Friday, October 27, 2017

Frozen Raw Tuna Recalled After Positive Salmonella Test

Relish Foods, Inc., a Calif., seafood distributor, is voluntarily recalling raw frozen Newport brand tuna loins and steaks (5 to 8 lb. tuna loins, 3 to 5 lb. tuna loins, 6 oz. tuna steaks, and 4 oz. tuna steaks). The recall is the result of sampling by the FDA which revealed that the product has potential to contain the bacteria Salmonella.  Product was distributed in the western states to both retail and foodservice outlets.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm582049.htm
Relish Foods, Inc. Recalls Frozen Tuna Loins Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
October 24, 2017

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Follow-up for VA Chili Cook-off Salmonella Outbreak

As a follow-up to a Salmonella Outbreak associated with a volunteer fire company's chili cook-off from a few weeks back, a suspect product has been identified - Crab Shack Clam Chowder.  The County Health Department says that there have been 180 cases reported so far.



To help the restaurant from taking a big hit, the Eastern Shore Health Department director proclaimed the restaurant was fine, and demonstrated that fact by making a stop at the eatery and having lunch.  He pointed out a fact we know well, that restaurants can run into problems when they do these temporary events.

10 WAVY.com
http://wavy.com/2017/10/24/officials-180-reports-of-illness-following-chincoteague-event/
Officials: 180 reports of illness following Chincoteague event

NY Cheese Company Recalls Cheese Products After Presumptive Positive Listeria Test

A NY cheese company is recalling some of its cheese products due to Listeria after tests came back as presumptive positive for Listeria.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm582124.htm
Cooperstown Cheese Company Recalls Cheese Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
October 22, 2017

Monday, October 23, 2017

Produce Grown in Greenhouse Recalled Due to Potential E. coli Issue

BrightFarms, a company that grows produce in greenhouses, is initiating a voluntary recall of packaged produce sold in Roundy's Supermarkets due to the potential presence of E. coli at its Rochelle, Illinois greenhouse farm.   BrightFarms chose to take this action out of an abundance of caution after receiving routine lab results and discovering that certain product may have been compromised.

FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm581532.htm
BrightFarms Announces Voluntary Regional Recall of Produce Due to Potential Presence of E. coli
For Immediate Release
October 20, 2017

Supplier Issue with Listeria-Test-Positive Produce Items Leads to Numerous Recalls of Meals, Kits, and Salad Bar Items

(List Updated 10/25/17)
FDA Link to associated recalls - https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/MajorProductRecalls/default.htm

A number of recalls have been issued that are related to the recall of packaged vegetables by Mann Packing which originated when the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection agency) tested and found Listeria in retail packages of Mann Packing product.  These recalls are by retailers who purchased the prepared (washed, chopped) salad items to use in meals and kits and on salad bars.

A PA establishment is recalling to-be-cooked chicken meals after the company was notified by the supplier of the broccoli, Mann Packing, used in the dishes may contain Listeria.   While this was a not-ready-to-eat product, and it had validated cooking instructions, and the product was at end of shelf-life, the firm decided to recall out of extreme caution.

Other associated recalls:

  • Randalls, Tom Thumb and Albertsons stores in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas only are voluntarily recalling Ready. Chef. Go! seafood meal bags and Cod Fillet Seafood Meal Bags.
  • Meijer is announcing a recall of various packaged Meijer brand produce items
  • Triple B Corporation of Seattle, Washington is voluntarily recalling salad kits and stir fry mixes 
  • Triple B Corporation of Anchorage, Alaska is voluntarily recalling broccoli florette's, stir fry kit, vegie trays w/ cauliflower, and a veggie pack combos
  • Whole Foods Market is voluntarily recalling some salads from ten stores in Northern California
  • Albertsons, Safeway, Vons and Pak N' Save stores in eight states are voluntarily recalling certain fresh vegetable trays and cups 
  • H-E-B announced today that it has issued a voluntary recall for certain H-E-B single-serving  soups made with vegetable products 
  • A Portland, Ore. establishment, is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) kale and broccoli slaw salad with chicken items, produced from Oct. 6, 2017 through Oct. 10, 2017.  A recall was not requested because it is believed that all products are no longer in commerce and are past their “Best by” dates.
  • King Soopers said today it has recalled deli broccoli salads and coleslaw that are sold in King Soopers and City Market stores, located in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming. The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The deli broccoli salads and coleslaw are sold from the service case in the deli department at King Soopers and City Market. King Soopers and City Market have removed these items from store shelves and initiated their customer recall notification system that alerts customers who may have purchased recalled products through register receipt tape messages and phone calls.
  • Pacific Coast Fruit Company in Portland, Oregon is voluntarily recalling multiple types of bagged processed salads 
  • Paragon Wholesale Foods Corp., of Warrendale, PA, is recalling several lots of 1.7 ounce Broccoli Florets.  The recalled broccoli florets were distributed to multiple schools in the Greater Pittsburgh and Butler, PA areas between 10/9/2017 and 10/16/2017.

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/recall-114-2017-release
Fresh Foods Manufacturing Co. Recalls Chicken Products due to Possible Listeria Contamination 
Class I Recall  114-2017
Health Risk: High  Oct 20, 2017

Jambalaya Outbreak - 2 Different Bacterial Pathogens Responsible - Indicates Two Separate Mishandling Issues

A second bacterial pathogen, Clostridium perfringens, has been identified as part of the large outbreak in Louisiana that has been linked to jambalaya served at a softball fundraising event.  Salmonella had already been isolated, but Clostridium perfrigens has now also been identified in patient stool samples.  As of Friday, 125 cases were confirmed with 37 hospitalized.  One death may also be linked.

While Salmonella effects are due to the infection is causes, Clostridium perfringes produces a toxin that causes the symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal cramps.  It usually occurs in less than a day and those symptoms will normally last for 24 hours. 

The issues of contamination will also be different.  Salmonella is not heat resistant, so either the foods are undercooked or it will contaminate foods after cooking through cross contamination.  Clostridium perfringens is a sporeforming pathogen, and its spores are heat resistant and thus can survive normal cooking conditions such as when making jambalaya.  The key to prevention is proper cooling after the product is cooked.  Basically, the spores survive cooking, but need warmer conditions for growth.  In fact, at optimal growth temperature of 109F to 117F, C. perfringens can multiple every 10 minutes or so.

So clearly, the were some issues when people were making jambalaya....and this can be the case when people are cooking large quantities of food.  For Salmonella to be an issue, the cooks either undercooked it, or they had sloppy procedures that allowed cross contamination.  For the second bacterial pathogen - after cooking (or under-cooking), they did not properly cool the food which provided conditions for C. perfrigens growth.  By regulation, foods such as this must be cooled from 135F to 70F within 2 hours, and from 70F to 41F within 4 hours.  These conditions were established for C. perfringens.  And if large quantities were made, cooling can be difficult.

WWL TV.com
http://www.wwltv.com/news/not-just-salmonella-second-bacteria-idd-in-mass-north-louisiana-illness/485166123
Not just salmonella: Second bacteria ID'd in mass North Louisiana illness
WWLTV 10:45 AM. CDT October 22, 2017

Friday, October 20, 2017

Minimally Processed (Washed, Chopped, and Bagged) Vegetables Recalled Due to Listeria Positive Test

Mann Packing of Salinas, California is voluntarily recalling minimally processed (washed and chopped) refrigerated vegetable products because they may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.  The recall is in response to a single positive result found during random sampling by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.  There have been no reported illnesses associated with products.  It covers "best if used by" dates from October 12 to October 20 listed on the front of the packaging.

These items are fresh, washed vegetables to include broccoli, cauliflower, veggie trays, cole slaw and other items.  The bags indicate that items like broccoli or cauliflower can be served raw or cooked.  The product is refrigerated, and if Listeria is present, this pathogen would potentially be able to grow during the shelf-life of that product.




FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm581389.htm
Mann Packing Recalls Minimally Processed Vegetable Products Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
October 19, 2017

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Jambalaya Served at Fundraising Event Source Of Large Salmonella Outbreak

In Louisiana, a salmonella outbreak affecting more than 100 people has been linked to jambalaya prepared for a high school fundraising event.

The News Star - Louisianana
http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/2017/10/18/possible-mass-food-poisoning-outbreak-caldwell-probed/778040001/
BREAKING: Jambalaya likely source of mass salmonella outbreak
Ashley Mott, amott@thenewsstar.com 
Published 5:33 p.m. CT Oct. 18, 2017 | Updated 12:47 p.m. CT Oct. 19, 2017

This Week in Mislabeled Product - week ending October 19, 2017

A listing of this week's mislabeled product with food allergen implications.

An IN firm is voluntarily recalling certain baked cookies sold between January 1, 2017 and September 28, 2017 because they may contain traces of undeclared peanut or tree-nut allergens. recall was initiated when it was discovered that cookies that may have been in contact with peanuts and/or tree nuts in the baking process were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of peanuts or tree nuts.

A Jamaica, N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 8,000 pounds of chicken and pork products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens. The products contain coconut milk and coconut cream, known tree nut allergens, which are not declared on the product label. The problem was discovered on October 17, 2017, by FSIS Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) while conducting label verification activities. The problem occurred when the company began using coconut milk and coconut cream and did not include these allergens on the products labels.

Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. today announced the recall of 60 packages of American Accent Shredded Imitation Mozzarella Cheese with a best by date of JUN 8 2018 because of undeclared milk allergens on its label. Great Lakes Cheese initiated the recall after company Quality Assurance personnel discovered that product containing the allergens whey and casein were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk. The ingredient statement on the affected product is correct and declares that whey and casein are ingredients of the product affected by the recall. - So the common name 'milk' was not listed.

A GA firm is voluntarily recalling its 22 ounce packages of "Kenny’s Buckeye Pie" because they may contain undeclared wheat. The recall was initiated after it was discovered by an employee of a retailer that the wheat containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of wheat. Kenny’s Great Pies subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a labeling production error.

A Pennsylvania retailer issued a recall for its store made bacon, lettuce and tomato (BLT) sandwiches since the product’s ingredient label does not list an egg allergen contained in the sandwich’s mayonnaise. One customer reported an egg allergy reaction after eating the recalled BLT sandwich. The customer received an EpiPen injection. No hospitalization was required. The error was caused by a change in labeling. The new labels did not list the undeclared egg allergen (mayonnaise).

Organic yogurt maker, Stonyfield, is voluntarily recalling a specific code date of its O’Soy Strawberry soy yogurt because it may contain an undeclared milk allergen. The recall is due to the possibility that some product shipped from its Londonderry plant may contain dairy yogurt instead of soy yogurt as labeled. The issue was identified after receiving two consumer complaints.

A N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 4,225 pounds of bacon-wrapped scallops due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen - the product contains milk, a known allergen, which was not declared on the product label.  The problem was discovered by an FSIS Enforcement, Investigations and Analysis Officer (EIAO) while conducting a Food Safety Assessment (FSA).

A Minnesota wholesaler is recalling all packages of Thanlwin brand Fried Bean Snack, because it may contain undeclared peanuts.  The recall was initiated after the State of New York, Department of Agriculture collected a retail sample of Thanlwin Fried Bean Snack, and found it to contain undeclared whole peanuts. The packaging does not reveal the presence of peanuts.

A NY firm is NY, is voluntarily recalling Honey Roast Nut Crunch because it contains undeclared almond.  The recall was initiated after [the company] discovered that almonds were mistakenly added to the mix in place of peanuts. Subsequent investigation indicated the problem was caused by an error during the mixing of the product and a temporary breakdown in [the company's] allergen control process.