Category Archives: Uncategorized

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 10.36; Tot. = 11.43 / B1 = 10.36; Tot. = 11.43 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from China in Poland

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 32.27; Tot. = 217.24 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnuts from Turkey in Germany

RASFF-aflatoxins (Tot. = 13.35 µg/kg – ppb) in diced roasted hazelnut kernels from Turkey in Germany

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 7.8; Tot. = 9.2 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts in shell from China in the UK

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 50; Tot. = 70 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from China in Italy

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 10; Tot. = 11.8 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut kernels from Turkey in Italy

RASFF-Salmonella Lexington (presence /25g) in dog chew from Turkey in Germany

RASFF-Salmonella Bredeney (presence /25g) in fish meal from Germany in Belgium

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 48.2 µg/kg – ppb) in organic maize from Italy in Denmark

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 32 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts for birdfeeding from Brazil in the UK

FDA

Salix Animal Health, LLC today announced it has initiated a voluntary recall of one lot of “Good ‘n’ Fun – Beefhide Chicken Sticks” because it may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated 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.

The recalled “Good ‘n’ Fun – Beefhide Chicken Sticks” was distributed nationwide by Salix Animal Health to Dollar General and Dollar Tree retail stores.

The recalled product is packaged in a 2.8 ounce bag stamped on the back side with lot # AO15010 and with an expiration date of 03/2018. The UPC code is 0 91093 82247 1.

No pet or consumer illnesses from this product have been reported to date. However, because of our commitment to safety and quality, Salix Animal Health is conducting a voluntary recall of this product.

NYC Health 

The Health Department is currently investigating a cluster of seven Legionnaires’ disease cases in the Morris Park section of the Bronx. This cluster is unrelated to the outbreak in the South Bronx this summer that was attributed to Legionella found in the cooling tower of the Opera House Hotel. Patients in the current cluster live or work in Morris Park, range in age from 45 to 75 and are all currently hospitalized. There have been no deaths. New Yorkers with respiratory symptoms, such as fever, cough, chills and difficulty breathing, are advised to promptly seek medical attention.

“We are investigating a cluster of seven cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Morris Park. I urge all New Yorkers to seek care immediately if they have flu -like symptoms, including fever, cough, headache, or difficulty breathing. The Department is taking immediate steps to determine the source and protect the people who live and work in Morris Park,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett.

Daily Journal 

BOSTON — State health and fishery officials are extending the closure of several oyster beds in Boston’s South Shore area because of illnesses linked to seasonal shellfish bacteria.

The beds in Duxbury Bay, Kingston Bay, Bluefish River, Back River and Plymouth Harbor have been under a 7-day precautionary closure since last week. Tuesday’s announcement extends that until Oct. 8. It could be extended again if more illnesses arise.

The Massachusetts Department of Health and the state Division of Marine Fisheries say six illnesses linked to contaminated oysters have been confirmed. The illnesses are blamed on the Vibrio bacteria that thrive in warmer ocean waters.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Salmonella Poona outbreak linked to cucumbers imported by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce has grown to include 671 people sick in 34 states. Three people have died from their infections, and 131 people have been hospitalized.

Alabama was added to the list of states with ill persons. This is an increase of 113 cases since the last update on September 22, 2015. Now, 51% of ill persons are children younger than the age of 18.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

At least 14 patients at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit were diagnosed with Salmonella infections last week. While hospital staff members try to find out how the outbreak occurred, seven people remain hospitalized.

Hospitals officials said in a statement to local media that they did not believe the outbreak was caused by contaminated food. So how did they get a foodborne illness?

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Salmonella outbreak linked raw, frozen breaded chicken products from Aspen Foods has sickened five people in Minnesota hospitalizing two of them. The company, which has been linked to other Salmonella outbreaks, has a systemic Salmonella problem, the USDA said two weeks ago.

EFSA 

Bacteria in our stomachs that help us digest food, microbes on our skin that prevent diseases – microscopic life is everywhere, in and on our bodies. This session will cover topics at the forefront of microbiological risk assessment.

Speakers include Arie Havelaar, professor at the University of Florida, and Alessandro Cassini from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, who will talk about the global burden of foodborne diseases.

Risk assessment of viruses will be the topic of the presentation by Marion Koopmans, from the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam. Other topics include the use of molecular typing methods for outbreak investigations; uncertainty in emergency assessments; and ranking of microbiological risks.

The session “Microbiological risk assessment” takes place on 16 October 2015 from 09:00 to 13:00. Follow the session live on the EFSA@EXPO website!

More information on the session.

Daily Mail Online 

Few people realise that when they get ill from eating an oyster or other shellfish it is often because it contains norovirus. And once someone has gone down with this ‘food poisoning’, those around them can catch the highly contagious virus without even eating the food that was the source.

Ian Clarke, a professor of molecular microbiology and virology at the University of Southampton and an expert on norovirus, says that oysters are a common source of outbreaks. ‘It can start by one person eating a norovirus-contaminated oyster and then passing the virus on by person-to-person contact.’

CFIA 

Summer Fresh Salads Inc. is recalling Summer Fresh brand 4 Cheese & Crab Dip from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Food Safety News

Officials with the North Dakota Department of Health announced Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, that they are investigating an increase in reported cases of salmonellosis, an infection caused by Salmonella bacteria. The illness can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting and fever.

Since July 20, 22 cases of Salmonella Thompson have been reported in North Dakota. Because the infections all have the same genetic pattern, they may have all originated from a common source. However, so far the investigation has not revealed a common food item, place or event where all of the cases may have been exposed.