Public health officials announced the investigation of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness associated with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, fevers, and chills at Tamarind Tree Restaurant in Seattle.
According to Public Health – Seattle & King County, 10 people from three separate meal parties have reported a gastrointestinal illness after eating food from the Tamarind Tree Restaurant.
Environmental Health investigators visited the restaurant on January 24, 2023. They observed improper food handling practices, including blocked access to handwashing facilities, improper storage of wiping cloths, risk of cross contamination, and lack of maintenance, cleaning, and sanitizing of food equipment and physical facilities.
Just over 780 people were reported to have suffered from food poisoning last year, nearly 300 more than the numbers reported in pre-pandemic years, according to official statistics.
In 2022, a total of 781 food poisoning cases were reported to the health authorities, a major increase from the 486 registered in 2019.
The figure last year includes 357 people impacted by 71 outbreaks, up from the 232 people involved in 63 outbreaks of food poisoning in 2019.
The most common food-borne bacteria are Salmonella and Campylobacter, according to the list provided showing the food and water-borne diseases reported by the local health authorities.
A $14 million settlement has been reached in lawsuits filed by more than 40 people who claimed they or their loved ones were exposed to a deadly viral outbreak while dining at two Famous Anthony’s restaurants.
Details of the agreement — reached on behalf of four patrons who died and others who were sickened when an employee unknowingly spread hepatitis A — became public during a hearing late Thursday in Roanoke’s federal court
The ruling came Tuesday in the wrongful death suit filed last year by Bill Marler, a nationally known foodborne illness attorney who represented the estate of Mary Billman. Marler was retained following Billman’s death on Jan. 29, 2022, and the listeria outbreak identified by federal and state regulators last summer that gained national attention.
Two Salmonella outbreaks were linked to dried sausages produced around the same time by one company in France, according to a study.
The outbreaks affected 44 people who consumed dried pork sausages contaminated by two different types of Salmonella.
Salmonella Bovismorbificans infected a total of 33 people from September to November 2020 and 11 patients with monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium from October to December 2020.
Epidemiological investigations by Santé publique France linked the outbreaks to dried pork sausages from the manufacturer France Salaison produced between September and November 2020. Three recalls of dried pork products were issued in November, affecting eight supermarkets.
Infection mostly caused by consumption of stale meat, chicken, egg and its products
The health department has found that salmonellosis, a disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella Enteritidis, is behind the food poisoning from a hotel in North Paravoor last week. Around 106 persons who consumed mayonnaise, al-faham, manthi, fried rice and peri-peri manthi from Majlis Hotel contracted the disease.
The samples were tested at the Government Medical College, Kalamaserry after several people started showing symptoms like diarrhoea, stomach upset, fever, nausea and vomiting 5 to 6 hours after consuming food.
Around 196 food poisoning cases were reported in the district this month. Following this, the district medical officer has alerted the public, catering services, hotels and food suppliers to avoid preparation of food in unhygienic conditions.
The health authorities have been informed of the occurrence in France of 5 serious cases of listeriosis, including 4 in pregnant women who have presented premature deliveries. These 5 people, infected with the same strain of Listeria, reported symptoms between April and December 2022.
The investigations conducted jointly by Public Health France (SpFrance), the National Reference Center (CNR) Listeria, the Directorate General for Food (DGAl), the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention ( DGCCRF), and in coordination with the General Directorate of Health (DGS), identified that the cases reported on the national territory had consumed in the weeks preceding their listeriosis plant specialties (cheese alternatives) with almond and walnut milk cashew nuts manufactured and marketed under the Jay & Joy brand.
These investigations revealed irregularities in the company, in particular concerning the control of the risk of microbiological contamination of the products manufactured within the factory. Consequently, a prefectural order, aimed at suspending the marketing of all products stored and manufactured in the factory, was issued on January 16, 2023.
JAY&JOY proceeded to the withdrawal-recall of all the products manufactured by the company on January 14, 2023.
The details of the products concerned by the withdrawal-recall are available on rappel.conso.gouv.fr. People holding these products are asked not to consume them and to return them to the point of sale where they purchased them.
Utopia Foods Inc of Glendale, NY, is expanding the recall of its 200g packages of “Enoki Mushrooms”, imported from China, with clear and blue plastic packages with clear markings of “Best before 03/02/2023” or “Best before 03.09.23” distributed between January 6th to January 13th, 2023 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The product comes in a 200g, clear and blue plastic package with brand name “UTOPIA” and bar code 8928918610017 marked on the packaging.
The recalled “Enoki Mushrooms” were distributed in NY, NJ and CT to produce wholesale companies.
The distribution of the product has been suspended while FDA and the company continue to investigate the source of the problem.
All vendors who have distributed the 200g packages of “Enoki Mushrooms” should immediately cease the distribution and notify their customers of the recall and recall instructions. If their customers have further distributed the product notify them to instruct their customers.
Consumers who have purchased the item are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at 718.389.8898.
FoodWorld 