The Health Department has more reports of ill customers from the suspected norovirus outbreaks at two El Toro restaurants. We have received reports of 232 ill customers at the Tacoma location and four at the one in University Place. We continue to receive more reports and interview more customers.
If you ate at El Toro Restaurant and became ill, contact the Health Department at food@tpchd.org, report online at www.tpchd.org/reportfoodborneillness, or call (253) 798-4712.
Posted in Uncategorized
Executive Summary
Each year in the United States an estimated 9 million people get sick, 56,000 are hospitalized, and 1,300 die of foodborne disease caused by known pathogens. These estimates help us understand the scope of this public health problem. However, to develop effective prevention measures, we need to understand the types of foods contributing to the problem.
The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) is a tri-agency group created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS). Based on a new method, IFSAC developed foodborne illness source attribution estimates for 2012 using outbreak data from 1998 through 2012 for four priority pathogens, Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter. IFSAC described this method and the estimates for 2012 in a report and at a public meeting.
IFSAC derived the estimates for 2013 using the same method used for the 2012 estimates, with some modifications. The data came from 1,043 foodborne disease outbreaks that occurred from 1998 through 2013 and for which each confirmed or suspected implicated food fell into a single food category. The method relies most heavily on the most recent five years of outbreak data (2009–2013). Foods are categorized using a scheme IFSAC created to classify foods into 17 categories that closely align with the U.S. food regulatory agencies’ classification needs.
The following question, “What is the most poisonous toxin?”, comes from Allison in Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s class.
The most poisonous toxin is botulinum toxin. The toxin was discovered in Germany in the late 18th century when it caused food poisoning from a bad sausage.
Botulinum toxin is created by bacteria called clostridium botulinum under anaerobic (low oxygen) conditions. Exposure to botulinum toxin usually occurs from improperly canned food. When ingested it causes a potentially fatal illness called botulism. It doesn’t take much to be lethal — less than one nanogram. However, it is very rare, with less than one in 10 million people affected each year because high pressure and temperatures reached through boiling can kill the bacteria.
Posted in Uncategorized
It’s still too early to blame romaine lettuce for an outbreak of E. coli sickness that’s affected at least 24 people in the U.S. and more than 40 in Canada, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.No new cases have been diagnosed since December 12, but that doesn’t mean the outbreak is over, said Ian Williams, chief of the CDC’s Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch.
Posted in Uncategorized
Health officials in Salt Lake County, Utah, are warning residents that an estimated 2,000 of them could have been exposed to hepatitis A at a local 7-Eleven convenience store.
Posted in Uncategorized
Ottawa, January 10, 2018 – The food recall warning issued on January 3, 2018 has been updated to include additional distribution information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.
Imperial Caviar & Seafood is recalling Imperial Caviar & Seafood brand Whitefish Roe and VIP Caviar Club brand Salmon Roe from the marketplace because they may permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.
| Brand Name | Common Name | Size | Code(s) on Product | UPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP Caviar Club | Salmon Roe | 50 g | 27017-02 BB: 27-SEP-18 | 1 86866 90024 8 |
| VIP Caviar Club | Salmon Roe | 50 g | 19417-01 BB: 13-07-2018 | 1 86866 90024 8 |
| Imperial Caviar & Seafood | Whitefish Roe | 50 g | 17917-02 BB: 28-JUN-2018 | 1 86866 90027 9 |
Posted in CFIA, Clostridium botulinum, Recall, Uncategorized
The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) is investigating two cases of hepatitis A in Kauai residents. Symptoms began from November 2017, and investigation is ongoing. The strain of the virus in both cases appears to be the same one currently circulating in California.“As our investigators continue their work, we want to remind Hawaii residents that hepatitis A vaccination is highly effective in preventing infection,” said Dr. Sarah Park, state epidemiologist. “With large, multi-state outbreaks occurring across the country, it is important that we all take precautions to prevent hepatitis A infection whether at home, work, recreating, or traveling.”
Posted in Uncategorized
Foodborne pathogens’ transmission via fish products, for example, L. monocytogenes, is hazardous and must be overcome efficiently and safely. The substitution of synthetic and chemical food additives and preservatives with natural agents is a general request from all. Results of study supported the practical application of powerful anti-listerial plant extracts, for example, pomegranate peels and rosella calyxes, for the control of L. monocytogenes, coloring and improving sensorial attributes of processed fish products, burger and surimi.
Posted in Uncategorized
Hom/Ade Foods Inc. is the latest food company to recall biscuits because of potential Listeria contamination. All of its Mary B’s brand biscuits with dates through Sept 23 are now recalled.
Recalls in the past month included biscuits under brands including Food Lion, SEG and Southern Home, and T. Marzetti Company’s Marshalls brand.
As with the other recalls, Hom/Ade Foods reported the potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination involved another company in the food supply chain.
“The problem was discovered in a product sampling conducted by an outside co-packer, who manufactured the product,” according to the recall.
Posted in Uncategorized
Price Chopper and Market 32 Supermarkets are issuing a voluntary recall by AFC Sushi on all varieties of packaged sushi made with tuna that were sold at delis within their stores.The companies say the manufacturer is recalling the products because of possible listeria contamination of the tuna.
“To date, affected sushi has only been found at the Price Chopper stories in Edwardsville, PA (180 Westside Mall, Edwardsville, PA) and Rotterdam, NY (1879 Altamont Avenue, Rotterdam, NY) but, as a precaution, the sushi made with tuna manufactured by AFC Sushi has been recalled from all of the chain’s stores,” the companies said in a release.
Posted in Uncategorized
