The FDA has updated the Salmonella Uganda outbreak likely linked to fresh papayas imported from Mexico, stating that they have asked Agroson’s LLC, the distributor of the Cavi brand of papayas, to recall that product. Agroson’s has refused to initiate a recall.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Uganda illnesses likely linked to Cavi Brand whole, fresh papayas.
The FDA has asked Agroson’s LLC, the exclusive distributor of this brand, to conduct a voluntary recall of Cavi brand papayas. Agroson’s LLC refused to initiate a recall. FDA contacted wholesale customers of Agroson’s LLC to ensure the fruit was no longer available for sale, has been discarded, or not further processed or frozen. FDA is doing this to protect consumers as it pursues additional protective and regulatory actions.
For Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers:
Consumers in all states should not eat any Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas and should throw them away. If consumers are unable to determine the brand of papayas, the product should be thrown away. Retailers, restaurants, and other food service providers in all states should not serve or sell whole, fresh papayas under the Cavi brand, which are distributed by Agroson’s LLC.
Consumers no longer need to avoid whole, fresh papayas, with the exception of Cavi brand papayas.
For Restaurants, Retailers, Importers, Suppliers, and Distributors in All States:
The FDA strongly advises importers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as restaurants, retailers, and other food service providers from all states to not sell or distribute whole, fresh papayas from Agroson’s LLC that are labeled under the Cavi brand.
Based on this new information, the hold FDA advised on June 28, 2019 for all imported Mexican papayas is no longer necessary.
Distributors don’t need to withhold Mexican papayas from distribution, with the exception of the Cavi brand.
Ottawa, July 19, 2019 – Industry is recalling certain Pacific oysters from the marketplace due to a marine biotoxin which causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.
| Brand Name | Common Name | Size | Code(s) on Product | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Bay Seafood Ltd. | Pacific oysters, Mica’s Petite Effingham Inlet | 5 dozen | Location: BC 23-6 Landfile: 1403799 Lot: 20190715NW |
Harvest Date:14 July 2019 |
| Union Bay Seafood Ltd. | Pacific oysters Effingham Inlet Xs | 5 dozen | Location: BC 23-6 Landfile: 1403799 Lot: 20190715NW |
Harvest Date:14 July 2019 |
| Intercity Packers Ltd. | Oyster N/Shell Effingham XSM | 5 dozen | Harvest Location: BC 23-6 LF#: 1403799 P.O. No.: 114994 |
Harvest Date:7/14/2019 |
About 48 million episodes of foodborne illness and 3,000 deaths occur per year in the United States. The most common foodborne pathogens cause an estimated annual burden of $14 billion to $36 billion. Produce has been implicated in 46 percent of foodborne illness outbreaks. Tomatoes have been the source of a number of foodborne illness outbreaks since 1998, but the annual number of foodborne illnesses associated with outbreaks in tomatoes has generally decreased since their high of nearly 900 in 2001. Ten outbreaks have caused more than 100 illnesses, while 2 were associated with deaths of individuals. In 2005 and 2006, multistate outbreaks of salmonella in tomatoes sickened 487 individuals.
Figures from 2016 showed there were more than 356,000 cases of human zoonoses reported across the European Union with Campylobacteriosis (246,307) and Salmonellosis (94,530) by far the most predominant.
Earlier this month, Ireland reported its highest annual level of campylobacteriosiswith 3,030 cases – an increase of 8.7% compared with 2,786 patients in 2017. The highest rates of notification was in the 0-4 year age group.
Similary, in Holland the incidence of campylobacteriosis increased from 33 cases per 1,000 inhabitants in 2017 to 35 last year, with the country reporting 71,000 cases in 2018.
But now Norwegian firm DECON SFS believes it has manufactured a decontamination unit that can remove more than 99% of pathogenic bacteria during poultry meat slaughtering and processing.
And the results have been so successful that the company has garnered backing from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 fund through grant support totalling €50,000.
The present study tested the antibacterial activity, expressed as minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO‐NPs), copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO‐NPs) and their combination with or without rosemary, clove or cinnamon extract against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. The NPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The sizes of ZnO‐NPs and CuO‐NPs were in the range of 56–71 and 171–204 nm, respectively. Results showed that ZnO‐NPs had a greater inhibitory effect against both E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes than CuO‐NPs. The MBC of ZnO‐NPs against E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes was 300 and 350 μg/mL, respectively, while the MBC of CuO‐NPs was >1,000 and 400 μg/mL, respectively. When combined, ZnO‐NPs and CuO‐NPs had additional inhibitory effects against L. monocytogenes, but not against E. coli O157:H7. In general, the antibacterial activity of the NPs against E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes was enhanced by rosemary or cinnamon extract. Incorporation of clove extract into the NPs improved the antibacterial effect against E. coli O157:H7, but not against L. monocytogenes. Thus, plant extracts may be useful adjuncts for the synthesis of ZnO‐NPs or CuO‐NPs which can be used to control foodborne pathogens.
Incorporation of plant extracts in the synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) can be applied to improve the antimicrobial activity of NPs against foodborne pathogens.
More than 130 foodborne outbreaks were recorded in Finland between 2014 and 2016, according to a recent report.
Data comes from a register of foodborne and waterborne outbreaks maintained by the former Finnish Food Safety Authority (Evira) that became the Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) at the beginning of this year.
The number of people infected from foodborne pathogens was 2,761 in 132 outbreaks. Forty-eight people needed hospital treatment. No deaths were reported.
Vegetables and meat common food sources
Norovirus remained the most common agent in foodborne outbreaks between 2014 and 2016. It was responsible for 42, or 32 percent, of such outbreaks.
The Moscow Department of Rospotrebnadzor reported this week that dozens of people have been sickened after eating food from vending machines in Moscow, according to a Tass report.
As of Wednesday, at least 51 people developed symptoms of food poisoning and 26 required hospitalization.
“According to the latest data, as of 14:00 on July 17, 51 cases of acute intestinal infections were registered, the increase in the number of registered cases is associated with a late request for medical care for patients who previously consumed products under the Healthy food brand (legal entity Halfi Food Production – TASS’s note.) All the sick are adults. 26 people were hospitalized, six people were previously discharged from the previously hospitalized ones”, the report states.
The outbreak was first recognised earlier this month. Salmonella has been implicated in most cases of illness.
Recall
The phytosanitary inspection of Republika Srpska (RS), one of the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, prohibited the import of 20,160 tonnes of walnuts from Romania on Tuesday (July 16) due to increased presence of aflatoxin B1.
FoodWorld 