The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat rock crabs caught in Half Moon Bay and bivalve shellfish and rock crabs caught in Monterey Bay. A high level of domoic acid, a naturally occurring toxin, has been found in those fish. The warning is for crabs and bivalves caught in state waters south of Latitude 37° 11′ N. (near Pigeon Point) and north of Latitude 36° 35′ N (near Cypress Point in Monterey County). The advisory includes recreationally and commercially harvested rock crab, and recreationally caught mussels, clams, and the internal organs of scallops caught in the warning area. Domoic acid is a neurotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). The neurotoxin accumulation is related to the bloom of a single celled plant. The conditions … [Read more...]
Cheese Seized from CA Home in Salmonella Outbreak Investigation
Bakersfield Now is reporting that more than 30 packages of Mexican cheese were seized from a woman's home this week, as part of the ongoing investigation into the Salmonella outbreak. Family members of the woman bring cheese from Sinaloa, Mexico. The cheese is being tested for pathogens, according to the report. Seven people in Kern County, which includes Bakersfield, have been sickened with Salmonella infections from eating illegal Mexican cheese. The Salmonella outbreak, which was last mentioned by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in March 2016, has sickened at least fifty people across the state with three different strains of the pathogenic bacteria. Officials believe that the common food is home made, soft cheese products. The Director of CDPH and State Public … [Read more...]
California Confirms E. coli Outbreak Linked to Organic Pastures Raw Milk
The California Department of Public Health has confirmed to Food Poisoning Bulletin that there is an E. coli O157 outbreak linked to recalled Organic Pastures raw milk. Via email, they said "there is an outbreak, and as of February 8, 2016, six children with a unique strain of shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157 have been identified; of all of these six children, four have reported drinking Organic Pastures raw milk before they got sick." All six illnesses occurred in January 2016. Public health officials are investigating the dairy and that investigation is ongoing. CDPH's Food and Drug Branch (FDB) has "collected a number of samples from the marketplace, which are currently undergoing laboratory evaluation," according to the communication. The recalled product is Organic Pastures … [Read more...]
Organic Pastures Raw Milk Recall is for E. coli O157
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has jumped into the Organic Pastures raw milk recall. The whole raw milk has been recalled for possible E. coli O157 contamination. The product was distributed in northern California and the central coast of California. Use by dates for the products are 1/23/16 (lot code 20160105-1) and 1/26/16 (lot code 20160106-2). The symptoms of an E. coli O157 infection include severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea that may be watery and/or bloody, a mild fever, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms usually begin three to four days after exposure to the pathogenic bacteria, sometimes up to 10 days. Children under the age of 5 are most susceptible to serious complications from this infection, most notably hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS develops when … [Read more...]
Which Chipotle Restaurants are Part of the E. coli Outbreak?
The E. coli O26 outbreak linked to Chipotle restaurants in six states hasn't been updated in more than 10 days. This outbreak has been strange. The case count grew to include 50 patients, then that number was reduced to 37. Then the case count grew to 45 patients, and four more states were added to the outbreak base. As of November 20, 2015, there are 45 people sickened in six states. The case count per state is: California (2), Minnesota (2), New York (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (13), and Washington state (26). There are no reports of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and no deaths. No food or environmental samples have yielded the outbreak strain of the shiga toxin-producing bacteria. But 43, or 96%, of ill patients said they ate at a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant the week before they … [Read more...]
Costco E. coli O157:H7 Chicken Salad Outbreak: It’s the Veggies
The FDA has announced that it appears onions and celery in Costco chicken salad may be the source of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria that has sickened at least 19 people in 7 states. Those people live in California (1), Colorado (4), Missouri (1), Montana (6), Utah (5), Virginia (1), and Washington state (1). According to news outlets, Taylor Farms in Salinas, California is the supplier of the vegetables for Costco Wholesale. The vegetables from that supplier are used in the chicken salads sold in all of the company's U.S. stores. Of those 19 ill persons, 16 have been interviewed. Fourteen of those people purchased or ate rotisserie chicken salad from Costco stores the week before they got sick. Five of the patients have been hospitalized, and two are suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome … [Read more...]
Here’s What to Do if You Purchased Costco Chicken Salad Linked to an E. coli Outbreak
Chicken salad made and sold at Costco Wholesale stores in seven states has sickened at least 19 people with E. coli O157:H7 infections. Those sickened live in Washington state, Montana, California, Utah, Colorado, Missouri, and Virginia. The CDC, FDA, and USDA are investigating this outbreak, along with public health officials in the affected states. Five of the 19 patients have been hospitalized, and two have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Fourteen of sixteen people interviewed purchased or ate rotisserie chicken salad from Costco the week before they got sick. With such a wide distribution of case patients, it's probable that an ingredient used to make that salad in the stores and purchased in bulk by Costco is the source of the pathogenic bacteria. It is not probable … [Read more...]
Warning About Seafood in California Updated by CDPH
The California Department of Public Health is updating its warning to consumers about some seafood caught along the coast. Dungeness and Rock crabs, along with mussels and clams in some counties should not be eaten because they may contain high levels of domoic acid, a toxin. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of these fish. Consumers should not eat recreationally and commercially caught Dungeness and Rock crabs caught in the waters between the Oregon border and the southern Santa Barbara County line. The advisory has been extended to recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (mussels and clams) from Humboldt and Del Norte counties. The white meat (adductor muscle) of scallops caught in those areas can be eaten, but the viscera should be … [Read more...]
Warning Against Eating Crabs in Central and Northern California
The California Department of Public health advised consumers not to eat Dungeness and Rock crabs caught in waters between the Oregon border and the southern Santa Barbara county line because of dangerous levels of domoic acid. This naturally occurring toxin can cause food poisoning. Test results have shown "persistently high levels" of domoic acid in these shellfish. The levels are over the state's action level for the crab's body meat as well as the viscera, which is also known as crab butter. These crabs pose a "significant risk to the public" if they are eaten. Domoic acid is related to a bloom of a single-celled plant called Pseudo-nitzschia. Conditions that support the growth of this plant are not possible to predict, so food safety experts rely on continuous testing to check if … [Read more...]
Shigella Outbreak Linked to Mariscos San Juan in CA Grows Again
The shigella outbreak linked to the Mariscos San Juan No. 3 restaurant at 205 North 4th Street in San Jose, California has grown again. As of October 27, 2015, there are 190 people sick. Ninety-two patients have been lab confirmed. So far, people living in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Santa Cruz, Main, and Mercid counties are sick. Almost all of those sickened ate at the restaurant on Friday, October 16 or Saturday October 17, 2015. People contract a shigella infection by coming into contact with an infected person, by touching a surface contaminated with feces containing the bacteria, or by consuming food or beverages contaminated with infected feces. Shigella bacteria are very contagious, so secondary infections are almost certain to occur. Shigella bacteria cause an illness … [Read more...]
