Deer Antler Tea Source of Botulinum Illnesses

A deer antler tea product may be responsible for two cases of botulism in Los Angeles.  Botulism is deadly disease caused by the toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum.   This neurotoxin stops neural signals resulting in double vision, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing.  If not treated, it can lead to death by suffocation.  

 How did the botulinum toxin get into this antler tea product? If one had to make a guess, it was after the extraction process.  To make the antler tea, antlers would be heated to pull out the marrow creating a broth and then this would be cooled to make a gelatinous material that would be packaged.  As in a typical C. botulinum growth scenario, when the product is heated to create the marrow broth, the high temperatures kills the competing spoilage organisms and creates an anaerobic environment in the marrow broth.  When the product is cooled, but held above refrigeration temperatures, C. botulinum grows and produces its toxin.  Generally an item like this would either need to be refrigerated or acidified.  A preservative can also be added to prevent growth.

The benefits of drinking antler tea are said to include helping with arthritis, preventing osteoporosis, promoting the health of the joints and repairing connective tissues, nourishing the spleen and the kidney, a defense against cancer cells, boosting the HB count in the blood, treating sexual disorders, increasing stamina and actual physical strength while also improving mental capacity, helping women who have vaginal discharge problems, flooding and spotting and it also helps in stanching excessive uterine bleeding.  Who knew.

LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-deer-antler-tea-botulism-20170428-story.html

Tea made from deer antlers may cause botulism; health officials issue alert 

Rong-Gong Lin IIBy Rong-Gong Lin II•Contact Reporter

April 29, 2017, 3:00 AM 

Ginger Powder Recalled Due to Salmonella Contamination

Lords Organics, a California  is recalling Ginger Powder due to potential for Salmonella after product testing revealed the presence of the organism.  The product was sold through Amazon.com, so this should make tracking the individual purchases easier.

FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm555723.htm
Lords Organics Recalls Ginger Powder Because Of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
April 27, 2017

Mislabeling of Milk Product Leads to Recall Due to Allergens

Urban Remedy, a CA-based, organic juice company is recalling its Golden Milk product that was labeled as apple juice.  The product is sold through Whole Foods.

Golden milk is a nut based product, like an almond milk, so it would have nut allergens.  With so many products (https://www.urbanremedy.com/) that look the same, label control is extremely important, especially in a case like this where a nut-based product can be mislabeled.

FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm555743.htm
Urban Remedy Issues Voluntary Recall of Mislabeled Non-Dairy Spiced Golden Milk Due to Undeclared Allergen
For Immediate Release
April 27, 2017

FDA Issues Investigation Report of NY Cheese Firm Responsible for Listeria Outbreak

FDA issued their inspection report (483) to Vulto Creamery, the small NY Cheese company responsible for 2 deaths due to listeria.

Basically, FDA found a lot of issues that indicate this facility just doesn't get it.

• LM was all over the plant, on food contact equipment, and on product.
• While the plant did testing and found Listeria species, they did NOTHING beyond re-clean the area. They did not do follow-up testing nor did they try to determine where the Listeria was coming from, whether is was LM, or whether it impacted product.
• They followed poor sanitary practices including not properly washing hands
• Poor cleaning of facility and equipment
• Poor design and maintenance of the facility

It is amazing that this product had as wide of distribution as it did.  It is also amazing that no one advised them otherwise or inspected them with an eye on safety.  Was it arrogance that being a small, close-to-the-farm, boutique artisan cheese shop, they were beyond the rules or the need to understand the rules?  Pathogens don't read the press clippings and don't care about whether a facility is big or small, organic or conventional, or that it is considered artisan.

FDA Investigation Report (FDA - 483)
https://www.fda.gov/ucm/groups/fdagov-public/@fdagov-afda-orgs/documents/document/ucm554717.pdf
Vulto Creamery, Walton, NY

Date of Inspection 2/28/17 to 3/22/17

Florida Company Recalls Sausage Product Due to Potential for Foreign Material

A Florida company is recalling close to 140,000 lbs of smoked meat and poultry sausage products due to the potential for foreign material contamination. This represents a month or so of production.  From the report, "The problem was discovered when a metal magnet was found in the beef trim source product of the processed sausage products."

USDA Recall Notice

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts
Uncle John's Pride, LLC. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Sausage Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Class I Recall 038-2017
Health Risk: High

Apr 24, 2017

Ham Product Recalled Due to the Potential for Listeria Contamination

A Memphis, TN company is recalling over 4 tons of ham after a FSIS Food Safety Audit (FSA) found that Listeria may be present.

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/recall-039-2017-release
Fineberg Packing Co., Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Ham Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination
Class I Recall 039-2017
Health Risk: High

Apr 25, 2017

RTE Chicken Breasts Recalled After Complaints That Product May Be Undercooked

An Alabama company is recalling over 20 tongs of ready-to-eat chicken breasts after receiving complaints that the product appeared to be under-cooked.  The product is packed for and sold to foodservice establishments.  

While there have been no illnesses reported, the issue would be that if the product is truly undercooked, pathogens such as Salmonella or Campylobacter could be present..

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/FSIS-Content/internet/main/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/recall-037-2017-release
WFSP Foods LLC. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Breast Products That May Be Undercooked
Class I Recall 037-2017
Health Risk: High Apr 24, 2017

Bread Recalled for a Piece of Rubber

HEB, the Texas based grocery chain, is recalling sandwich bread after a piece of rubber was found in what is stated as an isolated instance.

FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm554393.htm
H-E-B Voluntarily Issues a Precautionary Recall H-E-B and Hill Country Fare sandwich bread with a best buy date of April 29th or earlier being recalled for potential rubber in the product

Food Safety Instructor Sentenced for Falsifying Exams

In Illinois, an approved instructor was sentenced to 18 months in prison for allowing students to get a certificate without taking the food safety class or exam.  For seven years, he took payoffs from students in exchange for him sending falsified documentation to that State that they took the 15 hour course and passed the exam, when they actually did neither.

The bribe was for $175.  Which isn't much per occurrence, but over time, could amount to a substantial amount.   Hard to tell how many people took the bribe. The fine was for only $5000, which is nothing compared to 18 months in the big house.

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Illinois
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/lynwood-man-sentenced-18-months-pocketing-bribes-exchange-allowing-food-service-workers
Lynwood Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Pocketing Bribes in Exchange for Allowing Food Service Workers to Bypass Sanitation Training and Testing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 20, 2017