Category Archives: Toxin

Uneviscerated Fish – Possible Clostridium botulinum

Posted on October 8, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FDA

KRASNYI OKTYABR located at 60 20th street, Brooklyn, NY 11232 is recalling Beer Set Dried Rudd discovered by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors during a routine inspection and subsequent analysis of the product by Food Laboratory personnel that confirmed the fish had not been properly eviscerated prior to processing.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. Consumers who have Beer Set Dried Rudd are advised not to eat it, but should return it to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions should contact the company at 718-858-6720.

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Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Toxin

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RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin, Salmonella

Posted on August 22, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Aflatoxin in Peanut Butter in Belgium sourced in Senegal

RASFF – Salmonella in Dried Organic Sage in Denamrk sourced from Turkey via the Netherlands.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Allergic Reaction, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella, Toxin

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RASFF Alerts – Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, Histamine, STEC, Aflatoxins, Pseudomonas

Posted on August 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Salmonella in White Pepper in Sweden sourced in Sri Lanka

RASFF – Salmonella in Marinated Pork in Sweden sourced in Denmark

RASFF – Salmonella in Pork Meat in Swede sourced in Germany

RASFF – Histamine Tuna Fillet in Italy sourced in Spain

RASFF – Histamine Tuna Loins in Italy from Spain

RASFF – Listeria in Smoked Salmon in Italy sourced in Spain

RASFF – Listeria in Raw Milk Cheese France

RASFF –  Listeria in Vac Pac Smoked Salmon in Italy sourced in Poland

RASFF – Campylobacter in Chicken Breast Fillet in Denmark sourced in France.

RASFF – Pseudomans aeruginosa in Mineral Water in Cyprus sourced in Greece

RASFF – STEC E.coli in Soyabean Sprouts in Austria sourced in Italy

RASFF –  Aflatoxins in Whole Nutmeg in France souced in Indonesia.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, E.coli, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Histamine, Hygiene, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Pseudomonas, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella, Sprouting Seeds, STEC, Toxin

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Staphylococcus aureus in Turkey Dinner – Outbreak

Posted on August 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

The foodborne illness outbreak that sickened at least 60 recipients of a meal at the Denver Rescue Mission last month has been linked to turkey contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, officials say.
 
According to the Denver Department of Environmental Health, a stool sample from one of the outbreak victims tested positive for Staph, pointing to that bacteria as the cause of illness. This discovery matches up with the fact that victims became ill within an hour after eating. Symptoms of most foodborne illnesses do not appear until several hours or even days or weeks after contact with the pathogen, while the vomiting induced by a Staph infection begins almost immediately.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, Toxin

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Staphylococcus aureus – Colombian Style Cheese Recall

Posted on July 30, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Food Consumer Org

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today warned consumers in the Metropolitan New York area not to consume “Quesito Colombiano, Colombian style Cheese” made by Productos Tita Corp., 70-06 88th  Street, Glendale, New York 11385 due to possible Staphylococcus aureus contamination.

The recalled Colombian style cheese under the Brand name “Tita” is contained in 8oz. clear plastic pouches or tubs with a plant code of #36-8440 and with a stamped code of “AUG 10 2012” stamped beneath the label bar code. The product was distributed in the Metropolitan New York area.

A routine sample of the cheese, taken by an inspector from the Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services on July 25, 2012, was subsequently tested by the Department’s Food Laboratory and discovered to be contaminated with high levels of Staphylococcus aureus.  On July 28, 2012, the manufacturer was notified of the positive test result and voluntarily recalled the product.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, Toxin

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Canada – Advisory Alert Shellfish Vibro parahaemolyticus

Posted on July 27, 2012 by | 1 comment

CDC BC 

The BC Centre for Disease Control is reminding the public there’s a risk of illness associated with eating raw or undercooked bivalve shellfish such as oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and cockles.

 Shellfish may accumulate bacteria(Vibrio parahaemolyticus), viruses (norovirus, hepatitis A), and toxins (paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning) or other impurities present in the water. Thorough cooking destroys bacteria and viruses, but does not destroy toxins.

 To date in 2012, five cases of locally-acquired Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection have been reported. In 2011, 42 cases of vibrio were reported. These illnesses have been linked to raw shellfish served in restaurants, bought at retail, or self-harvested in communities throughout the province including, Gibsons, Sechelt, Powell River, Ladysmith, Qualicum, Ucluelet, Gabriola Island, Cortes Island and Parksville.

In addition to individual cases, BC has also experienced outbreaks associated with shellfish. In 2010, an outbreak of norovirus from raw oysters affected over 30 people and in 2011 more than 60 people became ill after consuming cooked mussels contaminated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, Hepatitis A, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, Shellfish, Toxin, Vibrio, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

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RASFF and Other Alerts – Mould, Listeria, Salmonella,Aflatoxins, STEC, Campylobacter

Posted on July 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

RASFF – Mould in Cheddar Cheese in Denmark sourced in the UK.

RASFF – Salmonella in Roasted Soya Beans in Belgium.

RASFF – Campylobacter in Fresh Whole Chicken in Denmark sourced in Germany.

RASFF – Salmonella in Galacto Oligosaccharide in Netherlands sourced in South Korea

RASFF – STEC E.coli Bovine Meat in Belgium

RASFF – Aflatoxins in Groundnuts in Netherlands sourced in Nicaragua.

Denmark – Undesirable bacteria in Yoghurt

Denmark – Mould on Cheese products.

Germany – Salmonella in Teewurst Sausage

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Bacteria, Campylobacter, E.coli, EHEC, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Moulds, Pathogen, RASFF, Salmonella, Toxin

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CIFA – Cheese Curds Recall – Staph Toxin

Posted on July 5, 2012 by | Leave a comment

CIFA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Fromagerie St-Fidèle Inc. are warning the public not to consume the St-Fidèle brand cheese curds described below because they may be contaminated with Staphylococcustoxin.

The following St-Fidèle brand products are affected by this alert:

Product Size UPC Codes Best Before date
Cheddar Cheese (package contains cheese curds) Variable None 3959
Made on 12JUN19 or 12JUN20		 12JUL19 or 12JUL20
Cheddar Cheese (package contains BBQ-flavoured cheese curds) Variable None 3959
Made on 12JUN19 or 12JUN20		 12JUL19 or 12JUL20
Cheddar Cheese Curd 85 g 0 55038 06020 5 3959
Made on 12JUN20		 12JUL20
Cheddar Cheese Curd 200 g 0 55038 06022 9 3959
Made on 12JUN20		 12JUL20
Cheddar Cheese Curd 400 g 0 55038 06021 2 3959
Made on 12JUN20		 12JUL20
Cheddar Cheese Curd 2.5 kg None 3959
Made on 12JUN20		 12JUL20

These products have been distributed in Quebec.

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

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Posted in Bacteria, CIFA, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Microbiology, Staphylococcus aureus, Toxin

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Brussels Carrefour Recall Sardines – Histamine

Posted on July 4, 2012 by | 1 comment

DHBE

BRUSSELS Carrefour is recalling sardines in olive oil of the Carrefour brand, “as a precautionary measure and following the potential presence of histamine,” announced Tuesday the supply chain. . “This is part of standard methods of control implemented by the sign that the potential presence of histamine has been demonstrated,” said Carrefour in a statement.

The recall affects the following product: Sardines in olive oil 120 g, Carrefour brand, barcode: 3560070017522. These lots range BJL001F and BLJ043F.

Scombroid (histamine) food poisoning is a foodborne illness that results from eating spoiled (decayed) fish. However it is often missed because it resembles an allergic reaction. It is most commonly reported with mackerel, tuna, bluefish, mahi-mahi, bonito, sardines, anchovies, and related species of fish that were inadequately refrigerated or preserved after being caught. The syndrome derived its name because early descriptions of the illness noted an association with Scombroidea fish (e.g., large dark meat marine tuna, albacore, mackerel); however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified the largest vector to be non-scombroid fish, such as mahi-mahi and amberjack. Scombroid syndrome can result from inappropriate handling of fish during storage or processing. One of the toxic agents implicated in scombroid poisoning is histamine. Other chemicals have been found in decaying fish flesh, but their association with scombroid fish poisoning has not been clearly established.

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Posted in Allergic Reaction, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Histamine, Microbiology, Scombroid, Toxin

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FSA – Move Away from Animal Testing for PSP

Posted on May 18, 2012 by | Leave a comment

FSA

The Food Standards Agency’s shellfish monitoring programme has successfully completed a move away from tests using mice for the detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and lipophilic toxins in commercially harvested shellfish.

The phasing out of animal testing in the shellfish monitoring programme has been a long-term goal of the FSA. Without an approved alternative method available, tests on mice had previously been the most suitable way of detecting toxins in shellfish. However, the FSA and Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science) have spent a number of years developing alternative testing methods that do not rely on mice.

Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, said: ‘This is a significant milestone in meeting the UK’s commitment to reduce the burden of animal testing and has been achieved after years of FSA-funded research.

‘PSP and lipophilic toxins can cause severe illness if people consume them, so it is important that our shellfish monitoring programme is as effective as possible at detecting them. In order to meet our commitment, we have had to ensure suitable alternative methods are introduced in all our statutory biotoxin testing.

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Posted in Pathogen, PSP, Research, Shellfish, Toxin

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