The Duncan Hines possible cake mix Salmonella Agbeni outbreak has ended with 7 sick in 5 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No people were hospitalized in this outbreak and there were no deaths. As of January 14, 2019, the outbreak appears to be over. Illness onset dates ranged from June 13, 2018 to October 5, 2018. The patient age range was from 26 to 72. The case count by state is: Florida (1), Maryland (2), Missouri (1), Ohio (2), and Wisconsin (1). On November 5, 2018, ConAgra Brands recalled four different varieties of Duncan Hines Cake Mix. Officials in Oregon found Salmonella Agbeni in a box of Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix. If you have any of these products in your home, throw them away in a sealed package in a secure garbage can. … [Read more...]
Duncan Hines Cake Mix Possible Salmonella Outbreak Ends with 7 Sick
Two 2018 Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreaks Sicken 8, Kill One
There were just two Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks in the U.S. in 2018, but the results were severe. In all, eight people were sickened, all eight were hospitalized because they were so sick, and one person died. The first outbreak was linked to Johnston County Hams. Four people in 2 states were sickened. One person, who lived in Virginia, died. On October 3, 2018, Johnston County Hams recalled ready-to-eat deli hams. One of the problems with deli meats is that the pathogen can survive the standard cleaning procedures most delis use. In that outbreak, public health investigators used the PulseNet system to find people who were infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes. The illness onset date ranged from July 8, 2018 to August 11, 2018. Three patients lived in … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreaks in 2018 Sickened 1,394 People
Salmonella outbreaks linked to food products in 2018 were numerous and severe; 15 were multistate. In fact, seven of the top 10 multistate outbreaks of the year were caused by different strains of Salmonella bacteria. By July 2018, there were five multistate outbreaks that sickened at least 553 people. In all, at least 1,394 people were sickened by Salmonella in ground beef, chicken salad, pasta salad, turkey, cereal, tahini, cake mix, chicken, eggs, and melons. And six of these outbreaks are still ongoing. The words "at least" are used because most people who contract Salmonella infections never see a doctor, so are not diagnosed and added to an outbreak total. Epidemiologists use what is called a "multiplier" to estimate the actual number sickened in Salmonella outbreaks. That … [Read more...]
E. coli O157:H7 Romaine Lettuce Outbreak Ends With 62 Sick
The latest E. coli O157:H7 romaine lettuce outbreak has ended with 62 sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those people live in 16 states and the District of Columbia. The case count by state is: California (12), Connecticut (1), Washington DC (1), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Illinois (2), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), Michigan (7), New Hampshire (6), New Jersey (13), New York (7), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (5), Rhode Island (1), and Wisconsin (1). Illness onset dates ranged from October 7, 2018 to December 4, 2018. Twenty-five people were hospitalized because they were so sick. Two people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. The FDA, CDC, and state partners investigated farms and cooling facilities in … [Read more...]
Risks of Food Poisoning in Packaged and Prepared Foods
There have been quite a few food poisoning outbreaks in 2018 that were linked to packaged and prepared foods, that is, foods that have been prepared in a factory or plant. The Fareway/Triple T chicken salad Salmonella outbreak is one example, as is the Salmonella Mbandaka outbreak that was linked to Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal and the Salmonella outbreak linked to Hy Vee Spring Pasta Salad. Both of these items were "ready-to-eat," which means that the consumer doesn't heat them before eating. That makes them risky, according to an article by Consumer Reports. There is zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in ready-to-eat products in this country, but no such restrictions apply to Salmonella bacteria. Packaged and prepared foods may seem safe, but they can cause … [Read more...]
Miller’s Biodiversity Farm Raw Milk Products in Harrisburg PA Quarantined for Brucella
Miller's Biodiversity Farm raw milk and dairy products have been quarantined by public health officials because they may contain a strain of Brucella abortus (RB 51), according to a notice from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA). The farm is located in Harrisburg, Lancaster county. The press release was dated 12/22/2018. The Department has not posted an update on this issue. The PDA has issued an order of quarantine to stop the sale of dairy products made from raw cow's milk while an investigation is ongoing. Pasteurized dairy products from Miller's Biodiversity Farm are safe to consume. The quarantine applies only to this farm. One person in New York state has been diagnosed with RB51, and that illness was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and … [Read more...]
Top 10 Multistate Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2018
There were many food poisoning outbreaks in 2018. Thousands of people were sickened, many were hospitalized, and some died. This is a summary of the top 10 multistate food poisoning outbreaks of the year. Many lawsuits were filed in response to these outbreaks. McDonald's Cyclospora Outbreak. This outbreak sickened at least 511 people in 16 states, mostly concentrated in the Midwest. FDA investigators found the cyclospora oocyst in a sample of Fresh Express romaine and carrot mix that was used to make the salads. JBS Tolleson Ground Beef Salmonella Outbreak. This outbreak, which has not been declared over, has sickened at least 333 people in 28 states. The company has recalled more than 12,000,000 pounds of ground beef products that were sold in Kroger stores and elsewhere around … [Read more...]
McDonald’s Cyclospora Outbreak Was Number One in 2018
The McDonald's cyclospora outbreak was the number one outbreak of 23018, with 511 people in 16 states sickened. Twenty four people were hospitalized because they were so sick. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence found that salads purchased from McDonald's were "one likely source of this outbreak." The FDA did not name other sources. On July 26, 2018, the FDA completed analysis of an unused package of romaine lettuce and carrot mix that was distributed to McDonald's by the Fresh Express processor in Streamwood, Illinois. They confirmed the presence of the cyclospora parasite in the sample. However, the FDA did not identify a single source of point of contamination for this outbreak. The patient case count by state was: Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Iowa (99), Illinois (274), … [Read more...]
Number 2 Outbreak of 2018: JBS Tolleson Ground Beef Salmonella Outbreak
The number two outbreak of 2018 is the JBS Tolleson Ground Beef Salmonella outbreak that is still ongoing. At least 333 people in 28 states are sick. Ninety-one people have been hospitalized. The company recalled 6.9 million pounds of beef products on October 4, 2018, and then recalled an additional 5.2 million pounds on December 4, 2018. The beef has the establishment number "EST. 267" that is usually inside the USDA mark of inspection, but can be found elsewhere on the package. The brand names of some of the recalled products are Kroger, Laura's Lean, and Generic JBS. The recalled items include ground sirloin, ground beef patty, fine ground chubs, Kroger GB loaf, and ground round loaf. The case count by state as of December 12, 2018 is: Arizona (50), California (107), Colorado … [Read more...]
Fareway Chicken Salad Salmonella Outbreak: Number 3 of 2018
The Fareway Chicken Salad Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak was the number three outbreak for 2018, with 265 sick in 8 states. One person, who lived in Iowa, died. The patient case count by state was: Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Iowa (240), Minnesota (4), Mississippi (1), Nebraska (5), South Dakota (3), and Wisconsin (1). Illness started on dates ranging from January 8, 2018, to March 20, 2018. The patient age range is from less than 1 year to 89 years. Ninety-four people were hospitalized because they were so sick. Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory evidence found that chicken salad that was produced by Triple T Specialty Meats, and sold at Fareway grocery stores in the midwest was the likely source of this outbreak. PulseNet was used to find more patients who were sickened … [Read more...]
