Category Archives: Uncategorized

USA – FDA Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

FDAEurofins Food Testing UK

ZIP INTERNATIONAL GROUP LLC, 160 Raritan Center Parkway #6, Edison, NJ  08837, is recalling herring fillet in oil (FOSFOREL, ATLANTIKA) 400 gram in plastic packaging due  to Listeria contamination.

Listeria monocytogenes is 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

The recalled herring fillet in oil (FOSFOREL, ATLANTIKA) 400 gram in plastic packaging includes best by dates 05/15/2013 and 7/17/2013 (UPC: 4607095500208). The best by date is located on the round side of the packaging and was sold to retail grocery stores in New York State beginning on 03/15/2013 and ending on 5/24/2013. It is a product of Russia.

The recall was initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis of the product by Food Laboratory personnel found the product to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. Consumers who have purchased herring fillet in oil (FOSFOREL, ATLANTIKA) should not consume it, but should return it to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions may contact the company @ 732-225-3600, 9:00AM-5:00 PM EST from Monday to Friday.

UK – FSA Alert – Shellfish Poisoning Alert

FSA

Following detection by the FSA of unusually high levels of toxins, various shellfish harvesting sites in Scotland have been closed. These toxins, which occur naturally, especially during the summer months, can cause acute food poisoning.

In addition, the FSA has been informed that approximately 70 people in south east England have reported symptoms consistent with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (see ‘Science behind the story’ below). The vast majority of cases occurred between 13 and 15 July.

The cases have been linked to the consumption of mussels originating from a particular harvesting area in Shetland, Scotland. After these mussels were harvested, an unusually high toxin level was detected by the FSA’s weekly monitoring programme. The area has been closed, and as a precautionary measure the industry has voluntarily suspended all commercial harvesting from the waters around Shetland until toxin levels subside.

The business that supplied the shellfish, Shetland Mussels, has contacted its customers and advised the FSA that all of the mussels from this batch have either been consumed or disposed of. The local authority is investigating and liaising closely with the FSA.

The mussels had been supplied to a number of restaurants, some through a number of intermediary suppliers. Customers reported illness after eating at: Belgo in Covent Garden, Holborn, Clapham and Bromley; Zero Degrees in Blackheath and Reading; The Phoenix near Hook, Hampshire; Boulevard Brasserie in Covent Garden; and Pig’s Ears in Richmond. These premises acted appropriately by notifying the relevant authorities when the cases of illness were identified.

UK – FSA Recall – ASDA Curried Chicken Snack – Listeria monocytogenes

FSAfood_standards_agency_logo

Asda is recalling its own-brand Curried Chicken Snack Pack with a ‘use by’ date of 17 July 2013 on a precautionary basis because Listeria monocytogenes has been detected in the product and may pose a health risk. If you have bought this product, do not eat it. The Agency has issued a Product Recall Information Notice.

  • Curried Chicken Snack Pack (Chosen By You), 150g
  • ‘Use by’ 17 July 2013
  • Barcode: 05052449807547

Asda is recalling the above product because Listeria monocytogenes has been detected in the product. Listeria monocytogenes can cause illness in certain groups of people, including pregnant women, unborn and newborn babies, and anyone with reduced immunity, particularly the over-60s.

Product recall notices will be displayed in store to tell people about the recall. If you have bought this product, with the ‘use by’ date listed above, do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store it was bought from for a full refund.

No other Asda products are known to be affected

Netherlands- May Put Limits on Campylobacter on Chicken

Food Poisoning Bulletin imagesCAYZ5I84

A report from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands states that the Dutch government “intends to limit the level of Campylobacter bacteria on chicken meat, a so-called process hygiene criterion.” That means that if higher levels of the bacteria are found repeatedly in a particular slaughterhouse, that facility will need to evaluate their processing hygiene. The government has been focusing on “farm to fork” hygiene, looking at everything from slaughterhouse conditions to consumer food preparation standards.

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin in Groundnuts – Listeria monocytogenes in Smoked Salmon – STEC E.coli – Beef

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 11 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Egypt in Slovenia

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes (150; 100; 60; 50 CFU/g) in smoked salmon from Poland in Germany

RASFF – Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (presence /25g) in chilled bovine meat (Bos taurus) from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella

RASFF – Salmonella Mbandaka (presence /25g) in organic soybean cake from Italy, via Germany in Austria
RASFF – Salmonella Derby (presence /25g) in organic soybean cake from China, via the Netherlands in Austria
RASFF – Salmonella Havana (presence /25g) in soaya bean meal from the Netherlands in Finland
RASFF – Salmonella in frozen chicken meat from Brazil in Spain

RASFF – Salmonella in frozen chicken meat from Brazil in Spain
RASFF – Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen poultry meat preparation from Brazil in The Netherlands
RASFF -Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in frozen poultry meat preparation from Brazil in the Netherlands

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Ochratoxin – Pistachio – Dried Raisins

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 18.7; Tot. = 22.1 µg/kg – ppb) in raw pistachio nuts with shell from Iran in Germany

RASFF – Aflatoxins (B1 = 13.5; Tot. = 15.8 / B1 = 2.4; Tot. = 2.4 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio nuts with shell from Turkey in Germany

RASFF – Ochratoxin A (between 13.7 and 40 µg/kg – ppb) in dried raisins from France, with raw material from Turkey in Belgium

RASFF – Aflatoxins (in Helva B1 = 4.21; Tot. = 8.23 /in nuts B1 = 42; Tot. = 82 µg/kg – ppb) in helva with pistachio  nuts from Turkey in Germany

 

USA Recall Sunflower Seeds – Salmonella

Listeria BlogSunflower_Seeds_Kaldari

A Michigan company is recalling its sunflower seeds and snack mixes made with the seeds because these products have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria.

Lipari Foods of Warren, MI — located north of Detroit — issued a voluntary recall of its Raw Sunflower Seeds, Roasted Sunflower Seeds and Snack Mixes Wednesday after sampling by the Michigan Department of Agriculture revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in raw sunflower seeds sold at retailers.

Products subject to the recall include 52 items that were distributed between April 5 and June 11, 2013 to manufacturers and retailers in nine states in the Midwest and East, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Soyabean Meal – Ambadi Leaves – Pork Sausage – Frozen Chicken

RASFF – Salmonella Senftenberg (present /25g) in soyabean meal dehulled from Argentina in Ireland

RASFF – Salmonella infantis (presence /25g) in fresh ambadi ivs (Hibiscus sabdariffa) leaves from India in Finland

RASFF – Salmonella Virchow (present in 3 out of 5 /25g) in chilled pork sausages from Poland in Latvia

RASFF – Salmonella infantis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken from Brazil in Bulgaria

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