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...]
Buying Locally Grown Produce Won’t Protect You From Salmonella
The large Salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers imported from Baja, Mexico has prompted some interesting comments on our Facebook page. Many people have said they will not buy imported produce because of this outbreak. But buying locally grown food isn't a 100% guarantee of protection against foodborne illness. An E. coli outbreak linked to Los Chilangos food truck, which was at farmers markets in Washington state, has sickened at least 10 people. And there have been dozens of recalls for bacterial contamination of food sold at farmers markets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has compiled a paper on Salmonella outbreaks in the U.S. from 1968 to 2011. This report divides the Salmonella by serotype (Branderup, Newport, Poona, Saintpaul, Berta), then shows where … [Read more...]
At Least 70 Sickened in Suspected Fig & Olive Salmonella Outbreak
At least 70 people are sick in the Salmonella outbreak associated with the Fig & Olive restaurant in Washington, D.C. The restaurant, which is part of a New-York based chain, is located in CityCenterDC. All 70 patients reported that they ate or drank at the Fig & Olive restaurant before getting sick. The Washington D.C. Department of Health is closed today, September 15, 2015, so we were unable to contact anyone regarding this outbreak. The restaurant is closed while investigators collect samples and try to figure out the problem. There is no word on whether the outbreak was caused by a contaminated food item, a sick worker, or cross-contamination or a problem in the kitchen. Several environmental and food samples have returned negative, so more testing is taking place this … [Read more...]
Pritzker Olsen Files Salmonella Lawsuit Against Chipotle
The nationally recognized food safety law firm of Pritzker Olsen has filed a lawsuit (0:15-cv-03668) against Chipotle Mexican Grill on behalf of a client who was sickened with a Salmonella infection after eating at the restaurant in Maplewood, Minnesota. She ate at the restaurant on August 28, 2015, and got sick on August 31, 2015. At least 44 other people are sick with Salmonella infections in Minnesota that are linked to the restaurant. Thirty-four of the thirty-six people interviewed by public health officials stated that they ate at Chipotle restaurants the week before they got sick. Patients ate at the restaurants between August 16 and 26, 2015, and became ill between August 20 and 29, 2015. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, seventeen Chipotle restaurants may … [Read more...]
