The HelloFresh ground beef E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has sickened at least seven people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This outbreak was originally announced in a USDA public health warning that was issued four days ago on September 10, 2022. The case count by state as of September 12, 2022 is: Maryland (1), New Jersey (2), New York (1), Pennsylvania (1), Virginia (1), and Washington state (1). Illness onset dates range from June 8, 2022 to August 17, 2022. This is unusual because the product was shipped in July, but the illness onset dates are far outside that range. However, you can freeze HelloFresh meals for one to two months. The patient age range is from 17 to 69 years. Of seven people who gave information to public health officials, six … [Read more...]
Best of Baltimore Party Illnesses Affect at Least 20 Attendees
People are apparently sick after attending the Best of Baltimore party sponsored by Baltimore Magazine that was held August 18, 2022 at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore. At least 20 people have been sickened, according to posts on Facebook and news reports. Some went to the emergency room to be treated. This event offered food samples from several restaurants who won the Best in Baltimore contest, including Cosima, Clavel, Ekiben, Foraged, Gunther & Co., Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen, Ice Queens, JBGB's, Italian Disco, La Barrita, Linwood's, La Scala, Maximon, Magdalena, Motzi Bread, Royal Farms, Ouzu Bay, THB Bagels, Sally O's, The Food Market, The Local, Waterfront Hotel, and others, according to the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore DOH Survey The Baltimore Department … [Read more...]
CDC Weighs in on Jules Cashew Brie Salmonella Outbreak
The CDC is weighing in on the Jules Cashew Brie Salmonella outbreak that has been declared over. As of July 7, 2021, 20 people in four states have been sickened in this outbreak. Five people have been hospitalized. No deaths were reported. The 20 people sickened is an almost threefold increase over the number reported in the last update in May. Then, seven people were part of this outbreak. In addition, a new state was added to the outbreak: Maryland. The patient case count by state is: California (15), Florida (2), Maryland (1), and Tennessee (2). The patient age range is from 1 to 72 years. Illness onset dates range from December 11, 2020, to May 9, 2021. State and local public health officials interviewed patients about the foods they ate the week before they got sick. … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Cheese Listeria Outbreak Ends With 13 Sick, 1 Death
The El Abuelito cheese Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has ended with 13 people sick, 12 hospitalized, and one death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The patients live in four states on the east coast. The case count by state is Connecticut (1), Maryland (5), New York (4), and Virginia (3). Illness onset dates range from October 20, 2020 to March 17, 2021. Twelve of the illnesses occurred in 2021. The patient age range is from less than 1 to 75 years. Twelve of the patients were Hispanic. One death was reported from Maryland. Four people got sick during their pregnancy, resulting in two pregnancy losses and one premature birth; the fourth person remained pregnant after recovering. State and local public health officials interviewed the patients … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Cheeses Were More Widely Distributed Than First Thought
UPDATE 3/9/21: El Abuelito cheeses were also sold in Rhode Island. The FDA has updated its investigation into the deadly multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that is linked to recalled El Abuelito queso fresco and has revealed that El Abuelito cheeses were more widely distributed than first thought. The case count still stands at 11 sick, with 10 hospitalized and one death. Four patients were from Maryland and four from New York, with one from Connecticut and two from Virginia. The recalls are also unchanged. The first recall, issued on February 19, 2021, after whole genome sequencing testing conducted by the state of Connecticut found the outbreak strain in a sample of El Abuelito queso fresco, was for El Abuelito Queso Fresco as well as the brands Rio Grande and Rio Lindo … [Read more...]
Where Were El Abuelito Cheeses Recalled For Possible Listeria Sold?
A deadly multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been linked to recalled El Abuelito queso fresco cheeses. Eleven people are sick; ten have been hospitalized. And one person who lived in Maryland has sadly died. Many of the cheeses the company made have been recalled. But where were El Abuelito cheeses recalled for possible Listeria contamination sold? The Connecticut Department of Health found the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of El Abuelito queso fresco cheese taken from a store where an ill person shopped. The first recall was issued on February 19, 2021. That recall was for El Abuelito Queso Fresco Regular, Queso Fresco Promoción, Queso Fresco de Hoja, Queso Fresco, and Queso Fresco Guatemala. Also recalled were Rio Grande Food Products … [Read more...]
Deadly El Abuelito Listeria Outbreak Case Count Rises to 11 Sick
The CDC and FDA have updated their investigation of the now deadly El Abuelito Listeria outbreak. As of March 1, 2021, eleven people in four states are sick. Ten people have been hospitalized, and one person who lived in Maryland has died. You can read the outbreak notice, which has not been updated with this new information, in Spanish here. The patient case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Maryland (4), New York (4), and Virginia (2). The new patient lives in Virginia. The patient age range is from less than one year to 75. Ten of the patients are Hispanic, and six are female. On February 28, 2021, El Abuelito Cheese Inc. recalled Quesillo and Requeson cheeses in addition to the previously recalled queso fresco cheeses that were made at the same facility. The queso fresco … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Quesillo and Requeson Cheeses Recalled For Listeria Risk
El Abuelito is expanding its recall of queso fresco cheeses on February 19, 2021 to include El Abuelito Quesillo and Requeson cheeses in addition to recalling all Queso Fresco products for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Queso fresco is fresh, soft cheese; Quesillo is Oaxaca and string cheese; and Requeson is ricotta. There is a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened at least 10 people in four states that is linked to some El Abuelito queso fresco cheese products through whole genome sequencing conducted by the Connecticut Department of Health. Nine of those patients have been hospitalized, and two of the illnesses are pregnancy-related. All Queso Fresco products with sell by dates through March 28, 2021 (032821); all Quesillo products with … [Read more...]
CDC: Do Not Eat El Abuelito Cheese For Possible Listeria Contamination
The CDC is joining the FDA in warning the public: do not eat El Abuelito cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The cheese is linked, through whole genome sequencing testing, to the outbreak strain of Listeria that has sickened ten people in four states. Earlier this month Connecticut officials found the outbreak strain of Listeria in samples of El Abuelito queso fresco cheese that was taken from a store where an ill person bought that cheese. The government says that other El Abuelito cheeses that were made or handled in the same facility as the queso fresco cheese have not been recalled, but officials are concerned that they may be contaminated and could make people sick. Investigators are trying to determine whether or not all cheese products … [Read more...]
FDA Warns Against All El Abuelito Cheese In Listeria Outbreak Investigation
The FDA warns against all El Abuelito cheese in the most current Listeria monocytogenes outbreak investigation notice that was posted today. The notice states, "Out of an abundance of caution, and due to the severity of Listeria infection, the FDA is expanding its warning to include all El Abuelito brand cheeses until more information is known. According to the firm’s website, this includes queso fresco, Oaxaca cheese, cotija cheese, and crema." Whole genome sequencing has linked El Abuelito queso fresco cheese to the outbreak. On February 19, 2021, tests conducted by the Connecticut State Laboratory determined that the Listeria monocytogenes found in a sample of the cheese purchased at a grocery store in that state is a match to the outbreak strain. El Abuelito Cheese recalled … [Read more...]
