Some specific types of salads and sandwiches sold at Target stores throughout the country are being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Those salads and sandwiches were produced by Elevation Foods on June 18, 2019. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue. You can see pictures of the recalled products at the FDA web site. The company believes that fewer than 1,087 cases of these products have been shipped. The salads and sandwiches were made at Elevation Foods' Knoxville, Tennessee facility. The recalled salads and sandwiches have "use by" dates printed on the side of each container. The lot number is printed on the side or lid. This recall applies only to the products with the specific lot numbers and use by dates listed … [Read more...]
Food Poisoning Outbreak at Masonic Snow Lodge in Boone, NC Sickens 8
A food poisoning outbreak at the Masonic Snow Lodge at 240 Temple Drive in Boone, North Carolina has sickened eight people. All ate at a barbecue fundraiser that was held Friday, July 19, 2019. Those eight cases are laboratory confirmed. A "number of others" have also been sickened, according to the press release. The press release does not specify which pathogen has sickened these people. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, which are typical for any number of bacteria, parasites, and viruses. The most common foodborne illnesses are caused by Salmonella, norovirus, Clostridium perfringens, and Campylobacter. Jennifer Green, Health Director of AppeHealthCare in Alleghany and Ashe counties in North Carolina, said in a statement, "We do not have a … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Illness Spike in New York City Causes Concern
A cyclospora illness spike in New York city have raised concern among public health officials. More than 90 cases have been reported in that city since January 1, 2019, compared to 56 cases in in 2018, and 43 cases in 2017 during the same time period. Since July 1, 2019 alone there have been 40 cases diagnosed and reported to the New York City Health Department. About 30% of those patients have traveled outside the U.S. two weeks, mostly to Latin America, before they got sick, which is the typical reason people contract this infection. The cyclospora parasite is endemic to tropical and subtropical regions around the globe. Investigators are looking at the 70% of cyclospora cases who did not travel outside the country to see if there is a possible common food source. New York … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Outbreak in Michigan Associated with Taste Restaurant Sickens Eight
A cyclospora outbreak in Southwest Michigan has sickened at least eight people, according to a news release from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Preliminary information suggests that those sickened were exposed to food products that were prepared or distributed by Taste restaurant in South Haven. Those people have gotten sick in the last month. And at least 14 other people are being investigated as being part of this outbreak cluster. Those sickened have said they have been eating out in Southwest Michigan since mid June. Officials from the The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and Van Buren/Cass District Health Department are investigating this outbreak. The press … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Outbreak in Boston Sickens More Than 80 People
A cyclospora outbreak in the Boston area has sickened more than 80 people since May 2019, according to news reports. Dr. Larry Maddoff, medical director for the Bureau of Infectious Diseases and Laboratory Sciences at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health told Boston 25 News about this outbreak. Most of those sickened live in the greater Boston area and eastern Massachusetts. There is no word on which food may have carried the parasite, but most cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. in the past few years have been linked to fresh produce. Cyclospora outbreaks have been occurring every summer in the United States in the past years. Last year, a cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald's salads sickened more than 500 people. And a cyclospora outbreak linked to Del Monte vegetable … [Read more...]
Retailers in TX and LA Should Stop Selling Kazy’s Gourmet Seafood For Listeria
The FDA has advised retailers and restaurants in Texas and Louisiana to stop selling or serving products from Topway Enterprises, doing business as Kazy's Gourmet Seafood Production, because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The government is most concerned about salmon and tuna produced by the company for raw consumption. These products may be incorporated into sushi. The products in questions were sold July 10 through July 13, 2019. They are sold as fillets wrapped in clear plastic wrap. These product do not have a long shelf life, although they may be frozen. These products should be discarded. Retailers and restaurants should also clean and sanitize the surfaces that these products were served, stored, or prepared on. The FDA conducted an inspection of Topway … [Read more...]
Agroson’s Will Not Recall Cavi Papayas Likely Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
The FDA has updated the Salmonella Uganda outbreak likely linked to fresh papayas imported from Mexico, stating that they have asked Agroson's LLC, the distributor of the Cavi brand of papayas, to recall that product. Agroson's has refused to initiate a recall. The FDA has contacted the company's wholesale customers to make sure that the fruit is no longer for sale, has been discarded, or has not been further processed or frozen. The FDA is recommending that consumers in all states not eat Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas and should throw them away. If you can't determine the brand of papayas you purchased, discard them. And retailers, restaurants and other food service providers should not serve or sell whole, fresh papayas under the Cavi brand. The update also states that … [Read more...]
Growers Express Recalls More Fresh Veggies For Listeria
Growers Express is expanding their recall of some fresh veggies for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The original recall was issued on July 1, 2019. There are no illnesses reported to date in connection with this recall or the earlier recall. Further testing of an additional product lot from the suspected source of the bacteria found a single retail sample that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The company has expanded the list of recalled products to include certain specific fresh Brussels sprouts, fresh cauliflower florets, and fresh green beans with specific dates. These recalled products originated from a Growers Express facility Biddeford, Maine. They were distributed to retail outlets in Massachusetts and Maine. Growers Express is no longer buying … [Read more...]
Ground Bison Recalled In Canada For E. coli O121 and O103
Northfork Bison Distributions, of Quebec, Canada, is recalling ground bison products in Canada because they may be contaminated with E. coli O121 and E. coli O103. These products are linked to an outbreak in the United States that has sickened at least 21 people, but there are no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products in Canada. Some of these products were recalled in the U.S. on July 16, 2019. The recalled products were sold nationwide at the retail level. The recalled products are Natural Frontier Foods Bison - ground meat in 208 gram packages, with UPC number 6 76842 00147 7; Sensations Extra Lean Ground Bison in 280 gram packages, with UPC number 6 23682 11159 0; and La Terre des Bisons Bison ground (lean) in 1.5 pound containers with UPC … [Read more...]
Pig Ear Dog Treat Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 93; Multiple Strains Found
The pig ear dog treat Salmonella outbreak has now sickened at least 93 people in 27 states. Twenty people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The patient case count by state is: Alabama (1), Arizona (1), California (1), Colorado (2), Florida (2), Georgia (1), Hawaii (1), Illinois (6), Indiana (4), Iowa (18), Kansas (3), Kentucky (4), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (4), Michigan (9), Minnesota (1), Missouri (5), New York (11), North Carolina (1), North Dakota (1), Ohio (5), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (3), South Carolina (1), Utah (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (3). The patient age range is from less than 1 year to 90. Of 67 people who provided information to investigators, 20, or 30%, has been hospitalized. That is 50% higher than the typical percentage in Salmonella … [Read more...]
