More people have fallen sick in one of the Netherlands’ largest Salmonella outbreaks ever recorded.
As of mid-September, 171 laboratory-confirmed patients have been identified, including 151 in 2023 and 20 in 2024. Of these, 85 are male and 86 are female.
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said that because not all infections are diagnosed or reported, the number of sick people is estimated to be 20 times higher.
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, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella in Eggs
CHP investigates case of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (October 15) investigating a case of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection, and hence reminded the public to maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene against intestinal infections.
The case involves a 47-year-old male with good past health, who presented with abdominal pain and diarrhoea on September 23. He attended Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital (HKSH)on September 26, September 27 and October 3. His condition was stable and did not require hospitalisation.
His stool specimen grew STEC upon laboratory testing.
Posted in Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, Illness, STEC, STEC E.coli
Stamford Catering Services came to attention when 51 people got sick with gastroenteritis after eating their food on October 12. As a result, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) initiated probes into the issue. The authorities have made a bold decision to halt the food business activities of Stamford Catering Services from October 14 onwards until further instructions.
According to CNA, the SFA required the company to follow certain measures during the suspension, such as thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing its premises, equipment, and utensils.
Moreover, all employees who handle food at the establishment must successfully finish the Food Safety Course Level 1 and receive a clean test result for foodborne illnesses before returning to their responsibilities. Furthermore, the designated food hygiene officer is required to undergo and complete the Food Safety Course Level 3 to return to their duties.
Stamford Catering Services has experienced food safety incidents before. In 2019, the catering service’s food hygiene rating was lowered to “C” following a food poisoning incident that impacted 52 people. Consecutive inspections conducted by MOH and SFA uncovered concerning results, such as elevated levels of bacteria in food and environmental samples, along with numerous hygiene deficiencies.
The repeated instances of food safety problems at Stamford Catering Services have sparked significant worries about the overall cleanliness and safety measures at the establishment. Therefore, the company is facing more scrutiny as the public waits for updates on the ongoing investigations.
Due to the seriousness of the situation, CNA requested a statement from Stamford Catering Services regarding the suspension. Moreover, people are advised to inform the SFA through online platforms about any cases of inadequate hygiene practices in food establishments
Posted in food contamination, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, gastroenteritis, Gastrointestinal Infection, Illness
Tagged catering, food, Food Safety, singapore, travel
October 11, 2024: Final Notice
This notice has been updated to reflect that the outbreak appears to be over and the outbreak investigation has been closed.
Do not consume, use, sell, serve or distribute various recalled plant-based refrigerated beverages.
| Illnesses | 20 |
|---|---|
| Provinces and territories with illnesses (number of illnesses) |
|
| Hospitalizations | 15 |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Gender | 65% female |
| Age range | 7-89
70% of cases are 50 years of age or older |
| Food Recall | Yes, various Silk and Great Value brand plant-based refrigerated beverages recalled nationally |
| Investigation status | Closed |
In total, 20 laboratory-confirmed cases of Listeria monocytogenes illness were linked to this outbreak in:
Investigation findings identified plant-based refrigerated beverages from Silk and Great Value as the likely source of the outbreak.
On July 8, 2024, a food recall warning was issued for various Silk and Great Value brand plant-based refrigerated beverages, with October 4, 2024 as the latest best before date. For more information on the recalled products, please consult the Canadian Food inspection Agency (CFIA) recall notice on the Government of Canada Recalls and Safety Alerts website.
People became sick between August 2023 and mid-July 2024. Of the cases reported to us, 15 people have been hospitalized and three individuals have died. Many people who became sick reported drinking recalled plant-based beverages before their illnesses occurred.
The outbreak appears to be over and the investigation has been closed.
The food safety investigation included product and environmental sampling by the companies and the CFIA. The presence of the L. monocytogenes outbreak strain was confirmed within the production environment, however the primary site of the contamination within the environment was not able to be identified.
As a result, all production at the facility remains stopped, the manufacturing lines are being disassembled and the facility is being renovated. Production at the facility will not restart until the necessary corrective measures are implemented, including enhanced safety and production protocols, and the CFIA is satisfied that any contamination has been eliminated.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) are investigating three incidents of gastroenteritis affecting 51 individuals after consuming food on 12 October 2024 supplied by Stamford Catering Services Pte Ltd. Those affected either sought outpatient treatment or self-medicated. None were hospitalised.
The St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) continue to investigate the outbreak of Shigellosis caused by Shigella bacteria, a disease that affects your digestive system. As of October 11, 2024, the SCCHD has identified 24 individuals with positive Shigella lab reports and an additional 44 individuals reporting illness consistent with Shigellosis after dining at the LongHorn Steakhouse located at 6115 North Illinois Street, in Fairview Heights, Illinois between the dates of September 20th and September 30th, 2024. Age range of those affected are from age 12 to 80 years of age. A total of nine (9) people have been hospitalized.
LongHorn Steakhouse officials voluntarily closed the Fairview Heights establishment on October 2, 2024 and have fully cooperated with SCCHD and IDPH on the investigation to determine the source of the infections. SCCHD has performed environmental assessments of the restaurant and provided corrective actions and guidance in consultation with IDPH on safe food handling practices, proper handwashing protocols and professional environmental cleaning services to prevent further spread of disease.
Since the beginning of the year, several accumulations of disease cases with Salmonella Enteritidis have been identified where epidemiological investigations have pointed to the consumption of imported eggs. The eggs have been sold both to private individuals in shops that do not belong to the larger chains and to restaurants. Several of the disease cases have consumed soft-boiled eggs or unheated eggs in, for example, mayonnaise, béarnaise sauce, Skagen scrambled eggs and pasta carbonara. On several occasions, eggs from private individuals, from shops and from restaurants have been analysed, however, without salmonella being able to be detected.
To avoid becoming infected, raw eggs or foods with raw eggs from countries other than Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark should not be consumed. The risk of infection when consuming such eggs is avoided by heating the whole egg, including the yolk, or the food containing eggs (see the Swedish Food Agency’s recommendations under Read more).
Continued investigative work takes place in collaboration between regional infection control, municipalities, the Swedish Food Agency and the Public Health Agency.
The FDA and CDC are assisting state and local partners from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection and Wisconsin Department of Health Services in an investigation of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to eggs supplied by Milo’s Poultry Farms, LLC of Bonduel, Wisconsin (WI).
As of September 6, 2024, a total of 65 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from nine states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 23, 2024 to August 10, 2024. Of the 63 people with information available, 24 have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.
A recently published report has detailed the largest multi-provincial Salmonella outbreak in Canada in more than two decades, linking 515 confirmed cases to contaminated red onions imported from the United States.
The outbreak, which occurred between June and August 2020, affected residents across seven provinces, with 19 percent of those infected requiring hospitalization. The findings, outlined in a report from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and other health agencies, underscore the complexity of foodborne illness investigations and the challenges posed by fresh produce contamination.
A separate report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020, found that a sheep farm was likely a contributing factor in the contamination of the onions.
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 Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Virus Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, outbreak, Research, Salmonella
Since July 2024, the Statens Serum Institut has registered 23 cases of Salmonella Umbilo. The Statens Serum Institut, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and the Norwegian Food Institute DTU are investigating the disease outbreak. This is an ongoing international disease outbreak with cases in several European countries caused by Salmonella Umbilo ST2014, with arugula lettuce internationally suspected as the source of infection.
FoodWorld 