In a tragic incident in Hoskote, Bengaluru Rural, a 65-year-old woman named Siddagangamma lost her life, while 135 others were hospitalized in a suspected case of food poisoning. The unfortunate incident is believed to be linked to the consumption of an edible offering at a local place of worship. Authorities are actively monitoring the situation as the Health department continues to investigate.
| Date |
Ref | Pathogen or Cause of Illness |
Product(s) Linked to Illnesses (if any) |
Total Case Count |
Status |
| 12/6/
2023 |
1205 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Not Yet Identified |
3 | Active |
| 11/22/
2023 |
1201 | Salmonella Newport |
Not Yet Identified |
44 | Active |
| 11/22/
2023 |
1203 | Salmonella Sundsvall and Oranienburg |
Cantaloupe | See | Active |
| 11/15/
2023 |
989 | Listeria monocytogenes |
Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines |
See | Active |
| 11/8/
2023 |
1198 | Elevated Lead Levels |
Apple Cinnamon Puree |
See | Active |
United States Outbreak
More patients have been identified in the Salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupe. The outbreak is now spread across 42 states. Since the most recent update, on Dec. 7, another 72 patients have been confirmed, bringing the total number of sick people to 302.
Of 263 people interviewed so far, half have been hospitalized. Four people have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak strains of Salmonella in this outbreak are particularly virulent as the pathogen generally does not cause such a high percentage of hospitalizations.
Canadian outbreak
There is a related outbreak in Canada involving cantaloupe from the same supplier in Mexico. Recalls there also include pre-cut products.
As of Dec. 15, there have been 153 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Soahanina, Sundsvall and Oranienburg illness linked to this outbreak, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Of patients with the information available, 53 have been hospitalized. Six patients have died.
Since the last update on December 7, 302 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 42 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from October 16, 2023, to November 28, 2023. Of 263 people with information available, 129 (49%) have been hospitalized. Four deaths have been reported, three from Minnesota and one from Oregon.
China has witnessed a notable decline in outbreaks of foodborne diseases, signaling positive progress on food-safety management, according to the country’s National Health Commission (NHC).
The achievement is attributed to the implementation of a national food-safety risk-monitoring program, Cao Xuetao, deputy head of the NHC, said on Tuesday.
Foodborne diseases, commonly known as food poisoning, represent a critical global public health concern.
In recent years, the NHC has introduced three major monitoring systems to improve awareness of food-safety risks. These systems focus on monitoring individual cases of foodborne diseases, tracking outbreaks of such diseases, and establishing a molecular traceability network to identify the sources of foodborne illnesses.
China’s food safety governance has made positive progress with a decrease of 11 percent in the number of foodborne disease outbreaks and a 33.9 percent reduction in the number of related deaths since the beginning of the period covered by the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), officials from the National Health Commission (NHC) revealed at an event in Beijing on Tuesday during Food Safety Awareness Week.
Li said that according to the foodborne disease monitoring network, from 2010 to 2022, a total of 46,430 foodborne disease outbreaks were reported nationwide (an average of 3,572 per year, among which 1,024 cases were due to mushroom poisoning), with 330,870 cases of illness (an average of 25,452 per year) and 1,679 deaths (an average of 129 per year, among which 70 were caused by mushroom poisoning).
The deadly Salmonella cantaloupe outbreak has sickened at least 359 people and killed eight in the United States and Canada. As of December 7, 2023, there are 129 laboratory confirmed cases in Canada, and 230 illnesses in the United States. In the U.S., 96 patients have been hospitalized and there are three deaths: two in Minnesota and one in Oregon. In Canada, 44 patients are hospitalized and there are five deaths.
The co-owner of a popular Raleigh sushi restaurant is responding after dozens of people got sick after eating there. Wake County Environmental Services is investigating 140 cases of foodborne illness at Sushi Nine on Western Boulevard. The restaurant closed for 48 hours but has since reopened. With this time we have taken proactive steps to address recent reports of alleged food poison.
Do not consume, use, sell, serve, or distribute recalled products
The affected products are being recalled from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. See link above for recall list.
Posted in CFIA, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Cantaloupes
As of December 7, there have been 129 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Soahanina, Sundsvall and Oranienburg illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (15), Ontario (17), Quebec (91), Prince Edward Island (2), New Brunswick (2), and Newfoundland and Labrador (2). Additional Salmonella infections are under investigation and more illnesses associated with this outbreak may be confirmed. Individuals became sick between mid-October and mid-November 2023. Forty-four (44) individuals have been hospitalized. Five deaths have been reported. Individuals who became ill are between 0 to 100 years of age. The majority of the individuals who became sick are children 5 years of age or younger (35%), or adults 65 years of age or older (45%). About half of the cases (52%) are female.
Recalled whole cantaloupe from the following brands:
Recalled pre-cut cantaloupe and products containing pre-cut cantaloupes (these products are made from recalled whole cantaloupes):
FDA has compiled a list of recalls being conducted by companies that received and used recalled melons to make pre-cut cantaloupe or products containing pre-cut cantaloupes. This list will be updated as the agency receives notifications of new recalls.
FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.
FoodWorld 