Pet Treats Recalled Due to Use of QUAT as a Product Application

United Pet is recalling various rawhide chew products for dogs after it was found that the foreign suppliers were using QUAT to treat the products as a microbial reduction.  Quaternary Ammonium products are used as a sanitizer for food contact surfaces, but not for application to items that will be consumed.

In the report, "United Pet Group received very limited reports of pet illness based on the volume of possibly affected rawhide chew products manufactured and distributed. The primary complaint received from consumers was that the affected product had an unpleasant odor. Diarrhea and vomiting were also reported.  Exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds through direct ingestion may cause the following symptoms in dogs: reduced appetite, and gastric irritation including diarrhea and vomiting. These symptoms may require treatment by a veterinarian depending on severity."

Of course you can not use a food contact sanitizer on a food unless the use has been approved.

FDA Recall Notice

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm562701.htm
United Pet Group Voluntary Recalls Multiple Brands of Rawhide Chew Products for Dogs Due to Possible Chemical Contamination
For Immediate Release
June 10, 2017

Club Chef Recalls Produce Items Due to the Potential To Contain Listeria

Club Chef is recalling its snack kits and salad items.     The kits are retail items sold under the Kroger and Club Chef brand.  Club Chef is also recalling onions sold as a part of numerous foodservice items distributed through US Foods.

The recall notice on the  kit items stated that it comes after the company's own internal environmental testing found Listeria in the processing environment.

The US Foods recall impacted our local school district, so it probably impacted a number of foodservice operations across the country.


FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm562590.htm
Club Chef LLC Announces Recall of Limited Number of Snack Kits
For Immediate Release
June 8, 2017

Miami Company Recalls Queso Fresco Cheese Due to Listeria

A Miami company is recalling Queso Fresco cheese due to the potential for Listeria.   Queso Fresco, or 'fresh cheese' is a Mexican style soft cheese normally made from unpasteurized milk.   Listeria contamination has been a problem with this style of cheese.  CDC has a fact sheet warning pregnant women to avoid this type of cheese because of the Listeria concern.  Over time, there has been a number of recalls associated with this and similar types of cheese.

FDA Recall Notice

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm561927.htm
Global Garlic Inc. Recalls "Queso Freso/Whole Milk Cheese" Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
May 30, 2017

Bakery Recall Pepperoni Rolls After Receiving Foreign Object Complaints

An Ohio establishment is recalling 3.000 lbs of frozen, ready-to-eat, beef and pork pepperoni rolls  a bakery product, after receiving three complaints of clear meat casings in the product.  So did someone not remove the casing from the pepperoni before slicing?

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/recall-058-2017-release
P&S Bakery, Inc. Recalls Pepperoni Product Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Class I Recall 058-2017
Health Risk: High Jun 2, 2017
En Español

Congressional and Public Affairs Gabrielle N. Johnston (202) 720-9113 Press@fsis.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2017– P&S Bakery, Inc., a Poland, Ohio establishment, is recalling approximately 2,959 pounds of pepperoni product that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically clear meat casing utilized in food production, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

FDA Delays Compliance Dates for Agricultural Water as Part of FSMA Produce Safety Rule

The FDA announced that it is planning to extend the deadline for compliance to agricultural water standards used in irrigation as part of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule .  Irrigation water can be a source of pathogens, but it is not an easy to control, especially when that water comes from surface waters.  Work done here at Penn State by Luke LaBorde etal (ref below) found that it was hard to make a connection between water standards and pathogen levels.  So testing water to see if it meets standards that may not mean much in terms of the pathogens present.  It is easy to see how environmental factors will constantly change...whether that be the occasional presence of animals, the amount of rainfall, the amount of sunshine, etc.

For more information on irrigation water, visit the Penn State Extension Website -http://extension.psu.edu/food/safety/farm/gaps/safe-uses-of-agricultural-water

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Updates
FDA Intends to Extend Compliance Dates for Agricultural Water Standards

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is exploring ways to simplify the agricultural water standards established by the Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) produce safety rule (PSR) after receiving feedback from stakeholders that some of the requirements are too complex to understand and implement.

Backyard Chicken Flocks Result in Numerous Salmonella Outbreaks

CDC reports that since the beginning of this year, there have been 8 Salmonella outbreaks related to backyard chickens. Within that, there have been 372 people infected and 71 of those cases resulting in hospitalization.

Poultry is a risk for Salmonella as well as Campylobacter.  People with backyard flocks, they are apt to treat the birds more as pets than farm animals, and with that, forget the need for proper personal hygiene including proper washing of hands, changing of clothes that are poop stained, and even removing shoes after stepping in bird dropping.  And even further, people increase the risk when they allow the birds to come inside their house or they snuggle with the birds.

CDC Zoontotic Diseases - Outbreak Advisory
https://www.cdc.gov/zoonotic/gi/outbreaks/livepoultry.html
Multistate Outbreaks of Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Live Poultry in Backyard Flocks, 2017

Canadian Produced Flour Recalled for E. coli O121

Smucker Foods of Canada is recalling flour produced at Ardent Mills in Saskatoon SK, Canada for the potential to be contaminated by E. coli O121.  Impacted product is packaged in 20 lb. paper bags and was distributed nationwide to 19 distributors and two small retailers.  There have been no reported illnesses in the US.

This recall relates to a Canadian recall issued in March.  This recall was expanded in April to include product produced by Ardent Mills.


FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm561190.htm
Smucker Foods of Canada Corp. Announces a Voluntary Recall on Select Golden Temple®, Swad®, and Maya® Flour Products in the U.S. Due to Possible E. Coli 0121 Contamination
For Immediate Release
May 31, 2017

CDC Report - Fourteen Consume Toxic Mushrooms in California

From CDC - In December of 2016, there were 14 cases of mushroom poisoning that took place in California.  "Eleven patients recovered, although three required liver transplants because of irreversible fulminant hepatic failure. One of those patients, a child, developed cerebral edema and suffered permanent neurologic sequelae."

Weather conditions provided conditions for Amanita phalloides, also known as  “death cap", to grow in the region.  The primary toxin, α-amanitin, causes damage to liver and kidney.  The toxin is heat stable and so is not destroyed by cooking.  It is interesting to note that people are initially sick with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, then feel better, then are sick again with potential kidney damage.

Amanita is mistaken for edible Agaricus (wood mushrooms or field mushrooms).
Source -http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/


Amanita phalloides - Death Cap (http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/amanita-phalloides.php)


Agaricus campestris L. - Field Mushroom (http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/agaricus-campestris.php)

Agaricus silvicola  - Wood Mushroom (http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/agaricus-silvicola.php)

It is important that people who pick wild mushrooms can properly identify them.  If someone gives you mushrooms.....just don't take them unless you know without a doubt that they can properly identify mushrooms, or you can properly identify wild mushrooms.

CDC - MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6621a1.htm?s_cid=mm6621a1_e
Amanita phalloides Mushroom Poisonings — Northern California, December 2016
Weekly / June 2, 2017 / 66(21);549–553

Preparing for a FSMA Audit from FoodOnline

A recent article in FoodOnline (an informative online journal you should subscribe to if you haven't already) discusses how Kraft Heinz prepares for FDA FSMA inspections. A few key points brought up in this article are similar to what we have been hearing about from our industry friends about their recent audits.

A summary of what this company's regulatory affairs manager discussed about their company's experiences:

• 'Inspectors are calling these ‘routine FSMA inspections' and are not distinguishing between Preventive Controls and modernized GMP inspections' 
• These audits are generally more focused on high-risk products.
• Auditors had visited 7 of these audits - one full Preventive Controls inspection and six modernized GMP audits.
• Generally there are three inspectors.
• Audits have lasted 1 to 5 days, mostly 4 to 5 days.
• Four of the seven audits included swabathons (100 to 150 swabs), which included Zone 1 (30%), Zone 2 (20%) and Zone 3 (50%).  No zone 4.
• There is a focus on the company's environmental monitoring program including the records and corrective actions on positvie results.
• With regard to verification activities, they are focusing on records including corrective action logs, production schedules, sanitation records, and calibrating inspection equipment records.
• With regard to the Preventive Control plan, inspectors are reviewing the hazard analysis with questions on the justification behind each of the identified hazards.
• There is also a review of the written recall plan.
• Recently there is attention on the supply chain program.
• Review of handling of byproducts used for animal feed, consumer complaint handling, and FSPCA training looking for certificates of completion.

An interesting item in the article is that FDA will want to take photos in the facility, so a company needs to have a policy to address this.  The same goes with photocopying records.

Source: Food Online 
Inside Kraft Heinz's FSMA Inspection Readiness 
Link
By Sam Lewis, associate editor
Follow Me On Twitter @SamIAmOnFood