Category Archives: Foodborne Illness

EU – Oysters linked to 170 illnesses in Finland; people sick in other countries – Norovirus

Posted on March 22, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

french oysters

Contaminated shellfish are continuing to cause illnesses in several European countries and Hong Kong.

At least 170 people have fallen ill in Helsinki, Finland, after eating oysters in various restaurants in February and March. Cases have also been reported in other Finnish cities.

Norovirus has been found in nine different oyster batches with two from the Netherlands, six from France, and one from Ireland. Importers have withdrawn affected batches from the market.

Officials have tested food from restaurants and taken patient samples, finding norovirus. Some of those sick reported eating oysters.

A report on the outbreak is being prepared for the Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Norovirus is the most commonly identified cause of foodborne outbreaks in Finland. Between 2017 and 2021, oysters caused 11 norovirus outbreaks in which more than 110 people fell ill.

Finland has published four Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) alerts on food poisoning due to norovirus in oysters since late February.

Leave a comment

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, Norovirus, Norovirus Oysters, outbreak

USA – Five with Hepatitis A in Washington linked to tainted Mexican Strawberries

Posted on March 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poison Journal

Key Facts:

As of March 13, 2023, there are:

  • 5 outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A reported from 1 state (Washington).
  • Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 24, 2022, to December 27, 2022.
  • 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.

CDC, state public health and regulatory officials, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating an outbreak of hepatitis A linked to frozen organic strawberries imported from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico, by a common supplier.

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 Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hepatitis A, Illness, outbreak

USA – Elementary school closes as Norovirus sickens 136 students and staff

Posted on March 20, 2023 by | Leave a comment

ABC News

California health officials have shut down an elementary school in Long Beach after at least 136 students and staff reported symptoms of norovirus as of Thursday, according to the city’s health department.

“Despite stringent control measures, there has been evidence of ongoing transmission and, as a result, the school will be temporarily closed until Wednesday so that deep cleaning — an outbreak management strategy — can be thoroughly conducted,” the Long Beach Health Department told ABC News.

Leave a comment

Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Norovirus, outbreak

Norway – Sampling issues found at producer linked to Listeria outbreak

Posted on March 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Norwegian authorities found problems with the sampling plan of a company linked to a Listeria outbreak in 2022, according to a report.

At an inspection in October, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) discovered the fish producer’s sampling plan was not sufficient, and that environmental samples had not been taken in line with Troll Salmon’s internal program.

During the visit, the agency took 14 environmental samples and the company also conducted sampling afterward. One of the authority’s tests was positive and the producer detected Listeria in two different drain samples.

The firm was ordered to take daily samples for an undefined time period and to update the sampling plan. It also carried out additional cleaning and disinfection of premises and equipment as well as work to find the source of the outbreak strain.

Leave a comment

Posted in 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, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak

USA – FDA -Core Investigation Table Update

Posted on March 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

Date
Posted		 Ref Pathogen
or
Cause of
Illness		 Product(s)
Linked to
Illnesses
(if any)		 Total
Case
Count
Status
3/8/2023 1144 Salmonella Hartford Not Yet
Identified		 47 Active
3/1/2023 1143 Hepatitis A Virus Not Yet
Identified		 5 Active
2/15/2023 1123 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Not Yet
Identified		 See
CDC
Investigation
Notice		 Active
11/9/2022 1127 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Enoki
Mushrooms		 See
Outbreak
Advisory		 Active

Leave a comment

Posted in CORE Investigation Table, FDA, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hepatitis A, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak, Salmonella

Singapore – Spize’s outlets at Simpang Bedok get hygiene downgrade after food poisoning cases

Posted on March 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Channel News Asia

SINGAPORE: Two food establishments owned by Spize have had their food hygiene grades downgraded from A to C, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Saturday (Mar 11).

Fifteen people reportedly developed gastroenteritis symptoms following the consumption of food prepared at Spize @ Simpang Bedok from Jul 5 to Jul 6, 2022.

Leave a comment

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

Sweden – No cases yet linked to most recent Salmonella finding in Sweden

Posted on March 14, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

hazegg.jpg

A second alert for Salmonella at an egg producer in Sweden does not appear to have resulted in more people getting sick, according to health officials.

The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) said new findings of Salmonella at the site of the same company were made in mid-February. This prompted another wave of recalls in February and March.

In late December 2022, Salmonella Enteritidis was identified at CA Cedergren, a major producer, in one of the egg-laying stables during a routine environmental sampling check. Eggs were then recalled by Coop, Axfood, ICA, Lidl, and Kronägg. 

Investigations found Salmonella from the production environment in December was identical to isolates from sick people.

Leave a comment

Posted in Decontamination Microbial, 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, Salmonella in Eggs

USA – 300 passengers and crew fall ill on Ruby Princess cruise from Texas – Norovirus?

Posted on March 10, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Washington Post

More than 300 passengers and crew on the Ruby Princess contracted a gastrointestinal illness causing vomiting and diarrhea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week.

The Princess Cruises voyage carrying about 4,000 people ran from Feb. 26 to Sunday in the western Caribbean and docked in Galveston, Tex.

While the CDC has not listed a specific virus, Princess Cruises said in a statement the cause was likely norovirus.

About 10 percent of the passengers and 3 percent of the crew onboard were sick, according to the CDC.

Leave a comment

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, Norovirus, outbreak

RASFF Alert – Foodborne outbreaks suspected to be caused by Norovirus in oysters.

Posted on March 10, 2023 by | Leave a comment

RASFF

Foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by norovirus in oysters from Netherlands in Sweden and Finland.

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 Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Norovirus, Norovirus Oysters, outbreak

India – Mumbai: Seven Blind School students fell sick due to food poisoning

Posted on March 9, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Mid Day Com

At least seven children fell sick due to food poisoning at the Victoria Memorial Blind School in Mumbai’s Tardeo as reported at around 1 am on Tuesday.

The brief further said that five children are complaining vomiting and abdominal pain, whereas two others are suffering from fever.

All the seven children are admitted to BMC’s Nair Hospital and reported to be in “stable condition”.

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, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning