Onion Recall Cascades as Customers Recall Products Made with Suspect Onions

The Gill Onion recall is cascading as a number of retail chains are recalling products made with the recalled onions. To date, there have been a dozen or so companies recalling products made with the recalled onions. Here, like so many past recalls, we can see the impact of upstream suppliers on their customers. Traceability is key in that you know who your suppliers are, and where their product is being used.

The best news is that there have been no illnesses to date. In such a big recall, you might expect to have some illnesses associated with the product. So what are some reasons. Certainly luck may be a part of it, but there may be a few others that impact this:
- Low level of contamination.
- The Listeria monocytogenes serotype involved – As per Dr. Steve Knabel ‘of the 13 serotypes, there are 4 that account for the vast majority of cases of human illness.’ There are serotypes of L. monocytogenes that do not have the necessary genes to cause disease. While it is unknown at this point if this is the case, we can’t assume that it is. Further, if the conditions in the processing facility supported one serotype of L. monocytogenes, then it often assumed that those conditions can support the more virulent strains.


Gills recall sparks dozens of related product recalls
08/02/2012 3:06:26 PM
Coral Beachhttp://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Gills-recall-sparks-dozens-of-product-recalls-164791766.html

A recall of one day’s production from a Gills Onions plant — that was expanded a week later to an “undeterminable” volume — caused a cascade effect as retailers and processors recalled more than 150 fresh products.

As of Aug. 2, fears of listeria contamination spurred five retail chains and seven fresh food producers to voluntarily recall products because they included recalled Gills onions.
No illnesses have been linked to any of the recalled produce or fresh products, according to multiple FDA recall notices at http://tinyurl.com/FDA-recalls.

Gills, Oxnard, Calif., initially recalled about 6,000 pounds of fresh-cut onions and celery July 18 after a random sample taken at retail by the Food and Drug Administration tested positive for listeria.

The company expanded the recall July 26 to include an unknown volume of whole onions and other chopped onions because investigators found listeria at one of Gills’ two Oxnard fresh-cut facilities. That facility has been closed since July 17 when FDA officials notified Gills of the positive test at retail, according to Gills spokeswoman Amy Philpott.

“Because the July 25 expanded recall does not include a beginning use-by-date, but rather included recalled products with use-by dates on or before Aug. 3, the number of recalled pounds is undeterminable,” according to a Gills onion statement.

“In the interest of public health, the company simply included all recalled products in the marketplace,” according to the release.

Philpott said the facility will remain closed until the listeria contamination problem is resolved. Gills continues to operate another processing facility in a separate building.
“They are running extra shifts, but orders are a bit behind,” Philpott said, adding that some retail and specialty product orders probably will not be met.

“Steve Gill has said it will take as long as it takes to resolve the problem.”

Gill has not been available for interviews, but he did include a statement in the recall notice: “We’ve identified the problem, and we are taking aggressive actions to prevent this from happening again.”

The actions include forming a panel of food safety experts and microbiologists with expertise in listeria control, expanding required microbial surveillance and sanitation programs, and continued testing.

“They also have a team looking at possibly redesigning the facility,” Philpott said.

In late May Gills recalled 2,360 pounds of diced red onions in the U.S. and Canada after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency did a random sample and got a positive result for listeria.

Gills built both of the facilities in Oxnard in the late 90s, Philpott said, and both were built specifically for onion processing. Gills started producing in the facility that is now shut down 15 years ago. The other facility, which is larger, opened 12 years ago.

As of the Aug 2, FDA’s recall Web page showed the following recalls related to the recalled Gills onions:

Simmering Soup Inc., Atlanta, recalled Trader Joe’s brand salsas and balela;
Whole Foods Markets recalled about 35 fresh food products in Florida stores;
Cool Creations LLC, North Kansas City, Mo., recalled about 20 fresh food products;
Wegmans Food Markets Inc. recalled six fresh food products;
GH Foods CA LLC recalled almost 90 fresh food products under a variety of store and specialty brands, including: Delish, Albertsons generic label, Garden Highway, Marketside, Natural Directions, Pacific Coast, Raley’s, Safeway Farms, Signature Cafe, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s;
Huxtable’s Kitchen, recalled Trader Joe’s brand roasted butternut squash, red quinoa and wheatberry salad;
Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC recalled Costa Fruit & Produce brand calico bean salad from salad bars;
Spartan Stores, Grand Rapids, Mich., recalled Spartan Fresh Selections three bean salad and broccoli stir fry products;
Publix Super Markets recalled custom sub sandwiches that contain onions;
Ken’s Foods Inc. recalled cole slaw sauce, baked bean sauce and three brands of tartar sauce;
Garden Fresh Foods Inc. recalled ready-to-eat salads, slaw, salsa, bean and dip products; and
San Miguel Produce Inc., Oxnard, recalled packaged salad kits under the Cut ‘N Clean brand.

Gill Onions expands recall of fresh cut onions and celery due to Listeria

Gill Onions of Oxnard CA is expanding its recall due to fact product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  According to the FDA release, the expanded product list includes diced, slivered and whole peeled onions and diced onion/celery mix with use-by-dates on or before August 3.  http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm313399.htm

This recall expands upon the initial recall that was issued on July 18th. http://pennstatefoodsafety.blogspot.com/2012/07/fresh-cut-onions-and-celery-recalled.html

How can this happen.? While the initial recall was based upon a product from retail testing positive, the expanded recall occurred when in-plant testing found more positive Listeria tests.  (http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Gills-expands-onion-celery-recall-listeria-found-at-plant-163863626.html).  Finding Listeria in the plant environment led officials to believe that the Listeria issue was not a single lot issue, but was wider spread within the facility and thus implicated product over multiple lots.

After the cantaloupe recall earlier this year, there has been increasing attention to RTE produce, primarily products like this that have been further processed in some way.  Products like these onions which were sliced, can get contaminated during processing if that process and the environment has not been maintained to the level needed to control Listeria monocytogenes.  In order to do this, processing facilities must have adequate controls including stout sanitation program  but then must also verify that Listeria is not present through an environmental monitoring program. 

As indicated in the Packer article, the facility may need to be redesigned.  This is certainly an issue in older plants find that find they need to make changes in order to meet this increased standard of Listeria free.

Ground meat recalled after linked to salmonellosis cases

Upadate 8/6/12:  CDC updated the number of illnesses to 40.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis-07-12/index.html


Cargill is recalling approximately 29339 lbs of ground beef after the product was linked to Salmonella enteritidis infections. The recalled product was produced on May 25, 2012 and although the product would be past the expiration date, there is concern that some may still have this meat in thier freezer.

The strain that was responsible for this illness, Salmonella enteritidis or SE, is more often associated with poultry. According to the CDC - "Eggs have been the most common food source linked to SE infections.....Since the early 2000s, poultry has also been found to be a common food source for SE infections. Multiple other, less frequently identified sources include raw milk, pork, beef, sprouts, and raw almonds."

Cargill sells chubs of meat to retailers who then repackage this product into retail sized packages. These packages will have the store brand on the label, but will show the same USDA establishment number 9400.

This is an interesting recall from the standpoint that this strain is not an antibiotic resistant strain of Salmonella and it was in raw meat, not a RTE product. Unlike E. coli STEC strains which are considered an adulterant in ground beef, Salmella is not. Cargill had recalled ground turkey for Salmonella, but those strains were antibiotic resistant and thus more difficult to treat. Well if we can expect that ground beef may have Salmonella present, then why recall? Since this strain in this product has been linked to at least 5 illnesses, USDA and Cargill decided it was in the best interest of the public. However, are we getting to a point when raw meat products will be expected to have no pathogens?

2nd recall for processor of RTE meat products due to Listeria

Buona Vita, a NJ meat processor, is issuing its 2nd recall this month for Listeria. In the last recall, products from a number of production dates in May were recalled. In this recall, products made on June 26th were recalled. According to the FSIS Release (below), the product was tested by a third party and found to be positive.

(Earlier recall http://pennstatefoodsafety.blogspot.com/2012/07/nj-firm-recalling-frozen-meat-product.html)

Bridgeton meat company issues second voluntary recall in July
Published: Thursday, July 19, 2012, 8:25 PM Updated: Thursday, July 19, 2012, 8:48 PM
By Jason Laday/The News of Cumberland County
http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2012/07/bridgeton_meat_company_issues.html

BRIDGETON — Buona Vita, Inc. is recalling an additional 72,510 pounds of frozen meat and poultry products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

In an announcement released Thursday evening, officials from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) stated 15 more products made by the Bridgeton-based meat company are being voluntarily recalled, and pose a “high” health risk.

Fresh Cut Onions and Celery Recalled Due to Presense of Listeria

Gills Onions is recalling fresh cut onions and cut celery after random FDA testing yielded a positive result for Listeria. The 6000 pounds of the retail product was shipped to 8 different states and Canada. There have been no reported illnesses. (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm312707.htm).

Gills, one of the nation’s largest family-owned onions growers operates one of the largest, most innovative and sustainable fresh cut onion plants in the world (quoted from their website -http://www.gillsonions.com/). However for Gills, this is their second recall due to Listeria within the last 3 months. On May 19, 2012, Gills Onions initiated a voluntary recall, 2,360 pounds of diced red onions as a result of a routine and random test directed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm304732.htm)

A study published in JFP indicates that Listeria monocytogenes populations will remain constant on fresh cut onions at 4ºC, but will grow slowly at 10ºC (Farber, etal JFP 1997). Certainly, higher temperatures or adding cut onions to a salad or a sandwich and then holding that at an elevated temperature would likely enhance growth potential.


Gills recalls fresh-cut onions, celery in U.S., Canada
The Packer
http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/fresh-produce-retail/Gills-recalls-fresh-cut-onions-celery-163045406.html
07/19/2012 11:06:21 AM
Coral Beach

Possible listeria contamination spurred Gills Onions LLC to voluntarily recall 6,000 pounds — an entire day’s production — of diced and slivered red and yellow onions and diced onion-celery mix.

No illnesses had been reported at the time the recall was issued on the evening of July 18, according to Amy Philpott, a company spokeswoman.

The Oxnard, Calif., produce company shipped the onions July 2-4 directly to retailers in Canada and in California, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and Washington. There are nine different products in the recall, and they all have July 20 use-by dates.

Employee Fired after Posting a Photo of Himself Standing on Food

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Concern with Dietary Suppliments Increases as Dietary Ingredient Recalled Due to Salmonella

An Illinois company is recalling its dietary ingredient after ‘several’ lots tested positive for Salmonella. This ingredient, made by a subsidiary’s plant in South Korean subsidiary, had already been used in a number of products including a children’s product - which was also recalled (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm311050.htm). The ingredient is an undigestable fiber made from milk and is marketed as an aid for the health of the immune and digestive systems.

There has been a growing concern with dietary supplements. Most of this concern has related to medical claims that are made. Some substances do not live up to the claims, while others may actually have adverse effects (http://health.wolterskluwerlb.com/2012/01/dietary-supplement-concerns-in-2012/ and http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/Alerts/default.htm).

There has also been issue with how some of these are processed. A Chicago Tribune article (below) reported that half of the 450 firms inspected had violations. In the UK, it was just reported that 40% of dietary supplements were irradiated illegally (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-121486/Concerns-dietary-supplements.html).  

Sales of dietary supplements continues to increase. Consumers view dietary supplements as a way to prevent health issues. Some see herbal supplements as more natural. In many cases, supplements are less expensive than over-the-counter drugs. Without the pharmaceuticals industry’s requirements for scientific research to back label claims, an increasing number of companies have entered this market, including pharmaceutical and food companies. 

Westchester firm recalls salmonella-contaminated supplements
No illnesses have been reported; FDA investigating
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-salmonella-supplements-20120719,0,6096142.story

By Trine Tsouderos, Chicago Tribune reporter
July 19, 2012

 Concern over salmonella contamination has prompted a Chicago-area firm to recall nearly 40,000 pounds of a dietary ingredient, a move that in turn prompted several recalls of supplements containing the suspect material.

U.S. Food and Drug Administrationofficials said they are investigating whether the ingredient, sold by Westchester-based Ingredion and made in a subsidiary's plant in South Korea, wound up in other dietary supplements sold to consumers and whether more recalls are necessary.

Case of Bubonic Plague in Oregon

Here is a general interest story that we found….interesting. A man in Oregon contracted bubonic plague after trying to take a rat out of a stray cat’s mouth. Near death, he spent a month on life support. Now, he will need to have his hands and toes removed. (picture below gives meaning to the Black Death).

As you know, the bubonic plague or Black Death has had a large impact on the history of mankind. Through a series of major pandemics (6th to 7th century in the Mediterranean, 1300 to 1650 in Europe, and 19th and early 20th century in Asia and ports around the world), the plague wiped out some 200 million people (close to a third of Europe in the dark ages). The responsible organism, Yersinia pestis, is spread by fleas carried on rats. The disease was mostly eradicated by improved sanitary practices. While considered an ancient disease, there are still cases that pop up from time to time. There have been a reported 11 cases in the US since 1976, most all cases were in western US. (People living and working in areas with natural environment where there is a higher prevalence of woodrats).

Yersinia pestis, a gram negative organism, is one of the most pathogenic organisms known. It can infect through lesions in the skin (such as a flea bite) where it infects the lymphnodes and then invades other organs where it causes massive tissue destruction. Gangrene often sets in on the dead tissue. It can also spread through inhalation of infective respiratory particles (pneumonia). Disease is initially characterized by development of one or more inflamed, swollen lymph nodes (buboes), and then chills and fever, lethargy and confusion. Historically, the fatality rate was greater than 50%, but now with antibiotics, it is now about 5%. But still, who wants to be this guy.

Plague infects Oregon man who tried to get rodent from stray cat
An Oregon man who was bitten by a stray cat has contracted the plague — the fifth case of the disease in Oregon since 1995.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018446561_plague16.html
By Nigel Duara and Steven Duboist
The Associated Press

PORTLAND — Health officials have confirmed an Oregon man has the plague after he was bitten while trying to take a dead rodent from the mouth of a stray cat.
The unidentified Prineville, Ore., man was in critical condition on Friday. He is suffering from a blood-borne version of the disease, not the bubonic plague, which wiped out at least one-third of Europe in the 14th century. The bubonic plague affects the lymph nodes.

There is an average of seven human plague cases in the U.S. each year. A map maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows most cases since the 1970s have been in the West, primarily the southwest.

The last reported case of plague in Washington state occurred in 1984 when an animal trapper in Yakima became infected while skinning a bobcat. In 2010, a Washington laboratory technician was treated to prevent plague infection after working with a specimen from one of the two reported cases in Oregon at the time.

The plague bacteria cycles through rodent populations without killing them off; in urban areas, it's transmitted back and forth from rats to fleas. There's even a name for it, the "enzootic cycle."

The bacteria thrive in forests, semiarid areas and grasslands, which plague-carrying rodents from wood rats to rock squirrels call home.

Once a coin flip with death, the plague is now easier to handle for humans in the U.S. The national mortality rate stood at 66 percent before World War II, but advances in antibiotics dropped that rate to its present 16 percent.

Central Oregon health officials don't blame the cat.

"The reality is that, in rural areas, part of the role of cats is to keep the rodent population controlled around our homes and barns" said Karen Yeargain of the Crook County Health Department.
 The Prineville man, who is in his 50s, remained in critical condition Friday at a Bend hospital. His illness marks the fifth case of plague in Oregon since 1995.

State public health veterinarian Dr. Emilio DeBess said the man was infected when he was bitten by the stray his family befriended. The cat died and its body is being sent to the CDC for testing.

DeBess has collected blood samples from two dogs and another cat that lives with the man's family. DeBess also collected blood samples from neighbors' pets and from animals in the local shelter to determine whether the area has a plague problem.

More than a dozen people who were in contact with the sick man have been notified and are receiving preventive antibiotics.

 

Reward outweighs risk when it comes to summer's fresh produce

Thursday, July 12, 2012
http://live.psu.edu/story/60347

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- With what seems to be an ongoing wave of news reports linking foodborne illness to fresh produce, many consumers are questioning whether it is worth the risk.
But Martin Bucknavage, extension food-safety specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, emphasizes that the benefits far outweigh the risks when it comes to consuming fresh fruits and vegetables.

According to Bucknavage, consumers should appreciate that they can take advantage of the wide selection of fresh produce available during the summer, instead of worrying about the remote possibility of foodborne illness.

"While there have been cases of illnesses reported from time to time that come as a result of contaminated produce," he said, "the risks are quite low when you consider the amount of produce consumed in the United States."

But it is important that consumers take specific steps to help ensure the safety of the produce they purchase, Bucknavage advised.

"Fruits and vegetables must always be washed before being sliced or eaten and must be refrigerated once they have been cut," he said.

Bucknavage also cautioned that certain items, such as cantaloupes, have surfaces that are more difficult to clean, so consumers must be particularly vigilant about washing them.

He explained that it is important to follow these precautions regardless of whether the produce is purchased from a large supermarket or a small farmer's market, but he emphasized that there are many advantages to buying food locally.

"Locally grown produce normally reaches the consumer within a day or so of when it is harvested, so it is fresher," he said. "And it also is harvested closer to the time it ripens, which often results in a better tasting, more nutritious product."

When shopping at farmer's markets, he encourages buyers to follow a few simple guidelines to ensure the safety of their purchases.

"Make sure that produce is fresh looking -- it should have proper color and firmness," Bucknavage said. "Also, avoid fruits and vegetables with decay or excessive bruising, regardless of the price. Damaged produce is more likely to harbor harmful bacteria."

Consumers need to learn about what is grown in their local area and the optimal time for harvest. "People should take advantage of all the different types of fruits and vegetables grown around them," he said. "It is fun to find new recipes that maximize the taste and healthfulness of those items."

Bucknavage noted that freezing and canning can preserve the local bounty for later use. "However, we should never purchase more than we can handle in a day or so," he said. "And it is important to use only approved procedures for canning and freezing, such as those listed on the USDA website."

Don't get discouraged with fresh produce, he urged.

"We get jaded by all the stories we hear on the news, but really, there is minimal risk," Bucknavage said. "Rather, I encourage folks to try all types of local fresh fruits and vegetables and not worry about the possibility of contracting foodborne illness."

Raw Shellfish and the Risk Associated with Vibrio vulnificus

This news report, submitted by our colleague Larry Grunden, shows the potential danger of infection associated with eating raw clams and oysters. In this report, a 61 year old woman suffered a life threatening Vibrio vulnificus infection after eating raw clams two year ago. She survived, but did need to have her leg amputated, and nearly lost one of her arms. (The attached news report is incorrect in calling this a virus).

Vibrio vulnificus is a gram negative bacterium found in warm seawater. In healthy people, it can cause gastroenteritis (vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain), but in people with an underlying health issue, particularly chronic liver disease, it cause infection of the bloodstream (septicemia). In these cases, it has a high mortality rate (~50%). The organism is highly invasive and produces toxins (a cytolysin, a hemolysin, and a thermolysin).

A few other notes:
- Hot sauce will not kill the organism.
- Consumption of liquor will not help either, in fact, those who drink too much of this type of sauce will be more susceptible.
- Other pathogens associated with raw clams and oysters that are also naturally found in seawater – other members of the Vibrio family (Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae - causative agent for cholera, and other vibrio species), Aeromonas, and Plesiomonas.
- Enteric pathogens associated with shellfish contamination - the viruses norovirus and Hepatitis A as well as bacterial pathogens Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli.
- Water testing done for the safety of harvesting water normally uses indicators associated with fecal contamination. This is good for the enteric pathogens, but not good for the pathogens such as Vibrio that are naturally found in seawater.
- The risk of Vibrio vulnificus contamination increases in the warmer months (due to warmer ocean waters).

Key message – there is a risk when consuming raw oysters and clams, and this risk is greatly magnified for those with underlying health issues such as immunosuppression or advanced age, and especially chronic liver disease.

Flesh-eating virus nearly cost woman her life

http://www.wgal.com/news/susquehanna-valley/york-adams/Flesh-eating-virus-nearly-cost-woman-her-life/-/9704248/15568968/-/item/1/-/gqpdltz/-/index.html

Lewisberry woman got bacteria from clams
LEWISBERRY, Pa. - 

A York County woman nearly died from a flesh-eating bacteria she came in contact with about two years ago.

Maureen Horan, 61, known to her friends as "Mo," said she almost didn't survive her ordeal.
Her near-death ordeal began on the last day of a 2010 during a vacation to the Jersey Shore. Horan and her husband, Dennis, had a late lunch. Horan's meal included raw clams.

"I knew there was something wrong when I swallowed the one clam, but it was too late," Horan said.

By the next day Horan said she was in severe pain. She went to the emergency came home, but her condition only got worse.

"I get up and the pain is worse. My toes are black, my arm is red, my leg is red and my sister-in-law said, "I don't know what it is, but you make them admit her," Horan said.

E. coli in Ground Beef - FSIS Data and Risk

USDA-FSIS recently updated their data on E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef and trim through July 8, 2012 (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/RGBC_STEC_Results/index.asp).  In order to get a visual representation of the risk associated with ground beef, the year-end results were plotted.  Only routine samples were evaluated for ground beef (both federal plant and retail).  Based upon this sampling, E. coli O157:H7 is found in approximately 0.1% to 0.2% of ground beef samples.

This rate is a lower than the percent positive found in trim (beef trim that goes into ground beef).  For 2011, trim verification yielded a 0.64% positive and thru 7/2012, 0.53%.

The results indicate that interventions put in place by the meat industry have had an impact in reducing the level of E. coli in ground beef, however, from a consumer's perspective, careful handling and preparation is required.  Specifically, cleaning hands and food contact surfaces when handling and preparing, and cooking to the proper internal temperature of 160ºF.

French cheese linked to a case of listeriosis

An elderly Pennsylvania man was stricken with listerosis after eating a high-priced soft cheese imported from France.  Whole Foods is recalling the cheese baring thier own label.

Interesting is the fact that Whole Foods looks to have cut and repackaged the cheese which begs the question...where did the contamination occur - was it present in the original package, or did the cheese become contaminated during repackaging?  Additionally, the article stated that the cheese product was slow moving in regard to retail sales, which means that it would have given more time for Listeria to grow.  Listeria, as we know, grows at refrigeration temperatures, although slowly.


Whole Foods recalls contaminated cheese
Man seriously ill after consuming tainted product from East Liberty grocer
July 13, 2012 12:08 am

By David Templeton / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A pricey French cheese sold at Whole Foods Market in East Liberty is being recalled more than a month after a 69-year-old Westmoreland County man grew seriously ill from listeriosis, a food-borne bacterial infection.

The man fell ill June 7 and was hospitalized after eating Jean Perrin Edel de Cleron cheese -- a soft, pasteurized cow's milk French cheese that sells for about $25 a pound. The man continues to recover in a rehabilitation center, said Guillermo Cole, Allegheny County Health Department spokesman.

On Thursday, the health department and Whole Foods Market announced the recall of the cheese, which was cut and packaged in clear plastic wrap bearing a Whole Foods Market scale label and code beginning with 293351. The cheese was sold between May 20 and July 3.

The recall didn't occur until more than a month after the man fell ill, Mr. Cole said, because it took time for him to be diagnosed and then to get positive test results on foods he had consumed with follow-up efforts to test samples from the market where he purchased the cheese.

"It required some medical detective work," Mr. Cole said.

The store is offering full refunds for the cheese. The health department said customers who purchased it from the market during that time period should either dispose of it in the garbage or return it to the store. Those who touch the cheese should wash their hands immediately afterward to avoid cross-contamination. The store also has posted signs in the store to notify customers of the recall.

The store and health department are working to ensure that no cross-contamination occurred and that equipment and utensils used in cutting, weighing or packaging the cheese isn't contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes listeriosis.

The illness primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns. Such infections, caused by consumption of food contaminated with the bacterium, can be serious and possibly fatal.

Anyone who consumed the cheese should seek medical help if the individual has diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness followed by fever and muscular aches.

Customers who have the recalled product may contact the health department at 412-687-2243 (ACHD) and arrange to have the cheese tested.

The health department declined to identify the ill man. Mr. Cole said the man represents the only one affected by the contamination to date. The cheese that the man purchased tested positive for the bacterium, as did samples of the cheese taken at the store.

On the upside, Mr. Cole said, the price of the cheese meant that not a large quantity had been sold.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/health/whole-foods-recalls-contaminated-cheese-644522/#ixzz20W0tMurV

Three cases of botulism from home preserved foods

There are three confirmed cases of botulism from home preserved foods.  Unfortunately, there is no additional information regarding the circumstances.

With an increasing number of people preserving their own foods, we unfortunately expect that there will be these types of incidents.  It is important that consumers practice 'approved procedures' when canning foods.  Penn State has a dedicated website for support - http://extension.psu.edu/food-safety/food-preservation. 

In our interactions with consumers, we still find that people are using improper techniques (canning in the oven, not using a pressure cooker for low acid foods, etc).   Where do they get this dangerous information -
- word-of-mouth from a friend - "I know this guy who cans in the oven all the time"
- the memory of what they think their grandmother used to do - "I recall my grandmother never using a pressure cooker to can green beans"
- some misguided blogger on the web

Do not put yourself, your family, or your friends in danger, use proper, approved procedures for preserving food.

County News Release
http://www.deschutes.org/Media-Releases/Botulism-in-3-People-Caused-by-Home-Canned-Food.aspx
Deschutes County Oregon -- 7/2/2012 --

The Oregon State Public Health Lab has confirmed that three Central Oregon residents,who were hospitalized, contracted botulism at a private barbeque. Deschutes County Health Services has conducted an investigation and implicated home-canned food as the source of the Botulism. Final testing results are pending. This was an isolated incident and Deschutes County Health Services has notified all involved individuals. Botulism in NOT spread person to person so there is no risk to the general public as a result of these cases.

This is a good reminder of the importance of following strict hygienic procedures to reduce contamination of foods while canning as well as obtaining the necessary pressure when canning to effectively destroy bacteria and prevent botulism. Detailed instructions on safe home canning can be obtained from Oregon State extension services at the following website: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fch/food-preservation. Oregon Residents can also call the Food Preservation and Food Safety Hotline at (800) 354-7319 to talk to trained OSU Extension staff.

There are three primary types of botulism:

1. Foodborne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin and is often associated with home-canned foods that have been improperly processed. Ingesting botulism toxin can lead to illness within a few hours- to days. Foodborne botulism is often caused from home-canned foods with low acid content such as asparagus, green beans, beets and corn.

2. Wound botulism is caused by toxin produced from a wound infected with the bacterium. Wound botulism can be prevented by promptly seeking medical care for infected wounds and by not using contaminated injectable drugs.

3. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of the botulinum bacteria, which then grow in the intestines and release toxin. Honey can contain spores of the botulinum bacteria and has been a source of infection for infants. Children less than 12 months old should not be fed honey. Generally, honey is safe for people one year of age and older.

The classic symptoms of botulism include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. These are all symptoms of the muscle paralysis caused by the bacterial toxin. If untreated, these symptoms may progress to cause paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk and breathing muscles. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 12 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days later.

In the United States an average of 145 cases of botulism are reported each year. Of these, approximately 15 percent are foodborne, 65 percent are infant botulism, and the rest are wound botulism.

Nationally, outbreaks of foodborne botulism involving two or more people occur most years and are usually caused by eating contaminated home-canned foods.

NJ Firm recalling frozen meat product due to possible Listeria contamination

A New Jersey company is recalling 324770 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to possible Listeria contamination. The recall is being ordered based on positive testing results by FSIS and Ohio Department of Ag. There were no reported illnesses to this point in time.

Here again is a recall coming after government testing has found positive results. The recall covers 5 days of production, which probably goes beyond the typical lot (clean-up to clean-up).

What is the risk? While Listeria will not grow on the frozen product and while these products will likely be cooked before consumption, there can still be issues. Since the product is considered RTE, then there is the risk that someone will not cook the product sufficiently to kill the Listeria present. Also, if product is thawed and held at refrigeration temperatures for an extended period of time, then the Listeria can grow to higher levels.


Meatball company recalls 300,000 pounds of meat over listeria risk
Published July 09, 2012
Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/08/us-usa-beef-recall-idUSBRE86700M20120708
By Lily Kuo
Sat Jul 7, 2012 9:32pm EDT

(Reuters) - A New Jersey meatball manufacturer is recalling more than 300,000 pounds (136,000 kg) of meat products due to possible listeria contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said on Saturday.

Bridgeton, New Jersey-based Buona Vita Inc was recalling about 324,770 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced in May, including meatballs, chicken and beef patties, and loafs of chicken and beef, the agency said in a written statement.

The FSIS described the health risk related to the recall as "high," according to the statement.

Representatives for Buona Vita, which says on its website that it produces 200,000 pounds (90,000 kg) of meatballs a day, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The possible contamination was discovered through testing by FSIS and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the FSIS statement said. There have been no reports of illness related to the company's products, it added.
In 2011, more than 30 people died from listeria-contaminated cantaloupe linked to Jensen Farms in Colorado.

Listeria bacteria thrive in low temperatures. Outbreaks are usually associated with deli meats, unpasteurized cheeses and smoked refrigerated seafood products.

Listeriosis has a long incubation period, with symptoms sometimes not showing up until two months after people consume tainted foods.

Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea and other gastric problems.

USDA News Releasehttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_042_2012_Release/index.asp

New Jersey Firm Recalls Various Frozen, Ready-To-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Due To Potential Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination

Recall Release
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-042-2012
HEALTH RISK: HIGH  Congressional and Public Affairs
Catherine Cochran
(202) 720-9113

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2012 - Buona Vita, Inc., a Bridgeton, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 324,770 pounds of various frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall include:

Dole Recalls Bagged Romaine Due to Listeria Postive Test Result

Dole is recalling approximately 2500 cases of bagged romaine lettuce due to the a positive test result for Listeria. The product was shipped to 9 states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia). The product is already past its stated shelf-life date. There have been no recalls.

This is the third recall by Dole for bagged salads in the last few months. Last week, Dole recalled bagged Romaine lettuce (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm309601.htm). This recall was due to a positive test result for Listeria and resulted in a recall of 1077 cases distributed in six states.  

Dole also had a recall of bagged lettuce back in April. (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm300414.htm). This came as a result of a positive test for Salmonella.

All three were the result of random sampling conducted by the governmental agencies. Dole is not alone in having to recall bagged salad. Rather, this is the new reality for manufacturers of processed fresh produce.


FDA Recall Notice 6/29/12
Dole Fresh Vegetables Announces Precautionary Recall of Limited Number of Salads
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm310329.htm?source=govdelivery

Contact
Consumer:
Dole Food Company Consumer Response Center
(800) 356-3111

Media:
Marty Ordman
Phone: (818) 874-4834
marty.ordman@dole.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 29, 2012 – Dole Fresh Vegetables is voluntarily recalling 2,598 cases of bagged salad. The product being recalled is Dole Hearts of Romaine coded 0540N165112A or B, with Use-by date of June 26 and UPC 7143000956 due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes. Dole Fresh Vegetables is coordinating closely with regulatory officials. No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall.

The product code and Use-by date are in the upper right-hand corner of the package; the UPC code is on the back of the package, below the barcode. The salads were distributed in nine U.S. states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia).

No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall. This precautionary recall notification is being issued due to an isolated instance in which a sample of Dole Hearts of Romaine salad yielded a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in a random sample test conducted by the FDA.

No other salads are included in the recall. Only the specific Product Codes, UPC codes and June 26, 2012 Use-by date identified above are included in the recall. Consumers who have any remaining product with these Product Codes should not consume it, but rather discard it. Retailers and consumers with questions may call the Dole Food Company Consumer Response Center at (800) 356-3111, which is open 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (PT) Monday - Friday.

Although the product is 3 days past its Use-by date and it is highly unlikely that any product is still available at retail, retailers should check their inventories and store shelves to confirm that none of the product is mistakenly present or available for purchase by consumers or in warehouse inventories. Dole Fresh Vegetables customer service representatives are already contacting retailers and are in the process of confirming that the recalled product is not in the stream of commerce.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause foodborne illness in a person who eats a food item contaminated with it. Symptoms of infection may include fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. The illness primarily impacts pregnant women and adults with weakened immune systems. Most healthy adults and children rarely become seriously ill.

NIH Study - Children with Food Allergies Often Suffer Allergic Reactions

This study, conducted by NIH, shows that a large percentage (72%) of children who have food allergies suffer from an allergic reaction each year, with 11% of those being serious reactions. Often times, the child’s caregiver did not administer epinephrine (didn’t have it, didn’t know how or when to do it). Exposure to allergens was because the child accidently ate a food containing the allergen, but in a limited number of cases, the caregiver intentionally provided the food to the child.

This study demonstrates that parents / caregivers must be more diligent with regard to their child’s food allergies, including knowing the foods children are eating and how to react when an allergic reaction occurs.

Rate of Severe Reactions Higher Than Thought in Young Children with Food Allergies
NIH-Funded Study Finds Some Caregivers Unsure About When to Give Epinephrine
National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
http://www.niaid.nih.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 25, 2012
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2012/Pages/CoFAR2.aspx

Young children with allergies to milk and egg experience reactions to these and other foods more often than researchers had expected, a study reports. The study also found that severe and potentially life-threatening reactions in a significant number of these children occur and that some caregivers are hesitant to give such children epinephrine, a medication that reverses the symptoms of such reactions and can save lives. 

“This study reinforces the importance of doctors, parents and other caregivers working together to be even more vigilant in managing food allergy in children,” said Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. 

The study results appear online in the June 25 issue of Pediatrics and are the latest findings from the Consortium of Food Allergy Research (CoFAR), a network established by NIAID to conduct clinical trials, observational studies and basic research to better understand and treat food allergy. 

The research is part of an ongoing CoFAR observational study that enrolled 512 infants aged 3 to 15 months who at study entry were allergic to milk or egg, or who were likely to be allergic, based on a positive skin test and the presence of moderate-to-severe eczema, a chronic skin condition. The investigators are carefully following these children to see whether their allergies resolve or if new allergies, particularly peanut allergy, develop. The study is ongoing at research hospitals in Baltimore; Denver; Durham, N.C.; Little Rock, Ark.; and New York City.

CoFAR investigators advised parents and caregivers to avoid giving their children foods that could cause an allergic reaction. Study participants also received an emergency action plan, describing the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction to food and what to do if a child has one, along with a prescription and instructions on how to give epinephrine if a severe reaction occurred.

Data compiled from patient questionnaires and clinic visits over three years showed that 72 percent of the children had a food-allergic reaction, and that 53 percent of the children had more than one reaction, with the majority of reactions being to milk, egg or peanut. This translated into a rate of nearly 1 food-allergic reaction per child per year. Approximately 11 percent of the reactions were classified as severe and included symptoms such as swelling in the throat, difficulty breathing, a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness or fainting. Almost all of the severe reactions were caused by ingestion of the allergen rather than inhalation or skin contact.
In only 30 percent of the severe reactions did caregivers administer epinephrine, a drug that alleviates the symptoms of severe reactions by increasing heart rate, constricting blood vessels and opening the airways. Investigators found that caregivers did not give children epinephrine for a number of reasons: the drug was not available, they were too afraid to administer it, they did not recognize the symptoms as those of an allergic reaction, or they did not recognize the reaction as severe.

Issues with meat processing availability as local demand increases

This USDA-ERS report, Slaughter and Processing Options and Issues for Locally Sourced Meat, (http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ldp/2012/06Jun/ldpm21601/ldpm21601.pdf), points out what we have seen for some time - the lack of ‘local’ animal processing capabilities. This has become more of an issue as the trend to local food increases. An important point made in the report is whether a local facility can be viable when taking into account potential inconsistency in supply and the difficulty of determining actual consumer demand. Not discussed to any great extent are the regulatory challenges.

 Abstract

Demand for locally sourced meats has increased in recent years, although it remains a small share of total demand. This report evaluates the availability of slaughter and processing facilities for local meat production and the extent to which these may constrain or support growth in demand for locally sourced meats. Types, number, location, and other salient characteristics of slaughter and processing facilities are outlined by State. Further disaggregation of facilities by capacity and annual volume by species also provides information on slaughter and processing options for local meat producer/marketers. Findings suggest that access to Federal or State-inspected slaughter and processing facilities is limited in some parts of the country. In addition, alternative small-scale slaughter and processing facilities may not be economically feasible in all areas due to a lack of consistent throughput. Alternative methods for slaughter and processing geared toward local markets—such as the use of mobile slaughter units (MSUs) and local and regional market aggregators—can help meet some of the need for increased slaughter and processing capacity in localized areas and enable the growth of small livestock producers marketing product to consumers in their region or community. However, growth in small-scale slaughter and processing facilities depends on whether producers in need of these services can provide enough throughput, for enough of the year, and pay a high enough fee for the services to make such facilities economically viable. This, in turn, depends on the strength of consumer demand for local meats in the coming years.

EWG's Dirty Dozen of Fruit and Vegetables Overstates Real Risk

Each year the Environmental Working Group, a consumer activist organization, releases a list it calls the ‘Dirty Dozen’ - the fruits and vegetables found to that were found to have residual pesticides based upon USDA and FDA analysis. Then the news outlets churn this report out, making consumers worry about the apples and strawberries in their refrigerator.

However, this report does not communicate the real risk. First, the levels found are well below anything that would pose an appreciable risk. Further, this ranking does not have any scientific basis. In a research article published in Journal of Toxicology (abstract below) by Winter and Katz (2011), they state:

In summary, findings conclusively demonstrate that consumer exposures to the ten most frequently detected pesticides on EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” commodity list are at negligible levels and that the EWG methodology is insufficient to allow any meaningful rankings among commodities. We concur with EWG President Kenneth Cook who maintains that “We recommend that people eat healthy by eating more fruits and vegetables, whether conventional or organic” [1], but our findings do not indicate that substituting organic forms of the “Dirty Dozen” commodities for conventional forms will lead to any measurable consumer health benefit.

It is important that consumers include fruits and vegetables as part of their diet. They should not be deterred by headlines that would make them think otherwise.


Dirty Dozen: EWG Reveals List Of Pesticide-Heavy Fruits And Veggies
Huffington Post 06/19/2012 8:05 am Updated: 06/19/2012 8:17 amhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/19/dirty-dozen-foods-list-2012-ewg_n_1606256.html

What could be purer than a single ingredient?

As health-minded consumers work to avoid processed meals and turn their focus to whole foods, we may find ourselves picking up fruits and veggies more often. The average American currently eats about 100 pounds of fresh produce per year, but that number could be a lot higher. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends adults eat two to three daily servings of fruits and veggies, only one-third of us meet that recommendation. 

Clearly, nothing should deter efforts to consume more fresh produce, the healthfulness of which is undeniable. But, as the latest iteration of an annual report reveals, there are some other considerations that health-conscious consumers must face from the supermarket aisle.

For the eighth year in a row, the nonprofit advocacy organization Environmental Working Group has released their list of the twelve most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables on the market as part of their 2012 Shoppers Guide. Overall, they found that 68 percent of the food samples tested had detectable pesticide residues -- even after they had been washed or peeled. Many of the fruits and vegetables listed this year will look familiar to those who follow the yearly report -- apples and bell peppers once again top the list.

Certain pesticides have been identified as potential carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and have been associated with learning and developmental delays in children.

"Organophosphate pesticides are of special concern since they are associated with neurodevelopmental effects in children,” said EWG toxicologist Johanna Congleton in a statement. “Infants in particular should avoid exposure to these pesticides since they are more susceptible to the effects of chemical insult than adults."

Indeed, new research into the pesticide loads of baby food purees made with green beans, sweet potatoes and pears showed high contamination rates in both green beans and pears. Sweet potatoes, by contrast, had virtually no trace of pesticides. 

To learn more about individual pesticides and health risks, check out the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's report on human exposure. 

To compile the rankings, EWG researchers looked at 45 popular fruits and vegetables based on pesticide-load reports conducted by the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration. The database includes 60,700 samples taken over a 10 year period, beginning in 2000. It's important to note that all of the testing is conducted on fruits and vegetables that have been washed and/or peeled -- the typical precautions taken by American consumers.

The researchers factor in how many of the samples test positively for detectable pesticides, how many have more than two discrete pesticides, the concentration (measured by parts per million) of the pesticides found and the highest number of pesticides found in any single sample. The researchers also looked at the total pesticide load of the fruit or vegetable crop as a whole.

And while the list is comprehensive, the ranking doesn't capture all information: For example, though apples were ranked as the most contaminated overall, imported nectarines had the unique distinction of having a full 100 percent rate of positive pesticide test results, above any other product. Bell peppers and grapes were both commonly contaminated with 15 different pesticides in a single sample -- the highest overall diversity of contamination. 

Still, even the researchers who conducted the pesticide exposure studies don't recommend giving up the "Dirty Dozen" outright. 

"The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh [sic] the risks of pesticide exposure," they wrote, recommending instead that consumers purchase organic options wherever available and then choose items from the concurrent "Clean 15" list that details which fruits and veggies have the lowest pesticide loads and residues.


Lots of confusion when it comes to pesticides

BY PHIL LEMPERT June 19, 2012 9:55AM
(http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/food/13183396-423/lots-of-confusion-when-it-comes-to-pesticides.html)

Are you concerned about pesticides?

Sixty percent of consumers express a high concern about pesticide residues, much of which is based on misleading information, according to The Alliance for Food and Farming, a non-profit organization that represents organic and conventional farmers and farms of all sizes. Established in 1989, the Alliance’s goal is to deliver credible information to consumers about the safety of fruits and vegetables. Teresa Thorne, Alliance spokesperson, reported to us that recent surveys show that 29 percent of consumers are buying less fruits and vegetables due to concerns about pesticide residues.

The issue of pesticide residues can be very complex and terms often are used that are unfamiliar to many of us.

The Alliance’s website, safefruitsandveggies.com, is a chance for shoppers to explore science-based information about pesticide residues. The mere “presence” of a pesticide does not mean that the food is harmful, and to demonstrate this fact, the Alliance has provided a pesticide calculation tool, developed by Dr. Robert Krieger, toxicologist with the Personal Chemical Exposure Program at the University of California, Riverside, to see how many servings a man, woman, teen or child could consume and still not have any adverse effects from pesticide residues. Because of the complexity of the residue issue, the calculator was designed to be an easy way to show the very minute levels of pesticide residues that are found (when and if present at all).

Rachael Ray, the Scourge of Food Safety

If you care about the safety of food in any way, you must agree that Rachael Ray is one of the most dangerous of the food show personalities. In the event you don’t watch The View, (and I don’t, but saw this story on the Meatingplace blog http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/Blogs/Details/33748?allowguest=true), Ms. Ray claims that pink ground meat is safe as long as it is local/organic….that you know the source of your meat. However, research has shown that organic or local foods are not inherently safer than conventional products. That is, they can and will contain the pathogens…if not more. So where does she get her misguided information? And how can ABC televise this?

Maybe it is time for a lawyer guy like Bill Marler to put a little courtroom smack-down on ABC and Rachael Ray. Not likely to happen. But it is certainly criminal that a show can espouse such dangerous, misguided practices to the public. Shame on her for pretending to know something about food and ABC for broadcasting it.

Undercooking beef, pork, or chicken, regardless of the source, poses a risk. If you want your burger pink inside, either understand and accept the risk of foodborne illness or buy irradiated ground beef. Otherwise, use a thermometer to ensure that the center point reaches 160ºF for beef.
So if you must,
http://abc.go.com/watch/clip/the-view/SH002253950000/PL5554876/VD55208821/rachael-ray-on-the-view/moments

Increased Risk of T. gondii in Free Range Animals

There has been some recent press surrounding Toxoplasmosis gondii, a parasite that has been identified as one of the leading causes of foodborne related deaths and hospitalizations. This parasite is acquired when individuals consume undercooked meat that is infected with the cysts imbedded in the tissue or when people come in contact with contaminated cat feces (cats are a natural host organism and they excrete/poop the more resistant oocyte). It can be a major health issue in immunosuppressed individuals including pregnant women with the infection being passed on congenitally, and it can cause mild illness in healthy individuals. (CDC link below) It can cause acute ocular disease. (Other studies have linked T. gondii infection with schizophrenia - citation below). 

The concern proposed in this journal article is that organically raised meat is more likely to be a source of T. gondii. Free range pigs (organically raised) are more likely to be contaminated with the organism in that their diet is less controlled and so they are more likely to eat in places contaminated by cat feces. In one study, 17 of 33 organically raised pigs from Michigan were contaminated with T. gondii (in another study, the level in commercial pork was much lower ~0.3%). In free range chickens, the prevalence was higher (est greater than 17%) compared to commercially raised poultry (0%). The organism or the antibodies to the organism have also been found in sheep, goats (and unpasteurized goat milk), and venison.

Adequate cooking and freezing are important to prevent infection, especially free range/organically raised pork (as well as goat and sheep). Of course, preventing contaminated by infected cats is important. (Outdoor cats are more likely to become contaminated than indoor cats.)

(Free range animals may also be a higher risk for other pathogenic paracites such as Trichinella).

Foodborne Toxoplasmosis
Jeffrey L. Jonesa and J.P. Dubeyb
Clinical Infectious Disease. (2012)
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis can be due to congenital infection or acquired infection after birth and is one of the leading illnesses associated with foodborne hospitalizations and deaths. Undercooked meat, especially pork, lamb, and wild game meat, and soil contaminated with cat feces on raw fruits and vegetables are the major sources of foodborne transmission for humans. The new trend in the production of free-range organically raised meat could increase the risk of Toxoplasma gondii contamination of meat. Foodborne transmission can be prevented by production practices that reduce T. gondii in meat, adequate cooking of meat, washing of raw fruits and vegetables, prevention of cross contamination in the kitchen, and measures that decrease spread of viable oocysts into the environment.

High number of product recalls lowering consumers attentiveness

Interesting story in USAToday on the high number of product recalls and the impact on consumers. 

Last year there were 2,363 product recalls. Are things worse…probably not. Rather, the high number is due to an increased amount of testing and better regulatory oversight as well as the impact of social media (reporting by consumers).   However, the negative impact of the high number of recalls is that people are probably not paying as much attention…there is no shock value. This can become an issue if a recall is due to a significant hazard that can impact consumer’s health. 

This increasing lack of concern by consumers puts additional burden on manufacturers and retailers on ways to ensure that people take appropriate action when a recall occurs….or to make it right the first time.  

Surge in products being recalled may be numbing consumersBy Christopher Doering, Gannett Washington Bureau  
USA Today 6/10/12http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/story/2012-06-08/product-recall-surge-consumer-fatigue/55466398/1

U.S. regulators, retailers and manufacturers are growing increasingly concerned that a surge in the number of products being recalled is resulting in "fatigue" by the public — increasing the chance that consumers could ignore or miss a recall that could ultimately endanger their health.

Consumers last year were deluged with 2,363 recalls, or about 6.5 recalls each day, covering consumer products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food, according to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Agriculture and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recalls announced mark a nearly 14 percent increase from 2,081 in 2010 and compare with about 1,460 in 2007.

Experts say the increase is the result of a combination of greater oversight by regulators, better testing procedures and the use of social media where consumers can quickly point out and discuss problems with other people.

"We're experiencing recall fatigue in my mind at the consumer level and also perhaps at the business level, and we all have to worry about that," said Mike Rozembajgier, vice president of recalls for Stericycle ExpertRecall, an Indianapolis-based firm which has provided advice and helped major U.S. companies, including Merck, General Electric and Wendy's, carry out recalls.

"We have this growing concern for safety, but with there being so many recalls going on (is the public) paying attention to them and responding to them in a manner that is necessary for the recalls to be handled effectively?" he said.

This year alone hundreds of recalls have already been announced. Pfizer recalled birth control pills after it was found there may have been an inexact number of pills that also could have been out of sequence, increasing the chance of an unintended pregnancy. IKEA asked its customers to return about 169,000 high chairs because the restraint buckle could open unexpectedly. And Dole warned the public not to eat a lettuce salad mix because of a possible health risk from salmonella.

Retailers and government regulators are increasingly struggling to reach people who may not know about a recall, or choose to ignore it despite the potential dangers. A 2009 study conducted by Rutgers found 12% of Americans ate food they knew had been recalled and 40% admitted never having looked for recalled products in their homes.

Increasingly, retailers and government agencies are expanding the methods they use to communicate with the public — from social-media technologies such as Twitter and Facebook to more traditional methods such as phone calls and postings within their stores. But the same methods that prove successful in reaching one customer could just as easily be ignored by another.

"We don't feel that our members are getting bombarded but certainly the general public is and sooner or later you don't know what to believe," said Craig Wilson, vice president for quality assurance and food safety at the warehouse giant Costco.

The 602-store warehouse chain uses data supplied from its estimated 60 million members and notifies them within 24 hours if they've purchased a recalled item. It then follows up with a letter. The result is that customers return about 90% of recently recalled products and, in the case of major recalls such as when a food product could cause serious health problems or death, Costco gets "the majority of everything that was sold back."

But Wilson says the national recall system "doesn't work as designed" and that consumers and retailers alike would benefit from a single, uniform network. He says the CPSC, USDA and FDA each have a different recall system with unique requirements, making it more difficult for companies like his to make sure they are complying with the rules.

At Rochester, New York-based Wegmans, the grocery chain has a detailed recall plan that can require hundreds of people to carry out. The 81-store East Coast chain follows a recall protocol increasingly common among retailers: posting recall information on its web page and within stores for customers, notifying its followers using social media tools and, when possible, calling individuals who may have used a store card for the purchase.

"We do what we can to protect our customers but then our customers have to protect themselves and they can't do that unless they have the information," said Jeanne Colleluori with Wegmans. Last year alone, Colleluori said Wegmans participated in about 40 recalls, and the retailer was ahead of that pace in 2012 with about 16 recalls as of early May.

Businesses can ease the burden of a recall on their reputation and bottom line by being honest and upfront with their customers and crafting a response plan before any recall occurs that outlines what they will do with the public, media and regulators, industry watchers say.

"Many companies are being criticized not because they are not doing the right thing but because they are taking too long," said Sophie Ann Terrisse, chief executive of STC Associates, a brand-management firm.

She said some firms fail to estimate the work needed to conduct a recall and quickly become overwhelmed, leading to slow responses or poor customer service from representatives who don't have the time or know how to respond properly. "Things can get out of hand very quickly and it's hard to recover from that" for the brand and the company's core audience, said Terrisse.
Companies involved in recalls all say their primary concern is protecting the public — but they also have a business interest as well. "Our concern is for our customers but we have to protect our name as well, and we are very much aware that when there is a recall if it is a Wegmans brand product our reputation is at stake," said Wegmans' Colleluori.

Changing Times for Risk Management in the Food Supply Chain

How much do you know and trust your food supply chain? David Acheson’s fine opinion piece (below) discusses the impact of the lawsuit against Jensen Farms in the cantaloupe related listeria outbreak and the need for managing risk in an establishment’s food supply chain. The cantaloupe related lawsuit is posed to go beyond Jensen Farms and pursue those who handled or sold the contaminated produce as well as the company that inspected the processing facility. Is this the next development in requirements for the food industry?

A few comments on a few of the impactful points he makes:

The need for tighter control of suppliers, going beyond the third party audit, especially for high risk food products. Companies have become too reliant on third party audits to evaluate suppliers. As those who may be familiar with this process know, the value of that audit all comes down to the inspector’s ability to identify critical issues within a company’s food safety system. As past recalls have shown, there are knowledgeable auditors and those that are not so. And then there has been the issues with the supplier paying for the audit, that potential trade-off between the achieving a good score and providing an accurate assessment. A third party audit is just a part of the food safety system, but not the only component. And like any food safety program, it must be managed.

The potential negative impact on small suppliers. Many retailers and foodservice companies rely on small companies to create and manufacturer private label products. There is also a movement to use local farmers to supply produce. If food companies must take a higher level of responsibility for everyone that is producing, processing, and delivering products, there can be a trend for companies to either integrate operations or for them to use few suppliers that they can better manage. This consolidation would potentially result in the use of a few larger establishments that can provide all companies needs instead of using a patchwork of smaller suppliers.

We have come to a confluence of somewhat opposing trends – the desire of consumers to have fresher foods that require less preparation and are available year round (w/ the subsequent increase in the amount of imported foods), the movement towards local foods (and smaller firms that may or may not have the required level of food safety systems in place), an ever improving foodborne-disease-detection system, and a lawsuit-driven punishment system that appears ready to go beyond the responsible party and collect retribution from the linked food chain. Is it possible to develop trust through validation and verification of the supply chain?


Today: Walmart, Kroger, Primus. Tomorrow: You?by David Acheson on June 7, 2012 in Food Safety
http://leavittpartnersblog.com/2012/06/today-walmart-kroger-primus-tomorrow-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=today-walmart-kroger-primus-tomorrow-you

Last week, Jensen Farms, the grower of the cantaloupe implicated in the Listeria outbreak of 2011, filed for bankruptcy. Prominently listed in the filing were lawsuits associated with the outbreak, from which 146 people were sickened and 36 died. According to the Denver Post, Jensen’s attorney said the filing should free up millions of dollars in insurance and other funds.

Foodborne illness attorney Bill Marler has filed at least 11 lawsuits and is representing almost 40 families or persons said to have been sickened or killed because of the contaminated cantaloupe. According to an article in Marler-published Food Safety News, the bankruptcy filing means that his clients “can move on to file lawsuits against companies further down the supply chain: Frontera Produce, the cantaloupe distributor; retailers such as Walmart and Kroger; and Primus Labs, the third-party auditor whose subcontractor, Bio-Food Safety, gave Jensen Farms facilities a ‘superior’ inspection rating just six days before the outbreak began.”

“Bankruptcy of Jensen Farms was a necessary prerequisite to allowing families of those who died and those who were injured to seek compensation against Frontera, Primus, suppliers and retailers,” Marler said.

If Mr. Marler is successful in bringing and winning these cases, it is telling us that someone as distant from the farm as the retailer is highly vulnerable to being sued if a farmer’s product makes someone sick and that farm then declares bankruptcy. If you sell adulterated food – or have some role in handling, distributing, or maybe even transporting anywhere along the food chain of that adulterated food, you would be liable to some extent – regardless of the cause or origination of the contamination.

What does this mean to you and the industry?

We are back to that old issue of controlling risk in the supply chain. It is becoming increasingly important that you spend time assessing and addressing risk across your product line supply chains. As we’ve seen in recent outbreaks, it is not enough to focus on historical incidents – cantaloupe was not known to carry Listeria; raw egg has long been a factor in Salmonella outbreaks, but it was likely the cookie dough flour that caused that 2011E.coli O157:H7 outbreak.

Risk assessment is not only critical for consumer and brand protection, it is a key aspect of the preventive provisions of FSMA. In fact, the pending rule, Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (Section 103) focuses directly on this area. As we stated in a previous newsletter, preventive controls should be tied to preventing foodborne illness, not just decreasing product contamination.

The vulnerability of not knowing and validating your entire supply chain is becoming more evident. One forward, one back may still be law for product tracking, but back to the farm is fast becoming the legal definition of responsibility. And without continuing the barrage against third-party auditors too heavily, it is a responsibility that processors and retailers are becoming leery of outsourcing, especially for high-risk products. And should these companies decide to conduct all their own supplier assessments and audits because they no longer trust outsourced audits, it could force food-industry consolidation and will fly in the face of robust programs like GFSI. I would like to bet that a Kroger or a Walmart would rather conduct 50 audits of large farms than be forced to audit 500 small farms. It is a potential that does not bode well for small suppliers, and could literally cut them out of the loop for many retailers.

In addition, whether or not such potential would come to fruition, supply chain management is specifically listed as an area for which risk-based preventive controls are required by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). As noted in a previous newsletter on FSMA key provisions, as part of its food safety plan, a facility may be required to document sanitation procedures, a recall plan, a food allergen control program, supplier verification activities, and environmental sampling testing.

E. coli 0145 Outbreak, 14 Cases, Source Currently Unknown

According to news reports (link below), health officials from Georgia and CDC are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O145 that has made 14 ill across 6 southern states (GA, AL, TN, FL, CA and LA). One 21-month-old girl from New Orleans has died as a result of complications of infection. The source of this outbreak is not yet known.

E. coli O145, like the E. coli O157:H7 strains can cause severe diarrhea as well as damage kidney function. It has not been linked to as many outbreaks as the O157 strain, but was responsible for the 2010 outbreak linked to shredded romaine lettuce where there 26 confirmed cases and 7 probable. http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2010/ecoli_o145/index.html

USDA identifies this O145 strain along with O157 and 5 other STEC strains as adulterants and began testing for these strains on meat trimmings on June 4, 2012. From the USDA May 31st news release (below): “ The additional strains that will be treated as adulterants beginning today are Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145. Like E. coli O157:H7, these serogroups can cause severe illness and even death, and young children and the elderly are at highest risk.”


E. coli outbreak in six states sickens 14, kills childJune 8, 2012 1:21 PM CBS News Staff
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57449652-10391704/e-coli-outbreak-in-six-states-sickens-14-kills-child/
(CBS/AP) - Health officials are investigating a mysterious and scattered outbreak of the E. coli bacteria linked to 14 illnesses and one death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said no form of contaminated food or other cause has been identified in the illnesses, which occurred in April and May. They are spread among six states. 

Three people were hospitalized. One - a child in the New Orleans area - died last week. The Georgia Department of Public Health on Wednesday confirmed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the state has five confirmed cases with one sufferer needing hospitalization.

The outbreak strain is E. coli 0145, a dangerous but not well-known type of bacteria. The strain was fingered in a 2010 outbreak that sickened more than two dozen people in at least five states. The most commonly identified strain in North America is E. coli O157, and has been responsible for numerous outbreaks.

Some strains of E. coli are harmless, but others can cause serious and potentially lethal illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. E. coli infection typically causes stomach cramps, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), vomiting, and mild fever. Some kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses. 

Symptoms typically appear within four days, though sometimes the "incubation period" can last a week.

Insurance and Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

When a foodborne illness outbreak occurs, having insurance, and enough insurance, can be the difference between a company surviving or not. Below is an article on liability insurance with regard to Jensen Farms and the cantaloupe outbreak.

Many firms carry liability insurance, which helps to cover claims in the event of a foodborne illness case. In some cases, such as with the cantaloupe outbreak, Jensen Farms had an insufficient amount of insurance to cover the deaths resulting from Listeria infection.

Liability insurance is different from recall insurance, which is needed to cover the cost of a recall. Recalls can be extremely costly, especially when large amounts of product must be recalled. Topps Meats (E. coli O157:H7) had insufficient recall insurance to cover the massive recall (21.7 million pounds of ground meat) after their product was linked to a foodborne illness outbreak.

It is hard to plan for the worst, and even to plan for the unthinkable. Of course, investing in the company’s food safety program could go a long way in preventing issues like this in the first place.


Liability insurance: How much is enough? by Tim Linden The Produce Newshttp://producenews.com/index.php/news-dep-menu/test-featured/7945-liability-insurance-how-much-is-enough
Colorado-based Jensen Farms, which was the source of the Listeria-tainted cantaloupes that sickened and killed scores of people last year, recently filed for bankruptcy protection as there is no way its liability insurance coverage will cover the claims arising from the case.

 Bill Marler of Marler Clark, a well-known Seattle-based attorney who specializes in foodborne illness cases, said that if all 146 people sickened or killed file claims, the damages would be in the neighborhood of $150 million. Though it baffles him as to why, in these types of cases, typically less than half of the victims do file claims.

 In this case about 50 claims have been filed so far, representing about two-thirds of the deaths and only about 25 percent of the illnesses. Virtually everyone who fell ill was hospitalized, he said, so basically every one of the 146 people have legitimate expenses caused by the eating of those cantaloupes.

Still, he estimates that the total damages for the 55 or so claims that will be filed would be about $75 million — only half of the potential damages but still much more than the $2.5 million liability insurance coverage that Jensen owns.

Mr. Marler said that as part of the bankruptcy proceedings, Jensen Farms will put that $2.5 million in a trust fund that will be administered by a special master and distributed to the claimants in some equitable way.

In this case, Greg Nelson, director of commercial lines for Western Growers Insurance Services, based in Irvine, CA, said it was virtually impossible for the Colorado firm to have enough liability insurance to cover the damages.

“In the first place, it would be very difficult to find an insurance company to write that large of a policy for a company of that size,” he said. “And secondly, it would be very expensive.”

Mr. Nelson said that general business liability insurance, which covers product liability, costs about $1,000 to $2,000 per year for each $1 million in coverage. So even if Jensen Farms could have found a policy for $100 million, it would have cost them between $100,000 and $200,000 per year.

The Western Growers executive said that for most companies of that size, it would not be a prudent business decision. “How much a company buys is strictly a business decision,” he said.

While he said that there is no rule of thumb, most produce firms have policies in the $1 million to $2 million range, though it is not uncommon for some of the mid-size or larger companies to have $5 million to $10 million in liability coverage.

And Mr. Nelson said that the largest companies in the industry might have $25 million to $50 million policies, especially if they sell to the larger retailers, which demand that type of coverage from some of their customers.

He said that the average company should start with the value of their firm when determining how much coverage to buy. A firm with about $10 million in assets might have a $10 million general business liability policy. More coverage than that might be difficult to justify as a business decision when what is being protected against is a very rare occurrence.

After all, a catastrophic event like the Listeria outbreak tied to cantaloupes is almost a one-in-a-million occurrence.

 “I’d rather see them spend the money on prevention so that they don’t have a problem,” he said.