A Clostridium perfringens outbreak sickened hundreds of people who ate at the Poplar Tent Presbyterian Church BBQ on November 1, 2018. The Cabarrus Health Alliance reported that at least 290 people had reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea after that event. The bacteria that caused the illness was identified as Clostridium perfringens after food samples were tested. Clostridium perfringens outbreaks are common around the holidays, because the bacteria grows in food prepared in quantities. When gravies or stews are not kept at a safe temperature, the bacteria easily grows. These outbreaks happen when large groups gather, such as events with catered food, nursing homes, schools, and hospitals. So how can you prevent these outbreaks? Clostridium perfringens bacteria are … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Pesto Tapenade and Chicken Thighs Recalled for Allergens
Two foods are being recalled for undeclared allergens. Pumpkin Pesto Tapenade is recalled for undeclared walnuts, or tree nuts, and chicken thighs are recalled for undeclared wheat and soy. No allergic reactions have been reported to the company to date in regard to the chicken thighs, but one allergic reaction was reported in association with the pumpkin pesto tapenade. Deleite Foods of Salt Lake City, Utah, is recalling marinated chicken thighs for undeclared wheat and soy. About 11,000 pounds of that product is recalled. The product was produced and packaged on October 12, 15, and 16, 2018. The recalled product is 30 pound cases each containing 3 10-pound bags of frozen "Marinated Chicken Thighs Meat Diced - SUPC 7009466", with lot codes 101218, 101518, and 101618. The product has … [Read more...]
Swift Beef Recalls Ground Beef Products for Possible E. coli O157:H7
Swift Beef Company of Hyrum, Utah is recalling about 99,260 pounds of raw non-intact ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this issue. The products were made on October 24, 2018. The recalled products are 2,000 pounds of bulk pallets of Swift Ground Beef 81/19 (81% lean) Fine Grind Combo with product code 42982; 8-10 pound plastic wrapped chubs of “blue ribbon BEEF” Ground Beef 81/19 (81% lean) Coarse Grind with the product code 42410; 8-10 pound plastic wrapped chubs of “blue ribbon BEEF” Ground Beef 93/07 (93% lean) Coarse Grind with product code 42413; 8-10 pound plastic wrapped chubs of “blue ribbon BEEF” Ground Beef 85/15 (85% lean) Coarse Grind bearing product code 42415; and 8-10 … [Read more...]
Majestic Meat Company Recalls Ground Beef For Possible E. coli O157:H7
Majestic Meat Company of Salt Lake City, Utah is recalling about 532 pounds of ground beef because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with this recall. The Majestic Meat Company ground beef, ground patties, and meatball produts that are being recalled were produced on November 8, 2018. You can see the long list of recalled products at the USDA website. The recalled products are sold under the brand names Majestic Meat AND 44 FARMS. They include Ground Beef Patties 80/20, bulk Ground Beef 80/20, Beef Patty Chuck 80/20, and Meatball Beef, Pork, Veal Ground. USDA inspectors identified that product associated with a sample that tested positive for E. coli O157:Hy7 had been shipped. The establishment … [Read more...]
Green Cedar Ackawi Cheese Recalled for Possible Listeria
Green Cedar Ackawi Cheese is being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. This cheese was distributed at retail locations in East Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, Michigan. No reports of illness connected to this issue have been received to date. The Green Cedar Ackawi cheese is sold in a small clear plastic shrink wrapped package with a "sell by" date of March 26, 2019 or later. The "sell by" date is printed on a white sticker that is placed on the back of the product. The issue was discovered on November 9, 2018 during a routine inspection by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Food & Dairy Division (MDARD) and the FDA. If you bought this cheese, do not eat it, even if you plan to cook with it. Wrap the cheese in several layers of … [Read more...]
A Few Boxes of Cap’n Crunch Peanut Butter Cereal Recalled for Possible Salmonella
Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch cereal is being recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. Just 21 boxes of one variety with two Best Before Dates that were sold at five specific Target stores are recalled. Routine sampling by the company found that the finished cereal may contain pathogenic bacteria. The boxes of cereal that are part of this recall were purchased after November 5, 2018. The recalled product is for 21 17.1 ounce boxes of Cap’n Crunch’s Peanut Butter Crunch cereal with UPC number 0 30000 6211 1 and Best Before Dates of JUL 30 19 and JUL 31 19. These boxes were purchased at the following Target stores: Super Target at 4001 North 132nd Street in Omaha, Nebraska; P-Fresh at 4250 Rusty Road in St. Louis, Missouri; Super Target at 10800 East 21st Street North in … [Read more...]
Honey Pacifiers Give Four Texas Infants Botulism Poisoning
Honey pacifiers from Mexico have given botulism poisoning to four infants in Texas. Many people don't know this, but honey can contain Clostridium botulinum spores and should never be fed to children under the age of one. The pacifiers are filled with or dipped in honey. These pacifiers were purchased in Mexico, but some similar products can be found in the U.S. through online retailers. All four infants have been hospitalized. There is no word on their condition, or if they have recovered or have been released from the hospital. The Clostridium botulinum spores can multiple in a baby's immature and developing immune system. The FDA, CDC, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents do not give honey to young children. The toxin is also made by Clostridium … [Read more...]
Jennie-O Ground Turkey Recalled in Association with Salmonella Outbreak
Jennie-O Turkey Store of Wisconsin is recalling about 91,388 pounds or raw ground turkey products that may be associated with an outbreak of Salmonella Reading infections. At least 164 people in 35 states are ill in this outbreak. One person in California died. The raw ground turkey products were made on September 11, 2018. The recalled products include 1-pound packages of Jennie-O GROUND TURKEY 93% LEAN | 7% FAT with use by dates of 10/01/2018 and 10/02/2018; 1-pound packages of Jennie-O TACO SEASONED GROUND TURKEY with a use by date of 10/02/2018; 1-pound packages of Jennie-O GROUND TURKEY 85% LEAN | 15% FAT with a use by date of 10/02/2018; and 1-pound packages of Jennie-O ITALIAN SEASONED GROUND TURKEY with a use by date of 10/02/2018. The products subject to recall bear … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Turkey Food Safety Tips From the CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is offering Thanksgiving turkey food safety tips, especially about your holiday turkey. This year, a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Reading has sickened at least 164 people in 35 states, hospitalized 63 of those patients, and killed one person in California. The statement says, "Food handling errors and inadequate cooing are the most common problems that lead to poultry-associated foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States." You need to know that most poultry products sold in this country are contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. For instance, Consumer Reports found that 97% of the chicken breasts they purchased were contaminated. So it's up to the consumer to protect himself. Here are the Thanksgiving food safety steps you … [Read more...]
Cook Your Turkey Frozen to Avoid the Salmonella Outbreak This Thanksgiving
An antibiotic-resistant Salmonella Reading outbreak is linked to raw turkey, so with Thanksgiving approaching, many people are concerned. One person in California has died. The states with the most illnesses are Minnesota, Illinois, Texas, and New York. This outbreak is serious because officials have not been able to link it to a specific product. They simply say that "raw turkey products from a variety of sources are contaminated with Salmonella Reading and are making people sick." So cook turkey from the frozen state! Using this method, you will avoid any cross-contamination issues with turkey juices dripping around your kitchen. This method is approved by the USDA. I got this information from Dr. O Peter Snyder, a former food science professor at the University of … [Read more...]
