Category Archives: Illness

Vietnam – 73 Hanoi students hospitalised for food poisoning after field trip

Posted on March 29, 2023 by | Leave a comment

VN Express

A total 73 students at Kim Giang Elementary School in Hanoi developed signs of food poisoning after having lunch prepared by the school’s canteen for a field trip.

The school in Thanh Xuan District organized the field trip to Canh Buom Xanh Park in Gia Lam District for 915 first and second graders on Tuesday morning.

For lunch, the school had the canteen prepare food, including fried rice, fried chicken, fries, sour soup and cookies, and send them along to the park.

The children had lunch at 11 a.m. and during the trip, they also had their own snacks and drinks prepared by their families aside from drinking bottled water provided by the park.

Around 2 p.m. on Tuesday when they returned to school, several students started to have abdominal pain and vomit while two suffered diarrheas.

The Food Safety Department of Hanoi have taken samples of the food served at the student’s lunch and samples of their vomit, as well as of the foods at the park, and sent them to the National Institute of Food Safety for testing.

The school’s canteen has been now suspended.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, 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, Foodborne Illness, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

UK reveals more sick in multi-country Salmonella outbreak

Posted on March 29, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The number of patients in a Salmonella outbreak in the United Kingdom has increased to more than 130.

It was previously reported that 81 people were sick in the UK as part of a multi-country Salmonella Mbandaka outbreak. As of early March, there are 132 UK cases, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Whole genome sequencing confirmed a microbiological link between ready-to-cook chicken breast manufactured in Ukraine, and cases in Finland, Estonia, and the UK. The chicken was supplied to the UK from Ukraine via the Netherlands, and a company in the Netherlands has recalled products sent to the UK. All items were for food service use and have been withdrawn from the UK market.

In May 2022, the UK reported 31 Salmonella Mbandaka cases with 25 from England and three each in Scotland and Wales with sample dates between Sept. 2021 and April 2022. Four were admitted to the hospital and one person died.

As of late 2022, Finland had 89 cases while a few patients also lived in the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Israel. Cases occurred in all age groups.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken products or fresh chicken meat, such as those used in sandwiches and wraps, were said to be the likely vehicles of infection, according to an assessment by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Finnish officials linked the suspected RTE products to an Estonian company, which received processed chicken meat from different suppliers.

ECDC said epidemiological data and microbiological evidence from whole genome sequencing of human isolates indicated there were several sources through different distribution chains.

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Posted in 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 Chicken

USA – FDA Warning Letter – Mariscos Bahia, Inc. – Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on March 23, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) inspected your seafood processing facility, Mariscos Bahia Inc, located at 8300 Rex Rd., Pico Rivera, CA 90660-3719 from October 6 to October 21, 2022. The inspection was initiated as part of a multistate foodborne outbreak investigation of Salmonella Litchfield (S. Litchfield) infections linked to seafood, including fresh, raw salmon, supplied by your facility. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 39 people from 4 states were infected with the outbreak strain of S. Litchfield. During our inspection we collected environmental samples (swabs) from various areas in your facility, including areas that are near food during processing operations. FDA laboratory analyses found the presence of the outbreak strain of S. Litchfield and two additional Salmonella strains, Salmonella Mbandaka (S. Mbandaka) and Salmonella Oranienburg (S. Oranienburg), which are human pathogens, in your facility. On October 20, 2022, your firm recalled various types of fresh fish processed at your facility and distributed between June 14, 2022 and October 17, 2022, because they had the potential of being contaminated with Salmonella. FDA and CDC have determined, based upon the epidemiologic, traceback evidence, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) matches between clinical and FDA environmental samples, that fresh salmon processed at your facility was the likely source of this multistate S. Litchfield outbreak.

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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

USA – FDA -Core Investigation Table

Posted on March 23, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FDA

What’s New

  • For the outbreak of Salmonella Hartford (ref # 1144) in a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 47 to 50 cases. FDA has also initiated an onsite inspection and sample collection and analysis.
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		 50 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
11/9/2022 1127 Listeria
monocytogenes		 Enoki
Mushrooms		 See
Outbreak
Advisory		 Active

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, 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 Enoki Mushrooms, Listeria monocytogenes, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

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.

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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, 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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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