Category Archives: Food Testing

RASFF Alert – E.coli – Live Oysters

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RASFF – too high count of Escherichia coli (490 MPN/100g) in live oysters from France in Italy

RASFF Alert – Histamine – Frozen Tuna Belly

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RASFF – histamine (151.7 mg/kg – ppm) in frozen tuna belly with skin from Vietnam in Portugal

RASFF Alerts -Norovirus – Live Oysters

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RASFF – norovirus in live oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from France in Italy

RASFF – foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by norovirus in live oysters from France in Denmark

RASFF– withdrawal of live bivalve molluscs harvested in France because of possible contamination with norovirus in France

RASFF Alerts – Ochratoxin A – Preserved Plums – Dried Raisins – Organic Dried Figs

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RASFF – ochratoxin A (21 µg/kg – ppb) in preserved plums from China in the Netherlands

RASFF – ochratoxin A (21.78; 19.6 µg/kg – ppb) in dried raisins from Uzbekistan in Slovakia

RASFF – ochratoxin A (102.5 µg/kg – ppb) in organic dried figs from Turkey, packaged in Austria in Germany

RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Chilled Horse Salami – Chilled Raw Ham

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RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (<10 CFU/g) in chilled horse salami from France in France

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in chilled raw ham from Italy, packaged in Belgium in Belgium

RASFF- Mycotoxin -Ergot Alkaloids – Wheat

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RASFF -ergot (Claviceps purpurea) alkaloids (1400 mg/kg – ppm) in wheat from France in Belgium

 

USA – Lipari Foods Issues Voluntary Recall Expansion on Additional Sandwiches Due to Potential Contamination of Listeria Monocytogenes

FDA

Lipari Foods is expanding its January 6, 2020 and January 13, 2020 recalls of Premo and Fresh Grab sandwiches to include all sandwiches with a Best By date of 2/6/20 and prior, due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes.

The products were distributed exclusively by Lipari Foods in Warren, Michigan to food service and retail stores throughout Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

This recall was brought to our attention by JLM, who is further expanding their recent recall to include additional sandwiches with additional Best Buy dates due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. The company has ceased production at the producing facility while continuing to work in close collaboration with the FDA to further investigate the issue. No illnesses have been reported to date in relation to this recall.

Lipari Foods began shipping this product on December 20, 2019

Consumers who have purchased these recalled products should not consume them. Consumers should discard the products or return them to the point of purchase. Consumers with questions should call Customer Service at 800-729-3354, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm, EST, Monday through Friday.

Link to 1st Expanded Recall

Link to Original Recall

Research -Climate change could unlock new microbes and increase heat-related deaths

Science Daily

The Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) recently published “Viewpoint” articles by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine professors who warn that global climate change is likely to unlock dangerous new microbes, as well as threaten humans’ ability to regulate body temperature.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Distinguished Professors Rexford Ahima, M.D., Ph.D., and Arturo Casadevall, M.D., Ph.D., M.S., along with William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., director of the George Washington University’s Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness, and Susan Pacheco, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, authored journal articles relevant to their fields that detail how rising temperatures around the world pose dangerous threats to humanity.

Ahima, director of Johns Hopkins’ Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, wrote in the journal that “global warming threatens human thermoregulation and survival.”

 

Research – Novel composite antimicrobial film could take a bite out of foodborne illnesses

Science Daily

A novel composite film — created by the bonding of an antimicrobial layer to conventional, clear polyethylene plastic typically used to vacuum-package foods such as meat and fish — could help to decrease foodborne illness outbreaks, according to researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

The antimicrobial lining of the film is comprised of a pullulan-based biopolymer produced from starch syrup during a fermentation process, which is already approved for use in foods. Pullulan, a water-soluble “polysaccharide,” is essentially a chain of sugar, glycerin and cellulose molecules linked together. To kill pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria and pathogenic E. coli, researchers infused the pullulan with Lauric arginate, made from naturally occurring substances and already approved for use in foods.

Development of the composite antimicrobial film is important because 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses occur each year in the U.S. alone, resulting in 300,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In light of this problem and the commercial potential of this discovery, Penn State has applied for a provisional patent on the composite antimicrobial film.

USA -Five Star Food brand Sham Gardens Tahina recalled for Salmonella contamination

Food Safety News Salmonella kswfoodworld

Michigan’s Northern Fish Five Star Food Inc., located in Garden City, has recalled  100 cases of Excellent Tahina 800 g and 100 cases of Excellent Tahina 400 g in containers because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses are yet associated with the Sham Gardens Tahini recall. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development discovered potential contamination by random sampling.  Final laboratory reports are pending, but  Five Star Foods opted to recall the following products as listed by product code.

Product Code Product Description UPC Expiration
TAH806SG Excellent Tahina 800 g 6214002717420 Best By Nov 2020
TAH400SG Excellent Tahina 400 g 6214002717413 Best By Nov 2020

The recalled product was distributed in states of Michigan, Ohio, New York, Florida, North Dakota, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Texas and is sold in 800 grams (1.76 lb) and in 400 grams (14.1 oz).

Expiration dates (Best By Nov 2020) are printed on the lid of the container.