A Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has been announced by the Public Health Agency of Canada. As of January 28, 2022 there are 14 laboratory-confirmed cases linked to this outbreak. A food recall has been issued. The patient case count by province is: Alberta (13) and Saskatchewan (1). The patient age range is between 0 and 61 years of age. No hospitalizations or deaths have been reported. Many of those sickened said they ate Hankook (Korean characters only) brand Original Kimchi before they got sick. Kimchi is a spicy type of Korean sauerkraut that is made from fermented vegetables. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, along with the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial public health partners are investigating this outbreak. … [Read more...]
CDC Reduces Case Count in Simple Truth Power Greens E. coli Outbreak
The CDC reduces case count in the Simple Truth Power Greens E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in an unusual move. The original outbreak notice stated that 13 people in six state were sick. Now there are 10 people sick in four states. California and Mississippi were dropped from the state count, and the number of people sick in Washington state decreased from seven to six. This happened because the case definition was updated. Three people were infected with E. coli bacteria that were not as closely related genetically to the rest in this outbreak. And none of those patients said they ate Organic Power Greens before they got sick. The case count by state is now: Alaska (2), Ohio (1), Oregon (1), and Washington (6). The patient age range is from 26 to 79 with a median age of 59. Of ten … [Read more...]
FDA CORE Outbreak Table Has Six Active Investigations
The FDA CORE Outbreak Table has six active food poisoning investigations currently; all but one has been identified or solved. The Salmonella Javiana outbreak, which was announced on November 24, 2021, is still not identified, and the number of people sickened in that outbreak has increased to 64. No recall has been initiated, although traceback has begun, on-site inspection has been started, and sample collection and analysis has been initiated. When there is some concrete action that consumers can take, the FDA should update the investigation. The other five active outbreaks include: The E. coli O157:H7 9outbreak linked to Simple Truth and Nature's Basket Organic Power Greens, which has sickened at least 13 people in six states. Four people have been hospitalized, and one … [Read more...]
Seven Washington E. coli Cases in Simple Truth Power Greens Outbreak
There are seven Washington E. coli O157:H7 cases in the Simple Truth Power Greens outbreak, according to the Washington State Department of Health. The salads were sold at QFC and Fred Meyer grocery stores in the state. Officials are telling anyone who purchased that product with best by dates through December 20, 2021 should discard them immediately. The seven Washington E. coli cases cases live in King, Snohomish, Whatcom, Pierce, Thurston, Mason, and Skagit counties. One person from each county got sick in late November and early December 2021. Two people have been hospitalized, and one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a kind of kidney failure. Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH, State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases said in a statement, "E. coli … [Read more...]
Three Packaged Salads Food Poisoning Outbreaks End 2021
Three packaged salads food poisoning outbreaks have ended 2021. While we got through the year without an E. coli outbreak specifically and officially linked to romaine lettuce, there are still seven unsolved outbreaks on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. In fact, there were five food poisoning outbreaks linked to packaged salad leafy greens in 2021: Josie's Organics Baby Spinach with E. coli O157:H7 that is still ongoing, Dole Salads with Listeria monocytogenes that is ongoing, Fresh Express with Listeria monocytogenes that is ongoing, Simple Truth and Nature's Basket Power Greens with E. coli O157:H7 that is ongoing, and BrightFarms salad with Salmonella that ended in August. Three Packaged Salads Food Poisoning Outbreaks The last three outbreaks linked to leafy … [Read more...]
Top 10 Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2021: Josie’s Organics Baby Spinach
It's time for the Top 10 Multistate Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2021! This year has been much different from 2020, when there were exactly ten outbreaks. We had quite a choice this year, and we also want to emphasize a few outbreaks that didn't make the list. Number ten is the Josie's Organics baby spinach E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. One outbreak will be posted every weekday until we reach 12/31/21. For instance, the El Abuelito soft cheese Listeria monocytogenes outbreak sickened 13 people and killed one person; all of the patients were hospitalized. And four of the patients were pregnant. Two women suffered pregnancy loss and there was one premature birth. That outbreak was quite serious and deems mention even if it didn't make the top 10. The Pure Eire yogurt E. coli outbreak … [Read more...]
New Ground Beef E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak on USDA Investigation Table
A new ground beef E. coli O157:H7 outbreak on the USDA Investigation Table has been posted. Ground beef is suspected as being the source of the pathogen. The USDA Outbreak Investigation Table has even less information that the FDA's Table. There is no case count, and no information about whether or not traceback, sample collection, facility investigation, or lab analysis has been conducted. In the past, E. coli outbreaks linked to ground beef have been numerous. This product can be contaminated because cows, which are ruminant animals, can carry the pathogen in their guts. The bacteria is excreted in feces, which can contaminate the animals' hides. When the cow is processed, that bacteria can contaminate cuts of meat. And when ground beef is produced from those whole cuts, the … [Read more...]
Josie’s Organics Baby Spinach E. coli Outbreak Sickens 10 in 7 States
A Josie's Organics baby spinach E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has sickened at least 10 people in seven states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of eight people who gave information to public health officials, two have been hospitalized, for a hospitalization rate of 25%. The patient case count by state is: Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (2), Missouri (1), Ohio (1), and South Dakota (1). Illness onset dates range from October 15, 2021 to October 27, 2021. The patient age range is from 2 to 71 years. Whole genome sequencing showed that bacteria from patient isolates are closely related, suggesting that people in this outbreak got sick from eating the same food. State and local public health officials interviewed people about the foods … [Read more...]
Kentucky E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Sickens Ten; Two Have HUS
A Kentucky E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has sickened at least ten people, according to a Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Facebook post. There is nothing posted on the official website about this outbreak. Public health investigators have not yet identified the source of this outbreak, but they think that some sort of food is likely. That's typical for an E. coli outbreak. Most of those sickened are adults. And most live in western Kentucky. Six people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Healthcare providers have been notified about this outbreak so they are aware of symptoms and do not prescribe antibiotics if someone presents with the symptoms of this infection. State health officials are working with staff at local health departments in the counties … [Read more...]
FDA Releases Romaine Lettuce Sampling Findings From Yuma, AZ
The FDA is releasing results from its romaine lettuce sampling findings from the Yuma, Arizona area. Lettuce from that area was linked to a deadly E .coli O157:H7 outbreak that killed five and sickened 210 people. Ninety-six people were hospitalized because they were so ill. And twenty-seven patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is a complication of an E. coli infection. The FDA collected and tested romaine lettuce from commercial coolers in Yuma County, Arizona during February and March 2021. The lettuce was tested for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) bacteria, specifically enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), and Salmonella. This sampling program was part of the agency's surveillance after several multistate E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks … [Read more...]
