Category Archives: Uncategorized

Canada – Food Recall Warning – Goodleaf brand Daikon Radish microgreens recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes

CFIA–

 

Recall details

Ottawa, June 28, 2018 – Goodleaf Community Farms Ltd. is recalling Goodleaf brand Daikon Radish microgreens from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Goodleaf Daikon Radish (microgreens) 75 g BB/MA JN 30
LOT# MR088
6 28451 71410 1

Information – What you need to know about Hepatitis A

Food Poison Journal

Hepatitis A is the only common foodborne disease preventable by vaccine. It is one of five hepatitis viruses that infect the liver. While hepatitis B and C can turn into chronic hepatitis, hepatitis A generally does not; although it can lead to liver failure and death.Hepatitis A is rare in the United States, with 30,000 to 50,000 cases occurring each year. However, in most other countries, poorer sanitation systems lead to easier transmission of the disease, and therefore more cases.

Hepatitis A is a contagious disease. It travels in feces, and can spread from person to person, or can be contracted from food or water. In cases of contaminated food, it is usually the person preparing the food who contaminates it. The food handler will probably not know they have the virus, since the virus is most likely to be passed on in the first two weeks of illness, before a person begins to show symptoms.

Canada – Canada calls E. coli Outbreak over after 8 Sickened by US Romaine Lettuce

Food Poison Journal 

According to Food Safety News, Canadian officials say an E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce from Arizona has ended with eight confirmed cases in their country. The eight victims in Canada all reported eating chopped romaine lettuce in the days before becoming sick. They all said the romaine was in packaged salads from grocery stores or in salads from restaurants. Two of the Canadians reported traveling to the United States and eating romaine there before becoming ill. Canadians became sick between March 18 and April 22.

In Canada the investigation is officially over, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Research – A new toxin discovered in Cholera bacteria

Science Daily 

 

The bacterium Vibrio cholerae was discovered more than 150 years ago but remains as one of the main causes of bacterial infectious disease globally, especially in low-income nations where it occurs endemic, and outbreaks of cholera disease can lead to major epidemics.

In addition to causing cholera disease characterized by very severe watery diarrhea, different variants of V. cholerae can cause, for example, wound infections and infections in the ear canal (ear inflammation). If the infection is reaching the bloodstream, it can lead to blood poisoning. Such variants of Vibrio bacteria are common in brackish water, but can be found both in freshwater and saltwater and are also present in such environments in our country.

Scientists from Umeå University have now discovered and characterised the structure and function of a so far unknown Vibrio toxin. A team led by Professor Sun Nyunt Wai at Department of Molecular Biology and MIMS used the worm Caenorhabditis elegans as a predatory host for the bacteria and identified by molecular genetic analysis the V. cholerae genes required for production and release of the new protein toxin, now called MakA.

“In addition to the toxicity of MakA demonstrated with C. elegans, our studies revealed that upon infection of Zebrafish the toxin caused damage in particular to the intestinal system,” explains Sun Nyunt Wai.

Sun Nyunt Wai lrSun Nyunt Wai and her colleagues were also curious about the details of the bacterial release mechanism of the newly discovered toxin from V. cholerae.

USA – Bulging cans spur Aunt Kitty’s to recall 10,805 pounds of gravy

Food Safety News

Aunt Kitty’s Foods Inc. of Vineland, NJ, Tuesday recalled 10,805 pounds of chicken gravy after it found multiple cans were bulging, which suggests the product may have been under processed.

There is concern that consumers may have the recalled canned gravy in their homes because of its long shelf life, which extends to June 2021, according to a recall notice posted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

USA – Producer of recalled Honey Smacks kept secret amid outbreak

Food Safety News

As public health officials in other countries urge consumers to throw away a Kellogg’s cereal because it’s linked to a Salmonella outbreak in the United States, the company that actually produced the cereal has not been named.

The Kellogg’s recall notice says it is assisting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with an investigation to find the source of the Salmonella. The company says the recalled Honey Smacks were made by contractor, not a Kellogg’s production facility.

Neither Kellogg nor the FDA has identified the manufacturer of the cereal. It is not known if the manufacturer is continuing to operate. It is also not known if the plant produced any other Kellogg cereals or products for any other companies during the time the recalled Honey Smacks were made.

USA – Hardees in Charlotte linked to Hepatitis A Scare – Vaccines Required

Food Poison Journal Virusds

Patrons who ate at Hardees restaurant on Little Rock Road in Charlotte between June 13 and 23 should receive a hepatitis A vaccination as soon as possible.Public Health Director Gibbie Harris announced today that the outbreak identified by the State and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) earlier this month in Mecklenburg County has led to five additional cases since June 6, including a Hardees employee diagnosed Monday.

“After consulting with the State today, we are recommending a vaccination for exposed employees and patrons who ate at the 2604 Little Rock Road location between June 13 and 23,” Harris said. “According to the CDC, the vaccine must be given within 14 days of exposure for the vaccine to be effective.”

India – Students hospitalised after food poisoning

Kaumudi Global

KOTTAYAM: Eight girl students of Kuttikanam Marian College hostel were admitted to hospital on Monday after they suffered from food-poisoning. The stale meat cooked in the hostel is said to have caused the illness. Six girl students sought treatment from Mundakkayam 35th Mile Medical Trust hospital on Monday. Two boy students had sought treatment yesterday.
The students sought treatment after they experienced giddiness, vomiting and itching. In the medical examination conducted, it was found to be food-poisoning.

Meanwhile, hospital authorities complained that neither hostel authorities nor college authorities had turned up at the hospital.

India – 40 taken ill due to food poisoning

The Hans India

Tirupati: About 60 people were taken ill due to suspected food poisoning after taking the food served in a local temple in Pureduvaripalle village in Pulicherla mandal, 50 km from here on Sunday.

They were admitted in Piler government hospital. Madanapalli RDO G Ganesh Kumar visited the hospital and spoke to the villagers who were undergoing treatment and also hospital authorities. He urged them to provide better treatment for the speedy recovery of the victims.

Information – Eating Outdoors, Handling Food Safely

FDA – 

There are infographics at the link above.

Picnic and barbecue season offers lots of opportunities for outdoor fun with family and friends. But these warm weather events also present opportunities for foodborne bacteria to thrive. As food heats up in summer temperatures, bacteria multiply rapidly.

To protect yourself, your family, and friends from foodborne illness during warm-weather months, safe food handling when eating outdoors is critical. Read on for simple food safety guidelines for transporting your food to the picnic site, and preparing and serving it safely once you’ve arrived.

Pack and Transport Food Safely

Keep your food safe: from the refrigerator/freezer — all the way to the picnic table.

  • Keep cold food cold. Place cold food in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. Cold food should be stored at 40 °F or below to prevent bacterial growth. Meat, poultry, and seafood may be packed while still frozen so that they stay colder longer.
  • Organize cooler contents. Consider packing beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another. That way, as picnickers open and reopen the beverage cooler to replenish their drinks, the perishable foods won’t be exposed to warm outdoor air temperatures.
  • Keep coolers closed: Once at the picnic site, limit the number of times the cooler is opened as much as you can. This helps to keep the contents cold longer.
  • Don’t cross-contaminate. Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood securely wrapped. This keeps their juices from contaminating prepared/cooked foods or foods that will be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables.
  • Clean your produce. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water before packing them in the cooler — including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Rub firm-skinned fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water. Dry fruits and vegetables with a clean cloth towel or paper towel. Packaged fruits and vegetables that are labeled “ready-to-eat,” “washed,” or “triple washed” need not be washed.

Follow Safe Grilling Tips

Grilling and picnicking often go hand-in-hand. And just as with cooking indoors, there are important guidelines that should be followed to ensure that your grilled food reaches the table safely.

  • Marinate safely. Marinate foods in the refrigerator — never on the kitchen counter or outdoors. In addition, if you plan to use some of the marinade as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion separately before adding the raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Don’t reuse marinade.
  • Cook immediately after “partial cooking.” Partial cooking before grilling is only safe when the partially cooked food can go on the hot grill immediately, for example at a home with a grill on the patio or deck.
  • Cook food thoroughly. When it’s time to cook the food, have your food thermometer ready. Always use it to be sure your food is cooked thoroughly. (See Safe Food Temperature Chart)
  • Keep “ready” food hot. Grilled food can be kept hot until served by moving it to the side of the grill rack, just away from the coals. This keeps it hot but prevents overcooking.
  • Don’t reuse platters or utensils. Using the same platter or utensils that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood allows bacteria from the raw food’s juices to spread to the cooked food. Instead, have a clean platter and utensils ready at grill-side to serve your food.
  • Check for foreign objects in food. If you clean your grill using a bristle brush, check to make sure that no detached bristles have made their way into grilled food.

Keep Cold Foods Cold and Hot Foods Hot

Keeping food at proper temperatures — indoor and out — is critical in preventing the growth of foodborne bacteria. The key is to never let your picnic food remain in the “Danger Zone” — between 40 °F and 140 °F — for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if outdoor temperatures are above 90 °F. This is when bacteria in food can multiply rapidly, and lead to foodborne illness.