As you know, when Staphylococcus aureus grows to high levels in food, it can produce an enterotoxin. A person suffers the illness when they eat the food with the toxin, not the bacteria. The symptoms. vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea, are seen in 1 to 4 hours after consuming, but can be within 30 minutes up to 10 hours after consumption.
The toxin is heat stable, and will survive any cooking done by the consumer.
S. aureus does not grow at refrigeration temperatures, so generally, growth and toxin production is seen in temperature abused products. The level of S. aureus to get levels of toxin needed for illness is >10E5.
In this particular case, we can assume the product was battered, breaded and then par-fried to set the breading. Following that thinking, the organism would have either grown in the batter (which is a common issue when batter is not properly temperature controlled), or in the finished product, if that product was temperature abused. In the first case where it formed in the batter, par-frying would have eliminated the vegetative organism leaving only the toxin. If it formed on the finished product, again because if that finished product had been temperature abused, we would expect to see the organism as well as the toxin on the frozen product. We are not able to tell from this report which was more likely the case.
Is Staph enterotoxin a routine test for regulatory laboratories? Not sure.
USDA News Release
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2014/recall-074-2014-release
Pennsylvania Firm Recalls Chicken Products Due to Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Contamination
Class I Recall 074-2014
Health Risk: High Oct 25, 2014
Congressional and Public Affairs Megan Buckles (202) 720-9113
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2014 – Murry’s Inc., a Lebanon, Pa. establishment, is recalling approximately 31,689 pounds of gluten free breaded chicken products that may be contaminated with Staphylococcal enterotoxin, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The products have a best by date of August 9, 2015. The following products are subject to recall: [View Label (PDF Only)]
12-oz. boxes of “Bell & Evans Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets.”
10.5-oz. boxes of “Bell & Evans Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast.”
The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “P-516” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These products were shipped to retail locations nationwide.
The problem was discovered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture during a retail surveillance and sampling program funded by the USDA at a Federal Emergency Response Network lab. After being notified of the positive test result, FSIS conducted traceback activities.
Staphylococcal food poisoning is a gastrointestinal illness. It is caused by eating foods contaminated with toxin-producing Staphylococcus aureus.
Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium found on the skin and in the noses of healthy people and animals. Staphylococcus aureus can produce seven different toxins that are frequently responsible for food poisoning.
Staphylococcal enterotoxins are fast acting, sometimes causing illness in as little as 30 minutes. Symptoms usually develop within one to six hours after eating contaminated food. Patients typically experience several of the following: nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. The illness is usually mild and most patients recover after one to three days.
To prevent Staphylococcal contamination, keep kitchens and food-serving areas clean and sanitized. Keep hot foods hot (over 140°F) and cold foods cold (40°F or under). Make sure to wash hands and under fingernails vigorously with soap and water before handling and preparing food. Do not prepare food if you have an open sore or wound on your hands or if you have a nose or eye infection.
FSIS and the company have received no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall can contact Murry’s customer service, at (717) 273-9361.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.
PBS Newshour
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/chicken-recall/
More than 31,000 pounds of chicken products recalled
BY Rialda Zukic October 26, 2014 at 3:05 PM EDT
Pennsylvania-based food company Murry’s Inc. recalled on Saturday more than 31,000 pounds of breaded chicken products that were shipped to retail stores nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service reported.
The recalled products are Bell & Evans gluten free chicken breast nuggets (12 ounces) and Bell & Evans gluten free chicken breast (10.5 ounces), which have Aug. 9, 2015, expiration dates.
The recalled products are Bell & Evans gluten free chicken breast nuggets (12 ounces) and Bell & Evans gluten free chicken breast (10.5 ounces), a USDA press release said. The chicken products have Aug. 9, 2015, expiration dates.
The chicken may be contaminated with Staphylococcal bacteria, a type of bacteria commonly implicated in food-borne illnesses and Staph infections.
Staphylococcal toxins act fast and can cause illness within 30 minutes of exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of Staphylococcal food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea and can develop between one to six hours after the contaminated food has been eaten.
The reported contamination was discovered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture during a retail surveillance and sampling program, according to the press release.
Murry’s Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ira Mendelson said traces of the toxins were found in one box, which contained Bell & Evans gluten free chicken breast and chicken nuggets with Aug. 9, 2015, expiration dates.
Mendelson said no other products were affected by the reported contamination.
“Even having knowledge of one box being contaminated, we felt a voluntary recall would be necessary,” Mendelson said Sunday in a phone interview with PBS NewsHour Weekend.
The USDA and Mendelson said there have been no reports of illness since the recall was issued on Saturday.
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