Warning Letter Indicates Facility has Same Listeria Strains in Plant for Years

In an FDA Warning Letter recently issued to Resers Fine Foods in relation to investigation conducted around Listeria issues in 2013 and 2016, FDA indicated that they found the same strain in the facility.  This shows the difficulty in getting rid of Listeria in the environment, and the need to continuously control that environment, especially once LM is found.

From that Warning Letter:

"Furthermore, this was not the first time FDA investigators collected environmental samples from your facility that were found to be positive for L. monocytogenes. Environmental samples (FDA 821317 and FDA 821318) collected during our 2013 inspection revealed L. monocytogenes in six (6) environmental subsample swabs in various locations within your facility, including in floor gaps, wheels of forklift and carts that are moved throughout the facility, and floor drains. Additionally, an environmental sample (FDA 862365) collected during our 2014 inspection revealed L. monocytogenes in two (2) environmental subsample swabs in locations within your facility, including on the wheel of a fork lift and v-mag number.

Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis was conducted on six (6) L. monocytogenes isolates obtained from the FDA environmental samples collected in November 2015, two (2) L. monocytogenes isolates obtained from the FDA environmental samples collected in August 2014, and six (6) L. monocytogenes isolates obtained from the FDA environmental samples collected in November 2013. WGS analysis of bacterial human pathogens provides high-resolution data, enabling direct links to be established between clinical isolates and food or environmental sources of bacterial contamination and illness. WGS data can also be used to infer the evolutionary relationships (or phylogeny) within a given set of isolates as it measures each DNA position in a bacterial genome. The WGS phylogenetic analysis found that there are at least three (3) different strains of L. monocytogenes present in the facility. The WGS results show that one (1) of these strains includes isolates that have been found over a period of time. Specifically, four (4) of the environmental isolates collected in November 2015, one (1) of the environmental isolates collected in August 2014, and four (4) of the environmental isolates collected in November 2013, were identical by WGS analysis.

The evidence demonstrates that L. monocytogenes has maintained its presence within your production facility since November 2013. The reoccurring presence of identical strains of L. monocytogenes in your environment indicates a resident strain or niche harborage site present in the facility. These findings also demonstrate that your sanitation procedures have historically been inadequate to control, reduce, or eliminate this pathogenic organism from your facility. It is essential to identify the areas of the food processing plant where this organism is able to grow and survive and to take such corrective actions as necessary to eradicate the organism by rendering these areas unable to support the growth and survival of the organism.

Furthermore, L. monocytogenes found in the environment of your facility increases the risk of your finished product becoming contaminated. Once established in a production area, humans or machinery can facilitate the pathogen’s movement and contamination of food-contact surfaces and finished product. FDA acknowledges that one of the environmental swabs from the November 2015 inspection that tested positive for L. monocytogenes was taken from a food contact surface used to carry potato salad. As a result of this finding, your firm conducted a voluntary recall on December 1, 2015 of a single lot of potato salad product."

Supermarket Chain Recalls Bakery Items Due to Sugar Contaminated with Metal Pieces

Weiss Markets, a PA based store chain, has recalled bakery products due to the potential for metal fragments that came in with the sugar.  This recall is similar to the ConAgra recall for frozen entrees in that it is the same sugar supplier issue.

Fighting Food Waste

A recent study summarized in IFT Weekly discusses the fact that consumers do not understand the need to control food waste.  From the report, only about half of the people surveyed were aware of the issue.  While many feel guilty about throwing away food, many do not understand the impact on the environment or on their wallet.  Interestingly 42% of people said that they do not have the time to worry about it.

I think about the national campaign conducted years ago when people threw garbage wherever, including on the highways.  You might remember it as the Keep America Beautiful Campaign.


While some people are still less than clean, there has been a marked improvement in the amounts of trash dumped on the streets and highways.
To get public awareness, like this topic or the topic of smoking, there was a major media push.  I would expect the same for this. 

But reducing food waste goes against excess purchasing of food...a positive economic benefit for those who sell food.  So who is going to support this type of initiative?

PA Ag and State Police Conduct Surprise Inspections of Food Delivery Vehicles

Pennsylvania Dept of Ag along with the PA State Police conducted inspection on 140 refrigerated commercial food delivery vehicles.    According to the release "No citations were issued June 28, although multiple products were discarded due to being outside of acceptable temperature parameters. One warning letter was issued to an out-of-state company clarifying Pennsylvania food code and reasons for product disposal."  As they noted, warm delivery vehicles are a special concern  in the warmer months.

As per the Sanitary Transport of Food rule, temperature must be properly maintained throughout the shipment and delivery of the food items.  It is the shipper's responsibility to ensure this.  But clearly, there are issues that need to be corrected.


PA Gov News Release
http://www.media.pa.gov/pages/Agriculture_details.aspx?newsid=448&utm_content=articles&utm_campaign=NLCampaign&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=newsletteredition&utm_medium=email
Code R.E.D. Enforcement Efforts Ensure Safety of Food Supply During Transport
07/18/2016

Deli Items Recalled After Egg Ingredient Tests Positive for Salmonella

Meijer Grocery Store is recalling fresh pre-made salad and sandwich items after the supplier of hard boiled eggs sent notification that their egg products tested positive for Salmonella.  That supplier, Prime Foods of Indiana produces hard boiled eggs.  The items were sold in several states in the Midwest and there have not been any illness reported to date.

How does one screw up a hard boiled egg?  At this point, it is hard to say.  Heating eggs to hard boiled status should eliminate Salmonella.  So 1) the eggs were undercooked and would have been soft in texture 2) post-process (heating) contamination, or 3) bad test results.

Again, while we have no additional information at this point on how this occurred and we are no one is blaming the laboratory, it is a reminder for keeping procedures tight, not only on the processing floor but also in the laboratory.  There is no indication if this was an internal laboratory or a 3rd party laboratory that conducted the testing, but regardless, acurate test results are critical. If results are not, then there is a costly recall.  Unfortunately, testing often gets little focus until there is an issue like this.  And the last thing one wants is to be questioning the accuracy of the laboratory.

The laboratory should be viewed as a strategic operation for the company.  Given the resources, they can prevent issues from occurring including unnecessary food spoilage and unwarranted recalls.  On the other side, a good laboratory can improve quality through insuring the receipt of high quality ingredients and ensuring finished product standards are being met.


FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm513292.htm
Meijer Recalls Fresh Salad Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination
July 26, 2016

Flour Recall Expanded Due to Additional Cases of E. coli Infection

General Mills expanded their recall of retail flour from which was initially announced on May 21, 2017 due to 4 additional cases of E. coli infection.  According to the report, these cases are "connected with consumers reporting that they ate or handled uncooked dough or ate uncooked batter made with raw flour"

Also in the news report:

"At this time, it is unknown if we are experiencing a higher prevalence of E.coli in flour than normal, if this is an issue isolated to General Mills' flour, or if this is an issue across the flour industry. The newer detection and genome sequencing tools are also possibly making a connection to flour that may have always existed at these levels." 

Whole genome sequencing has changed the game in terms of tracking the organism responsible for foodborne illness outbreaks.  But is this why see these outbreaks, or is there something occurring in the food supply chain, specifically higher contamination levels of E. coli in grains.


PR Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-mills-expands-retail-flour-recall-300303366.html
General Mills Expands Retail Flour Recall

Oklahoma Company Recalls Hot Dog Items Due to Potential for Listeria

Bar-S of Oklahoma is recalling hot dog products due to the concern for Listeria in the processing facility.  The notice states that although product had not tested positive, "but due to recurring Listeria species issues at the firm, it has decided to remove the products from commerce as a precautionary measure".

USDA News Release
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-061-2016-release
 Bar-S Foods Company Recalls Chicken and Pork Hot Dog and Corn Dog Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination
Class I Recall 061-2016
Health Risk: High Jul 19, 2016

Supermarkets Recall Foodservice Bean Salad Items Because of Supplier Listeria Concern

Supermarket chains Giant and Wegman's are recalling bean salad after notification by the bean supplier of Listeria contamination.  The product is a foodservice item that is sold in display cases by the pound.

Giant News Release
 https://giantfoodstores.com/product-recalls/recall-details/?recallid=urn:uuid:C91FAD3A-F4CE-46B9-18D8278FEF62D8CB&page=1
PRODUCT RECALL: Own Brands 3 Bean Salad

Canned Beans Recalled After Consumer Finds Broken Ink Pen in Can

Hy-Vee is recalling cans of black beans after a broken pen was discovered in a can by a consumer.  According to the report "The potential for contamination was discovered after Faribault Foods, Inc., Hy-Vee’s supplier, announced it was issuing a recall after one consumer reported finding a partial ink pen in one container. "

Wow, this is something we talk about, but here it is, a broken pen in product.  You wonder if the person knew they dropped it in the facility, or it was just left in a spot where it fell into the process?  Clearly, it has become a very expensive pen.

FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm512511.htm
Hy-Vee Voluntarily Recalls a Limited Quantity of Its No-Salt-Added Black Beans Due to Potential Presence of Foreign Material