Category Archives: Recall

USA – FDA Recall – Listeria monocytogenes in Canteloupes Again

Posted on August 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDAcatalopue

Heeren Brothers Produce is recalling approximately 5,400 cantaloupes because of a possible health risk to consumers.

The produce, which was distributed to small, independent grocers in Michigan July 23-26, has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and should be discarded and not consumed. The cantaloupes are Athena Cantaloupes, but have no stickers or other markings that identify them as such.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly or others with weak immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhea. Listeria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

Heeren Brothers Produce has not received any case of reported illnesses related to this product to date. The recall does not affect any other Heeren Brothers Produce products.

Heeren Brothers Produce became aware of this issue after the Food & Drug Administration conducted a routine sampling and found the cantaloupes contained the bacteria.

After receiving notice from the FDA, Heeren Brothers Produce immediately alerted retailers and requested that they remove the produce from their shelves. Heeren Brothers Produce has also contacted the supplier of the cantaloupes. The source of the potential issue is still under investigation. Heeren Brothers Produce is cooperating fully with the FDA.

Heeren Brothers Produce is committed to consumer safety. We have product handling and safety protocols in place to assure that we provide our retailers and their customers with fresh, safe and healthy products. A recent audit by an independent, third-party laboratory rated our procedures as excellent in the industry.

Consumers who have questions may contact Heeren Brothers Produce at 616.452.2101 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

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RASFF Alerts – Campylobacter in Poultry – Bacillus cereus in Tuna Salad

Posted on August 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Campylobacter coli (presence /25g) in chilled poultry meat from Germany in Italy

RASFF -Bacillus cereus ( > 150000 CFU/g) in tuna salad from Belgium in Luxembourg

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Posted in Bacillus cereus, Bacteria, Campylobacter, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Uncategorized

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RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Pork – Sausage – Smoked Trout

Posted on August 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) and Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in pork meat sausages from Italy

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (detected /25g) in chilled sausages from Sweden

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (1.5000 CFU/g) in chilled smoked trout from Turkey in the Netherlands

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (270; 350; 40; 60 CFU/g) in sausage from Italy

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall

RASFF Alerts – Shigatoxin E.coli – Beef – Deer Meat

Posted on August 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF -Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in chilled boneless beaf meat from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in chilled boneless beef meat from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF -Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in chilled boneless beef meat from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF -Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in frozen boneless beef meat from Brazil in Italy

RASFF -Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in chilled boneless beef from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF -Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in frozen deer meat from Austria in Italy

RASFF -Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in chilled beef from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in chilled boneless beef from Brazil in the Netherlands

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Shigatoxin

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RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin -Chilli Powder – Peanuts – Seed Mix – Groundnuts – Peanut Butter

Posted on August 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 4.79; Tot. = 5.48 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts with shell from China in Spain

RASFF – Aflatoxins (Tot. = 18 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts in shell from China in France

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 12.7 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in France

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 22; Tot. = 65 µg/kg – ppb) in cayenne pepper powder from Ethiopia in Finland

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 10.2 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli powder from India in France

RASFF -Aflatoxins (Tot. = 8.3 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled peanuts from the United States in the UK

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 24; Tot. = 38 µg/kg – ppb) in barley sunflower seed groundnut mix from Ethiopia in Findland

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 13; Tot. = 34 µg/kg – ppb) in crushed chilli from Ethiopia in Finland

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 8.5; Tot. = 13 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched groundnut kernels from China in the Netherlands

RASFF -Aflatoxins (B1 = 10; Tot. = 12.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Senegal in Belgium

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 73; Tot. = 96.6 / B1 = 2; Tot. = 4 µg/kg – ppb) in peanut butter from Senegal in Belgium

 

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Toxin

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RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Feed – Chicken

Posted on August 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in feed for food-producing animals from Morocco in Greece

RASFF -Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in rape seed meal from Belgium

RASFF -Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen whole chicken from France

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled hens without offals from Poland, with raw material from the Czech Republic in Poland

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken legs from Brazil in Spain

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen whole chicken from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella Heidelberg (presence /25g) in frozen salted chicken breast fillets from Brazil in the Netherlands

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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, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella

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Information Clostridium botulinum

Posted on August 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning JournalClost

Botulism is a rare, life-threatening paralytic illness caused by neurotoxins produced by an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Unlike Clostridium perfringens, which requires the ingestion of large numbers of viable cells to cause symptoms, the symptoms of botulism are caused by the ingestion of highly toxic, soluble exotoxins produced by C. botulinum while growing in foods.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Hygiene, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Research

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Canada – Gorgonzola Cheese Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on August 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

CFIAEurofins Food Testing UK

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Jan K Overweel Ltd. are warning the public not to consume the Ballarini brand Gorgonzola cheese products described in the link above because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Also affected by this alert are the below products which may have been sold in smaller packages, cut and wrapped by some retailers. Consumers are advised to contact the retailer to determine if they have the affected products.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

The importer, Jan K Overweel Ltd., Woodbridge, ON, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace.  The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

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Posted in Bacteria, 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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USA – Cyclospora Updates – Salad Mix the Source

Posted on August 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning BulletinEurofins Food Testing UK

Taylor Farms de Mexico food service salad served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants is the source of the Cyclospora outbreak that sickened at least 232 people in Iowa and Nebraska. Health officials from those states announced July 30 that a salad mix containing iceberg and romaine lettuces, carrots and red cabbage was the source of the illnesses, but did not release the name of the company that produced it as the tainted salad was no longer in circulation in those states.

CDC

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Cyclospora illnesses that have sickened more than 400 people across the country in an outbreak have been linked to packaged salad greens. These products have been linked to many outbreaks over the years.

In fact, a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released in January of this year, said that leafy greens were responsible for the majority of foodborne illness outbreaks from 1998 to 2008. Last year, the seventh largest food poisoning outbreak in the U.S. was linked to a spinach and spring mix.

FDA Investigation

On July 30, 2013, the states of Iowa1 disclaimer icon 2 and Nebraska3 announced that their analysis indicated that the outbreak in those states was linked to a salad mix. In follow-up to that announcement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an update on its investigation.

The FDA traceback investigation has confirmed that the salad mix identified by Iowa and Nebraska as being linked to the outbreak of cyclosporiasis in those states was supplied to restaurants in those states by Taylor Farms de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V., a processor of foodservice salads.    The FDA traceback investigation found  that illness clusters at restaurants were traced to a common supplier,  Taylor Farms de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. The restaurants in Iowa and Nebraska include Olive Garden and Red Lobster, both of which are owned by Darden Restaurants.

FDA’s investigation has not implicated consumer packages sold in grocery stores.

 

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Posted in Cyclospora, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Parasite, Pathogen, Protozoan, Recall

New Zealand – Whey Protein – Clostridium botulinum

Posted on August 5, 2013 by | 1 comment

Safe Food Blog

Fonterra, New Zealand’s largest dairy manufacturer, last week issued a warning that Clostridium botulinum had been found in three batches of whey protein, (approximately 40 tonnes), which can be used to boost the protein content of many foods, including infant feeding formula.

The warning caused a New Zealand manufacturer of infant feeding formula to recall certain batches of product.  Fonterra Chief Executive, Theo Spierings also flew to China to discuss the issue with Chinese food safety authorities.

Apparently, the source of the bacteria has been traced to a dirty pipe in a processing factory.  If this is true, it’s a serious lapse in process control and obviously should not have occurred.

FSANZ Statement

Food Standards Australia New Zealand is aware of the announcement by Fonterra regarding several batches of its whey protein concentrate possibly contaminated with Clostridium botulinum and subsequent recalls of two Nutricia products as a precautionary measure. 

Please see the following joint media statement issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

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