Category Archives: Microbiology

USA – Recall – Food Grade Limestone – Salmonella

FDA

Omya Inc. is voluntarily recalling certain lots of food grade ground limestone products processed at its Superior, Arizona plant because of the possible presence of Salmonella. There have been no reports of any illnesses or adverse health effects associated with any of Omya’s food grade ground limestone products. Although an investigation is still ongoing, Omya is recalling specific lots of Omya-Cal FG-4 AZ, Omya-Cal FG-10 AZ and Omya-Cal FG-15 AZ in the U.S. as a precaution.  Omya’s voluntary recall is being conducted in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The most common symptoms of Salmonella infection are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever, which develop within eight to 72 hours of eating contaminated food. The illness usually lasts for four to seven days and most people recover without treatment. However, salmonellosis can be severe or even life threatening for infants, older people, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems. Individuals experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention.

Omya’s food grade ground limestone products were sold to distributors and/or manufacturers as ingredients for further processing in the U.S. The food grade products were not distributed for retail sale to consumers.
Omya is diligently investigating the possible problem and implemented additional precautionary food safety measures.

The products involved in this voluntary recall are:

Product Container Size Lot numbers
Omya-Cal FG-10 AZ 50 lb. bags
2500 lb. bulk bags
2000 lb. bulk bags
Z227510511
Z227500511
Z227500511
Omya-Cal FG-4 AZ 50 lb. bags
50 lb. bags
Z227510409
Z230310409
Omya-Cal FG-15 AZ 2500 lb. bulk bags
2500 lb. bulk bags
Z228400712
Z228200712

USA – Norovirus Outbreak at a Restaurant

Food Safety News 

At least 39 people fell ill with Norovirus infections after eating at a restaurant in central Illinois last week, according to the local health department.

All of those sickened were among a group of 80 people who attended an end-of-year banquet for a high school soccer team at Alexander’s Steakhouse in Peoria, IL October 28, reported the Peoria Journal Star.

Though the restaurant served a total of 1,100 meals the weekend the banquet was held, no patrons other than those who attended the banquet contracted the virus.

Victims experienced typical symptoms of Norovirus infection, including vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

CDC Letter – UK Shellfish Market and Viruses – Hepatitis E

CDC (full letter)

Bivalve mollusks (shellfish), such as mussels and oysters, are filter feeders; they concentrate microorganisms of human and animal origin (up to 100×) from the surrounding environment. Several recent reports have linked the incidence of human infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) to consumption of undercooked pork, game products, and shellfish (1,2). Infectious HEV has been found in swine manure and wastewater (3); therefore, application of manure to land and subsequent runoff could contaminate coastal water, leading to contamination of shellfish and, subsequently, possible human infection. Because they are filter feeders, bivalve mollusks are biologically relevant sentinels and can indicate potential pathogens that are contaminating the environment. It is essential to ensure that this sustainable resource of coastal areas, where mussels and oysters are farmed or collected wild, is not subjected to environmental contamination that could lead to public health risks.

Risk management for bivalve mollusks, aimed at control of fecal pollution, relies heavily on the use of Escherichia coli as an indicator of fecal (sewage) contamination and is enacted under European food regulations (Regulation 854/2004, www.cefas.co.uk/media/455777/extract_reg_no_854_2004.pdf Adobe PDF file). However, although these regulations probably reduce the number of infections, especially bacterial infections, they are not viewed as adequately controlling the risk for viral infections. Specific risks are posed by the robustness of viruses in the environment and the different behavior of viruses within bivalve mollusks compared with behavior within bacterial fecal indicators.

Canada – Montreal – Norovirus Hospital Outbreak

CBC News

An outbreak of norovirus among staff members at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital led to the temporary closure of the hospital’s neurology clinic last week, CBC has learned.

About 45 employees at the hospital came down with gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, cramps and fever, after eating food that may have originated in an in-house catering service that is only used by staff.

The service is run by the hospital’s Atrium Café, a franchise operated by a volunteer auxiliary, which also serves hundreds of staff and visitors to the hospital each day.

The coffee shop is independent of the hospital’s main cafeteria.

“We closed the coffee shop immediately on Thursday afternoon,” said hospital spokesman Glenn Nashen. “Tests were done all day Friday, and although nothing has been conclusive at this point, the suspicion is that [the virus] may have come from this catering service.”

Nashen said as far as the hospital knows, only staff at the hospital caught the virus.

So many staff members in the neurology department fell ill that the neurology clinic had to be closed for half a day on Thursday and all of Friday.

The neurology clinic is expected to be open again on Monday.

Until the infection prevention and control team determines the specific cause of the outbreak, the coffee shop will remain closed, Nashen said

USA – Carrot Chips Recall Expands – Salmonella

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A carrot recall has been issued by Target and Walmart. The retailers both stock Bolthouse Farms carrot chips, which have been recalled for possible Salmonella contamination.  About 5,600 cases of 16-ounce bags of the sliced carrot wedges were shipped to retail customers in the United States and Canada under the brand names Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips, Safeway Farms Carrot Chips and Farm Stand Carrot Chips.

At Target stores the products under recall include 16 0z bags of Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips with the Target item number: 211-15-0009 and best if used by dates of Nov. 12 and Nov. 13. At Walmart stores, the recalled products have the following information in the upper right-hand corner of the 16 0z baf of Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips: “Best is used by” date of Nov. 12 with  UPC code 71464 17209 or “Best is used by” date of Nov. 13 and UPC 71464 17209.

No illnesses have been reported in association with this outbreak.

UK – HPA – Legionnaires Information and Research

HPALeigionella

 

Around half (116) of the 235 cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England and Wales in 2011 were in returning holiday makers. The annual number of Legionnaires’ cases has fallen from 355 cases in 2010, when around a third (114) were in returning travellers.

Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted by breathing in droplets of water or aerosols containing the legionella bacteria from water sources which may have had temperature problems, or where water has remained stagnant for a period of time. Spa pools, shower heads or taps can sometimes be the source of an outbreak.

The illness usually affects vulnerable people, such as the elderly and almost 70 per cent of the cases reported in 2011 were in people with an underlying health condition, including almost 30 per cent in people with heart disease. Smokers and people with diabetes or a weakened immune system were also at higher risk.

 

Canada Quebec – Recall Chorizo Sausage – Listeria monocytogenes

French

English

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with The Maid Meats Inc. company. Located at 7615 chemin de Chambly, Longueuil, notify the public not to consume the chorizo ​​sausage manufactured by the company because it may contain Listeria monocytogenes.

European Alerts – Recalls – Salmonella, Listeria, Vibrio, E.coli

RASFF – E.coli O103 in Bovine Lungs in Belgium

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Ham from Belgium

RASFF – Salmonella in Crushed Spearmint in Denmark sourced in Egypt

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Smoked Trout in France sourced in Spain

RASFF – Listeria monocytognes in Cheese from Belgium

RASFF – Vibrio cholerae in Black Tiger Prawns in Denmark sourced in Bangladesh

RASFF – Salmonella in Veal in the Netherlands sourced in Sweden

RASFF – Salmonella in Dog Chees in Belgium sourced from Thailand

RASFF – Salmonella in Chilled Mixed Salad in Sweden sourced in Denmark

Denmark  – Listeria monocytogenes in Ham Salad 

France – Listeria monocytogenes in Soft Cheese

USA – Recall – Salmonella in Carrot Chips

FDA Salmonella

Bolthouse Farms is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of Bolthouse Farms® 16-ounce Carrot Chips following a routine sampling event, conducted on October 22, 2012, by a North Carolina health official. The company was notified on October 31, 2012 that the inspection detected the possibility of Salmonella in the single16-ounce bag that was tested. Bolthouse Farms has not received any reports of consumer illness or other consumer complaints related to this product.

In an abundance of caution, Bolthouse Farms is retrieving the Carrot Chips from the marketplace.

No other Bolthouse Farms products are affected by this recall.

Approximately 5,600 cases of the 16-ounce bags shipped to retail customers in the United States and Canada are being recalled. The affected product is labeled as Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips and has the following information and codes on the front right corner of the bags:

Australia/NZ – Warning Shellfish Biotoxin – PSP

FSANZ – Full information at this linkPSP

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today urged consumers to check their fridges for recalled mussels that may be contaminated with a naturally occurring marine biotoxin (paralytic shellfish toxin).

The presence of a paralytic shellfish toxin arising from a naturally-occurring algal bloom in Tasmania has forced the closure of Spring Bay Seafood’s shellfish farm and the business has initiated a recall of its mussels from the market.

The products recalled are branded Spring Bay live blue mussels (with use by dates of between 22 October 2012 – 10 November 2012) and Coles Cooked Tasmanian mussels (use by date 12 November 2012) have been supplied by Spring Bay Seafoods Tasmania and have been distributed to TAS, VIC, NSW, ACT, SA, QLD and some Asian countries.

The affected mussels were supplied in shell and supplied in the quantities of 500g and 1kg vacuumed packed bags (Spring bay seafood), 500g (Coles branded – cream white wine sauce) and 1kg and 2kg net bags (Spring Bay seafood). They may also be supplied loose in shell/ per kg.