Category Archives: food recall

With the country in lockdown and having more spare time than ever before, there has been a concerning rise in food businesses operating out of people’s homes and selling on social media. Many of these businesses have been set up by people who have lost their jobs or are on furlough, including professional chefs hit by the closure of restaurants. Instead of opening the next market stall or restaurant, they are using the power of Instagram and Facebook to try and succeed in the crowded market.

However, the food safety watchdog has issued an alert that Britons could be putting their health at serious risk as many of these ‘home-cookers’ are not registering as official food businesses, meaning that their food hygiene arrangements are not checked. They are operating under the radar and often you won’t find any trace of them outside of Instagram, not even a website. They simply post a picture of something freshly prepared and the rest of the conversations happens on a ‘DM’ to decide on the price and the location from where the order is to be picked up.

BBC

There has been a “concerning” rise in food businesses operating out of people’s homes during lockdown, according to the food safety watchdog.

Many of them are selling food through social media, putting further pressure on a hygiene inspection system that is under strain because of the crisis.

And other experts are also worried.

“Little food businesses are popping up like mushrooms in lockdown,” said Julie Barratt from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

“There are rank outsiders operating off the radar, who think, ‘Oh, my mum can cook’, and confuse cooking with catering,” she added. They sell to locals on apps such as Whatsapp, Instagram and Nextdoor.

Many are failing to register as food businesses, meaning their hygiene arrangements are not checked by local authorities.

But even those that do register are often not getting an inspection – despite new businesses usually being a priority – because the system is struggling to keep up during the pandemic.

Hygiene inspections ceased completely during the first lockdown and since then a scaled-back operation has focused on high-risk cases.

Leave a comment

Posted in food contamination, Food Hazard, 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 recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology

Belgium – “mini Mont d’Or” raw milk cheese (cow) from the Mont de Joux brand – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 25, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

AFSCA

Communication from the AFSCA
Product: “mini Mont d’Or” raw milk cheese (cow) from the Mont de Joux brand.
Problem: Presence of Listeria Monocytogenes.

Today, the AFSCA is recalling consumers of the Mont de Joux brand “mini Mont d’Or” cheese.

This recall follows a notification via the RASFF system (European Food and Feed Rapid Alert System) concerning the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes.

It was therefore decided to withdraw this product from sale and to recall it to consumers.

Product Description :

Product name: mini Mont D’or
Brand: Mont de Joux
Batch number: 3053 Best before
dates (BBD): 01/04/2021 and 08/04/2021
Weight: 460g

The product was sold via:

La fromagerie Saint -Octave
• Rue Haute 254, 1000 Brussels
• Chaussée d’Alsemberg 54/1, 1060 Saint-Gilles
• Chaussée de Waterloo 1241/1, 1180 Uccle

La Fromagerie “Happiness is in the Meadow”: Rue Saint-Paul, 30, 4000 Liège

VDS Food Barchon: Rue Prés-champs, 4, 4671 Barchon

For any further information, you can contact the AFSCA contact point for consumers: 0800 / 13.550 or pointdecontact@afsca.be .

Leave a comment

Posted in afsca, 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, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology

France – Product recall: Maison Milhau pickle head pâté pack – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 25, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Oulah

Product recall: Maison Milhau pickle head pâté pack

ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM

Presence of Listeria monocytogenes

PROPOSED SOLUTION

Those in possession of this product are asked not to consume it and to return it to the point of sale where it was purchased for reimbursement.

People who have consumed this product and who present with fever, isolated or accompanied by headaches, are invited to consult their attending physician, notifying him of this consumption.
Pregnant women should pay special attention to these symptoms, as well as immunocompromised people and the elderly. These symptoms may suggest listeriosis, a disease that can be serious and can take up to eight weeks to incubate.

FURTHER INFORMATION

▸ Barcode
3289010001703

▸ Lot
• 067101
• 067102

▸ DLC
04/13/2021

▸ EEC approval number
FR 81-124-012 CE

▸ Consumer service contact
MAISON MILHAU
Avenue du Montalet BP 42 – 81230 LACAUNE
Tel: 05 63 37 06 03 – Fax: 05 63 37 08 56
Mail: qualite@maison-milhau.com

▸ Source
https://www.auchan.fr/

Leave a comment

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 Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Oulah

USA – Caldwell Idaho Subway link in Norovirus Outbreak that has sickened 25

Posted on March 25, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Food Borne Illness - Norovirus -CDC Photo

Nearly 25 known individuals have reported experiencing gastro-intestinal illness symptoms to Southwest District Health (SWDH) since Friday, March 19. SWDH is currently investigating each reported illness to help determine the exact source and has confirmed 1 positive case of Norovirus. So far, there is a strong link to the Subway at 319 N 10th Ave in Caldwell, individuals that are reporting symptoms visited the establishment or received food from this location March 16-19.

The Subway involved is working cooperatively with SWDH following suspected presence of Norovirus and instituted mitigation measures to halt the spread of the virus. Following the inspection by SWDH, it was determined that the facility was following all guidance and recommendations.

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hazard, 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, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Norovirus, outbreak, Virus

Belgium – Recall of the Fromagerie du CARAH-Asbl – Mimol’ATH – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on March 24, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

AFSCA

Recall of the Fromagerie du CARAH-Asbl
Product: Mimol’ATH.
Problem: Presence of Listeria.

In agreement with the AFSCA, the fromagerie du Carah asbl is withdrawing Mimol’Ath cheese from sale and is recalling it to consumers because of Listeria’s presence.

The CARAH asbl cheese dairy asks its customers not to consume this product and to bring it back to the point of sale where it was purchased.

Product Description

– Product name: Mimol’ATH
– Lot number: 6
– Sales period: from 02/01/2021 to 03/01/2021
– Weight: Approx 500g

The product was sold via:

Au bio village, 97 Rue de Tournai, 7972 Quevaucamps
La ferme du Carah 301, rue de l’Agriculture, 7800 Ath
Comptoir fermier de Ath, Rue de l’Abbaye 4, 7800 Ath
Comptoir fermier de Braine -l’Alleud, Chaussée d’Ophain 16A, 1420 Braine-l’Alleud
Comptoir fermier de Mons, Chaussée du Roeulx 224, 7000 Mons
Comptoir fermier de Tournai, Avenue de Maire 139, 7500 Tournai

For any further information , contact: Fromagerie@carah.be

Leave a comment

Posted in afsca, food contamination, 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 Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Uncategorized

Norway – Children sick in Norway after drinking raw milk

Posted on March 24, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Almost 20 children in Norway have fallen sick after a farm visit that included drinking unpasteurized, raw milk.

Health officials reported 17 people became ill after the farm trip, including 16 children aged 3 to 5 years old. Most were infected with Campylobacter but a few patients were also diagnosed with infections from the parasite Cryptosporidium after contact with animals.

The children fell ill after the farm visit in Viken, a county in Eastern Norway, where they were served raw, unpasteurized milk as part of their packed lunch. Pasteurization kills bacteria, viruses and parasites often found in raw milk.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstituttet) recommend that children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems avoid drinking raw milk, because infections can have serious consequences for them.

Leave a comment

Posted in Campylobacter, Cryptosporidiosis, Cryptosporidium, food contamination, Food Hazard, 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, Raw Milk

USA – Three Turkey Wrap Sandwiches Added to Mg Foods’ Previous Recall List Due to Possible Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination

Posted on March 24, 2021 by KSW | Leave a comment

FDA

MG Foods of Charlotte, NC is expanding its recall issued March 10, 2021 to include three Turkey Wraps due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short- term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, a Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The products were distributed between March 3, 2021 and March 5, 2021 and packaged in clear plastic wedges & plastic wrap. The products were sold exclusively via vending machines and micro markets located in business locations in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. The company reacted swiftly and as of end-of-day March 5, 2021 affected products were removed from sale at all locations.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

PRODUCT	SIZE	UPC	CONTAINER	USE BY DATES
Fresh to You Deluxe Club Wrap	10.39 oz	MGF9814	Plastic Wedge	3/7/2021
MG Foods Roasted Turkey in a Tomato Basil Wrap	6.90 oz	1 00000 50005 7	Plastic Wedge	3/7/2021
MG Foods The Club in a Spinach Wrap	8.50 oz	1 00000 50008 8	Plastic Wedge	3/7/2021

Product labels are attached for identification of products.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to discard any remaining product. Consumers may contact MG Foods at 1-855-424-8390 Monday thru Friday 7:00am – 7:00 pm EST for any questions related to this recall or to request a full refund.

Initial Press Release