Category Archives: Uncategorized

Pakistan -Nearly 200 KP cadet college students hospitalized after food poisoning

Geo TV News

SWABI/MARDAN: Nearly 200 students of a cadet college in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were admitted to different hospitals on Sunday after their condition worsened due to food poisoning, hospital authorities said.

More than 180 pupils of the Colonel Sher Khan Cadet College, Swabi fell ill due to food poisoning on Sunday night, who were shifted to different hospitals in Mardan.

The cause of food poisoning could not be ascertained immediately, according to sources.

Students said they ate rice, chicken and drank soft drinks, following which they fell ill.

 

USA -FDA Collaborates with Egypt on Strawberry Hepatitis A Outbreak

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The FDA is working with the Egyptian International Health Regulations National Focal Point about the investigation of strawberries that have been linked to a hepatitis A outbreak centered in Virginia. That outbreak, linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafes in that state, has sickened at least 70 people who live in 7 states.

 

UK -Child dies in E. coli bug outbreak linked to blue cheese

BBC News

A child has died following an outbreak of the E. coli O157 bug in Scotland.

The child was among 20 confirmed cases of infection – detected between 2 and 15 July – 11 of whom had received hospital treatment.

Health officials are investigating possible links to Dunsyre blue cheese, which is made with unpasteurised milk.

South Lanarkshire-based Errington Cheese, which makes Dunsyre blue, said last month that testing had shown it to be “completely clear of E. coli O157“.

 

Canada -Atlantic Shellfish Products Inc. brand oysters recalled due to Salmonella

CFIA Vibrio

Ottawa, September 5, 2016 – Atlantic Shellfish Products Inc. is recalling Atlantic Shellfish Products Inc. brand oysters from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. Consumers should not consume and retailers, restaurants and institutions should not sell or use the recalled products described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC
Atlantic Shellfish Products Inc. Malpeque Choice Oysters 140 count Process Date: 30-Aug-16
Shipping date: 30-Aug-16
LOT #: 243/1/201
Harvest Location: PE4C
None
Atlantic Shellfish Products Inc. Malpeque Choice Oysters 100 count Process Date: 30-Aug-16
Shipping date: 30-Aug-16
LOT #: 243/1/201
Harvest Location: PE4C
None
Atlantic Shellfish Products Inc. Malpeque Choice Oysters 80 count Process Date: 30-Aug-16
Shipping date: 30-Aug-16
LOT #: 243/1/201
Harvest Location: PE4C
None
Atlantic Shellfish Products Inc. Malpeque Choice Oysters 100 count Process Date: 02-Sep-16
Shipping date: 02-Sep-16
LOT #: 243/1/201
Harvest Location: PE4C
None

What you should do

If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.

Check to see if you have recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

 

USA -Asher’s Chocolates/Lewistown, Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Candy Products Because of Possible Health Risk – Salmonella

FDA Salmonellaa

Asher’s Chocolates/Lewistown, Inc., an affiliated partner of Chester A. Asher Inc. (“Asher’s”) is initiating a voluntary recall of multiple chocolates, chocolate bars, cellophane wrapped chocolates, and individually wrapped chocolates, etc. under the Asher’s brand due to possible Salmonella contamination of items produced in their Lewistown, PA facility distributed nationwide.

The recalled items can be identified by the production code printed on the side of the label. No other production codes are affected by this recall.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. No products manufactured by C.A. Asher Inc./Asher’s Chocolate Co. of Souderton PA are involved in this recall.

The recalled candy products were distributed nationwide in retail stores.

The potential for contamination was noted after a single sample from routine testing by the company revealed the presence of Salmonella in a group of products. “The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our primary concern, and we are taking this incident very seriously. In our 124 years of business, we have never previously detected Salmonella in our testing. We are working and cooperating fully with the U. S. Food & Drug Administration on this voluntary recall,” said Jeff Asher, President and CEO. “We apologize to our retail customers and consumers and sincerely regret any inconvenience.”

Consumers who may have purchased any product are urged not to consume it. Consumers should contact Customer Service to arrange for return of product and a refund. Customer Service can be contacted by email at customerservice@lewistownashers.com or by calling 888-288-3880 between 9AM and 5PM Eastern Time, Monday – Friday.

 

USA – Hepatitis A Updates

Food Safety News

Another state and 18 more people are now included in a Hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen, imported strawberries served in smoothies, bringing the totals to six states and 69 victims.

Food Safety News

Additional victims of a Hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported, frozen scallops served raw in Hawaii continue to be identified, with state officials reporting 241 people now confirmed with infections.

In the past week, 13 more people have been confirmed, according to the Hawaii Department of Health’s weekly update posted on Wednesday. Slightly more than one-fourth of the victims — 64 — have had symptoms so severe that they required hospitalization. Onset of the illnesses ranges from June 12 through Aug. 25.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

The Hepatitis A strain linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafe outbreak is packing a wallop. Generally, about 20 percent of people with a Hepatitis A infection require hospitalization, in this outbreak, the hospitalization rate is 46 percent.

The outbreak has been linked to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt which were removed from all store locations on August 9, according to the company. But because Hepatitis A has an incubation that can take up to 50 days, new cases are still being reported. So far, 81 cases in seven states have been confirmed: Maryland (6), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), Virgina(66), West Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (1).

USA -Summit Import Corporation Recalls Yu Yee Brand Black Pepper Powder Because of Possible Health Risk – Salmonella

FDA Salmonella

Summit Import Corp., at 100 Summit Place, Jersey City, New Jersey, is recalling Yu Yee brand Black Pepper Powder packed in clear plastic 19.4oz bottles under lot No. WH76 because it was found contain 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.

The recalled product Yu Yee brand Black Pepper Powder 19.4 oz bottle was distributed to some Asian retail stores in East Coast States.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

 

USA -Paralytic shellfish poison closes harbor to shellfish harvest

Food Safety News Marlith

Quartermaster Harbour on Vashon-Maury Island in Puget Sound is closed to recreational shellfish harvesting until further notice because of unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP).

The Washington Department of Health posted the closure today for recreational harvesting, noting that the harbour remains open to commercial harvest.

 

USA – Hepatitis A – Updates

Food Poisoning Bulletin Virusds

The Virginia Department of Health is updating the hepatitis A outbreak case count in that state every day at noon. As of 12:00 pm on August 30, 0216, 44 Virginia residents who tested positive for hepatitis A reported consuming a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe before they got sick.

Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Hepatitis A outbreak linked to strawberries imported from Egypt and served Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in Virginia has sickened at least 66 people in six states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 20 people have been hospitalized.

Most of those sickened, 55, are from Virginia. The other states reporting cases are Maryland (4), West Virginia (4), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1) and Wisconsin (1). The most recent case was reported August 23.

RASFF Alerts – Salmonella -Chicken Drumsticks – Chicken Meat – Ginger Slices – Sesame Seeds – Minced Turkey Meat -Crab Meat

 

RASFFa

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in chilled chicken drumsticks from Poland in the Czech Republic

RASFF – Salmonella enteritidis (presence /25g) in frozen chicken meat and giblets from Poland in Italy

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in ginger slices from Nigeria, via the United Kingdom in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) and Salmonella Mikawasima (presence /25g) in organic sesame seeds from Uganda in the Netherlands

RASFF – Salmonella Derby (presence /25g) in chilled turkey natural minced meat from Lithuania in Estonia

RASFF – suspicion of Salmonella in organic sesame seeds from Uganda, packaged in Denmark, via the Netherlands in Denmark

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in chilled minced turkey meat from Lithuania in Estonia#

RASFF – Salmonella (presence /25g) in frozen cooked crab meat from Chile in Belgium