A possible Swan Bros. raw milk Listeria outbreak has allegedly sickened 10 people in Missouri and Oklahoma, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed in the District Court of Rogers County in the state of Oklahoma on January 21, 2022. Swan Bros. recalled their raw milk products in July 2021 for possible Listeria monocytogenes after testing by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services revealed the presence of that pathogen in the milk on July 6, 2021. The dairy posted a notice on its Facebook page on July 6, 2021 about that recall.
Illnesses continue to be added to a tally of people in Canada who have been sickened in a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak tied to frozen corn.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reports that there are now 110 people from five provinces who have been confirmed as outbreak patients. As of Dec. 21 there were 84 confirmed patients.
“Many of the individuals who became sick reported eating a variety of raw and cooked produce items before their illness. Initially, investigators identified that fresh avocados were reported by many cases before they became ill; however, more information was needed to confirm the source of the outbreak,” according to the PHAC outbreak update.
“As part of the food safety investigation, the CFIA collected different food items from restaurants where ill people dined. Testing found the outbreak strain of Salmonella in an unopened package of Alasko brand frozen whole kernel corn. Traceback findings identified Alasko as the common brand of frozen corn consumed at various foodservice establishments by individuals who became sick. Based on the investigation findings to date, the outbreak is linked to Alasko brand frozen whole kernel corn.”
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is collaborating with provincial public health partners, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada to investigate an outbreak of E. coli O157 infections involving 2 provinces: Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Based on the investigation findings to date, the outbreak is linked to Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi. Many of the individuals who were sick reported having eaten Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi before their illnesses occurred.
The CFIA issued a food recall warning on January 28, for Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi sold in 2L containers with a net weight of 1670 g, UPC code 6 23431 00030 4, and best before date January 29, 2022. The recalled product was distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
For more information on the recalled product, please consult CFIA’s website. The CFIA is continuing its food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated food recall warnings.
Do not eat, use, sell, or serve the recalled kimchi or any products made with the recalled kimchi. This advice applies to individuals, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and long-term care homes, across Canada.
This public health notice will be updated as the investigation evolves.
Investigation summary
As of January 28, there have been 14 laboratory-confirmed cases of E.coli O157 illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: Alberta (13) and Saskatchewan (1).
Individuals became sick between early December 2021 and early January 2022. No deaths or hospitalizations have been reported. Individuals who became ill are between 0 and 61 years of age. The majority of cases (64%) are female.
The CFIA issued a food recall warning on January 28 for certain Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Kimchi products. The recalled product wasdistributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
The CFIA is continuing its food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated food recall warnings.
Who is most at risk
E. coli O157 is more likely to cause severe illness than other strains of E. coli. Pregnant women, those with weakened immune systems, young children and older adults are most at risk for developing serious complications.
Most people who become ill from an E. coli infection will recover completely on their own. However, some people may have a more serious illness that requires hospital care or causes long-lasting health effects. In rare cases, some individuals may develop life-threatening complications, including stroke, kidney failure and seizures, which could result in death. It is possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and to not get sick or show any symptoms, but to still be able to spread the infection to others.
What you should do to protect your health
The following advice applies to individuals, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and long-term care homes, across Canada:
Do not eat, use, sell or serve the recalled kimchi or any products made with the kimchi. Check to see if you have recalled food products at home. If you do, throw them out and wash your hands.
Clean and sanitize all surfaces and storage areas that recalled kimchi or any products made with the recalled kimchi may have come in contact with, including countertops, containers, utensils, freezers, and refrigerators.
If you have been diagnosed with an E. coli infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
Symptoms
People infected with E. coli can have a wide range of symptoms. Some do not get sick at all, though they can still spread the infection to others. Others may feel as though they have a bad case of upset stomach. In some cases, individuals become seriously ill and must be hospitalized.
The following symptoms can appear within one to ten days after contact with the bacteria:
nausea
vomiting
headache
mild fever
severe stomach cramps
watery or bloody diarrhea
Most symptoms end within five to ten days. There is no real treatment for E. coli infections, other than monitoring the illness, providing comfort, and preventing dehydration through proper hydration and nutrition. People who develop complications may need further treatment, such as dialysis for kidney failure. You should contact your health care provider if symptoms persist.
What the Government of Canada is doing
The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health of Canadians from enteric disease outbreaks.
PHAC leads the human health investigation into an outbreak and is in regular contact with its federal, provincial and territorial partners to monitor the situation and to collaborate on steps to address an outbreak.
Health Canada provides food-related health risk assessments to determine whether the presence of a certain substance or microorganism poses a health risk to consumers.
CFIA conducts food safety investigations into the possible food source of an outbreak.
Epidemiological information
Figure 1 is an epidemiological curve for this outbreak, which shows the numbers of new cases by week. Outbreak investigators use this information to show when illnesses begin, when they peak, and when they trail off. It can take several weeks from the time a person becomes ill to when the illness is reported and testing confirms a link to the outbreak. Data are available for 14 cases.
Figure 1. Number of people infected with E. coli O157:H7
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken salad products produced by Simply Fresh Market, a Marietta, Ga. establishment, may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall was not requested because the known affected product is no longer available in commerce for consumers to purchase.
The RTE chicken salad with apples and walnuts items were produced on Jan. 17, 2022. The following product is subject to the public health alert [view label]:
8-oz and 16-oz. deli hinged containers of “simply fresh MARKET CHICKEN SALAD Apples & Walnuts” with a sell by date of “1/25” printed on the label.
The products bear establishment number “EST. P47170” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to three local markets in Atlanta, Ga.
The problem was discovered when the company notified FSIS that product sampling reported positive Listeria monocytogenes results.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.
Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
T-Brothers Food & Trading Ltd. is recalling Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi from the marketplace due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.
The recalled product has been sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
What you should do
If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor
Check to see if you have the recalled product in your home
Do not consume the recalled product
Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased
Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, some people may have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die.
