Friday, November 22, 2019

Salad Products Recalled Due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

Missa Bay, LLC, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 75,233 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7,  There have been 17 cases of illness and 7 hospitalizations.  The last case of illness was reported on November 1.  (list of products found here)

The salad products items were produced from October 14, 2019 through October 16, 2019. All of the product that would have been involved in the outbreak is already past the expiration date.

As part of a foodborne illness outbreak investigation, the Maryland Department of Health collected an unopened package of Ready Pac Bistro Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics Caesar Salad with FSIS EST number 18502B on the label. The state collected and tested individual ingredients in the salad and the lettuce tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2019/recall-115-2019-release
Missa Bay, LLC Recalls Salad Products Due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination
Class I Recall
115-2019
Health Risk: High
Nov 21, 2019
Congressional and Public Affairs  Mitch Adams  (202) 720-9113
FSISpress@usda.gov

EDITOR’S NOTE: Nov. 21, 2019 - This release is being updated to reduce the poundage recalled from 97,272 to 75,233 due to the exclusion of non FSIS-regulated product. The spreadsheet of products has been updated to reflect these changes and the labels have been added.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2019 – Missa Bay, LLC, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 75,233 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The salad products items were produced from October 14, 2019 through October 16, 2019. The products subject to the recall can be found on the following spreadsheet. [View Labels (PDF only)]

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 18502B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.

As part of a foodborne illness outbreak investigation, the Maryland Department of Health collected an unopened package of Ready Pac Bistro Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics Caesar Salad with FSIS EST number 18502B on the label. The state collected and tested individual ingredients in the salad and the lettuce tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. All products from the same lot of lettuce are included in the recall.

Most people infected with STEC O157:H7 develop diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by testing of a stool sample. Vigorous rehydration and other supportive care is the usual treatment; antibiotic treatment is generally not recommended. Most people recover within a week, but, rarely, some develop a more severe infection. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, is uncommon with STEC O157:H7 infection. HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old, older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators even though they are past their use by dates. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

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 with questions regarding the recall can contact Mary Toscano, Consumer Affairs Manager for Bonduelle at 1-800-800-7822. Members of the media with questions regarding the recall can contact the Bonduelle Newsroom at (626) 678-2222 or bfa-newsroom@bonduelle.com.


https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-lllnesses-caused-e-coli-o157h7-november-2019
Outbreak Investigation of illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7 November 2019
FDA working to determine the source of contamination found in Ready Pac Bistro Chicken Caesar Salad, FSIS Announces Recall
November 21, 2019

Recommendation

On Nov. 21, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a recall by Missa Bay, LLC, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment. The salad products subject to the recall can be found in a spreadsheet on the FSIS website and bear the USDA mark of inspection.

Do not eat the recalled products.

The salad product items were produced from Oct. 14, 2019 through Oct. 16, 2019, and the recommended “use by” date for all of the product was Nov. 1, 2019, or earlier. There is concern that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators, or that portions may have been frozen, even though they are past their use by dates. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Background

Chicken Caesar Salads

FDA, CDC, FSIS and state health authorities are investigating an outbreak of illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7 in the U.S.

Products in the recall noted above were produced with the same lot of lettuce that was used to produce the packaged salad that the Maryland Department of Health found to contain E. coli 0157:H7.

That product was Ready Pac Bistro® Chicken Caesar Salad, lot #255406963, UPC 0 77745 27249 8, “Best By” date Oct. 31, 2019, and it is included in this recall.

FDA is tracing back the supply of the romaine lettuce in the Caesar salad. FDA has identified possible farms in Salinas, California. FDA is deploying investigators to determine the source and extent of the contamination. More information will be forthcoming as the investigation proceeds.

Although the ill people interviewed in Maryland reported eating Ready Pac Bistro® Chicken Caesar Salad, at this time, ill people in other states have not reported eating this particular salad. Therefore, exposure to this product alone does not fully explain other cases in the outbreak.

State and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to determine what they ate and other exposures of interest in the week before their illness started.

Case Counts

Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: November 8, 2019
States with Cases: AZ (1), CA (2), CO (1), ID (3), MD (2), MT (1), WA (1), WI (6)

What Products are Recalled?

On Nov. 21, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a recall by Missa Bay, LLC, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, of approximately 75,233 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. Products in this recall were produced with the same lot of lettuce that was used to produce the packaged salad that the Maryland Department of Health found to contain E. coli 0157:H7.

The products subject to the recall can be found in a spreadsheet on the FSIS website. FSIS will likely update the poundage as more information becomes available. FSIS has posted product labels on its website.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 18502B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Mary Toscano, Consumer Affairs Manager for Bonduelle at 1-800-800-7822. Members of the media with questions regarding the recall can contact the Bonduelle Newsroom at (626) 678-2222 or bfa-newsroom@bonduelle.com.

What is E. coli?

E. coli are mostly harmless bacteria that live in the intestines of people and animals and contribute to intestinal health. However, eating or drinking food or water contaminated with certain types of E. coli can cause mild to severe gastrointestinal illness. Some types of pathogenic (illness-causing) E. coli, such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), can be life-threatening.

People infected with pathogenic E. coli can start to notice symptoms anywhere from a few days after consuming contaminated food or as much as nine days later. Generally, the symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting.

The severity or presence of certain symptoms may depend on the type of pathogenic E. coli causing the infection. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea and lead to life-threatening conditions, such as a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and neurologic problems. Other infections may have no symptoms or may resolve without medical treatment within five to seven days.

Due to the range in severity of illness, people should consult their health care provider if they suspect that they have developed symptoms that resemble an E. coli infection, including HUS, but even healthy older children and young adults can become seriously ill.

People of any age can become infected with pathogenic E. coli. Children under the age of 5 years, adults older than 65, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness as a result of an E. coli infection. However, even healthy older children and young adults can become seriously ill.

General Food Safety Tips for Retailers

Restaurants and retailers should always practice safe food handling and preparation measures. It is recommended that employees wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling food.

•Regular frequent cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces and utensils used in food preparation may help to minimize the likelihood of cross-contamination.

•Wash and sanitize display cases and refrigerators regularly.

•Wash and sanitize cutting boards, surfaces, and utensils used to prepare, serve, or store food.

•Wash hands with hot water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.
General Food Safety Tips for Consumers

People should consult their healthcare provider if they suspect that they have developed symptoms that resemble an E. coli infection.

Consumers should follow these steps for preventing foodborne illness:

•Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops, and utensils that may have contacted contaminated foods; then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.

•Wash and sanitize surfaces used to serve or store potentially contaminated products.

•Wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.

Cnsumers can also submit a voluntarily report, a complaint, or adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction) related to a food product.
Previous Updates
November 20, 2019

FDA, CDC, and state health authorities are investigating an outbreak of illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7 in the U.S.

According to the CDC, as of November 18, 2019, 17 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from eight states. The case patients report that illnesses started on dates ranging from September 24, 2019 to November 8, 2019.

Two cases reported from Maryland have been linked to this outbreak by Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), through analysis of clinical samples taken from those patients. The Maryland Department of Health identified E. coli O157 in an unopened package of Ready Pac Bistro® Chicken Caesar Salad collected from a ill person’s home in Maryland which was purchased from a Sam’s Club in that state. Preliminary information indicates that romaine lettuce used in the product that tested positive was harvested in mid-October and is no longer within current expiration dates. To date, the food sample has not yet been definitively linked to the Maryland cases or other E. coli O157 illnesses in the multi-state outbreak. WGS analysis is currently underway for this sample to determine if it is closely related genetically to the E. coli found in people in this outbreak.

As analysis is underway, FDA is tracing back the supply of the romaine lettuce in the Caesar salad. FDA has identified possible farms in Salinas, California. FDA is deploying investigators to the farms in question to determine the source and extent of the contamination. More information will be forthcoming as the investigation proceeds.

Although the ill people interviewed in Maryland reported eating Ready Pac Bistro® Chicken Caesar Salad, at this time, ill people in other states have not reported eating this particular salad. Therefore, exposure to this product alone does not fully explain other cases in the outbreak.

State and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to determine what they ate and other exposures of interest in the week before their illness started.

Who to Contact

Consumers who have symptoms should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care.

To report a complaint or adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction), you can

•Call an FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator if you wish to speak directly to a person about your problem.

•Complete an electronic Voluntary MedWatch form online.

•Complete a paper Voluntary MedWatch form that can be mailed to FDA.

Visit www.fda.gov/fcic for additional consumer and industry assistance.

No comments:

Post a Comment