Tag Archives: food

US Herring Recall – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on May 12, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today alerted consumers that Mazowsze Deli Inc., 420 Church Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11218 is recalling (sliced) Herring due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The recalled in-store packed (sliced) Herring comes in an un-coded, one pound clear plastic container with a plastic lid. The Herring was sold from the deli’s retail location at 420 Church Avenue in Brooklyn only.

The recall was initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis of the product by New York State Food Laboratory personnel, found Listeria monocytogenes present in the product.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. Consumers who have purchased the Herring should not consume it, but should discard the product or return it to Mazowsze Deli.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall

Tagged food, research

Tempah Salmonella Outbreak Traced to Spores

Posted on May 11, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

North Carolina’s Department of Public Health laboratory confirmed on Thursday that the ongoing Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak linked to Smiling Hara unpasteurized tempeh was caused by contaminated packages of spore culture used in the product’s fermentation process.

Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a patty, similar to a very firm veggie burger

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Salmonella, Spores

Tagged food

RASFF Alerts

Posted on May 11, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF – Listeria monocytogenes Sweden Cheese Raw material from France

RASFF – Salmonella typhimurium Norway Beef from Uruguay.

RASFF – Salmonella and Bacillus cereus in All Spice in Austria orginating in Germany.

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Posted in Bacillus cereus, Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, Pathogen, RASFF

Tagged bacillus cereus, food, salmonella typhimurium

New US Raw Milk Campylobacter Outbreak

Posted on May 11, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

Campylobacter Blog

Raw milk, raw skim milk (non-fat), raw cream and raw butter produced by Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno County is the subject of a statewide recall and quarantine order announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford. The quarantine order came following the confirmed detection of campylobacter bacteria in raw cream.

Consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any Organic Pastures products of these types remaining in their refrigerators, and retailers are to pull those products immediately from their shelves.

From January through April 30, 2012, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports that at least 10 people with campylobacter infection were identified throughout California and reported consuming Organic Pastures raw milk prior to illness onset. Their median age is 11.5 years, with six under 18. The age range is nine months to 38 years. They are residents of Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clara counties. None of the patients have been hospitalised, and there have been no deaths.

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Posted in Bacteria, Campylobacter, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall

Tagged food, health, organic pastures dairy

RASFF Alerts – Europe

Posted on May 9, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF

Chilled Green Mint from Vietnam distributed in Norway – High E.coli

RASFF

Fresh Chicken Fillets from Poland distributed in Denmark – Salmonella Newport

RASFF

Chilled Yoghurts from Greece – Moulds

RASFF

Fresh Green Mint from Vietnam distributed in Norway – High E.coli

RASFF

Animal Feed Sunflower Meal from the Ukraine distributed in Poland – Salmonella

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Posted in Bacteria, E.coli, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Moulds, Pathogen, Pet Food, RASFF, Recall, Salmonella

Tagged food

Canada -Roast Beef Church Dinner – 205 Sick

Posted on May 6, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

Canada

The Chief Public Health Office began investigating a potential gastrointestinal outbreak Monday after notification that several people became ill after consuming a roast beef dinner prepared by volunteers as part of a fundraiser for Princetown United Church on Saturday, April 28, 2012. The total number of cases of gastrointestinal illness has reached 205.

Information obtained by interviewing persons who purchased the meal indicates that the roast beef was the most likely source of the food-borne illness. Those who picked up their meal early in the afternoon were less likely to have become ill. Food testing is being conducted and it is expected to be several days before all results are known. If symptoms persist, it is advised to seek medical attention.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the roast beef was prepared at various sites including the homes of volunteers. This is contrary to the regulations for preparing meals for sale to the public. High-risk foods such as meat, poultry and fish must be cooked and prepared in a licenced facility.

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen

Tagged food, health, restaurants

Australia Spices Recall – Salmonella

Posted on May 4, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

The NSW Food Authority advises:

Euro Spices Pty Ltd is recalling their ground coriander and other mixed spices sold in fruit and vegetable shops and independent supermarkets in NSW.

The products are being recalled due to Salmonella. Salmonella bacteria may cause illness including headache, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea if consumed.

The recalled products are:

Coriander Ground 50g resealable bag
Coriander Ground 70g plastic jar
Almond Dukkah 50g resealable bag
Almond Dukkah 100g glass jar
Dukka Pistachio 100g glass jar
Kofta Bahari 60g resealable bag
Kabse Mix 60g resealable bag
Dolma Bahari 60g resealable bag
Shawarma 60g resealable bag
Ras El Hanoot 60g resealable bag
Harissa 60g resealable bag
Lebanese 7 Spices 50g resealable bag
Biryani 60g resealable bag

The recall applies only to resealable bags with date marking ‘Best Before’ December 2015 and jars with ‘Best Before’ 12\2015.

Consumers should not consume these products. Consumers can return the products to the place of purchase for a refund.

Anyone concerned with potential health effects of the products should seek medical advice.

For more information telephone Euro Spices Pty Ltd on 02 9771 3411

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Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella

Tagged food, ground coriander, nsw food authority, salmonella bacteria

FSA – French Cheese – Brucellosis Warning

Posted on April 30, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

FSA

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is warning people who may have bought any of three particular brands of reblochon cheese in France to discard them. The French authorities have issued an alert about potential contamination with the bacteria that causes brucellosis.

The cheeses, sold under the brand names of Le Campagnard, Gaston, and Pernet Mugnier Christian, are being recalled in France following the detection of the bacteria Brucella in the unpasteurised milk used to make them.

They were sold from February to April 2012 in 450g packs. The affected cheeses were not supplied to any businesses in the UK. However, the FSA is warning people who may have travelled to France and bought the products there, not to consume them.

If you have already eaten any of these cheeses and feel unwell, you should seek medical attention, and tell your doctor what you have eaten. No other raw milk cheeses, apart from those named, are implicated in this warning.

Brucellosis is a disease that usually affects livestock, including cattle. Infection of humans occurs through contact with infected animals or consuming unpasteurised (raw) milk or dairy products.

Brucellosis in humans is very rare in the UK, with most cases acquired abroad. Symptoms in humans vary. Some people experience no symptoms, or only a mild flu-like illness, while others experience chronic fever, which can recur for several years. Symptoms can occur up to a month after exposure.

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Posted in Bacteria, Brucellosis, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology

Tagged food, raw milk cheeses

England and Wales Restaurant Risks Research

Posted on April 30, 2012 by KSW | Leave a comment

Cambridge Journals Online

The food service sector continues to be the most common setting for reported foodborne disease outbreaks in England and Wales. Using restaurant-associated foodborne outbreaks reported in England and Wales from 1992 to 2009, cuisine-specific risk factors were examined. Of 677 restaurant outbreaks, there were 11 795 people affected, 491 hospitalizations, and seven deaths; and Chinese, Indian, British and Italian cuisines were the most commonly implicated (26%, 16%, 13% and 10%, respectively). Salmonella spp. accounted for most outbreaks of all cuisine types, and particularly Chinese (76%, 133/175) and Italian (55%, 38/69). Poultry meat was the most frequently implicated food vehicle in outbreaks associated with Indian (30%), Chinese (21%), and British (18%) cuisines while for Italian cuisine, desserts and cakes were more frequently implicated (33%). Rice dishes were also a common outbreak food vehicle in those restaurants serving Chinese (22%) and Indian (16%) cuisine. Cross-contamination was the biggest contributory factor associated with Chinese (46%), British (33%) and Indian (30%) cuisines whereas inadequate cooking (38%) and use of raw shell eggs in lightly cooked or uncooked food (35%) were more often associated with Italian cuisine. Over the surveillance period, the proportion of Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 outbreaks in restaurants serving Chinese cuisine significantly decreased (P<0·0001) and this was mirrored by an increase in S. Enteritidis non-PT4 outbreaks (P<0·0001). Despite this change in proportion, contributory factors such as cross-contamination have continued to cause outbreaks throughout the 18 years. The results show that by stratifying the risks associated with restaurants by cuisine type, specific evidence of food control failures can be used to target foodborne illness reduction strategies.