Category Archives: Uncategorized

FDA

Parlier, CA — Custom Produce Sales (“Custom Produce”) of  Parlier, California is voluntarily recalling all cucumbers sold under the Fat Boy® label starting August 1, 2015 because they may be contaminated with Salmonella and are covered by an ongoing recall.  No other Fat Boy® products are covered by this recall.  Unlabeled cucumbers packed into a black reusable plastic container (RPC) and were sold in Nevada, as of August 1, 2015 are also covered by this recall.

Custom Produce is currently working with health authorities on this recall, which is associated with an outbreak of Salmonella Poona, with 341 illnesses, including 2 deaths, being reporting in as many as 30 states. Custom Produce has contacted all customers who may have received this product.

Salmonella is 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.

Fat Boy® cucumbers were produced in Baja California and distributed in the states of California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas.

These cucumbers are shipped in a black, green, red and craft colored carton which reads “Fat Boy Fresh Produce.”.  This variety is often referred to as a “Slicer” or “American” cucumber.  It has a dark green color.  It typically has a length of 7 to 10 inches and a diameter of 1.75 to 2.5 inches.

Consumers who have purchased Fat Boy® brand cucumbers are urged not to consume them and to return them to the place of purchase or to dispose of them.  Consumers with questions may contact Custom Produce by visiting the company website at www.customproducesales.com  or by calling the company at 559-254-5860.

FSA

The OOO Company recalls all varieties of its Infused Oils and vacuum-packed Halloumi Cheese because of concerns over its procedures in place to control Clostridium botulinum.

The effectiveness of process controls that could potentially affect the safety of these products cannot be demonstrated satisfactorily. The issue relates to controlling factors to prevent the growth and toxin production of Clostridium botulinum. The botulinum toxin may cause a serious form of food poisoning called botulism. Although no trace of the toxin has been found in products tested, a recall from customers is being carried out as a precautionary measure.

Product name: The OOO Company Infused Oils (Garlic, Basil and Chilli – all varieties)Product name: The OOO Company vacuum packed Halloumi CheesePack size: All sizes‘Best before’ date: All date codes –

The OOO Company is recalling the above products. The company has contacted its customers that were supplied with the Halloumi cheese. However, the Infused oils have only been sold at farmers markets in East Anglia.  A point-of-sale notice will be displayed by businesses selling these products and a notice will be placed on the company’s website. This notice alerts customers to the recall and advises them of what actions to take if they have bought the product(s). A copy of the point-of-sale notice is attached to this alert.

No other The OOO Company products are known to be affected.

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FSA 

The report is an analysis of the data from the survey carried out by the FSA between February 2014 and March 2015, which showed the levels of Campylobacter found on fresh, whole chickens sold in the UK. The results for the full year, as previously published, showed: 19% of chickens tested positive for Campylobacter within the highest band of contamination* 73% of chickens tested positive for the presence of Campylobacter 0.1% (five samples) of packaging tested positive at the highest band of contamination. 7% of packaging tested positive for the presence of Campylobacter. * more than 1000 colony forming units per gram (>1000 cfu/g). These units indicate the degree of contamination on each sample. The survey results, which were published on a quarterly basis throughout the year, allowed consumers for the first time to compare the Campylobacter levels found on chickens from all of the major retailers. The final report contains data sets of the results from all of the retailers and includes comparisons between different sized birds. Campylobacter is a food bug responsible for around 280,000 cases of food poisoning every year in the UK. The FSA has identified it as its leading food safety priority and has been working closely with the food industry to reduce the levels of contamination on raw chickens. The industry is working towards a target, agreed with the FSA, to reduce the number of the most contaminated birds to less than 10% by the end of 2015. Steve Wearne, Director of Policy at the FSA, said: ‘The FSA’s retail survey has been an important part of our work to tackle Campylobacter. Thanks to the focus the survey has put on the industry, retailers and processers are starting to invest in new interventions to tackle the bug. ‘Our new retail survey, which is already underway, will allow us to track progress and give us an indication of where these interventions are delivering results.’ The FSA has welcomed case studies by Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, Waitrose, Aldi and Iceland showing the results of their campylobacter reduction plans. Their data showed significant decreases in the incidence of campylobacter on their raw whole chickens. The tests were carried out on samples taken later than those from the FSA survey, with some targeted to demonstrate the effect of particular interventions. The first set of results from the new FSA survey that commenced in July 2015, is expected to be published in November 2015.

Warrington Guardian

SEVEN cases of E. coli have been confirmed in Cheshire and Merseyside following a reported outbreak earlier this year.

Public Health England (PHE), Public Health Wales (PHW) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are investigating an outbreak of E. coli across England and Wales.

As of September 8, there are 40 confirmed cases.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Salmonella outbreak linked to food served at Chipotle restaurants in Minnesota has sickened 45 people since Wednesday, September 2, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The outbreak involves 17 locations, most of them located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Because many cases of salmonellosis go undiagnosed,  the number of those sickened is likely to be much higher and health officials want to alert people who have become ill with symptoms of salmonellosis to see a health care provider and mention the outbreak.

FDA

Appeeling Fruit Inc. in Dauberville, Penn. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of consumer packages of fresh sliced apples with Best-if-Used-by dates of 09/14/15 and 09/21/15, due to the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

To date, health authorities have not linked any illnesses to this recall. No other products are affected by this recall.

Food Poisoning Bulletin 

Deli sandwiches made with cucumbers linked to the Salmonella outbreak are being recalled from Safeway and Carrs Stores in Alaska.  This recall is part of the Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce recall of cucumbers that have been linked to a 30-state  Salmonella Poona outbreak that has sickened 341 people killing two of them. No illnesses associated with the sandwiches had been reported at the time of the recall.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Poona linked to imported cucumbers has grown. Now at least 341 people in 30 states are sick. this is an increase of 56 cases in the last 5 days. Two people have, sadly, died of their illnesses; one in Texas and one in California. And 70 people have been hospitalized.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations have identified imported cucumbers from Mexico, distributed by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce as the likely source of this outbreak. Ninety-one percent of the 134 people interviewed so far reported eating cucumbers the week before they got sick.

CFIA 

Industry is recalling field cucumbers and any in-store produced products that contain field cucumbers purchased from the listed retail stores due to possible Salmonella contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

This recall applies to fresh field cucumbers sold in bulk, unwrapped and any in-store produced products that contain field cucumbers purchased from the listed retail stores on or before September 8, 2015. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased affected products should check with their retail store.

The following products may have been sold from the following stores in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and Yukon.

A list of stores can be found here:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/list-of-stores/eng/1441855572430/1441855576135

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 565; Tot. = 613.6 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Lebanon in Cyprus

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 15.8 µg/kg – ppb) in crushed chlli from India, via the United Arab Emirates in the UK

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 5.3; Tot. = 30 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched peanuts from China in Denmark

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 7.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from China in the Netherlands

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 37 µg/kg – ppb) and ochratoxin A (69 µg/kg – ppb) in red chilli powder from India, processed in the United Arab Emirates in the Netherlands

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 4.9; Tot. = 3.9 / B1 = 34; Tot. = 40 / B1 = 66; Tot. = 83 µg/kg – ppb) in raw peanuts from Bolivia in the Netherlands

RASFF -aflatoxins (B1 = 37.9; Tot. = 41 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios in shell from the United States in Belgium

RASFF-black pepper grains from Vietnam infested with moulds in Spain