Category Archives: Food Microbiology Testing

Russia – Mass Food Poisoning at Summer Health Camp as Multiple Children Hospitalized

Newsweek

A large number of children have reported symptoms consistent with food poisoning at a summer health camp in Russia’s southeastern Amur Oblast, according to local authorities.

The regional prosecutor’s office said 70 children fell sick at the White Mountains camp, with symptoms including abdominal pain and vomiting. Eight were hospitalized and the camp was suspended, state-run news agency Tass reported.

Reports that children had fallen ill at the health camp began circulating on social media on Thursday, sparking an investigation into how the facility had complied with sanitary and hygienic requirements.

Research – Does Vegan Cheese Pose a Food Safety Risk?

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an analysis of a Salmonella outbreak linked to vegan cheese made from cashews. The 2021 outbreak linked to Jule’s cashew brie marked the second time since 2014 that illnesses in multiple states were linked to cashew cheese.

Does vegan cheese pose a food safety risk? If it’s made from nuts, it might.

Cashews and Kill Steps

The CDC’s 2021 report on the Jule’s brie Salmonella outbreak states that whole genome sequencing tests on the Salmonella strain cultured from patients produced the same genetic “fingerprint,” meaning the patients were exposed to the same source of contaminated food. Investigators found this outbreak strain in samples of Jule’s cheese, in the facility where it was made, and in the specific lot of raw cashews used to make the cheese.

The CDC’s recent analysis of the outbreak states that U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators identified cashews as the ingredient that was the likely source of contamination and noted that no lethality treatment, or “kill step” such as pasteurization or irradiation was performed before cashew processing.

Similarly, a kill step was also omitted in the manufacture of The Cultured Kitchen cashew cheese linked to the 2014 Salmonella outbreak. Tests performed during that investigation revealed the presence of the outbreak strain in samples of the cheese collected from a patient’s home and in a batch of fermenting, raw, cashews collected from the facility where the product was made.

USA – Salmonella Outbreak at Solano County Jails Sickens 117

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Salmonella outbreak at Solano County jails in California has allegedly sickened more than a hundred inmates, according to the Vallejo Sun. All three jails in that county have ill inmates, and the outbreak has lasted more than a week, a spokesperson for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office told that outlet.

There are three jails in that county, including the Stanton Correctional Facility, the Claybank Detention Facility, and the Solano County Justice Center Detention Facility. Trinity Services Group provides the food for all three jails, and the Solano County Department of Health has been working with that establishment to clean their facility and to test food for contamination.

Belgium – Hummus (150g) from the Bokertov brand – Balagan Hummus Aperitif Box (820g) from Bokertov- Listeria monocytogenes

AFSCA

Délidis recall
Product:

  • Hummus (150g) from the Bokertov brand.
  • Balagan Hummus Aperitif Box (820g) from Bokertov

Problem: Possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.


In agreement with the FASFC, Délidis is withdrawing the hummus (150g) and the “Balagan Apéro Box” (820g) of the Bokertov brand from sale and is recalling it from consumers because of the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Délidis asks its customers not to consume this product and to bring it back to the point of sale where it was purchased (this will be reimbursed by the store).

Product Description :

  • Product Name: Hummus
  • Brand: Bokertov
  • Use-by date (DLC) (“Use by”):
    • Lot 163 – 01/07/2023
    • Item 171 – 06/07/2023
    • Item 181 – 10/07/2023
  • Sale period: from 06/13/2023 to 06/28/2023
  • Type of packaging: cardboard pot and plastic lid
  • Weight: 150g

  • Product name: Balagan Aperitif Box
  • Affected product: Hummus with lot numbers: 171 and 181
  • Brand: Bokertov
  • Lots & Use-by dates (DLC) (“Use by”):
    • Box Lot 179 – 30/06/20203, with Hummus Lot 171 (06/07/2023)
    • Box Lot 183 – 03/07/2023, with Hummus Lot 181 (10/07/2023)
  • Sale period: from 06/16/2023 to 06/28/2023
  • Nature of packaging: box with the presence of Hummus
  • Weight: 820g

The product was distributed through various points of sale, including:

  • Spar Colruyt Group
  • hello
  • The general food stores below:
    • Comarkt Humbeek Kerkstraat 132 1851 Humbeek
    • FOODIE’S Place De La Ferme School 7 1410 Waterloo
    • Tellendis Rue De Rochefort 29 6927 Tellin

For further information , contact:
Jhonny Laureyssen
Tel.: 014/45 21 45
Jhonny.Laureyssen@peetersgovers.be

USA – Masalas recalled in 10 states over Salmonella contamination

Food Safety News

Amin Trading Agency LLC, of Edison, NJ, is recalling various masalas over possible Salmonella contamination.

According to the details posted online by the FDA, the recall was initiated on June 1, 2023, and is ongoing.

Distributed to retail stores in Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Virginia, New Jersey and New York.

Recalled products:

  • Everest Garam Masala, 100 grams, Packaged in paper cartons. 120 cartons per case — 300 cartons
  • Everest Sambar Masala, 100 grams, Packaged in paper cartons. 120 cartons per case — 270 cartons
  • Maggi Masala ae Magic, 6 grams, Packaged in plastic sachets. 1920 sachets per case — 24,384

Anyone who purchased the recalled product should immediately dispose of it and not consume it.

RASFF Alert – Clostridium botulinum – Tinned Chillies

RASFF

Strong suspicion of botulism following consumption of tinned chillies in France

RASFF Alert – Listeria monocytogenes – Chorizo

RASFF

Listeria detected in chorizo from Spain in France

RASFF Alerts – STEC E.coli – Deer Meat – Sheep Cheese

RASFF

Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in sheep cheese from Romania in Germany and the Czech Republic

RASFF

STEC in deer meat from New-Zealand in the Netherlands and Switzerland

RASFF Alerts – Mycotoxin – Aflatoxin – Groundnuts – Chilli Powder – Pistachios – Maize Flour – Egusi Seeds

RASFF

Aflatoxin in Indian groundnuts in Switzerland and the Netherlands

RASFF

Aflatoxin in Egyptian groundnuts in the Netherlands

RASFF

Aflatoxins in chilly powder from India in Malta

RASFF

Aflatoxins in pistachios from the United Arab Emirates, origin USA in Italy

RASFF

Aflatoxins above limit in maize flour from Italy in Spain and Switzerland

RASFF

Aflatoxins in Inshell Groundnuts from Egypt in the Netherlands

RASFF

Aflatoxins in Syrian pistachio kernels from Turkey in Greece

RASFF

Border Rejection of Egusi Seeds Over the Limits for Aflatoxin from Nigeria in Ireland

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Polish Chicken Products – Sesame Seeds – Chicken leg Quarters – Smoked Sausage – Sock Samples – Rosette – Whole Egg Powder – Carne Fresca di Tacchino dalla Spagna

RASFF

Salmonella Enteritidis (in 4 out of 5 samples) fresh chicken leg quarters from Lithuania in Latvia

RASFF

Salmonella CO in chicken fillet from Poland in the Czech Republic

RASFF

Different types of Salmonella, including S. Enteritidis in poultry from Poland in Bulgaria

RASFF

Salmonella Enteritidis in socks samples in the chicken coop from Poland in Germany

RASFF

Salmonella in rosette from France in Belgium

RASFF

Salmonella in Indian Sesame seed in the Netherlands

RASFF

Salmonella spp. in whole egg powder from Bulgaria in Poland

RASFF

Salmonella spp. in chilled chicken breast from Poland in Italy

RASFF

Salmonella spp. from group O:9(D1) in frozen kebab made of poultry meat from Poland in Austria

RASFF

Presence of Salmonella spp. in Nigerian hulled sesame seeds in Greece, Turkey and Switzerland

RASFF

Salmonella Saintpaul in carne fresca di tacchino dalla Spagna from Spain in Italy

RASFF

Salmonella spp. in carnati de casa afumati (smoked sausages) from Romania in Hungary

RASFF

Salmonella spp. in sesame seeds from India in Poland

RASFF

Salmonella in marinated chicken sliced fillet from Poland in Estonia