Category Archives: outbreak

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

Posted on March 23, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

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 KSW | 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

USA – Update – Outbreak Investigation of Hepatitis A Virus Infections: Frozen Strawberries (February 2023)

Posted on March 23, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

FDA

Sample Kirkland Product from the Outbreak Investigation of Hepatitis A Virus Infections Related to Frozen Strawberries (February 2023)

Product

California Splendor Recall: Kirkland Signature 4-lb. bag Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries in certain states with specific lot codes.

Scenic Fruit Recall: frozen organic strawberries with the following brand names and Best By Dates distributed to specific states:

Simply Nature, Organic Strawberries, Best By 06/14/2024
Vital Choice, Organic Strawberries, BEST BY 05/20/2024
Kirkland Signature, Organic Strawberries, Best If Used By 10/08/2024
Made With, Organic Strawberries, Best Before 11/20/2024
PCC Community Markets, Organic Strawberries, Best By 29/10/2024
Trader Joe’s, Organic Tropical Fruit Blend with the following Best By dates: 04/25/24; 05/12/24; 05/23/24; 05/30/24; 06/07/24

Stores Affected

California Splendor supplied recalled product to Costco stores in Los Angeles and Hawaii, and to two San Diego business centers. Scenic Fruit supplied recalled product to Costco, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in specific states, and to Trader Joe’s nationwide.

On March 17, 2023, the retailer, Meijer, also issued press to voluntarily recall Made-With External Link Disclaimer brand frozen organic strawberries from certain market store locations.

This is not an exhaustive list of products or stores. FDA is continuing to work with the firms to identify potential additional product information.

Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Illness usually occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Symptoms of hepatitis A virus infection include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, and pale stool. In some instances, particularly in children under the age of six, hepatitis A infection may be asymptomatic.

Status

Ongoing

Recommendation

Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not sell, serve, or eat recalled frozen strawberries. These recalled products should be returned or thrown away.
If consumers purchased the recalled frozen organic strawberries and ate those berries in the last two weeks, and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A, they should immediately consult with their healthcare professional to determine whether post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed. PEP is recommended for unvaccinated people who have been exposed to hepatitis A virus in the last two weeks because vaccination can prevent a hepatitis A virus infection if given within 14 days of exposure. Those with evidence of previous hepatitis A vaccination or previous hepatitis A virus infection do not require PEP.
Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A virus infection after eating these frozen organic strawberries, or if you believe that you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks.

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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, Food Virus, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hepatitis A, outbreak, Virus

EU – Oysters linked to 170 illnesses in Finland; people sick in other countries – Norovirus

Posted on March 22, 2023 by KSW | 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 KSW | 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 KSW | 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