /25g) in frozen chicken breast fillets from Poland in Romania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (presence /25g) in frozen salted chicken breasts and legs from Hungary in Italy

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in chilled broiler chicken fillets from Poland in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken wings from Poland in Italy

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in chilled boneless, skinless chicken broiler quarters from Poland in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in fozen chicken broiler fillets from Poland in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken quarters from Poland in Lithuania

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken breasts from Poland in Slovakia

RASFF – Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (detected /25g) in frozen chicken leg quarters from Poland in Bulgaria

 

 

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, RASFF, Salmonella, Salmonella in Black Pepper, Salmonella in Chicken, Salmonella Sesame Seeds, Uncategorized

USA – Señor Moose restaurant in Seattle is again open after Hepatitis A scare

Posted on April 24, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Since April 15, Public Health for Seattle and King County, WA, has learned of three people from three separate meal parties becoming ill with jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and fatigue after consuming food from the Señor Moose restaurant between Feb. 24 and 26.

There is no indication that any current employees of the restaurant have had illnesses consistent with hepatitis A symptoms. Public Health is also contacting former employees to find out if any of them have been ill.

The restaurant, at 5242 Leary Ave. NW, in Seattle, has a current food safety rating of “Good.”

This outbreak, which involves the hospitalization of one person, is occurring while the Seattle-King County area is experiencing an outbreak of hepatitis A, mostly among the homeless. Washington State last July declared a statewide hepatitis A outbreak among people who are homeless or using drugs.

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Uncategorized, Virus, Virus Vaccination

USA – Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O103: Clover Sprouts (February 2020) – Completed

Posted on April 23, 2020 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Case Counts

Total Illnesses: 51
Hospitalizations: 3
Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: March 15, 2020

Recommendation

Chicago Indoor Garden recalled all products containing Red Clover sprouts. FDA recommends that consumers not eat the following recalled items with “Best By” dates between 12/1/2019 and 3/12/2020 that were distributed to Coosemans Chicago Inc., Battaglia Distributing, Living Waters Farms, and Whole Foods throughout the Midwest:

  • Red Clover 4oz. clamshell
  • Red Clover 2lb. boxes
  • Sprout Salad 6oz. clamshell
  • Mixed Greens 4oz. clamshell
  • Spring Salad 6oz. clamshell

Recalled products are now past their “Best By” dates and should be thrown away.

Sample Labels of Chicago Indoor Garden Sprout Products

(PDF: 849 KB)

Raw and lightly cooked sprouts are a known source of foodborne illness. We recommend that consumers, restaurants, and other retailers always follow food safety practices to avoid illness from eating sprouts.Generally, it is recommended that children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind.

Background

FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, investigated an outbreak of 51 illnesses caused by E. coli O103 in Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming linked to clover sprouts.

FDA’s investigation is now complete, and CDC has declared this outbreak over.

The FDA’s analysis of a sample of Chicago Indoor Garden’s sprouts identified the presence of E. coli O103. Whole Genome Sequencing of this bacteria showed that it matches the current outbreak strain. The sample also matches the outbreak strain from the November-December 2019 outbreak in Iowa, which was associated with sprouts from various Jimmy John’s restaurants.

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Posted in E.coli, E.coli O103, FDA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Uncategorized

Europe – EFSA identifies ways to reduce Listeria risk in frozen vegetables

Posted on April 23, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Experts have identified steps food firms can take to reduce the risk of Listeria contamination of frozen vegetables.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessment focused on vegetables that are blanched – scalded in hot water or steam for a short time – before they are frozen. Companies blanch vegetables before freezing because it stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture.

Mitigation measures range from cleaning and disinfection of the food producing environment to water, time and temperature control at different processing steps, and accurate labelling. It is also important to monitor the production environment for Listeria monocytogenes as it can persist in this setting and then contaminate food, according to the report.

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

USA – Chipotle hit with $25 Million Food Safety Fine for Norovirus, Clostridium Perfringens Outbreaks

Posted on April 23, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

“Although there is no intentional criminal behavior like there was in the Peanut Corporation of America case that sickened several hundred, killing nine, this hefty food safety fine for negligence, should clearly send a message to the restaurant industry,” said Marler Clark attorney, William Marler.

According to a US Attorney press release today, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. will pay $25 million to resolve criminal charges related to the company’s involvement in foodborne illness outbreaks that sickened more than 1,100 people between 2015 and 2018.

The $25 million criminal fine, the largest ever in a food safety case.

Chipotle was implicated in at least five foodborne illness outbreaks between 2015 and 2018 connected to restaurants in the Los Angeles area, Boston, Virginia, and Ohio.  These incidents primarily stemmed from store-level employees’ failure to follow company food safety protocols at company-owned restaurants, including a Chipotle policy requiring the exclusion of employees who were sick or recently had been sick.

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Posted in Clostridium perfringens, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, outbreak, Research, Uncategorized

Singapore – Fruit juice product from Australia recalled due to exceeded level of a mycotoxin

Posted on April 23, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Straits Times

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has recalled a fruit juice product originating from Australia after the level of patulin, a mycotoxin, had exceeded the maximum limit in fruit juice.

The affected product, Pure Tassie Organic Apple and Blackcurrant Juice, is imported by Cold Storage Singapore, which has been told to recall the product.

This is a result of the patulin levels exceeding the action level as detected by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong’s Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and was subsequently recalled in Hong Kong.

The detected patulin in the juice was at 260 parts per billion (ppb), which exceeded the maximum limit of 50 ppb for fruit juice as stated by SFA.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Patulin, Uncategorized

Research – CLIMATE CHANGE: UNPACKING THE BURDEN ON FOOD SAFETY

Posted on April 23, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Click to access CA8185EN.pdf

While the impacts of climate change on global food production and food security
are well known, the effects of climate change on food safety are much less so.
Since, the relationship between climate change and food safety hazards is not always
easy to see, this publication, Climate change: Unpacking the burden on food safety,
attempts to provide some clarity. Changes in global food systems and the increased
globalization of the food supply means that populations worldwide are at risk of
exposure to various food safety hazards. This can affect public health, food security,
national economies and international trade. In this already complicated scenario,
the challenges posed by climate change have additional implications that need to be
understood and addressed. This publication is aimed at a broad audience and it is
hoped that everyone who reads this comes away with a realization of the complexity
of the issues at stake and an appreciation of the work that lay in front of us.

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Posted in Food Chemistry, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Research, Uncategorized

Research -ECCMID studies probe resistant pathogens in pets, pet food, and people

Posted on April 21, 2020 by | Leave a comment

CIDRAP

Two studies by Portuguese scientists presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) highlight concerns about the potential for transmission of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria between companion animals and humans.

In one study, researchers from the University of Porto found high levels of MDR enterococci in raw-frozen dog food sold in the European Union. In another study, a household survey and molecular screening by researchers from the University of Lisbon found the colistin-resistance gene MCR-1 in two healthy humans and one dog with a skin infection.

But in a third study, researchers in Germany reported that pet ownership does not appear to be a significant risk factor for colonization with MDR organisms (MDROs).

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Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, antimicrobial resistance, Antimicrobials, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology Research, Pet Food Testing, raw pet food, Research, Uncategorized

USA -What Is Happening to FDA and USDA Food Recalls?

Posted on April 21, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

If you have been a longtime reader of Food Poisoning Bulletin, you may have noticed that food recalls have decreased substantially in the past few months. The USDA has issued three recalls since January 24, 2020: One was issued on February 8, 2020, and two were issued on April 10, 2020. The FDA has had more recalls, with seven in the month of April 2020(including three recalls for enoki mushrooms as part of a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak), but that is far below normal. What is happening to FDA and USDA food recalls?

Interestingly RASFF  Alerts in Europe are also down?

 

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

USA – At least 5 people in NJ hospitalized amid romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak

Posted on April 21, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Grunt Stuff

At least 5 people in New Jersey have been hospitalized after consuming romaine lettuce contaminated with E. coli micro organism, because the nationwide outbreak has now jumped to greater than 100 instances, the state well being division confirmed Thursday.

A complete of seven people from Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland and Ocean counties have been contaminated with the possibly lethal pressure, which brought on 75,233 kilos of bagged salad merchandise in 22 states to be recalled in final month.

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