Catalonia – Extension of information on the alert for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked hands and precooked pork feet

ACSA

As an extension of the alert regarding the presence of listeria monocytogenes in cooked hands and pork feet of the “El Mercado de ALDI” brand and precooked pork feet of the “BONPREU” brand from Catalonia, new Products involved:

  • Product name: Cooked ear

Marketed through the following brands: Totcuit – Comercial Ancares – Comercial Pocre – Carns Albet – El Senglar – Embutidos Santa Cruz – Germans Gracia – Segell d’Or – Serratelles – Alimentbarna – Carns Ausió Rifà – Can Llobateras – Caso Tió – Tendem Fragadis – Subirat sausages – Arderiu meats – Friopalau.

  • Product name: Cooked morro   

Marketed through the following brands: Totcuit – Comercial Pocre – Albet Meats – El Senglar – Santa Cruz Sausages – Segel d’Or – Serratelles – Alimentbarna – Ausió Rifà Meats – Caso Tió – Tendem Fragadis – Subirats Sausages – Arderiu Meats – Innovation and Tradition – Commercial Baides – Friopalau.

  • Product name: Pre-cooked pig’s ear  

Brand: Good Price

  • Product name: Pre-cooked pork shoulder   

Brand: Good Price

According to the information available, the products have been distributed in Catalonia. 

The Public Health Agency of Catalonia has communicated this information to the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency through the  European Food Alert Network .

The market withdrawal of the affected products from the marketing channels is being monitored by the competent authorities.

As a precautionary measure,  people who may have the above-mentioned products in their homes are advised to refrain from consuming them .

If you have consumed any of the products from the affected batch and have symptoms compatible with listeriosis (vomiting, diarrhea or fever), it is recommended to go to a health center.

France – Pork terrine – Clostridium botulinum

Gov France

Product Category
Food
Product subcategory
Meats
Product brand name
Earl the Poplars
Model names or references
Pork terrine
Product identification
Batch
All lots
Packaging
Glass jars
Storage temperature
Product to be kept in the refrigerator
Geographic area of ​​sale
MOTTIER (38260)
Distributors
For sale at the farm “Chez Barbier” in MOTTIER (38260)

France -Headcheese – Listeria monocytogenes

Gov France

Product Category
Food
Product subcategory
Meats
Product brand name
nicole lucas breeding
Model names or references
Headcheese
Product identification
Batch Date
240907000 Expiry date 09/28/2024
Packaging
Under a vacuum
Start/End of marketing date
From 09/28/2024 to 10/19/2024
Storage temperature
Product to be kept in the refrigerator
Geographic area of ​​sale
Alpes de Hautes Provence
Distributors
Mées food market, Digne-les-Bains food market, Greoux-les-Bains producer market

USA – HH Fresh Trading Corp Recalls Taiwan Enoki 200gx25pk Because of Possible Health Risk – Listeria monocytogenes

FDA

HH Fresh Trading Corp of California is recalling its 200g of Taiwan Enoki because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which 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.

The recalled “Enoki mushrooms 200 gram” were distributed in West Virginia in multiple retail store locations and were sold on 8/20/2024 and 8/23/2024 with 240 cases for each date. HH Fresh Trading received notice on 10/11/2024 and that the Enoki 200 gram test revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on 9/9/2024. As a result we would like to recall this products immediately.

The product comes in a 200 gram, clear plastic package marked with barcode # 4711498860019 on the back side. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by the FDA revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in 200 gram of Enoki. The production of the product has been suspended while FDA and the HH Fresh Trading Corp continue to investigate the source of the problem.

Consumers who have purchased 200 gram of HH Fresh Trading Taiwan Enoki are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-262-365-9116 at 8AM to 4PM from Monday to Friday Pacific Time.


Company Contact Information

Consumers:
HH Fresh Trading Corp of California
 1-262-365-9116

Product Photos

Research -Recent advances in the preservation effects of spice essential oils on fruits and vegetables

Science Direct

Abstract

Spice essential oils (SEOs) are currently a prominent area of investigation in food preservation due to their natural, effective, and environmentally friendly properties. This review discussed the latest research progress concerning the application of SEO in fruits and vegetables preservation. The article commenced with an overview of the sources of SEOs and their main components, explored their bioactivities, antimicrobial mechanisms, and the microencapsulation and nanotechnology utilizing spice essential oils. Further research explored the applications of SEOs in culinary, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and food industries, with a focus on evaluating their effectiveness in extending the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, it discusses limitations such as intense aroma and toxicity concerns, while also outlining prospects for future research and applications in the food sector. Overall, SEOs offer promising avenues for effectively prolonging the storage period of post-harvested fruits and vegetables while maintaining their quality attributes.

USA – FDA Takes Exciting Steps Toward Establishing the Rare Disease Innovation Hub

FDA

This summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced plans to establish the Rare Disease Innovation Hub (the Hub), and today, we are excited to share more about our progress. The Hub is an FDA cross-center program that will act as the single point of engagement and connection with outside parties for drug and biological product development and as a forum for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) to collaborate on cross-cutting rare disease-related issues. Through the Hub, we plan to foster a community at the FDA for open dialogue and knowledge sharing to identify new approaches to drug and biologic development and overcome hurdles that have traditionally impeded progress for rare disease treatments.

Research – Vibrio parahaemolyticus Foodborne Illness Associated with Oysters, Australia, 2021–2022

CDC

Abstract

The bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus is ubiquitous in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world and causes infections in humans resulting from water exposure and from ingestion of contaminated raw or undercooked seafood, such as oysters. We describe a nationwide outbreak of enteric infections caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Australia during September 2021–January 2022. A total of 268 persons were linked with the outbreak, 97% of whom reported consuming Australia-grown oysters. Cases were reported from all states and territories of Australia. The outbreak comprised 2 distinct strains of V. parahaemolyticus, sequence types 417 and 50. We traced oysters with V. parahaemolyticus proliferation back to a common growing region within the state of South Australia. The outbreak prompted a national recall of oysters and subsequent improvements in postharvest processing of the shellfish.

Research – Mycotoxins in Food: Cancer Risks and Strategies for Control

MDPI

Abstract

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi such as AspergillusPenicillium, and Fusarium, contaminating various food crops and posing severe risks to food safety and human health. This review discusses mycotoxins‘ origins, significance, and impact, particularly in relation to cancer risk. Major mycotoxins like aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone, and patulin are examined, along with their sources and affected foods. The carcinogenic mechanisms of these toxins, including their biochemical and molecular interactions, are explored, as well as epidemiological evidence linking mycotoxin exposure to cancer in high-risk populations. The review also highlights critical methodologies for mycotoxin detection, including HPLC, GC-MS, MS, and ELISA, and the sample preparation techniques critical for accurate analysis. Strategies for controlling mycotoxin contamination, both pre- and post-harvest, are discussed, along with regulations from organizations like the FAO and WHO. Current challenges in detection sensitivity, cost, and control effectiveness are noted. Future research is needed to develop innovative analytical techniques, improve control strategies, and address the influence of climate change on mycotoxin production. Finally, global collaboration and emerging technologies are essential for advancing mycotoxin control and enhancing food safety.

Research – Estimating Underdetection of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks

CDC

To the Editor: In the February issue, Ford et al. used the power law to estimate underdetection of foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States (1). Two of their main conclusions are entirely reasonable: small outbreaks are more likely to go undetected than large outbreaks, and the use of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has improved the detection of small outbreaks caused by pathogens for which WGS is used. However, their conclusion on the usefulness of the power law itself needs further consideration.

Ford et al. analyzed the size of all foodborne outbreaks reported to the national Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System during 1998–2019. They defined outbreak size as the number of laboratory-confirmed cases. However, laboratory-confirmed cases are only good estimators for the size of outbreaks detected through pathogen-specific surveillance, such as for Salmonella, where outbreak detection follows the accumulation of confirmed cases. For outbreaks associated with events or establishments, identification might rely on reports from consumers, many of whom do not seek healthcare; thus, stool specimens might only be collected from a few cases to confirm the etiology. Consumer complaints are the primary means for identifying foodborne outbreaks caused by norovirus. The Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response recommends collecting clinical specimens from >5 members from the ill group in such settings (2). Thus, the number of confirmed cases in an outbreak is dependent on how the outbreak is detected. Outbreaks detected by complaint generally have few confirmed cases, even though they can involve large numbers of illnesses.

To provide a fair evaluation for the usefulness of the power law, it may be better to restrict analyses to outbreaks with common detection pathways. For outbreaks detected by pathogen-specific surveillance, counting confirmed cases seems appropriate. For outbreaks detected through consumer complaints, analyses should include all outbreak-associated illnesses.

Research – UK food microbiology lab reports updates on recent work

Food Safety News

The main food microbiology lab in the United Kingdom has shared highlights of its recent activity in an annual report.

The report covers work of the UK’s national reference laboratory (NRL) for food microbiology between April 2023 and March 2024.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides the service for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS). It covers Listeria monocytogenes, coagulase-positive staphylococci, E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and antimicrobial resistance.