Category Archives: foodborne outbreak

UK – Mogul Restaurant in Bagshot prosecuted for food safety failures.

Surrey Heath

Surrey Heath Borough Council has successfully prosecuted the previous operator of Mogul Restaurant for failing to comply with food safety regulations following a significant food poisoning outbreak amongst customers at the end of 2022.

The company has been ordered to pay a fine of £25,000, a victim surcharge of £2,000 and the Council’s costs of £14,116.

This prosecution is in addition to the restaurant being temporarily shut under Emergency Prohibition provisions to protect further risk of ill health to the public at the time of the outbreak whilst the necessary improvements were made.

Denmark – Polish chicken kebab is linked to Danish salmonella outbreak

SSI

Since May, 22 people have been registered in Denmark with the same salmonella type, which has also made people sick in other European countries. Now the investigation has shown that imported chicken kebab meat from Poland is also the source of infection for the Danish cases.

Last edited on August 29, 2023
Last week, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration found salmonella in a batch of frozen chicken kebab meat from Poland, and the batch was withdrawn from the market. Further analyzes have shown that it is the same type of salmonella that made 22 people sick in Denmark in the period May to August 2023. It is estimated that more people may have been infected, as not all infected people go to the doctor and are tested for salmonella. The frozen chicken kebab products have mainly been sold to restaurants.

“The investigation into this salmonella outbreak has been extensive – partly there has been international collaboration to compare salmonella samples from humans and food, and partly we in the Danish food emergency department have interviewed patients and unraveled where the chicken kebab meat they had eaten came from. We have now found a clear connection between the salmonella type in the chicken kebab meat and the salmonella type in the Danish cases,” says epidemiologist at the Statens Serum Institut, Luise Müller.

“In general, it is the restaurant’s responsibility that consumers do not get sick from the food that is served. The Salmonella bacteria cannot survive heat treatment above 75 degrees,” says Senior researcher and research group leader at the DTU Food Institute Marianne Sandberg.

Head of unit Lene Mølsted Jensen from the Danish Food and Drug Administration states: “The chicken kebab meat from Poland was pre-fried and intended to be further heat-treated before eating. It is therefore an important lesson for restaurants and kebab places that in the future they pay attention to the handling and frying of chicken kebab meat to avoid this happening again.”

In the coming time, the Danish Food and Food Administration will keep an extra eye on whether other batches of chicken products from Poland may be contaminated with salmonella.

What should you do if you have eaten chicken kebab?

If you have not had symptoms of a salmonella infection, or if you have had symptoms that have resolved on their own, do not take any action. In case of persistent symptoms or questions, you can contact your own doctor.

The coordination of the investigation of the disease outbreak has taken place under the auspices of the Central Outbreak Group. It consists of representatives from SSI, the DTU Food Institute and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

USA – University of Arkansas officials report E. coli outbreak

Food Safety News

State and federal public health officials are working with the University of Arkansas on what appears to be an outbreak of E. Coli infections.

During a news conference this afternoon, a spokesman from the Arkansas Department of Health said four people were hospitalized. Also, about 100 students from the university responded to an email saying they currently have or have recently had symptoms.

The total number of confirmed outbreak patients has not been released.

The spokesman said the outbreak seems limited to the Northeast part of the state. He also said the state department and university officials are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the outbreak.

The spokesman said health officials believe the outbreak started about a week ago.

China records a rise in domestic foodborne outbreaks.

Food Safety News

The number of domestic foodborne outbreaks in China has increased over 10 years, according to a study.

Researchers analyzed the cause of household foodborne disease outbreaks from 2010 to 2020 using data from the National Foodborne Disease Surveillance System.

A total of 17,985 outbreaks, which resulted in 73,252 illnesses, 38,829 hospitalizations, and 1,269 deaths, were reported. Most episodes were from May to October, and the highest number occurred in July.

A similar study, published in China CDC Weekly, looked at outbreaks in catering facilities in the country using data from the same time period.

USA – Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Ground Beef is Over

CDC

Fast Facts
  • Illnesses: 18
  • Hospitalizations: 7
  • Deaths: 0
  • States: 4
  • Recall: No
  • Investigation status: Closed
Outbreak Investigation Summary

Ground beef was the only common food people reported eating. Of the people who remembered the type of ground beef they ate, most reported eating 80% lean ground beef before they got sick. Traceback information did not identify a common source of ground beef

USA – FDA won’t say what brand of Pico de Gallo was source of Salmonella in outbreak

Food Safety News

The FDA is reporting that Pico de Gallo was behind a Salmonella outbreak that sickened almost 40 people.

Although investigators identified the cause of the outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration is not reporting what brand of Pico de Gallo was implicated. The agency reported that 37 people were sickened in the outbreak, but did not report where they live. The FDA first reported the outbreak on June 14.

“For the outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B var. L(+) tartrate+ the outbreak has ended and FDA’s investigation has closed. CDC, FDA, and state and local partners conducted epidemiologic and traceback investigations and identified Pico de Gallo as the source of the outbreak,” according to an FDA report released Wednesday.

The FDA reported that its investigators took samples of the product as well as environmental samples of the production facility, but all of the samples came back negative for the outbreak strain. The agency’s statement says there is no risk to consumers.

Norway has two sick in Spanish botulism outbreak

Food Safety News

kswfoodworld

Norway has reported two cases that are part of a botulism outbreak in Spain, bringing the number of people affected to 11.

There is a link between patients and different packaged brands of Spanish omelet (tortilla de patata), which is made with potatoes and eggs, purchased in various supermarkets in different regions.

The Norwegian cases stayed in Barcelona between July 10 and 23.

Denmark – Outbreak with Salmonella Enteritidis sequence type 11 in Denmark

SSI

Since May 2023, the Statens Serum Institut has registered 20 cases of the same type of Salmonella Enteritidis. The Statens Serum Institut, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and the Norwegian Food Institute DTU are investigating the disease outbreak. The outbreak is part of an international outbreak and imported chicken kebabs are suspected.

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Listeria: Ice Cream (August 2023)

FDA

Product 

  • Real Kosher Ice Cream has voluntarily recalled all flavors of Soft Serve On The Go 8-oz ice cream cups 
    • Soft Serve On The Go Vanilla Chocolate
    • Soft Serve On The Go Razzle
    • Soft Serve On The Go Caramel
    • Soft Serve On The Go Parve Vanilla Chocolate
    • Soft Serve On The Go Sorbet Strawberry Mango
    • Soft Serve On The Go Lite Peanut Butter

FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Products may be added to this advisory. Additional recall information is available below.

Stores Affected

  • Multiple retailers in CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, VA, WV.

Symptoms of Listeriosis (Listeria Infection)

Illness can occur within a few hours or as long as two to three days after eating contaminated food. More severe forms of listeriosis may take anywhere from three days to three months to develop. Mild symptoms may include a fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

Status

Ongoing

Recommendation

  • Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled Soft Serve On The Go ice cream and should throw the recalled product away or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. This recall includes all flavors of Soft Serve On The Go 8-oz cups.
  • Ice cream has a long shelf life and may still be in freezers. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should check their freezers and throw away recalled ice cream products or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
  • Consumers, restaurants, and retailers who purchased or received any recalled ice cream products should follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive temperatures at or below freezing and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

Recommendation for At-Risk Groups:

  • Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant people and newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
  • Pregnant people typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
  • Call your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms of a Listeria infection.

Current Update

August 22, 2023

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to Soft Serve On The Go cups produced by Real Kosher Ice Cream of Brooklyn, NY.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture collected an unopened sample of Soft Serve On The Go from an ill person’s home. This sample was reported as positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis confirmed that the strain of Listeria found in the sample from the patient’s home matches the strain of Listeria causing illnesses in this outbreak.

Additionally, product sampling was conducted by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets at Real Kosher Ice Cream’s manufacturing location. Five finished product samples of Soft Serve On The Go Vanilla Chocolate ice cream were reported as positive for Listeria monocytogenes. WGS analysis confirmed that the strain of Listeria found in these products matches the outbreak strain.

FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.

Austria records increase in outbreaks for 2022

Food Safety News

According to recently released data, the number of outbreaks and people sick in them increased in Austria in 2022.

28 foodborne outbreaks were reported in 2022, eight more than in 2021. In these outbreaks, 128 people were affected, which is more than the 92 cases in 2021.

Overall, 57 people had to be hospitalized in connection with incidents in 2022, and there were four deaths. They affected between two and 30 people.