Category Archives: Uncategorized

USA – FDA Recalls – Soft Cheese – Listeria monocytogenes – Feline Poultry Meal – Salmonella

FDA

Queseria Bendita LLC of Yakima, Washington is recalling all lots of Panela, Queso Fresco, Requeson, Cotija fresh soft cheese products and Sour Cream to include those with best by dates up to 4/16/2015 because of a 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.

Panela, Queso Fresco, Requeson, Cotija fresh soft cheese products and Sour Cream were distributed to Hispanic grocery stores in Washington and Oregon and the firm also sold products from its on-site store in Yakima, Washington.

The recalled products are packaged with clear plastic wrapper or plastic tub, and are stamp coded with the best by date up to 4/16/2015. The products are refrigerated and have the shelf life of up to 90 days.

FDA

Oma’s Pride of Avon, CT is recalling Purr-Complete Feline Poultry Meal because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these 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.

Research – Another Source of Campylobacter- Seals?

BarfBlog

In one of the first studies to establish the land-to-sea transmission of a human pathogen, scientists have detected high levels of a human bacterial strain in gray seals. The study also suggests these bacteria may make some seals sick.

Thailand – Steamed Chicken Rice -Blood tofu – Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Barfblog V

Thai social networks have been buzzing with warnings against eating steamed chicken with rice (khao man gai) served with chicken blood tofu, which is said to contain the bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Research – Antimicrobial Potential of Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Okara Byproducts Against Foodborne Bacteria

MaryAnnLeibertFile:Cauliflower.JPG

The antimicrobial potential of cauliflower, broccoli, and okara byproducts was assessed against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Bacillus cereus, and Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b growth behavior was assessed under exposure to 5% vegetable byproducts added to the reference medium, buffered peptone water (0.1% [wt/vol]), at 37°C. Although the byproducts were not effective against L. monocytogenes, they were bactericidal against Salmonella Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7, and B. cereus. The most promising results were achieved with the cauliflower–Salmonella Typhimurium combination, because the bacterial population was reduced by 3.11 log10 cycles after 10 h of incubation at 37°C as a result of 5% cauliflower addition. Further studies were carried out for this combination, at different cauliflower concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 15%) and at temperatures in the range of 5–37°C. The greatest inactivation level (6.11 log10 cycles) was achieved at refrigeration temperature (5°C) using 15% cauliflower addition. Both temperature and cauliflower concentration significantly (p≤0.05) influenced the Salmonella Typhimurium inactivation level. The kinetic parameters were adjusted to mathematical models. The modified Gompertz mathematical model provided an accurate fit (root-mean-square error (RMSE) [0.00009–0.21] and adjusted-R2 [0.81–0.99]) to experimental Salmonella Typhimurium survival curves describing inactivation kinetics of the pathogen to the antimicrobial effect of cauliflower byproduct.

Research – FSANZ – Review of microbiological criteria (second stage)

FSANZ

Review of microbiological criteria (second stage)

Page Content

(January 2015)

FSANZ has released a consultation paper on the second stage of its review of microbiological limits in the Food Standards Code.

This paper details FSANZ’s approach and guiding principles for the work, including for developing and establishing microbiological criteria, the pathogen/commodity or commodity groups being considered and the proposed priority and timeframe for considering issues.

FSANZ is seeking comments and information from stakeholders on the paper to inform its approach to the review.

Submissions close 27 February 2015.

Read the consultation paper (PDF 672kb) | (word 165kb)

Read about our earlier work in reviewing microbiological limits ​​​

Canada – CFIA – Spicy Seed Mix – Salmonella

CFIA Salm

Ecomax Nutrition is recalling Go Raw brand Organic Spicy Seed Mix from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Go Raw Organic Spicy Seed Mix 454 g ENJOY BEFORE MAY/12/2015 R2 HH:MM *
(* HH:MM indicates the time)
8 59888 00040 0

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Sesame Seeds – Chicken – Turkey – Betel Leaves

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RASFF-Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in hulled sesame seeds from India in Poland

RASFF-Salmonella spp. in frozen chicken breast fillets from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF-Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in sesame seedes from India in Germany

RASFF-Salmonella spp. in frozen skinless spiced turkey breast from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF-Salmonella Mbandaka (presence /25g) in sesame seeds from India in Greece

RASFF-Salmonella typhimurium (presence /25g) in chicken filets from Belgium in Belgium

RASFF-Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in betel leaves from India in Germany

RASFF-Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in sesame seeds from India in Finland

RASFF-Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen poultry meat preparations from Brazil in Spain

RASFF Alerts – E.coli – Sea Clams

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RASFF–high count of Escherichia coli (1.100 MPN/100g) in clams sea from Italy in Italy

RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Smoked Salmon

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RASFF -Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in smoked salmon from Poland in Italy

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (3000 CFU/g) in smoked salmon from Lithuania in Italy

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Almonds – Pistachios – Peanuts – Groundnuts – Hazlenuts- Dried Figs – Ochratoxin – Dried Figs

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RASFF-aflatoxins (Tot. = 14.9 µg/kg – ppb) in almonds from Spain in Germany

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 20; Tot. = 25.1 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Iran in Belgium

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 4.3; Tot. = 5.28 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from China in Slovakia

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 545; Tot. = 559 / B1 = 251; Tot. = 308 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Turkey in Belgium

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 28.1; Tot. = 31.6 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts blanched from China in Lithuania

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 22; Tot. = 27 µg/kg – ppb) in roasted salted pistachios from Turkey in the Netherlands

RASFF-aflatoxins (Tot. = 12 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnuts from Turkey in Bulgaria

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 11.7; Tot. = 12.2 µg/kg – ppb) in red chilli from Pakistan in Ireland

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 14.3 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Germany

RASFF-ochratoxin A (69.9 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Germnay