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    Food-Safety

    Winn-Dixie Issues Voluntary Recall On ‘Winn-Dixie Choco Charm Chocolate Drink’ Due To Mislabeling And Undeclared Allergen

    Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., (NASDAQ: WINN) is voluntarily recalling “Winn-Dixie Choco Charm Chocolate Drink� from its in-store dairy departments because the product may be mislabeled and may contain the undeclared allergen of wheat. Individuals sensitive to wheat protein can suffer a moderate-acute allergic reaction.

    Sold in the dairy department of Winn-Dixie and SaveRite stores, the “Winn-Dixie Choco Charm Chocolate Drink� features a 128 oz. (one gallon) clear plastic bottle with a yellow bottle cap and is marked with the UPC code 21140-29830.

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    Dangerous Waters: E. Coli Threaten Swim Areas

    Kids aren’t the only ones in the water this summer. Dangerous E. coli bacteria have also been populating public swimming areas, sickening dozens across the country since June.

     

    swimmingecoli internal Food Safety

    Beginning on the 4th of that month, a series of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses began cropping up in Alabama’s Lee County.  Four children were hospitalized, and as many as 15 were sickened.  By the end of the month, the illnesses had been linked to the Opelika Sportsplex and Aquatics Center, which was temporarily shut down.

     

    More recently, a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 cases has been traced back to a lake at Cowan’s Gap State Park in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced Tuesday that 11 Pennsylvania residents and two people from Maryland had developed E. coli O157:H7 infections after swimming at the park. Of these victims, eight have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication of the disease in which the kidney shuts down as a result of the poison released by the bacteria.

     

    In Tennessee, five E. coli victims have reported exposure to local bodies of water, although their cases have not been definitively linked to these sources.

     

    And several beaches around the country have been closed due to high levels of E. coli detected in the water. 

     

    According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), bacterial contamination in recreational water is becoming an increasing problem. More and more beaches are closed each year for microbiological contamination.

     

    However, these incidences are not the first, nor the worst, of past E. coli outbreaks sourced to recreational water.

     

    In 1998, E. coli O157:H7 in the water at the Six Flags White Water Park in Atlanta sickened 26 people.

     

    The following year, Washington state’s Battle Ground Lake was closed off after 37 people fell ill from E. coli poisoning. The lake remained off-limits for the next two years.

     

    E. coli contamination arises from the presence of fecal matter in water. At pools and water parks, the source is usually human feces. E. coli in natural bodies of water can come from animals, such as livestock or wildlife, or humans, and is either shed directly into the water or washed into it by irrigation or rainwater, sewer systems or other water flows.

     

    Studies have shown that the presence of E. coli in the environment increases during the summer. This is thought to be a result of increased shedding of the bacteria by animals, or from areas with higher average rainfall, as rainwater can wash fecal matter into surrounding water sources.

     

    “E. coli bacteria is present in all surface water to some level,” said Teresa Frazier, a water-quality specialist at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, according to TriCities.com.

     

    However, higher levels of E. coli – specifically shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STECs) – can pose a health threat to humans.

     

    The EPA has set a threshold of 126 colonies per 100 ml for E. coli bacteria. Concentrations above this level have been shown to increase the likelihood of human infection.

     

    Swimmers can take steps to protect themselves and to ensure the safety of others when visiting public water facilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Protection recommends the following precautions:

     

    - Do not swallow swimming water

    - Don’t swim when you have diarrhea in order to avoid spreading germs to others

    - Shower and wash with soap before swimming in public areas, and wash hands after going to the bathroom before getting in the water

     

    For parents of young children, the CDC recommends:

     

    - Take kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often.

    - Change diapers in a changing area, not poolside

    - Wash your children thoroughly (especially their rear end) with soap and water before swimming.

     

    The EPA keeps a record of beaches that have been closed due to contamination, available on its website.

     

    Symptoms of an E. coli infection include abdominal pain and sever cramping, followed by diarrhea within 24 hours. In serious cases, diarrhea can become watery or visibly bloody. Less common side effects include vomiting and fever, although fever is rare. The time between exposure and onset of symptoms can range anywhere from 1 to 10 days. 

    Food Safety

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    Kansas Slaughter Firm Recalls Ground Beef Due to Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Adulteration

    National Beef Packing Co. LLC, a Dodge City, Kan., establishment, is recalling approximately 60,424 pounds of ground beef products that may be adulterated with E. coli O157:H7.

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    Listeria Test Leads to Avocado Dip Recall

    A California company is recalling various guacamole dips because the avocados used in them may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
    Fresh Food Concepts, Inc. of Buena Park was notified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that routine sampling of its Layer Dip products revealed that the imported avocado pulp contained the bacteria, the FDA said in a news alert late Friday.
    The company said it has stopped using avocado from the supplier. 
    The dips were distributed nationwide in the U.S. and in Canada through retail supermarkets and club stores.
    The dips can be identified as follows:
    – Fresh Food Concepts 5 Layer Dip, 32 oz., UPC 29358-11272, use-by date of09/16/11 and before
    – Delicioso 5 Layer Dip, 15 oz, UPC 29358-12229, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Delicioso 5 Layer Dip, 30 oz, UPC 29358-12230, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Rojo’s Ultimate 7 Layer Dip, 36 oz., UPC 35196-44162, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Fresh Food Concepts 5 Layer Dip, 16 oz., UPC 35196-44216, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Rojo’s Supreme 6 Layer Dip, 44 oz., UPC 47502-44180, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Rojo’s 6 Layer Dip, 44 oz., UPC 47502-44185, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Rojo’s 6 Layer Dip, 44 oz., UPC 47502-44189, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Fresh Food Concepts 5 Layer Dip, 454 g., UPC 35196-44214, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Signature Café 6 Layer Dip, 15 oz., UPC 21130-06191, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Signature Café 6 Layer Dip, 30 oz., UPC 21130-06192, use-by 09/16/11 and before
    – Signature Café 6 Layer Dip, 425 g., UPC 58200-06034, use-by date 09/16/11 and before
    – Signature Café 6 Layer Dip, 850 g., UPC 58200-06032, use-by date, 09/16/11 and before
    Fresh Food concepts dips with expiration (use-by) dates of 09/24/11 and after were made with avocado from a different source and are not being recalled, the company said. No other products made by Fresh Food Concepts are involved in the recall.
    Consumers who purchased the recalled product can return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or destroy it.  Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-714-562-5000, ext. 134, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.PDT.
    Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

    Food Safety

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    Recall Notification Report 061-2011

    AdvancePierre Foods, Inc., an Orange City, Iowa, establishment, is recalling approximately 10,668 pounds of beef patty products that may contain foreign materials.

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    Letter From The Editor: Turkeys

    My uncle Orville was foreman on a turkey ranch in north central Minnesota. I remember going up there to visit a couple of times when I was growing up. One of the attractions was going out to these football field-size buildings when they were filled with thousands of baby turkeys.

    turkeygobblers featured Food Safety

    Even then you had to put on little booties to walk around to “look but not touch.” I remember thinking: “Boy, there sure are a lot of turkeys!”
    This past week, as our friends at USDA and CDC finally connected enough dots to recall 36 million pounds of ground turkey, I was thinking the same thing. 
     ”There sure are a lot of turkeys,” but at that moment I was not thinking of all the birds that produced all that poultry meat. I was thinking about the individuals and institutions that don’t come out looking very well over this one.
    The Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak, which has infected more people that we will probably ever know (most cases are never laboratory confirmed) with dangerous disease and killed a  Californian, is deadly serious.
    Yet, the first action taken by our federal government once it admitted a multistate outbreak was underway on July 29 was to issue a public health alert that essentially gave the public instructions on how to thoroughly cook ground turkey.
    Compare that to the nationwide outbreak three years ago of Salmonella Saintpaul.  Now Salmonella Heidelberg is one of the strains that is resistant to some common antibiotics doctors typically use to combat the disease.  Unlike Heidelberg–and Hadar, Newport, and Typhimurium—Saintpaul is not antibiotic resistant.
    Yet in 2008, the federal government’s reaction to a nationwide outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul was a public warning not to eat tomatoes, period.  It remained in effect until U.S. tomatoes were excluded from responsibility for an outbreak that was ultimately traced to peppers grown in Mexico.
    We all know cooking instructions are important, but the scant attention the initial public warning received made Uncle Sam look like a turkey.
    USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service was one of the turkeys of the last week.  But the agency was not alone, it had competition from its big boss, 
    After issuing cooking instructions and the before the announcement of the 36 million pound recall of ground turkey from a Cargill facility in Arkansas, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited Milwaukee long enough  to address the prestigious International Association for Food Protection.
    It might have been a good time for Secretary Vilsack to speak about the antibiotic resistant Salmonella strains that FSIS does not ban from meat. Instead Vilsack did a little tap dance about an eventual action on non-O157 E. coli stains.
    The massive recall was only hours away when Vilsack spoke.  The Secretary came across as out of touch with the most important news of the day.  Maybe  he can blame his speech writers, but it still made him one of last week’s turkeys.
    Most of the criticism about the great turkey event of 2011 is focused on the government’s investigation, a focus that makes Cargill’s management of the actual recall look good by comparison.
    Yet Cargill spokesman Mike Martin also came across as a turkey when he said  no corrective action was taken by the company when Salmonella Heidelberg was found in low levels in the past because its so common.
    Martin may be correct, but its an acknowledgement that Cargill is not considering the four antibiotic resistant strains of Salmonella in any special way.   That’s makes him a turkey.
    The big turkey companies spend millions advertising their products, and they should be using some of those bucks to educate consumers on those all important cooking instructions.   It’s not enough to rely upon “free media” from FSIS press releases.
    In the wake of the Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak, the Hormel Foods-owned Jennie-O Turkey went right on with its television advertising campaign showing happy people eating turkey burgers.  Cooking instructions are not mentioned nor is the public warned about how often Salmonella is found in ground turkey.
    Jennie-O did not skip a beat in its turkey burger campaign when its own ground product was recalled in April.   There are no cut-ins with cooking instructions either.  Another turkey?   Most definitely.
    No amount of feel good advertising from the airheads that sell such pulp to corporate bigwigs would have made a difference had the federal government’s food safety mechanism worked better.  If as it appears,  a warning  could have gone out maybe as early as May not to eat ground turkey illness and maybe a death could have been prevented.   
    Tomato growers did not appreciate having to prove themselves innocent in 2008.  They lost money and, except for those with liberal crop insurance coverage, went without compensation. The warning not to eat tomatoes was still the right public health call at the time.
    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made the call on tomatoes.  FSIS is once again handing out different treatment at the meat and poultry window.  If we keep accepting this dual standards, well, then, we are all turkeys too.

    Food Safety

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    FDA reopens comment period on proposed ‘gluten-free’ food labeling rule

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today reopened the comment period for its 2007 proposal on labeling foods as “gluten-free.” The agency is also making available a safety assessment of exposure to gluten for people with celiac disease (CD) and invites comment on these additional data.

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    Congress, Public Not Fooled by Engineered Salmon

    The latest salvo by proponents of genetically engineered (GE) salmon ["Big Salmon Says Science Is On Its Side" by Dan Flynn, July 28, 2011] takes direct aim at letters sent by 23 members of Congress to FDA earlier this month urging the agency to put the brakes on its misguided approval process for the AquAdvantage salmon and shift priorities in light of the Young-Woolsey amendment that was included in the house-passed Agriculture Appropriations Act of 2012.  Contrary to the claims by proponents, the science just isn’t there to back up assertions of human and environmental safety or economic and food resource benefits of GE salmon.
     
    Not only are arguments that the engineered salmon is “safe” unfounded, but claiming that FDA provides exemplary “science-based” regulation is misleading.  FDA has never promulgated mandatory regulations nor amended existing regulations to cover GE animals. To the contrary, in 2009 the agency announced in a non-binding Guidance to Industry that it would approve GE animals under existing new animal drug provisions.  FDA’s approval process under the 2009 provisions lacks transparency, public engagement and the regulatory and scientific rigor necessary to assess the full suite of novel human health, environmental, animal welfare and socioeconomic risks.  Instead of criticizing Congressional efforts to correct this, we should be asking why an agency with neither expertise in fisheries nor environmental risk assessments is tasked to review and assess GE fish.
     
    A recent study conducted by Canadian researchers found that transgenic Atlantic salmon can pass their genes on to wild salmon if they escape into the wild.  Echoing the concerns raised by members of Congress and the public over the past year, the study’s lead author, Darek Moreau of Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada said, “little is known about the potential impact on wild salmon populations if the GM species were to escape captivity.”  Despite company claims that all GE fish are designed to be sterile females, FDA analysis of company data reveals that the triploid sterilization process is not 100% effective, as up to 5% of the entire commercial stock could be fertile and able to reproduce.  As the company has boasted, AquaBounty has orders for 15 million eggs, this could mean the production of upward of 750,000 fertile, genetically engineered eggs. 
     
    Regardless of any escapes, the farming of carnivorous fish like salmon requires massive quantities of wild forage fish for use as fishmeal and fish oil, inputs that cannon be sufficiently replaced by vegetarian alternatives.  It can take from 3 to 10 lbs. of forage fish feed to produce just 1 lb. of farmed salmon.[1] This is a massive discrepancy that stands to be made worse by GE salmon designed to grow faster as they will likely need more food, thus increasing the pressure on wild fish stocks that are already over-fished for use by aquaculture operations.  The public is being led to believe that GE salmon will reduce the pressure on wild stocks and they are being deceived.
     
    Consumers choose to eat wild salmon for its health benefits yet the data AquAbounty produced for FDA paints a very different picture of GE salmon.  FDA reviews cite the presence of proteins to which some people are acutely allergic to, which might be elevated in the transgenic fish.[2] In later discussion on food allergies, FDA states “the technical flaws in this [AquaBounty's allergy] study so limit its interpretation that we cannot rely on its results.”[3] AquAdvantage salmon went largely untested for increased disease susceptibility, despite findings of focal inflammations and elevated white blood cell counts suggestive of infection.[4]  Chemical levels of folic acid, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc, as well as ratios of Omega 3/Omega 6 fatty acids, vary in engineered salmon compared to non-GE salmon, which is possibly indicative of food quality differences.[5]
     
    Approving GE salmon to be grown across our borders in Canada and Panama, as the company is seeks, is not in our country’s best interests.  The possibility for escape is too high, due tofactors including human error, glitches in containment or serious weather events.  Given the tremendous investment by Federal and State agencies to restore wild salmon fisheries in the Northeast where Atlantic salmon is currently on the endangered species list, ecological and economic costs associated with escapes would be devastating. 
     
    A near unanimity of Americans, 91%, felt the FDA should not introduce GE fish and meat into the marketplace, according to poll by Lake Research Partners.[6]  Now AquaBounty is threatening to take its business elsewhere (although no domestic jobs would result from an approval anyway).  As the most influential country in the world, the U.S. should represent the highest pillar of excellence in economic, environmental and social sustainability – rather than catering to the lowest.  If another country permits dangerous and damaging practices of questionable consequences to take place, that is up to their citizens, scientists, and policymakers to decide.
     
    Fortunately, we can draw from successful approaches to management here in the U.S.  Taking a cue from Alaska, which has prohibited fish farming and instead invested in proper management, wild fisheries can flourish when properly supported and thus produce abundant food while generating jobs and economic benefits throughout sectors.  For their efforts, Alaska is being rewarded with near-record salmon returns this year – but these successes need not be limited to Alaska.  We know there is great appetite for salmon, however the solution is not to ‘farm’ genetically engineered versions to put more on our dinner tables; the solution is to support and work to bring our vanishing wild salmon populations back.
    [1] Naylor, R.L and Burke, M. (2005) Aquaculture and Ocean Resources: Raising Tigers of the Sea. Stanford University Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Vol. 30, page(s) 185-218; Pinto, F. and Furci, G. (2006) Salmon Piranha Style: Feed Conversion Efficiency in the Chilean Salmon Farming Industry, Edited by R. Pizarro, Terram Publications.
    [2] AquAdvantage Salmon Briefing Packet for Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration, Sept. 20, 2010, p. 75-76.
    [3] Briefing Packet, p. 104.
    [4] Briefing Packet, p. 41: “Comprehensive disease challenge tests have not been conducted on these fish.”  ”An increased presence of focal inflammation in various tissue types in AquAdvantage salmon has the strongest correlation with the presence of the AquAdvantage construct [inserted gene] among the findings in this study.  That these fish may have been immunocompromised as a result of seasonality or other factors confounds the interpretation of these findings.”  In other words, FDA waves off the strongest finding of difference between GE and control salmon with airy speculation, and fails to demand further study to clarify these “confounded” findings.  In particular, FDA does not demand “comprehensive disease challenge” tests to determine, based on SCIENCE and DATA, whether these GE salmon are more susceptible to disease.  This is inexcusable, particularly given peer-reviewed literature showing that salmon engineered with a growth hormone gene are more susceptible to a significant salmon pathogen (Vibrio anguillarum) that causes the devastating salmon disease vibriosis than non-GE salmon.  See Jhingan et al (2003).  ”Disease resistance, stress response and effects of triploidy in growth hormone transgenic coho salmon,” Journal of Fish Biology 63: 806-823.  For elevated white blood cell (lymphocyte) counts, see p. 35, and Figure 5, p. 147).
    [5] VMAC at 87-88
    [6] Lake Research Partners, Commissioned by Food and Water Watch, 9/20/10 http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/release-FWW-Omnibus.pdf
     ———————————–
    Colin O’Neil is a regulatory policy analyst for the Center for Food Safety a non-profit public interest organization based in Washington, D.C.
     

    Food Safety

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    Ohio Firm Recalls Jerky Products Due To Misbranding And An Undeclared Alergen

    Curly’s Custom Meats, a Jackson Center, Ohio establishment is recalling approximately 33 pounds of teriyaki-flavored beef jerky products because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen.

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    Document Control to Manage today’s Complex Quality Systems – A Quality and Food Safety Systems webinar

    Attend this webinar to learn strategies and practical examples for document control to comply with GFSI audits and for legal compliance.

    Sponsor Organization: ComplianceOnline

    Link to register or for more information: http://complianceonline.com/ecommerce/control/trainingFocus/~product_id=701924?c hannel=FSN  Food Safety

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    New York Importer Recalls Bacon Products for Possible Listeria Contamination

    A New York importer is recalling approximately 2,900 pounds of diced bacon products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,

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    New York Company Recalls Diced Bacon Products

    A New York company is recalling approximately 2,900 pounds of Assoulti Cooked Diced Bacon products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced very late Friday.
    Jetro Cash and Carry Enterprises LLC/R.D. Food Services LP was informed of the problem after FSIS routine testing on July 19 found that a sample of cooked diced bacon imported from another company, Canadian EST No. 169A, Aliments Prince, S.E.C., was positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
    The initial product related to that sample is on hold, but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency notified FSIS that  products from the same batch had been shipped to the United States.
    There are no reports of illnesses associated with the diced bacon. 
    The Assoulti Cooked Diced Bacon has a case code of 1173 and EST No. 169A. It bears the Canadian mark of inspection and a Certification Number of 406515, 406516, or 406562. The products were shipped to Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio for further distribution to food service institutions.
    Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the companies’ representatives, Walter Tadera, at 718- 915 7221, or Cheri Schneider, at 800-321-1470.

    Food Safety

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    New York Firm Recalls Imported Ready-To-Eat Smoked Duck Breast Products Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination

    Palmex, Inc., a Champlain, N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 197 pounds of imported, ready-to-eat, smoked duck breast products that may be contaminated with Salmonella.

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    Lawmakers Tell FDA to Back Off on GE Salmon

    A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration not to dismiss congressional opposition to the approval of genetically engineered (GE) salmon.

    House and Senate lawmakers each sent separate letters to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg Friday urging the agency to not approve the fast-growing GE fish, primarily over economic and environmental concerns. The House approved an amendment by Congressman Don Young (R-AK) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) last month that would bar the FDA from spending money to approve an application for the controversial salmon.

    In their letter, senators from key salmon states told Hamburg they have drafted a similar amendment to be introduced in the Senate.

    “Given the strong and growing congressional opposition to the approval of GE fish in both chambers, spending time on further review of GE fish would be a waste of taxpayer dollars,” reads the letter.

    “FDA hasn’t considered all of the potential negative impacts of genetically-altered fish and the strong opposition in Congress to approving something that could decimate wild salmon populations,” said Sen. Begich (D-AK) in a statement Friday. “Recent scientific evidence shows that if genetically-modified salmon escape, they could successfully breed with wild stocks, potentially destroying the genetic adaptations that have allowed fish to thrive for millennia. Alaska wild salmon is abundant and sustainable. 

    “We don’t need Frankenfish threatening our fish populations and the coastal communities that rely on them,” added Begich.

    AquaBounty, the company that developed the salmon technology, insists the salmon pose no threat to human health and will be kept out of wild salmon populations; and an FDA assessment last September concluded the salmon is safe to eat and will not harm the environment. But many consumer groups and much of the seafood industry remain staunchly opposed to the idea.

    Senators Begich, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), and Patty Murray (D-WA) signed the letter from the upper chamber.

    Around a dozen House lawmakers joined Representatives Young and Woolsey on the House side.
    Food Safety

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    Hawaii Firm Recalls Convenience Meals for Possible Listeria Contamination

    Warabeya U.S.A., Inc., a Honolulu, Hawaii establishment, is recalling approximately 1,550 pounds of convenience meals that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

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    Implementing SQF 2000 Systems Training Course

    More and more food manufacturers and food service operators are seeking to implement Safe Quality Food (SQF) systems to improve their operations, protect consumers and meet the demands of food buyers.

    Taught by experienced SQF trainers, this two-day Ecolab course leads participants through the material, using practical exercises that reinforce learning Essential for :
    • Plant managers and supervisors
    • Quality assurance team
    • Food safety personnel
    • Food plant maintenance personnel
    • New food plant employees
    • Retail or food service personnel managing suppliers Ecolab, Inc.

    More information at https://www.regonline.com/CalendarNET/EventCalendar.aspx?EventID=920486&view=Mon Food Safety

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    Posh Bakery Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Eggs in Butter Mini Croissants and Chocolate Mini-Croissants

    Posh Bakery of Santa Clara, CA is recalling all its Butter Mini Croissants and Chocolate Mini-Croissants due to use of an egg wash that was undeclared on the product label. People who have allergies to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume this product.

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    Food Poisoning Outbreak Control for Environmental Health Professionals

    One of the greatest worries for environmental health and public health professionals is an E. coli O157 outbreak on their watch.

    How can you tell from initial information systems that something unusual is occurring?

    When an outbreak starts what should be done?

    Who do you involve?

    What processes are in place to deal with what will always be a unique set of circumstances?

    How do you monitor and more importantly, control and stop the outbreak before any more damage is done?

    What teams need setting up to identify the cause, chase up contacts and, where appropriate, ensure a successful prosecution?

    This two-day practical workshop examines these issues in real time by working through actual examples of outbreaks, supplemented by lectures by some of the country’s top experts in this fi eld. You will be part of the Outbreak Control Team and will be led through the stages so you will be ready if it happens to you!

    Who should attend?
    This course is designed for all members of the Outbreak Control Team including Environmental Health Professionals, Consultants in Communicable Disease Control, Infection Control Nurses, Health Protection Units, Epidemiologists, Public Health Professionals, Primary Care Trusts and many more.
     
    Program
    Training program coordinated and run by David Clapham, Principal Environmental Health Manager, Bradford and Alan Lacey, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Sainsburys Supermarkets
     
    Speakers include:
    Food poisoning organisms and recent food poisoning outbreaks
    Dr Bob Adak, Head, Epidemiological Services Department of Gastrointestinal, Emerging & Zoonotic Infections
    HPA Centre for Infections Statistics: Proving what you need to prove
    André Charlett, Head of Statistics, Modelling and Economics Department HPA
    E.coli O157, how the Reference Laboratory can help: What they need, what you need
    Geraldine Smith, HPA
    Mistakes made in prosecutions: Preparations for success
    Dr Slim Dinsdale, Food Safety and Quality Consultant
    Lessons learnt from outbreaks
    Graham Bickler, Regional Director, HPA South East
     
    Workshops include:
    • Case study overview
    • First information sources: What to monitor and
    check. Have we got an outbreak?
    • More information arrives: Preparing for the visit,
    allocating work
    • Calling the OCT: Who and when do you call and
    what to cover?
    • More information arrives: What action do you take?
    • Laboratory information comes in: Confirming,
    denying or confusing?
    • Complications arise! Who needs to do what?
    • Legislation: What, why, when?
    • Dealing with the aftermath
     
    This two-day conference includes a 3 course delegate dinner, providing an excellent opportunity to network and listen to our pre-dinner speakers (names to be confirmed)

    The course website can be found at http://www.rsph.org.uk/en/courses-conferences-and-events/events/index.cfm/eid/B94276C3-24D8-4E08-9625B94631D58425
    Food Safety

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    JFC International Inc. Issues Allergy Alert Due To Undeclared Milk Protein in UCC and Taitan Instant Drink Mix Products

    JFC International, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA is recalling all UCC and Taitan Instant Drink Mix because they contain undeclared milk protein. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk may run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products.

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    Publisher’s Platform: What is a Food Crime?

    Do you remember Domino’s Pizza employees Kristy Hammonds and Michael Setzer, who made a video of Setzer, 32, putting cheese up his nose before putting it on a sandwich, passing gas on a piece of salami and sneezing on an order of cheese sticks, then hiding the mucus under the cheese before boxing the order?  

    Hammonds, 31 at the time, narrates the videos, laughing and making encouraging comments. Hammonds and Setzer were charged with felony adulteration of food. Hammonds pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. She received a 45-day suspended sentence and 18 months probation. During her probation, Hammonds cannot work at any establishment that prepares or serves food or beverages. Hammonds also must complete 200 hours of community service and pay for her attorney fees, which amounted to $1,125. Setzer pleaded guilty, taking an Alford plea. This admits the evidence against him is strong enough to produce a guilty plea but admits no wrongdoing.  Setzer was given a six-month suspended sentence, 24 months supervised probation and he was ordered to have no contact with Hammonds or Domino’s.

    And, Peanut Corporation of America President Stewart Parnell (who sickened over 700 and killed 9 in a Salmonella Outbreak in 2009) and Wright County Eggman Jack DeCoster (who sickened over 1,600 in a Salmonella Outbreak in 2010) have been charged with no crimes at all.

    What the hell is with that?
    Food Safety

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    Risvold’s Salads Inc ISSUES ALLERGY ALERT ON UNDECLARED allergens in Seafood Salad and Seafood Pasta Salad

    Risvold’s Salads Inc of Gardena, CA is recalling seafood salad and seafood pasta salad, because it may contain undeclared milk, sunflower, sesame and soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk, sunflower, sesame and soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

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    Advanced HACCP Training Course

    This 2 day course will allow you to gain a solid understanding of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) process and its vital importance to food manufacturing. Learn how to develop, implement and maintain a practical HACCP program today. Essential for :
    • Plant managers and supervisors
    • Quality assurance team
    • Food safety personnel
    • Food plant maintenance personnel
    • New food plant employees
    • Retail or foodservice personnel managing suppliers

    This class is essential for those working to develop HACCP programs to comply with food safety management systems like SQF, BRC and FSSC or to simply develop a HACCP program that will allow your facility to comply with this requirement within the Food Safety Modernization Act. Ecolab, Inc.

    More information at https://www.regonline.com/CalendarNET/EventCalendar.aspx?EventID=920486&view=Mon Food Safety

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    Dole Fresh Vegetables Announces Precautionary Recall of Limited Number of Italian Blend Salads

    Dole Fresh Vegetables is voluntarily recalling 2,880 cases of DOLE® Italian Blend salad with Use-by Date of June 19, 2011, UPC code 7143000819 and Product Codes 0049A157201A, 0049A157201B, 0049A157202A, 0049A157202B, 0686A157202A, 0686A157202B and 442 cases of Kroger Fresh Selections Italian Style Blend salad with Use-by-Date of June 19, 2011, UPC code 1111091045 and Product Codes A157201A & A157201B, due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes. Dole Fresh Vegetables is coordinating closely with regulatory officials.

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    Two More Seafood Processors With Violations

    Vacuum-packed cold smoked mackerel from Auburn, WA and ready-to-eat lobster meat products, tuna and pasteurized crabmeat products from Middletown, RI are among the latest seafoods to be found adulterated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    The two seafood processors involved, Newport Lobster Co. Inc. in Rhode island, and Euro International Inc. in Washington state, received warning letters publicly released June 14 by the FDA about their “serious violations” of federal food safety laws.
    A Feb. 28 warning letter to Newport stemmed from inspections at the Auburn facility last Nov. 23 to Dec. 15.   FDA’s concerns center on record keeping and sanitation practices at the seafood processing facility.
    The agency said the facility was not maintaining monitoring records for routine cooking of lobster, not monitoring ice at the cooler, and not maintaining records at receiving. 
    Newport  did not have sanitation records for the first 11 months of 2010, causing FDA to be concerned about everything from the water quality in the facility to whether pests were being kept out of the food plant.
    The May 27 warning letter to Euro International cited the lack of a seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan for refrigerated, vacuum-packaged cold smoked mackerel to control the risk of Clostridium botulism toxin and scrombrotoxin (histamine) formation.
    Each of the seafood companies was given 15 business days to respond to the FDA’s concerns.
    Seafood facilities are frequently subjects of FDA warning letters. Unlike meat and poultry, which are regulated by USDA, seafood processors are not under continuous inspection.

    Food Safety

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    Earth Fare Recall on Frozen Spicy Bean Burgers in Akron, Ohio Due To Possible Health Risks

    Earth Fare, Fletcher, NC is recalling its frozen Earth Fare Spicy Bean Burger with UPC code 8-78602-00518 and lot codes #05311 and #06711 because of a potential Salmonella contamination. No other Earth Fare Veggie Burger products were affected.

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    Agricultural Poultry Inspector (Agricultural Specialist IV)

    Job #01225   

    The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Veterinary Services is seeking an Agricultural Poultry Inspector for the Shenandoah Valley and Northern Virginia regions, based out of the Harrisonburg Office. The selected individual may also be required to travel throughout the Commonwealth for Avian Influenza and related poultry diseases. Duties include assisting with the administration of poultry and other animal health programs; enforcing laws and regulations pertaining to the health of poultry and livestock in the region as well as animal welfare; assist with the eradication and control of diseases in Virginia livestock and poultry by performing depopulation; and providing services to promote poultry and livestock in Virginia. This position involves communicating with and interacting with the various stakeholders of Virginia’s poultry industry; frequent handling of birds and sample collection of blood, oropharyngeal, tracheal and/or cloacal swabs from backyard or small flock poultry for Avian Influenza (AI), Salmonella pullorum, and other Salmonella speciesrequired to determine the health status in Virginia’s poultry flocks.  Additional duties include conducting quarterly AI audits, explaining Virginia’s poultry importation requirements, fielding questions about poultry movement and biosecurity issues, examining and reviewing USDA Poultry Importation Forms for completeness and accuracy and reporting such findings to the National Poultry Improvement Plan representative.   

    QUALIFICATIONS: Preferred candidates will possess a BS or AA degree in Animal and Poultry Science, or related field; however, an equivalent amount of related practical experience is acceptable. Must be knowledgeable in poultry production; safe poultry handling techniques; experience in swabbing birds, bleeding birds, and taking other poultry samples as needed.  An understanding of and willingness to practice appropriate biosecurity is essential.  The successful candidate must be able to competently and comfortably work in and amongst livestock in confinement and restraint type situations in a humane manner.  Must possess excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills; a demonstrated ability to work well with the industry, the public, other regulatory agencies and work teams during stressful situations; proven ability to interpret/apply and explain laws and regulations. A valid Virginia Drivers License and basic computer skills are required.  This position involves regular daily travel, as well as the ability to work unusual night and weekend hours.  Considerable physical activity is required to include lifting of up to 50 lbs.; prolonged standing or sitting; working in environments with extreme temperature changes; ability to distinguish odors; work around fumes and wear a respirator as needed.   Incumbents of this position must receive an annual influenza vaccine.  Because this position will involve considerable interaction with poultry and to minimize the risks of disease transmission, the individual will not be permitted to maintain poultry. Final candidate must successfully complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check.  Minimum Hiring Salary: $31,352, negotiable with relevant experience.
                            
    In accordance with State Code, incumbents of this position must complete a Statement of Economic Interests form upon hire and annually thereafter.

    To be considered for this position, you must complete a state application through the on-line employment system at https://jobs.agencies.virginia.gov/ by 5:00 p.m. on June 30, 2011. Fax, e-mail or mail applications will not be accepted.  Resumes may be attached, but are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.  For more information or assistance you may contact the Human Resource Office, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Room 248, Richmond, VA 23219; Telephone: 804.371.8066; Hearing Impaired 1.800.828.1120; e-mail address hr.vdacs@vdacs.virginia.gov.  EOE
      Food Safety

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    California Firm Recalls Meatball Products due to Misbranding and an Undeclared Allergen

    Kim Son Food Co., an Oakland, Calif., establishment is recalling approximately 84,000 pounds of cooked beef and pork meatball products because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen.

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    FDA Inspections Target Two Juice Makers

    Juice processing facilities in Indiana and Puerto Rico received warning letters recently from the Food and Drug Administration after failing inspections conducted last year.
    Both a Feb. 23 warning letter to Goshen, IN-based Sunrise Orchards Inc., and a March 23 warning letter to Bayamon, PR-based Jonlly Fruits Inc. were made public on June 7 by FDA.
    FDA said the Indiana company’s juice processing facility was inspected on multiple dates last October.  Among the “serious violations” FDA inspectors said they observed was a bin of damaged apples used to make the company’s cider.
    In its Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan, Sunrise says it will continuously monitor to ensure that “moldy, rotten, bruised or otherwise damaged fruit” will not be processed.
     
    The juice maker is failing to monitor “conditions and practices” during processing, FDA said.  Among items observed during inspection were:
    – Post-pasteurization piping connected to the surge tank with duct tape.
    – Piping cleaned only by flushing it with water.
    – Holes in the juice tank lid covered with duct tape.
    – Pasteurized apple juice observed leaking from piping leading from the surge tank to the rotary filter and dripping on to the outer surfaces.
    – A hole in the roof of the storage area filled with two torn bags of exposed rice hulls.
    – Gaps around doors that allowed the entry of pests.
    FDA said the company’s apple juice was not being held at refrigerated temperatures to “prevent the rapid growth of undesirable bacteria.”
    The warning letter says Sunrise replied to FDA’s Form 483 report on the inspection on Jan. 19, but the response was not deemed to be sufficient because it lacked documentation.
    The Puerto Rican fruit juice and fruit juice beverage processing facility was the subject of an inspection last Sept. 20 to Oct. 5.  Jonlly did not have a HACCP plan for its juice products, FDA said, and the inspection turned up other problems as well.
    Among those problems:  mixing tanks in the production room did not have protective covers. Water was dripping into the orange drink from an overhead pipeline. When a knob from a water valve fell into a mixing tank, an employee reached into the tank and removed it.  
    FDA said the employee was going to continue processing until a company consultant stopped him and persuaded the employee to drain and sanitize tank before using it again.
    The facility also lacked hot water at suitable pressures and a second floor hand-washing sink did not have hot water, the warning letter stated.

    Food Safety

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    Simply Thick, LLC Announces The Voluntary Recall Of Products Manufactured By Thermo Pac, LLC At Their Stone Mountain, GA Food Processing Plant

    St. Louis, MO — Simply Thick, LLC is announcing a voluntary recall of its SimplyThick® thickening gel products manufactured at a food processing plant located in Stone Mountain, Georgia since June 1, 2009. This plant is currently owned and operated by Thermo Pac, LLC. This voluntary recall is limited to only those products manufactured at the Stone Mountain, Georgia plant.

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    Report: Response to Outbreaks is Deteriorating

    Foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S. are not getting worse, but the government response to food-related outbreaks is deteriorating, according to a paper published by the American Enterprise Institute this week.

    Conservative think-tank AEI’s “Regulation Outlook” for June looked at federal foodborne illness statistics and concluded that reporting and data disclosure is “out of date and woefully incomplete.” The paper noted that there has been a significant increase in the percentage of outbreaks that public officials never attribute to a particular food.

    “Responding effectively to [foodborne illness] outbreaks depends on knowing what food item caused the outbreak; this information underpins both enforcement action and targeted public health measures like recalls and ‘do not eat’ warnings,” writes Randall Lutter, an adjunct scholar at AEI, in the paper, which was released Tuesday.

    To combat what it claims is a breakdown in successful food attribution, which Lutter notes cannot be pinpointed to a single cause, the paper recommends that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “fully and promptly” disclose all food-safety data to improve analysis and accountability. “The CDC should also explicitly adopt quantitative performance goals for responding to [foodborne illness] outbreaks,” says Lutter.

    The paper notes that outbreaks not only hurt public health, but also the food industry by “depressing consumption and disrupting markets even after an outbreak is declared over.”

    According to AEI’s analysis, between the three years ending in 2000 and the three years ending in 2008, the percentage of all large outbreaks–those involving more than 100 illnesses–that food safety agencies were unable to implicate a specific food item increased by 25 percentage points. Lutter explores a number of theories as to why agencies have struggled with foodborne illness attribution and reporting.

    “In principle, agencies may identify responsible food items in fewer outbreaks if the costs of doing so are rising or the benefits are falling. Unfortunately, determining agency behavior is difficult or impossible with available data,” says Lutter, adding that his analysis shows deterioration is not  likely due to additional workload — the total number of outbreaks has remained relatively constant — though a drop in resources could be playing a role.

    Tom Frieden, director of CDC, told reporters this week that state and local funding plays a critical part in foodborne illness surveillance: “We are concerned about the kind of reductions that we’re seeing in state and local public health departments, which may undermine our ability to both detect and respond to outbreaks as well as contribute to further prevention.”

    Lutter also explores the theory that it might be getting harder to identify food sources because outbreaks could be occurring more in private homes and away from institutions, which keep better records on exactly what is served, when, and to whom, and determines that it doesn’t account for the apparent drop in performance.

    Other theories explored in the paper: the fact that pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), also known as DNA fingerprinting, takes longer than conventional processes, that standards for naming a responsible food item have improved, or that there are increasing lags in exposure times and symptoms. None fully explain the deterioration in successful attribution.      
     
    Overall, the paper points to the inadequate management hypothesis. “Foodborne illness outbreaks merit a stronger administrative response than has been seen to date,” says Lutter.  
    Food Safety

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    Recall Notification Report 040-2011

    Allison’s Gourmet Kitchens, Inc., a Moore, Okla., establishment, is recalling approximately 22,594 pounds of chicken and ham salad products because they are misbranded and contain potassium sorbate and/or sodium benzoate which do not appear on the package labels.

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    Colorado Listeria Outbreak Prompts Warning

    The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced Thursday that three reported cases of Listeria infection, two of which resulted in death, had been reported in Denver since May 20.  

    According to a press release issued by the state health department, the two people who died were a male in his 30s and a female in her 60s.  All three Listeria cases were people of Hispanic/Latino heritage.  

    denver colorado map featured Food SafetyAlthough the state, Denver Public Health and Denver Environmental Health continue to investigate the reported cases, the source of the outbreak is unknown and public health officials are urging residents to take basic precautions to prevent infection.  

    “People who are at high risk for Listeria infection can decrease their risk by avoiding soft cheeses such as queso fresco and brie unless they are made with pasteurized milk, hot dogs and deli meats unless reheated to an internal temperature of 165F, refrigerated pa?te? or meat spreads, or refrigerated smoked seafood,” Alicia Cronquist, an epidemiologist at the state health department, said in a statement.

    Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause Listeria infection, which is also known as listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal infection. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis, but immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, and people age 60 or older are at high risk.   

    Symptoms can include fever and muscle aches, and also can include diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion and convulsions. Listeriosis also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

    Antibiotics given promptly can cure the illness and prevent infection of a fetus. Even with prompt treatment, some Listeria infections result in death. This is particularly likely in older adults and in people with other serious medical problems. Food Safety

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    California Firm Recalls Chicken Noodle Salad Due to Mislabeling and an Undeclared Allergen

    Fresh and Ready Foods, a San Fernando, Calif., establishment is recalling approximately 770 pounds of Asian Chicken Noodle Salad because the product contains egg, a known allergen, which is not declared on the label.

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    Letter From The Editor: Is It Food Safety?

    More conversations were occurring this week about Food Safety News 2.0.   Publisher Bill Marler explained as much as can be explained about this in his column last Sunday.
    For the editors, it gets us off our normal schedules to talk about why we do what we do now and how that might change.  Since the beginning, we’ve had to define what it is that makes a Food Safety News story.  We cannot compete if that definition is too broad, and we are going to disappoint a sophisticated readership base if we leave too much out. How we define our own “niche” will have much to do with our continued success.
    If it’s a story about a pathogen that rides along on food and infects people, well’ that’s an easy one.  When it’s something that makes people critically ill or kills them within days, it’s not hard to make a decision.  We want to be the “gold standard” for outbreaks that involve E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and other foodborne pathogens.   
    That’s why we’ve asked reporter Gretchen Goetz to break from her vacation France to go to Germany to cover the current outbreak of E. coli 0104:H4 that has sickened 600, sent 200 to hospitals, and already killed five. Ross Anderson, Mary Rothschild, and Bill Marler also have contributed to our coverage of the German outbreak.
    Not all topics fall so easily into the food safety basket. The child obesity epidemic means some kids today are going to die sooner than their parents did.  But for the most part, they’ve gotten fat eating and drinking food that is safe to eat. They just eat too damn much, and do not get anywhere near enough physical activity.   
    Strictly speaking, the child obesity epidemic is not about food safety. We’ve opted to cover the topic anyway because it fits into a food health category our readers want to know about.  Still we pick and choose our way through child obesity, just as we do with organics, genetically modified food, food labeling, and on and on.
    The goods new is we have made enough of an impact on the world that we have incoming information coming at us like a fire hose in the face.  And, that’s also the bad news. We have a lot to sort out everyday just to know where to begin. 
    So as I think about every week that was, there are always those stories that we did not pursue because in the end we decided the food safety angle just was not there.  Here are a couple of examples from the past week:
    Oprah 
    Thousands of stories were written in the past week about Oprah ending her 25-year run on daytime television. (I never saw a single show, but it must have been good to have lasted that long.)  On her last day, 4,700 stories marking the end appeared around the world.
    But one story captured my attention and almost caused me to replay the “veggie libel” lawsuit some Texas cattlemen brought against Oprah, a suit she prevailed in against the odds at trial in Amarillo. That one story was in the Amarillo Globe News and it quoted Paul Engler, who sued Oprah and lost. Engler, who chairs Cautus Feeders, was asked by the local newspaper if he’d do it again. “Absolutely, ” he said. “I wouldn’t hesitate 35 seconds.”
    The Amarillo cattlemen sued Oprah under the Texas law that makes it a civil wrong to “knowingly making a false statement that disparaged a perishable food product,” which came to be called the “veggie libel law.”  The judge withdrew that law from consideration before a Texas jury acquitted Oprah on a broader law designed to prevent false or disparaging statements about a specific business — in this case, the cattle owned by the plaintiffs who sued Oprah for $10 million.
    Engler not only would do it again, he takes credit for “cleaning up her act.”  Oprah’s shootout with Texas cattlemen all stemmed from a show about Mad Cow disease, which when read today does sound a bit over the top  But is Engler’s claim true, that Oprah became more responsible or more fair after winning the 27-day courtroom showdown in Amarillo?   Like I said, I missed it.  But it is not a food safety story.
    Jack In the Box
    Any story about the nation’s fifth largest fast food business can be made into a food safety story simply by including a paragraph or two about its role in the historic 1993 E. coli outbreak.  For a more recent reference, one could just point to Jeff Benedict’s new book “Poisoned,” which is fair and balanced in telling the Jack in the Box recovery story, including the stunning food safety make-over brought about by David Theno.
    Jack in the Box was in the business news this past week because, unlike some of its competition, it’s having a hard time coming back from the economic troubles that the country has experienced lately. Interestingly, analysts say Jack has two problems. First, too many of its customer base, mostly males in their 20s and early 30s, are unemployed. Second, they say Jack has too many units concentrated in California, which is a fiscal basket case.
    Theno’s work caused many people involved in food safety to recommend Jack In the Box to friends and relatives who cannot give up fast food.  ”If you have to eat fast food, you could do a lot worse than Jack,” they might say.
    But a business story is not a food safety story,so we passed on that one.  If Jack ever got into real trouble, we’d cover it.  But Jack has been a survivor.
    As always, we’d love to hear from readers about those stories we should, and those stories we should not, cover.    

    Food Safety

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    Undeclared Eggs in “Halal Plain” & “Halal Fruit Cake”

    New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today alerted consumers to undeclared eggs in “Halal Plain Cake” and “Halal Fruit Cake”, packaged and distributed by Narala Bakery Inc. of 744 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. People who have severe sensitivity to eggs may run the risk of serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume this product.

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    Salad Suspected in Illinois Salmonella Outbreak

    Although health department investigators have not been able to pinpoint the cause of a Salmonella outbreak in St. Charles, Illinois, they say evidence suggests it was the salad at Portillo’s restaurant.
    Fifteen people have now been confirmed infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella, according to a news release Monday from the Kane County Health Department.  Eleven of the case patients reported eating at Portillo’s restaurant and seven of those reported eating a salad.
    It is not known how the salad might have become contaminated. Food samples collected from the restaurant all tested negative.
    Two Portillo’s employees tested positive for Salmonella Typhimurium, but investigators identified them as likely victims of the outbreak, not the source. So far, 76 employees have been cleared to return to work after twice testing negative in tests conducted 48 hours apart.
    The onset of the first illness was April 5 and onset of the last illness was April 30.  Three of the case patients became so ill they were hospitalized.
    Kane County says it continues to work with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the DuPage, DeKalb and Chicago health departments in investigating the outbreak.  Eight of the victims were from Kane County, four from DuPage County, and one each from DeKalb County, Chicago and Minnesota.

    Food Safety

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    Schratter Foods Inc RECALLS “Quenby Hall Blue Stilton Cheese” BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE HEALTH RISK

    “Quenby Hall Blue Stilton Cheese” is being recalled by Schratter Foods Incorporated, a Fairfield, New Jersey-based food distributor, because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

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    Blue Cheese Recalled Over Listeria Fears

    A New Jersey company is recalling cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

    quenbyhallcheese featured Food Safety

    In a news release, Schratter Foods of a Fairfield, NJ said routine testing by the company revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the bulk of Quenby Hall Blue Stilton Cheese. Distribution of the cheese has been suspended while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the company investigate the source of the problem.
    The recalled “Quenby Hall Blue Stilton Cheese” was distributed nationwide in retail stores. 
    The product comes in bulk (round half 8.5-9.6 lbs) and random weight wedge cuts (UPC 0813555010000). The label states “Imported by: ANCO Fine Cheese and the affected lots are 019 through 034. 
    Additionally, the recalled lots are marked with expiration dates of June 15, 2011 through June 29, 2011. The product could be cut at retail from the bulk or purchased and sold as pre-cut wedges. 
    No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the cheese. 
    The recalled wedge cut package of “Quenby Hall Blue Stilton Cheese” can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 973-461-2400 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST).   

    Food Safety

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    California Firm Recalls Deli Meat Products for Possible Listeria Contamination

    Rose & Shore Meat Co., a Vernon, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 15,900 pounds of ready-to-eat deli meat products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

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    Illinois Salmonella Outbreak Cases Now at 13

    The Kane County Health Department in Illinois said Friday that it had confirmed three more Salmonella infections linked to a St. Charles restaurant, pushing the outbreak total to 13.
    Nine of the 13 patients reported eating at Portillo’s restaurant in April. Nine of the case patients are female and four are male; their ages range from 17 to 64. Three of the patients were hospitalized, but all have since been released.
    According to the health department, the restaurant cleaned and sanitized its building Monday night and discarded all food items, except for samples collected to send to the state lab for testing.
    The restaurant has also assumed the cost of testing the store’s employees, the health department reported. Results from those tests are expected early next week. None of the employees will be allowed to return to work until they have had two tests showing they are not infected.
    Portillo’s has transferred employees from other locations and remains open.
    Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment or ever visiting a doctor.
    Anyone who ate at the St. Charles Portillo’s between April 15 and May 6 and had or currently has these symptoms is urged to call the Kane County Health Department at 847-608-2128, or visit their personal physician.

    Food Safety

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