Category Archives: Recall

Hepatitis Berry Outbreak Expands Again

Posted on June 4, 2013 by KSW | Leave a comment

Hawaii is now added to the list of states in the Costco Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend Frozen Berry mix hepatitis A outbreak. Other states affected include Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. Thirty-two people are now sick in this outbreak. Because the product was sold at Costco, and that grocery store chain has outlets in all 50 states, it’s likely that more states will be included in this outbreak

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The CDC states that the hepatitis A strain associated with Townsend Farms Anti-oxidant Blend Frozen Berry Mix sold at Costco is rare in the United States. The strain is usually found in North Africa and the Middle East.

The berry mix contains strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, and pomegrnate seeds (also called arils). The fruit was grown in the U.S., Argentina, Chile, and Turkey. The attorney for Townsend Farms has stated that the pomegranate seeds may be the causal agent in this hepatitis A outbreak. They were sourced from Turkey, which is in the Middle East and is considered part of North Africa.

Leave a comment

Posted in Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Laboratory, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Poisoning, Recall, Virus

Tagged causal agent, cdc states, grocery store chain, hepatitis a outbreak, pomegranate seeds

USA – FDA Recall – Hepatis A – Organic Antioxident

Posted on June 4, 2013 by KSW | Leave a comment

FDA

Townsend Farms, Inc. of Fairview, Oregon, today announced that it is voluntarily recalling certain lots of its frozen Organic Antioxidant Blend, out of an abundance of caution, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Hepatitis A virus, based on an ongoing epidemiological and traceback investigation by the FDA and the CDC of an illness outbreak. No other Townsend Farms products, frozen or fresh, are covered by this voluntary recall or linked to the illness outbreak at this time.

The product was sold at Costco warehouse stores under the product name Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, 3 lb. bag and UPC 0 78414 404448. The recalled codes are located on the back of the package with the words “BEST BY”; followed by the code T012415 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter. All of these letter designations are included in this recall for the lot codes listed above. Photos of the package are attached.

The product was also sold at Harris Teeter stores from April 19 until May 7, 2013, under the product name Harris Teeter Organic Antioxidant Berry Blend, 10 oz. bag and UPC 0 72036 70463 4, with “BEST BY” codes of T041615E or T041615C.

Leave a comment

Posted in FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Technology, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hepatitis A, Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

Tagged abundance of caution, costco warehouse stores, hepatitis a virus, letter designations, townsend farms inc

Ireland – FSAI Recall – Smoked Mackerel – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 4, 2013 by KSW | Leave a comment

FSAI

The implicated batch of Kari smoked mackerel is being recalled from consumers due to the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in a sample tested in Poland. The batch was sold nationwide, mainly in Eastern European supermarkets. Shops which have sold this batch must display a point-of-sale notice advising customers not to consume the implicated batch.

Kari Smoked Mackerel (Makrela wedzona), in chilled vacuum packs. (Approval number: PL 02071801 EC)

Leave a comment

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

Tagged climate, environment, european supermarkets, science, smoked mackerel

USA – FDA Recall – Cheese – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 4, 2013 by KSW | Leave a comment

FDA

FINGER LAKES FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY LLC of TRUMANSBURG, NY is recalling 12 wheels of GOUDA cheese manufactured on December 20, 2012. The results of U.S. Food and Drug Administration product sampling revealed the presence of GOUDA Cheese contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes Type 1.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, pregnant women and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons may experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain as a result. For more information on Listeria monocytogenes, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at http://www.cdc.gov¹.

This production batch of GOUDA (may be called “SCHUYLER” OR “BIER MECK” GOUDA) was distributed in New York State, predominantly in the Albany region, and was distributed to retail stores and restaurants. The label on the product will clearly state the product name and the company name. These products were sold to the distributor Adventure in Food Trading on March 26, 2013.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Leave a comment

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

India – Food Poisoning Outbreaks

Posted on June 3, 2013 by KSW | Leave a comment

The Times of India

KANPUR: At least 75 persons suffered from food poisoning after consuming sweets at a ’tilak’ ceremony in Surauli village of Bidhnoo late on Monday night. An investigation has been ordered into the matter.

The incident took place at the ’tilak’ ceremony of Deepak Yadav, son of Dayaram Yadav and a resident of Surauli village. Guests and family members from both the groom and bride’s sides had gathered for dinner. Soon after consuming sweets, people complained of stomach ache and were rushed to Community Health Centre, said the police.

Greater Khasmir

Kulgam, May 28: More than 100 people have fallen sick after consuming Kashmiri Wazwan at a marriage party at Muhammad-Pora village of this South Kashmir district.
Reports said the villagers complained of vomiting and dysentery soon after they consumed the feast. “They might have taken something at the marriage party that might have caused the food poisoning,” said a doctor attending on the sick.

Leave a comment

Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

Tagged community health centre, marriage party, south kashmir, stomach ache, times of india, wazwan

USA- Hepatitis A in the News Again Worldwide

Posted on June 1, 2013 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Patrons of the 800 Degrees Three Fires restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana may be at risk for hepatitis A infection, warned health officials Friday.

A worker at the restaurant tested positive for the virus, prompting the Allen County Health Department to issue a public health advisory.

The Department is urging customers who ate or drank at the 800 Degrees Three Fires restaurant on Illinois Road between May 18 and May 26, 2013 to get the hepatitis A vaccine if they have not already had it.

Food Safety News

new outbreak of a hepatitis A strain rarely seen in the Western Hemisphere is believed to be associated with frozen mixed berries purchased from Costco is being investigated by multiple agencies, including the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. At least 30 illnesses are involved, including sicknesses in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries purchased from Costco appear to be the source of this outbreak.

The outbreak strain has been identified by CDC as hepatitis A virus (HAV) genotype 1B, a strain that circulates in North Africa and the Middle East. It was associated with last year’s outbreak in Europe involving frozen berries and another in British Columbia involving frozen berry blend with pomegranate seeds from Egypt.