Unknown Wild Bird Disease Spreading in Eastern US, Time to Take Down the Bird Feeders

An unknown disease is spreading among wild birds in the mid-Atlantic and midwestern states.  "Characterized by conjunctivitis, as well as neurological signs such as erratic flight, the unidentified disease first became prevalent in Ohio and Washington, D.C."  In hard hit areas,  scores of dead birds have been found.

Experts are asking people to remove bird feeds and bird baths, congregation sites for birds, until more is known about this disease.  Areas where birds accumulate together allows the disease to spread more rapidly.  For anyone who feeds birds, it would be awful to find a yard full of dead birds.

Pennsylvania Game Commission
https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/game-commission-details.aspx
MYSTERIOUS SONGBIRD DEATHS INVESTIGATED
07/01/2021

HARRISBURG, PA - Wildlife health experts from the Wildlife Futures Program (WFP) at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) and officials from the Pennsylvania Game Commission are investigating more than 70 general public reports of songbirds that are sick or dying due to an emerging health condition that is presently unknown.

NY City Establishment Stopped from Selling Uninspected Pork Products

The Federal authorities stopped a NY establishment from distributing pork products made from uninspected meat.  As we know, meat going into distribution to retail and foodservice establishments must be made from USDA inspected meat.

Hopefully, USDA can hogtie this operation.  You think people buying this product could have porcine what was going on, but that is not always easy to determine.   This establishment was probably making some pretty good dough selling these dumplings, not just chitlins.   Hopefully proper justice is rendered.

Meatingplace

Meatingplace.com : Feds order NYC business to stop sales of uninspected pork
Feds order NYC business to stop sales of uninspected pork

A business in New York City's Chinatown acknowledges selling hundreds of pounds of uninspected pork to retailers in the state and elsewhere, according to a consent decree announced by federal prosecutors.

Snacks for Backyard Ducks Recalled Due to Potential Salmonella

Manna Pro Products, LLC, St. Louis, Missouri, is  recalling a single lot of Flock Party Quack Snacks (poultry treat) with a Best By date of 12/2023, packaged in 1.68 pound bags because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Manna Pro Products LLC was informed by the State of West Virginia of a positive Salmonella spp. result in a routine surveillance sample of Flock Party Quack Snacks.


Daffy Duck during happier times.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/manna-pro-products-llc-issues-limited-voluntary-recall-flock-party-quack-snacks-sold-united-states
Manna Pro Products LLC Issues Limited Voluntary Recall of Flock Party Quack Snacks Sold in the United States Because of Possible Health Risk Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  June 28, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  June 29, 2021
Product Type:  Animal & Veterinary
Food & Beverages  Pet Food
Reason for Announcement:  Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella
Company Name:  Manna Pro Products, LLC
Brand Name:  Flock Party
 Product Description:  Duck treats

Foodservice Chain Fights Against Bogus Claims After DNA Testing Unable to Identify Tuna

A lawsuit was filed against Subway for not using tuna in its Tuna sandwiches.  This claim is based upon DNA testing of the sandwich meat to determine if it was tuna, and this testing was not able to detect tuna DNA.  The news media piles on Subway with the damaging claim.

Guess what?  It's canned tuna, where the tuna undergoes a pressure canning process that utilizes high temperatures for long periods of time....a process that would make it difficult if not impossible to recover identifiable DNA.  

In the NY Post article below "In an amended complaint from June, the plaintiffs toned down their allegations, saying that Subway claims to sell sustainably caught skipjack and yellowfin tuna, but was in fact selling “anything less than healthy stocks.”  So, okay it is tuna, but it is not good tuna?  So now we are moving to the 'pink slime' mode?

https://nypost.com/2021/06/23/lab-tests-reportedly-find-no-identifiable-tuna-dna-in-subway-sandwich/
Lab tests reportedly find no identifiable tuna DNA in Subway sandwich — again
By Will FeuerJune 23, 2021 | 10:05am | Updated
Something is fishy about Subway’s “tuna” sandwich.

Commercial lab tests again found no identifiable tuna DNA in the sandwich that purports to contain the fish.

The New York Times bought Subway tuna sandwiches from three different locations in Los Angeles, and then sent frozen samples to an unidentified commercial food testing lab after two California women filed a class-action lawsuit against the company in January alleging that Subway’s tuna sandwiches aren’t actually made of the fish.

FDA Testing Finds No Risk from PFAS in Food Samples

FDA provided an update on testing for PFAS in foods.  They sampled 94 items and only one product, cod, had a detectable level, and this level did not represent a human health concern.

So what are PFAS.  Applicable selections from the EPA website:

• "Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects."
• "Although PFOA and PFOS are no longer manufactured in the United States, they are still produced internationally and can be imported into the United States in consumer goods such as carpet, leather and apparel, textiles, paper and packaging, coatings, rubber and plastics."
• "People can be exposed to low levels of PFAS through food, which can become contaminated through:
• Contaminated soil and water used to grow the food,
• Food packaging containing PFAS, and
• Equipment that used PFAS during food processing."
• "People can also be exposed to PFAS chemicals if they are released during normal use, biodegradation, or disposal of consumer products that contain PFAS. People may be exposed to PFAS used in commercially-treated products to make them stain- and water-repellent or nonstick. These goods include carpets, leather and apparel, textiles, paper and packaging materials, and non-stick cookware."
• "Studies indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals have caused tumors in animal studies. The most consistent findings from human epidemiology studies are increased cholesterol levels among exposed populations, with more limited findings related to: infant birth weights, effects on the immune system, cancer (for PFOA), and thyroid hormone disruption (for PFOS)."
• "GenX is a trade name for a technology that is used to make high performance fluoropolymers (e.g., some nonstick coatings) without the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). HFPO dimer acid and its ammonium salt are the major chemicals associated with the GenX technology. GenX chemicals have been found in surface water, groundwater, finished drinking water, rainwater, and air emissions in some areas.  As part of EPA’s draft toxicity assessment, EPA has developed draft oral reference doses (RfDs) for GenX chemicals."

FDA Issues Update on Recent Activities Pertaining to PFAS in Food | FDA
FDA Issues Update on Recent Activities Pertaining to PFAS in Food
Constituent Update
June 30, 2021

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups Recalled Due to Potential Peanut Allergen

Bazzini LLC, Allentown, PA is recalling three lot codes (SELL BY date codes of APR 05 2022, APR 06 2022, and APR 07 2022) of 1.4 ounce Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups because it may contain peanut protein.  While the label states that the product "May contain traces of ... peanut," following reports of allergic reactions, all potentially affected product was removed from sale.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/bazzini-llc-voluntarily-recalls-trader-joes-dark-chocolate-almond-butter-cup-2-pak
Bazzini LLC Voluntarily Recalls Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cup 2-Pak
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  June 23, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  June 28, 2021
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared peanut protein
Company Name: Bazzini LLC
Brand Name:  Trader Joe’s
Product Description:  Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Cooked Shrimp Linked to Salmonella Illnesses

The FDA, CDC and state agencies are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Weltevreden infections linked to the consumption of frozen cooked shrimp manufactured by Avanti Frozen Foods of India.  "A positive import sample combined with epidemiological and traceback evidence indicate that this outbreak is linked to frozen cooked shrimp manufactured by Avanti Frozen Foods. FDA’s traceback investigation identified a common shipment of shrimp that could have been consumed by ill people."  There have been 6 illnesses with 2 resulting in hospitalization.

Basically, one shipment was found positive for a specific Salmonella strain.  That shipment was destroyed.   A few months later, the specific Salmonella strain was involved in cases of Salmonella.  It was found that these people had eaten shrimp from a common shipment from the same company.  The company has conducted a recall for product.

"On January 26, 2021, an import sample of Avanti Frozen Foods shrimp was collected as a routine part of the FDA’s Imported Seafood Compliance Program. Analysis of the sample showed the presence of Salmonella Weltevreden. At the time, there were no known associated illnesses or closely related isolates of this strain. In March 2021, as a result of the positive test, this shipment was refused admission into the U.S. and was destroyed, and the importing firm was added to Import Alert 16-81, which allows the FDA to detain product without physical examination due to the presence of Salmonella."

In April 2021, three clinical isolates collected from ill people were reported to be closely related to the isolates collected from the import sample. As of June 25, 2021, there are now 6 clinical isolates from ill people that are genetic matches to the Salmonella collected from the import sample. Five of the six ill people were interviewed to determine the foods they ate before becoming sick, and all five ill people report eating shrimp. Based on purchase locations and purchase dates available for four ill people, FDA’s traceback investigation identified a common shipment of shrimp that could have been consumed by ill people. The product from this shipment was all sold thawed at retail. This thawed product is past expiration and no longer available for sale.

[TIP - Buy fresh frozen (not thawed) and cook it yourself, unless you can buy fresh, just caught]

https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-weltevreden-shrimp-april-2021
Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Weltevreden: Shrimp (April 2021)

Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 6
Hospitalizations: 2
Deaths: 0
Last Illness Onset: April 25, 2021
States with Cases: AZ (2), NV (4)
Product Distribution: Nationwide

The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Weltevreden infections linked to the consumption of frozen cooked shrimp manufactured by Avanti Frozen Foods of India.

Three Texas Importers Issued Warning Letters for Not Having FSVP for Imported Food Items

FDA issue Warning Letters to the following food importers for issues involving FSVP - Foreign Supplier Verification Program. The FSVP regulation requires that importers perform certain risk-based activities to verify that human and/or animal food they import into the United States has been produced in a manner that meets applicable U.S. food safety standards.

• Jaramillo Spices Corp of McAllen, TX.id not have FSVPs for these products or any of the food products you import.   https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/jaramillo-spices-corp-614760-06082021
• Mr Lukas LLC of McAllen, TX did not develop FSVPs as required for the imported foods.   https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/mr-lukas-llc-613441-04092021
• Tuty Usa LLC of Conroe, Texas did not have FSVPs for these products or for any other products you import.     https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/tuty-usa-llc-614625-06092021

Fresh Packed Blueberries Recalled Due to Potential Cyclospora

Dole Diversified North America, Inc. is recalling a limited number of cases of Dole™ Fresh Blueberries packaged in a variety of clamshell sizes for potential Cyclospora contamination.
This voluntary recall is due to possible Cyclospora contamination on Dole™ Fresh Blueberries. Dole Diversified North America, Inc. is coordinating closely with regulatory officials. No illnesses have been reported to date in association with the recall.  The impacted products were distributed in four US states (IL, ME, NY, and WI), and two Canadian provinces (Alberta and British Columbia).

With no reported illnesses, one could guess that this was triggered by testing.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dole-diversified-north-america-inc-announces-limited-recall-doletm-fresh-blueberries-potential
Dole Diversified North America, Inc. Announces Limited Recall of Dole™ Fresh Blueberries for Potential Cyclospora Contamination
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  June 24, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  June 25, 2021
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Cyclospora contamination
Company Name:  Dole Diversified North America, Inc.
Brand Name:  Dole™
Product Description:  Fresh Blueberries