The FDA is weighing in on the deadly Salmonella outbreak linked to Maradol papayas. Samples taken from this variety of fruit have teated positive for the outbreak strains of Salmonella Kimbu and Salmonella Thompson found in ill persons. Maradol papayas are green before they ripen and turn yellow. Do not eat Caribeña brand papayas regardless of the color. If you have these papayas in your home, throw them away in a sealed package immediately. At this time, Caribeña brand papayas from Mexico have been identified as a brand linked to these illnesses, but the CDC is advising consumers not to eat any Maradol papayas. Additional brands that may be associated with this outbreak will be announced as government officials identify them. The CDC reports that 47 people in 12 states have been … [Read more...]
Deadly Multistate Salmonella Kiambu Outbreak Linked to Papayas
A multistate outbreak of Salmonella Kiambu infections linked to yellow Maradol papayas has sickened 47 people in 12 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Maryland officials warned consumers about this potential outbreak with a recall of Caribeña’s brand yellow Maradol papayas this week. The CDC's announcement did not mention any brand of papaya in particular, but did state that "Salmonella Kiambu infections are linked to yellow Maradol Papayas en Español." The case count by state is: Iowa (1), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), Maryland (5), Massachusetts (1), Minnesota (1), New Jersey (12), New York (13), Pennsylvania (4), Texas (1), Utah (1), and Virginia (6). Twelve ill persons have been hospitalized, and one death has been reported in New York … [Read more...]
Papayas Recalled in Maryland Salmonella Case Investigation
Caribeña’s brand yellow Maradol papayas may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria, according to the Maryland Department of Health. The yellow papaya have been distributed to retail stores throughout the state. Consumers are encouraged to check any papayas they have purchased to see if they match the brand and type recalled. Five yellow Maradol papayas sold at a Baltimore retail location were tested as part of an ongoing Salmonella case investigation. Three of the five papayas tested positive for the pathogenic bacteria. There is no information on how many people may have been sickened or any information about a timeline. And officials have not found the source of the contamination, but state that it could have occurred at any time or place in the supply chain. The symptoms … [Read more...]
I.M. Healthy Soy Nut Butter Associated with E. coli Outbreak
The CDC and FDA are warning consumers not to eat "I.M. Healthy" brand soy nut butter products because they may be associated with a multi-state E. coli O157 outbreak. The CDC and the FDA are collaborating with the states involved to investigate a cluster of illnesses that are closely related genetically. That indicates a common food source. Epidemiological evidence collected to date indicates that the I.M. Healthy brand Soy Nut Butter products may be contamianted with this pathogenic bacteria and are a "likely source of this outbreak," according to the CDC. We do know that at least one ill person lives in Maryland, since the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene posted a notice about the outbreak on their web site. That patient consumed I.M. Healthy soy nut butter … [Read more...]
Maryland Vibrio Outbreak in 2010 Traced to Asia
A study published in the Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, of the American Society for Microbiology, has discovered that a Vibrio parahaemolyticus outbreak in Maryland in 2010 was caused by raw oysters harvested from the Chesapeake Bay, but the bacteria in those oysters came from Asia. The outbreak sickened two people who ate raw oysters at two different restaurants in Baltimore. Neither patient had graveled outside of the state in the week before they got sick, and neither had other risk factors for Vibrio infections. The outbreak strain of Vibrio, called "sequence type B" was identified because it was the only strain present in both the patients' stools and in the oysters. And that particular strain had previously only been found in Asia. So how did bacteria from a … [Read more...]
