The number eight outbreak of 2023 is the frozen strawberry hepatitis A outbreak that sickened at least 10 people in four states. There were several recalls issued in relation to this outbreak, for Made With Foods frozen strawberries, Kirkland Signature frozen organic whole strawberries, Vital Choice organic strawberries, Simply Nature organic strawberries, PCC Community Market, Trader Joe's Organic Tropical Fruit Blend, Costco Organic Daybreak Blend, and Scenic Fruit frozen strawberries. The case count by state is: Washington (6), California (2), Hawaii (1), and Oregon (1). Illness onset dates ranged from November 24, 2022 to May 27, 2023. The patient age range is from 38 to 64. Four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. The organic strawberries were imported … [Read more...]
Frozen Strawberries Hepatitis A Outbreak Ends with 10 Sick
The frozen strawberries hepatitis A outbreak has ended with 10 people sick in four states. Four patients were hospitalized because they were so ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There were several recalls issued in relation to this outbreak. The CDC is recommending that anyone who bought those berries should not eat, serve, or sell them. The case count by state is: Washington (6), California (2), Hawaii (1), and Oregon (1). Illness onset dates ranged from November 24, 2022 to May 27, 2023. The patient age range is from 38 to 64. Four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicates that frozen organic strawberries that were imported fresh from a single farm in Baja California, Mexico in … [Read more...]
Cyclospora and Salmonella Outbreaks Increase; Remain Mysteries
There are now seven active outbreak investigations on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. Of those outbreaks, only one is solved. The others, including three cyclospora outbreaks, one Salmonella outbreak, one E. coli O26 outbreak, and one E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, remain unsolved. For the first cyclospora outbreak, the case count has increased to 47 sick, up from 39 in the last update. Traceback has been initiated, and samples have been collected and are being analyzed. In the second cyclospora outbreak, the case count has increased from 121 sick to 140. In that investigation, traceback has started and samples have been collected and analyzed. In the third cyclospora outbreak, the case count has increased by one more patient, from 68 to 69. Traceback has started, an … [Read more...]
New E. coli and Cyclospora Outbreaks on FDA CORE Table
There are new E. coli and Cyclospora outbreaks on the FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, and case counts have increased in older outbreaks. There are seven outbreaks on the table, and six are unsolved. The FDA does not give out any information about patients until there is some action that consumers can take. The new cyclospora outbreak has sickened at least 39 people. FDA and state partners have started sample collection and testing. In addition, FDA has initiated traceback. A new outbreak of E. coli O26 has been added to the table. There are thirteen people sick in that outbreak, but no food has been identified. FDA has initiated traceback. For the second outbreak of cyclospora, the case count has increased to 121 people sick, from 118 in the last update. Traceback has … [Read more...]
FDA CORE Table is Updated With Outbreak Case Count Increases
The FDA CORE Table is updated with outbreak case count increases and the fact that two outbreak investigations have ended. There are five active outbreak investigations on that table. For the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in a not yet identified food, there are 12 people who are sick, an increase of one more case since the last update. Traceback has been initiated in that investigation. For the first outbreak of cyclospora, the case count has increased to 118 from 112 patients. In that outbreak, sample collection and analysis has begun. For the second outbreak of cyclospora, the case count has increased to 43 from seven 38 cases. The outbreak includes additional illnesses that are based on similarities in reported exposures, which were not named. In this investigation, … [Read more...]
Now Ten Sick in the Frozen Strawberries Hepatitis A Outbreak
There are now ten sick in the frozen strawberries Hepatitis A outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is an increase of one more patient, who lives in Hawaii, which is a new state added to the outbreak case count. The case count by state is: Washington (6), California (2), Hawaii (1), and Oregon (1). Illness onset dates range from November 24, 2022 to June 4, 2023. The patient age range is from 38 to 64. Four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Epidemiological and traceback evidence indicates that frozen organic strawberries that were imported fresh from "certain farms" in Baja, California in Mexico in 2022 are the source of this outbreak. And the hepatitis A virus strain that is making people sick is genetically … [Read more...]
New Cyclospora Outbreak Identified on FDA’s CORE Table
A new Cyclospora outbreak has been identified on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. This outbreak is added to five other active food poisoning outbreaks that are currently being investigated by the FDA. The new cyclospora outbreak, in a not yet identified product, has sickened at least 105 people. We do not know where those patients live, illness onset dates, or the patient age range. Sample collection and analysis has started. There is another cyclospora outbreak on the Table, with at least 37 people sick. That outbreak is also unsolved. Traceback has been initiated. There are two Salmonella outbreaks that are being investigated. The first is a Salmonella Paratyphi B var. L(+) tartrate+ outbreak that has sickened at least 34 people. Traceback has been initiated, an … [Read more...]
What is Going on With All the Frozen Fruit Recalls?
What is going on with all the frozen fruit recalls? There have been three recalls of frozen fruit for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination in the last month, and five large recalls of frozen strawberries for possible hepatitis A contamination this year. And there is a hepatitis A outbreak linked to some frozen organic strawberries imported from Mexico. Why is this happening? First of all, any food can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and viruses at any time during the process of growing, harvesting, and processing. Pre cut fruits and vegetables are more likely to be contaminated because they are handled more. If the contamination occurred in the fields, for instance, many many pounds of produce can be contaminated during processing because there simply isn't a "kill … [Read more...]
New Salmonella Outbreak Added to FDA CORE Table
A new Salmonella outbreak and a new cyclospora cluster have been added to the FDA's Core Outbreak Investigation Table. There are now six active outbreak investigations on that table. The new Salmonella outbreak is Salmonella Paratyphi B var. L(+) tartrate+. There are at least 31 people sick in this outbreak. Traceback has been initiated, but there is no information about what food is suspected, where ill persons live, the patient age range, or if anyone has been hospitalized. The new Cyclospora cluster has 28 ill persons. Once again, FDA has initiated traceback, but a product linked to those illnesses has not been identified. There is no patient age range or information about where ill persons live. The Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to raw cookie dough remains … [Read more...]
FDA Updates Strawberry Hepatitis A Outbreak With New Recall
The FDA updates strawberry Hepatitis A outbreak information with the new recall for Wawona Frozen Foods Organic Daybreak Blend mix sold at Costco stores. The recall is for that product sold in these states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington. The case count remains the same: California (2), Oregon (1), and Washington (6). Illness onset dates range from November 24, 2022 to April 12, 2023, and the patient age range is from 38 to 64. Three people have been hospitalized. The Organic Daybreak Blend is packaged in 4 pound bags and has best by dates of 9/23/2023, 9/29/2023, 9/30/2023, and 10/18/2023 with corresponding lot numbers. Other recalled products include brands California Splendor that supplied Costco stores, Scenic Fruit that supplied Costco, Aldi, KeHE, Vital … [Read more...]
