USA – Core Outbreak Table Updates

FDA

This week’s updates are:

  • A new outbreak of E. coli O121: H19 with an unidentified vehicle has been added. This outbreak does not appear to be ongoing, as the last illness onset occurred in November 2021. FDA has initiated traceback and other investigational activities in an effort to learn more about possible sources or routes of contamination.
  • The outbreak of Salmonella Javiana linked to 65 illnesses has ended. The information collected over the course of this investigation indicated cut cantaloupe was the likely source of this outbreak, however it appears that the products linked to outbreak illnesses are past shelf life and are no longer available for sale. The most recent illness occurred in November 2021. FDA’s outbreak investigation did not identify a specific product until after the product had expired and was no longer on the market, and there were no actionable steps for consumers to take to protect themselves.
  • For the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to spinach, the outbreak has ended and the FDA investigation has closed. This incident was archived in the 2021 Investigation Table.
1/10/2022 1050 E. coli
O121:H19
Not Yet
Identified
4
12/29/2021 1052 E. coli
O157:H7
Packaged Salad See Outbreak
Advisory
12/20/2021 1039 Listeria
monocytogenes
Packaged Salad See Outbreak
Advisory
12/15/2021 1048 Listeria
monocytogenes
Packaged Salad See Outbreak
Advisory
11/24/2021 1044 Salmonella
Javiana
Cut Cantaloupe 65
9/15/2021 1031 Salmonella
Oranienburg
Red, Yellow,
and White Onions
See Outbreak
Advisory

USA – FDA -Enforcement Report – Roasted Russets and Asparagus – Visible Mould

FDA

Product Details

Product Description: happi foodi , Roasted Russets and Asparagus, 10 oz frozen bowl, 8 packages per case, Keep Frozen DOM- 05/20/2021

Reason for Recall: Presence of visible mold detected.

Product Quantity: 153 cases on one (1) pallet

Recall Number: F-0360-2022

Code Information: 21140_983 internal tracking Sales Order SO9425 to KeHE PMC3 1401 on retail unit

Classification: Class III

Event Details

Event ID: 

89301

Voluntary / Mandated: Voluntary: Firm initiated

Product Type: Food

Initial Firm Notification of Consignee or Public: Two or more of the following: Email, Fax, Letter, Press Release, Telephone, Visit

Status: Ongoing

Distribution Pattern: There is one Consignee : KeHE Distributors 16081 Fern Avenue, Chino, CA 91708

Recalling Firm:

Prepared Meals Co
4135 Birney Ave
Moosic, PA 18507-1301
United States

Recall Initiation Date: 12/8/2021

Center Classification Date: 1/4/2022

USA – Famous Anthony’s owners filing for bankruptcy in wake of Hepatitis A outbreak

Food Safety News

Owners of a Roanoke, VA, restaurant chain have closed one location and are filing bankruptcy for two others in relation to a deadly hepatitis A outbreak that swept through the community this past fall.

At least four people have died, more than 50 were sickened and 36 people were hospitalized in the outbreak associated with an infected employee who worked at three Famous Anthony’s locations. An infected person can transmit the virus to others up to two weeks before and one week after symptoms appear. 

Attorney Andrew Goldstein said the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing allows the company to reorganize and remain open. In 90 days, the company owners will submit a plan outlining a payment schedule for the people who have claims against their restaurants.

Malaysia – Nine people, including children, suffer food poisoning at relief centre in Tangkak, Johor

New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: Nine people suffered food poisoning at SK Pengkalan Besar flood relief centre in Tangkak, Johor on Sunday.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the cases involved four flood victims and five others included personnel at the relief centre.

The four victims are children between 3 and 14 years old, with three staying in the same cubicle at the relief centre.

“All victims suffered vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Two of the victims were admitted to Tangkak Hospital on the same day and was discharged yesterday, while the other two received outpatient treatment,” he said in a statement today.

He ruled out contamination as the cause of the food poisoning and believed it was due to poor hygiene as well as food being exposed for a long time.

“Food samples have been collected for further investigation,” he said.

Research – Mycotoxins impact feed quality in 2021 European grain harvest

All About Feed

Extreme weather patterns across Europe in 2021 have been blamed for increased levels of mycotoxins in arable crops creating concerns over the subsequent quality of animal feed.

Mycotoxins, which are produced by certain species of moulds, are a concern for livestock producers due to their ability to influence feed quality and subsequent animal health and performance.

During extensive research across a number of European countries, a pattern of increased mycotoxins has been documented in the latest harvest analysis report from Alltech, in collaboration with SGS.

Just under 1,200 samples of barley, wheat, corn, corn silage, grass silage, alfalfa haylage, triticale, straw and whole crop silage (wheat and barley) were taken for analysis. Several farms or animal feed production sites across Russia, Spain, Denmark, Hungary, Romania, Germany, Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece, Belarus, Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine were involved in the data gathering.

Moderate to high risk

Data collected for the key feed ingredients indicated the presence of moderate to high levels of mycotoxin risk. Across all samples, there was an average of 4.34 mycotoxins detected, with 98.5% containing at least 1 mycotoxin and 86.1% containing 2 or more mycotoxins.

Type B-trichothecenes were found in 87% of the grain samples, which is a similar number to those found in 2020. The highest concentration of deoxynivalenol or DON (10,914 ppb) was detected in a Danish straw sample. Out of over 600 corn samples analysed, 24% of these contained aflatoxins, a notably higher percentage than 2020 and something feed and livestock producers should be aware of when putting mycotoxin control plans in place for the coming season.

Of the corn samples analysed using an LC-MS/MS method, fusaric acid was the most prominent mycotoxin, detected in 96.7% of samples, while type B-trichothecenes and fumonisins were found in 90% and 83% of samples, respectively.

France – Fresh yellowfin tuna steak 250g – Histamine

Gov france

Identifying information for the recalled product

  • Product category Food
  • Product sub-category Fishery and aquaculture products
  • Product brand name Costs
  • Names of models or references Boneless yellowfin tuna steak
  • Product identification
    GTIN Lot Dated
    28696020 1162553 Use-by date 12/01/2022
    28696020 1162554 Use-by date 01/13/2022
    28696020 1162687 Use-by date 01/15/2022
    28696020 1162689 Use-by date 01/15/2022
    28696020 1162556 Use-by date 01/13/2022
    28696020 1162790 Use-by date 01/16/2022
  • Packaging Skin pack 250g vacuum tray
  • Start date / End of marketing From 01/08/2022 to 01/16/2022
  • Storage temperature Product to be stored in the refrigerator
  • Health mark FR 34.336.503 CE
  • Further information DLC on front label – Lot number and DLC on rear label
  • Geographical sales area Whole France
  • Distributors GRAND FRAIS MAREE – WORLD MARECHAL – GRAND FRAIS & FRESH STORES

Practical information regarding the recall

  • Reason for recall Suspected Histamine presence
  • Risks incurred by the consumer Endogenous toxins: histamine (fish, cheese, alcoholic drinks, cold meats)

USA – Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall for Certain Salads Processed at its Springfield, OH and Soledad, CA Facilities and Containing Iceberg Lettuce Due to Possible Health Risk from Listeria monocytogenes

FDA

Company Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –Monterey, CA–January 7, 2022–Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling from the market all Dole-branded and private label packaged salads described below processed at its Springfield, OH and Soledad, CA production facilities containing iceberg lettuce, due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. 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.

Products subject to the voluntary recall from Springfield, OH are identified by a product lot code beginning with the letter “W” and a “Best if Used By” date between December 22, 2021 and January 9, 2022. Products subject to the voluntary recall from Soledad, CA are identified by a product lot code beginning with the letter “B” and a “Best if Used By” date between December 23, 2021 and January 8, 2022. The product lot codes are located in the upper-right-hand corner of the package (see example below). Consumers who still have any of these products in their refrigerators are urged not to consume the product and to discard it immediately. No illnesses have been reported with the products being recalled to date.

This voluntary recall notification is being issued after harvest equipment used in the harvesting of the raw iceberg lettuce material used in these finished products was tested by Dole and found to contain Listeria monocytogenes.

Listing of products subject to each of these recalls is set forth below.

Recalled salad items from the Springfield facility were distributed in the states of AL, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA and WI. Additionally, these salads were distributed in the following Canadian provinces: New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec. Recalled salad items from the Soledad facility were distributed in the states of AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MD, ND, NE, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, TX, UT, VA, WA and WI. Additionally, these salads were distributed in the following Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

No other Dole products, including fresh fruit and field-packed fresh vegetables, are part of these voluntary recalls and are safe to consume.

Dole retailers have been advised to check store shelves and warehouse inventories to confirm that no recalled product is available for purchase by consumers.

Retailer and consumer questions about the voluntary recalls should be directed to the Dole Consumer Response Center at 800-356-3111, Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 3:00pm Pacific Time.

Dole Fresh Vegetables is coordinating closely with regulatory officials.

Product Listing on the following pages

LISTING OF PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO SOLEDAD RECALL

Product Description UPC Code
Dole 10oz Very Veggie 0-71430-01008-2
Dole 11oz Greener Selection 0-71430-00965-9
Dole 12oz American 0-71430-00933-8
Dole 12oz Garden Salad / Salade Du Jardin 0-71430-01135-5
Dole 13.25oz Country Ranch Kit 0-71430-01730-2
Dole 13oz Southwest Kit 0-71430-01701-2
Dole 16oz Value Size Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-84616-2
Dole 24oz Value Size Garden Salad 0-71430-01136-2
Dole 3lb Garden Salad 0-71430-01138-6
Dole 5.8 oz Chicken Club BLT Salad Bowl 0-71430-00123-3
Dole 6.05 oz Avocado Ranch Salad with Chicken Bowl 0-71430-00125-7
Dole 6.25 oz Backyard BBQ Salad with Chicken Bowl 0-71430-00124-0
Dole 6.25 oz Santa Fe Style Salad Bowl 0-71430-00118-9
Dole 7.25 oz Turkey & Bacon Country Cobb Salad Bowl 0-71430-00120-2
Dole 7.65oz Café Chef Salad Bowl 0-71430-00115-8
Dole 8oz Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-01065-5
Dole 9.1oz Peppercorn Ranch Chopped Kit 0-71430-00093-9
Dole 9.8oz Chopped Teriyaki Pineapple Kit 0-71430-00100-4
HEB 12oz American Salad 0-41220-35500-6
HEB 8oz Shredded Lettuce 0-41220-35521-1
HEB 9.5oz Premium Ranch Kit 0-41220791569-0
Marketside 7.45 oz Premium Avocado Ranch Bowl 6-81131-37735-5
Marketside 11.75 oz Multi-Serve Southwestern Style Salad Bowl 6-81131-42361-8
Marketside 12oz Classic Salad 6-81131-32894-4
Marketside 12oz Crisp Greens 6-81131-35503-2
Marketside 1lb Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-53209-9
Marketside 24oz Classic Salad 6-81131-32895-1
Marketside 6.35 oz Santa Fe Style Bowl 6-81131-42363-2
Marketside 6.81 oz BLT Salad Bowl 6-81131-37736-2
Marketside 7.25 oz Chef Salad Bowl 6-81131-35506-3
Marketside 7.25 oz Cobb Salad Bowl 6-81131-35507-0
Marketside 8oz Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-32896-8
Presidents Choice 12.25oz Ranch Kit / Le Choix du President Ranch Kit de Salade 0-60383-00493-4
President’s Choice 12oz Garden Salad / Le Choix du President Salade Jardiniere 0-60383-22268-0
President’s Choice 13oz Sesame Ginger Kit / Le Choix du President Sesame et Gingembre 0-60383-02320-1
President’s Choice 13oz Southwest Salad Kit / Le Choix du President Sud-Ouest 0-60383-02319-5

LISTING OF PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO SPRINGFIELD RECALL

Product Description UPC Code
Dole 10 oz Very Veggie / Ranache de Legumes 0-71430-01008-2
Dole 11 oz Greener Selection / Selection de Verdure 0-71430-00965-9
Dole 12 oz American / Melange Americain 0-71430-00933-8
Dole 12 oz Garden Salad / Salade du Jardin 0-71430-01135-5
Dole 13 oz Asian Island Crunch / Croustillante Des Iles Asiatiques 0-71430-01721-0
Dole 13 oz Southwest Salad Kit 0-71430-01701-2
Dole 13 oz Southwest Salad Kit / Salade du Sud-ouest 0-71430-01711-1
Dole 13.25 Country Ranch Kit 0-71430-01730-2
Dole 16 oz Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-84616-2
Dole 2 lb Garden Salad 0-71430-01137-9
Dole 24 oz Value Size Garden Salad 0-71430-01136-2
Dole 8 oz Shredded Lettuce 0-71430-01065-5
Dole 9.1 oz Peppercorn Ranch / Ranch et Poivre 0-71430-00098-4
Dole 9.1 oz Peppercorn Ranch Chopped Kit 0-71430-00093-9
Dole 9.8 oz Chopped Teriyaki Pineapple Kit 0-71430-00100-4
Dole 9.8 oz Chopped Teriyaki Pineapple Kit / Teriyaki A L’ananas 0-71430-00182-0
Kroger 12 oz American Blend 0-11110-91041-7
Kroger 12 oz Classic Garden 0-11110-91036-3
Kroger 12 oz Veggie Blend 0-11110-91048-6
Kroger 24 oz Classic Garden 0-11110-91037-0
Kroger 8oz. Shredded Iceberg Lettuce 0-11110-91613-6
Little Salad Bar 10 oz Caesar Salad Kit 4099100 087000
Little Salad Bar 10.65 oz. Chopped Caesar Kit 4099100263923
Little Salad Bar 12 oz Garden Salad 4099100082982
Little Salad Bar 8 oz Shredded Lettuce 4099100087963
Little Salad Bar 9 oz Italian Salad 4099100083194
Marketside 12 oz Classic Iceberg Salad 6-81131-32894-4
Marketside 12 oz Crisp Greens 6-81131-35503-2
Marketside 16 oz Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-53209-9
Marketside 24 oz Classic Iceberg Salad 6-81131-32895-1
Marketside 8 oz Shredded Lettuce 6-81131-32896-8
Presidents Choice 12 oz Garden Salad / Le Choix du President Salade Jardiniere 0-60383-22268-0
Presidents Choice 12 oz Mixed Greens / Le Choix du President Melange de Legumes- Feuilles 0-60383-00188-9
Presidents Choice 12.25 oz Ranch Kit / Le Choix du President Ranch Kit de Salade 0-60383-00493-4
Presidents Choice 13 oz. Sesame Ginger Kit / Le Choix du President Sesame et Gingembre 0-60383-02320-1
Presidents Choice 13 oz. Southwest Salad Kit / Le Choix du President Sud-Ouest 0-60383-02319-5

Company Contact Information

Consumers:
Dole Consumer Response Center
 800-356-3111
Media:
Bil Goldfield
 818-874-4647

Product Photos

USA – Former Blue Bell president’s trial delayed until summer – Listeria Outbreak

Food Safety News

The trial of Paul Kruse, a scion of the family that has run Blue Bell Creameries since 1919, has again been postponed.

Federal Judge Robert Pitman signed an order delaying jury selection by 140 days, now setting it on Aug. 1 immediately before the trial begins.    The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in Austin has jurisdiction over the case.

Kruse headed the company in 2015 when an outbreak of Listeria infections traced to the firm’s ice cream sickened 10 and killed three.

Federal felony charges of conspiracy and fraud have been pending against Kruse since October 2020. This past year, his defense attorneys asked to delay the trial to 2022 because of their obligations for other clients.

USA – Standardization of Retail Food Safety Inspection Personnel

FDA

The main goal of a national food safety program is the reduction and prevention of foodborne illness. To that end, FDA provides several pathways, one of which is the Standardization of retail food inspection personnel. This process provides regulatory personnel the opportunity to subject their knowledge and skills related to the Code’s provisions to a uniform system of measurement. The process and criteria for demonstrating proficiency in the required performance areas are described in the FDA Procedures for Standardization of Retail Food Safety Inspection Officers.

The procedures are based on the FDA Food Code and are updated to reflect current Food Code provisions and to include a more refined focus on foodborne illness Risk Factors, Food Code Interventions, and application of the Principals of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).

It is critical that food safety personnel become Standardized through this process to ensure that retail foods are safe, unadulterated, and honestly presented at retail throughout the United States. A certificate of standardization as an FDA standardized food safety inspection officer is issued to all Candidates who successfully complete the standardization process.

Resources

USA – Better Testing Needed to Address Listeria Outbreaks

Food Poisoning News

Just in the past year, 2021, there were four different major multistate listeria outbreaks, as well as numerous food recalls related to listeria contamination. When two or more people are determined to have gotten the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink, health officials qualify this as a foodborne illness outbreak. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 1,600 people become infected with listeria each year and 260 of those cases result in death. Though listeria infection is not the most common pathogenic cause of foodborne illness, it is responsible for a large percentage (19%) of the deaths caused by foodborne illnesses each year. For this reason, listeria monocytogenes are considered one of the “big three” foodborne illness pathogens. Those who are most at-risk for serious onset of listeria infection are those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, newborn babies, and elderly people.