The number six outbreak of 2022 was the hepatitis in strawberries outbreak that sickened at least 19 people in four states. Thirteen of those patients were hospitalized, which is very high for this type of outbreak. This hepatitis A outbreak ended in August 2022. The illnesses were linked to HEB organic strawberries and FreshKampo strawberries. The case count by state was: Arizona (1), California (16), Minnesota (1), and North Dakota (1). Illness onset dates ranged from March 28, 2022 to May 6, 2022. The patient age range was from 9 to 73 years. There were 18 confirmed cases and one probable case. The outbreak was solved through epidemiologic and traceback evidence. Seventy-three percent of patients said they ate fresh organic strawberries before they got sick. The strawberries … [Read more...]
Strawberry Hepatitis A Outbreak Ends with 18 Sick 13 Hospitalized
The strawberry hepatitis A outbreak has ended with 18 sick, including one probable case, and 13 hospitalized, including 1 probable case, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The illness were linked to FreshKampo and HEB organic strawberries. The case count by state is: California (16), Minnesota (1), and North Dakota (1). Illness onset dates range from March 28, 2022 to May 6, 2022. The patient age range was from 9 to 73 years. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence has indicated that fresh organic strawberries were the likely source of this outbreak. In interviews, 73% of patients reported eating fresh organic strawberries before they got sick. If you purchased either brand of strawberries during the time period of March 5, 2022 through April 15, … [Read more...]
Three New Outbreaks on FDA CORE Investigation Table
Three new outbreaks have been posted on the FDA's CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. A new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and two Salmonella outbreaks have been added. And two outbreak investigations have ended. This table doesn't tell us very much about these outbreaks. And unless there is some action that consumers can take, such as a recall, the FDA doesn't identify any probable cause. The new E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has sickened at least 29 people in Michigan and Ohio. Nine people are hospitalized. Traceback has been initiated in that investigation. A new Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak has sickened at least 19 people. No traceback has been initiated in that outbreak. And a new Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak has sickened at least 44 people. Traceback has been initiated in that … [Read more...]
FDA and USDA Outbreak Tables Updated: More Illnesses
FDA and USDA Outbreak Tables have been updated with new information. The USDA table, which does not have as many outbreaks listed, had one outbreak of Salmonella Muenchen, with beef as a suspected source, that is now closed with no resolution. On the FDA outbreak table, the Salmonella Braenderup outbreak that is not solved now has 70 illnesses, up from 63 on the last update. Every other outbreak remains the same. There are eight active investigations, plus the Cronobacter illnesses investigation in infants, which has been transferred to an IMG group. The Big Olaf ice cream Listeria monocytogenes outbreak case count remains the same, with 23 illnesses, 23 hospitalizations, one death, and one fetal loss. The last illness onset date was 6/12/2022. Investigators found Listeria … [Read more...]
FDA Works to Improve Safety of Fresh and Frozen Berries
The FDA is working to improve the safety of fresh and frozen berries in the wake of hepatitis A and norovirus outbreaks linked to those items. An ongoing hepatitis A outbreak linked to fresh organic strawberries has sickened at least 18 people in three states, and a hepatitis A outbreak in 2020 linked to blackberries sickened 20 people in seven states. In the United States, there have been three hepatitis A outbreaks and three norovirus outbreak linked to frozen berries from 1990 to 2016, and since 2011, there have been three hepatitis A outbreaks linked to fresh berries. Globally, from 1983 to 2018, there were 50 outbreaks associated with frozen berries, with 36 caused by norovirus and 14 by hepatitis. While freezing preserves berries, it does not inactive viruses. The berries … [Read more...]
FDA CORE Table Updated: Big Olaf Ice Cream Listeria Outbreak
The FDA Core Outbreak Investigation Table was updated, with ten active investigations. The FDA states that the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened at least 23 people is linked to big Olaf ice cream. The quote is, "For the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, a product linked to illnesses is ice cream from Big Olaf Creamery, located in Florida." There is still no recall on the FDA recall page about this ice cream, but according to news reports Big Olaf started recalling the ice cream over the weekend. The CDC reiterated their warning to consumers about the ice cream on July 8, 2022. Anyone who has this ice cream in their freezer should discard it immediately, even if some has been consumed and no one is sick. Listeria bacteria can cluster in tiny clumps and may not be … [Read more...]
What Are the Current Food Poisoning Outbreaks in the U.S.?
What are the current food poisoning outbreaks in the U.S.? There are currently four solved active outbreaks right now, and there are also three unidentified Salmonella outbreaks, one mystery E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, and one unidentified Listeria monocytogenes outbreak on the FDA and USDA Investigation Tables. The only clue in those outbreaks is the one associated with a USDA-inspected food; that Salmonella Muenchen outbreak may be linked to a beef product. Current Food Poisoning Outbreaks Strawberry Hepatitis A Outbreak This outbreak, which is linked to FreshKampo and HEB organic strawberries, has sickened at least 18 people in three states. Thirteen patients have been hospitalized. Anyone who purchased those brands between March 5, 2022 and April 15, 2022 and froze them for … [Read more...]
FDA Updates CORE Outbreak Table; More Illnesses Added
The FDA updates CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. More illnesses have been added to two mystery Salmonella outbreaks and one mystery Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. And a new "adverse event series" that is associated with a "frozen food product," has been added. That product is not identified, but it is most likely the Daily Harvest French Lentil + Leeks Crumble product, which is associated with almost 500 adverse events and has been recalled. There are currently 10 active outbreak investigations. The frozen food outbreak has 107 adverse event reports listed. A recall has been issued, traceback has begun, an on-site inspection has been conducted, and sample collections have been analyzed. Yesterday Fresh Harvest issued a statement saying that the FDA testing has found no pathogens … [Read more...]
One More Probable Hepatitis A Strawberries Case Added
One more probable hepatitis A strawberries case has been added to the investigation into the outbreak linked to that fruit, according to the FDA. That person has been hospitalized. We do not know where that person lives, or the age range of any of the patients. We do know that the last illness onset date was May 6, 2022. And the recall of Urban Remedy Tea that was reported on June 10, 2022 is now considered a market withdrawal, since that product was not made with the recalled strawberries. The strawberries were imported from Baja, California and branded as FreshKampo and HEB by a common supplier. The berries that caused these illnesses were purchased between March 5, 2022 and April 15, 2022. They are obviously past their shelf life, but some consumers may have processed and … [Read more...]
Strawberry Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows with 13 Hospitalized
The strawberry hepatitis A outbreak has now hospitalized 13 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Eighteen people are sick in three states, an increase of one more patient since the outbreak was announced on May 28, 2022. The CDC recommends that anyone who bought fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB from the period of March 5, 2022 and April 15, 2022, and then froze those strawberries discard them immediately. If you aren't sure if you bought those brands, throw them away. If you ate those strawberries within the last two weeks, talk to your doctor about getting a hepatitis A vaccine. That vaccine is effective only if given within the first two weeks after exposure. The case count by state is: California (16), Minnesota … [Read more...]
