Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

USA – FDA Core Investigation Table Update – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Posted on April 27, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of hepatitis A virus (ref #1143), cases have increased from 7 to 8. This change has been made on the advisory for this outbreak.
  • A new investigation has been added to the table (ref#1152). Although the pathogen/cause of illness and products linked to illnesses is not yet identified, there are 13 illnesses from one state linked to a single restaurant that has suspended operations. FDA has initiated traceback in coordination with state partners.
Date
Posted		 Ref Pathogen
or
Cause of
Illness		 Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses
(if any)		 Total
Case
Count
Status
4/26/2023 1152 Not Yet Identified Not Yet
Identified		 13 Active
3/29/2023 1141 Salmonella Infantis Raw Flour See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active
3/1/2023 1143 Hepatitis A Virus Frozen Organic
Strawberries		 See
Outbreak
Advisory		 Active
2/15/2023 1123 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Not Yet
Identified		 See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active

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Posted in FDA, 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, Hepatitis A, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

USA – Food illnesses linked to Dave’s Sushi in Bozeman – a death possibly linked to mushrooms

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

According to the Gallatin County Health Department, Dave’s Sushi in Bozeman is closed until further notice due to possible foodborne illnesses. The health department was notified of possible foodborne illness linked to eating at Dave’s Sushi on April 17. At this time, it is unclear what pathogen caused the illness.

On April 18, the health department performed an inspection and reportedly found Dave’s Sushi with four violations.

According to press reports, a man died after eating at the popular Bozeman restaurant, Dave’s Sushi, according to Broadwater County Sheriff Nick Rauser, who is also the county coroner. Sheriff Rauser says the 74-year-old man died at his home in Broadwater County. Sheriff Rauser says the call came in at 6:34 AM on the morning of April 18 and a relative told the responding officer that the man had eaten at Dave’s Sushi the night before, the same night the Gallatin County Health Department reported they received complaints of people becoming ill which led to the investigation and closure of the restaurant.

Dave’s Sushi will remain closed until further notice, pending a full investigation. According to a press release from the Gallatin City-County Health Department, the illnesses have been linked to eating at Dave’s Sushi on the afternoon of April 17, as well as April 1, April 8, April 9, and April 10.

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

USA – CDC – Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Flour

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

CDC

Investigators are working to identify a specific brand of flour linked to this outbreak. However, any raw (unbaked) flour can have germs, like Salmonella. Do not eat or play with uncooked flour, dough, or batter.

Fast Facts
  • Illnesses: 12
  • Hospitalizations: 3
  • Deaths: 0
  • States: 11
  • Recall: No
  • Investigation status: Active
Salmonella in Raw Flour

Flour doesn’t look like a raw food, but most flour is raw. This means that it hasn’t been treated to kill germs that cause food poisoning. Any raw (unbaked) flour used to make dough or batter can be contaminated with germs like Salmonella, but Salmonella germs are killed when flour is cooked or baked. You can get sick after eating or tasting raw dough or batter. Children can get sick from handling or eating raw dough used for crafts or play clay.

Source of the Outbreak

Most people reported eating raw dough or batter made with flour before they got sick. Flour was the only common ingredient in the raw dough or batter people reported eating. Investigators are working to identify a specific brand of flour linked to illnesses.

What You Should Do
  • Do not eat raw dough or batter – even a small amount can make you or your child sick
    • Bake or cook food made with raw flour, like cookie dough or cake batter, before eating it.
    • Follow the recipe or package instructions for cooking or baking. Use the temperature and cooking time given in the recipe or instructions.
    • Buy heat-treated flour to use in recipes for homemade playdough.
  • Clean
    • Wash any bowls, utensils, and surfaces that touched raw flour with warm water and soap.
    • Wash your hands with warm water and soap before and after using raw flour.
  • Separate
    • Keep raw flour, dough, and batter separate from foods that won’t be cooked.
  • Call a healthcare provider right away if you or your child have:
    • Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
    • Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
    • Bloody diarrhea
    • So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
    • Signs of dehydration, such as:
      • Not peeing much
      • Dry mouth and throat
      • Feeling dizzy when standing up

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Posted in CDC, 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, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

USA – Listeria Outbreak linked to unknown food has sickened 18 in 15 states since 2018

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Listeria Outbreak linked to unknown source has sickened 18 since 2018 – 17 have been hospitalized.

A total of 18 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 15 states – Arkansas 1, California 1, Colorado 1, Illinois 1, Louisiana 1, Michigan 2, Missouri 1, Nebraska 1, New York 1, North Carolina 2, Pennsylvania 1, South Dakota 1, Texas 1, Washington 1 and Wisconsin 2.

A specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this outbreak.

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections.

As of April 20, 2023, a total of 18 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 15 states – Arkansas 1, California 1, Colorado 1, Illinois 1, Louisiana 1, Michigan 2, Missouri 1, Nebraska 1, New York 1, North Carolina 2, Pennsylvania 1, South Dakota 1, Texas 1, Washington 1 and Wisconsin 2.

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Posted in CDC, FDA, 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, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

USA – CDC Update – Multistate Outbreak of Hepatitis A Virus Infections Linked to Frozen Organic Strawberries

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

cdc

  • Reported cases: 8
  • States: 2
  • Hospitalizations: 2
  • Deaths: 0
  • As of April 21, 2023, there are:
    • 8 outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A reported from 2 states (California and Washington).
    • Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 24, 2022, to April 12, 2023.
    • 2 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
  • Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries are the likely source of this outbreak.
    • In interviews, 8/8 (100%) people reported eating frozen organic strawberries.

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Posted in CDC, 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, Hepatitis A, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

UK Salmonella outbreaks from breaded chicken sickened thousands and cost millions

Posted on April 26, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

A series of Salmonella outbreaks in the United Kingdom caused by breaded chicken products from Poland could have affected up to 5,000 people, officials have revealed.

The UK-wide outbreaks resulted in more than 1,000 confirmed illnesses in 2020 and 2021 with potentially as many as 4,000 additional cases which were not confirmed or reported.

The incident also cost an estimated £7.7 million ($9.6 million), according to a document detailing the UK Government’s plans to introduce checks on imports from October 2023, under its Border Target Operating Model.

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Posted in 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, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Polish Chicken Salmonella, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken, Salmonella Poland

Kenya – Salmonella and E. coli suspected in large, deadly outbreak in Kenya

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Four people have died and more than 600 were sickened at two schools in Kenya recently.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is investigating a suspected gastroenteritis outbreak at Mukumu Girls and Butere Boys high schools in Kakamega County.

The illness appears to have started on March 1 and as of April 14, 627 patients are sick with 19 students admitted to seven health facilities across the country. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. One teacher and three students have died.

Both schools have been closed by the Ministry of Education and Kakamega County government while investigations are ongoing.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, ETEC E.coli, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

Research – Nestlé strikes settlement deal over France E. coli scandal

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Just Food

Nestlé has agreed to a settlement with victims of a fatal E. coli outbreak last year.

Dozens of children fell sick after eating contaminated food – and two died. In April last year, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into alleged involuntary manslaughter. Health officials ordered production at the Caudry factory to cease five days later.

The company told Just Food today (18 April) it had settled with “the vast majority of claimants”, who are represented by lawyer Pierre Debuisson

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Posted in Death, E.coli, food bourne outbreak, food death, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning Death, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, STEC, STEC E.coli

USA- FDA Core Outbreak Table Update – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Infantis (ref #1141), an onsite inspection and sample collection and analysis has been initiated.
  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Hartford (ref #1144), the case count has increased from 53 to 54 cases. This outbreak has ended and the investigation has closed, with no vehicle identified.
  • For the outbreak of hepatitis A virus (ref #1143), an onsite inspection has been initiated.
Date
Posted		 Ref Pathogen
or
Cause of
Illness		 Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses
(if any)		 Total
Case
Count
Status
3/29/2023 1141 Salmonella Infantis Raw Flour See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active
3/1/2023 1143 Hepatitis A Virus Frozen Organic
Strawberries		 See
Outbreak
Advisory		 Active
2/15/2023 1123 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Not Yet
Identified		 See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active

Leave a comment

Posted in FDA, 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, Hepatitis A, Illness, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

USA – FDA begins onsite inspection of unnamed location in relation to flour outbreak – Salmonella

Posted on April 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The Food and Drug Administration has expanded its investigation into an outbreak of infections caused by Salmonella Infantis that has been linked to flour.

As of the most recent update, on March 30, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak has sickened at least a dozen people across 11 states. Three of the patients have required hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.

Although a specific brand of flour has not been revealed by federal officials, the FDA reports that it has begun onsite inspection of an unnamed location and sample collection.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from Dec. 6, 2022, to Feb. 13, 2023, but there are likely more sick people who have not yet been confirmed because of the time it takes for testing and reporting.

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Posted in FDA, 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, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella