A spike in cases of food poisoning has been linked to people consuming raw mussels from the Coromandel area.
New Zealand Food Safety is urging people to ensure they cook raw mussels thoroughly, as raw or undercooked mussels can make people sick.
Director of food regulation Paul Dansted said eating raw shellfish always carried a risk for food-borne illnesses.
“Cooking kills the marine micro organism Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which occurs naturally throughout the world,” he said.
Dog owners in Nairobi and Nakuru are distraught after six of their dogs died from aflatoxin poisoning in the past month.
They say their dogs started experiencing liver complications after consuming commercial dog food they had bought from supermarkets.
“We bought the same brand of dog food we have been always buying, but this time from a different supermarket. The dog food pellets consisted of maize, fish and omega-3,” Eustace, a dog owner in Loresho, said.
The dog, a pug breed, refused to eat for several days after consuming the food and subsequently developed jaundice.
“His eyes, mouth and tongue had turned yellow and he was weak. The vet came in the middle of the night to take him and later called me to say he had suffered liver damage due to aflatoxin poisoning,” Eustace said.
Following a notification via the RASFF system (rapid alert system for food and feed), the presence of Clostridium botulinum has been demonstrated in Primula brand Cheese tubes, several flavors.
STONEMANOR INTERNATIONAL has decided, in consultation with the AFSCA, to withdraw these products from sale and to recall them from consumers.
Product description
– PRODUCT CATEGORY: FRESH SPREAD CHEESE
– Name of products: PRIMULA CHEESE TUBES
– All tastes are affected
– Brand: PRIMULA
– Expiration dates: ALL DATES
– Lot numbers: ALL BATCH NUMBERS
– Weight: 150g
The product was sold via Stonemanor (Steenhofstraat 28 – 3078 Everberg)
Information for consumers
The company STONEMANOR INTERNATIONAL LTD asks its customers not to consume these products and to return them to the point of sale, where they will be reimbursed.
Poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum toxins can cause double vision, thirst, constipation, dizziness, difficulty swallowing and speaking, breathing disorder, paralysis, death and this within 12 to 48 hours and even up to ” 8 days after ingestion of the contaminated food.
If you have used any of these products and you have the symptoms mentioned above, please consult your doctor and report the consumption of this product.
For more information, please contact Stonemanor on 02 759 49 79 or via info@stonemanor.uk.com
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 19) urged the public not to consume two kinds of prepackaged cheese spread imported from the United Kingdom (UK) due to possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Original Cheese Spread
Brand: Primula
Place of origin: UK
Importer: CitySuper
Packing size: 150 grams per tube
Best-before dates: December 29, 2020; January 7, 2021; January 12, 2021; and January 14, 2021
Product name: Cheese Spread with Chives
Brand: Primula
Place of origin: UK
Importer: CitySuper
Packing size: 150g per tube
Best-before dates: December 29, 2020; January 5, 2021; January 12, 2021; and January 19, 2021
A CFS spokesman said, “The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted notices issued by the UK Food Standards Agency that the manufacturer of the products is recalling the above-mentioned batches of the products which may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum due to a production fault.”
Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately followed up with major local importers and retailers. Preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported the above batches of the products which were sold in its retail outlets. Upon notification by the UK manufacturer earlier, the importer concerned had already stopped sale, removed from shelves the affected products and initiated a recall. Members of the public may call the importer’s hotline at 2736 3866 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.
“Foodborne botulism is caused by ingestion of food containing very potent neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. Symptoms of intoxication include marked fatigue, weakness and vertigo, often followed by blurred vision and difficulty in speaking and swallowing. The toxin may paralyse the breathing muscles and cause death. Onset of symptoms is usually around 18 to 36 hours after the ingestion of the toxin, but may range from four hours to eight days,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected batches of the products if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, continue to follow up and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.
Ends/Friday, June 19, 2020
Posted in botulism, CFS, Clostridium botulinum, food contamination, Food Hygiene, 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, Uncategorized
Ottawa, June 19, 2020 – Les Aliments Johnvince is recalling sure sweetened dried cranberries from {the marketplace} as a consequence of potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Customers mustn’t eat the recalled product described under.
| Model | Product | Dimension | UPC | Codes | Extra data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | Sweetened dried cranberries PLU 5176 |
Variable weights (plastic bag of roughly 300 g) | None | 06472 06481 0648 |
This packaged product might have been bought with or with out codes from Might 28, 2020 as much as and together with June 8, 2020. Customers who’re uncertain if they’ve bought the affected product are suggested to contact their retailer. |
When you suppose you turned sick from consuming a recalled product, name your physician.
Verify to see you probably have the recalled product in your house. Recalled merchandise needs to be thrown out or returned to the shop the place they have been bought.
Meals contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 might not look or odor spoiled however can nonetheless make you sick. Signs can embrace nausea, vomiting, gentle to extreme belly cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In extreme circumstances of sickness, some folks might have seizures or strokes, want blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or stay with everlasting kidney injury. In extreme circumstances of sickness, folks might die.
This recall was triggered by the corporate. The Canadian Meals Inspection Company (CFIA) is conducting a meals security investigation, which can result in the recall of different merchandise. If different high-risk merchandise are recalled, the CFIA will notify the general public by way of up to date Meals Recall Warnings.
The CFIA is verifying that business is eradicating the recalled product from {the marketplace}.
Posted in CFIA, E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, 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, Uncategorized
In April 2004, one of the largest aflatoxicosis outbreaks occurred in rural Kenya, resulting in 317 cases and 125 deaths. Aflatoxin-contaminated homegrown maize was the source of the outbreak, but the extent of regional contamination and status of maize in commercial markets (market maize) were unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the extent of market maize contamination and evaluate the relationship between market maize aflatoxin and the aflatoxicosis outbreak. We surveyed 65 markets and 243 maize vendors and collected 350 maize products in the most affected districts. Fifty-five percent of maize products had aflatoxin levels greater than the Kenyan regulatory limit of 20 ppb, 35% had levels > 100 ppb, and 7% had levels > 1,000 ppb. Makueni, the district with the most aflatoxicosis case-patients, had significantly higher market maize aflatoxin than did Thika, the study district with fewest case-patients (geometric mean aflatoxin = 52.91 ppb vs. 7.52 ppb, p = 0.0004). Maize obtained from local farms in the affected area was significantly more likely to have aflatoxin levels > 20 ppb compared with maize bought from other regions of Kenya or other countries (odds ratio = 2.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-6.59). Contaminated homegrown maize bought from local farms in the affected area entered the distribution system, resulting in widespread aflatoxin contamination of market maize. Contaminated market maize, purchased by farmers after their homegrown supplies are exhausted, may represent a source of continued exposure to aflatoxin. Efforts to successfully interrupt exposure to aflatoxin during an outbreak must consider the potential role of the market system in sustaining exposure.
Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, food death, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Research, Uncategorized
The school, in the central Chinese province of Henan, saw pupils suffering from vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhoea – with officials now investigating potential issues with a supplier to a number of schools in the region.
According to Chinese state media, four catering companies in Yucheng are being investigated as possible sources of the suspected food poisoning scandal.
The firms have been contracted by the local government for all public primary and secondary schools since May 2018.
Investigations are ongoing.
A large number of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains have caused major outbreaks and sporadic cases of human illnesses, including mild diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and the life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome. These illnesses have been traced to both O157 and non-O157 STEC. In a large number of STEC-associated outbreaks, the infections were attributed to consumption of ground beef or other beef products contaminated with cattle feces. Thus, beef cattle are considered reservoirs of STEC and can pose significant health risks to humans. The global nature of the human food supply suggests that safety concerns with beef will continue and the challenges facing the beef industry will increase at the production and processing levels. To be prepared to address these concerns and challenges, it is critical to assess the role of beef cattle in human STEC infections. In this review, published reports on STEC in beef cattle were evaluated to achieve the following specific objectives: (i) assess the prevalence of STEC in beef cattle, and (ii) determine the potential health risks of STEC strains from beef cattle. The latter objective is critically important because many beef STEC isolates are highly virulent. Global testing of beef cattle feces revealed wide ranges of prevalence rates for O157 STEC (i.e., 0.2 to 27.8%) and non-O157 STEC (i.e., 2.1 to 70.1%). Of the 261 STEC serotypes found in beef cattle, 44 cause hemolytic uremic syndrome and 37 cause other illnesses.
Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, E.coli O157:H7, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli, Uncategorized
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 19.6 / Tot. = 24.1 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in the UK
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 7.9 / Tot. = 9.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands
RASFF – aflatoxins (Tot. = 4 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from Argentina in Spain
RASFF – aflatoxins (Tot. = 62 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in the UK
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 27.5; Tot. = 30.3 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernels from Iran in Italy
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 26.4 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli powder from India in Slovenia
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 20.6 µg/kg – ppb) in organic brown rice from Pakistan, packaged in Denmark in Sweden
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 6.9; Tot. = 7.4 µg/kg – ppb) and ochratoxin A (82 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli powder from China in Germany
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 15.9; Tot. = 18.5 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled pistachios from Iran, dispatched from the United Arab Emirates in Italy
RASFF – Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins (okadaic acid=501 µg/kg – ppb) in live cockles (Donax Trunculus) from France in Italy
Posted in Algal Toxin, Biotoxin, Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning, DSP, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, okadaic acid, RASFF, shellfish toxin, Uncategorized
FoodWorld 