Category Archives: Pathogen

USA – FDA Recall – More Hummus Products – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on July 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDAFDA

Hagee Foods Inc. dba Penny’s Salsa Inc., is recalling hummus products listed in the attached table 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 retail hummus products come in 8 oz. and 12 oz. clear plastic packages and were distributed to retail stores and food service accounts in Oregon and Washington with the Penny’s Salsa, Tacoma Boys and Harbor Greens labels. The USE BY dates 7/13/2013-8/25/2013 are printed on the side of the top lid.

Vegetable trays 8 oz and Snack packs 8 oz, which include 1.5 oz plastic containers of creamy hummus labeled Made in the Pacific North West, are packaged in black plastic trays with clear plastic lids. These products were distributed in Oregon and Washington. The USE BY dates 7/13/2013-7/24/2013 are on the underside of these trays.

Hummus for foodservice is packaged in 25 lb. bulk boxes. USE BY dates 7/13/2013-8/25/2013 are printed on the master shipper labels. This product was distributed in Washington.

The above hummus products were shipped from 5/27/13 to 7/14/13. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with these products

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, Recall

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Canada – Tahina Recall – Possible Salmonella

Posted on July 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CFIAEurofins Food Testing UK

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the Clic brand Tahina (Paste made from Sesame Seeds) described in the link above because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

The CFIA is working with the importer to remove the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

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RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxins – Groundnuts – Listeria monocytogenes – Smoked Salmon – Salmonella – Frozen Chicken

Posted on July 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 49; Tot. = 60 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 18; Tot. = 21 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (<10; 110; <10; 91; 131 CFU/g) in chilled smoked salmon from France in Italy

RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen chicken meat from Brazil in Spain

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (present in 5 out of 5 samples /25g) in chilled chicken quarters from Slovakia, with raw material from Poland in Slovakia

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria welshimeri, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella

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USA – FDA – Recall Pet Food – Possible Salmonella

Posted on July 16, 2013 by | 1 comment

FDA

Natura Pet Products is voluntarily recalling specific lots of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

These products were packaged in a single production facility. During routine FDA testing, a single lot tested positive for the presence of Salmonella. There have been no reports of pet or human illness associated with this product. In an abundance of caution, Natura is voluntarily recalling all products with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014.

The affected products are sold in bags through veterinary clinics, select pet specialty retailers, and online in the United States and Canada. No canned wet food is affected by this announcement.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Hygiene, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Pet Food, Recall, Salmonella

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Canada – Recall Gorgonzola Cheese – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on July 16, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Agropur are warning the public not to consume the Il Villaggio brand Gorgonzola Dolce Cheese described in the link above because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no reported illnesses  associated with the consumption of this product.

The importer, Agropur, St-Hubert, Quebec, is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace.  The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

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Posted in Bacteria, CFIA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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USA – Recall Hummus – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on July 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety NewsEurofins Food Testing UK

Washington state-based company is recalling some of its hummus products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Penny’s Salsa of Auburn, WA initiated a recall of certain hummus products Sunday after two types of the spread tested positive for Listeria, according to the Oregonian.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, Recall

Research – Campylobacter Antibiotic Resistance is Increasing

Posted on July 15, 2013 by | 3 comments

Food Poisoning BulletinCampylobacter_jejuni_01

Antibiotic resistance in Campylobacter is on the rise, according to a new study appearing in the July 7 edition of Emerging Infectious Disease. Researchers from the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India, where Campylobacter rates remain steady throughout the year, tested 142 samples and found that all of them were resistant to trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, (Septra, Bactrim) and 97 percent were resistant to quinolone (nalidixic acid) and fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin). and erythromycin, azithromycin, gentamicin, furazolidone, and chloramphenicol. Multi-drug resistance was also high.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research

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USA – Organic Oregano Recall – Salmonella

Posted on July 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

California company is recalling 1,075 cases of its organic oregano because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Olde Thompson Inc. of Oxnard, CA issued a voluntary recall of its Earth’s Pride Organics brand Organic Oregano — sold exclusively at BJ’s Wholesale — on Friday after the bacteria was discovered as a result of routine sampling.

The product was sold in a 2.2 oz. jar glass jar at BJ’s locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia between January 1 and July 10 of this year.

Affected lot numbers include 060367, 060692, 061252 and 061864. These numberscan be found on the bottom of the jar.

No illnesses have been linked to consumption of the product to date.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

USA – Cyclospora Outbreak Update

Posted on July 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

BarfBlog 220px-Cyclospora_cayetanensis_stained

Authorities suspect that fresh vegetables are the source of a rare parasite sickening dozens of Iowans.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported this morning that 45 cyclospora infections have been confirmed in the state in the past few weeks.

That’s up from 22 cases earlier this week.

Only 10 such cases had been reported in the state in the past 20 years. The parasite is usually transmitted by tainted produce or water. It can cause weeks of severe diarrhea.

Federal experts are helping to trace the cause. Officials are urging everyone to wash their produce carefully … though they note that Cyclospora can be difficult to wash off.

Investigators who interviewed the patients believe the outbreak started in tainted vegetables, not fruit.

Food Poisoning Journal – Cyclospora What You Need to Know

The Iowa Department of Public Health, CDC and local public health agencies are investigating an outbreak of an intestinal illness caused by Cyclospora (a rare parasite). As of July 12, 45 cases of Cyclospora infections have been reported in Iowa with dozens more in Nebraska and other Midwestern states. It appears linked to eating fresh vegetables.

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Posted in Cyclospora, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Laboratory, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Research – Norovirus Transmission

Posted on July 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Cambridge Journals OnlineNorwalk_Caspid

Causal mechanisms of norovirus outbreaks are often not revealed. Understanding the transmission route (e.g. foodborne, waterborne, or environmental) and vehicle (e.g. shellfish or recreational water) of a norovirus outbreak, however, is of great public health importance; this information can facilitate interventions for an ongoing outbreak and regulatory action to limit future outbreaks. Towards this goal, we conducted a systematic review to examine whether published outbreak information was associated with the implicated transmission route or vehicle. Genogroup distribution was associated with transmission route and food vehicle, but attack rate and the presence of GII.4 strain were not associated with transmission route, food vehicle, or water vehicle. Attack rate, genogroup distribution, and GII.4 strain distribution also varied by other outbreak characteristics (e.g. setting, season, hemisphere). These relationships suggest that different genogroups exploit different environmental conditions and thereby can be used to predict the likelihood of various transmission routes or vehicles

Cambridge Journals Online

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Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, Pathogen, Research

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