Category Archives: Food Safety

USA – New Kratom Recalls – Salmonella

Posted on April 19, 2018 | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

All Powdered Kratom from Triangle Pharmanaturals Recalled

Triangle Pharmanaturals, LLC (“Triangle”) of Las Vegas, Nevada is recalling all kratom (mitragyna speciosa) powder products it manufactured, processed, packed, and/or held, between April 4, 2017 to Present.

Food Safety News

A  company in Utah is recalling “NxtGen Botanicals Maeng Da Kratom” labeled bottles of kratom supplements because they has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. At least one illness has been reported in connection with this brand of kratom.

The recall notice does not specify what strain of Salmonella federal inspectors found in the NxtGen kratom, but at least 132 people in 38 states have been infected in an ongoing Salmonella outbreak traced to kratom products, according to the Food ad Drug Administration’s latest list of recalled kratom products.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Salmonella, Uncategorized

Canada – Updated Food Recall Warning – Culinary Creations Gourmet brand & Denny’s Express brand roast beef-containing sandwiches recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 19, 2018 | Leave a comment

CFIA

Recall details

Ottawa, April 18, 2018 – The food recall warning issued on April 17, 2018 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.

R.T. Fresh Prepared Foods Inc. is recalling Culinary Creations Gourmet brand & Denny’s Express brand roast beef-containing sandwiches from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

The following products were sold through retailers and automatic vending machines in Alberta and Ontario.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Culinary Creations Gourmet Beef and Cheese on Onion Bun 190 g Best Before
AL 24
AL 30
MA 01
MA 02
MA 08
MA 17		 6 89069 18085 6
Culinary Creations Gourmet Roast Beef Sandwich 155 g Best Before
AL 30
MA 08
MA 16		 6 89069 18093 1
Culinary Creations Gourmet Jumbo Beef & Swiss Submarine (halved) 250 g Best Before
AL 30
MA 02
MA 07
MA 08
MA 14
MA 15
MA 17		 6 89069 18097 9
Culinary Creations Gourmet Jumbo Beef & Swiss Submarine 250 g Best Before
AL 30
MA 07
MA 15		 6 89069 18097 9
Denny’s Express Beef & Swiss Submarine 250 g 0998 7 76393 40003 0

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Posted in CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

Hong Kong – Stop consuming a kind of French cheese suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 19, 2018 | Leave a comment

CFS

Issue Date 18.4.2018
Source of Information Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission
Food Product A kind of cheese imported from France
Product Name and Description Product name: Brillat Savarin
Place of origin: France
Producer: Sarl ETS Beillevaire
Lot No.: 180140 and 1801579
Best-before dates: March 9, 2018, and March 11, 2018
Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) received a notification from the RASFF that the above-mentioned product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and is being recalled.  According to the information provided by the RASFF, a local importer, K-Element Limited, had imported some of the affected product into Hong Kong.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned for follow-up. The importer confirmed that it had imported about 4 kilograms of the affected product and all of them were distributed. It has initiated a recall according to the CFS’ advice.
  • The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to monitor the case and take appropriate follow-up action. Investigation is ongoing.
Advice to the Trade
  • Stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
Advice to Consumers
  • Stop consuming the affected product if they have bought any.
Further Information The CFS press release

  • Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer’s hotline at 3106 4722 during office hours.

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

USA – Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Chopped Romaine Lettuce – CDC Update

Posted on April 19, 2018 | Leave a comment

CDC Eurofins Food Testing UK

What’s New?

  • Eighteen more ill people have been added to this investigation since the last update on April 13, 2018.
  • Five more states have reported ill people: Alaska, Arizona, California, Louisiana, and Montana.
  • Nine more hospitalizations have been reported, including two people who developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

 

Highlights

  • Information collected to date indicates that chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and could make people sick.
    • At this time, no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand has been identified.
  • Advice to Consumers(https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-04-18/advice-consumers.html):
    • Consumers anywhere in the United States who have store-bought chopped romaine lettuce at home, including salads and salad mixes containing chopped romaine lettuce, should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick. If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.
    • Before purchasing romaine lettuce at a grocery store or eating it at a restaurant, confirm with the store or restaurant that it is not chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. If you cannot confirm the source of the romaine lettuce, do not buy it or eat it.
  • Advice to Restaurants and Retailers(https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-04-18/advice-consumers.html):
    • Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell any chopped romaine lettuce, including salads and salad mixes containing chopped romaine lettuce, from the Yuma, Arizona growing region.
    • Restaurants and retailers should ask their suppliers about the source of their chopped romaine lettuce.
  • CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) infections.
  • 53 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 16 states.
    • 31 people have been hospitalized, including five people who have developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
    • No deaths have been reported.
  • This investigation is ongoing, and CDC will provide updates when more information is available.

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Posted in CDC, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Uncategorized

Canada – Updated Food Recall Warning – Fresh 2 Go brand Roast Beef Paninis recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 19, 2018 | Leave a comment

CFIA

 

Recall details

Ottawa, April 18, 2018 – The food recall warning issued on April 17, 2018 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.

Metro Ontario Inc. is recalling Fresh 2 Go brand Roast Beef Paninis from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

The following products were sold from Metro locations in Ontario.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Fresh 2 Go (F2GO) Roast Beef Panini 2-pack All units sold up to and including April 18, 2018 Starts with 0219274
Fresh 2 Go (F2GO) Roast Beef Panini 4-pack All units sold up to and including April 18, 2018 Starts with 0219149

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Posted in CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Uncategorized

New Zealand – Up to 90 per cent of NZ chicken could be contaminated with Camplobacteria – new study

Posted on April 19, 2018 | Leave a comment

TVNZ 

 

A University of Otago, Wellington study, published last week in the international journal BMC Public Health, found only 15 per cent of consumers were aware that most of fresh chicken meat for sale in New Zealand is contaminated with Campylobacter.

The researchers also found deficiencies in the safety information provided to consumers.

“New Zealand has one of the highest rates of campylobacteriosis in the world and at least half of cases can be attributed to contaminated chicken,” says Philip Allan, one of the study’s authors and a medical student attached to the Department of Public Health.

Most survey participants were aware of the need to thoroughly cook chicken and to use separate utensils during preparation, but many were unaware that rinsing fresh chicken under the tap could spread the infection or that freezing chicken reduced Campylobacter contamination.

The study authors expect food safety regulators and chicken producers and retailers to be taking all reasonable steps to protect consumers.

How to cook the Campylobacter out of your chicken

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Posted in Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Research, Uncategorized

UK – Northern Ireland – Dunnes Stores recalls Chicken, Bacon & Sweetcorn Deli Filler due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 19, 2018 | Leave a comment

FSA NI

Product details

Product: Dunnes Stores Chicken, Bacon & Sweetcorn Deli Filler
Pack size: 175g
‘Use By’ dates: all use by dates from 13 April 2018 to 20 April 2018 (inclusive)

No other Dunnes Stores products are known to be affected

Risk

The product listed above might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Symptoms caused by this organism can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea.

Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.

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.

Action taken by the company

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

Recall Notice

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, fsa, FSA NI, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Recall, Uncategorized