Cyclospora outbreak linked to fresh cilantro

An outbreak of cyclospoa, primarily impacting Texas, has been linked to fresh cilantro from the Puebla area of Mexico .
  
Cyclospora is a single cell parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis.  Cyclospora is spread by people ingesting food or water that was contaminated with feces from an infected individual.  Humans are the only known host (unlike other parasites that have other animals hosts).  It is not unlikely, however, to be passed from person-to-person, because it needs time (days to weeks) after being passed in a bowel movement (pooped) to become infectious for another person.
It is seen mainly in tropical or subtropical regions of the world but makes its way into the United States, via contaminated food, primarily imported fresh produce, or from people who travel to these areas.  The symptoms take about a week to show up, and it is in the form of watery diarrhea, with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements. (Other symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Vomiting, body aches, headache, fever, and other flu-like symptoms may be noted.) Some people who are infected can be asymptomatic (no symptoms).


Texas Department of State Health Services
News Updates
https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/updates.shtm
Cyclospora – August 28, 2014

The Cyclospora illness outbreak being investigated by DSHS and local health departments in Texas along with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration appears to have ended. The number of new illnesses being reported has returned to background levels, and the investigation has linked the cases in four restaurant clusters to cilantro imported from Puebla, Mexico.

Study - Analyzing Listeria Contamination in a Processing Plant Over Time

Listeria contamination within a processing facility if often an ongoing battle.  In a paper published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology, researchers analyzed Listeria contamination over time in a cheese processing plant.  While they made progress in getting the Listeria contamination under control, they were never able to eliminate it.  In this study, they found that certain species of Listeria are well geared to establish themselves in the facility, making eradication impossible.

International Journal of Food Microbiology
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2014.08.001
L. monocytogenes in a cheese processing facility: Learning from contamination scenarios over three years of sampling

Tea Sweetened with Industrial Cleaner Results in Hospitalization

A woman was hospitalized after drinking ice tea that had industrial cleaner in it.  The cleaner had been accidently mixed into the sugar that was used to sweeten the tea.

Prevention of chemical contamination is handled through good standard operating procedures.
Keeping cleaning chemical separate from food and food ingredients.
Employee training in food preparation as well as in proper chemical handling.
Proper marking of all chemicals and ingredients.

Poor procedures or poor execution of procedures can result in catastrophe.  Unfortunately, many cleaning chemicals can look like food ingredients...basically white powders.  So proper labeling is critical.  As well as keeping hazardous cleaning chemicals in separate areas.

Unfortunately for this woman, she was the first to drink the tea.  Fortunate that she was the only one.

Standard Examiner
http://www.standard.net/Police/2014/08/18/Police-waiting-in-Dickey-s-ice-tea-poisoning-case.html
Police waiting as victim improves in ice tea poisoning case
Monday , August 18, 2014 - 11:00 AM

BRADY McCOMBS   The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — A woman who unknowingly drank iced tea laced with an industrial cleaning solution at a Utah restaurant has whispered and gotten out of bed, her lawyer said.

The progress marks the first sign of improvement for Jan Harding since the 67-year-old was rushed to a hospital nearly a week ago with severe burns to her mouth and throat, according to family attorney Paxton Guymon.

The heavy-duty cleaner that ended up in the sweetened iced tea Harding drank last Sunday at a Dickey’s Barbecue in a Salt Lake City suburb was unintentionally mixed into a bag of sugar, which a worker later added into the iced tea dispenser, authorities have said.

Woman's Home Soup Operation Shut Down

Virginia Department of Ag and Consumer Services (VDACS) shut down a woman who was making canned soup in own kitchen and selling them at a Farmers' Market.   While she had been making her soups for 30 years, she is not allowed to sell these types of products.

In the video report by the local news channel, you can see Denise's operation.  While she said she boils it, it is clear that she is using a pressure canner...thank goodness for that.  Regardless, there are reasons why we have strict regulations around the canning of low acid foods that will be sold.   My guess is that if we started looking at the various products making their way to farmers' markets, there will be plenty more issues.

VDACS News Release

VIRGINIA FOOD SAFETY OFFICIALS WARN CONSUMERS NOT TO EAT CANNED SOUPS AND SAUCES BY CORFINIO FOODS DUE TO POSSIBLE HEALTH RISK
Contact: Elaine J. Lidholm, 804.786.7686

http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/news/releases-a/082014souprecall.shtml

Food safety staff from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) warn consumers not to eat any canned soups or sauces made by Corfinio Foods of Richmond. These products were improperly processed, making them susceptible to contamination with Clostridium botulinum. Ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed jarred and canned foods may lead to serious illness and death.

Traceability Guidance Document from IFT

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) just issued a best practices guidance document for food traceability. It looks at 6 food industry sectors - bakery, dairy, meat and poultry, processed foods, produce, and seafood - and summarizes the summarizes and similarities and differences with regards to traceability.

The take-home - we have a complex food supply chain, and having traceability capabilities beyond the immediate source and the immediate delivery (one step forward, one step back), can be difficult.



IFT Weekly Newsletter
http://www.ift.org/food-technology/newsletters/ift-weekly-newsletter/2014/august/082014.aspx#headlines2

IFT issues food traceability best practices guidance doc

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) has issued a guidance document on the best practices in food traceability. This document provides a comprehensive framework for six food industry sectors—bakery, dairy, meat and poultry, processed foods, produce, and seafood—and summarizes the similarities and differences among them in regards to traceability. Given the complexity of the global food system, guidance on improving traceability practices across the entire food industry is a challenge.

Natural Almond Butter and Peanut Butter Recalled Due to Salmonella

 nSPIRED Natural Foods is recalling various brands of nut butter due to the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  The contamination was discovered through FDA testing.  FDA reports that there may be 4 illnesses related to this product.

This comes one year after another nut butter - Salmonella contamination issue.  In 2013, Sunland Foods recalled, nut butter products due to Salmonella contamination.  It is interesting that some of the same brands recalled in that case were also recalled in this latest outbreak - Trader Joe's and Arrowhead Mills.  Is it bad luck or the lack of supplier control?

Salmonella has been a historical issue in nut products.  For one, Salmonella is much more heat resistant in dry products compared to moist products.  Cooking chicken to 165F will eliminate Salmonella, but in nut products, such as Almonds, 260F for 1.6 minutes is needed to achieve a 4 log reduction (GMA Industry Guideline for Safe Processing of Nuts).  Second, Salmonella can survive in the dry processing environment for years.  So the keys - process them correctly and put in measures to prevent cross contamination.


FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm410533.htm
nSPIRED Natural Foods, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Certain Retail Lots Of Arrowhead Mills® Peanut Butters, Maranatha® Almond Butters And Peanut Butters And Specific Private Label Nut Butters Because Of Possible Health Risk

Contact:   Consumer:  1-800-937-7008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 19, 2014 - nSpired Natural Foods, Inc. is voluntarily recalling certain retail lots of Arrowhead Mills® Peanut Butters, MaraNatha® Almond Butters and Peanut Butters and specific private label nut butters (listed below) packaged in glass and plastic jars because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Ground Oregano Recalled Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

McCormick is recalling ground oregano due to the potential to be contaminated by Salmonella.  It was found by FDA routine testing.  The product, packed in small jars (0.75 oz,) was shipped nationally and internationally.  No illnesses have been reported.

FDA Recall Noticehttp://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm410107.htm
Voluntary Recall Notice of McCormick Ground Oregano Due to Possible Salmonella Risk
Contact  Consumer:  1-800-632-5847

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 13, 2014 - SPARKS, Md., August 13, 2014- McCormick & Company, Incorporated is initiating a voluntary recall of McCormick® Ground Oregano, 0.75 oz bottle, UPC 0-523561-6 with code dates BEST BY AUG 21 16 H and AUG 22 16 H due to possible contamination with Salmonella. This recall does not impact any other McCormick Ground, Whole or Oregano Leaves products.

The Honor System....More Than Just That

Leave it to the media to create the next tagline to describe the food safety system....'the honor system'.  And they will use the PCA criminal investigation as the hammer to pound 'honor system' into the public's mind.  Forget the fact that there are regulations on top of regulations for the food industry or that these are businesses that need to make safe food to stay in business..... the media will claim the only thing protecting the public is the 'honor system.'...and of course, what do people think of when they hear that term, honor system....well, it harkens them back to grade school when they knew some kid, maybe themselves, who cheated on that self-graded quiz.  Oh my gosh....cheaters are making our food.  Outside of the Parnell's....probably not.

 

Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/270604281.html
Salmonella trial shows how US food safety relies on honor system that can kill when it fails
Article by: RUSS BYNUM , Associated Press
Updated: August 9, 2014 - 7:52 PM

ALBANY, Ga. — Jurors at the nation's first federal criminal trial stemming from a deadly outbreak of food-borne illness are learning a disconcerting fact: America's food safety largely depends on the honor system.

Increased Scrutiny of US Food Companies in China, OSI -Takes the High Road

Establishing operations in China has been a challenge for many US food companies.  This week, a Walmart store was investigated for using old oil in their store frying operation.  (Not sure how this story garnered international media attention?.)  In July, OSI, a supplier for McDonalds and KFC took a hit in the media as Chinese papers reported a scandal involving OSI's Chinese operation, Husi.  In this report, Husi was cited for mixing expired meat into their process.

The thing that seems odd with the OSI related story is that, as detailed in the NY Times piece (below), OSI has had a sterling reputation, both domestically and abroad.  So it seems weird that that they could let one of their operations fall off the rails?

No doubt, there is a lot of scrutiny on US food companies operating in China by the Chinese media and the local regulatory authorities.  Why?  One could speculate that with the increasing push of US companies into China along with mergers of Chinese and US companies for the stated purpose of improving quality (Smithfield acquisition), there may be some backlash against foreign companies pushing into the Chinese marketplace.   Add to that the negative media exposure that the Chinese food system has received by the US media and it is easy to see why so much attention on US companies (when they could also be reporting on Chinese owned companies).  So perhaps showing that US companies have their own issues is a way to make a stand.  Perhaps even more importantly, this negative media barrage provides a leg up to Chinese firms that wish to compete against the likes of  Walmart, McDonalds and KFCs in the Chinese marketplace. 

Now it is hard to say for certain to what extent the food safety allegations are true.  Certainly we have not heard any rational for the incidents from the US companies..  And while there could be some legitimate justifications for the actions used by OSI in China - perhaps the meat that was being mixed back had been frozen instead of refrigerated thus nullifying the date used on the packaging - the chairman of OSI provided no excuses but rather said they would make improvements.

Interesting though, the talking heads are still willing to take these Chinese reports at face value and spin them in order to spread fear on the safety of our own food supply.


Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/09/china-walmart-idUSL4N0QF09U20140809
Chinese regulators investigating Wal-Mart store for food safety violations - Xinhua
Sat Aug 9, 2014 8:49am EDT 

* Anonymous employee's video alleges violations at deli

* Shows images of black fryer oil, worms crawling in rice

* Shenzhen authorities investigating - Xinhua

* Wal-Mart: Internal, gov't probes uncovered no evidence

SHANGHAI, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Chinese regulators are investigating a Wal-Mart store in the southern city of Shenzhen for food safety violations, the official Xinhua news service reported, based on videos it said were taken by a Wal-Mart employee at one branch.