Danish officials are searching for the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has affected 16 people with one recorded death.
During March and April 2023, 16 cases of Salmonella Muenchen have been recorded.
Eight men and eight women are sick. Patients are aged between 10 and 95 with a median of 73 years old. One person has died and seven have been hospitalized.
Ill people live all over the country with eight cases in Hovedstaden, four in Sjælland, three in Midtjylland, and one in Syddanmark.
The Statens Serum Institut (SSI), Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen), and DTU Food Institute are investigating the outbreak.
SSI is continuing to whole genome sequence isolates from patients and interview them or their relatives to try and identify a possible source of infection.
Whole genome sequencing of bacteria isolated from patients has found they were very closely related which suggests that there is a common source of infection.
Salmonella Muenchen is a rare type in Denmark with usually only around two to eight cases per year.
A new report describes how raw, unpasteurized milk in Tennessee likely caused infections in people, including infants, one of whom developed kidney failure.
The report from the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP) discusses two babies who developed E. Coli infections after being fed raw milk from a cow-sharing arrangement in Tennessee.
Often called “herd-shares,” such arrangements get around bans on raw milk sales by legally allowing people to buy part of a herd or of a single animal so that they can consume unpasteurized milk. Participants in herd-share operations pay a farmer to care for and milk the animals.
The babies discussed in the new CIDRAP report developed diarrhea between July 25 and Aug. 1, 2022. Testing revealed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Both households received raw milk from participants in the same cow share. The baby who developed kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome) was hospitalized for 27 days.
More than 80 people were left with food poisoning after attending an International Women’s Day event in Orangeville last month, reports Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
Held on March 8, around 244 guests attended the Best Western Plus Orangeville & Suites for an International Women’s Day luncheon; at least 88 of those guests found themselves experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and nausea after eating contaminated food at the event.
The primary culprits were the sweet potatoes and quinoa in the chicken bowl, which was prepared by an outside caterer.
Public Health inspectors found the food was contaminated with the bacillus cereus bacteria, which lives in soil and can easily attach itself to vegetables and fruits.
Consumers reminded that flour is not a ready-to-eat ingredient
MINNEAPOLIS (April 28, 2023) – General Mills today announced a voluntary national recall of two-, five- and 10-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached and Bleached All Purpose Flour with a “better if used by” date of March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024. The recall is being issued for the potential presence of Salmonella Infantis,which was discovered during sampling of the five-pound bag product.
This recall affects two date codes of Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour in the five- and ten pound bags and two date codes of Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose Flour in the two- and five-pound bags. All other types of Gold Medal Flour are not affected by this recall.
Consumers are asked to check their pantries and dispose of the product affected by this recall. Consumers who have had to discard products covered by this recall may contact General Mills Consumer Relations at 1-800-230-8103.
Guidance from the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control(CDC) warn that consumers should refrain from consuming any raw products made with flour. Salmonella Infantisis killed by heat through baking, frying, sautéing or boiling products made with flour. All surfaces, hands and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour or dough.
This voluntary recall includes the following code dates currently in stores or consumers’ pantries:
Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose 5LB Flour
Package UPC
000-16000-19610
Recalled Better if Used by Date
27MAR2024 and 28MAR2024
Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose 10LB Flour
Package UPC
000-16000-19580
Recalled Better if Used by Date
27MAR2024 and 28MAR2024
Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose 2LB Flour
Package UPC
000-16000-10710
Recalled Better if Used by Date
27MAR2024 and 28MAR2024
Gold Medal Bleached All Purpose 5LB Flour
Package UPC
000-16000-10610
Recalled Better if Used by Date
27MAR2024 and 28MAR2024
Healthy persons infected with Salmonella Infantis, a bacteria, often experience nausea, diarrhea, fever and abdominal pains. The CDC estimates there are 1.2 million cases annually in the U.S. Typically, symptoms start within six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days. Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician.
About General Mills
General Mills makes the food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to drive shareholder value by boldly building its brands, relentlessly innovating, unleashing its scale, and standing for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names such as Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Haagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, General Mills generated fiscal 2022 net sales of $19.0 billion. In addition, the company’s share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled $1.1 billion.
Despite the recent advances in food preservation techniques and food safety, significant disease outbreaks linked to foodborne pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses still occur worldwide indicating that these pathogens still constitute significant risks to public health. Although extensive reviews of methods for foodborne pathogens detection exist, most are skewed towards bacteria despite the increasing relevance of other pathogens such as viruses. Therefore, this review of foodborne pathogen detection methods is holistic, focusing on pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This review has shown that culture-based methods allied with new approaches are beneficial for the detection of foodborne pathogens. The current application of immunoassay methods, especially for bacterial and fungal toxins detection in foods, are reviewed. The use and benefits of nucleic acid-based PCR methods and next-generation sequencing-based methods for bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens’ detection and their toxins in foods are also reviewed. This review has, therefore, shown that different modern methods exist for the detection of current and emerging foodborne bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens. It provides further evidence that the full utilization of these tools can lead to early detection and control of foodborne diseases, enhancing public health and reducing the frequency of disease outbreaks.
During November 2021–May 2022, we identified 37 clinical cases of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus infections in central Italy. Epidemiologic investigations and whole-genome sequencing showed unpasteurized fresh dairy products were the outbreak source. Early diagnosis by using sequencing technology prevented the spread of life-threatening S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus infections.
Streptococcusequi subspecies zooepidemicus is a β-hemolytic streptococcus expressing Lancefield group C antigen and is 1 of 3 S. equi subspecies. S.equi subsp. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen that can infect domestic animals, pets, and wildlife (1–6). Sporadic human cases have been reported (7), characterized by clinical manifestations that vary from meningitis to sepsis. Human infection generally occurs through direct contact with infected animals or by consumption of contaminated unpasteurized milk or other dairy products (8–10). We report a large S.equi subsp. zooepidemicus outbreak in Italy.
In August 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state partners conducted an outbreak investigation into a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to cantaloupe.
Total Illnesses: 88
Hospitalizations: 32
Deaths: 0
Last Illness Onset: September 11, 2022
States with Cases: GA (1), IL (5), IN (17), IA (39), KY (3), MI (3), MN (4), MO (2), OH (3), SC (1), WI (10)
The outbreak response investigation found:
In August 2022, CDC notified FDA about a multistate cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses with a potential signal for melon exposures. The cases were geographically distributed in the U.S. upper Midwest.
The isolates in this cluster of illnesses were within 7 alleles / 11 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of two FDA soil swab samples collected from a 2020 outbreak investigation in Indiana. As a part of the 2022 investigation, FDA and state partners collected multiple samples, but none of the resulting isolates were a definitive match to the 2022 outbreak strain.
FDA’s 2022 traceback investigation identified 11 points of service, of which 8 traced back to a common packinghouse. Although a common packinghouse was identified, there was no convergence to a single shipment of products, and therefore three farms that supplied the common packing house were identified as potential sources of cantaloupe.
As a result of the traceback, FDA conducted investigations in Indiana at all three farms, their common packinghouse and nearby public lands. Salmonella positive environmental samples were found at each location, but none of the resulting Salmonella isolates conclusively matched the outbreak strain by whole genome sequencing (WGS). No cantaloupes were recalled and no public warning was issued due to the implicated products no longer being on the market.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that caused 88 reported illnesses and 32 hospitalizations in the U.S. between July and September 2022. The FDA worked with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state partners to investigate the outbreak, which was linked through epidemiology and traceback to cantaloupe grown in Southwest Indiana during the summer of 2022. The report released today includes an overview of the traceback investigation, investigation results, and various factors that potentially contributed to the contamination of cantaloupe with Salmonella.
As a result of the traceback, FDA conducted investigations in Indiana at three farms, their common packinghouse and nearby public lands. Salmonella positive environmental samples were found at each location, but none of the resulting Salmonella isolates conclusively matched the outbreak strain by whole genome sequencing (WGS). Although the investigation did not result in identification of a specific microbial source or route that resulted in this outbreak, the agency identified Salmonella spp. in on-farm, post-harvest, and off-farm environments.
In light of the investigational findings, FDA highlights the following recommendations and requirements applicable to firms, such as growers of melons and similar produce:
Review current conditions and practices to determine whether they are adequate or if additional prevention measures are warranted.
Understanding previous land use can help farms identify and address potential sources of pathogens that may affect their farming operations.
Be cognizant of and assess risks that may be posed by adjacent and nearby land uses, especially as it relates to the presence of livestock, including poultry, and the interface between farmland, and other agricultural areas.
Consider additional tools such as pre-harvest and/or post-harvest sampling and testing of products to help inform the need for specific prevention measures.
Poultry manure, while valued for its fertilizer value, is a known reservoir for Salmonella spp. Proper application of a manure that has been treated with a validated and verified process to reduce pathogens (e.g. composting with time and temperature measurements) can significantly reduce the potential for the integration of Salmonella or other human pathogens into soils (as compared to the use of raw manures).
Inspect, maintain, and clean and, when necessary and appropriate, sanitize all food contact surfaces of equipment and tools used as frequently as reasonably necessary to protect against contamination.
When appropriate, use EPA-approved products according to the label for cleaning and sanitizing.
Inconsistent adherence to or deviation from existing SOPs for cleaning and sanitizing by farms can affect produce safety. Effective communication on farms about SOPs and any changes to those SOPs can help ensure that food safety practices are being followed.
Root cause analyses may be useful in identifying for growers how human pathogen sources in the broader agricultural environment may contribute to contamination.
Improve traceability through increased digitization, interoperability, and standardization of traceability records which would expedite traceback and help remove contaminated product from the marketplace more quickly, thereby preventing further illnesses. This is not only important for growers, but also critical for shippers, manufactures, and retailers as well, to improve overall traceability throughout the supply chain.
FDA will work in conjunction with the Indiana State Department of Health to increase awareness amongst the melon growing industry of pathogenic environmental strains in the region to develop and promote risk reduction strategies related to melon growing and harvesting to minimize the impact of these strains.
Food safety is a shared responsibility that involves food producers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and regulators. Recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment when it comes to public health outcomes, we encourage collaboration among various groups in the broader agricultural community (i.e., produce growers, state government and academia) to address this issue.
Kurnool: Around 40 people of Karivena in Atmakur of Nandyal district got hospitalized during the early hours of Wednesday with complaints of food poisoning.
On Tuesday night, they had been to an engagement function in the village, where they had their dinner. Following complaints of vomiting and diarrhea, other villagers shifted them to Nandikotkur and Atmakur hospitals for treatment by 108 ambulance services.
Their condition is said to be stable after treatment.
State and federal officials are investigating a new outbreak of illnesses linked to an as yet unnamed restaurant.
The Food and Drug Administration has released little information about the outbreak except to say 13 people in one state are sick. All of their illnesses are linked to a single restaurant, according to an outbreak notice from the FDA.
The ages of the sick people have not been released. The FDA has not reported whether any of the patients has required hospitalization. It also has not reported what symptoms the patients have had or whether any laboratory tests have been conducted.
The agency has begun traceback efforts, but has not indicated what food or foods are involved in the traceback.
FoodWorld 