A NetCost Market listeriosis outbreak in Brooklyn, New York has sickened at least three people, according to a health alert from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The three patients have clinical isolates that are highly related by whole genome sequencing (WGS). All three patients live in Brooklyn. And all three patients purchased ready-to-eat food from the deli counter at the same NetCost Market which is located at 3100 Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. NetCost management is working closely with the Health Department and New York State Agriculture and Markets to make sure that the deli area is safe for consumers. If you bought food from that deli counter before September 5, 2021, do not eat it, even if some has been consumed and no one has been sick yet. It can … [Read more...]
FDA Releases Report on Deli Food Poisoning Risk Factors
The FDA has released a new report on deli food poisoning risk factors. This study is part of a 10-year initiative that looks at risk factors in retail settings, which include employee practices, personal hygiene, and food safety practices such as improper handwashing. Some deli foods, such as soft cheeses and sliced meats, are considered high risk for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, due to the difficulty of cleaning some equipment and the intrinsic makeup of these foods. The study highlights the importance of having a well-developed Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) and employing Certified Food Protection Managers, since delis with these procedures and employees are more likely to properly control foodborne illness risk factors. A well-developed FSMS was the … [Read more...]
History of Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreaks Linked to Meat and Cheese
The deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to deli sliced meats and cheeses has sickened 8 people in 8 states. One person who lived in Michigan has died. All eight patients were hospitalized. These outbreaks are tragic. What is the history of Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks linked to meats and cheeses? In the current outbreak, patients purchased deli sliced meats and cheeses in unnamed stores. The CDC outbreak notice did state that investigators found the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes in samples from meat sliced at "a deli" and from deli counters in multiple retail locations in New York and Rhode Island. Patients sickened in this outbreak live in Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. This outbreak demonstrates why public health officials tell those … [Read more...]
