Category Archives: Food Microbiology Blog

Hong Kong – CFS actively follows up on food poisoning clusters involving lava cake

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | 2 comments

CFS

kswfoodworld.com

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said today (November 29) that it is actively following up on four food poisoning clusters involving lava cake, including inspecting the restaurant concerned. A sample of lava cake collected from the restaurant was found to contain a pathogen, Group D Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case.

“Upon notification by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health earlier, the CFS immediately sent staff to the restaurant concerned in Tsim Sha Tsui to conduct investigation and take food and environmental samples for testing. The test result showed the presence of Salmonella in 25 grams of the lava cake sample, exceeding the criterion of the Microbiological Guidelines for Food which states that Salmonella should not be detected in 25g of a ready-to-eat food sample,” a CFS spokesman said.

The CFS has informed the restaurant concerned of the irregularity. The restaurant has already stopped selling and discarded the affected product according to the CFS’s advice. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the restaurant, and requested it to review and improve the food production process and carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.

According to section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap.132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, imported or locally produced, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

“Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death,” the spokesman said.

The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

Israel – As a result of an inspection conducted by Sabar, the company wishes to inform the public about Salmonella findings in Abu Marwan hummus

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment
  • uni

GovIL

As a result of an inspection conducted by Sabar, the company wishes to inform the public about salmonella findings in Abu Marwan hummus with an expiration date of 12/26/2022.

Click to access NEWS_recalls_food_rcl_29112022_01.pdf

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, 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 Safety Management, Food Testing, Salmonella

USA – FDA Core Outbreak Table – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (reference #1127) linked to enoki mushrooms, FDA has initiated sample collection and analysis.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (reference #1113) in an unidentified product, one additional case has been added for a total case count of 270 cases and the outbreak has ended.

More information on the table at the link above.

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Posted in FDA, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

Italy – Soft Salami – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Salute

Brand : SA.MO. srl
Name : Soft salami
Reason for reporting : Recall for microbiological risk
Publication date : 30 November 2022
Documentation

Documentation

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, 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 Safety Management, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes

France – FOUR SPICES – Bacillus cereus

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Herbs and spices
  • Product brand name LEADER PRICE
  • Model names or references FOUR SPICES Jar 155 ml
  • Identification of products
    GTIN Batch Date
    3760138823342 Jar Set TA0365/TA0378 Date of minimum durability 30/05/2024
  • Packaging SMALL PLASTIC JAR OF 50 GR
  • Marketing start/end date From 08/08/2022 to 18/10/2022
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored at room temperature
  • Geographic area of ​​sale Departments: GUADELOUPE (971), MARTINIQUE (972)
  • Distributors LEADER PRICE

Practical information regarding the recall

  • Reason for recall Investigations conducted due to the detection of bacteria (Bacillus Cereus) have resulted in the withdrawal and precautionary recall of this product.

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Posted in Bacillus, Bacillus cereus, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, 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 Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin

France – Special hamburger patty 20% 2x180g – Salmonella

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Gov france

Identification information of the recalled product

  • Product category Feed
  • Product subcategory Meats
  • Product brand name The Beautiful Meadow
  • Model names or references Special hamburger patty 20% 2x180g
  • Identification of products
    GTIN Batch Date
    3700502706208 22329-44389 Use-by date 03/12/2022
  • Products List LIST_PRODUCTS.pdf Attachment
  • Marketing start/end date From 25/11/2022 to 03/12/2022
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Health markEN 13.097.003 EC
  • Geographic area of ​​sale Departments: VAR (83)
  • Distributors TSA MEAT
  • List of points of sale STORE_LIST.pdf

Practical information regarding the recall

  • Reason for recall Presence of salmonella
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Salmonella spp (causative agent of salmonellosis)

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, 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 Safety Management, Food Testing, Salmonella

UK – Interlink Direct Ltd recalls Wangzhihe (WZH White Bean Curd) because of microbiological contamination – Bacillus cereus

Posted on December 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Gov UK

Interlink Direct Ltd is taking the precautionary step of recalling Wangzhihe, (WZH White Bean Curd), because Bacillus cereus has been found in some batches of this product. The possible presence of Bacillus cereus makes this product unsafe to eat.

Product details

Wangzhihe, (WZH White Bean Curd)
Pack size 240g
Batch code all
Best before 28 August 2023

Risk statement

The product listed above might be contaminated with Bacillus cereus.

Symptoms caused by Bacillus cereus can include abdominal pain, stomach cramping, watery diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.

Action taken by the company

Interlink Direct Ltd is recalling this product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product. These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. Please see the attached notice.

Customer notice: WZH White Bean Curd (147.14 KB)

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund. If you would like any further information, please contact Interlink Direct Ltd on 020 3022 7080 or email info@interlink-direct.co.uk.

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Posted in Bacillus cereus, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, 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 Safety Management, Food Testing, Food Toxin, fsa

USA – Norovirus likely cause of 155 ill at Monical’s Pizza

Posted on November 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Norovirus Food Safety kswfoodworld

Monical’s Pizza at 6 Cherry Tree Shopping center in Washington, Illinois is currently closed due to an outbreak of an illness.

According to the Tazewell County Health Department, Monical’s was temporarily closed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) due to an outbreak of a currently unknown foodborne illness. IDPH is currently working with the Tazewell County Health Department to identify the source.

155 people have currently reached out to the Tazewell County Health Department and reported symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting lasting 12 to 24 hours.

The health department is encouraging everyone to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer currently.

Anyone who ate at Monical’s since November 21st, and is experiencing symptoms, is encouraged to complete an online form.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, outbreak

UK – Milk and cheese linked to English E. coli outbreaks

Posted on November 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Three E. coli outbreaks were reported in England earlier this year with two linked to dairy farms.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) helped the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) investigate Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O103, O145, and O26 outbreaks between July and September.

The E. coli O26 outbreak also involved cryptosporidium and began in the previous quarter. There were 11 cases of cryptosporidium and two people also had confirmed E. coli O26.

Cryptosporidium cases visited an open farm attraction during the incubation period of their illness. STEC cases had links to the same premises.

Health officials visited and advised on actions that would improve hygiene for visitors and reduce potential exposure to the pathogens.

APHA collected fresh faeces samples in the O103 and O145 incidents, from the yard where the cows had been prior to milking. In both cases, the outbreak strain was not detected.

The STEC O103 outbreak with 11 cases was associated with soft, raw cheese from a dairy farm in the East of England. An investigation pointed to brie-like unpasteurized soft cheese being contaminated sometime during spring.

The STEC O145 outbreak with 10 patients was linked to the consumption of milk products from a dairy farm in North West England, with illness onset from mid-July. Investigations identified an issue with pasteurization and problems with the cleaning and storage of milk crates which made external contamination of packaging plausible.

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Posted in Cryptosporidiosis, Cryptosporidium, E.coli O103, E.coli O145, E.coli O26, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, O103, outbreak, Uncategorized

Quebec – Notice not to consume salmon gravlax prepared and sold by Comptoir Sainte-Cécile

Posted on November 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Quebec

QUEBEC CITY , Nov. 29, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with the Food Inspection Division of the City of Montreal and the company Comptoir Sainte-Cécile, located at 232, rue De Castelnau Est, in Montreal, advises the public not to consume the product indicated in the table below, because it has not been prepared and packaged in such a way as to ensure its safety. .

Product name

Format

Affected lot

“Salmon Gravlax”

variable

Units sold

until November 28, 2022

The product that is the subject of this warning was offered for sale until November 28, 2022, and only at the establishment designated above. The product was packaged in a clear plastic vacuum pack and sold chilled. The product label included, in addition to its name, the contact details of the establishment. 

The operator is voluntarily recalling the product in question. It has agreed with MAPAQ and the Food Inspection Division of the City of Montreal to distribute this warning as a precautionary measure. In addition, people who have this product in their possession are advised not to consume it. They must return it to the establishment where they bought it or throw it away. Even if the affected product shows no signs of tampering or suspicious odors, its consumption may represent a health risk.

It should be noted that no case of illness associated with the consumption of this food has been reported to MAPAQ to date.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk