The alleged Wendy's E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has ended with 109 sick and 52 hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC states that officials were unable to confirm the food source, but 83% of patients interviewed said they ate at a Wendy's fast food restaurant before they got sick. And many of those patients said they ate burgers and sandwiches made with romaine lettuce. The case count by state is: Indiana (11), Kentucky (2), Michigan (67), New York (1), Ohio (24), and Pennsylvania (4). That's an increase of 12 more patients since the last update on September 1, 2022. The actual number of people sickened in this outbreak is likely higher than this number, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states listed. The patient age range … [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...]
Learn How Cross-Contamination Can Make You Sick
September is Food Safety Education Month. And it's a good time to learn about how to stay safe in the kitchen. First up, learn how cross-contamination can make you sick and how to avoid it with tips from FoodSsfety.gov. Cross-contamination occurs when raw foods such as meats, poultry, seafood, and shell eggs, or juices or drips from those products, come into contact with foods that are eaten uncooked, with kitchen surfaces, with your hands, and with utensils and plates. Other surfaces that can be contaminated include cutting boards, cupboard door handles and pulls, the kitchen faucet, and the kitchen sink. Bacteria that can cross-contaminate foods include E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, and Listeria monocytogenes. And they can all make you … [Read more...]
Wendy’s Romaine E. coli Outbreak Case Count Rises to 97
The Wendy's romaine E. coli outbreak case count has risen to include at least 97 sick in six states, with 43 hospitalized. Ten people are suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is an increase of 13 new illnesses, five new hospitalizations, two more with HUS, and two new states: New York and Kentucky. The patient case count by state is: Indiana (11), Kentucky (1), Michigan (58), New York (1), Ohio (24), and Pennsylvania (2). Illness onset dates range from July 25, 2022 to August 15, 2022. The patient age range is from 3 to 94 years. Of 81 people who gave information about their health to investigators, 43, or 53%, have been hospitalized, which is a very high hospitalization … [Read more...]
FDA Updates 10 Outbreaks on CORE Investigation Table
The FDA has updated 10 outbreaks on CORE Investigation Table that are still active, including adding a new Salmonella outbreak to the list. The case counts have increased for five of the 10 outbreaks. An outbreak of Salmonella Mississippi has sickened at least 99 people, which is a very high number for a first announcement. In that investigation, traceback has been initiated but no product has been identified. For the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in an unidentified food, which is probably the Wendy's romaine lettuce outbreak, traceback has been initiated, on-site inspections have been conducted, and sample collection and analysis has begun. For the mystery Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak, the case count has increased from 22 to 25. For the mystery Salmonella Braenderup outer, the … [Read more...]
Health Alert For Hawaii Big Island Ground Beef For E. coli O157:H7
A health alert for Hawaii Big Island Beef Ground Beef for possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination has been issued by the USDA. A recall has not been requested because the items are no longer available for purchase. There are no confirmed reports of illness associated with this issue. The recalling firm is Hawaiian Beef Producers LLC. The recalled products are all Hawaii Big Island Beef brand ground beef products that were produced on August 8, 2022. They include: 1 pound vacuum sealed packages containing "Ground Beef (80) Fine 1#/pkg" with "Packed 08/08/22" and "Lot 220808" on the label and case code "134R1." 1 pound vacuum sealed packages containing "Ground Beef (Ln) Fine 1#/pkg" with "Packed 08/08/22" and "Lot 220808" on the label and case code "135R1." 2 pound vacuum … [Read more...]
New E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Added to FDA CORE Investigation Table
A new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has been added to the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. At least 10 people are sick. We do not know the states where the ill persons live, their age range, illness onset dates, or if anyone has been hospitalized. Traceback has been initiated, but no recall has been issued, there has been no on-site inspection or sample collection, and no analysis of any product has started. This new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is probably associated with an FDA-regulated food. This outbreak joins four other active outbreak investigations, and the investigation into the Cronobacter illnesses and Abbott Nutrition's powdered infant formula plant closure has been transferred to an IMG investigative unit. The hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported FreshKampo and HEB … [Read more...]
USDA Tries to Facilitate Traceability During E. coli Outbreaks
The USDA tries to facilitate traceability during E. coli outbreaks by studying how the DNA of a specific population of this pathogen evolves within its natural environment, according to scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The findings from scientists at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center at Clay Center, Nebraska is giving outbreak investigators information on specific elements of the pathogen's DNA that can narrow where to look for the outbreak source. Scientists analyzed samples collected from the USMARC closed cattle feedlot from 1997 to 2910 and then studied the genomes of different subtypes of E. coli O157:H7 that were found in these samples. Maggie Weinroth, a computational biologist with the Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit … [Read more...]
More Hankook Kimchi Recalled For Possible E. coli Contamination
More Hankook Kimchi is being recalled in Canada for possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The first recall, issued in January 2022, was for the same product; just the best before date is different. There are illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. At least 14 people are sick in Canada with E. coli infections after eating this item. The recalling firm is T-Brothers Foods & Trading Ltd. The recalled item is Hankook (Korean characters only) original Kimchi that is packaged in 1670 gram glass jars. The UPC number that is printed on the label is 6 23431 00030 4 and the best before date is 22JA23 (January 23, 2022). The product was sold in British Columbia at the retail level. This recall as triggered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency findings during the … [Read more...]
Hankook (Korean characters only) Original Kimchi Recalled in Canada
Hankook Original Kimchi is being recalled for possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination in Canada. There have been illnesses reported that are associated with the consumption of this product. The recalling firm is T-Brothers Food & Trading Ltd. The recalled product is Hankook (Korean characters only) Original Kimchi that is packaged in 1670 gram containers. The UPC number that is stamped on the label is 6 23431 00030 4. Th best before date for this item is 22JA29 (January 29, 2022). The product was sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. This recall was triggered by findings conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. At least 14 people in two provinces (Alberta and Saskatchewan) have been … [Read more...]
