Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

Malaysia – Malaysia to recall U.S.-made peanut butter over salmonella contamination

Posted on May 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

English News

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Xinhua) — Malaysia’s Health Ministry ordered the recall of a batch of U.S.-made peanut butter on Monday over fears of salmonella contamination.

The ministry ordered the product’s local importer to recall the affected batch, which was flagged by U.S. authorities, Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement.

The ministry will also be monitoring entry points into the country for the affected batch of products. Consumers who have purchased the affected products have been asked to avoid consuming them.

The batch was also distributed to other countries including Canada, Thailand, Honduras, Spain, Japan, South Korea, Singapore.

Salmonella is a pathogenic bacterium that can cause foodborne illnesses including fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea.

The Jif brand peanut butter in question has been exported to Canada, Thailand, Honduras, Spain, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia.

The affected Jif brand peanut butter products are sold under lot numbers 1274425 to 2140425, with the last three digits being 425. The Ministry of Health is urging consumers to stop consuming the products if they have already purchased them.

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter

USA- Safeway Quick Chek Apple and Peanut Butter Snacks Recalled

Posted on May 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Safeway Quick Chek Apple and Peanut Butter Snack Trays that were sold in New Jersey are being recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. These items were made with recalled Jif peanut butter. The peanut butter is linked to a Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak that has sickened at least 16 people in 12 states. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date that are linked to this specific product. The recalling firm is Safeway Fresh Foods doing business as Sunnyside Fresh of Vineland, New Jersey.

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter

USA- Amazon Go Asian Chicken Salad Sold in WA Recalled For Salmonella – Peanut Butter

Posted on May 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Amazon Go Asian Chicken Salad that was sold in one Amazon Go retail location in Washington is being recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. The salad was made with Jif peanut butter that is recalled. Some types of that peanut butter are linked to a Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak that has sickened at least 16 people in 12 states. No confirmed reports of illnesses have been linked to this specific product.

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, 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 recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter

UK – Research – A survey of Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and antimicrobial resistance in frozen, part-cooked, breaded or battered poultry products on retail sale in the United Kingdom

Posted on May 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

FSA

A survey of Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and antimicrobial resistance in frozen, part-cooked, breaded or battered poultry products on retail sale in the United Kingdom

In this study we estimated how frequently Salmonella spp. were present in frozen, breaded or battered chicken products, intended to be cooked before consumption, on retail sale in the UK between April and July 2021.

Frozen, breaded, ready-to-cook chicken products have been implicated in outbreaks of salmonellosis. Some of these outbreaks can be large. For example, one outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis involved 193 people in nine countries between 2018 and 2020, of which 122 cases were in the UK. These ready-to-cook products have a browned, cooked external appearance, which may be perceived as ready-to-eat, leading to mishandling or undercooking by consumers. Continuing concerns about these products led FSA to initiate a short-term (four month), cross-sectional surveillance study undertaken in 2021 to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in frozen, breaded or battered chicken products on retail sale in the UK.

This study sought to obtain data on AMR levels in Salmonella and E. coli in these products, in line with a number of other FSA instigated studies of the incidence and nature of AMR in the UK food chain, for example, the systematic review (2016).

Between the beginning of April and the end of July 2021, 310 samples of frozen, breaded or battered chicken products containing either raw or partly cooked chicken, were collected using representative sampling of retailers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland based on market share data. Samples included domestically produced and imported chicken products and were tested for E. coli (including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing, colistin-resistant and carbapenem-resistant E. coli) and Salmonella spp. One isolate of each bacterial type from each contaminated sample was randomly selected for additional AMR testing to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for a range of antimicrobials. More detailed analysis based on Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) data was used to further characterise Salmonella spp. isolates and allow the identification of potential links with human isolates.

Salmonella spp. were detected in 5 (1.6%) of the 310 samples and identified as Salmonella Infantis (in three samples) and S. Java (in two samples). One of the S. Infantis isolates fell into the same genetic cluster as S. Infantis isolates from three recent human cases of infection; the second fell into another cluster containing two recent cases of infection. Countries of origin recorded on the packaging of the five Salmonella contaminated samples were Hungary (n=1), Ireland (n=2) and the UK (n=2). One S. Infantis isolate was multi-drug resistant (i.e. resistant to three different classes of antimicrobials), while the other Salmonella isolates were each resistant to at least one of the classes of antimicrobials tested. E. coli was detected in 113 samples (36.4%), with counts ranging from ❤ to >1100 MPN (Most Probable Number)/g. Almost half of the E. coli isolates (44.5%) were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested. Multi-drug resistance was detected in 20.0% of E. coli isolates. E. coli isolates demonstrating the ESBL (but not AmpC) phenotype were detected in 15 of the 310 samples (4.8%) and the AmpC phenotype alone was detected in two of the 310 samples (0.6%) of chicken samples. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing showed that five of the 15 (33.3%) ESBL-producing E. coli carried blaCTX-M genes (CTX-M-1, CTX-M-55 or CTX-M-15), which confer resistance to third generation cephalosporin antimicrobials. One E. coli isolate demonstrated resistance to colistin and was found to possess the mcr-1 gene.

The five Salmonella-positive samples recovered from this study, and 20 similar Salmonella-positive samples from a previous UKHSA (2020/2021) study (which had been stored frozen), were subjected to the cooking procedures described on the sample product packaging for fan assisted ovens. No Salmonella were detected in any of these 25 samples after cooking.

The current survey provides evidence of the presence of Salmonella in frozen, breaded and battered chicken products in the UK food chain, although at a considerably lower incidence than reported in an earlier (2020/2021) study carried out by PHE/UKHSA as part of an outbreak investigation where Salmonella prevalence was found to be 8.8%.

The current survey also provides data on the prevalence of specified AMR bacteria found in the tested chicken products on retail sale in the UK. It will contribute to monitoring trends in AMR prevalence over time within the UK, support comparisons with data from other countries, and provide a baseline against which to monitor the impact of future interventions. While AMR activity was observed in some of the E. coli and Salmonella spp. examined in this study, the risk of acquiring AMR bacteria from consumption of these processed chicken products is low if the products are cooked thoroughly and handled hygienically.

Leave a comment

Posted in AMR, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, fsa, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, UKHSA

India – 97 people in MP contract food poisoning, diarrhea after eating golgappa at fair

Posted on May 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

India Today

Nearly 100 people fell sick after consuming ‘golgappas’ at a fair in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district on Saturday evening, May 28. The incident took place at Singarpur village in Mandla.

The number of people hospitalised was around 97, about 33 were children who were vomiting and had diarrhea. Some children also had fevers. A team of doctors started the treatment and by morning, everyone’s condition had returned to normal.

Mohgaon police station in-charge, SL Markam, said that the golgappa seller has been taken into custody and is being questioned.

Leave a comment

Posted in Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations

USA – Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop recalls peanut butter-containing chocolates over Salmonella concerns

Posted on May 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop is recalling certain Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop brand peanut butter-containing chocolates because of possible Salmonella contamination.

The recalled Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop has peanut butter-containing chocolate with potential Salmonella contamination.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency this recall was triggered by a recall in another country. J.M. Smucker Co. recalled Jif peanut butter products because of a new outbreak of infections from Salmonella Senftenberg. The full Canadian recall can be viewed here. Recalls in the U.S. can be viewed here.

The recalled products have been sold in Nova Scotia and online.

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, 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 recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, food safety training, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter

USA – FSIS – Public Health Alert for Ready-to-Eat Salad Products Containing Peanut Butter that May be Contaminated with Salmonella

Posted on May 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

FSIS USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) salad products containing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated peanut butter that has been recalled by J.M. Smucker Company due to potential Salmonella contamination. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that this product should not be consumed.

The salad products were produced between 5/11/2022 and 5/23/2022. The following products subject to the public health alert are [view labels]:

  • 14.5-oz. plastic clamshell containers labeled “Super Asian Chicken Salad” with a “Best Thru” date of 05/16 through 06/03.

The product bears establishment number “P-214” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were distributed to an Amazon Go retail location in Washington.

The problem was discovered when FSIS was notified by the establishment that the salad dressing component of the RTE salad product was formulated with peanut butter that has been recalled.

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

Media and consumers with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Brian Schkeryantz, A G Specialty Foods, at 949-293-3963 or brian@agspecialtyfoodsinc.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (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/.

he U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) salad products containing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated peanut butter that has been recalled by J.M. Smucker Company due to potential Salmonella contamination. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that this product should not be consumed.

The salad products were produced between 5/11/2022 and 5/23/2022. The following products subject to the public health alert are [view labels]:

  • 14.5-oz. plastic clamshell containers labeled “Super Asian Chicken Salad” with a “Best Thru” date of 05/16 through 06/03.

The product bears establishment number “P-214” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were distributed to an Amazon Go retail location in Washington.

The problem was discovered when FSIS was notified by the establishment that the salad dressing component of the RTE salad product was formulated with peanut butter that has been recalled.

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

Media and consumers with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Brian Schkeryantz, A G Specialty Foods, at 949-293-3963 or brian@agspecialtyfoodsinc.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (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/.

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter

Nigeria – Public Alert No.030/2022 – Ferrero Voluntarily Recalls Kinder® Surprise 20g and 20gx3 chocolate products manufactured by Italian based company Ferrero – Salmonella

Posted on May 30, 2022 by | Leave a comment

NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is notifying the public that Italian based company Ferrero is recalling Kinder Surprise 20g and Kinder Surprise 20g x3 with best before dates between 11th July 2022 and 7th October 2022 due to the possible presence of Salmonella.  The products are being recalled because they were manufactured in a facility where Salmonella Typhimurium was detected.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

People infected with Salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between 6 and 72 hours. The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody.  Other symptoms may include fever, headache, and abdominal cramps. Diarrhoea can occasionally be severe enough to require hospital admission. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have more severe ill.

Details.

PRODUCT PACK SIZE BEST BEFORE DATES
Kinder Mini Eggs 75g All best before dates between 20th April 2022 and 21st August 2022
Kinder Egg Hunt Kit 150g All best before dates between 20th April and 21st August 2022
Kinder Surprise 100g All best before dates between 20th April and 21st August 2022
Kinder Schokobons 200g All best before dates between 20th April and 21st August 2022
BATCHES PREVIOUSLY RECALLED IN FSAI FOOD ALERT 2022.23
Kinder Surprise 20g All best before dates between 11th July and 7th October 2022
Kinder Surprise 20g x 3 All best before dates between 11th July and 7th October 2022

Recommendation

Members of the public already in possession of the above stated product batch are implored not to consume the product and handover stock to the nearest NAFDAC office. If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, contact your doctor.

Consumers are encouraged to report consumer complaints, any Adverse/allergic  reaction related to the use of any regulated product to the nearest NAFDAC office, NAFDAC PRASCOR (20543 TOLL FREE from all networks), via pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng or via the NAFDAC ADR e-Reporting platform available at www.nafdac.gov.ng

References

www.fsai.ie/news_centre/food_alerts/kinder_surprise_recall.htm

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, 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 recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter

Norway Research – Outbreaks stable but illnesses down in 2021 

Posted on May 28, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The number of foodborne outbreaks in Norway has remained steady but fewer people were sick in 2021 compared to the year before.

A total of 25 foodborne outbreaks were announced this past year, which is on a par with 23 in 2020 but down compared to 46 in 2019 and 52 in 2018.

Overall, 327 people fell sick in the 25 outbreaks in 2021 with a range of three to 30 patients per outbreak. The 23 outbreaks in 2020 affected 495 people.

Data comes from a report that gives an overview of outbreaks and related illnesses reported to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) in 2021.

Leave a comment

Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, outbreak, Research

USA – Bix Produce Company Recalls “Egg and Cheese Curds Power Box” Because of Possible Health Risk – Salmonella

Posted on May 27, 2022 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Summary

Company Announcement Date:
FDA Publish Date:
Product Type:
Food & Beverages
Peanut Butter
Foodborne Illness
Reason for Announcement:
Salmonella
Company Name:
Bix Produce Company
Brand Name:
Jack & Olive and Created Fresh!
Product Description:
Egg and Cheese Curds snack and power boxes

Company Announcement

Bix Produce Company of Little Canada, MN, is recalling its 5 ounce packages of “Egg and Cheese Curds Power Box” and “Egg and Cheese Curds snack box” because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
The recalled products have a 7-days shelf life and were distributed regionally in retail settings.

Brand

Product

Pack Size

UPC

Use By Dates Range

Included States
Jack&Olive Egg and Cheese Curds Power Box 5 oz. 8 46709 00570 6 04/18/2022-05/31/2022 MN, WI, IA, SD, ND
Created Fresh! Egg and Cheese Curds Snack Box 5 oz. 8 46709 00570 6 04/18/2022-05/31/2022 MN, WI, IA, SD, ND

The product comes in a 5 ounce, clear plastic package marked with a “Sell By” date ranging from 04/18/22 to 05/31/2022 printed on the bottom of the individual packages.

Bix Produce Company initiated this recall because it contains the Jif Creamy Peanut Butter To Go 1.5 oz. cup that has been recalled by JM Smucker Co.

Consumers who have purchased 5 ounce packages of either item are urged to not consume and immediately discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-651-478-8000.

Company Contact Information

Consumers:
 1-651-478-8000

Product Photos

  • Photo 1- Labeling, Egg & Cheese Curd Snack Box
  • Photo 2 – Labeling, Egg & Cheese Curds Power Box
  • Photo 3 – Label, Jif to go Cup 1.5 oz

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, 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 recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella Peanut Butter