Tag Archives: food

Canada – Recall – Sheeps Milk – Listeria monocytogenes.

CFIA 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Krinos Foods Canada Ltd. are warning the public not to consume Krinos brand Mini Kashkaval Cheese from Sheeps Milk because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The affected product, Krinos brand Mini Kashkaval Cheese from Sheeps Milk, product of Bulgaria, is sold in 470 g to 500 g packages bearing a Best Before date of 2013 SE 15. This product has been distributed in Ontario only.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

Canada – Recall Curry Spices Salmonella

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the Clef Des Champs brand products described below because these products may be contaminated with Salmonellabacteria.

The following Clef Des Champs brand products are affected by this alert:

Product Size UPC Code
Organic Ginger Ground root 200 g 6 97026 92441 2 BF011441B08
BF011441B09
Organic Curry Spices Culinary Mix 35 g 6 97026 74967 1 CC0112 967B07
CC0812 967B01
Organic Curry Spices Culinary Mix 275 g 6 97026 69967 9 CC0112 967B08
CC0812 967B02
Organic Curry Spices Culinary Mix 500 g 6 97026 70967 5 CC0112 967B05
CC0112 967B06
CC0112 967B09
CC0812 967B03
Organic Spice Cake
Culinary mix
45 g 6 97026 74974 9 CC0312 974B01
Organic Ginger
Root powder
20 kg 6 97026 70441 0 BF011441B

These products have been distributed nationally.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Netherlands – Recall – Curry Powder – Salmonella

RASFF

Salmonella spp. (presence /25g) in curry powder from the Netherlands

European Alerts – Aflatoxins, E.coli, Listeria monocytogenes

RASFF – Aflatoxins in Raw Milk in Italy sourced in Hungary

RASFF – E.coli in Mussels in France

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Smoked Rainbow Trout Fillets in Spain sourced in Chile

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes in Frozen Crab Meat in Ireland

 

Microbial safety and quality of various types of cooked chilled foods

Science Direct

Refrigerated Processed Foods of Extended Durability (REPFEDs) are a diverse group of food products. Their production process consists of a variable sequence of different processing steps leading to various types of REPFEDs being introduced to the market. To assure microbial safety, the food industry relies on a combination of mild heat treatment (i.e. pasteurization), appropriate product formulation (i.e. pH, water activity, modified atmosphere packaging, preservatives), cold storage and shelf life limitation. In this paper a classification of REPFED food types is presented and their microbiological safety is evaluated. REPFEDs were classified according (i) to the production process and (ii) to the expected consumer’s reheating practices. To evaluate the microbiological safety, historical data on the microbial contamination of REPFEDS were collected from five companies, 706 analyses on the day of production (T0) and 2912 analyses at the end of shelf life (TEoS). Results demonstrated that the microbial safety of the products is overall satisfactory. The number of samples exceeding the acceptable levels for Bacillus cereus/sulfite reducing Clostridia (T0: 103 CFU/g, TEoS: 105 CFU/g) was 4.07%/1.94% at T0 and 2.04%/0.69% at TEoS. None of the samples exceeded the acceptable levels for Listeria monocytogenes (T0: Absent in 25 g, TEoS: max 102 CFU/g). In addition the temperature of 38 products was monitored during reheating according to instructions of the manufacturer. The pasteurization values obtained during reheating are very heterogeneous, and only 7 products obtained a P70 of 2 min throughout the entire product. To assess the effect of reheating on L. monocytogenes a challenge test (including reheating) of paella with L. monocytogenes was performed. This demonstrated that L. monocytogenes can grow up to 0.63 log CFU/g in 6 days at 4 °C and that reheating the paella according to the instructions on the label does not guarantee absence of L. monocytogenes. These findings demonstrate the microbial food safety of the tested REPFEDs is satisfactory, and that producers should not rely on the reheating at consumer level to eliminate L. monocytogenes.


FSANZ – Recall Raw Almonds Update – Salmonella

For more information please call the FSANZ media phone on 0401 714 265 or email media@foodstandards.gov.au

Warning and advice on raw almonds and possible Salmonella contamination

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today urged consumers to check their pantries for raw almonds that might be contaminated with Salmonella.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer Melanie Fisher said state, territory and federal government authorities were investigating an outbreak of Salmonella gastroenteritis associated with some batches of raw almonds.

“There have been two recalls associated with this outbreak, one conducted nationally by Woolworths and one in southeast Queensland by Flannerys ” Ms Fisher said.

The products recalled were supplied by Select Harvests and sold as Woolworths Almond Kernels (with best before dates of 05/02/13; 06/04/13; 07/04/13; 12/04/13) and as Flannerys Own Almonds in 500gm and 1kg zip-lock sealed pouch (with best before dates between 02/07/13 and 05/10/13).

Ms Fisher said consumers should check the brand of almonds in their pantry and if the product had been recalled they should either dispose of any remaining product or return packets to the place of purchase for a full refund. If consumers have almonds in their pantry and are unsure of the source then they should consider disposing of the product.

“The food recalls were notified earlier this month but we want to ensure consumers are carefully checking their pantries as packaged raw almonds are often bought to use later,” she said.

Raw almonds can be identified by the brown skin on the outside of the almond. Roasted almonds (which also have brown skin but will be labelled as ‘roasted’), and processed almonds e.g. blanched almonds, almond slivers and processed product containing almonds, are not affected by these recalls.

Twenty-seven confirmed or suspected cases of salmonellosis linked to the recalled products have been reported in six states and territories.

Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days and most people recover within a few days. However for very young children (under five years of age), older people and people with weak immune systems, salmonellosis can be much more serious.

If you think you or your family might have become ill from eating raw almonds, you should consult your doctor.

More information:

FSANZ consumer recall page

Food poisoning

Food complaints

 

European Alerts – Salmonella – Yessotoxin

RASFF – Salmonella in Rump Beef Meat in Italy sourced in Poland

RASFFYessotoxin in Mussels in Italy (Other Link BBB) Planktonic Algae (Dinoflagellates)

 

 

Hospital Food – Clostridium difficile?

WEBMD

A new report suggests that hospital food is frequently contaminated with the dangerous diarrhea bug Clostridium difficile (C. diff).

Houston researchers found that about one-fourth of nearly 100 hospital food samples they tested were positive for C. diff. Among the worst culprits: turkey, chicken, and egg products, vegetables and fruits, and desserts. Almost all were cooked.

It’s only one hospital. And no cases of human infection were linked to the food.

But together with past research, the findings suggest that contaminated food may be an important route of spread of C. diff in hospitals, says researcher Hoonmo Koo, MD, an infectious diseases specialist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Moreover, the temperatures at which hospital foods are cooked may be too low to kill the bug, he says.

An infectious diseases expert not involved with the research says the major C. diff strains that contaminate food are different from the ones responsible for human disease.

C. diff has been recovered from pigs, cows, and chickens, and the bug has been found in retail meat and salad greens. A few studies have found that the C. diff strains found in animals are the same ones causing human disease, but others have found the opposite.

A 2008 CDC study concluded that “although they share similar clinical features, evidence suggests that the predominant strains causing C. diff [disease] in humans and different animal species are distinct.”

Overall, though, surprisingly few studies have examined the possible link between C. diff disease in food, animals, and humans, according to both the CDC and Koo.

So the researchers tested about 2 tablespoons of each food item served over 80 days at a university hospital in Houston. The number that tested positive for C. diff:

  • Four of eight (50%) turkey samples
  • Four of 12 seafoods (33%)
  • Two of 17 beef servings (12%)
  • One of eight pork servings (13%)
  • Six of 14 chicken and egg products (43%)
  • Six of 27 vegetables and fruits (22%)
  • None of two grains
  • Three of five desserts (60%)

European Food Alerts – Salmonella, Campylobacter, Aflatoxin, Yeast

RASFF – Salmonella in Frozen Beef Fat in Italy sourced in Lithuania

RASFF – Aflatoxin in Ogi in the UK sourced in Nigeria.

RASFF – Salmonella in Turkey Breast Fillets in Denmark sourced in Poland

Denmark– Yeast Growth in Lactose Free Youghurts causing blowing

Denmark – Campylobacter in Frisee Salad

France – Salmonella in Ham Burgers in France

Daily Peanut Butter Products Update – Salmonella – USA – Canada

CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume, sell or serve the food products described below because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

These recalls are part of an ongoing food safety investigation. This recall of peanut butter products in Canada is related to the expanding peanut butter product recall in the USA by Sunland Inc. due to possible Salmonella Bredeney contamination.

There have been no illnesses reported in Canada associated with the consumption of these peanut butter products. However, there are confirmed Salmonella Bredeney illnesses in multiple states in the United States.

CFIA

Reference Number: 7491
Recalling Firm: NESTLE CANADA INC.
Date of Recall: 10/15/2012
Recall Classification: 1
Distribution : National
Extent of the Product Distribution : Hotel/Restaurant/Institutional

Product List

Brand Name Common Name Size Codes(s) on Product UPC Reason for Recall:
NESTLE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM 11.4 L All codes None / Aucun Microbiological – Salmonella

FDA

Natural Selection Foods is voluntarily recalling Earthbound Farm Baby Spinach Grab & Go Salad Kits with Peanuts. The product is sold in a 3.5 ounce clamshell with UPC 0-32601-08875-0. All “Use By” dates are affected.

This is the result of the expanded recall of peanut butter, nut butters and peanut products by Sunland because of potential contamination with Salmonella. The peanuts in the packets were chopped by Sunland then supplied to a third party contract packer to Natural Selection Foods as a sealed package of chopped peanuts, sealed again within another package that includes dressing and a fork.

The salad kits were distributed to retail supermarkets and foodservice operators in the following states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, British Columbia (Canada) and Ontario (Canada). They are packaged in clear plastic clamshell containers with a blue label.

Salmonella bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Consumers with the above symptoms should consult their physician.

While no illnesses associated with any of these products have been reported to Natural Selection Foods to date, our unwavering commitment to the safety and quality of our products dictates that we voluntarily recall these products as a precaution.