Two Die From Fungal Infection After Handling Bat Poop to Be Used for Cannabis Fertilizer

Two men from Rochester, New York, who grew their own cannabis died from pneumonia after being exposed to a harmful fungus in bat poop they'd used as fertilizer for growing cannabis.  There are many articles online that call "bat guano a "natural superfood" for cannabis plants due to its high concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus"

Both men were around 60 years old and had pre-existing conditions that may have made them more prone to infection.  "Histoplasmosis is a type of pneumonia caused by breathing in spores of H. capsulatum, a fungus found in soil and bird and bat droppings. In the lungs, H. capsulatum spores transform into mature yeast that can spread to other regions of the body via the bloodstream. However, the disease cannot spread between people or between people and their pets."


https://www.livescience.com/health/viruses-infections-disease/bat-poop-used-to-grow-cannabis-kills-2-in-new-york-in-unusual-cases
Bat poop used to grow cannabis kills 2 in New York in unusual cases

News
By Emily Cooke 

12/16/24

CA Firm Recalls Various Snacks Due to Lack of Allergen Declarations on Labels

Cal Yee Farm LLC of Suisun Valley, California is recalling snack products including chocolate and yogurt covered products (Dark Chocolate Walnuts, Dark Chocolate Raisins, Dark Chocolate Almonds, Yogurt Coated Almonds and Dark Chocolate Apricots [sold under Cal Yee’s or Cal Yee Farm brands]), Tropical Trail Mix, Butter Toffee due to undeclared allergens.  The recall was initiated after an FDA inspection of our facility where it was discovered that products containing milk, soy, wheat, sesame, FD&C #6 and almonds were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk, soy, wheat, sesame, FD&C #6 and almonds.

(photo credit - Tripadvisor Link)


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/cal-yee-farm-llc-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-milk-soy-wheat-sesame-fdc-6-and-almonds-snack
Cal Yee Farm LLC Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk, Soy, Wheat, Sesame, FD&C #6 and Almonds in Snack Products
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  December 12, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  December 14, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential or Undeclared Allergen – almond, milk, soy, wheat, sesame, and FD&C #6
Company Name:  Cal Yee Farm LLC
Brand Name:  Cal Yee's, Cal Yee Farm, Boa Vista Orchards
Product Description:  Nut and snack products

Wisconsin Firm Recalls Frozen Pizza Due to Potential for Plastic

Palermo Villa, Inc.of Milwaukee, WI is issuing a recall of 1,728 Connie’s Thin Crust Cheese Frozen Pizzas because of a possible plastic foreign contaminant.  This recall alert, which is being conducted under the full cooperation of the FDA, is being issued out of an abundance of caution in the event that a product remains in a consumer’s freezer. The pizzas are no longer available for purchase. Consumers who have purchased these Pizzas are urged not to consume them. 

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/palermo-villa-inc-issues-recall-1728-connies-thin-crust-cheese-frozen-pizzas-due-possible-plastic
Palermo Villa, Inc. Issues Recall for 1,728 Connie’s Thin Crust Cheese Frozen Pizzas Due to Possible Plastic Contaminant
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  December 13, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  December 13, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Metal or Chemical Contaminant
Company Name:  Palermo Villa, Inc
Brand Name:  Connie’s
Product Description:  Thin crust cheese frozen pizza, 20.36oz

NY Firm Recalls Bloody Mary Mix for Undeclared Allergens - Fish and Soy

Borsari Food Co of Jamestown, NY is recalling all of its Bloody Mary Mix due to undeclared allergens. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to fish (anchovy), or soy that are not declared on the label.  The issue was discovered in the context of a New York State Department of Agriculture inspection. Current in-house inventory, as well as future product, will clearly declare these ingredients (i.e., fish (anchovy) and soy) on the label.

Looking at the company website, the Bloody Mary Mix has these ingredients listed:

Ingredients: Tomato juice, corn syrup, non-fat milk solids, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, cayenne pepper, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish, malic acid, sodium and potassium benzoate, yellow 5 & 6.

So no surprise, it was missing the allergens in the Worcestershire sauce.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/borsari-food-co-recalls-bloody-mary-mix-due-possible-health-risk

Borsari Food Co. Recalls – Bloody Mary Mix – Due to Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  December 09, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  December 10, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Allergens
Reason for Announcement:  Potential or Undeclared Allergen – Soy, Fish
Company Name:  Borsari Food Co
Brand Name:  Borsari
Product Description:  Bloody Mary Mix

Granola Bars Recalled Due to Potential for Metal

Riverside Natural Foods Inc. is voluntarily recalling certain batches of MadeGood granola bars due to the potential presence of a piece of metal in the product.  This recall is being initiated as a precautionary measure; no injuries have been reported.  "Riverside has conducted an extensive investigation where the recalled products were manufactured and has identified the source of the issue in the manufacturing process. The company has remediated the issue and tested the new processes to ensure that any future risk is fully mitigated."

The recall is extensive, so it appears that the equipment was potentially generating metal over a long period of time.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/riverside-natural-foods-inc-issues-voluntary-recall-select-madegood-granola-bar-products-over
Riverside Natural Foods Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Select MadeGood Granola Bar Products Over Potential Presence of a Piece of Metal
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  December 09, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  December 10, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Metal Contaminant
Company Name:  Riverside Natural Foods Inc.
Brand Name:  MadeGood
Product Description:  Granola bars

Shocker - Another Recall of Imported Enoki Mushrooms for Listeria

New Age International Inc of Brooklyn, NY 11206 is recalling its 200g packaged of Daily Veggies Enoki Mushroom, Product to Korea because they maybe contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes

The contamination was discovered after samples were collected from a store in Baltimore, Maryland and subsequent analysis by State of Maryland Department of Health Laboratories Administration revealed the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes in some 200g packages of Daily Veggies Enoki Mushroom form Korea. Remaining products in the warehouse had been destroyed.  No Illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/new-age-international-recalls-enoki-mushrooms-due-potential-health-risk
New Age International Recalls ‘Enoki Mushrooms’ Due to Potential Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  December 11, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  December 12, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Company Name:  New Age International Inc
Brand Name:  Daily Veggies
Product Description:  Enoki Mushrooms

IFSAC Releases 2024 Report on Foodborne Illness Source Attribution Estimates – United States, 2022

IFSAC released their 2024 report that looks at data through 2022.  This is a distillation of that report to show the highlights.  I think that the charts were the most informative part of this report.

IFSAC, an interagency group with CDC, FDA, and USDA-FSIS, estimates foodborne illness source attribution and provides timely estimates of the food sources of four priority foodborne pathogens: Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli), Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria), and Campylobacter. IFSAC considers these four pathogens to be priorities because of the frequency and severity of illness they cause, and because targeted interventions can significantly reduce these illnesses. Data come from 48,735 illnesses linked to 1,355 foodborne disease outbreaks that occurred from 1998 through 2022 The method relies most heavily on the last five years of outbreak data (2018–2022).

Each year in the United States an estimated 9 million people get sick, 56,000 are hospitalized, and 1,300 die of a foodborne disease caused by known pathogens.

Overall - Key results [per the report]

• The results are based on 1,010 outbreaks caused or suspected to be caused by Salmonella, 281 by E. coli O157, and 64 by Listeria.
• Estimated Salmonella illnesses were more evenly distributed across food categories than illnesses from E. coli O157, and Listeria; most of the illnesses for the latter pathogens were attributed to one or two food categories.
• The credibility intervals overlap for the Salmonella and Listeria categories with the highest attribution percentages, indicating no statistically significant difference between them.Salmonella

Salmonella

Key results

• Over 75% of illnesses were attributed to seven food categories: chicken, fruits, seeded vegetables (such as tomatoes), pork, other produce (such as nuts), beef, and turkey.
• The credibility intervals for each of the seven food categories that account for 79.7% of all illnesses overlap with the intervals of other categories.

E. coli O157

Key results

• Over 85% of E. coli O157 illnesses were attributed to vegetable row crops (such as leafy greens) and beef.
• Vegetable row crops had a significantly higher estimated attribution percentage than all other categories.
• Beef had a significantly higher estimated attribution percentage than all categories other than vegetable row crops.
• No illnesses were attributed to eggs or oils-sugars.

Listeria monocytogenes

Key results

• Over 75% of illnesses were attributed to dairy, vegetable row crops, and fruits.
• The credibility intervals for the dairy, vegetable row crops, fruits, and other produce categories were wide, partly due to the small total number of outbreaks (64).
• No illnesses were attributed to other meat/poultry, game, other seafood, grains-beans, oils-sugars, and seeded vegetables.

Campylobacter
Attribution estimates for Campylobacter are not presented in this year's report. Evidence suggests the sources of Campylobacter outbreaks likely differ considerably from the sources of non-outbreak-associated illnesses caused by this pathogen.


https://www.cdc.gov/ifsac/php/data-research/annual-report-2022.html
Foodborne Illness Source Attribution Estimates – United States, 2022

At a glance

1. This report presents annual estimates of the percentages of foodborne illness attributed to 17 food categories for Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, and Listeria monocytogenes.
2. These estimates can inform food safety decision-making and provide pathogen-specific direction for reducing foodborne illness.
3. Data come from 48,735 illnesses linked to 1,355 foodborne disease outbreaks that occurred from 1998 through 2022.

Executive summary

Each year in the United States an estimated 9 million people get sick, 56,000 are hospitalized, and 1,300 die of a foodborne disease caused by known pathogens. These estimates help highlight the scope of this public health problem. However, to develop effective prevention measures, food safety agencies and partners need to understand the types of foods contributing to the problem.

FDA Issues Warning Letter to Texas Pet Food Company for Inability to Combat Salmonella Contamination

FDA issued a Warning Letter to Mid America Pet Food LLC, a pet food manufacturing facility located in Mount Pleasant, Texas.  This was a reinspection of the facility that was responsible for a 2023 outbreak of Salmonella after a product recall had been issued.  (Initially Salmonella was found in product.  A multi-state foodborne illness outbreak of Salmonella Kiambu implicated in human illnesses through epidemiological traceback.1 A total of seven people from seven states were infected with the outbreak strain from January 14, 2023 to August 19, 2023, and one person was hospitalized. Six of the affected people were children under one year of age).  

"FDA collected environmental samples (i.e., swabs) from surfaces in [the] manufacturing facility during this inspection and a subsequent inspection, conducted from January 23, 2024, through February 9, 2024, in response to a consumer complaint. Analysis of these samples using whole genome sequencing revealed that three of the Salmonella-positive environmental swabs collected in the post-process area of [the] facility during the 2024 inspection are closely related to seven Salmonella-positive environmental swabs collected in the pre-process areas of your facility during the 2023 inspection, indicating that [the] facility may have three resident strains of Salmonella: Salmonella Rissen, Salmonella Minnesota, and Salmonella Mbandaka."

• FDA Investigators observed visible debris on food-contact surfaces of equipment such as brushes, brooms, and squeegees after cleaning and sanitizing of equipment was performed by your third-party sanitation service.
• Did not document (b)(4) cleaning for the discharge hoppers located in the packaging area for the entire month of December 2023.  In addition, there were multiple instances of other equipment and areas where [employees] did not document sanitation activities in accordance with your Master Cleaning Schedule
•  FDA Investigators observed rainwater entering your facility through the roof while  manufacturing multiple lots of dog food. FDA Investigators observed standing water and soaked absorbent pads in staging, production, and finished product areas, including in post-process areas such as the dryer room and packaging areas. The manufacturing facility must be constructed in a manner such does not become a source of potential contamination to your animal food.
• Did not document the (b)(4) process control applied to the chicken fat prior to January 13, 2024, which demonstrates the company did not effectively implement your process control.
• Did not take appropriate corrective action when a preventive control, combination of preventive controls, or the food safety plan as a whole was found to be ineffective, specifically in handling situations were positive samples were detected.

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/mid-america-pet-food-llc-681516-11222024
WARNING LETTER
Mid America Pet Food LLC
MARCS-CMS 681516 — November 22, 2024

Michigan Bakery Cited by FDA for Issues with Food Safety Plan and Its Implementation

FDA issued a Warning Letter to Knickerbocker 365 Inc, a processor of ready-to-eat (RTE) breads, rolls, and buns manufacturing facility located in Madison Heights, MI.

This points out many of the same issues identified in bakery operations.

The hazard analysis did not identify and evaluate a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard to determine whether it requires a preventive control.  

• The company did not consider recontamination with environmental pathogens, such as Salmonella, at steps where your RTE breads, rolls, and buns are exposed to the environment. The RTE breads, rolls, and buns are exposed to the environment at post-baking steps (including “Cooling,” “De-panning,” “Slicing,” and “Packaging”) where they could be contaminated with environmental pathogens such as Salmonella, and do not receive a lethal treatment or otherwise include a control measure (such as formulation lethal to the pathogen) that would significantly minimize pathogens.
• The RTE breads, rolls, and buns come into direct contact with post-baking equipment, such as the “(b)(4) slicer” “the (b)(4) Slicer,” and the “(b)(4) Slicer.” However, The FDA noted that written sanitation procedures, documented on the “(b)(4) Cleaning Checklist,” for equipment used post-baking do not indicate sanitizer concentration or how to clean utensils and clean out-of-place (COP) equipment (e.g., pieces of equipment (i.e., blades) from the (b)(4) slicing machine) that are cleaned and sanitized in the (b)(4) sink.
• In addition, the  facility’s environmental testing document is not clear on the frequency of collecting environmental samples for pathogens, including Salmonella. In the “Purpose” section, the document states that “Testing is to occur at the (b)(4) procedures at (b)(4).” However, in the “Background” section, the document indicates that (b)(4) for “Salmonella sp.” will be “collected quarterly.” The “Limit and Testing occurrences” in the “Procedures” section notes testing for Salmonella “at least annually.” Furthermore, the procedure does not indicate the analytical method that will be used.
• The company did not identify and implement a supply-chain preventive control to ensure control of ingredient-related pathogens.The hazard analysis for RTE breads, rolls, and buns, “21.0 HACCP Last Revision 3/2024,” identified at receiving steps for wheat flour, whey (b)(4), egg, and walnut ingredients, pathogens as a hazard associated with these ingredients used in your RTE products. The hazard analysis further identified a supply-chain control to control the pathogen hazard. However, The company did not have a written supply-chain program covering the pathogen hazard in the referenced ingredient.
• The written allergen preventive control did not include procedures, practices, and processes for ensuring protection of food from allergen cross-contact, including during storage, handling, and use, and for food labeling to ensure the food is not misbranded

The food safety plan was not prepared, nor was its preparation overseen, by one or more preventive controls qualified individual(s), as required by 21 CFR 117.126(a)(2). The hazard analysis indicates that it was approved by the President/Owner (Sandra Sokana) who is not a PCQI, and there is no PCQI trained individuals or individuals who are qualified through experience to develop and apply a food safety system.

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/knickerbocker-365-inc-687624-09302024
WARNING LETTER
Knickerbocker 365 Inc.
MARCS-CMS 687624 — September 30, 2024