Canada – Warning not to consume ham dried tomatoes and basil sold by the company Meats Charlevoix – Listeria monocytogenes

MAPAQ

The MAPAQ, in collaboration with the Charcuterie Charlevoisienne company , located at 131, rue Saint-Édouard, in Saint-Urbain, is warning the population not to consume the product indicated in the table below, as this food is likely contain the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Product name Format Targeted lot
“HAM, DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL” 175 g Units sold bearing the expiration date (“best before”) of 

05NO20 
(November 5, 2020)
The product that is the subject of this alert was available for sale at several locations across the province. It was packaged in clear plastic wrap with a black underside and was sold refrigerated. The label includes, in addition to the proper name of the product, the words “CHARCUTERIE CHARLEVOISIENNE”.
The operator is voluntarily recalling the product in question. He agreed with MAPAQ to disseminate this notice as a precautionary measure. It should be noted that no case of illness associated with the consumption of this food has been reported to MAPAQ to date. 
People who have this product in their possession are therefore advised not to consume it. They must either return it to the establishment where they bought it or throw it away.

USA – Listeria outbreak linked to deli meat sickens 10, kills one

Outbreak News Today

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture and health officials from several states report investigating  a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to deli meats.

10 people were infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes from 3 states (New York (2), Massachusetts (7) and Florida (1).

All 10 people were hospitalized. One death has been reported from Florida.

In interviews with 9 ill people, all reported eating Italian-style meats, such as salami, mortadella, and prosciutto. They reported purchasing prepackaged deli meats and meats sliced at deli counters at various locations.

A specific type of deli meat and common supplier have not yet been identified.

UK – Soho Florids UK recalls Potter’s Herbals Malt Extract with Cod Liver Oil because of possible presence of mould

FSA

Soho Florids UK Ltd is recalling Potter’s Herbals Malt extract with Cod Liver Oil as it may contain mould. The product has been sold in various retailers across the UK.

Product details

Potter’s Herbals Malt Extract with Cod Liver Oil
Pack size 650g
Batch code 3M01134, 3M01136, 3M01137
Best before 31 January 2023

Risk statement

This product may contain mould, which makes it unsafe to consume.

Action taken by the company

Soho Florids UK Ltd is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling these products. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. Please see the attached notice.

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought the above product do not consume it. Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a refund or replacement.

Research – New file of the Map of dangers on the ciguatera

ACSA

In the Hazard Map database we have added in the group of chemical hazards, such as marine toxins, the ciguatera.

Fish poisoning called ciguatera or ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) occurs because they have ingested a large amount of ciguatoxin-producing algae: these are benthic dinoflagellates of the genus Gambierdiscus spp .

Cytokines (CTXs) accumulate in the fish that ingest them directly (rockfish) or in their predators, where this accumulation reaches higher levels.

Research – The effects of environmental factors on the prevalence and diversity of bacteriophages lytic against the top six non‐O157 Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli on an organic farm

Wiley Online

Bacteriophages (or phages) specific to Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are frequently isolated from animal‐associated environments primarily because ruminant animals are the natural reservoir of STEC. However, little is known about these phages in produce‐growing environments. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of environmental factors on the prevalence of the phages lytic against O157 and the top six non‐O157 STEC on an organic farm. A total of 370 samples were collected from an organic farm, containing animal‐active and produce‐growing areas, for 1 year. A bacterial cocktail, including nonpathogenic and pathogenic E. coli strains, was used for phage isolation. Meanwhile, culture methods and PCR were used to isolate STEC strains. Weather information was also collected for each sampling trip. Twenty‐eight samples contained phages lytic against STEC (or STEC‐infecting phages), of which 26 were collected from the animal‐active area. Moreover, the winter season had a higher phage prevalence than other seasons, likely due to high rain precipitation. The phages belonging to the Myoviridae family and those lytic against STEC O103 were the most prevalent. One E. coli O103:H2 was isolated from a water sample where no STEC O103‐infecting phages were found. Additionally, no STEC O103 was present in the samples containing STEC O103‐infecting phages. The findings indicate that animal is the primary factor contributing to the prevalence of the STEC‐infecting phages in the surrounding environment of the organic farm, and the presence of these phages contributes to a negative correlation with their STEC hosts.

Italy – ARTYSAN – FUET 175 G – SALAMINO FUET EXTRA – Salmonella

Salute

Brand : ARTYSAN

Name : SALAMINO FUET EXTRA

Reason for reporting : Recall due to microbiological risk

Publication date : 23 October 2020

Documentation

Documentation

Salute

Brand : ARTYSAN

Name : FUET 175 G

Reason for reporting : Recall due to microbiological risk

Publication date : 23 October 2020

Documentation

Documentation

UK – Sainsbury’s recalls by Sainsbury’s Cooked Mussels because of contamination with Salmonella

FSA

Sainsbury’s is recalling frozen by Sainsbury’s Cooked Mussels because Salmonella has been found in some of the products in this batch.

Product details

by Sainsbury’s Cooked Mussels (frozen)
Pack size 300g
Batch code 2653152
Best before 08 September 2021

Risk statement

The presence of salmonella in the product listed above.

Symptoms caused by salmonella usually include fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps

Action taken by the company

Sainsbury’s is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product. These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. Please see the attached notice.

Our advice to consumers

If you have bought any of the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

Research – Survival of Salmonella on red meat in response to dry heat

Journal of Food Protection

Red meat is associated with Salmonella outbreaks resulting in negative impacts for the processing industry. Little work has been reported on the use of dry heat as opposed to moist heat against Salmonella on red meat. We determined the effect of drying at 25°C and dry heat at 70°C with ~10% relative humidity (RH) for 1 h against eleven Salmonella strains of multiple serovars on beef, lamb, goat, and rubber as an inert surface. Each strain at ~108 cfu/ml was inoculated (100ul) onto ±1g (1cm2) of each surface and allowed to attach for 15 min in a microcentrifuge tube. Samples were then exposed to 70°C and 25°C with ~10% RH in a heating block. Surviving Salmonella numbers on surfaces were enumerated on a thin layer medium. If numbers were below the limit of detection (LOD), (2.01 log cfu/cm2), Salmonella cells were enriched before plating to determine the presence of viable cells. Water loss (%) from meat after at 25°C and 70°C was determined. Whole genomes of Salmonella were interrogated to identify the presence/absence of stress response genes (n=30) related to dry heat which may contribute to the survival of Salmonella. The survival of Salmonella at 25°C was significantly higher across all surfaces (~6.09–7.91 log cfu/cm2) as compared to 70°C (~3.66–6.33 log cfu/cm2). On rubber, numbers of Salmonella were <LOD at 70°C. Water loss at 70°C (~17.72–19.89%) was significantly higher as compared to 25°C (~2.98–4.11%). Salmonella was not detected on rubber while survival occurred on all red meat at 70°C, suggesting its protective effect against the effect of heat. All Salmonella strains carried 30 stress response genes which likely contributed to its survival. A multi-antibiotic resistant S. Typhimurium 2470 exhibited an increase in heat resistance at 70°C on beef and lamb as compared to other strains. Our work shows that dry heat at 70°C for 1 h against Salmonella on red meat is not a practical approach for effectively reducing or eliminating them from red meat.

Norway – The inspection program for shellfish 2019

Mattilsynet

Shells along the Norwegian coast have low concentrations of E. coli, heavy metals and other undesirable substances. It shows the results from the annual monitoring of bacteria and environmental toxins in mussels from production areas and mussel samples taken in connection with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s mussel warning.

What did we investigate? Mussels, scallops, flat oysters, Pacific oysters, cow mussels, O-mussels, carpet mussels, king snails and Drøbakkråkebolle.
Period: 2019
What were we looking for? E. coli, Salmonella and the environmental toxins cadmium, mercury, dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, as well as polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
What did we find? About 90 percent of all submitted mussels were below the limit of E. coli and there were no detections of Salmonella. A total of 453 E. coli samples and 26 salmonella samples were analyzed.

Mussels: All examined mussels were below the limits for environmental toxins.

Scallops: No excesses of environmental toxins in muscle and gonads. Flat oysters: Cadmium was detected above the limit value in two samples.

O-shells and king snails: The heavy metal cadmium was, as in previous years, proven well above the limit value. The majority of heavy metals, such as cadmium and lead, have previously been localized to the kidneys. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority therefore recommends that the kidneys be removed before consumption, so that edible parts fall well below the limit values.

Research – UK hit hardest by outbreak linked to Brazil nuts; no cases in U.S. yet

Food Safety News

More than 120 people are part of a multi-country Salmonella outbreak linked to Brazil nuts.

Since August 2019, the outbreak, caused by Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Anatum, has affected three European Union countries, the United Kingdom and Canada. The United States was one of more than 30 countries that received Brazil nuts from Bolivia contaminated with Salmonella.

In total, 123 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported, of which 105 were in the UK, 14 in France, three in Luxembourg and one each in the Netherlands and Canada. One Salmonella Anatum patient was recorded in the UK.

A case-control study in the UK and patient interviews in the UK, France and Luxembourg indicated Brazil nuts and nut bars as likely vehicles of infections. Two batches of Brazil nuts from Bolivia tested positive for Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Anatum matching the outbreak strains.