The Raw Farm raw Cheddar cheese E. coli outbreak has ended with at least 11 people sick in five states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Five people were hospitalized beaus they were so sick. No recall was issued, although the CDC is warning against eating all raw cheese products from this firm. The raw cheddar cheese that sick people may have eaten included original and jalapeño flavors. All sizes of blocks with best by dates through 10/4/2024 and all sizes of shredded cheese packages with best by dates through 5/10/2024 were included in that warning. The patient case count by state is: California (4), Colorado (3), New Jersey (1), Texas (1), and Utah (2). This case count has not changed since the last update was issued on February 28, 2024. … [Read more...]
List of Stores that Sold Organic Pastures Milk Recalled for E. coli
The state of California has released a retail distribution list of stores that sold Organic Pastures raw milk milk that is linked to an E. coli O157 outbreak. That list is eleven pages long and includes many health food stores and natural food coops. The California Department of Public Health has confirmed to Food Poisoning Bulletin that an outbreak linked to Organic Pastures raw milk has sickened at least six people, some of them children. None of the patients' names or locations have been released by state officials. All of the illnesses occurred in January, and the investigation is ongoing. Some news reports have stated that two more people are sick in this outbreak, but the California Department of Public Health did not get back to us by press time to confirm or deny this … [Read more...]
Two USDA Agencies Collaborate on Outbreak Cause Assessment
Two US. Department of Agriculture agencies are going to collaborate on an effort to assess the root cause in foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S. Every year in this country, 48,000,000 people are sickened with a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that details the responsibilities and roles of each agency. The assessments include observational study design, questionnaire development, collection of data and samples, and statistical analysis and reporting. Those facets are all included in the investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak. The assessment team will also provide "frequent, descriptive updates" … [Read more...]
FDA, USDA Update Retail List for Recalled E. coli Salads, Wraps
The USDA and FDA have issued an updated retail list of stores that sold the Glass Onion Catering chicken and ham salads and wraps that have been recalled for possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. There is an outbreak associated with this recall. As of November 21, 2013, there are 32 people ill in 4 states. The recalled products were sold in Trader Joe's stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington state. The outbreak is linked to two Trader Joe's salads. Walgreens stores sold the salad in northern California, as did Whole Food stores. Look through the long list carefully. It mentions retailers, the street address, and city by name. All of the remaining stores are in California. Some of the stores that carried the products include Quik Stop, … [Read more...]
Two E. coli Outbreaks Linked to Prepared Foods This Year
The E. coli outbreak linked to ready-to-eat salads sold at Trader Joe's and other stores is the second multistate E. coli outbreak linked to prepared foods this year. The first one, announced in March, was linked to frozen snack foods sold under the Farm Rich, Market Day and Schwan's brands. In the current outbreak, at least 26 people in three states have been sickened with E. coli O157:H7 infections after eating Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken and Mexicali Salad with Chili Lime Chicken, produced by Glass Onion Catering and sold at Trader Joe’s stores. Six people have been hospitalized, two of them with HUS, a condition that develops in about 10 percent of E. coli infections which leads to kidney failure. Glass Onion has recalled 16 salads and sandwich wraps for … [Read more...]
FDA Cautions Consumers: Some Drugs Make E.coli Infections Worse
E.coli in salads sold at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Walgreens and other stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington has sickened 26 people and hospitalized six of them. Symptoms of an E.coli infection can be debilitating, but treating them some drugs can actually make the infection worse, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautions. Symptoms of an E.coli infection include abdominal cramps and diarrhea that is sometimes bloody. Symptoms can also include nausea, vomiting and fever. Symptoms usually develop three to four days after the exposure, but could appear in as short as 1 day or take as long as 10 days. Often, the symptoms begin mildy and worsen or several days. If you have eaten a recalled salad and have developed these symptoms, see your doctor and … [Read more...]
Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Trader Joe’s Salads
The CDC has updated its investigation of the multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O15:H7 infections linked to ready-to-eat salads. As of November 10, 2013, 26 people in 3 states are ill with the outbreak strain of the bacteria. The patient case count is: Arizona (1), California (22), and Washington state (3). Six, or 28%, of ill persons have been hospitalized. Two people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths have been reported. The PFGE pattern in this outbreak is new to the PulseNet database. Epidemiologic and traceback investigations conducted by public health officials have found that two ready-to-eat salads produced by Glass Onion Catering and sold at Trader's Joe's grocery stores are one likely source of the pathogenic bacteria. The salads … [Read more...]
Walgreens, Trader Joe’s Sold Salads Linked to E. coli Outbreak
Salads and sandwich wraps linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak were sold at Walgreens stores in Northern California and Trader Joe's stores in California, Washington, Oregon and Arizona, according to a retail distribution list compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS). At least 26 people who ate the salads or sandwich wraps containing the salads, have become ill. Six of them have been hospitalized. The products were sold at Walgreens under the brand name Delish. Athertone Foods has issued a recall for two Delish brand salads and one sandwich wrap sold at Walgreens. They are: Delish Greek Style Orzo Salad in 6 oz clamshell containers with the UPC 49022 74630; Delish Asian Style Noodle Salad in 6 oz clamshell containers with the … [Read more...]
Two New E.coli Strains Cause Separate Outbreaks in California
Two strains of E. coli that have never been seen before are the source of two separate, ongoing food poisoning outbreaks in California, health officials told Food Poisoning Bulletin today. One of these new strains is the source of the multistate outbreak linked to ready-to-eat salads produced by Glass Onion Catering of Richmond, CA and sold at Trader Joe’s and other grocery stores in several states. The other new strain has sickened four people in Humboldt County, in Northern California. The multistate outbreak has sickened 22 people in California, one person in Arizona and three people in Washington. Six of those sickened, who range in age from four to 78 years old, have been hospitalized including two who have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli … [Read more...]
Fast-Growing Glass Onion Catering Under Scrutiny for E. coli
The California company at the center of a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 associated with gourmet style, grab-and-go salads and wraps sold at Trader Joe's and other large and moderately sized retail chains is a fast-growing firm that only recently undertook a large expansion to serve a growing market. Now the company, known as Glass Onion Catering and Gourmet Foods, is the focus of investigation by three federal agencies and several state health departments in connection with its recall this week of 181,620 pounds of ready-to-eat salads and sandwich wrap products with fully-cooked chicken and ham that the feds say may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. So far, government officials say there are 22 people in California who have been confirmed as being infected by the outbreak … [Read more...]
