Category Archives: USDA

USA – FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. Raw Chicken Products due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Posted on August 27, 2018 by | Leave a comment

USDA USDA

WASHINGTON, August 24, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. are issuing a public health alert out of an abundance of caution due to concerns about Salmonella illnesses reported in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic United States that may be associated with raw chicken products.

The Empire Kosher brand raw chicken items, which may include raw whole chicken, raw chicken parts, were produced and sold to consumers from September 2017 to June 2018.

On June 18, 2018, FSIS was notified of multiple Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- illnesses within the northeastern  and mid-Atlantic United States. Working in conjunction with public health partners, FSIS determined that there is a potential link between Empire Kosher brand raw chicken products and this illness cluster. Based on available epidemiological information, multiple case-patients have been identified in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic United States, many of whom reported consumption of Empire Kosher brand chicken products. Approximately half of affected case-patients have been hospitalized due to illness with illness onset dates ranging from September 2017 to June 2018. FSIS continues to work with the company and public health partners and will provide updated information should it become available.

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Posted in food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Salmonella, Uncategorized, USDA

USA – Norovirus Outbreak – Oysters

Posted on January 20, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning JournalVibrio

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat raw or partially cooked oysters harvested from Copano Bay, in Aransas County, Texas, harvested between Dec. 26, 2013 and Jan. 9, 2014.

Oysters harvested from Copano Bay, Texas, on Dec. 26, 2013, and then shipped by Alby’s Seafood of Fulton, Texas, have been linked to six norovirus illnesses in Louisiana.

The Texas Department of State Health Services closed Copano Bay to shellfish harvesting on Jan. 9, 2014.

The FDA is warning consumers not to eat raw or partially cooked shellfish from Copano Bay, in Aransas County, Texas, harvested between Dec. 26, 2013 and Jan. 9, 2014.

Alby’s Seafood disclaimer icon has issued a recall of the oysters harvested on Dec. 26; however, other shellfish harvested from Copano Bay before it was closed may still be in the marketplace.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Virus, Hygiene, Laboratory, Microbiology, Norovirus, Recall, Shellfish, USDA

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USA/Canada – USDA Recall – Prosciutto – Listeria monocyotgenes

Posted on December 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDAFood Testing

Santa Maria Foods, a Brampton, Ontario, establishment, is recalling approximately 2,600 pounds of whole boneless ham prosciutto product due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ham product was shipped to California and Michigan for further distribution. Case labels bear the Canadian establishment number “473A” within the Canadian mark of inspection. The following product is subject to recall: [Labels]

  • Approximately 50-lb. boxes labeled “PROSCIUTTO x 4 GOLD” with the case codes BR031356 or BR031374, produced on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, 2013. Each box contains 4 individually packaged hams with the case codes BR031341 or BR031354.

The problem was discovered by FSIS sampling collected during routine reinspection. The sampled product was held, but further investigation by Santa Maria Foods revealed that additional potentially implicated product had been released into commerce. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, USDA

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USA – USDA Salmonella Reduction Stratergy

Posted on December 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDA FSISUSDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today released its Salmonella Action Plan that outlines the steps it will take to address the most pressing problem it faces–Salmonella in meat and poultry products. An estimated 1.3 million illnesses can be attributed to Salmonella every year.

“Far too many Americans are sickened by Salmonella every year. The aggressive and comprehensive steps detailed in the Salmonella Action Plan will protect consumers by making meat and poultry products safer.” said Under Secretary for Food Safety Elisabeth Hagen.

The Salmonella Action Plan is the agency’s strategy to best address the threat of Salmonella in meat and poultry products.  The plan identifies modernizing the outdated poultry slaughter inspection system as a top priority. By focusing inspectors’ duties solely on food safety, at least 5,000 illnesses can be prevented each year.

 

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Posted in Bacteria, FSIS, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, Salmonella, USDA

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USA – Recall Chicken and Ham Products – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on October 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDAE.coli O157

Reser’s Fine Foods, a Topeka, Kan. establishment, is recalling approximately 22,800 pounds of chicken, ham and beef products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The company announced that these products are being recalled in conjunction with other foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A full list of products being recalled can be found on FDA’s website at www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Recalls/default.htm. Products regulated by FSIS bear the establishment number “EST. 13520” or “P-13520” inside the USDA mark of inspection and include the following:

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, Recall, USDA

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USA – USDA – Garden Fresh – Listeria monocytogenes – Costco – Salmonella

Posted on October 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDA

Garden Fresh Foods, a Milwaukee, WI. establishment, is recalling approximately 6,694 additional pounds of ready-to-eat chicken and ham products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The company is recalling these products in addition to the 19,054 pounds of similar products that were recalled on Sept. 25, 2013

USDA

Costco’s El Camino Real store in San Francisco, Calif., is recalling an additional 14,093 units of rotisserie chicken products that may be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. This is in addition to the 9,043 units that were recalled on Oct. 12.

The products subject to recall are:

  • 13,455 “Kirkland Signature Foster Farms” rotisserie chickens
  • 638 total units of “Kirkland Farm” rotisserie chicken soup, rotisserie chicken leg quarters, and rotisserie chicken salad.

The products were sold directly to consumers in a Costco located at 1600 El Camino Real, South San Francisco, Calif., between Sept. 24 and Oct. 15, 2013.

Costco and the California Department of Public Health discovered through a follow up investigation to the previous recall that additional product should be recalled. No illnesses have been reported in association with the product being recalled today.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella, USDA

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USA – USDA Q&A Sheet- Foster Farms – Salmonella Outbreak

Posted on October 18, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDA

Frequently Asked Questions – Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Chicken Products Produced at Three Foster Farms FacilitiesEurofins Food Testing UK

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Laboratory, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Research, USDA

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USDA – STEC E.coli Testing in Raw Meats Data 2013

Posted on June 21, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDAEurofins Food Testing UK

Microbiological Testing Program for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli: Individual Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, E.coli O103, E.coli O104, E.coli O121, E.coli O145, E.coli O157, E.coli O26, EHEC, Food Hygiene, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Microbiology, Pathogen, Poisoning, STEC, USDA

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USA – USDA Expanded Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on May 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

USDA

Manda Packing Company, a Baker, La., establishment, is expanding its recall to
include approximately 468,000 pounds of roast beef, ham, turkey breast, tasso
pork, ham shanks, hog head cheese, corned beef, and pastrami due to possible
contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

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Posted in Bacteria, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, USDA

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USA Research- USDA/FDA Report on Listeria in Retail Deli’s

Posted on May 14, 2013 by | Leave a comment

FDA

The Draft Interagency Risk Assessment –

Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens provides a scientific assessment of the risk of foodborne illness associated with consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods commonly prepared and sold in the delicatessen (deli) of a retail food store and examines how that risk may be impacted by changes to common or recommended practices. This quantitative risk assessment (QRA) was conducted collaboratively by the Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS), Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA/CFSAN), and United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), in consultation with the DHHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and input from industry, academic institutions, and consumer advocacy group stakeholders. The White House Food Safety Work Group identified this risk assessment as a priority. It provides information useful to those responsible for implementing policies, programs and practices that target the prevention of listeriosis in the population.

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Posted in Bacteria, FDA, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Research, USDA

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