Category Archives: Uncategorized

CDC 

• On July 25, 2016, General Mills expanded its recall to include more production dates. A list of all the recalled flours and how to identify them is available on the Advice to Consumers page(http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2016/o121-06-16/advice-consumers.html).
• Four more ill people have been reported from two states. The most recent illness started on June 25, 2016.
• An infection with another serotype, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC O26), has been added to this outbreak investigation. STEC O26 was isolated from a sample of General Mills flour.
• One person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure.

FDA

Consumers are reminded not to eat uncooked dough or batter made with raw flour

Due to four new confirmed illnesses, General Mills is adding additional flour production dates to the previously announced U.S. retail flour recall that was originally announced on May 31, 2016. The illnesses reported to health officials continue to be connected with consumers reporting that they ate or handled uncooked dough or ate uncooked batter made with raw flour. No illnesses have been connected with flour that has been properly baked, cooked or handled.

Consumer Report

5 Surprising Ways You Could Get an E. Coli Infection From Flour

Food Safety News

The General Mills Flour outbreak now includes two strains of the bacteria: E coli O121 and E. coli O26.  Initially, only one strain, E. coli O121, was linked the outbreak, which now includes 46 cases in 21 states. But, whole genome sequencing  tests performed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified the second strain.

FDA

Gardena, CA– Let’s Do Lunch, Inc., dba Integrated Food Service (IFS), is expanding the scope of their June 19, 2016, voluntarily recall of certain ready-to-eat sandwiches because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported to date.

FDA 

Meijer is announcing a recall of select fresh salads and sandwiches due to a potential risk of Salmonella contamination. The Markets of Meijer Salads and Sandwiches were sold in Meijer stores from 7/20/16 to 7/25/16. There have been no known illnesses reported to Meijer from the product affected by this recall.

The salads and sandwiches contain a cooked egg ingredient sourced from Prime Foods, LLC, a Meijer supplier. Prime Foods LLC has notified Meijer of a positive test for Salmonella on their product.

Following is the list of recalled product:

Dear Interested Party

 An expert group, set up by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF), to look at egg safety, found there has been a reduction in the risk from salmonella in UK shell eggs since its last report on this issue 15 years ago.

 The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) have reviewed their consumer advice taking into account the independent committee’s conclusions and recommendations. It is proposed that the FSA and FSS will continue to advise that all raw, soft-boiled hen eggs or foods containing lightly cooked hen eggs are unlikely to lead to illness in people who are in good health (who are not in a vulnerable group).

 In addition, we will no longer advise against the consumption of raw and lightly cooked eggs by vulnerable groups provided that they are produced under the Lion code quality assurance scheme.

 The FSA and FSS are also considering the mechanism for UK egg producers which are not currently part of the Lion Code scheme to demonstrate an equivalent level of food safety control. We are therefore also seeking views on this matter from egg producers and assurance bodies as part of this consultation.

 Please send your comments by Friday 16 September 2016 to foodhygiene.policy@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk.

http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/acmsf-egg-reportv1.pdf

Food Safety News

UPDATED CONTENT — General Mills provided additional information at the request of Food Safety News, including the volume of the flour recall expansion. Today’s addition of 15 million pounds brings the total to 45 million pounds, which is “a small percentage of the flour we produce,” according to company officials. Additional updated content throughout.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/07/more-sick-general-mills-recalls-more-flour-traced-to-outbreak/#.V5eHtk05Cr8

Le Progress

Puillet the cheese factory, located in Roanne, withdrew its products from sale after detection of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium causing listeriosis.

Deux personnes ont déjà été infectées à la maison de retraite de Belmont-de-la-Loire. Two people have already been infected at the retirement home of Belmont-de-la-Loire.

https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.leprogres.fr/loire/2016/07/14/incomprehension-chez-le-fromager&prev=search

FDA

Cucumbers

Often eaten raw, cucumbers may come into contact with contaminated water, soil or equipment during growing, harvesting, and post-harvest. They also are exposed to handling by workers as they may be harvested and sorted by hand. The FDA received five reports of outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of raw cucumbers from 1996 to 2014. Four of the outbreaks were attributed to Salmonella spp., and one to E. coli, resulting in 296 illnesses and 40 hospitalizations in all. Additionally, an outbreak of Salmonella Poona linked to “slicer” cucumbers resulted in illness in 907 people across the country from mid-2015 to early 2016. The FDA has done limited sampling of cucumbers and is seeking information on the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 in fresh cucumbers.

Hot Peppers

Hot peppers may come into contact with contaminated water, soil or equipment during growing, harvesting, and/or post-harvest activities. In 2008, fresh hot peppers were associated with an outbreak that caused 1500 illnesses, 308 hospitalizations and two deaths. Additionally, since 2010, Salmonella spp. has been responsible for eight product recalls involving fresh hot peppers, which can be a ‘stealth component’ in multi-ingredient dishes. As a result of these incidents, the FDA is seeking information on the prevalence of Salmonella spp., E. coli, and Shiga toxin–producing E. coli in fresh hot peppers.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ComplianceEnforcement/Sampling/ucm473115.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Food Safety News

Haiqiang Chen, Ph.D., of the University of Delaware is busy developing a device using ultraviolet (UV) light to kill foodborne pathogens on fresh produce in consumers’ homes and elsewhere.

His UV light oven, which is about the size of a microwave oven, will combine UV light with stirred-up water to reduce Salmonella and other bacteria and viruses that can contaminate fresh produce.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/07/researcher-working-on-uv-oven-for-home-use-on-produce/#.V5W8BE05Cr8

Food Safety News

Since June 12 a dozen people have contracted E. coli O157:H7 infections after eating ground beef in New Hampshire. State and federal officials have not identified the specific source.

All 12 people have been infected with the same strain of E. coli, according to a notice Friday from the state’s bureau of infectious disease control. All reported eating ground beef in the days before becoming ill “at a number of different locations,” according to the notice.

Food Safety News

Giant Food Stores Inc. is recalling store branded 3 bean salad because an unnamed ingredient from an unnamed supplier may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The salad may have been sold in bulk or in 1-pound prepackaged containers from service deli cases and/or from “Grab 7 Go” deli cases in Giants and Martin’s stores, according to the recall notice on the Giant website.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/07/giant-recalls-own-brands-3-bean-salad-because-of-listeria/#.V5Iomk05Cr8