Category Archives: Food Testing

USA – Olymel S.E.C./L.P. Recalls Ready-to-Eat Ham Products Due to Possible Salmonella Enteritidis Contamination

FSIS USDA

Olymel S.E.C./L.P., a Quebec, Canada establishment, is recalling approximately 6,804 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) ham products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ham items were packaged on November 5, 2020. The following products are subject to recall [View Labels (PDF Only)]:

  • 12-lb. plastic film vacuum package of “Celebrity EXTRA LEAN IMPORTED HAM 98% FAT FREE” with product codes “20309 11 – 91”, “20309 21 – 91”, “20309 31 – 91”, “20309 41 – 91” or “20309 51 – 91” printed on the side of the packaging.

The products subject to recall bear Canadian establishment number 180 inside the Canadian inspection mark located below the ingredient list. These items were shipped to distributors in California for further distribution for institutional use.

The problem was discovered when FSIS collected a routine product import sample that confirmed positive for the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis­­­. The product subject to recall was determined by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to be associated with the FSIS positive sample result.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 6 hours to 6 days after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. 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.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

USA – JBS USA Food Company Recalls Imported Boneless Beef Products Due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

USDA

JBS USA Food Company, a Greeley, Colo. firm and Importer of Record, is recalling approximately 4,860 pounds of imported boneless beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The raw, frozen, boneless beef products were imported on or around Nov. 10, 2020 and distributed for further processing. The following products are subject to recall [View Label (PDF Only)]:

  • 60-lb. cardboard boxes containing “95CL BONELESS BEEF PRODUCT OF AUSTRALIA” with “PACKED ON: 02-SEP-20” and Australian “EST. 4” on the packaging label.

The products were shipped to distributors and further processors in New York and Pennsylvania.

The problem was discovered when FSIS collected a routine product sample that confirmed positive for the presence of E. coli O157:H7. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in cold storage at distributor or further processor locations. Distributors and further processors who received these products are urged not to utilize them.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume whole cuts of beef that have been cooked to a temperature of 145 °F with a 3-minute rest time and ground beef to 160 °F. The only way to confirm that beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Mr. Kim Holzner, Head of JBS Imports, at Kim.Holzner@jbssa.com. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Ms. Nikki Richardson, Director of Communications for JBS USA Food Company, at Nikki.Richardson@jbssa.com.

Iceland – Salmonella in HUSK fiber capsules and powders – updated distribution

MAST

Recall of REMEMBER

Updated 17.04.21 at 11:55 – Distribution:  Recalled products were for sale in Lyfjavers store on Suðurlandsbraut, Lyfjavers online store and Kaupfélag Skagfirðinga in Sauðárkrókur. No further distribution within the country is known at this time, but work is continuing to gather information on distribution. 

  • ural fiber, powder (Natural fiber)
  • REMEMBER Natural fibers, capsules (Natural fiber)    
  • REMEMBER Fiber + Lactic acid bacteria, powder (Natural fiber + Lactic acid bacteria)
  • REMEMBER Fiber + Lactic Acid Bacteria (Natural Fiber + Lactic Acid Bacteria)
  • REMEMBER Stomach Balance
  • REMEMBER Psyllium Stomach Balance
  • REMEMBER Psyllium Frogs

All batches are recalled. See further information about products in the press release of the Reykjavík Health Inspectorate . 

————————————————– –

News 16.04.21 at 11:20:

Matvælastofnun warns against consuming HUSK PSYLLIUM FROSKALLER and HUSK PSYLLIUM MAVEBALANCE fiber capsules and powders from the company Orkla Care. Salmonella has been identified in the products and three deaths and a number of infections in Denmark can be traced to their consumption.

Recall of REMEMBER

Matvælastofnun and the municipal health inspectorate continue to work on obtaining information on distribution to Iceland. The products have been imported to the country and are available in pharmacies, among other places. Recall is ongoing in all rounds. Full distribution is not available at this time, but further information will be published as soon as it is available.

France – Product recall: Pierre Sajous brand fresh Black Pork Sausage from Bigorre – Listeria monocytogenes

Oulah

Product recall: Pierre Sajous brand fresh Black Pork Sausage from Bigorre

ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM

Unsuccessful suspicion of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes following a presence detected in the raw material of the meat supplier of Black Pork from Bigorre

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.

People who have consumed this product and who have a fever, isolated or accompanied by headaches, are invited to consult their doctor, 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

▸ Names of models or references
Fresh Sausage of Black Pork from Bigorre Sous vide

▸ Barcode
…

▸ Lot
070421

▸ DLC
04/16/2021

▸
Vacuum packaging

▸ Start date / End of marketing
From 04/07/2021 to 04/16/2021

▸ Health mark
…

▸ Distributors
• Pierre Sajous Beaucens store 65400
• Point Vert sign

▸ Consumer service contact
0562421055

▸ Source
https://rappel.conso.gouv.fr/

France – Product recall: GAEC des Lauriers brand Ambalon – Listeria monocytogenes

Oulah

Product recall: GAEC des Lauriers brand Ambalon

ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM

Presence of Listeria monocytogenes

PROPOSED SOLUTION

Do not consume and destroy or bring back to the point of sale

Ethylene oxide gas is used as a biocide (bactericide killing bacteria and their endospores), as a fungicide (killing molds and fungi).
The MRL, set at 0.05 mg / kg in EC regulation n ° 396/2005, has been exceeded leading to product withdrawals in several European countries including France.

In the event of consumption, various disorders may appear for which we invite you to consult your doctor or the poison control center in your region in case of occurrence.

FURTHER INFORMATION

▸ Names of models or references
Semi-cooked pressed cheese, lot 49, sold by the cut

▸ Barcode
…

▸ Lot
49

▸ DDM
05/09/2021

▸ Start / end date of marketing
From 09/30/2019 to 04/02/2021

▸ Distributors
Cheeses sold on the Roussillon, Vienne and Bourgoin Jallieu markets, on the farm and at the La Ronde des Fermes collective point of sale in Estrablin.

▸ Consumer service contact
0474581320

▸ Source
https://rappel.conso.gouv.fr/

Research – An Overview of Traceback Investigations and Three Case Studies of Recent Outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce

Journal of Food Protection

Eurofins Food Testing UK

Leafy greens contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have continued to cause foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years and present a threat to public health. An important component of foodborne illness outbreak investigations is determining the source of the outbreak vehicle through traceback investigations. The Food and Drug Administration is home to traceback investigation experts that employ a standardized process to initiate, execute, and interpret the results of traceback investigations in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local partners. Traceback investigations of three outbreaks of STEC infections linked to romaine lettuce in 2018 and 2019 were examined to demonstrate challenges, limitations, and opportunities for improvement. The three outbreaks resulted in a total of 474 illnesses, 215 hospitalizations, and five deaths. These illnesses were linked to the consumption of romaine lettuce from three distinct growing regions in Arizona and California. Some of the challenges encountered included the time it took to initiate a traceback, limited product-identifying information throughout the supply chain, lack of interoperability in record keeping systems, and co-mingling of product from multiple suppliers. These challenges led to time delays in the identification of the farm source of the leafy greens and the inability to identify the root cause of contamination. Implementation of technology enabled traceability systems, testing of these systems, and future regulations to incentivize adoption of traceability systems are some of the initiatives that will help address these challenges by improving traceback investigations and ultimately preventing foodborne illnesses and future outbreaks from occurring.

RASFF Alerts -Salmonella – Chilled Broiler Wings – Chilled Sausages – Chicken Legs – Chilled Poultry Meat – Black Pepper

European Food Alerts

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (presence in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled broiler wings from Poland in Latvia

RASFF

Salmonella (presence /25g) in chilled sausages from Luxembourg in Luxembourg

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium (presence /25g) in frozen chicken legs from Denmark in Estonia

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (in 2 out 5 of samples /25g) in chilled poultry meat from Poland, with raw material from Slovakia in Poland

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (presence /25g) and Salmonella enterica ser. Sandiego (presence /25g) in black pepper from Brazil in Germany

RASFF Alert – Foodborne Outbreak Salmonella – Food Supplements

European Food Alerts

RASFF

foodborne outbreak suspected (Salmonella) to be caused by food supplements from Denmark in Denmark

RASFF Alert – STEC E.coli – Chilled Bovine Meat

European Food Alerts

RASFF

shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (eae+, Stx1-, Stx2+ /25g) in chilled bovine meat from Slovenia in Sloveniafood

Research – What lives inside the chicken gut?

Phys Org

In a recently published study, investigators from Norwich and Surrey have more than doubled the number of microbial species known to live in the chicken gut. As the health and wealth of humans is tied to the health and productivity of chickens, this lays down a key resource for all future studies on the gut microbiome of this important food animal.

With three times as many chickens as people on our planet, this ubiquitous food animal underpins human nutrition and health across the globe—whether through subsistence farming or intensive production, chickens supply more of our food than any other animal. Chicken meat is surging in popularity as a lower-carbon alternative to meat from other livestock, whilst eggs remain an important and affordable source of nutrition worldwide. However, poultry are also a source of antimicrobial resistance and of pathogens such as Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli that threaten human health.