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CFIA

Ottawa, June 21, 2017 – The food recall warning issued on June 19, 2017 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation.

Industry is recalling certain pie shells and tart shells due to possible E. coli O121 contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below.

Outbreak News Today

A mother and two daughters have died due to botulism in Ouarzazate in south-central Morocco, according to a L’Economiste report (computer translated). It is reported that the father was not sickened as he was traveling at the time.

The source of the botulism has not been pinpointed to date.

Food borne botulism is a severe intoxication caused by eating the preformed toxin present in contaminated food.

Food Safety News

Only 20 percent of the estimated 265,000 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) cases annually in the United States involve outbreaks that the public hears about, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Two-year-old Landon Huston, currently at Children’s Medical Center Dallas, is one of the solo cases that comprise the other 80 percent of the nation’s potentially deadly E. coli infections. Media generally doesn’t cover such cases extensively and in many individual cases no one but the families and public health agencies are informed.

Landon is on life support after his Shiga toxin-producing E. coli brought on the life-threatening kidney ailment known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome or HUS. It destroys red blood cells, with the potential for complete kidney failure. Many victims require transplants.

ECDC 

Image CDC

An outbreak of a new serovar of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica with antigenic formula 11:z41:e,n,z15, initially detected in Greece, affected 47 individuals in five European Union countries (the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom) between March 2016 and May 2017. Epidemiological and microbiological evidence linked some of the outbreak cases to a sesame paste produced by a Greek manufacturer. The sesame seeds used for the production of the sesame paste were traced back to an African country. The same Greek manufacturer also processed a batch of sesame seeds imported from another African country that tested Salmonella positive after processing. The most recent cases associated with this outbreak were reported in Germany and Luxembourg in March 2017. Since the withdrawal of the implicated sesame paste in March and April 2017, no new cases were reported. If new cases with the outbreak serovar are reported, competent authorities in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) should consider rapidly interviewing the cases to assess the exposures and attempt to identify potential links to the outbreak. In line with established procedures – and as carried out so far – new cases and important developments should be reported to EPIS-FWD (Epidemic Intelligence Information System for Food- and Waterborne Diseases and Zoonoses) and to EWRS (Early Warning and Response System). The latter represents the official channel to notify cross-border threats. Information from food investigations should be shared by issuing relevant notifications in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). National public health and food safety authorities should exchange relevant information with each other.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Chic-a-Peas is voluntarily recalling some of their Baked Crunchy Chickpeas because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled products are Chic-a-Peas, Baked Crunchy Chickpeas, Sea Salt in 2.0 ounce (57g) packages, with Best By Date of 12/27/2017, UPC number 853404004033, and Lot Code 0867. Also recalled is Chic-a-Peas, Baked Crunchy Chickpeas, Fresh Salsa in 2.0 oz (57g) packages, with Best By Date of 12/27/2017, UPC number 853404004071, and Lot Code 0877. Finally, Chic-a-Peas, Baked Crunchy Chickpeas, Falafel in 2.0 oz (57g) packages is recalled, with Best By Date of 12/28/2017, UPC number 853404004026, and Lot Code 0897.

CDC 

A total of 199 confirmed and 14 probable cases of botulism were reported to CDC in 2015. Among confirmed cases, infant botulism accounted for 141 (71%) cases, foodborne botulism for 39 (20%) cases, wound botulism for 15 (8%) cases, and botulism of unknown or other transmission category for 4 (2%) cases (Table 1). Among probable cases, foodborne botulism accounted for 6 (43%) cases and wound botulism for 8 (57%) cases.

The 141 cases of infant botulism were reported from 33 states and the District of Columbia. The median age of patients was 2.7 months with a range of 0 – 10 months; 70 (50%) were girls. Toxin type A accounted for 60 (43%), toxin type B accounted for 79 (56%), and toxin type Bf accounted for 2 (1%). No deaths were reported.

The 39 cases of confirmed foodborne botulism were reported from 7 states (Figure 1). The median age of patients was 59 years with a range of 9 – 92 years; 25 (64%) were women. There were 5 outbreaks (events with two or more cases) accounting for 37 confirmed cases. One outbreak was associated with home-canned potatoes in a potato salad served at a church potluck (27 cases),^{† one was associated with fermented seal flipper (4 cases), and one was associated with beets roasted in aluminum foil and kept at room temperature for several days then made into a soup (2 cases). In addition, there were two outbreaks of two cases each living in the same household or facility in which the foodborne source was unknown (Table 2a). Toxin type A accounted for 34 (87%), and toxin type E accounted for 5 (13%). One death was reported.}

The 6 cases of probable foodborne botulism (clinically compatible illness, not laboratory-confirmed, with an epidemiologic link to a suspect food) were reported from 3 states. The median age of patients was 53 years with a range of 23 – 73 years; 3 (50%) were women. No deaths were reported. Seal oil was the suspected food source for 2 of the 6 probable cases (Table 2b).

There were 15 cases of confirmed wound botulism reported from 5 states. The median age of patients was 49 years with a range of 12 – 61 years; 2 (13%) were women. Toxin type A accounted for 14 (93%), and toxin type B accounted for 1 (7%). Fourteen (93%) were people who inject drugs (PWID). One death was reported.

The 8 cases of probable wound botulism (clinically compatible case who has no suspected exposure to contaminated food and who has a history in the 2 weeks before illness began of either a fresh wound or injection drug use) were reported from 3 states. The median age of patients was 59 years with a range of 28 – 78 years; 1 (12%) was a woman. All 8 were PWID. No deaths were reported.

The 4 confirmed botulism cases of unknown etiology were reported from 3 states. The median age of patients was 47 years with a range of 27 – 71 years; 1 (25%) was a woman. Toxin type A accounted for all 4. No definitive route of transmission was identified for these cases. Two cases were suspected to be adult intestinal colonization, a rare form of botulism thought to have a similar mechanism as infant botulism. The other two cases did not consume a suspect food, have any wounds, or have any known risk factors for adult intestinal colonization. How these persons were exposed to botulinum toxin is unknown. One patient developed botulism in 2015 and died in 2016 during a prolonged hospitalization.

Food Safety News 

Hampton Farms has expanded its recall of Ava’s brand cashews and almonds, distributed for retail sale in New Jersey, because its nut supplier Hudson Valley Foods Inc. found Listeria monocytogenes in its processing plant in Highland, NY.

Hampton Farms used the nuts from Hudson Valley Farms in Ava’s branded organic roasted unsalted cashews and organic roasted unsalted almonds, according to a news release issued Monday by Hampton.

Samples of current ingredients at Hampton Farms tested negative for Listeria. The company has notified all affected distributors and retail customers, and the affected products are being pulled from store shelves. There had been no confirmed illnesses reported to public health authorities as of Monday.

FDA

United Natural Trading LLC, Edison, NJ, is voluntarily recalling a limited number of products containing Organic and Natural dates (see below) and sold under the Nature’s Promise, Woodstock, Market Basket, and Wholesome Pantry brands due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune symptoms. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The lot numbers are printed on the back of each retail bag. The date containing products were shipped to retailers and distributors in limited quantities throughout the United States.

This recall was issued as a precaution because our firm received a recall notice from Hudson Valley Farms/ Bedemco recalling their natural and organic dates for potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall and no other date containing products under the brands are being recalled to date.

Argyll and Bute Council