Category Archives: Uncategorized

UK- Northern Ireland – Own-brand children’s cough syrups from Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Superdrug and Wilko urgently recalled – Moulds

Belfast Live

A healthcare manufacturer – which makes medicines for several supermarkets and high street retailers – is recalling 15 batches of its children’s glycerine and blackcurrant cough syrups.

Bell, Sons & Co is pulling own-brand cough syrups from Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Superdrug and Wilko due to reports of mould.

Up to four batches are being recalled from Asda, two from Superdrug and three from Tesco stores.

A statement on the Government’s, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, website reads: “Penicillium brevicompactum and Penicillium corylophilum can produce mycotoxins. Reactions to these mycotoxins are rare in reported literature but there is a low risk they could induce non-specific toxin reactions that could include rashes, breathing difficulties and Gastro-Intestinal (GI) symptoms.

Uk Gov

Bell, Sons & Co (Bells) is recalling 15 batches of the cough syrups listed above to patient-level as a precautionary measure due to a small number of reports of mould.

USA – Now Health Group Inc. Recalls Select Now Real Food® Zesty Sprouting Mix Because of Possible Health Risk

FDA

NOW Health Group, Inc. (NOW), of Bloomingdale, Illinois, is recalling its NOW Real Food® Zesty Sprouting Mix – Product Code 7271, Lot #3031259 and Lot #3038165 – because its primary ingredient, Crimson Clover Seeds, has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.  Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.

Approximately 10,000 units of Zesty Sprouting Mix were distributed online and in retail stores nationwide since December 2017.

Recalled products include:

UPC Code Description Lot Number Best By Date
733739072719 NOW Real Food® Zesty Sprouting Mix, 16 oz. 3031259 (located on back of package) 12/20
733739072719 NOW Real Food® Zesty Sprouting Mix, 16 oz. 3038165 (located on back of package) 01/21

No other products are affected or are involved in this recall. No illnesses have been reported to date.

Canada – Salmonella Enteritidis Outbreak in Canada Linked to Frozen Raw Breaded Chicken Products

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak in Canada that is linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products is a good reminder to consumers to thoroughly cook these foods that appear to be already cooked. Sixty-eight people in that country are sick in this outbreak. There have been similar outbreaks in the United States; for instance, in 2015, a multistate Salmonella outbreak was linked to Aspen Foods frozen raw breaded chicken entrees.

USA – E. coli O103 Prompts Meat Recall

Food Poison Journal

Texas Natural Meats, a Lott, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 489 pounds of frozen raw, ground beef products that may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O103, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.The frozen raw, ground beef items were produced on Aug. 8, 2017.

USA – Iowa investigates increase in Cyclospora cases

Outbreak News Today

Iowa state health officials report  investigating an increasing number of Cyclospora infections. Since the beginning of the year, 22 Cyclospora infections have been reported in nine Iowa counties.

Australia – Alfalfa sprouts linked to salmonella outbreak

Outbreak News Today

South Australians are being warned not to eat alfalfa sprout products produced by Adelaide business SA Sprouts, after several people became ill with Salmonella Havana.

SA Health’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Paddy Phillips, said there had been 21 recent confirmed cases of Salmonella Havana, including seven people who were hospitalised.

Image/SA Health
Image/SA Health

“We are advising anyone who has purchased the recalled SA Sprouts alfalfa sprouts products to return them to the place of purchase for a refund, or throw them away,” Professor Phillips said.

“We also want to alert cafes and restaurants to check their suppliers and not serve any SA Sprouts alfalfa sprout products until further notice.

“In cases of salmonella a common food source is not often identified, however a joint investigation between SA Health, local government and Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA) has linked these cases to SA Sprouts alfalfa sprouts.

“We are working closely with the producer and suppliers while we continue to investigate.”

Brazil – Santa Maria reports 569 confirmed cases of toxoplasmosis, of which 50 are pregnant women

Outbreak News Today Toxoplas

The number of confirmed cases of toxoplasmosis in Santa Maria, in the Central Region of Rio Grande do Sul, rose to 569, according to a report released Monday (June / 2018) by the municipal and state health departments. According to the document, of the confirmed cases, 50 are pregnant women. The previous bulletin, released on June 8 [2018], reported 510 cases.

USA – FDA Investigating Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Adelaide Infections Linked to Pre-Cut Melons

FDA 

Fast Facts

  • The FDA, CDC, along with state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Adelaide infections. CDC reports that fruit salad mixes that include pre-cut melons are a likely source of this outbreak.
  • FDA advises consumers not to eat recalled fresh cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh-cut fruit medley products containing any of these melons. Products have been distributed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The products were packaged in clear, plastic clamshell containers under several different brands or labels and distributed to Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, Whole Foods/Amazon. Other retail locations may be added to the list.
  • Caito Foods, LLC has voluntarily recalled fruit salad mixes that contain pre-cut melons to prevent further distribution of potentially contaminated products.
  • CDC reports that there are 70 cases in seven states. Illnesses occurred from April 30, 2018, to June 3, 2018.
  • Ill people range in age from less than 1 year to 97, with a median age of 67. Sixty-seven percent are female. Out of 63 people with information available, 34 (54%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
  • The FDA is working with CDC, along with state partners , to trace back the pre-cut melons to identify the source to determine the full distribution of pre-cut melons, and to learn more about the potential route of contamination.
  • As this is an ongoing investigation, the FDA will update this page as more information becomes available, such as product information, epidemiological results, and recalls.
  • Additional distribution information has been added that identifies retail locations organized by state that received potentially contaminated product. The FDA is advising consumers to discard any recalled products purchased at the listed locations. The FDA is sharing this information with consumers as soon as possible and additional distribution information may be added as it becomes available. It is possible that some stores may be mentioned more than once because they received more than one shipment or more than one product. Consumers may wish to ask a store directly if the recalled product was available for sale.
  • Consumers who have symptoms of Salmonella infection should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care. Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Most infections usually lasts 4 to 7 days and most people recover without treatment, however some people develop diarrhea so severe that they need to be hospitalized.

India – Three children die, 80 others hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning in Maharashtra village

The Hindu

A resident of Mhahad village near Khopoli in Raigad district had hosted a dinner during a ”vastu shanti” ceremony.

Three minors died and at least 80 have been hospitalised owing to suspected food poisoning during a ”vastu shanti” ceremony at Mhahad village near Khopoli city in Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Officials said the incident occurred on Monday around 9 p.m., when around 500 villagers were invited by Subhash Mane for dinner at a local temple on the occasion of him building a new house.

According to the Khalapur police, some children started complaining of nausea and vomiting after the first round of dinner was served. Later, after some adults too started complaining of the same. They were all taken to Parvati Hospital in Khopoli.

When the number of patients started increasing, the patients were shifted to Gandhi hospital in Panvel, MGM hospital in Kamothe and DY Patil in Nerul.

UK – BUPA care home fined £3m after Legionnaires’ disease death

Legionella Control

A fatal case of Legionnaires’ disease at an Essex care home in 2015 has resulted in a £3 million fine for health insurance company BUPA after the Health and Safety Executive prosecuted the company for a series of management failings.

Kenneth Ibbetson was admitted to a BUPA Care Homes’ residential home in Essex in 2015, with his family paying £1000 per week for his care. The 86 year old had only been in the home for 12 weeks before contracting Legionnaires’ disease, which resulted in his death.