Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) is applauding the FDA for closing the Dixie Dew Products processing plant, which is the contract manufacturer for The SoyNut Butter Company. I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter products, made by The SoyNut Butter Company, are linked to an E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak that has sickened at least 29 people in 12 states. The FDA's investigations at the plant in Erlanger, Kentucky revealed that food safety violations at that facility go back at least 15 years. Some violations included broken temperature control equipment, an infestation of flies and larva, production machines that have not been cleaned since 2015, and no hot water in hand-washing sinks for the last two years. DeLauro said in a statement, "Dixie Dew’s gross negligence is sickening dozens of … [Read more...]
E. coli O157:H7 HUS Outbreak Linked to I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter Sickens 29
The CDC has announced that the E. coli O157:H7 HUS outbreak linked to I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter has grown again. Now 29 people in 12 states have been sickened in this outbreak. That is an increase of six people since the last update on March 21, 2017. Three more states are now included in the count: Florida, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Twelve patients have been hospitalized because their illnesses are so serious. Two of the newly sickened have been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, which brings the total with HUS in this outbreak to nine. No deaths have been reported to date. The case count by state is: Arizona (4), California (5), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), Oregon (9), Virginia … [Read more...]
Alabama Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Catered Meal
A catered meal at a private event in Colbert County, Alabama is likely linked to a Salmonella outbreak that sickened at least 99 people and hospitalized 22, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. About 150 people attended the event on November 12, 2016. Eighteen of the hospitalized persons have been discharged and are at home, and the remaining hospitalized patients are recovering. Preliminary results indicate that the state health department laboratory has identified Salmonella enteriditis in food specimens of cooked chicken and green beans. The investigation is still ongoing and officials are looking at different foods as suspect. Dr. Karen Landers, Assistant State Health Officer states that chicken was likely the primary source, as raw chicken is often … [Read more...]
ICAPP Recalls Frozen Strawberries for Hepatitis A
The International Company for Agricultural Production and Processing (ICAPP) is voluntarily recalling all frozen strawberries imported since the beginning of 2016 in response to an FDA investigation of a hepatitis A outbreak. This is the outbreak that sickened more than 100 people this summer that is linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurants in the eastern United States. These strawberries were distributed to food service establishments nationwide. They were not in food products offered at retail to consumers. But this news release is being issued to help reduce possible risk to public health. None of ICAPP's own testing has found hepatitis A in any of its products with its own third party testing, but they are recalling all frozen strawberries imported into the U.S. since … [Read more...]
How Does Salmonella Get on Pistachios?
The current Salmonella outbreak linked to recalled Wonderful pistachios brings up a question: how does Salmonella get on pistachios? Most of us are familiar with problems with Salmonella on poultry and in eggs. But a dry, shelf-stable product such as pistachios doesn't seem to be a candidate for this bacteria. Unfortunately, Salmonella can live for a long time on dry products, according to research published in the Journal of Food Protection in October 2015. Salmonella can survive for at least six months on foods that are very dry, and will not grow, but survive, on foods that are refrigerated or frozen. And, as we have told you before, any product, including produce, which includes nuts, can be contaminated with bacteria. There have been 89 recalls of nut butters and nuts for … [Read more...]
Jack and the Green Sprouts Recall for E. coli Lawsuit in MN and WI
Jack and the Green Sprouts alfalfa sprouts and alfalfa onion sprouts are at the center of an E. coli O157:NM outbreak in Minnesota and Wisconsin that has sickened at least nine people. There have been many outbreaks linked to sprouts in the past 20 years; in fact, some food safety experts say that raw sprouts should be treated like raw meat. At least 30 outbreaks in the past 20 years have been linked to this product. While all fresh produce, when eaten raw, and for that matter all food eaten raw, carries the risk of pathogen contamination, sprouts are a special case. During the sprouting process, which occurs in moist and warm conditions, bacteria can multiply up to a million times the original amount that was on the beans, according to experts at the USDA. The makeup of the sprouts … [Read more...]
Deadly Salmonella Cucumber Outbreak Grows to 671 Sick
The Salmonella Poona outbreak linked to cucumbers imported by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce has grown to include 671 people sick in 34 states. Three people have died from their infections, and 131 people have been hospitalized. Alabama was added to the list of states with ill persons. This is an increase of 113 cases since the last update on September 22, 2015. Now, 51% of ill persons are children younger than the age of 18. The case count by state is: Alabama (1), Alaska (13), Arizona (112), Arkansas (9), California (164), Colorado (17), Hawaii (1), Idaho (22), Illinois (8), Indiana (2), Iowa (5), Kansas (2), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Minnesota (34), Missouri (10), Montana (14), Nebraska (5), Nevada (13), New Mexico (30), New York (5), North Dakota (3), Ohio (2), … [Read more...]
Did You Have a Listeria Infection in the Last Five Years?
A strange outbreak was announced this month by the FDA and CDC. At least 22 people were sick with five rare and very similar strains of Listeria monocytogenes; 22 of them were hospitalized. That's not uncommon, but here's the weird part: those illnesses began in 2010. Government officials investigated, and found that 83% of those patients reported eating soft cheeses in the month before they got sick. Further investigation found that four of seven ill people specified a brand of soft cheese distributed by Karoun Dairies of San Fernando, California. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of two environmental samples collected by the FDA showed Listeria monocytogenes bacteria that is "highly related" to the outbreak strains found in sick people. Those samples were collected at Central … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak at Winslow AZ State Prison
An "extreme" Salmonella outbreak has been reported at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Winslow. The outbreak occurred in the Kaibab and Coronado Units. Officials say that the outbreak has been contained as of September 7, 2015. All of the units are displaying "open" status as of September 23, 2015. Two hundred forty of the 1,426 inmates experienced the symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning. The last time an illness was reported was on September 7. The Arizona Department of corrections worked with public health officials to contain the outbreak. On-site medical care was provided to sick inmates. Lab samples were sent offsite for analysis. The Salmonella was found in a tossed salad that was served to both units on August 31, 2015, according to Andrew Wilder, director of … [Read more...]
USDA Issues Order to Detain Aspen Foods Salmonella Chicken
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a public health alert about Aspen Foods stuffed frozen chicken products that are linked to a Salmonella outbreak. Apparently, inspectors found that the facility that produced those products is contaminated with the pathogenic bacteria. But Koch Poultry Company, which owns the facility, is refusing to recall the chicken. Under the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 (FSMA), FDA has the authority to force a recall and seize products that are deemed dangerous to the public. USDA has had that authority since the 1960s. They have ordered their personnel to "detain products covered by this alert that they find in commerce because the company has refused to recall the products." The products were recalled voluntarily by the … [Read more...]
