In the CDC's Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for January 25, 2019, a previously unreported Listeria monocytogenes outbreak associated with prepackaged caramel apples was announced. In late 2014 and early 2015, a large and deadly outbreak of listeriosis linked to prepackaged caramel apples sickened ate least 35 people. Thirty four patients were hospitalized. And listeriosis contributed to at least three of the seven deaths reported. Eleven of those cases were associated with pregnancy, causing three premature births and one fetal loss. In the 2017 outbreak, PulseNet found a cluster of three Listeria monocytogenes clinical isolates with indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern combinations. That means that those three people were likely sickened … [Read more...]
Listeria Outbreak Linked to Long Phung Pork Ends With 4 Sick
The Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to Long Phung pork products has ended with four sick, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All four patients were hospitalized because they were so sick. Those patients live in Louisiana, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas. The 165368 C. Corporation of Houston, Texas, doing business as Long Phung Food Products, recalled their ready-to-eat pork products for possible contamination. They were labeled with the establishment number "EST. 13561" inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were sold nationwide. The outbreak appears to be over as of January 29, 2019. Listeria specimens from ill persons were collected. Whole genome sequencing was conducted on that bacterial DNA and found that all of those sickened were … [Read more...]
Two 2018 Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreaks Sicken 8, Kill One
There were just two Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks in the U.S. in 2018, but the results were severe. In all, eight people were sickened, all eight were hospitalized because they were so sick, and one person died. The first outbreak was linked to Johnston County Hams. Four people in 2 states were sickened. One person, who lived in Virginia, died. On October 3, 2018, Johnston County Hams recalled ready-to-eat deli hams. One of the problems with deli meats is that the pathogen can survive the standard cleaning procedures most delis use. In that outbreak, public health investigators used the PulseNet system to find people who were infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes. The illness onset date ranged from July 8, 2018 to August 11, 2018. Three patients lived in … [Read more...]
Johnston County Hams Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak Ends With 4 Sick
The Johnston County Hams Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has ended with four sick, according to a notice posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One person who lived in Virginia died, and the remaining four patients were hospitalized because they were so sick. Johnston County Hams, located in Smithfield, North Carolina, recalled their ham products on October 3, 2018 because of this outbreak. Several other secondary recalls were issued. The products that were recalled include: Johnston County Hams, Inc. Country Style Fully Cooked Boneless Deli Ham Ole Fashioned Sugar Cured The Old Dominion Brand Hams Premium Fully Cooked Country Ham with sell-by dates from 4/10/2018 to 9/27/2019 Padow’s Hams & Deli, Inc. Fully Cooked Country ham Boneless Glazed … [Read more...]
Long Phung Pork Products Linked to Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak; Lawsuits Possible
Long Phung pork products, produced by 165368 C. Corporation, doing business as Long Phung Food Products of Houston, Texas, are linked to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened at least four people. The outbreak announcement was put into a recall notice issued by the USDA. There is zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in ready-to-eat food products. The four people were sickened between July 1, 2017 and October 24, 2018. FSIS was notified of the outbreak on October 22, 2018. On November 19, 2018, whole genome sequencing collected from the Long Phung Foods Establishment M13561 showed that the samples were closely related genetically to isolates taken from ill persons. Officials are working to see if there are more illnesses linked to these products. There is … [Read more...]
Ladyfingers Gourmet to Go Recalls Ham Rolls for Possible Listeria
Ladyfingers Caterers is recalling Ladyfingers Gourmet to Go Shaved Country Ham Rolls because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. That product was made with recalled Johnston County Ham products that have been linked to a deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. One illness in that outbreak has been linked to this recalled product. On October 3, 2018, Ladyfingers Caterers was notified that the Johnson County Ham products they used may have been contaminated. All Ladyfingers Gourmet to Go Signature Shaved Country Ham Rolls currently on the market are being recalled. The rolls have the UPC number 8 56149 00509 9. They were distributed to retail stores in California, District of Columbia, Delaware, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina and Virginia from … [Read more...]
Secondary Recalls in Johnston County Ham Recall Listeria Outbreak
Secondary recalls have been popping up in the Johnston County Hams Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. The original Johnston County ham recall was issued on October 3, 2018. Secondary recalls mean that a recalled food was used to make other types of products. We will keep a running list of secondary recalls here so you can stay up to date. In this Listeria monocytogenes outbreak four people, who lived in North Carolina and Virginia, were sickened. All four were hospitalized. One person, who lived in Virginia, died. The originally Johnston County Ham recall included Johnston County Hams, Inc. Country Style Fully Cooked Boneless Deli Ham; Ole Fashioned Sugar Cured The Old Dominion Brand Hams Premium Fully Cooked Country Ham with sell-by dates from 4/10/2018 to … [Read more...]
Johnston County Ham Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak Sickens 4 With One Death; Lawsuits Possible
A Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been linked to ready-to-eat Johnston County Ham Products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four people were sickened in this Johnston County Ham Listeria outbreak; all four have been hospitalized, and one person has died. Johnston County Hams recalled five of their products after this outbreak was identified. Check your freezer to see if you have purchased any of these products. If you have, throw them away or take them back, even if some ham was eaten and no one got sick. Bacteria are not always distributed evenly throughout food. The patient case count by state in this Johnston County Ham Listeria outbreak is: North Carolina (1) and Virginia (3). The person who died lived in Virginia. The patient age range … [Read more...]
Johnston County Hams Recalled After Listeria Outbreak Identified
Johnston County Hams has recalled about 89,096 pounds of ready-to-eat ham products after a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak was identified. At least four people are sick in this outbreak, and one person has died. They are: varying weights of 7 to 8 pound Johnston County Hams, Inc. Country Style Fully Cooked Boneless Deli Ham; varying weights of 7 to 8 pound plastic-wrapped Ole Fashioned Sugar Cured The Old Dominion Brand Hams Premium Fully Cooked Country Ham with sell-by dates from 4/10/2018 to 9/27/2019; and varying weights of plastic wrapped 7 to 8 pound Padow’s Hams & Deli, Inc. Fully Cooked Country ham Boneless Glazed with Brown Sugar. Also recalled are different weights of 7 to 8 pound Premium Fully Cooked Country Ham Less Salt Distributed by Valley Country Hams, LLC. with … [Read more...]
Vulto Creamery Ordered to Stop Sales for Food Safety Violations
Products made by Vulto Creamery caused a deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in 2017 that sickened eight people in four states. All of the patients were hospitalized. Two people died. And one infection was diagnosed in a newborn. Now the company has been placed under a consent decree of permanent injunction by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, on behalf of the FDA. The defendants cannot prepare, process, manufacture, pack, and/or hold FDA regulated food products until they can ensure that Listeria monocytogenes bacteria are not present in their food or facility. FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Melinda K. Plaisier said in a statement, "We have an obligation to make sure that foods are safe for people to consume. The FDA moved … [Read more...]
