What’s New
- For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1214) linked to queso fresco and cotija cheese, the outbreak advisory has been updated to include additional downstream recalls.
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Category Archives: outbreak
USA -FDA Core Investigation Table – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
11 sick in French cheese STEC O26 E. coli outbreak
The number of children sick in a severe E. coli outbreak in France linked to raw milk cheese has risen to 11.
The 11 hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) cases were reported in late 2023. HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infections that causes kidney failure. Santé publique France surveillance on HUS only covers children younger than 15 years old in the country, so there could be other sick people in the outbreak.
Five young children attending the Minimes crèche in Toulouse had to be hospitalized in November. Stool cultures revealed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection. Cheese has tested positive for E. coli O26.
The other six children with HUS infected with the outbreak strain are unrelated to the crèche and live in different regions.
Speaking to different French media outlets, the parents of two girls, Élise, aged 7, and Clara, 18 months old, revealed how their children had been affected and their ongoing health issues
UK – Dairy firm linked to STEC outbreak resumes cheese sales
A cheese company linked to an E. coli outbreak in the United Kingdom has been allowed to restart sales of products.
Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese can resume selling batches of five raw milk cheeses made on or after Oct. 1, 2023. This includes the mild, creamy, tasty, mature, and smoked Lancashire varieties, plus Waitrose and Partners, Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese.
However, any of these cheeses put on the market up to and including Feb. 5, 2024, should not be eaten and must be returned to the place of purchase for a refund.
There are now 36 cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145 linked to the outbreak, up from 30 in an earlier update. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Public Health Scotland (PHS), and other agencies are investigating the incident.
Sick people live in England, Wales and Scotland. They fell ill from late July 2023, with the majority in December and all had symptom onset before Dec. 24, 2023.
Of 19 people with information available, a dozen reported bloody diarrhea, and 11 have been hospitalized. One person developed haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and another died.
For 30 cases where information is known, 15 are female, and 15 are male, with ages ranging from 7 to 81 and a median of 35 years old.
USA – Mg Foods Voluntarily Recalls Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich Distributed in Florida Due to Possible Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination of Cotija Cheese
Melbourne, Fla. (February 13, 2024) – MG Foods is voluntarily recalling a Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll sold in Florida. This voluntary recall is being initiated as a result of the Rizo-López Foods, Inc. recall of cotija cheese due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes and associated with an outbreak the FDA is currently investigating.
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that 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, a Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
MG Foods used this cheese to make the recalled product distributed between 2/2/24 and 2/9/24 and sold via vending machines and grab-and-go retail markets within business locations exclusively in Florida. Product packaging, UPC number and use by dates can be found below, and the label for identification of the product is also included.
To date, no illnesses have been reported related to this specific product.
| PRODUCT | SIZE | UPC NUMBER | CONTAINER | USE BY DATES |
WHERE USE BY DATE CAN BE FOUND |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&S Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll |
8.3 oz | 100001002017 | Plastic Container | 02/09/24 to 02/16/24 |
Left side of front label above net weight |
MG Foods takes product safety very seriously. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to discard any remaining product immediately. Consumers may contact MG Foods at RecallConcern@HotLineGlobal.com or by calling 1-855-424-8390 Monday through Friday 8:00am – 6:00 pm EST for any questions related to this recall or to request a full refund.
Product label is included below for identification of products.
Posted in FDA, food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, 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 outbreak, Listeria, Listeria in Cheese, Listeria monocytogenes, outbreak
USA – Updater – Outbreak Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes: Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese (February 2024)
Products (Updated 2/12/2024):
Recalled dairy products and products made with recalled dairy products sold under the brand names:
- Bright Farms, Campesino, Casa Cardenas, Dole, Don Francisco, Don Pancho, Dos Ranchitos, El Huache, Food City, Fresh & Ready Foods, Fresh Express, H-E-B, La Ordena, Marketside, Maverick Foods, President’s Choice, Ready Pac Bistro, Rio Grande, Rizo Bros, Rojos, San Carlos, Santa Maria, The Perfect Bite Co.,Tio Francisco, Trader Joe’s, and 365 Whole Foods Market.
Retailer names where product was sold unbranded as taco kits and meals:
- Albertsons, Carrs-Safeway, Costco, Eagle, Lucky, Jack & Olive, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Save Mart, Shaw’s, Sprig & Sprout, Sprouts, Star Market, Stater Bros. Markets, Tom Thumb, and Vons.
More information about recalled products, including descriptions, sizes, and UPCs or “best by” dates are included in the table of recalled products below. Additional information is also available in the recall notices from the companies.
FDA has been notified of additional companies who have issued public notifications or recalls for products linked to the Rizo-Lopez Foods, Inc. dairy recall that were sold at retail locations. Products from the following announcements have been added to the table of recalled products below.
- Costco Member Letters for Southwest Wrap (Item # 29433)External Link Disclaimer
- Costco Member Letter for Chicken Street Taco Kit (Item #11545) BA, LA and Select NW & SD LocationsExternal Link Disclaimer
- Costco Member Letter for Maverick Foods Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowl (Item #1704074) TE LocationsExternal Link Disclaimer
- Taylor Fresh Foods recalled Marketside Bacon Ranch Crunch Chopped Salad kits sold at Walmart stores in AL, AR, CO, DC, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NY, OK, PA, SD, TN, TX, VA, WV, and WY
- Braga Fresh recalled Marketside Bacon Ranch Crunch Chopped Salad kits sold at Walmart stores in CA and NV
- The Perfect Bite Co. recalled MEXICAN STYLE STREET CORN BITE sold to Costco stores in CA and HI
- Save Mart Companies recalled Chicken Street Taco Kits sold in Save Mart, Lucky, and Lucky California store service delis in CA and NV
- Stater Bros. Markets recalled Chicken Street Taco Kits sold at all Stater Bros. Markets in CA
- Fresh & Ready Foods recalled Fresh & Ready Ham Torta Sandwich, Fresh & Ready Chicken Torta Sandwich, Sprig & Sprout Ham Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll, and Jack & Olive Ham Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll sold exclusively in locations in AZ, CA, NV, and UT
- Sprouts Farmers MarketExternal Link Disclaimer recalled Chicken Street Taco Meal Kit sold in Sprouts stores in AL, FL, GA, NC, and TN
On 2/9/2024 and 2/10/2024, The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) updated their public health alert to include additional products made with or containing recalled dairy products from Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc.
More information about recalled products, including descriptions, sizes, and UPCs or “best by” dates are included in the table of recalled products below. Additional information is also available in the recall notices from the companies.
Case Count Map Provided by CDC
Research – What do Consumers need to know about Salmonella and Cantaloupe
In the United States, the Salmonella Sundsvall outbreak linked to cantaloupe from Mexico has been declared over. The outbreaks sickened 407 people in 44 states. Six deaths were reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first reported the outbreak on November 17.
Of the 362 patients with information available, 158 were hospitalized.
Canadian officials have posted their final update on the Salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupe, adding two deaths to the toll. There were 190 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella Soahanina, Sundsvall, Oranienburg, and Newport illnesses associated with the nationwide outbreak. Sixty-eight patients were hospitalized, and nine died.
Read more at the link above.
USA – 129 passengers, 25 crew struck by Norovirus outbreak in US
Australian cruisers have escaped the current norovirus outbreak currently affecting passengers in the US. While there have been a reported 13 norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships in US ports since the start of the year. So far the southern hemisphere has escaped unscathed.
The most recent norovirus outbreak in the US was on Queen Victoria. She was on her way to Honolulu from San Francisco on a 107-night world cruise when more than 150 people on board reported symptoms.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said of the 1824 passengers onboard, 129 (7.07%) reported being ill during the voyage. Of the 967 crew 25 (2.59%) also reported being unwell.
Norovirus is mainly spread directly from person to person or by touching contaminated surfaces.
Research – Multistate nontyphoidal Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli outbreaks linked to international travel—United States, 2017–2020
Abstract
Enteric bacterial infections are common among people who travel internationally. During 2017–2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigated 41 multistate outbreaks of nontyphoidal Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli linked to international travel. Resistance to one or more antimicrobial agents was detected in at least 10% of isolates in 16 of 30 (53%) nontyphoidal Salmonella outbreaks and 8 of 11 (73%) Shiga toxin-producing E. coli outbreaks evaluated by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. At least 10% of the isolates in 14 nontyphoidal Salmonella outbreaks conferred resistance to one or more of the clinically significant antimicrobials used in human medicine. This report describes the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance patterns of these travel-associated multistate outbreaks. Investigating illnesses among returned travellers and collaboration with international partners could result in the implementation of public health interventions to improve hygiene practices and food safety standards and to prevent illness and spread of multidrug-resistant organisms domestically and internationally.
USA -Listeria Outbreak Linked to Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese
What You Should Do
- Do not eat any recalled cheeses or dairy products.
- Throw them away or return them to where you bought them.
- Clean the refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched the recalled products.
- Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
- Call a healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms after eating recalled products:
- Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
- People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
What Businesses Should Do
- Do not sell or serve recalled cheeses or dairy products.
- Follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice if you sold or served recalled products.
Fast Facts
- Illnesses: 26
- Hospitalizations: 23
- Deaths: 2
- States: 11
- Recall: Yes
- Investigation status: Active
Queso fresco
Recalled Food
Cheeses, crema, and yogurt made by Rizo-López Foods
- On February 6, 2024, Rizo-López Foods recalled all cheeses and other dairy products made in their facility.
- Products were sold nationwide under these brands and at deli counters:
- Campesino
- Casa Cardenas
- Don Francisco
- Dos Ranchitos
- El Huache
- Food City
- La Ordena
- Rio Grande
- Rizo Bros
- San Carlos
- Santa Maria
- Tio Francisco
- 365 Whole Foods Market
USA – FDA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
What’s New
- An outbreak advisory was issued for the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1214) linked to Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese manufactured by Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. On 2/5/2024, Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. expanded their voluntary recall for Cotija Mexican Grating cheese to cover all dairy products manufactured in their Modesto, California, facility.
- For the investigation of elevated lead levels in Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches (ref # 1198) the advisory was updated to include investigation updates.
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