Ohio Meat Establishment Recalls Taco Bell Meat After 3 Complaints of Foreign Material, Metal

Kenosha Beef International, a Columbus, Ohio establishment, is recalling an undetermined amount of Taco Bell seasoned beef products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal shavings.  The problem was discovered when the firm notified FSIS on Oct. 12, 2019, that it received three customer complaints.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2019/recall-097-2019-release
Kenosha Beef International Recalls Seasoned Beef Products due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Class I Recall
097-2019
Health Risk: High
Oct 14, 2019

Two Meat Product Recalls for Foreign Material in the Form of Plastic

There have been two meat product recalls due to foreign material.

• Tyson Foods Inc., is recalling approximately 3,120 pounds of frozen breaded chicken products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically blue and clear soft plastic.   This is a supplier related issue – the supplier notified Tyson of the potential blue plastic in the breading material. 
• Goodman Food Products, Texas, Inc., a Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 34,400 pounds of fully cooked ground beef products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically hard, white plastic.  “The problem was discovered after the company and USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Services received consumer complaints about hard, white plastic material found in the fully cooked ground beef products.”

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-047-2018-release
Tyson Foods Inc. Recalls Breaded Chicken Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Class II Recall
047-2018
Health Risk: Low
Jun 8, 2018

South Africa - Meat Product Linked to Large Listeria Outbreak, 180 Deaths

Processed meat has been identified in South Africa's large Listeria outbreak.   There have been 180 fatalities and 948 reported cases.  The product polony, which is essentially bologna in South Africa, was produced by Enterprise Foods, a division of Tiger Brands.  Enterprise Foods is pulling their products from teh retail shelf as well as Rainbow Chicken who also had a product test positive.  People have been asked to return meat to store for refund and to thoroughly clean their refrigerators.

It is amazing it took as long as it did considering the number of cases that occurred since January.  

According to a quote in one news report, it appears the company had been testing product. "Muzi Kheswa of Scottsville said he couldn’t understand how the listeria got past quality control for such a long time, adding: “From my knowledge, all batches of food are supposed to be tested before being put onto the market. If that was done surely a contaminated batch would be positive for listeria and not sold to the public.”

Reuters
https://af.reuters.com/article/commodities07News/idAFL5N1QM0Q3
UPDATE 1-South Africa traces deadly listeria to processed meat, issues recall
March 4, 2018 / 11:36 AM
Reuters Staf
* Outbreak killed 180 people since January 2017
* Source identified as brand of processed cold meat
* Products recalled, consumers told to avoid ready-to-eat meat (Adds RCL comment)
By James Macharia

Canadian Establishment Recalls RTE Meat Products Shipped to US after Positive Salmonella Tests

A Canadian establishment, is recalling approximately 1,076 pounds of ready-to-eat salami and speck products that may be adulterated with Salmonella  These items were produced in Canada and were shipped to distribution centers in California, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey and New York. The problem was discovered when an FSIS sample of the ready-to-eat salami product was confirmed positive for Salmonella. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

USDA FSIS Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/recall-129-2017-release
Piller's Fine Foods Recalls Ready-To-Eat Salami and Speck Products due to Possible Salmonella Adulteration
Class I Recall 

129-2017
Health Risk: High 

Dec 16, 2017 

NC Establishment Recalls Ground Beef Due to Foreign Material Complaints of Styrofoam Pieces

JBS of North Carolina is recalling 5,000 lbs of ground beef after receiving complaints of foreign material in the form of styrofoam pieces.

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/rc-086-2017
JBS USA Inc. Recalls Beef Products Due To Possible Foreign Matter Contamination 
Class III Recall  086-2017
 Aug 1, 2017

Pew Releases Report on Making Meat and Poultry Safer

Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-profit organization dedicated to encourage responsive government and support scientific research on a wide range of issues including food safety, released a report on making meat and poultry safer.  A few of their recommendations:

• Government agencies should fund research into how to best manage herds or flocks to maintain animal health and keep harmful bacteria out, including the use of clean feed, vaccines, and prebiotics and probiotics.
• Regulatory agencies should provide incentives for the implementation of pre-harvest food safety interventions
• Industry should consider individual pre-harvest interventions within the larger context of managing the health of the herd or flock and implement adequate controls to protect animal health and keep pathogens out,
• All stakeholders should develop information technology infrastructure and capacity to encourage sharing of efficacy and safety data among industry, academia, governmental researchers, and regulatory agencies

Good for them.  Now just need some funding to make it more of this happen.

The full report can be found here.  Good reference information on pre-harvest interventions.

Pew Charitable Trusts - Press Release 

http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases/2017/07/17/pew-safer-meat-requires-reducing-risks-where-food-animals-are-raised
Pew: Safer Meat Requires Reducing Risks Where Food Animals Are Raised
Report highlights effective measures to decrease contamination on farms and feedlots
July 17, 2017
Safe Food Project

Home Delivered Meat - Buyer Beware

A recent study conducted by RU and TSU looks at issues involving meat shipped to homes via home delivery systems such as meal kits.   These issues include:

• A wide range of temperatures upon receipt, ranging from (-)23F to 75F.  Much of the issue was related to the type of coolant (dry ice best, gel packs worst) and the amount of insulating packaging material surrounding the product.
• Most home delivery companies did not require receipt upon delivery, which means that product can sit on the front porch until the home owner realizes it is there.  This can be an issue when the product is shipped as a surprise gift, so the recipient is not expecting it.
• Home delivery companies did not have food safety information on their website
• Products were not properly labeled to indicate the type of meat.
• Microbial loads varied greatly. Pathogen loads varied greatly.

The authors stated that the bigger, better known companies did a better job, but with many companies entering the business channel, there may be more concern.

In the end, buyer beware.

Meatingplace
http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/73203
Study of meat from home delivery services shows disturbing results
By Rita Jane Gabbett on 5/11/2017

Brazilian Meat Industry Rocked by Investigation into Unsanitary Practices

Brazilian meat is returning to a number of countries that banned import of the product after Brazilian authorities found that some of the Brazilian meat companies were bribing inspectors to look the other way as they packed less-than-desirable product.  The US did not ban imports as it appears that none of the plants shipping to the US were under investigation (maybe our supply control systems are better?).

Brazil is one of the largest exporter of meat products in the world.  This scandal has had a huge impact on exports.

Tri-State Livestock News
http://www.tsln.com/news/brazil-resumes-exporting-meat-to-major-markets/
Brazil resumes exporting meat to major markets

Texas Establishment Recalls RTE Beef Products After Receiving Two Customer Complaints for Rubber with Plastic

A Texas establishment is recalling 35,158 lbs of frozen RTE beef taquito product after the company received two customer complaints for rubber with plastic.  From the report - "The problem was discovered when Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc. received two consumer complaints of foreign material in its ready-to-eat beef products on March 14, 2017 and March 21, 2017. The foreign materials were pieces of rubber with white plastic that originated from the establishments processing equipment."

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/recall-031-2017-release
Ajinomoto Windsor, Inc. Recalls Frozen Ready-To-Eat Beef Products Due To Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Class II Recall 031-2017
Health Risk: Low 

Mar 24, 2017

Coliform Positive Sample in Well Water Results in Product Recall

A PA meat establishment is recalling pork products after inspectors found the facility's water test results had been positive for coliform bacteria.  These test results would classify the water as non-potable.

While the risk is probably low to non-existent (the fresh pork itself would have coliforms), the water used to make that product is deemed as non-potable.  While the presence of coliforms in themselves are not a hazard, their presence could indicate that other pathogenic bacteria could be present.  More importantly, their presence could indicate that  a contamination pathway could exist linking the water supply to a contamination source - surface water, septic system, animal waste, etc.

Corrective action needs to be taken immediately upon these types of results. This is normally done by dosing or shocking the well with chlorine. or even better for protecting a business is continuous disinfection.
 
FSIS News Release
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/FSIS-Content/internet/main/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-082-2016-release
Bunge's Meats Recalls Pork Products Formulated With Water That Did Not EPA Meet Drinking Water Standards
Class I Recall 082-2016
Health Risk: High Sep 16, 2016 

How Clean is Your Deli's Meat Slicer?

A study published in MMWR shows that many deli operations may not be cleaning their slicer often enough and well enough.  In this study, about half of the food operations contacted did not fully clean the slicer as frequently as they should.   They noted that this is more the case at independent and smaller delis.  Fully clean includes disassembly of the slicer before cleaning

The issue with not cleaning the slicer is that the slicer can be a point of cross contamination for Listeria monocytogenes.   If Listeria contaminates the slicer, it can then contaminate all the meats that are sliced after that.  According to the US Food Code, food contact surfaces in constant use should be fully cleaned at least every 4 hours.  As the time between cleaning increases, the more opportunity Listeria has to grow.

Cleaning must include disassembly.  If a slicer is just wiped down, Listeria can be present in the areas that were not cleaned, such as under the guard or down around the motor (where there may be higher temperatures).   Never getting to spots on the slicer where foods particles build-up could mean that the slicer itself becomes a source for Listeria in that operation, not just a point of cross contact.  It is important for establishment personnel to evaluate slicers to make sure there are no niches for food build-up.

Even is a slice is cleaned successfully, it is important that operators recognize that the slicer is not the ultimate source, but still can be a point of cross contamination.  Important sources include:

• Deli cases - deli cases must be cleaned and properly maintained.
• Walk-in-coolers - also must be cleaned and properly maintained.
• Deli working environment - build-up of meat in the environment can result in high levels of Listeria in the operations, which increases the chance it can make its way to food contact surfaces including the slicer.
• Floor drains
• Sinks and wash areas

As a consumer, it is important to evaluate where you buy your deli products.  If a deli appears nasty, time to find a new deli.  Don't be afraid to ask about cleaning schedule.  If still concerned, buy your deli meat early in the day when the slicer is most likely to be the cleanest.
 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6512a2.htm?s_cid=mm6512a2_e

Retail Deli Slicer Cleaning Frequency — Six Selected Sites, United States, 2012

Weekly / April 1, 2016 / 65(12);306–310

 

Ohio Establishment Recalls Fully Cooked Beef Patties for Listeria

An Ohio establishment is recalling fully cooked beef patties after a further-processor had reported that product tested positive for Listeria.

This is the type of product that is purchased by a foodservice supplier/distributor (further-processor) that takes the cooked burger, puts it on a bun, and sells it to vending machines companies to in convenience stores.  The item would be considered a 'heat and serve' product.  Any Listeria contamination that gets onto the product would likely be consumed.  Further, if the product is held at refrigeration temperature, it would have the opportunity to grow.

The further processor in this case would have tested this product as part of their supplier control program / ingredient receiving protocol.


USDA Recall Notice
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2015/recall-034-2015-release
Kenosha Beef International Recalls Beef Product Due to Possible Listeria Contamination
Class I Recall 034-2015
Health Risk: High Feb 19, 2015
En Español
Congressional and Public Affairs  Alexandra Tarrant  (202) 720-9113

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2015 – Kenosha Beef International, a Columbus, Ohio, establishment, is recalling approximately 21,427 pounds of ready-to-eat beefsteak patty product that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The fully cooked beefsteak patties were produced on Jan. 24, 2015. The following product is subject to recall:
35.3-lb. boxes of “Fully Cooked Black Angus Ground Beefsteak (chopped and formed)” with product number 87657 and “use thru” date of 01/24/16.

The product subject to recall bears the establishment number “EST. 10130” inside the USDA mark of inspection. This product was shipped to distributors in Illinois and North Carolina for further distribution to restaurants.

The problem was discovered by a customer of Kenosha Beef International. The customer, a further processor, tested a sample of product produced the same day as the recalled product, returning a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.

Ohio Firm Recalls Salami Due to Inadequate Cooling.

Updated 2/4/15

An Ohio firm is recalling salami products after it was determined that the cooling step in the process appears to have had a deviation in that the product was not cooled enough. This facility operated under state jurisdiction but participated in the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program. Under CIS, state-inspected plants can operate like a federally-inspected facility by meeting specific conditions, and then ship their product in interstate commerce and internationally.

The hazard of concern for meat cooling is Clostridium perfringens.    FSIS has requirements that must be met for cooling (also called stabilization) which are defined in Appendix B.

Clostridium perfringens is a sporeforming pathogen that can exist in soil, water, food, meat, spices and vegetables.  The spores are heat resistant and can survive cooking temperatures such as process for cooking processed meat products (Dvalue at 212F ranges from 0.7 min to 38.4 min). If present in the raw materials, the numbers are very low, if present at all.  It only becomes a risk if the cooked product is temperature abused where the number of organisms reach a high number.  It divides very fast in the 90F to 115F range (can be as fast as every 10 minutes or less).

The symptoms of the illness occur within 6 to 24 hours after eating the contaminated food and these symptoms include diarrhea and acute abdominal pain.  The illness occurs when the food contains large numbers of bacteria, that once consumed, sporulate in the intestines and thus releasing the toxin.  Toxin can also be preformed in the food.

It is interesting to note that this is a cured meat, and being a cured meat, Clostridium pathogens are controlled by nitrite.

Dr. Bruce Tompkin provided a comment on this topic, which I wanted to add here:

 

This recall reminds me of the long, unfinished debate about whether C. perfringens is a significant hazard and for that reason chilling should be a CCP in the HACCP plan for cooked cured meat products.

This recall also is unfortunate because it is not likely to have any public health benefit because cured meats have not been associated with C. perfringens illness with one notable exception.

That exception is corned beef that has been cooked in water in a home or food service establishment and subsequently held at time-temperatures that permit germination and outgrowth. Long cooking in water likely reduces the salt and nitrite levels to non-inhibitory levels.

Otherwise, “there is no history of C. perfringens diarrhea associated with cured meat products since the bacillus is relatively sensitive to sodium chloride and nitrite” (ICMSF Book 5. 1996. page 116). Similar statements can be found elsewhere in the literature.

We investigated chilling deviations and conducted other research to better understand why the risk of C. perfringens illness from commercially processed RTE meat and poultry products is very low (Kalinowski et al. 2003. JFP 66:1227-1232). That research investigated both cured and non-cured products.

The publications of Jackson et al in 2011 (JFP 74:410-416 and 417-424) are among the more recent studies that lead to the conclusion that C. perfringens should not be considered a significant hazard in “conventionally cured” meats.

The risk assessment by Crouch et al in 2009 (JFP 72:1376-1384) led to the conclusions that ”Improper retail and consumer refrigeration accounted for the majority of the predicted C. perfringens illnesses, while stabilization accounted for less than 1% of illnesses. Therefore, efforts to reduce illnesses in RTE/PC meat and poultry products should focus on retail and consumer storage and preparation methods.” This agrees with experience in the UK and Australia as mentioned in Kalinowski et al. 2003.

Yes, cooked cured products are now chilled faster and more orderly but I do not recall any instance of C. perfringens illness occurring from an improperly chilled cured RTE product between 1964 when I started in the industry, 1988 when the initial chilling guidelines were implemented and 1999 when FSIS finalized its stricter chilling/stabilization regulations.

Bruce Tompkin


 FSIS Recall Notice
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2015/recall-024-2015-release
Ohio Firm Recalls Salami Products Due To Possible Temperature Abuse
Class I Recall 024-2015
Health Risk: High Jan 30, 2015
Congressional and Public Affairs Whitney Joy (202) 720-9113
 
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2015 – Great Lakes Smoked Meats, a Lorain, Ohio establishment, is recalling approximately 2,863 pounds of smoked salami product, which may have experienced temperature abuse and may contain Clostridium perfringens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Minnesota Company Recalls Meat Meals after Listeria Positive Test

A Minnesota company is recalling meat and poultry meal products after USDA testing found a sample of the product to be positive for Listeria.  No illnesses have been reported.

The company then indicated that through their own internal testing, they found that the roasted red potatoes were positive for Listeria. These roasted red potatoes were supplied by another company, but no information was listed for the name of that company.
 
 
USDA News Release
Minnesota Firm Recalls Meat and Poultry Products for Possible Listeria Contamination
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2014/recall-068-2014-release
Class I Recall 068-2014
Health Risk: High Oct 8, 2014

Congressional and Public Affairs  Lauren Kotwicki
(202) 720-9113

WASHINGTON, Oct. 08, 2014 – Buddy’s Kitchen, a Burnsville, Minn. establishment, is recalling approximately 62,488 pounds of meat and poultry products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Tick Bite Triggers Allergic Reaction to Red Meat

Each year, a few hundred people become allergic to meat after being bitten by a specific type of tick.  The tick harbors a sugar that humans don’t have, called alpha-gal. The sugar is also is found in red meat — beef, pork, venison, rabbit — and even some dairy products.  When the tick bites a person, the person develops an immune response to this sugar.  The next time the person eats meat with this sugar, the person has a reaction to that sugar.

It is interesting in that 1) It takes as long as 8 hours for the body to react, whereas regular food allergies occur within minutes, and 2) this reaction is to sugar whereas most allergic reactions are to proteins.

According to the article, this does not appear to be a lifelong issue.

Ticks do really suck.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette
  http://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2014/08/08/Tick-bite-can-cause-allergy-to-red-meat/stories/201408080090#ixzz3A5s4w700
Tick bite can cause allergy to red meat

August 8, 2014 12:00 AM
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2014/08/08/Tick-bite-can-cause-allergy-to-red-meat/stories/201408080090#ixzz3A5s4w700

By Marilynn Marchione / Associated Press


A bug can turn you into a vegetarian, or at least make you swear off red meat. Doctors across the nation are seeing a surge of sudden meat allergies in people bitten by a certain kind of tick.

This bizarre problem was discovered only a few years ago but is growing, as the ticks spread from the Southwest and the East to more parts of the United States. In some cases, eating a burger or a steak has landed people in the hospital with severe allergic reactions.

Few patients seem aware of the risk, and even doctors are slow to recognize it. As one allergist who has seen 200 cases on New York’s Long Island said, “Why would someone think they’re allergic to meat when they’ve been eating it their whole life?”

The culprit is the Lone Star tick, named for Texas, a state famous for meaty barbecues. The tick is now found throughout the South and the eastern half of the United States.

Country of Origin Labeling Requirement for Meat Moves Forward

 The US Court of Appeals is allowing the country of origin labeling requirement (COOL) to move forward despite the challenge by meat producers.

The law will require processors and retailers to list where the animals used in the product were born, raised and slaughtered.

While this will provide information to consumers, there is no doubt it will add costs to the system.  Just are important is that many countries such as Canada and Mexico will look at this as a trade barrier and may inflict retaliatory tactics to US trade.

Are the costs worth it?  Do consumers really care?


Reuters
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/28/usa-courts-regulations-food-idINL1N0MP1C920140328
U.S. meat groups thwarted in bid to block country-of-origin labels

(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday rejected a challenge by meat producers to a federal regulation that specifies labeling requirements for certain meat products, a move applauded by rancher and consumer groups.

Botulism and Home Canned Elk Meat

Each year, those one or two cases of botulism that show up in the news serve as reminders of the importance of following proper processing (and using common sense). In summary, Mr. O’Connell thought he would short cut the canning processing by not going through the full heat process so that he could get more jars of elk meat. Rather, he just got the cans to form a vacuum seal and then moved on to the next batch. And when he heard one of the jars pop (lose vacuum) a week later, he threw it in the refrigerator. A few days later, he ate it for supper. Being a learned man, actually a lawyer, he knew something was wrong when his vision got blurry and his legs become wobbly. It progressed to a point where he lost all strength and had shallow breaths. His doctors were able to figure it out in time to save him.

He did use a pressure canner, but failed to follow process. Then instead of tossing the jar with the popped lid, he ate it.

Here are the links to Penn State’s publications.

Let’s Preserve: Basics of Home Canning

http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/PDFs/ee0066.pdf
 
Let's Preserve Meat and Poultry
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/PDFs/ee0058.pdf

 

Home Canning Hobby Leads to Near-Fatal Medical Emergency
By Austin Jenkins July 20, 2013 KPLU
http://www.kplu.org/post/home-canning-hobby-leads-near-fatal-medical-emergency

Home canning is regaining popularity as part of the local food movement. If done right, families can enjoy home grown fruits, vegetables and even meat all through the winter. But if done wrong, it can be devastating, if not deadly.

A lawyer for the state of Washington recently learned that lesson the hard way.

On the Friday before Mother’s Day this year, Mike O’Connell was looking forward to spending the weekend with his wife at their home in the Seattle area. During the week, he lives alone in Olympia where he works. But he woke that morning with the strangest affliction: double vision.

“There were two of everything and I had an awful time just shaving and getting ready for work,” O’Connell said.



O’Connell, 67, is chief counsel to Washington’s Legislative Ethics Board. He suspected the double vision was related to some laser eye surgery he recently had. He managed to make it into work, but soon went home. That evening, he experienced more strange symptoms.

“My legs felt rubbery,” he said.

The next morning, he felt even worse. He was bumping into walls. He called his wife.

“I told her, ‘You know, I’m going to stop by the ER on the way up just so somebody can tell me I’m okay and I’m not having a stroke,”’ he said.

At the hospital, that’s exactly what they thought he was having. He heard “stroke in progress” called over the intercom. Suddenly he was surrounded by nurses and doctors. O’Connell’s wife arrived. Test results started coming back. There was no evidence of stroke.

“I didn’t know enough to bring up the fact that I had eaten canned meat,” said O’Connell.

Canned meat. You see, the night before O’Connell woke up with double vision, he had eaten some elk meat from a hunting trip. He canned it himself about a week earlier.

“Borrowed a pressure cooker, used an old family recipe for canning,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell’s mother had canned everything when he was a kid. He wanted to recapture a bit of his childhood. But things started going wrong from the start.

I had way too much meat to deal with,” said O’Connell.

The pressure cooker was too small. O’Connell had already browned the meat in a cast iron pan. So he decided to shortcut the process. Once the jars sealed airtight he would take them out of the pressure cooker and start a new batch. The next day, he heard a pop in the pantry.

“Which I remember as a child was the signal for you’ve lost the seal,” said O’Connell.

O’Connell found the jar with the popped seal, put it in the fridge and ate it the next day. He says it was delicious. The following week he heard another lid pop. Just as he had before, O’Connell found the jar and stuck it in the fridge. And a few days later he ate it for supper.

“This time, it didn’t work out,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell had an upset stomach in the night, but he didn’t connect it to having eaten the meat. He says growing up, he didn’t know anyone who got food poisoning from home canned foods.

At the hospital, once doctors ruled out a stroke, O’Connell was sent home. But he was back in the hospital a few hours later. Now he was having difficulty swallowing. The next morning, Mother’s Day, O’Connell’s daughter, Kelly Weisfield, drove to Olympia to see her dad.

“His voice was very slurred and his eyelids were droopy, but he was sitting up in bed and he was communicative,” Weisfield said.

As the day progressed though, O’Connell’s condition got markedly worse.

“By now, my eyes were closed. My strength—it was just amazing how quickly that went,” O’Connell said.

His breathing was getting shallow. Daughter Weisfield was frustrated with the lack of answers and scared. She called a doctor she knew, a neurosurgeon. He ran through a short checklist of things to rule out. That list included a disease first identified in the 18th century: botulism. Weisfield looked it up online.

“It just made the hair on the back of my neck stand up because it was every single symptom just laid out exactly what my dad was experiencing,” she said.

Botulism is a paralyzing illness caused by what Centers for Disease Control calls the most potent toxin known to science. It’s rare; there were only 20 foodborne cases nationwide in 2011, just one in Washington state last year.

Improperly home canned foods are the leading culprit, especially those low in acid like green beans and, yes, meats. Weisfield called her mom who had just left the hospital.

“And I said, ‘Mom, turn around. You got to go back and tell them to look into this,’” Weisfield said.

Weisfield was relieved, but also terrified that it was too late. Her father could hardly move now. He was having more and more difficulty breathing. The hospital had parked a ventilator outside his room. Weisfield didn’t know what to tell her 10-year-old son, who is very close to his grandfather.

“First thing Connor said was, ‘Are we still going to go on our fishing trip?’ And I could never answer him, because I didn’t know,” she said.

The doctors didn’t even wait to confirm botulism. They ordered a dose of anti-toxin from the CDC. Now the medical mystery was solved. But how did O’Connell get botulism?

Remember he stopped cooking the jars of elk meat when he heard the seals lock in place. Washington State University food safety expert Zena Edwards says that was O’Connell’s nearly fatal mistake.

“All that indicated was it had now become an anaerobic environment, an oxygen-free environment,” Edwards said.

And that’s the strange thing about the bacteria that causes botulism. It thrives when deprived of oxygen. By shortcutting the cooking time, O’Connell failed to kill the bacteria. Instead, he sealed it into the perfect environment for it to produce the poisonous toxin.

Edwards says what happened to O’Connell reaffirms two cardinal rules of home canning: “plan before you can” and “when it doubt, throw it out.”

After receiving the anti-toxin, O’Connell transferred to Swedish Hospital in Seattle for rehab. It took just days for the Botulism to paralyze O’Connell. The recovery would be painfully slow.

“My eyes were the first thing to come back. I still walk with difficulty and use a cane. I have no taste with the exception of chocolate, so I buy chocolate ensure, chocolate mints and night before last, I found where they sell chocolate wine so I had some of that, too,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell doesn’t know if or when he’ll get his taste back. Before the botulism, he was fit and active—a hunter and avid hiker. His daughter says it’s hard to see her dad like this.

“I’m so grateful that he’s made it through. And I’m so sad that he’s gone through all this, and he’s not the same,” Weisfield said.

O’Connell was able to keep that promise he’d made months ago to his grandson to go fishing together on the upper Columbia River. As for future home canning projects, his family has made it clear that’s not going to happen.

Listeria Recalls - Could This Be the Story of Jason?

Within the week, there were two recalls, both involving Listeria contamination of cooked meat products that were discovered through testing. So luckily, no illnesses were reported. One is an FDA recall involving chicken salad sandwiches sold at retail. The other is a USDA recall involving meat strips that were sold in bulk to be used as ingredients.  

The process for both products would have entail post -process handling, so both would be at risk for Listeria contamination. The difference is that the sandwiches would be shipped refrigerated, allowing some time for growth to occur, although there is a limited shelf-life on the product. The other is a frozen product, so during the time that product is frozen, Listeria would not grow. The risk associated with this product would be impacted on how the further manufacturer used that product. Of course, if they further cook the product, perhaps as part of a BBQ meat product, it would eliminate the Listeria risk. However, if they made it into chicken salad and shipped it in a refrigerated state to retail stores, it would be similar to the FDA recalled product.

Once an operation has found they have a Listeria contamination issue, it is important that those companies do extensive cleaning and sanitizing that is verified by heavy monitoring. Too often, companies jump back into production without eliminating the true source of contamination. In some cases, they don’t find it in testing completed on non-production swabs and think they are good to go. However, once product starts to roll through the process, Listeria reemerges. The source of Listeria was hidden well within the bowls of the equipment, and only once product is flowing through for hours or even days, does the Listeria make its way back out onto the food contact surfaces and ultimately the product.  

Listeria is sort of like Jason, the scary dude in the hockey mask featured in in those horror movies. In this movie, after the screaming girl shoots him a zillion times and he falls off the two-story roof, the distraught girl, laying there for what seems to be an eternity, finally gets the nerve to look. However, looking down, she realizes Jason is not there on the ground. Slowly turning around, she screeches as she sees that Jason was standing right behind her with a machete in his hand. As you are watching the flick, you wonder, why did she not verify that he was dead sooner.  So yeah, Jason is like Listeria, you are just never able to kill it and he continues to scare the heck out of you. So don’t be the screaming girl, use a rocket-launcher instead of a handgun and check well and often that he is not standing behind you. And never assume he is really dead.

KNOTT'S FINE FOODS RECALLS CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE HEALTH RISK
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm336282.htm?source=govdelivery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 21, 2013 - Knott's Fine Foods, Inc. of Paris, TN, is voluntarily recalling its 3 ounce Chicken Salad Sandwiches with an expiration date of 1/29/13 and earlier 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 headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Antibiotic-resistant pathogens in pork - reviewing the CR news release

Perhaps you have seen the latest food safety news to hit the mass media - antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens in pork.

Is there need to worry - No.

1) Is pork that bad? No, all raw meat products - whether pork, beef, poultry, or fish - have the potential to carry bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella, or E. coli. Therefore, one just needs to properly cook (to eliminate those organisms) and properly hande (to prevent cross contamanation) raw meat products to prevent any potential for illness. Remember, use a thermometer.

2) What about the antibiotic resistance? Antibiotic resistenace adds no special ability for these organisms to resist heating and sanitizers, so these bacteria will be controlled the same as any other bacteria though proper cooking and cleaning. The biggest concern with these types of organsims are with high risk groups, so it is especially important to ensure the use of good practice when preparing food for these groups (including the elderly and young children).

 It is true that there is a link between the use of antibiotics in livestock and a higher level of antibiotic resistant organisms that can be found in that meat. And it is true that anitibiotics have been overused in livestock as well as for humans (have you been given antibiotics for a viral infection?). However, the epidemiolgical evidence is lacking in showing a tie between those organisms and increased human illness. To combat the concern, FDA recently released a guidance to promote the judicious use of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals (http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm299802.htm).

It is also important to note that one can find antibiotic resistant organsims in organically grown meat. So I do not agree with the assertion that is made that one should buy organically certified meat. If you feel that there are quality aspects related to organic meat, than that is one thing. But the fact that the meat is organic does not provide any real benefit regarding safety.

What’s in that pork?
 We found antibiotic-resistant bacteria and traces of a veterinary drug

Consumer Reports magazine: January 2013 http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/pork0113.htm

 Our analysis of pork-chop and ground-pork samples from around the U.S. found that yersinia enterocolitica, a bacterium that can cause fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, was widespread. Some samples harbored other potentially harmful bacteria, including salmonella. And there are more reasons to be concerned about “the other white meat.”
Some of the bacteria we found in 198 samples proved to be resistant to antibiotics commonly used to treat people. The frequent use of low-dose antibiotics in pork farming may be accelerating the growth of drug-resistant “superbugs” that threaten human health.

RTE Meals Recalled Due to Potential Presence of Listeria monocytogenes

Reichel Foods of Rochester, Minn is recalling 15880 pounds of ready-to-eat meals, called Armour Active Packs, due to the potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes.  The contamination issue was discovered through 3rd party testing.  There have been no reported illnesses.  Product was shipped to 4 states (PA, TX, IN, and MN.)

The product is a multi-unit product targeted for children.  Within the pack, there is a meat and cheese wrap long with an apple and apple dip.  Since children are considered a high risk group, it is especially concerning.

Listeria monocytogenes contamination would most likely come from the plant environment.  In a product like this, we may see the opportunity for contamination coming from the slicing of meat (or shredding of cheese), layering of meat and cheese onto the bread, and/or the packing of the wrap into the case.
Plants packing product like this would be expected to have a stout Listeria control plan in place, which would include sanitation, hygienic control during processing, and an environmental monitoring program.


USDA New Release
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_053_2012_Release/index.asp

Minnesota Firm Recalls Ready-To-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Due To Potential Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination
  Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-053-2012 HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs
Bill Bagley
(202) 720-0286

WASHINGTON, August 5, 2012 – Reichel Foods, a Rochester, Minn. establishment, is recalling approximately 15,880 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall include: [View Labels (PDF Only)]

5.6 oz. packages of "Armour Active Packs Turkey & Cheese Wrap" Package Code 1026090112 or Case Code 27815-17994
5.6 oz. packages of "Armour Active Packs Ham & Cheese Wrap" Package Code 1026090112 or Case Code 27815-17995

All the products were produced between July 23, 2012, and July 26, 2012, and have a "sell by" date of Sept. 1, 2012. The packages bear the establishment number "P-19941" or "Est. 19941" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products were shipped to distribution centers in Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Texas. When available, the retail distribution list will be posted on FSIS' website at www.fsis.usda.gov/
FSIS_Recalls/
Open_Federal_Cases/
index.asp.

The problem was discovered by the establishment, through microbiological testing by a third party. FSIS and the company have not received reports of illnesses due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.