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Hong Kong – Food Alert *(Updated on 14 September 2018) Packed milk drink sample found to contain excessive Bacillus cereus

CFS 

Issue Date 4.9.2018
Source of Information Centre for Food Safety (CFS)
Food Product Kowloon Dairy Hi-Calcium Skimmed milk drink
Product Name and Description Product name: Kowloon Dairy Hi-Calcium Skimmed milk drink

Manufacturer: The Kowloon Dairy Ltd

Volume: 236 millilitres per pack

Use-by date: August 23, 2018

*Updated on 14 September 2018

The CFS has collected a total of 13 follow-up samples of Kowloon Dairy milk products including samples collected from the concerned factory for testing. Results of all 13 samples are satisfactory.

Reason For Issuing Alert
  • Following up on a food complaint, the CFS collected the concerned sample from a supermarket in Sha Tin for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained Bacillus cereus at a level of 3.8 million per gram. Under the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, if ready-to-eat food contains Bacillus cereus at a level of more than 100 000 per gram, it is considered unsatisfactory.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The CFS had informed the manufacturer and the vendor concerned of the test result. Investigation was conducted at the production plant and the supermarket concerned and follow-up samples were collected for further testing. Investigation is ongoing.
  • The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the staff of the production plant and the supermarket and requested them to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection.
  • The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action in order to safeguard public health and food safety.
Advice to the Trade
  • According to Section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
Advice to Consumers
  • Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
Further Information The CFS press release

UK – Dearne Valley Foods recalls McWurst Scotch Egg products because of the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes

FSA

Dearne Valley Foods is recalling batches of McWurst Scotch Egg products because Listeria monocytogenes has been found in two separate batches. These products are sold in Booths and Booker.

Product details

McWurst Scotch Eggs 2 eggs / pack chilled

Use by 13 September 2018 to 25 September 2018
McWurst Mini Savoury Eggs 12 eggs / pack chilled

Use by 13 September 2018 to 24 September 2018

No other Dearne Valley Foods products are known to be affected.

Risk statement

The possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the products listed above

Symptoms caused by this organism can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.

Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.

Action taken by the company

Dearne Valley Foods is recalling the above products. Point-of-Sale notices will be displayed in all stores that are selling these products. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products. A copy of the Point-of-Sale notice is attached.

UK – Campylobacter levels hold steady

Food.Gov UK  

campy2

Major retailers publish April – June 2018 campylobacter results for fresh shop-bought UK-produced chickens.
13 September 2018

The top nine retailers across the UK have today published their latest testing results on campylobacter contamination in UK-produced fresh whole chickens (covering samples tested from April to June 2018).

The latest figures show that on average, across the major retailers, 3.7% of chickens tested positive for the highest level of contamination; these are the chickens carrying more than 1,000 colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) of campylobacter. The corresponding figure for the previous set of results (Jan-March 2018) was 3.8%, while for the first publication (July-September 2017) it was 4.6%.

Michael Wight, Director of Policy at the Food Standards Agency said:

‘These latest figures are consistent with previous results and show consolidation on the progress made so far in our mission to reduce Campylobacter levels to as low as reasonably achievable. Evidence has shown that Campylobacter tends to be more prevalent during warmer times of the year; so, to have seen the results holding steady during this period is encouraging.

‘I would like to thank the major retailers, processors and poultry producers for their efforts in tackling campylobacter and for working alongside the FSA to coordinate the publication of results.’

RASFF Alert – Animal Feed – Salmonella – Pea Fibres

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RASFF-Salmonella (present /25g) in pea fibres from Belgium in Belgium

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella – Whipped Cream – White Sesame Seeds – Chicken Livers -Chicken Fillet Strips

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RASFF-Salmonella (presence /25g) in whipped cream from Belgium in France

RASFF-Salmonella (presence /25g) in white sesame seeds from Nigeria in Poland

RASFF -Salmonella (presence /25g) in chilled chicken livers from the Netherlands in the Netherlands

RASFF-Salmonella (presence /25g) in frozen chicken fillet strips from the Netherlands in France

RASFF-Salmonella (presence /25g) in white sesame seeds from Nigeria in Poland

RASFF Alert – E.coli – Chilled Mussels

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RASFF-too high count of Escherichia coli (up to 1300 MPN/100g) in chilled mussels from Italy in Italy

RASFF Alerts – Campylobacter – Chilled Chicken Breast – Chilled Chicken Thighs – Chilled Chicken Meat

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RASFF -Campylobacter coli (up to 3200 CFU/g) and Campylobacter jejuni (up to 65000 CFU/g) in chilled chicken breast from France in Denmark

RASFF-Campylobacter jejuni (200-24000 CFU/g) in chilled chicken thighs from the Netherlands, via Germany in Denmark

RASFF-Campylobacter (1100, 20000, 3200, 6400, 58000, 2600, 600, 3500, 7000, 500, 30000, 4800 CFU/g) in chilled chicken meat from France in Denmark

RASFF Alerts – Listeria monocytogenes – Various Chilled RTE Chicken Products – Shrimps in Brine

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RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes in various chilled ready-to-eat chicken products from Sweden into Sweden

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (<10 CFU/g) in shrimps in brine from Poland in Denmark

RASFF Alert- Animal Feed – Enterobacteriaceae – Raw Pet Food

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RASFF-too high count of Enterobacteriaceae (30000 CFU/g) in raw pet food from the Netherlands in Belgium

RASFF Alerts – Animal Feed – Aflatoxin – Groundnuts

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RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 260 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts kernel from Sudan in the Netherlands

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 310; Tot. = 570 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from the Gambia in the Netherlands