Category Archives: Food Testing

USA – Food Evolution Recalls Ready-to-Eat Dip and Salad Products Containing Meat Produced Without Benefit of Inspection

FSIS USDA

Food Evolution, a Schiller Park, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 6,806 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) dip and salads products containing meat that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The RTE dip and salad items containing meat were produced on various dates from Nov. 9, 2020, through Jan. 29, 2021 and have “USE BY” dates through Feb. 6, 2021. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF only)]

  • 31-oz. container containing “Taco Dip With Refried Beans, Chili, Sour Cream, Cheddar, Onions, Black Olives, Jalapenos, & Red Pepper thoughtfully handmade —fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”
  • 18-oz. container containing “Taco Dip With Refried Beans, Chili, Sour Cream, Cheddar, Onions, Black Olives, Jalapenos, & Red Pepper thoughtfully handmade —fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”
  • 7-oz. container containing “Tri-Colored Italian Style Rotini Pasta Salad with Salami thoughtfully handmade — fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”
  • 8-oz. container containing “German Style Potato Salad with Bacon thoughtfully handmade — fresh to you — Fresh, Fast, Gourmet.”

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 34309” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Illinois.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS verification tasks. FSIS personnel discovered that the establishment produced amenable product at an off-site facility without the benefit of federal inspection, then repackaged and labeled the products with the USDA mark of inspection at the federal establishment.

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

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.

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 will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Art Sezgin, President of Food Evolution, at (818) 837-7600.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

France – Product recall: Sélection du Fromager brand Reblochon – Listeria monocytogenes

Oulah

Product recall: Sélection du Fromager brand Reblochon

ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM

Presence of Listeria monocytogenes

PROPOSED SOLUTION

People who hold this product are asked not to consume it and to return it to the point of sale where it was purchased for reimbursement even without presentation of the receipt.

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

▸ Barcode
4052917134848

▸ Lot
001131612

▸ DLC
02/28/2021

▸ Marketing date
from 01/29/2021 to 02/04/2021

▸ LIDL supermarkets concerned
Click here

▸ Consumer service contact
The LIDL consumer service is at your disposal at the following telephone number 0 800 900 343.

▸ Source
https://www.lidl.fr/fr


Research – Researchers Are Screening Social Media to Help Identify Foodborne Illness

Very Well Health

CDC E.coli

Consumer online posts and content can help identify food safety concerns, and possibly reduce the risk of a foodborne illness, according to new research.

USA – Super Bowl LV Toolkit to Prevent Foodborne Illness

FSIS USDA

Super Bowl Food Safety

Food Safety Playbook

This toolkit is designed to help you get started with your local Super Bowl Food Safety campaign. In this toolkit you will find the materials you can use to promote safe food handling behavior during the Super Bowl.

We have organized this material to help make your outreach informative, helpful and fun. Resources include:

  • Press Release – A general press release that can be personalized by your organization to email to local news outlets, radio, newspapers and blogs
  • Talking Points
  • Blog
  • Social Media – Suggested tweets and Facebook posts are included to help spread the word about food safety during Super Bowl
  • Infographics

USA – Multi-state Salmonella outbreak of unknown origin now up to 60 patients

Food Safety News

Traceback efforts continue in a Salmonella Miami outbreak, but few details are available. Federal investigators report that the patient count has increased to 60. The source has not yet been determined.

In its original outbreak notification on Jan. 13 the Food and Drug Administration’s weekly CORE investigation table listed 48 patients. The FDA has not revealed what states are involved in the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not released information about the outbreak.

The CORE investigation table indicates that traceback is underway, but it does not provide any other information about what food or foods are part of that effort. The table refers the public to general information pages on Salmonella and the FDA investigation process.

When the outbreak was added to the weekly CORE update an FDA spokesperson told Food Safety News the agency just doesn’t have enough information on the traceback efforts yet.

India – Maha: 11 children hospitalized for suspected food poisoning

Outlook India

Palghar, Feb 3(PTI) Eleven children have been hospitalized for suspected food poisoning in Maharashtra”s Palghar district, a health official said.

District Health Officer Dr Dayanand Suryavanshi said all of them were now stable and out of danger.

The children, in the age group of 5 to 12, reported symptoms such as vomiting and nausea after eating lunch at a wedding at Kirat village on Monday and were shifted to Somta Primary Health Centre.

On Tuesday they were shifted to Rural Hospital at Kasa.

The samples of the food have been sent to a laboratory.

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Organic Dried Figs – Dried Figs

European Food Alerts

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 8.7 µg/kg – ppb) in organic dried figs from Turkey in Germany

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 68.89; Tot. = 128.26 µg/kg – ppb) in organic dried figs from Turkey in Germany

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 43; Tot. = 63 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France

 

RASFF Alert – Listeria monocytogenes – Raw Milk Cheese – Chilled Vegetarian Soya Sausage

European Food Alerts

RASFF

Listeria monocytogenes (detected /25g) and high count of Escherichia coli (>1500000 /g) in raw milk cheese (Fourme d’Ambert) from France in France

RASFF

Listeria monocytogenes (650 CFU/g) in chilled vegetarian soya sausages from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

 

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Sesame Seeds – Paprika Powder – Chille Frozen Turkey Meat and Offals – Frozen Veal Kebab – Chilled Cooked Shrimp – Frozen Poultry Meat

European Food Alerts

RASFF

Salmonella (present /25g) in sesame seeds from Turkey in the Netherlands

RASFF

Salmonella (presence /25g) in paprika powder from China in the Netherlands 

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium (in 2 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled and frozen turkey meat and offals from Poland in Poland

RASFF

Salmonella (presence /25g) in veal meat from Belgium used in frozen veal kebab from Germany in Germany

RASFF

Salmonella (presence /25g) in chilled cooked shrimps from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF

Salmonella enterica ser. Infantis (in 1 out of 5 samples /25g) in frozen poultry meat from Poland in Italy

Canada – TerrAscend Canada recalls all lots of Haven St. Rise No.570 Wild Berry THC Infused Gummy and Haven St. Drift No. 470 Sour Watermelon THC Infused Gummy – Mould

CFIA

Affected products

All lots of Haven St. Rise No.570 Wild Berry THC Infused Gummy and Haven St. Drift No. 470 Sour Watermelon THC Infused Gummy

Product description

This recall involves 33 lots of two edible cannabis products produced by TerrAscend Canada. These products were sold through provincially- authorized retailers in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland.

Product Name Lot Numbers
Haven St.Rise No.570 Wild Berry THC Infused Gummy 2002172, 2002228, 2002291, 2002307, 2002308, 2002364, 2002366, 2002372,2002374, 2002381, 2002591, 2002593, 2002670, 2002672, 2002674, 2002774, 2002794
Haven St. Drift No. 470 Sour Watermelon THC Infused Gummy 2002230, 2002232, 2002289, 2002311, 2002313, 2002339, 2002341, 2002368, 2002370, 2002595, 2002597, 2002599, 2002601, 2002738, 2002740, 2002742

Hazard identified

The affected product may contain mould. In certain individuals, exposure may result in allergic symptom such as sneezing, coughing, wheezing, runny nose or nasal congestion, and watery or itchy eyes.

The use of, or exposure to a mouldy product may cause temporary adverse health consequences, where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.

To date, TerrAscend Canada has received 10 complaints regarding the recalled lots, none of which involved an adverse reaction. Health Canada has not received any complaints or reports of adverse reactions related to the recalled lot.

Number sold

330,927 units of recalled product were sold.

Time period sold

The recalled product was sold from September 2020 to January 2021.

Companies

Recalling Firm
TerrAscend Canada
Ontario
CANADA
Tel: 1-855-837-7295
Distributor
Ontario Cannabis Store
Ontario
CANADA
Tel: 1-844-627-1112
Distributor
British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch
British Columbia
CANADA
Tel: 604-252-7400
Distributor
Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis
Alberta
CANADA
Tel: 1-800-272-8876
Distributor
P.E.I Cannabis
Prince Edward Island
CANADA
Tel: 902-368-5551
Distributor
Cannabis NB
New Brunswick
CANADA
Tel: 1-833-821-2195
Distributor
Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba
Manitoba
CANADA
Tel: 1-800-782-0363
Distributor
Cannabis NL
Newfoundland and Labrador
CANADA
Tel: 1-844-757-5986
Distributor
Retailers in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
CANADA

Images (select thumbnail to enlarge)

Example of product packaging 1
Example of product packaging 2
Example of Product Packaging 3
Example of product packaging 4

What you should do

Consumers should immediately stop using this product and return unopened product to the retailer where the product was purchased. Open product should be discarded securely, and out of reach of children and young persons.

Health Canada would like to remind Canadians to report any health or safety complaints related to the use of this cannabis products or any other cannabis product by filling out the online complaint form.