New Zealand – Durra brand Tahina and Halawa – Salmonella

Posted on June 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

MPI

30 June 2023: Multiple importers are recalling specific batches of Durra brand Tahina and Halawa products due to the possible presence of Salmonella.

See-through jar with green lid.

Rectangular container with red lid.

Rectangular container with green lid.

Rectangular container with blue lid.

Product identification
Product type Sesame based products
Name of product (size) Durra brand Tahina (400g, 800g, 18kg)

Durra brand Halawa Plain (350g, 700g)

Durra brand Halawa Pistachio (350g, 700g)

Durra brand Halawa Extra Pistachio (350g, 700g)
Date marking Products with a date mark between EXP: 18/12/2024 up to and including EXP: 12/02/2025
Package size and description The products are sold in various packaging size variations in a plastic container or bucket.
Distribution The products are imported from Jordan.

The products are sold at retail outlets and ethnic grocery stores throughout New Zealand.

The products have not been re-exported.
Notes This recall does not affect any other Durra brand products.

Point of sale notice for retailers

If you are a retailer of the products in this recall, download a copy of the point of sale notice. You need to display it in your store for one month.

Point of sale notice – Hatem Brothers Ltd [PDF, 59 KB]

Point of sale notice – Unibrand Ltd [PDF, 59 KB]

Consumer advice

Customers are asked to check the date mark on the product.

Affected products should not be consumed. There have been no reports of associated illness in New Zealand. If you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice.

Customers should return the products to their retailer for a full refund.

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Testing, MPI, Salmonella

Outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka linked to chicken products in Ukraine

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WHO

The INFOSAN Secretariat has been following the development of a multi-country outbreak (n=247) of Salmonella Mbandaka ST413 linked to chicken products from Ukraine. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the latest numbers available of the cases reported are Czech Republic (n=5), Estonia (n=3), Finland (n=89), France (n=10), Germany (n=2), Ireland (n=1), Israel (n=4), the Netherlands (n=1), and the United Kingdom (n=132). The latest cases have been detected as of March 2023 in the United Kingdom which have been linked through whole genome sequencing.

Information shared through the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), implicated products linked to the outbreak has been distributed to nine countries. The INFOSAN Secretariat has promptly engaged WHO Member States outside of the RASFF to inform them of such distribution, seek additional information concerning the international distribution of implicated products and request information on any possible cases linked to the consumption of the implicated products.

Through close collaboration with the INFOSAN Emergency Contact Point and the National Focal Point for IHR in Ukraine, the INFOSAN Secretariat has been notified that no further international distribution from Ukraine to other WHO Member States, beyond those already notified by the RASFF, has been identified to date. Ukrainian authorities initiated an investigation and informed the Network of the risk management measures implemented at the facilities of the implicated manufacturer.

The INFOSAN Secretariat continues to support WHO Member States to facilitate the exchange of information in order to facilitate investigations and implementation of additional risk management measures. Further details will be shared through the Network when available.

About the hazard: Salmonella is 1 of the 4 key global causes of diarrheal diseases. Salmonella is a ubiquitous and hardy bacteria that can survive several weeks in a dry environment and several months in water.

About the disease: Salmonellosis is a disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella. It is usually characterized by acute onset of fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and sometimes vomiting. The onset of disease symptoms occurs 6–72 hours (usually 12–36 hours) after ingestion of Salmonella, and illness lasts 2–7 days. For more information, please visit the WHO’s website about Salmonella (non-typhoidal) here.

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USA – Sandwiches recalled because product was made with uncooked chicken

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Food Safety News

Compass USA, of Charlotte, NC, is recalling over 2,000 Fresh To You Chicken Filet Sandwiches because the chicken sandwich was made with uncooked chicken.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), raw chicken is often contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria and sometimes with Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens bacteria, all of which can lead to serious food poisoning.

According to the details posted online by the FDA, the recall was initiated on June 8, 2023, and is ongoing.

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Posted in Campylobacter, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella

Salmonella outbreak ongoing with 130 sick; Listeria incident over in UK

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Food Safety News

Investigations into a Salmonella outbreak are ongoing but a Listeria outbreak has ended, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

More than 130 people are sick with Salmonella Mbandaka after eating chicken products from Ukraine. Four patients were admitted to hospitals and one person died.

In response to repeated non-compliance with partly cooked chicken products from Ukraine, a system of Intensified Official Controls (IOC) was started in April. This included a requirement that the next 10 imported consignments from the implicated establishment would be subject to extra inspections.

Because of continued breaches of food safety requirements, this was escalated to Imposed Checks in May. These physical, documentary and testing inspections will remain in place until a minimum of 30 consecutive favorable results are achieved.

The UK importer has stopped receipt of the steam-cooked chicken product until the issue is resolved and is testing all their uncooked product on arrival into the UK for Salmonella. An investigation by Ukrainian authorities has resulted in risk management measures being taken at the facilities of the manufacturer.

In late 2022, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported that Finland had 89 cases while a few patients also lived in the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Israel.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Foodborne Illness Death, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella, Salmonella in Chicken

Shocking Increase in Norovirus Outbreaks on Cruise Ships – Vacationers Beware!

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Alpha Beta Stock

As vacation-starved Americans return to cruise ships in record numbers, the surge in popularity has led to an increase in norovirus incidents on board. With occupancy rates at around 100% capacity, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean Group have reported a significant rebound in the first quarter of 2023. However, this resurgence has come with a downside, as 13 outbreaks of the highly contagious norovirus, also known as the ‘cruise ship virus,’ have been reported this year alone, marking the highest number since 2012 and emphasizing the potential health risks associated with large numbers of passengers on board.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus

INFOSAN Quarterly Summary, 2023 #1

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WHO

Food safety incidents

The INFOSAN Secretariat was involved in 47 food safety incidents concerning 53 WHO Member States (MS) and territories from all WHO regions during this first quarter of the year. There were twenty-eight incidents involving a biological hazard [Salmonella spp. (9), Listeria monocytogenes (6), E. coli (3), Clostridium botulinum (2), Hepatitis A (2), Anisakis (1), Cronobacter (1), Entamoeba histolytica (1), Leptospira (1), Norovirus (1), and Shigella (1)]; nine involving a chemical hazard [methanol (2), aflatoxins (1), chlorothalonil (1), ergot alkaloids (1), histamine (1), lead (1), nitrogen (1), and patulin (1)]; six involving an undeclared allergen/ingredient [peanuts (2), egg (1), gluten (1), milk (1), soy (1)]; three involving a physical hazard [glass (1), metal (1), stones (1)]; and one of  an unknown hazard.

The food categories most commonly involved in the 47 incidents during the first quarter of 2023 were fish and other seafood (6),  meat and meat products (6), composite foods (5), nuts and oilseeds (5), cereals and cereal based products (3), fruit and fruit products (3), milk and dairy products (3), snacks, desserts, and other foods (3), vegetables and vegetable products (3), alcoholic beverages (2), food for infants and small children (2), herbs spices and condiments (2), legumes and pulses (1), non-alcoholic beverages (1), and two unknown food sources.

Due to the active engagement of INFOSAN members and partners, 53% of incidents were reported to the INFOSAN Secretariat by INFOSAN members (Emergency Contact Points and Focal Points), 28% of those incidents were communicated to the Secretariat through the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), and 19% through various WHO channels.

These incidents involved 53 WHO Member States and territories from all WHO Regions. The affected Member States were distributed as follows: 23 out of 53 Member States from the European Region, 9 out of 27 in the Western Pacific, 8 out of 35 in the Americas, 7 out of 47 in Africa, 4 out of 11 in South-East Asia, and 2 out of 21 in the Eastern Mediterranean.

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Russia – Mass Food Poisoning at Summer Health Camp as Multiple Children Hospitalized

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Newsweek

A large number of children have reported symptoms consistent with food poisoning at a summer health camp in Russia’s southeastern Amur Oblast, according to local authorities.

The regional prosecutor’s office said 70 children fell sick at the White Mountains camp, with symptoms including abdominal pain and vomiting. Eight were hospitalized and the camp was suspended, state-run news agency Tass reported.

Reports that children had fallen ill at the health camp began circulating on social media on Thursday, sparking an investigation into how the facility had complied with sanitary and hygienic requirements.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

Research – Does Vegan Cheese Pose a Food Safety Risk?

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Food Poisoning Bulletin

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an analysis of a Salmonella outbreak linked to vegan cheese made from cashews. The 2021 outbreak linked to Jule’s cashew brie marked the second time since 2014 that illnesses in multiple states were linked to cashew cheese.

Does vegan cheese pose a food safety risk? If it’s made from nuts, it might.

Cashews and Kill Steps

The CDC’s 2021 report on the Jule’s brie Salmonella outbreak states that whole genome sequencing tests on the Salmonella strain cultured from patients produced the same genetic “fingerprint,” meaning the patients were exposed to the same source of contaminated food. Investigators found this outbreak strain in samples of Jule’s cheese, in the facility where it was made, and in the specific lot of raw cashews used to make the cheese.

The CDC’s recent analysis of the outbreak states that U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators identified cashews as the ingredient that was the likely source of contamination and noted that no lethality treatment, or “kill step” such as pasteurization or irradiation was performed before cashew processing.

Similarly, a kill step was also omitted in the manufacture of The Cultured Kitchen cashew cheese linked to the 2014 Salmonella outbreak. Tests performed during that investigation revealed the presence of the outbreak strain in samples of the cheese collected from a patient’s home and in a batch of fermenting, raw, cashews collected from the facility where the product was made.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak, Salmonella

USA – Salmonella Outbreak at Solano County Jails Sickens 117

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Food Poisoning Bulletin

A Salmonella outbreak at Solano County jails in California has allegedly sickened more than a hundred inmates, according to the Vallejo Sun. All three jails in that county have ill inmates, and the outbreak has lasted more than a week, a spokesperson for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office told that outlet.

There are three jails in that county, including the Stanton Correctional Facility, the Claybank Detention Facility, and the Solano County Justice Center Detention Facility. Trinity Services Group provides the food for all three jails, and the Solano County Department of Health has been working with that establishment to clean their facility and to test food for contamination.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, outbreak

Belgium – Hummus (150g) from the Bokertov brand – Balagan Hummus Aperitif Box (820g) from Bokertov- Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on June 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

AFSCA

Délidis recall
Product:

  • Hummus (150g) from the Bokertov brand.
  • Balagan Hummus Aperitif Box (820g) from Bokertov

Problem: Possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

In agreement with the FASFC, Délidis is withdrawing the hummus (150g) and the “Balagan Apéro Box” (820g) of the Bokertov brand from sale and is recalling it from consumers because of the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Délidis asks its customers not to consume this product and to bring it back to the point of sale where it was purchased (this will be reimbursed by the store).

Product Description :

  • Product Name: Hummus
  • Brand: Bokertov
  • Use-by date (DLC) (“Use by”):
    • Lot 163 – 01/07/2023
    • Item 171 – 06/07/2023
    • Item 181 – 10/07/2023
  • Sale period: from 06/13/2023 to 06/28/2023
  • Type of packaging: cardboard pot and plastic lid
  • Weight: 150g

  • Product name: Balagan Aperitif Box
  • Affected product: Hummus with lot numbers: 171 and 181
  • Brand: Bokertov
  • Lots & Use-by dates (DLC) (“Use by”):
    • Box Lot 179 – 30/06/20203, with Hummus Lot 171 (06/07/2023)
    • Box Lot 183 – 03/07/2023, with Hummus Lot 181 (10/07/2023)
  • Sale period: from 06/16/2023 to 06/28/2023
  • Nature of packaging: box with the presence of Hummus
  • Weight: 820g

The product was distributed through various points of sale, including:

  • Spar Colruyt Group
  • hello
  • The general food stores below:
    • Comarkt Humbeek Kerkstraat 132 1851 Humbeek
    • FOODIE’S Place De La Ferme School 7 1410 Waterloo
    • Tellendis Rue De Rochefort 29 6927 Tellin

For further information , contact:
Jhonny Laureyssen
Tel.: 014/45 21 45
Jhonny.Laureyssen@peetersgovers.be

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Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes