Category Archives: Salmonella

EU – Outbreak results reported at ECDC conference

Food Safety News

Experts have shared findings from Cryptosporidium, Listeria, Trichinella, and Salmonella outbreaks at an event in Europe.

Among presentations at the European Scientific Conference on Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (ESCAIDE) was one about the Danish perspective on two multi-country outbreaks. These included a Salmonella outbreak linked to chicken meat from Poland and Listeria in fish from a Danish producer.

The meeting organized by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) also discussed a July 2023 botulism outbreak linked to potato omelets (tortilla de patata) eaten in Spain. Italy and Norway had two cases of people who had been to Spain. Potential contamination pathways remain unknown.

USA – Costco Recalls Eggs due to Salmonella Risk

Food Poison Journal

Handsome Brook Farms is voluntarily recalling 10,800 retail units of the Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs sold under the Kirkland Signature brand name because these eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonellacan result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

USA – FDA – Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

FDA

What’s New

  • A new outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (ref #1277) linked to a not yet identified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated traceback.
  • For the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 (ref #1269) linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 21 to 25 cases.
  • For the outbreak of E. coli O121:H19 (ref #1273) linked to organic whole and baby carrots supplied by Grimmway Farms, FDA has updated the outbreak advisory. FDA has also initiated an onsite inspection and sample collection.
  • For the outbreak of E. coli O26:H11 (ref #1272) linked to a not yet identified product, the outbreak has ended.

USA -FDA Warning Letter Rise N’ Shine Farm, Inc. Eggs – Salmonella

FDA

Reference: CMS Case 672629

Dear Mr. Lawson:

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an inspection of your shell egg farm and egg processing facility, where your eggs are washed and packed, located at 4307 Roland Hayes Parkway SW in Calhoun, Georgia, between October 23, 2023, and October 27, 2023. During our inspection, FDA investigators found serious violations of the Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in Shell Eggs During Production, Storage, and Transportation regulation (the shell egg regulation), Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 118 (21 CFR 118), as well as sanitation concerns in your egg processing facility. Additionally, FDA collected environmental samples (i.e., swabs) from your farm and detected the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) as further described in this letter.

Based on FDA’s inspectional findings, we have determined that the shell eggs produced on your farm do not comply with the provisions of 21 CFR Part 118. Failure to comply with 21 CFR Part 118 causes your shell eggs to be in violation of section 361(a) of the Public Health Service Act (the PHS Act), 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 264(a). In addition, these violations and analytical findings render your shell eggs adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4), in that they have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health. You may find the FD&C Act, the PHS Act, and the shell egg regulation though links on FDA’s homepage at http://www.fda.gov.

At the conclusion of the inspection, FDA investigators issued you a Form FDA 483 (FDA-483), Inspectional Observations. You provided written responses to the inspectional findings dated November 10, 2023, December 4, 2023, December 12, 2023, and multiple updates throughout January 2024 describing additional corrective actions. We are issuing this letter to advise you of FDA‘s continued concerns based on the inspectional findings, sample and analytical results, and our review of your responses.

Italy – LUGANEGA – meat-based product to be consumed after cooking – Salmonella

Salute

Brand : MEGGIO ROBERTO E C. SNC

Name : LUGANEGA – meat-based product to be consumed after cooking

Reason for reporting : Recall due to microbiological risk

Publication date : 26 November 2024

Documentation

Documentation

USA – Handsome Brook Farms Issues Recall of Kirkland Signature Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs Because of Possible Health Risk – Salmonella

FDA

“Label Kirkland Signature Organic Eggs Pasture-Raised 24 Eggs Grade A Large UPC 9661910680”

New York, New York (November 27, 2024) Handsome Brook Farms is voluntarily recalling 10,800 retail units of the Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs sold under the Kirkland Signature brand name because these eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

These units of the Kirkland Signature Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs were distributed into 25 Costco stores in the States of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee beginning November 22, 2024.

The Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs with UPC 9661910680 are packaged in plastic egg cartons labeled with Kirkland Signature on the top. The recall only applies to units with the Julian code 327 and a Use By Date of Jan 6, 2025, which can be found printed on the side of the plastic egg carton. No other products are impacted by this recall.

The recall was initiated after the company determined that eggs not intended for retail distribution were instead packaged and distributed in retail packaging. Additional supply chain controls and retraining are being put in place to prevent recurrence.

To date there are no illness complaints. This recall is being done in cooperation with the FDA.

Impacted consumers should stop consuming the product and should return the identified units to their local Costco store for a full refund or should dispose of the products. For those who have additional questions, please contact Handsome Brook Farms via phone at 646-733-4532, ext. 1, Monday through Friday, 9 AM – 6 PM EST or contact us at any time at recall@hbfeggs.com.

Canada – Correction Notice: Canadian Food Inspection Agency Laboratory Error Incorrectly Resulted in Recall of Church Brothers Farms Green Onions – Recall Rescinded-

FDA

Salinas, CA — November 25, 2024 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has determined that a laboratory error incorrectly caused the October 18, 2024 recall announcement concerning Church Brothers Farms’ Green Onions. The products from Church Brothers did not contain Salmonella and the recall has been rescinded.

On October 18, 2024 Church Brothers Farms voluntarily recalled 1271 cases of Green Onions due to the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. This action was based on information received from the CFIA that a single product sample had tested positive for its presence. While distribution of this product was limited to a small number of retail and foodservice customers in Canada and USA, Church Brothers acted quickly and in conjunction with both the CFIA and US FDA to ensure rapid compliance with the recall.

Following the positive Salmonella result, the CFIA completed the whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of the Salmonella isolate, the results of which indicated that the sample could have been cross-contaminated with the laboratory’s positive control strain.

After further internal review, the CFIA conclusively determined that cross-contamination had indeed occurred. The CFIA also confirmed that the cross-contamination was an isolated event, and no other samples were affected.

Given this cross-contamination, the CFIA has rescinded the food recall and removed the notification that was published on the Government of Canada’s Recalls and Safety Alerts website.

“The safety of our products is Church Brothers’ highest priority, and we pride ourselves with having the utmost integrity when it comes to Food Safety Standards,” said Megan Chedwick, Vice President of Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Compliance at Church Brothers Farms. “While we were pleased to hear that our product did not contain the Salmonella isolate, we will always act with an abundance of caution when it comes to the health and well-being of our consumers.”

This is a correction to the press release issued on October 18, 2024 with the headline of “Church Brothers Farms Recall Green Onions Due to Possible Health Risk.”

Company Contact Information
Church Brothers Farms
Consumer Hotline 877-590-0428
consumerinfo@churchbrothers.com

Link to Original Press Release

Sweden – Donut sprouts recall alfalfa sprouts – may contain Salmonella

Livsmedelsverket

Donut sprouts recall alfalfa sprouts because they may contain salmonella.

France – Ground beef steak / Ground beef – Salmonella

Gov France

Product Category
Food
Product subcategory
Meats
Product brand name
Auchan
Model names or references
Ground beef steak / Ground beef
Product identification
Batch
Products sold from 10/30/2024 to 11/14/2024
Start/End of marketing date
From 10/30/2024 to 11/14/2024
Storage temperature
Product to be kept in the refrigerator
Additional information
Products sold in the traditional department between 10/30/2024 and 11/14/2024
Geographic area of ​​sale
Auchan Mirebeau
Distributors
Auchan Mirebeau

Hong Kong – Do not consume a kind of imported carrots with possible Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121 contamination.

CFS

Issue Date 20.11.2024
Source of Information Notification of the US Food and Drugs Administration
Food Product Carrots
Product Name and Description Product name: Organic Whole Carrots

Manufacturer: Grimmway Farms

Brand: Bunny Luv

Place of origin: USA

Net weight: Two pounds per pack

Importer: PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited

Available for sale: Since August 23, 2024 from PARKnSHOP, Taste, Fusion and Great supermarkets

Reason For Issuing Alert The CFS noted a notification from the Food and Drug Administration of the USA that the above-mentioned product is being recalled in the USA due to possible contamination with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O121.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted the local importers for follow-up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected product concerned.

As a precautionary measure, the importer concerned has stopped selling and removed from shelves the affected product upon the CFS’s instructions and has initiated a recall.

The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and continue to follow up and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.

Advice to the Trade The trade should stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
Advice to Consumers Not to consume the affected product if they have bought any.
Further Information The CFS press release

Members of the public may call the importer’s hotline at 2606 8658 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

(Enclosed photo is for reference only.)

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2024-11-20