The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a report about a backyard poultry Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 97 people in 28 states. This is not the first such outbreak; many of these outbreaks have been identified in the past few years. One of the issues is that Salmonella bacteria can be naturally present in chickens, even inside hen's ovaries, which then produce contaminated eggs. The pathogen is Salmonella Hadar. Seventeen people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. And 30% of ill persons are children younger than five. Epidemiologic evidence shows that contact with backyard poultry such as chicks and ducklings is the likely source of this outbreak. In interviews, 38, or 86% of 44 ill persons interviewed, said they had contact … [Read more...]
What You Need to Know About Ground Beef Food Safety
In our new series helping beginning cooks learn how to prepare food safety, we have been focusing on foods that may be inherently risky; that is, foods that are commonly contaminated with pathogens. This is what you need to know about ground beef food safety. For years, food safety experts have been telling consumers to stop cooking ground beef less than well done, or 160°F as measured with a food thermometer. There. have been many Salmonella and E. coli outbreaks over the years linked to raw and undercooked ground beef. Consumer Reports issued a report in 2015 about the risks of rare ground beef. They found that up to 28% of Americans eat rare and raw ground beef. Between 2002 and 2012, there were 80 E. coli outbreaks linked to ground beef that killed five people. Since then, … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Canada Linked to Raw Turkey and Chicken Ends
The Salmonella outbreak in Canada linked to raw turkey and chicken is over, according to a notice published on Public Health Canada. Even though the outbreak is over, officials say that "illnesses could be reported because this Salmonella strain is present in some raw turkey and raw chicken products in the Canadian marketplace." Officials recommend that consumers handle raw turkey and raw chicken carefully and cook it thoroughly to 165°F as measured by a food thermometer to avoid food related illnesses such as Salmonella. In total, there were 130 confirmed cases of Salmonella Reading in these provinces and territories: British Columbia (33), Alberta (44), Saskatchewan (8), Manitoba (25), Ontario (9), Quebec (2), New Brunswick (1), Prince Edward Island (1), Northwest Territories … [Read more...]
FDA Releases Final Report on Tailor Cut Salmonella Fruit Mix Outbreak
The FDA has released its final report on the Tailor Cut Salmonella Fruit Mix outbreak that sickened at least 165 people in 14 states. The outbreak is linked to fruit mix sold by Tailor Cut Produce of North Brunswick, New Jersey. The mix contained cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, and red grapes. This outbreak is over as of February 18, 2020. It was caused by Salmonella Javiana. The case count by state is: California (1) Colorado (1), Connecticut (1), Delaware (49), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (1), Minnesota (1), New Jersey (50), New York (7), Pennsylvania (49), Virginia (1), and Washington (1). Seventy-three people were hospitalized, which is a high percentage for a Salmonella outbreak. Many of those sickened ate the fruit while they were in hospitals, long … [Read more...]
Tailor Cut Fruit Salmonella Javiana Outbreak Ends With 165 Sick
The Tailor Cut fruit Salmonella Javiana outbreak has ended with 165 people sick in 14 states. Seventy-three people were hospitalized because they were so sick. Still, the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) says that consumers must handle fruit safely to prevent foodborne illness. The case count by state is: California (1) Colorado (1), Connecticut (1), Delaware (49), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (1), Minnesota (1), New Jersey (50), New York (7), Pennsylvania (49), Virginia (1), and Washington (1). The totals were so high in New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania because Tailor Cut Produce distributes their product in those states. And 26 schoolchildren in Delaware were sickened with fruit that was given to them at school. Most ill … [Read more...]
Pig Ear Dog Treats Still a Salmonella Risk, Says AVMA
The American Veterinary Medical Association says that pig ear dog treats are still a Salmonella risk despite interventions. Last year, 154 people in 26 states were sickened with Salmonella Javiana infections after coming into contact with pig ears that were sold as treats for dogs. Thirty-five people were hospitalized in that outbreak because they were so sick. The pig ears were contaminated with seven different serotypes of Salmonella, and some were antibiotic resistant. Pig ears that were imported from Brazil, Columbia, and Argentina were recalled as part of the outbreak investigation. But that isn't the first time outbreaks have been linked to this product. Pig ear dog treat outbreaks have been occurring since 1999. In response, the FDA has been blocking the import of some … [Read more...]
Stater Bros Ground Beef Salmonella Outbreak Ends With 13 Sick
The Stater Bros ground beef Salmonella Dublin outbreak has ended with 13 sick in 8 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nine people were hospitalized, and one person who lived in California died. Since the last update on November 17, 2019, two more ill persons from Colorado and New Mexico were added to the outbreak total. The case count by state is: California (2), Colorado (4), Iowa (1), Kansas (2), New Mexico (1), Oklahoma (1), Texas (1), and Washington (1). Illness onset dates range from August 8, 2019 to October 22, 2019. The patient age range was from 39 to 74 years. The hospitalization rate, given that 11 people talked to public health officials, was 82%, which is four times the average hospitalization rate for a Salmonella outbreak. In … [Read more...]
Tailor Cut Fruit Mix Salmonella Javiana Outbreak Sickens 96
The Tailor Cut fruit mix Salmonella Javiana outbreak has now sickened at least 96 people in 11 states, hospitalizing 27, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since the last official update on December 11, 2019, 85 more ill persons have been added to the list. At that time, the case count was 11, even though Pennsylvania officials said that 33 people who were in four healthcare facilities were sickened in their state. And on December 21, 2019, the state of Delaware released information that 26 schoolchildren living in New Castle County were sick after eating Tailor Cut produce. The CDC update states that "These illnesses started during the same time period as the illnesses reported on December 11, but were not confirmed as part of the outbreak at that … [Read more...]
JBS Tolleson Ground Beef Salmonella Outbreak Was #2 of 2019
The JBS Tolleson ground beef Salmonella outbreak was the #2 multistate food poisoning outbreak of 2019, sickening at least 403 people in 30 states. There were 117 hospitalizations and no deaths. The patient case count by state was: Arizona (54), California (143), Colorado (60), Connecticut (1), Hawaii (5), Idaho (3), Iowa (2), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Michigan (1), Massachusetts (1), Minnesota (2), Mississippi (2), Missouri (3), Montana (10), New Mexico (23), New York (1), Nevada (14), Ohio (9), Oklahoma (10), Oregon (1), South Dakota (10), Texas (19), Utah (11), Washington (3), West Virginia (1), Wyoming (5). Illnesses started on dates ranging from August 5, 2018 to February 8, 2019. Thirty-four percent of patients were hospitalized, which … [Read more...]
Raw Turkey Salmonella Reading Outbreak Is #3 of 2019
The raw turkey Salmonella Reading outbreak was number three in the top 10 multistate food poisoning outbreaks of 2019, sickening 358 people. What's notable about this outbreak is that people are probably still getting sick because the Salmonella strain is most likely still present in the turkey industry. People got sick after eating undercooked turkey, touching raw turkey, or touching raw turkey pet food. The outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading was found in samples from raw turkey products from 24 slaughterhouses and 14 processing establishments. The case count by state is: Alabama (4), Alaska (2), Arizona (5), Arkansas (2), California (30), Colorado (7), Connecticut (5), Delaware (1), District of Columbia (5), Florida (13), Georgia (2), Hawaii (4), Idaho (4), Iowa (50), Illinois … [Read more...]
