Category Archives: Hygiene

Ireland – Recall of For Gut Sake Lovely Leitrim Farm Fresh Raw Milk due to hygiene concerns

FSAI

Category 1: For Action
Alert Notification: 2024.18
Product Identification: For Gut Sake Lovely Leitrim Farm Fresh Raw Milk; pack size: 1 litre
Batch Code All batch codes; all expiry dates
Country Of Origin: Ireland

Message:

For Gut Sake is recalling all batches of its Lovely Leitrim Farm Fresh Raw Milk due to concerns with hygiene controls during production.  Recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale.

Action Required:

Manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, caterers & retailers:

Retailers are requested to remove all batches from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.

Consumers:

Consumers are advised not to consume the implicated batches.

UK survey shows gap between food hygiene knowledge and practises.

Food Safety News

I would like to have said that I was surprised but I am not.

A survey on habits and beliefs around food hygiene has found some people wash raw chicken before cooking and others check their phones while preparing food.

Ipsos interviewed 2,231 adults aged 16 to 75 in the United Kingdom online in March 2024.

Overall, 85 percent of adults said they cook or prepare food at home at least several times a week.

One potentially harmful habit was people using the same tea towel for multiple purposes, including drying hands and kitchen objects. The data suggest that almost four in 10 do this at least frequently. Even among those who say they cook and prepare food at home on a daily basis, the proportion of those sharing this habit is 36 percent.

More than a third always or frequently check their phone whilst preparing food. One in five store leftover food in open containers in the fridge.

Almost one in three respondents frequently or always wash raw chicken before cooking it. This practice can cause cross-contamination through splashing bacteria onto hands, clothes, worktops and utensils. Microscopic droplets can cause cross-contamination.

Singapore – Food caterer fined $6,000 for hygiene breaches that led to 92 food poisoning cases

yahoo

Live cockroaches and rodents, as well as food waste strewn over premises, were found during inspections

Food and beverage catering company KG Catering was fined $6,000 on Wednesday (1 November) for multiple hygiene offences. This was after 92 people suffered food poisoning from consuming food prepared by the caterer.

According to a media release by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), none were hospitalised.

The gastroenteritis cases happened across three separate incidents, and were reported to the SFA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) between 20 September 2022 and 11 March 2023. The symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting.

USA – Employees had nowhere to wash hands at ice cream factory behind Listeria outbreak, FDA says

CBS News

Employees at Big Olaf Creamery, the Florida-based creamery behind a multistate listeria outbreak last year, had nowhere to wash their hands before they entered the production room, according to an investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration. The outbreak killed at least one person and hospitalized 27 others across 11 states.

“It was observed that there was no handwash sink outside of the production area for employees to wash and sanitize hands before entering the production room,” the FDA wrote.

USA – Kerry Inc. Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Pay $19.228 Million in Connection with Insanitary Plant Conditions Linked to 2018 Salmonella Poisoning Outbreak

Justice

Food and ingredient manufacturing company Kerry Inc. pleaded guilty today to a charge that it manufactured breakfast cereal under insanitary conditions at a facility in Gridley, Illinois, that was linked to a 2018 salmonellosis outbreak.

Pursuant to a plea agreement filed with a criminal information in federal court in Peoria, Illinois, Kerry pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of distributing adulterated cereal marketed as Kellogg’s Honey Smacks. The company also agreed to pay a criminal fine and forfeiture amount totaling $19.228 million. If the guilty plea is accepted by the court, the $19.228 million fine and forfeiture will constitute the largest-ever criminal penalty following a criminal conviction in a food safety case.

“Consumers depend on food manufacturers to take appropriate steps to ensure food safety,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department is committed to holding accountable those who fail to meet this obligation.”

“Today’s announcement should serve as a reminder that food manufacturers have a critical responsibility to produce and sell food that is safe for American consumers to eat,” said Assistant Commissioner Justin D. Green for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who put the public health at risk by allowing contaminated foods to enter the U.S. marketplace.”

The criminal information unsealed today alleges that Kerry manufactured Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal under insanitary conditions and distributed it in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. According to the plea agreement, tests performed as part of Kerry’s environmental monitoring program found numerous instances of Salmonella in the environment at the Gridley facility. During the time period June 2016 to June 2018, routine environmental tests detected Salmonella in the plant approximately 81 times, including at least one positive Salmonella sample each month. According to the plea agreement, employees at the Gridley facility routinely failed to implement corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs) to address positive Salmonella tests.

Global Handwashing Day

Global Handwashing Day

October 15 is Global Handwashing Day, a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN, TEST, AND REPLICATE CREATIVE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WASH THEIR HANDS WITH SOAP AT CRITICAL TIMES.

This unprecedented time provides a unique impetus to institutionalize hand hygiene as a fundamental component of health and safety. The learnings from the past year have emphasized the need for collective action to address the historic neglect of hand hygiene investments, policies, and programs once and for all. As we enter a new normal, beyond COVID-19, our future is at hand.  This year’s theme, “Our Future is at Hand – Let’s Move Forward Together,” calls for coordinated action as we actively work toward universal hand hygiene.

No matter your role, you can celebrate Global Handwashing Day!

Click to access GHD-2021-Fact-Sheet.pdf

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Cyclospora: Bagged Salads (June 2020) CDC announces the end of the outbreak; FDA continues its investigation.

CDC

Investigation Update

September 25, 2020

As of September 25, 2020, CDC has announced this outbreak is over. FDA’s traceback investigation is complete, however the cause or source of the outbreak has not been determined. FDA’s investigation is continuing, in consultation with the state agriculture and regional water board.

FDA investigated multiple farms identified in the traceback, one of which led to sampling and investigation around a farm in south Florida. FDA continues to work with the state of Florida and the local water district to try to determine the source and impact of Cyclospora that was found in the regional water management canal (C-23), located west of Port St. Lucie, Florida. Given the emerging nature of genetic typing methodologies for this parasite in foods and in environmental samples, the FDA has been unable to determine if the Cyclospora detected in the canal is a genetic match to the clinical cases, therefore, there is currently not enough evidence to conclusively determine the source of this outbreak. However, the presence of Cyclospora in a canal that had previously supplied irrigation water in the region, and specifically to a farm identified in the traceback, suggests the need for a collaborative effort by state, federal and industry partners to better define the scope of the contamination and identify appropriate risk mitigation measures.

Previous Updates

USA – Wismettac Asian Foods Voluntarily Recalls Dried Fungus Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

FDA

Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc., Santa Fe Springs, CA is issuing a voluntary recall for Shirakiku brand imported Dried Fungus (also known as Black Fungus or Kikurage) because it has 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 product was distributed to restaurants in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington DC, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and British Columbia in Canada.

  • Affected Product:
Item Number Item Description Pack Size UPC Code Product Lot Code Package Photo
#60403 BLACK FUNGUS (KIKURAGE) 5LB 5 LB 00074410604035 All Lots with Item #60403 on the package See below

Wismettac is initiating the recall after the California Department of Public Health discovered the presence of Salmonella in the product. The manufactuer has been made aware of the issue, and is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the issue so corrections can be implemented.

To ensure consumer safety, all distribution of the affected product has ceased and restaurant customers have been notified for the product removal.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at recall@wismettacusa.com.

Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc.
Food Safety Department
recall@wismettacusa.com


Company Contact Information

Consumers:
Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc.
 recall@wismettacusa.com

Product Photos

USA – Real Pet Food Company of Phoenix, AZ Voluntarily Recalls One Lot of Billy+Margot Wild Kangaroo and Superfoods Recipe Dog Food in 4 lb Bags Because of a Possible Salmonella Health Risk (USA)

FDA

Real Pet Food Company is voluntarily recalling Billy+Margot Wild Kangaroo and Superfoods Recipe 4lb bags because it has the potential to be contaminated with SalmonellaSalmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products.

While no illnesses have been reported, healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Owners exhibiting any signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare provider.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea, fever, vomiting and or abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Retailers who have received product from the affected lot code have been asked to remove this product from shelves immediately and dispose of the product carefully.

If you have purchased Billy+Margot Wild Kangaroo and Superfoods Recipe in a 4 lb bag, with lot code V 07 Feb 2022 from any retail store nationally, please stop feeding the product to your dogs, dispose of this product immediately, wash your hands accordingly, and sanitize affected surfaces.

This recall does not affect any other Billy+Margot products or those sold outside of the USA.

The recall is a result of a routine sampling program by state officials which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product. The FDA and the company will continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled products may call Real Pet Food between 8 am and 10 pm EST immediately for a refund or for additional information at : 1-800-467-5494. Consumers with questions may contact the company at : 1-800-467-5494 during the above times also.


Company Contact Information

Consumers:
Real Pet Food
 1-800-467-5494

Product Photos

Luxembourg – RECALL: GORGONZOLA OF THE AUCHAN BRAND – RISK OF THE PRESENCE OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

SAP

Last name GORGONZOLA
Mark AUCHAN
Unit 150 g
Bar code 3596710406647
Best before date (DLC) 01/10/2020
Lot P230003

Danger  : Risk of presence of Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes can cause fever, headache, and gastroenteritis. Vulnerable people such as the immunocompromised and the elderly and young children may experience neurological symptoms due to meningitis. Pregnant women should also pay special attention to these symptoms. Gastroenteritis can appear between a few hours and 3 days after consumption, while neurological symptoms can only appear after 3 months. People who have consumed these products and who present these symptoms are advised to consult a doctor, notifying him of this consumption.

Sale in Luxembourg by: Auchan

Source of information: Recall notification by Auchan

Communicated by: Government Commission for Quality, Fraud and Food Safety .