Overseas Operations Using Potentially Contaminated Cooking Oil

A Chinese state media investigation found "tank trucks were delivering chemicals and edible oil interchangeably without cleaning."  "The furor follows a bombshell investigation published on July 2 by the state media outlet Beijing News, which found multiple cases of tank trucks transporting edible cooking oil immediately after delivering chemicals used for coal-to-liquid processing."

It appears that this is a widespread issue done primarily for cost savings.

In HACCP or Preventive Controls training, we discuss the need to reevaluate your plan when new information becomes available.  This would be the type of issue that when you learn about, you check to see whether this issue impacts your own operation.  Perhaps you are buying imported oil roasted nuts or frozen pre-fried breaded chicken nuggets.   Does this issue affect those items?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-is-freaking-out-over-an-open-secret-that-its-cooking-oil-was-ferried-for-years-in-chemical-tanks-that-weren-t-cleaned/ar-BB1pE693
China is freaking out over an 'open secret' that its cooking oil was ferried for years in chemical tanks that weren't cleaned
Story by mloh@businessinsider.com (Matthew Loh) • 15h

China has been hit by another major food scandal, this time involving cooking oil in chemical tanks.

Oregon Firm Recalls Potato Salad Due to Foreign Material - Hard Plastic

Reser’s Fine Foods Beaverton, OR is voluntarily recalling Hill Country Fare Mustard Potato Salad 48oz (3LB) with a Use By Date of JUL/26/24 due to the possibility of pieces of hard plastic foreign material in the package. 

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/resers-fine-foods-announces-voluntary-recall-hill-country-fare-mustard-potato-salad-use-date-jul2624
Reser’s Fine Foods Announces Voluntary Recall of Hill Country Fare Mustard Potato Salad With a Use By Date of JUL/26/24
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 02, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  July 09, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Hard Plastic Foreign Material
Company Name:  Reser’s Fine Foods
Brand Name:  Hill Country Fare
Product Description:  Mustard Potato Salad

Owner of NY Cheese Operation Sentenced for 2016/2107 Listeria Outbreak

The owner of a NY cheese company was sentenced this week for his company's failure to protect product from Listeria contamination which resulted in an Listeria outbreak in 2016 thru 2017.  This outbreak resulted in the death of two people and hospitalization of two others.

Vulto Creamery of Walton, NY has been shut down.  The recall was initiated in March of 2017 and then expanded to include all raw milk cheese a few weeks later.  FDA issued a report of the investigation of the facility in April of 2017.  A summary of the FDA findings includes:

• 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

Johannes Vulto, founder and owner of Vulto Creamery LLC based in Walton, was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine, along with 240 hours of mandated community services.

Binghamtonhomepage.com
https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/delaware-county/vulto-creamery-founder-sentenced-for-deadly-cheese/
Vulto Creamery founder sentenced for deadly cheese
by: Spencer Gustafson
Posted: Jul 9, 2024 / 04:23 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 9, 2024 / 05:20 PM EDT

Canadian Establishment Recalls RTE Chicken Products After USDA Detects Listeria

Al-Safa US LLC, the importer of record located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, is recalling approximately 2,010 pounds of imported frozen ready-to-eat chicken products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The problem was discovered after FSIS performed routine product testing and the results indicated the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/al-safa-us-llc-recalls-frozen-ready-eat-chicken-products-due-possible-listeria
Al-Safa US LLC Recalls Frozen Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, July 5, 2024 – Al-Safa US LLC, the importer of record located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, is recalling approximately 2,010 pounds of imported frozen ready-to-eat chicken products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Oregon Facility Recalls Various Non-alcoholic Mixes Due to Non-compliance Issues

Urban River Spirits is issuing a voluntary recall of various non-alcoholic mixers and spritzes to additional shelf stability testing requirements from the Oregon Department of Agriculture.  Urban Spirits is issuing a voluntary recall of these Urban Spirits non-alcoholic drink mixes due to being produced in an unlicensed and uninspected facility. The product safety is undetermined due to potential under-processing. The product is packaged in 750 mL glass bottles.

Hopefully the pH is sufficiently low and the product amply heated to eliminate vegetative pathogens and spoilage organisms, including yeast.  But who knows...certainly not the State inspection folks.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/urban-spirits-issues-voluntary-recall-urban-spirits-non-alcoholic-drink-mixes-due-potential-under
Urban Spirits Issues Voluntary Recall of Urban Spirits Non-Alcoholic Drink Mixes Due to Potential Under-Processing
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 02, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  July 03, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential for under-processing
Company Name: Urban River Spirits
Brand Name:  Urban River Spirits
Product Description:  Nonalcoholic drink mixes

Delta Flight to Europe Diverted Back to NY After Crew and Passengers Served Moldy Food

A Delta flight to Amsterdam from NY was diverted back to NY after it was discovered that chicken served on the flight was moldy.

"We were probably halfway to Amsterdam, around Nova Scotia and starting to cross ocean when the pilot came on and said there was some type of food issue,' Kirchoff recalled."

There were no apparent ill effects according to this report.

"There were 24 aided cases upon landing, including 10 members of the flight crew and 14 passengers, all of whom declined to receive medical attention,' a Port Authority spokesperson told DailyMail.com."

In the end, it was better that precautionary actions were taken.  If the product had mold indicating potential temperature abuse, no telling what else could have been present, including the risk of Staphylococcus growth and toxin formation.

But this is not a good compliance to food safety procedures for the Delta foodservices.

Daily Mail.com
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13597279/Delta-flight-ill-served-moldy-chicken-pilots.html
I was on the Delta flight where 24 people fell ill including both pilots… after they served moldy chicken
By NATASHA ANDERSON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 11:46 EDT, 3 July 2024 | UPDATED: 13:18 EDT, 3 July 2024

'They said they saw some mold on the chicken,' she added. 'I asked if anyone had gotten sick and they told us no one had been affected, but the pilots both ate the chicken.'

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cucumbers - Outbreak Strain Found in Grower's Canal Water

Bedner Growers, Inc. in Florida has been identified as the source of Salmonella contaminated cucumbers that have caused 449 reported cases of illness.  FDA found the outbreak Salmonella strains in the canal water.

"FDA collected samples at the grower in Florida and identified Salmonella Braenderup in untreated canal water. WGS determined that the Salmonella found in the water is the same strain of Salmonella Braenderup that made people in this outbreak sick. Additional soil and water samples collected at Bedner Growers, Inc. were positive for other strains of Salmonella. CDC and FDA are looking to see if these strains have caused illness in people."

Of the 449 reported cases, 125 people have been hospitalized.

"As of July 2, a total of 449 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella Africana and Salmonella Braenderup have been reported from 31 states and the District of Columbia (see map). Of these illnesses, 215 people were infected with the newly added Salmonella Braenderup strain. Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 11, 2024, to June 4, 2024 (see timeline). Of 360 people with information available, 125 have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported."

CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/africana-06-24/index.html
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cucumbers
Posted July 2, 2024

Fast Facts
Illnesses: 449 (38 new Africana, 215 Braenderup new)
Hospitalizations: 125 (11 new Africana, 50 Braenderup new)
Deaths: 0
States: 31 states and the District of Columbia (1 new Africana, 26 Braenderup)
Recall: Yes
Investigation status: Active (first posted on June 5, 2024)

Outbreak Investigation Summary
Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory data show that cucumbers were contaminated with Salmonella and made people sick. Testing identified the Salmonella Braenderup strain in untreated canal water used by a grower in Florida. Cucumbers from this grower are no longer in season and any sold previously are no longer on shelves.

NC Facility Recalls Raw Pet Food After Inspection Samples Positive for Listeria

Viva Raw LLC, Hillsborough, NC is voluntarily recalling dog and cat foods, including the Viva Turkey for Dogs Ground, Viva Turkey for Dogs Chunked, Viva Turkey for Cats, Viva Pure Turkey, and Viva Beef & Turkey for Puppies all manufactured under Lot 21244 because this lot, which includes these five products are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and is a potential health risk to people and pets.

The issue was discovered during a facility inspection conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA). The FDA tested samples of Viva Turkey for Dogs and found samples from Lot 21244 were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. All products produced in Lot 21244 were slated for destruction. However, we have since learned some of the product from this lot was inadvertently released from the warehouse.

No illnesses related to this lot have been reported to date.

A few items to point out....1) If one lot is positive for Listeria, it is likely other lots are positive for Listeria unless tight controls were in place for those other lots and not this lot, and 2) Allowing suspect product to be shipped indicates a lack of tight food safety related SOPs

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/viva-raw-issues-voluntary-recall-dog-and-cat-food-including-select-viva-turkey-recipes-lot-21244-due
Viva Raw Issues Voluntary Recall of Dog and Cat Food Including Select Viva Turkey Recipes (Lot 21244) Due to Potential Listeria Monocytogenes Health Risk to People and Pets
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 01, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  July 01, 2024
Product Type:  Animal & Veterinary  Food & Beverages  Animal Feed
Reason for Announcement:  Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name:  Viva Raw, LLC
Brand Name:  Viva
Product Description:  Raw dog and cat food

Ongoing Salmonella Outbreak Associated with Backyard Chickens

CDC is reporting on an ongoing Salmonella outbreak associated with backyard chickens.  "As of June 20, 2024, 195 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 38 states (see map). Illnesses started on dates ranging from February 18, 2024, to May 30, 2024 (see timeline). Of 136 people with information available, 50 (37%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported."

"Of 45 people with information available, 36 (80%) reported purchasing or obtaining poultry before their illness started. People reported purchasing poultry from multiple retail stores or directly from a hatchery. Multiple hatcheries supplied birds to the retail stores. A common poultry supplier has not been identified across all outbreaks."

Investigators in Minnesota, Ohio, and Utah collected samples from inside the boxes used to ship poultry from hatcheries to retail stores, including the box liner and bedding. WGS showed that the Salmonella Altona, Cerro, and Mbandaka found in these samples are the same strains as the ones found in sick people.

https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/backyardpoultry-05-24/index.html
Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Backyard Poultry
Posted June 27, 2024

Fast Facts
Illnesses: 195 (86 new)
Hospitalizations: 50 (17 new)
Deaths: 0
States: 38 (9 new)
Investigation status: Active (first posted on May 23, 2024)