Tag Archives: Listeria monocytogenes

Information South Africa- Tiger Brands to sell processed meat division traced to deadly outbreak

Posted on August 19, 2020 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Tiger Brands is to sell its processed meats division, which includes the business implicated in the Listeria outbreak in South Africa in 2017 and 2018.

The transaction includes two separate deals — Molare Proprietary Ltd. will buy the abattoir business at Olifantsfontein and Silver Blade Abattoir Proprietary Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Country Bird Holdings, will acquire the meat processing businesses at Germiston, Polokwane and Pretoria.

Molare, a major supplier of pigs to the abattoir business, will pay 117 million Rand ($6.7 million) for this deal while Silver Blade has agreed a 311 million Rand ($17.8 million) purchase for the meat processing businesses and all the inventories with the transaction expected to be effective beginning in November this year.

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Belgium – Recall of Volle Maan – Goat cheese (different varieties). -Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on August 19, 2020 | Leave a comment

AFSCA

In agreement with the AFSCA, the De Volle Maan goat farm is withdrawing goat cheeses (several varieties) from sale and is recalling them to consumers because of a possible presence of Listeria.
( Read more about Listeria monocytogenes )

“De Volle Maan” asks its customers not to consume these products and to bring it back to the point of sale where they were purchased.

Product description

– Product names:
       o Plain
       log o Herb
       log
       o Paprika log
       o Pepper log o Mini goat cheese with salmon
       o Mini goat cheese with bacon
       o Goat cheese with bacon (per 2)
       o Goat cheese with salmon (per 2)
       o Semi-dry cheese with pepper (individual & per 6)
       o Sint-Yves (individual & per 6)

– Brand: Geitenboerderij De Volle Maan

– – Use by date (DLC) (“To be consumed until”) and batch number:

Plain log – 200 g 08/18/2020
DLC 08/27/2020 DLC
Mini goat cheese with salmon , by 2 DLC 08/20/2020
Mini goat cheese with bacon , per 8, 110g 08/20/2020
DLC 08/25/2020
DLC 08/27/2020 DLC
Mini goat cheese with salmon , per 8, 110g DLC 08/18/2020
DLC 08/20/2020
DLC 08/25/2020
DLC 09/01/2020
Semi-dry cheese with pepper , individual and by 6 08/18/2020
DLC 08/20/2020 DLC
Sint-Yves , individual and by 6 DLC 08/18/2020
Herb log – 200 g DLC 08/25/2020
Paprika log – 200 g DLC 08/25/2020
Pepper log – 200 g DLC 08/25/2020
Goat cheese with bacon , – 2x65g 08/27/2020
DLC 09/01/2020 DLC

– Sales period: from 07/22/2020 to 08/11/2020

– Type of packaging: packaged in a protective atmosphere

These products were sold through several outlets (cheese shops, grocery stores and supermarkets) including:

Delibio – Rue Johannes Gutenberg 16, 1402 Nivelles
Delhaize Zottegem – Langestraat 53, 9620 Zottegem
Sinature – Heiken 58, 2861 Sint-Katelijne-Waver
Delhaize Geraardsbergen – Astridlaan 72, 9500 Geraardsbergen
BeO – Lange Leemstraat 252, 9000 Antwerpen
BeO – Heilige
Fruit Geestraat 30, 2018 Lambrecht – Leiegoeddreef 9, 8793 Sint-Eloois-Vijver
Patisson – Houte 35a, 9860 Balegem
BBO – Kapelstraat 109, 3720 Kortessem
Ecodis – Chemin sur le Thier 3, 4960 Malmedy
Bioplanet (sint-yves en natuurbuchetten 08/18/2020) – Jozef Huysmanslaan 80, 1651 Lot
Bart De Witte – Hamerstraat 5, 8755 Ruiselede

For any further information , contact:
Emma De Beck
info @ devollemaan.be
09 362 31 55

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Research – Eradication of high viable loads of Listeria monocytogenes contaminating food-contact surfaces

Posted on July 7, 2015 | Leave a comment

Frontiers in Microbiology Eurofins Food Testing UK

This study demonstrates the efficacy of cold gaseous ozone treatments at low concentrations in the eradication of high Listeria monocytogenes viable cell loads from glass, polypropylene, stainless steel and expanded polystyrene food-contact surfaces. Using a step by step approach, involving the selection of the most resistant strain-surface combinations, 11 Listeria spp. strains resulted inactivated by a continuous ozone flow at 1.07 mg m-3 after 24 or 48 h of cold incubation, depending on both strain and surface evaluated. Increasing the inoculum level to 9 log CFU coupon-1, the best inactivation rate was obtained after 48h of treatment at 3.21 mg m-3 ozone concentration when cells were deposited onto stainless steel and expanded polystyrene coupons, resulted the most resistant food-contact surfaces in the previous assays.
The addition of naturally microbiologically contaminated meat extract to a high load of L. monocytogenes LMG 23775 cells, the most resistant strain out of the 11 assayed Listeria spp. strains, led to its complete inactivation after four days of treatment.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the survival of L. monocytogenes and the effect of ozone treatment under cold storage conditions on expanded polystyrene, a commonly-used material in food packaging. These results could be useful for reducing pathogen cross-contamination phenomena during cold food storage.

 

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FDA Recall – Blue Bell Creameries Voluntarily Expands Recall to Include All of its Products Due to Possible Health Risk – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 22, 2015 | Leave a comment

FDA

Blue Bell Ice Cream of Brenham, Texas, is voluntarily recalling all of its products currently on the market made at all of its facilities including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks 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 headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

“We’re committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe,” said Paul Kruse, Blue Bell CEO and president. “We are heartbroken about this situation and apologize to all of our loyal Blue Bell fans and customers. Our entire history has been about making the very best and highest quality ice cream and we intend to fix this problem. We want enjoying our ice cream to be a source of joy and pleasure, never a cause for concern, so we are committed to getting this right.”

The products being recalled are distributed to retail outlets, including food service accounts, convenience stores and supermarkets in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma,  South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wyoming and international locations.

Today’s decision was the result of findings from an enhanced sampling program initiated by Blue Bell which revealed that Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream half gallons produced on March 17, 2015, and March 27, 2015, contained the bacteria. This means Blue Bell has now had several positive tests for Listeria in different places and plants and as previously reported five patients were treated in Kansas and three in Texas after testing positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

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Hong Kong – French raw cow’s milk cheese suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 17, 2015 | Leave a comment

CFS logo

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Issue Date 2015-04-16
Source of Information Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)
Food Product A batch of raw cow’s milk cheese
Name of Importer
Product name and Description Product name: Saint Nectaire Fermier
Brand: Morin
Place of origin: France
Lot No.: 61C23NW01
Best before date: May 7, 2015
Reason For Issuing Alert

 The Centre received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that a sample of a batch of cheese was found to have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. According to the information provided by the RASFF, the French producer concerned has initiated a recall and a small volume of the affected product has been imported into Hong Kong.

–Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in the newborns.

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USA – CDC – Blue Bell Ice Cream – Listeria Outbreak Update

Posted on April 10, 2015 | Leave a comment

CDC

Highlights

  • Read the Advice to Consumers, Institutions, and Retailers>>(http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/ice-cream-03-15/advice-consumers.html)
  • Listeriosis is a life-threatening infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium (germ) Listeria monocytogenes. People at high risk for listeriosis include pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.
  • CDC recommends that consumers do not eat any Blue Bell brand products made at the Oklahoma production facility, nor any recalled products, and that retailers and institutions not serve or sell them. Blue Bell has issued recent recalls of many products.
  • This is a complex and ongoing multistate outbreak of listeriosis occurring over an extended period. The outbreak now consists of two clusters involving people infected with outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes; eight people are reported from Kansas (5) and Texas (3).
    • Details about the two clusters are provided below in the April 8, 2015 Case Count Update.
  • Recent testing of product samples from the Blue Bell Creameries Oklahoma production facility identified Listeria monocytogenes strains in product sold at retail that were not included in the previous two recalls(http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/ice-cream-03-15/advice-consumers.html), including a pint of banana pudding ice cream.
    • On April 3, 2015, Blue Bell Creameries reported that they had voluntarily suspended operations at the Oklahoma production facility.
    • On April 4, 2015, Blue Bell Creameries began working with retailers to remove all products made in the Oklahoma production facility from the market.
    • On April 7, 2015, Blue Bell Creameries announced a third product recall that includes banana pudding ice cream pints and other products made on the same production line in the Oklahoma production facility from February 12, 2015 to March 27, 2015.

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USA – Recall – Sabra Recalls 30,000 Cases of Classic Hummus for Possible Listeria monocytogenes Risk

Posted on April 9, 2015 | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

Sabra Dipping Co. LLC of White Plains, NY, has recalled 30,000 cases of Sabra Classic Hummus due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

After routine inspections at a Kroger outlet in Port Huron, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officials reportedly learned about the risk of contamination in the prepackaged product. The department then informed the company and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Only certain lots of the Classic Hummus are being recalled, and no other Sabra products are affected. There are no reported cases of illnesses to date.

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Research – Farm to Fork Quantitative Risk Assessment of Listeria monocytogenes Contamination in Raw and Pasteurized Milk Cheese in Ireland

Posted on April 9, 2015 | Leave a comment

Wiley online Library

The objective of this study was to model and quantify the level of Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk cheese (RMc) and pasteurized milk cheese (PMc) from farm to fork using a Bayesian inference approach combined with a quantitative risk assessment. The modeling approach included a prediction of contamination arising from the farm environment as well from cross-contamination within the cheese-processing facility through storage and subsequent human exposure. The model predicted a high concentration of L. monocytogenes in contaminated RMc (mean 2.19 log10 CFU/g) compared to PMc (mean −1.73 log10 CFU/g). The mean probability of illness (P1 for low-risk population, LR) and (P2 for high-risk population, HR, e.g., immunocompromised) adult Irish consumers following exposure to contaminated cheese was 7 × 10−8 (P1) and 9 × 10−4 (P2) for RMc and 7 × 10−10 (P1) and 8 × 10−6 (P2) for PMc, respectively. In addition, the model was used to evaluate performance objectives at various stages, namely, the cheese making and ripening stages, and to set a food safety objective at the time of consumption. A scenario analysis predicted various probabilities of L. monocytogenes contamination along the cheese-processing chain for both RMc and PMc. The sensitivity analysis showed the critical factors for both cheeses were the serving size of the cheese, storage time, and temperature at the distribution stage. The developed model will allow food processors and policymakers to identify the possible routes of contamination along the cheese-processing chain and to reduce the risk posed to human health.

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Research – Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) Project Feb 2015

Posted on April 8, 2015 | Leave a comment

IFSAC

Foodborne Illness Source Attribution Estimates for Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157), Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), and Campylobacter using Outbreak Surveillance Data

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USA – Blue Bell Ice Cream Updates – Listeria monocytogenes

Posted on April 5, 2015 | Leave a comment

CDC

  • Listeriosis is a life-threatening infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium (germ) Listeria monocytogenes. People at high risk for listeriosis include pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.
  • Based on the information CDC has at this time, we recommend that consumers do not eat any Blue Bell brand products made at the Oklahoma production facility and that retailers and institutions do not sell or serve them.
    • Blue Bell brand products made at the Oklahoma production facility can be identified by checking for letters “O,” “P,” “Q,” “R,” “S,” and “T” following the “code date” printed on the bottom of the product package. Learn more on the Advice page(http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/ice-cream-03-15/advice-consumers.html) .
    • This advice is especially important for people at higher risk for listeriosis, including pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.
  • Initially, Kansas reported five people infected with one of four strains of Listeria monocytogenes who were all hospitalized at the same hospital for unrelated problems before developing listeriosis.
    • Of the four ill people for whom information is available on the foods eaten in the month before Listeria infection, all four consumed milkshakes made with a single-serving Blue Bell brand ice cream product called “Scoops” while they were in the hospital.
    • Whole genome sequences of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from these ice cream products were highly related to sequences of Listeria isolated from four of the patients. These Blue Bell brand ice cream products were made at the company’s Texas facility.
  • Investigators later isolated Listeria monocytogenes from single-serving Blue Bell brand 3 oz. institutional/food service chocolate ice cream cups (not “Scoops”) collected from the Kansas hospital and from the company’s Oklahoma production facility. These isolates were indistinguishable from each other by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The pattern is rare.
    • CDC searched the PulseNet database and identified six patients with listeriosis between 2010 and 2014 who had Listeria isolates with PFGE patterns indistinguishable from those of Listeria isolated from Blue Bell brand 3 oz. institutional/food service chocolate ice cream cups. Investigation to determine whether these illnesses are related to exposure to Blue Bell products is ongoing.

Food Poisoning Journal

After Listeria in ice cream from Blue Bell Creameries sickened five adults in Kansas, the company announced Friday that it is voluntarily suspending operations at its manufacturing plant in Broken Arrow, OK.

“The Broken Arrow operations will be suspended so that our team of expert consultants can conduct a careful and complete examination to determine the exact cause of the contamination,” read a company statement. “We have notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of our action and we remain committed to being transparent with that federal agency. Once our investigation is complete and we have made all necessary improvements, it will return to operation.”

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