Sushi Recalled by Grocery Chain After Supplier has Potential Listeria Contamination Issues

Price Chopper, a northeast-based supermarket chain is recalling sushi product produced by AFC Franchise Corp due to the potential to be contaminated by Listeria.  There was no information on which item was involved, but being that two stores from different states had suspect product, it is more likely an ingredient issue than a store issue.

AFC franchises sushi bars that are often located in supermarkets.  AFC provides the know-how and materials to allow a franchisee to operate a sales space in a grocery store.  AFC had a recall early this past year for packages of edamame due to Listeria.

Many of the ingredients used in making sushi have the sufficient nutrients and are stored under conditions that allow the growth of Listeria.   Once the product is made and packaged in the store, there is always the risk of consumer mishandling, in this case, storing at elevated temperatures.  This would exacerbate the situation by allowing more growth.

WBNG.com
http://www.wbng.com/story/37228295/price-chopper-recalls-packaged-sushi-made-with-tuna
Price Chopper recalls packaged sushi made with tuna
By David Hermanovitch
Posted: Jan 09, 2018

Refrigerated Packages of Edamame for Sushi Recalled for Listeria

 A California company is recalling fresh refrigerated packages of edamame (soybeans) after the company tested and found Listeria.  The packed edamame was sold at designated retail sushi counters within grocery stores, cafeterias, and corporate dining centers in about 33 states.

AFC is a company that operates sushi counters via franchisees.  AFC provides the know-how and materials to allow a franchisee to operate a sales space in a grocery store.  So the grocery store can offer sushi without much effort.

One difficulty is what has occurred here...packaging and shipping fresh packaged foods across the country.  When many think of sushi, we think of it being made on the spot, not being pre-prepared thousands of miles away.  From a Listeria standpoint, a  contamination issue at the point of processing can have more time for growth during transport, and being sushi that will not be cooked, there will be no reduction step to get rid of the Listeria.

FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm547260.htm
Advanced Fresh Concepts Franchise Corp. Voluntarily Recalls Edamame Due to Potential Health Risk
For Immediate Release
March 16, 2017

Walnuts, Spices, Raw Pet Food and Sushi-Grade Seafood Recalled Due to Positive Salmonella Tests

What do nuts, spices, raw pet food, and chunk/ground seafood used for sushi have in common - recalls.  Clearly, government agencies are paying some attention to these items by sampling and testing.

Fisher brand chopped walnuts are being recalled due to Salmonella.  The recall was issued after FDA routine testing found a sample to be positive.

Kroger recalls spices due to Salmonella - The store is recalling Kroger Ground Cinnamon, Kroger Garlic Power, Kroger Coarse Ground Black Pepper and Kroger Bac'n Buds after FDA testing found the products positive for salmonella.

 Raw pet food recalled due to Salmonella - Two companies, Nature's Variety and Bravo, are both recalling raw pet food after government testing found product from both companies positive for Salmonella. (Just so it is said - if there are kids in the house, feeding your dog a raw diet may not be a good idea.)

 Osamu Corporation of Gardena, CA is recalling Frozen Yellow Fin Tuna Chunk Meat (Lot #68568) after the sampled product was found to be positive for Salmonella by the Minnesota Department of Health. The product, sold to AFC Corporation, was sourced from one processing plant in Indonesia. 

Stories and links below:

Ground Tuna Linked to Salmonella Paratyphi Outbreak

An investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B has been linked to ground tuna used in sushi type products.  In this outbreak, 53 people from nine states have become ill.

In 2012, ground tuna used in sushi was the source of Salmonella that infected 150 people.

Is there a difference in ground tuna?  Certainly the grinding step can be a point of proliferation and dissemination through product.  Another issue may be that for the ground product, they are using small scraps that may not have been handled in a sanitary manner.

While I like sushi, I will be adding ground tuna products to the 'avoid' list.

CDC Notice

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/paratyphi-b-05-15/index.html

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) Infections

 

Highlights

Read the Advice to Restaurants, Retailers, and Consumers »(http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/paratyphi-b-05-15/advice.html)

As of June 4, 2015, a total of 53 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) have been reported from nine states. Ten ill people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

• This outbreak is caused by Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) bacteria, formally known as Salmonella Java.
• The illness caused by this bacteria typically includes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after an exposure. Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) does not cause paratyphoid fever, enteric fever, or typhoid fever.
• Most ill people in the outbreak reported eating sushi made with raw tuna in the week before becoming ill.

Food Safety Quick Hits - Hyperlinking the News for May 29th, 2015

An Ohio firm is recalling jars of salsa after discovering jars were not properly sealed. The titles of the various news articles call it a potential botulism concern, unsealed jars are more likely to be a spoilage issue.

The FDA issued a recall notice for a Colorado company that is recalling raw Macadamia nuts due to the presence of Salmonella.  The Salmonella was found by FDA through routine product testing.  No illnesses have been reported.

A California company is recalling candy - coconut chews because of the potential to contain small stainless steel wire.  It looks to be that a screen within the manufacturing process is the source.  Perhaps a screen broke or was fraying?

In California, patrons filed a lawsuit against a Mexican restaurant that reportedly made them ill.   The LA County Health Department investigated after seeing a number of complaints on Yelp, the social media site for restaurant reviews.

The CDC is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella paratyphi B that may be linked to raw tuna used for sushi.  The epicenter for the cases is in the Southeast US.  As of May 21, 2015, a total of 53 people from 9 states have reported being ill.    CDC is still investigating the source.
Interesting, this variant does not cause parahyphoid fever, which would be characterized by high fever, but is more similar to the symptoms of normal Salmonella  which includes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after being exposed.

In Wisconsin, 60 people report becoming ill from a Salmonella infection after eating pork carnitas served by a local market.  According to Wikipedia, "Carnitas, literally "little meats," is a dish of Mexican cuisine originating from the state of Michoacán. Carnitas are made by braising or simmering pork in oil or preferably lard until tender. The process takes three or four hours and the result is very tender and juicy meat, which is then typically served with chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) and diced onion, salsa, guacamole, tortillas, and refried beans (frijoles refritos)."  Sounds delicious except for the Salmonella part.

Finally, some reasons why not to take a cruise.  In a report issued by some group that supports journalism in the public interest, they call attention to all the bad stuff that can happen on a cruise ship.  From the report: "Last year over 1,700 passengers and crew members fell sick from gastrointestinal illnesses like norovirus. Since 2012 at least seven children have drowned or nearly drowned in cruise ship pools that rarely have full-time lifeguards. This year, a 21-year-old college student fell overboard and was never found -- one of at least two dozen incidents in the last two years in which cruise passengers or crew have gone overboard, according to media reports." 
Stay home and make your own pork carnitas.

Salmonella Cases from Raw Tuna Sushi in CA

Raw tuna used in sushi has been linked to 25 cases of Salmonella infection with most of the cases occurring in California.

By regulation, fish sold to be used for sushi, must be frozen for a set period of time to get rid of parasites, but this will not destroy bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella.  To prevent this, processors must utilize good handling techniques including sanitation.


LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-raw-fish-sushi-linked-to-salmonella-outbreak-in-california-20150420-story.html
Raw fish linked to Salmonella outbreak in California
April 20, 2015
 Public health officials say raw fish could be responsible for Salmonella outbreak in California. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
By Veronica Rocha contact the reporter

Raw tuna in sushi could be to blame for a Salmonella outbreak that has already sickened 25 people from California and elsewhere.

Update on Salmonella in Ground Tuna

 As of 5/17/12, there are now 316 reported Salmonella infections linked to raw ground tuna product.  The number of states where illnesses have occurred indicate how widespread the contamination must have been within the lots of product produced.  In other words, this was not a one time contamination event for the food processor.

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella Nchanga Infections Associated with a Raw Scraped Ground Tuna ProductCDC News Relase Posted May 17, 2012 2:00 PM EThttp://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html



May 17, 2012Case Count Update

A total of 316 individuals infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Bareilly or Salmonella Nchanga have been reported from 26 states and the District of Columbia. The 58 new cases are from Alabama (1), California (2), Colorado (1), Georgia (3), Illinois (4), Indiana (1), Louisiana (1), Maryland (3), Massachusetts (6), New Jersey (1), New York (10), North Carolina (6), Pennsylvania (5), Tennessee (2), Texas (3), Virginia (6), and Wisconsin (3).

Three hundred and four persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly have been reported from 26 states and the District of Columbia. The number of ill persons with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (3), Arkansas (1), California (4), Colorado (1), Connecticut (9), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (13), Illinois (27), Indiana (1), Louisiana (4), Maryland (27), Massachusetts (33), Mississippi (2), Missouri (4), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (26), New York (48), North Carolina (10), Pennsylvania (25), Rhode Island (6), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (4), Texas (7), Virginia (22), Vermont (1), and Wisconsin (19).
Twelve persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Nchanga have been reported from 5 states. The number of ill persons with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Nchanga identified in each state is as follows: Georgia (2), New Jersey (2), New York (6), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (1).

Among 316 persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from January 28 to May 3, 2012. Ill persons range in age from <1 to 86 years, with a median age of 30. Fifty-nine percent of patients are female. Among 217 persons with available information, 37 (17%) reported being hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Illnesses that occurred after April 17, 2012, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.

Investigation Update

Laboratory testing conducted by state public health laboratories in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin has isolated Salmonella from 53 (96%) of 55 samples taken from intact packages of frozen yellow fin tuna scrape from Moon Marine USA Corporation or from sushi prepared with the implicated scrape tuna product. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis results are available for Salmonella isolates from 41 of the 53 positive samples. Thirty-six samples yielded the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly, and 12 samples yielded the outbreak strain of Salmonella Nchanga. Seven samples yielded the outbreak strains of both Salmonella Bareilly and Salmonella Nchanga.

Update - Salmonella linked to tuna used in sushi

Update 5/3/12
CDC reports that there is now close to 260 people infected with two different strains of Salmonella.

CDC Release 5/2/12
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html

Based on an epidemiologic link and results of laboratory testing, CDC has combined this Salmonella Bareilly investigation with an ongoing multistate outbreak investigation of Salmonella serotype Nchanga infections. The two associated PFGE patterns have been grouped together as the "outbreak strains."

A total of 258 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Bareilly (247 persons) or Salmonella Nchanga (11 persons) have been reported from 24 states and the District of Columbia.

• 32 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

4/17/12
According to the CDC, the Salmonella Bareilly that caused close to 150 illnesses has been linked to tuna used in sushi. The raw tuna served was frozen, but of course, was not cooked. While freezing will eliminate parasites, it will not eliminate Salmonella. The majority of tuna linked to this outbreak was from India. The US importer, Moon Marine, has begun recalling close to 59,000 lbs of tuna.

When producing a ready-to-eat food such as sushi grade tuna, the highest degree of sanitation and operating cleanliness must be maintained. This requires that the producer maintain tight production controls and procedures each and every day. This tuna meat, or tuna scrape, is a lower grade product and is essentially meat that was scrapped from the backbone of the tuna and had the look of a ground product.

A lawsuit has already been filed against the importer.  As an importer, they have the responsibility for ensuring the processing plants they purchase from have adequate quality and safety systems in place.

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly Infections Associated with a Raw Scraped Ground Tuna Product
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html
CDC Release  4/17/2012

A total of 141 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly have been reported from 20 states and the District of Columbia.
The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (6), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (6), Illinois (13), Louisiana (3), Maryland (14), Massachusetts (9), Mississippi (2), Missouri (4), New Jersey (8), New York (28), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (6), Rhode Island (5), South Carolina (3), Texas (4), Virginia (8), and Wisconsin (14).  21 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, from Moon Marine USA Corporation is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat that is scraped from the bones of tuna and may be used in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and similar dishes. The product looks like raw ground tuna. 

Consumers should not eat the recalled product, and retailers should not serve the recalled raw Nakaochi Scrape tuna product from Moon Marine USA Corporation.
This investigation is ongoing. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing surveillance to identify new cases.

U.S. NEWS  WSJ
Updated April 16, 2012, 6:48 p.m. ET
Tuna Blamed in Salmonella Outbreak Is Recalled
By BILL TOMSON WSJ 4/15/12
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304299304577348030392954406.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

The Food and Drug Administration said Monday a California supplier of raw tuna used in sushi was behind a salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 100 people in 20 states.
Moon Marine USA Corp. in Cupertino, Calif., has begun recalling 58,828 pounds of raw yellowfin tuna because it may be contaminated, the FDA said. Many of the people who became ill reported eating an item known as spicy tuna, the agency said, and most of the illnesses occurred in New York.