CDC MMWR - 2019 Multistate Outbreak of Escherichia coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Flour

CDC released a report in MMWR on the 2019 E. coil O26 outbreak linked to raw flour.

"Twenty-one cases were reported from nine states. The median age of patients was 24 years (range = 7–86 years); 71% were female. Three patients were hospitalized, and none died. Among 13 patients asked about flour exposures, six reported eating, licking, or tasting raw homemade dough or batter during the week before illness onset. Three patients reported eating raw dough or batter made with the same grocery store brand of all-purpose flour, including a patient who reported eating raw dough at a bakery in Rhode Island. Overall, of 18 patients with store information, 11 reported shopping at this same grocery store chain."

"Flour is increasingly recognized as a cause of STEC outbreaks (1–5). Raw flour is not a ready-to-eat product, and this outbreak highlights the continuing risk for illness associated with consumption of flour and raw dough or batter."

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7016a4.htm
Notes from the Field: Multistate Outbreak of Escherichia coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Flour — United States, 2019
Weekly / April 23, 2021 / 70(16);600–601
Michael Vasser, MPH1,2; Jonathan Barkley, MPH3,4; Adam Miller, MS3,5; Ellen Gee6; Katherine Purcell7; Morgan N. Schroeder, MPH1; Colin Basler, DVM1; Karen P. Neil, MD1 (View author affiliations)

Ohio Establishment Recalls Meat Broth Products for Potential Hydraulic Oil After Discovery of Equipment Issue

More Than Gourmet, Inc., an Akron, Ohio establishment, is recalling approximately 6,896 pounds of ready-to-eat beef and veal broth and stock products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically hydraulic oil.  The problem was discovered by the establishment after identifying a malfunction in a piece of processing equipment.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/more-gourmet-inc.-recalls-beef-and-veal-broth-and-stock-products-due-possible
More Than Gourmet, Inc. Recalls Beef And Veal Broth And Stock Products Due To Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

Ohio Food Company Recalls Caramel Rice Cakes for Undeclared Milk

Basic Grain Products, Inc. in Coldwater, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling 6.56-ounce bags of Kroger and Stop & Shop brand’s Caramel Rice Cakes because they may contain undeclared milk. The undeclared milk was discovered by internal control systems. This recall is being carried out with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/basic-grain-products-inc-issues-allergen-alert-undeclared-milk-caramel-rice-cakes
Basic Grain Products, Inc. Issues Allergen Alert on Undeclared Milk in Caramel Rice Cakes
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 28, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  April 28, 2021
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared milk
Company Name:  Basic Grains Products, Inc.
Brand Name:  Kroger and Stop & Shop
Product Description:  Caramel Rice Cakes

Ohio Ice Cream Company Recalls Ice Cream After Internal Tests Find Presence of Listeria

Velvet Ice Cream of Utica, Ohio has announced it is voluntarily recalling all of its ice cream and sherbet products made on or after March 24, 2021 as a precaution because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,  No illness or injury has been associated with the recalled products, which are being recalled in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The issue was identified as a result of the company’s routine testing.  The products were distributed to Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia through various drug stores, convenience stores and supermarkets

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/velvet-ice-cream-recalls-various-products-due-possible-listeria-risk
Velvet Ice Cream Recalls Various Products Due to Possible Listeria Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 26, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  April 27, 2021
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Company Name:  Velvet Ice Cream
Brand Name:  Multiple brand names
Product Description:  Ice Cream

Ohio Nut Company Recalls Crunchy Roasted Cheddar and Jalapeno Flavored Nuts for Undeclared Milk

Wolfies Roasted Nut Co. in Findlay, Ohio is voluntarily recalling its Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts due to an undeclared milk allergen. This recall has been initiated due to the ingredient label not stating a milk allergen. The issue was discovered during a routine inspection conducted by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

On the Wolfies company website, it looks as though milk is listed in the ingredient statement

Crunchy Roasted Cheddar & Jalapeno

NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Ingredients: Peanuts, water, flour, sugar, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, jalapeno pepper, salt,
onion, garlic. Cheddar Cheese (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), whey, partially hydrogentated
soybean oil, maltodextrin, reduced lactose whey, disodium phosphate, Blue Cheese (milk, salt,
cheese cultures, enyzmes), nonfat dry milk, citric acid, artificial color (yellow #5, yellow #6). No preservatives

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/wolfies-roasted-nut-co-issues-voluntary-recall-its-crunchy-cheddar-jalapeno-nuts
Wolfies Roasted Nut Co. Issues Voluntary Recall of its Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts
Summary
Company Announcement Date: April 23, 2021
FDA Publish Date: April 23, 2021
Product Type: Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement: Undeclared milk allergen
Company Name: Wolfies Roasted Nut Co.
Brand Name: Wolfies Roasted Nut Co.
Product Description: Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts

Cans of Beans Recalled for Faulty Seals That Could Result in Leakage and Contamination

Faribault Foods, Inc. is voluntarily recalling 15 ounce cans of certain varieties of Organic Black Beans and chili beans because the cans may have a compromised hermetic seal. The compromised hermetic seal may affect can integrity and may cause the cans to leak, bloat or allow bacteria to grow inside the product which could lead to serious illness. Clostridium botulinum poisoning in humans can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains the toxin. The recall was initiated after the firm had received consumer and customer complaints regarding failure of the hermetic seal. The problem related to the hermetic seal failure was corrected and no other product is affected.

The hermetic seal is formed when the top lid is placed upon the body of the can (which had been filled with beans) and this is pressed together by the equipment to form what is termed a double seam.

The closing equipment must be precisely set to ensure the proper folds are made. Closing machines are often operating at 200 to 500 (or higher) cans per minute with the machine having numerous sealing heads.  If one head is misaligned even slightly, an imperfect seal may be formed.  Cans from each sealing head are tested throughout the day by tearing the seal about and measuring the amount of overlap within the fold and thickness of the fold. 

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/faribault-foods-inc-announces-voluntary-recall-limited-quantity-sw-brand-organic-black-beans-and-o
Faribault Foods, Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall of a Limited Quantity of S&W Brand Organic Black Beans, and O Organic Brand Black Beans and O Organic Brand Chili Beans Due to Compromised Hermetic Seal
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 21, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  April 22, 2021
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Organic Food / Home Grown  
Reason for Announcement:  Potential for Clostridium Botulinum
Company Name:  Faribault Foods, Inc
Brand Name:  S&W and O Organic
Product Description:  Organic Black Beans and Organic Chili Beans

Biden Signs FASTER Legislation that Requires Sesame Allergen Declaration on Food, Opens Doors for Other Food Allergens

President Biden signed the FASTER (Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research Act ) that makes sesame the ninth allergen that requires label declaration.  

In the Washington Post article;

"According to Lisa Gable, chief executive of FARE, 1.6 million Americans have sesame allergies. This law will require foods containing sesame to be clearly labeled by January 2023. But perhaps more significant, the legislation says the Department of Health and Human Services must prioritize regular reviews of promising food allergy treatments and research."

While this will require those who use sesame to highlight it on the label..Contains Sesame, the bigger issue for manufacturers is that it opens the door for continued addition of allergens through a simpler review process through more simply changing regulation rather than passing new legistlation.

“The other big piece of this legislation is it will establish a risk-based scientific process and framework for establishing additional allergens,” Gable said.

This will have an impact on costs in that the need for label changes can come at an increased rate.  With over 160 food allergens, that Contains Statement could get pretty long.

The Legislation also puts additional resources into research and education on food allergens.

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/23/biden-faster-act-allergy/
Biden signs law that makes sesame the ninth major food allergen
The Faster Act will also step up allergy research
By
Laura Reiley
April 23, 2021 at 7:26 p.m. EDT

FAO Releases Document on Food Safety Perspectives for Edible Insects

 FAO released a document titled, "Looking at Edible Insects from a Food Safety Perspective".  The document overviews food safety hazards associated with edible insects.   Most issues are related to the inputs, specifically the food that is fed to the insects and the environment in which the insects are raised.  A good resource to bookmark for your file....'when I forced to eat bugs'.

I personally have begun to farm meal worms...not for my consumption but for Bluebirds.  I thought I would be churning out loads of meal worms and thus would have become a popular stop on the Bluebird circuit.  Months into the process and I am still working with my initial generation.  At this rate, I am finding it difficult to feed a few Bluebirds let alone the human population.

Imported Frozen Beef From Australia Recalled for E. coli O157:H7

JBS USA Food Company, a Greeley, Colo. firm and Importer of Record, is recalling approximately 4,860 pounds of imported boneless beef products after FSIS collected a routine product sample that confirmed positive for the presence of E. coli O157:H7.  The raw, frozen, boneless beef products were imported from Australia on or around Nov. 10, 2020 and distributed for further processing

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/jbs-usa-food-company-recalls-imported-boneless-beef-products-due-possible-e.-coli
JBS USA Food Company Recalls Imported Boneless Beef Products Due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination
FSIS Announcement
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2021 – JBS USA Food Company, a Greeley, Colo. firm and Importer of Record, is recalling approximately 4,860 pounds of imported boneless beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.