What does the FDA want you to know about food recalls? Many food recalls are issued every month, from the FDA and the USDA, depending on which foods they regulate. The FDA regulates all foods except meat, poultry, and processed egg products. Food recalls can be for undeclared allergens, for foreign material contamination, or for possible contamination with pathogens, which can include bacteria such as E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes, viruses such as norovirus or hepatitis A, or parasites such as cyclospora. All food that contains one of the nine major food allergens (sesame, milk, wheat, finfish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, and eggs) must list that ingredient on the label, as well as an allergen statement warning consumers that the product contains that … [Read more...]
How Many Food Poisoning Outbreaks Were Unsolved in 2022?
How many FDA-regulated food poisoning outbreaks were unsolved in 2022? Taking a look at the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, there were 25 multi-state outbreaks in 2022 that the FDA believes were linked to foods that agency monitors. Of those 25 outbreaks, 13 outbreaks were unsolved. The minimum number of people sickened in those unsolved outbreaks was 483. Every year in the United States, 48,000,000 people are sickened from contaminated food. There are 128,000 hospitalizations and about 3,000 people die. The FDA and USDA started using outbreak tables to inform the public about these events. The tables do not have much information until there is some action that consumers can take. However, before the tables were introduced, the public was never informed about these … [Read more...]
New E. coli Outbreak and Cyclospora in Leafy Greens, Says FDA
A new E. coli outbreak is on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, and the two cyclospora outbreaks that have been closed may have been linked to leafy greens. There are now just five active outbreaks under investigation on that table. The Salmonella Mississippi outbreak that sickened at least 103 people ended unsolved. The Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that may have been linked to cantaloupe ended with no resolution. The Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak that sickened at least 35 people ended unsolved. And the illnesses linked to Daily Harvest French Lentils + Leeks crumbles ended with no cause. In the new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, which has sickened at least 10 people, traceback has been initiated. The E. coil O121:H19 outbreak linked to Earth Grown frozen falafel … [Read more...]
ALDI Falafel Outbreak Investigation Added to FDA CORE Table
The new ALDI falafel outbreak investigation has been added to the FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Table with at least 20 people sick with E. coli O121:H19 infections in six states, and five hospitalized. The case count by state is: Florida (2), Iowa (1), Kansas (1), Michigan (11), Ohio (1), and Wisconsin (4). The falafel was sold at ALDI stores in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The … [Read more...]
Do We Care About Cyclospora Anymore?
For the fifth straight year, more than 1,000 Americans developed cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection, from food sold, and some of it grown, in the U.S. Decades ago, these Cyclospora infections, which are characterized by frequent bouts of explosive diarrhea, were associated with travel to underdeveloped countries with tropical or subtropical climates. But the sharp rise of non-travel-related (NTR) illnesses since 2013 gave birth to a Cyclospora season in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks the number of NTR Cyclospora cases reported each season, which runs from May to September, and publishes monthly updates. Here's what those annual totals look like over the last 10 years: Humans are the only known reservoirs for Cyclospora. So when people … [Read more...]
New Salmonella Litchfield Outbreak on FDA CORE Table
A new Salmonella Litchfield outbreak has been listed on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. Twenty-eight people are sick. We do not know the patient age range, illness onset dates, or whether or not anyone has been hospitalized. Traceback has been initiated in this new outbreak, but there has been no recall, no on-site inspection, and no sample collection and analysis has been started. The CDC has not mentioned this outbreak yet because there is no action consumers can take at this time to protect themselves. Other outbreak investigations have been updated. For the cyclospora outbreak in a not yet identified food (reference #1080), sample collection and analysis has been initiated and an on-site inspection has been initiated. For the Salmonella Mississippi outbreak in … [Read more...]
More Illnesses on FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Table
There are more illnesses on FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Table as of September 21, 2022. There are currently nine active investigations, as well as the Abbott Nutrition infant formula cronobacter investigation, which has been transferred to IMG for further action. Three Salmonella outbreak case counts have increased, and one of the cyclospora outbreaks has had the case count increased. For the Salmonella Mississippi outbreak (ref# 1097) in a not yet identified product, the case count changed from 102 to 103. Traceback has been initiated, but there is no recall or onsite inspection and no samples have been collected. For the unsolved Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak (ref# 1087), the case count increased from 27 to 30. Only traceback has been started in that outbreak as … [Read more...]
Three New Outbreaks on FDA CORE Investigation Table
Three new outbreaks have been posted on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. A new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and two Salmonella outbreaks have been added. And two outbreak investigations have ended. This table doesn't tell us very much about these outbreaks. And unless there is some action that consumers can take, such as a recall, the FDA doesn't identify any probable cause. The new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has sickened at least 29 people in Michigan and Ohio. Nine people are hospitalized. Traceback has been initiated in that investigation. A new Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak has sickened at least 19 people. No traceback has been initiated in that outbreak. And a new Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak has sickened at least 44 people. Traceback has been initiated in that … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Illnesses Spike to 384 Sick with 30 Hospitalized
Cyclospora illnesses have spiked to 384 sick in 22 states and 30 hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There has been a cyclospora outbreak, in fact, usually several cyclospora outbreaks, in the United States during the spring and summer months every year since 2013. This is an increase of 323 cases since the last update was issued on June 30, 2022. Cases are still being reported. Last year, there were two cyclospora outbreaks that were unsolved that sickened at least 153 people. In 2020, a cyclospora outbreak linked to Fresh Express bagged salads sickened at least 701 people in 14 states and hospitalized 38. Cases usually peak in June and July, although activity can last through September. The number of clusters vary from season to … [Read more...]
Cyclospora Illnesses Signal That the Season Has Begun With 61 Sick
Cyclospora illnesses signal that the season has begun with at least 61 people sick in 13 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Six people have been hospitalized. The case count by state was not reported, nor was the patient age range. Cases continue to be reported to government officials. Illnesses caused by this parasite are much more common in the spring and summer months in the United States. And there have been multiple cyclospora outbreaks in this country in the past six years. In the past, Cyclospora outbreaks have been linked to cilantro, mesclun lettuce, basil, snow peas, and raspberries. There are also new cyclospora illnesses in Canada. At least 84 people in three provinces are ill, and four have been hospitalized. In 2021, … [Read more...]
