Florida Retailer Recalls Ground Beef After Linked to E. coli Illnesses

Publix Super Markets Inc., a Florida based retail grocery store chain is recalling an undetermined amount of ground beef products made from chuck (purchased by consumers from June 25, 2018, through July 31, 2018) that may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O26.   FSIS was notified of an investigation of E. coli O26 illnesses with 18 case-patients predominantly from Florida and having onset dates ranging from July 5 to July 25, 2018.  "Traceback information indicated that case-patients consumed ground chuck products purchased at various Publix Super Markets that was supplied by a yet-to-be determined source."

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-072-2018-release
Publix Super Markets Inc. Recalls Ground Chuck Products Due To Possible E. coli O26 Contamination
Class I Recall 

072-2018
Health Risk: High 

Aug 30, 2018

Europe - Nearly Half of Listeria Cases Go Undetected as Part of Outbreak Clusters

According to a recent release by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the current surveillance systems may not be picking up the fact that Listeria cases may be part of larger outbreak clusters.  Because of this, large multi-country outbreaks may not be detected as fast as they should (or possibly at all).

Researchers "analysed 2 726 human Listeria monocytogenes isolates from 27 countries between 2010 and 2015.  It found that slightly under 50% of the cases are isolated whereas the remaining half of cases is clustered together. Around one third of the cases that were identified as part of a cluster affected more than one country, often lasting for several years. However, only two listeriosis outbreaks were reported in the EU in 2016 and five in 2015, which suggests that many of them have gone undetected."

The US continues to develop a strong system to track and identify outbreaks.  Now using whole genome sequencing (WGS) allows distant cases to be clustered, making tracking more efficient.  This is not yet the state of testing in the EU at this time.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/listeria-surveillance-new-eu-wide-study-reveals-most-outbreaks-remain-undetected
Listeria surveillance: new EU-wide study reveals that most outbreaks remain undetected 
20 Aug 2018 

This Week in Mislabeled Product - Week Ending August 25, 2018

Wrong Meatloaf - Taylor Farms Northwest, LLC, a Kent, Wash. establishment, is recalling approximately 62 pounds of ready-to-eat meatloaf products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, The problem was discovered on Aug. 20, 2018, when a Taylor Farms Northwest, LLC employee conducted an inventory check and discovered the mislabeling of the Turkey Meatloaf with Kale as Homestyle Meatloaf, which is a beef product.
     
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-068-2018-release
News Release
Taylor Farms Northwest, LLC Recalls Ready-To-Eat Meatloaf Products Due To Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens 
Class I Recall
068-2018
Health Risk: High
Aug 21, 2018

FSIS Issues a Health Alert Regarding Salmonella Linked to PA Kosher Poultry Establishment

FSIS issued a health alert after a determination was made about a potential link between Empire Kosher brand raw chicken products and Salmonella illness cluster.  The alert is for both raw whole chicken and raw chicken parts.  The illnesses occurred from products that were produced and sold to consumers from September 2017 to June 2018.  While the number of cases were not in the release, it did state that half of affected case-patients have been hospitalized due to illness.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/news-releases-statements-transcripts/news-release-archives-by-year/archive/2018/pha-08242018-1
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. Raw Chicken Products due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Colorado Establishment Recalls Ground Beef for E. coli O157:H7

Cargill Meat Solutions, a Fort Morgan, Colo. establishment, is recalling approximately 25,288 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.  The problem was discovered on Aug. 22 by the establishment when they reviewed their records and determined that the product may be associated with product that was presumptive positive for E. coli O157:H7.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-069-2018-release
Cargill Meat Solutions Recalls Ground Beef Products due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination 
Class I Recall 
069-2018 
Health Risk: High 
Aug 23, 2018 

Amazon Discusses Monitoring for Food Safety Issues and Conducting Recalls

An interesting read in Food Engineering Magazine on how Amazon scans consumer complaints for food safety issues and how the company handles recalls.  

With over 300 million customers worldwide, the company moves a lot of product.  And with that, there will be complaints.  But going through "16 million pieces of customer feedback per week, in more than 40 languages" to find issues is not easy.   In addition, there are postings on social media sites and product reviews. The company employs machine learning computer systems that go beyond keyword identification to understand "context, sentiment, and sentence structure."

For recalls, the company uses emails to contact customers  with instructions for return and if relevant, a refund.  The success rate with emails is stated as 68.8 percent of the messages sent were opened.
The company also quarantines inventory preventing the product from being shipped or reordered.  Then the company also removes inventory from the supply chain by returning or destroying products.

Food Engineering Magazine
https://www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/97693-how-amazon-handles-food-safety-recalls
How Amazon handles food safety, recalls
Amazon VP Careltt Ooton explains how the company uses Natural Language Processing to scan customer feedback and constantly monitor for food safety issues
August 17, 2018
Crystal Lindell

Sandwich Purveyor Issues Another Recall After FDA Finds Listeria

Lipari Foods is recalling packaged premade sandwiches (turkey and cheese wedge) produced and packaged by the sister company JLM due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes.  "This was brought to our attention by JLM after additional environmental testing initiated by the Food and Drug Administration following a previous recall returned positive test results for potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes."  This previous recall occurred in July. 

FDA was probably keeping an eye on this operation after the last outbreak. 

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm617762.htm
Lipari Foods Issues Voluntary Recall of Premo Brand Turkey & Cheese Wedge Sandwiches Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
August 21, 2018

This Week in Mislabeled Products - Week Ending August 18, 2018

Cookies Recalled After Undeclared Peanuts Found -  Marsee Baking is voluntarily recalling chocolate chip, ginger spice, and oatmeal raisin cookies sold at Café Yumm! restaurants because the cookies may contain undeclared peanuts.  The voluntary recall was initiated after discovering peanuts in a chocolate chip cookie before it was served. The voluntary recall includes all cookies in the event other batches and flavors may contain peanuts.

Ice Cream Recalled After Chocolate Ingredient Recalled for Peanuts - Salt & Straw Ice Cream is voluntarily recalling a limited number of its Chocolate Gooey Brownie pints because it may contain undeclared peanuts. The recall was initiated after receiving notification from the chocolate supplier, Pitch Dark Chocolate, that the chocolate chips used in the Chocolate Gooey Brownie may have had possible cross-contact with a peanut allergen.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm617097.htm
Marsee Baking Issues Allergy Alert On Undeclared Peanuts In Cookies Sold At Café Yumm! Restaurants
For Immediate Release
August 15, 2018

Establishment Selling Smoothies (and "Home" Made Cooked Pork) Responsible for Salmonella Outbreak

Seven people in Washington state were infected with Salmonella after eating at Burien Fresh Smoothies.

A source of the Salmonella has not yet been identified, however, one major violation was observed - "Investigators found that the restaurant was serving cooked pork prepared at the restaurant owner's home, which is not an approved food safety practice. The restaurant was directed to immediately stop serving pork-based food items and to remove them from their menu."

This practice could be responsible if Salmonella was in the pork or on the packaging.  Could be that the smoothies used fresh produce that was not properly washed.  If he brought the pork from home, perhaps he bought the strawberries from Uncle Jimmy, who grew them in his garden fertilized with fresh manure.

King County (WA) Public Health Notice
https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/outbreak/burien-fresh-smoothies-2018-Aug.aspx
Salmonella outbreak associated with Burien Fresh Smoothies in Burien