Restaurant shredded pork is associated with a Salmonella outbreak in the greater Toronto area in Ontario, Canada, according to a recall notice posted at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) web site. Illnesses associated with the consumption of these products are being investigated by the Ministry of Health in Ontario and Public Health Ontario, local public health units, and food safety partners.
There is no word on the number of people sickened, the patient age range, illness onset dates, or the names of the restaurants. Neither Public Health Ontario or The Ministry of Health in Ontario have posted anything about this outbreak. The notice did state that the restaurants are serving the recalled products in Vietnamese/Asian meals in the greater Toronto area.
Public health officials are warning restaurants in the area not to purchase, use, or serve these products because they may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. The recalled products were sold frozen in clear plastic bags with no labels, no lot codes, no identifiers, and no cooking instructions. There is no evidence that these products were sold directly to consumers and they do not appear to be available at supermarkets.
The recalled products have no brand name. They include shredded pork rind in various sizes, with no UPC number and no codes. The second recalled product is shredded pork skin sold in various sizes with no UPC numbers and no codes.
The symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning usually start six hours to six days after infection. People who are more likely to experience serious or life-threatening complications include the very young, the elderly, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, and those with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include a fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal and stomach pain and cramps, and diarrhea that can be bloody.
There is a Salmonella outbreak in the United States that has restaurant clusters, but there is no indication that these two outbreaks are related at this time.
If you have eaten shredded pork rind or pork skin at an Asian/Vietnamese restaurant or those tips of meals in a restaurant and have been ill with these symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this restaurant shredded pork outbreak.
