According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, raw milk products produced by Organic Pastures of Fresno County have been released from a statewide quarantine that began May 10. CDFA imposed the quarantine in response to the detection of campylobacter bacteria, and notification from the California Department of Public Health of reported campylobacter food-borne illnesses in persons consuming Organic Pastures raw milk. CDPH also isolated Campylobacter jejuni from six samples of the dairy’s raw cream, one sample of raw butter and four samples of cow manure from the milking herd.

From January through April 30, 2012, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports that at least 10 people with campylobacter infection were identified throughout California and reported consuming Organic Pastures raw milk prior to illness onset. Their median age is 11.5 years, with six under 18. The age range is nine months to 38 years. They are residents of Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clara counties. None of the patients have been hospitalized, and there have been no deaths.

It is becoming a harder for Organic Pastures to defend raw milk so vehemently after the dairy has now been linked to 4 outbreaks and 6 recalls.

In 2006, three strains of E. coli O157:H7 were cultured from Organic Pastures' heifers' feces.  That same year, the dairy was quarantined after six children became ill with E. coli infections - two with hemolytic uremic syndrome - linked to its raw milk.

In 2007, fifty strains of Campylobacter jejuni plus Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter fetus, Campylobacter hyointetinalis, and Campylobacter lari were cultured from OPDC dairy cow feces after eight people were sickened.  See the state report here. 

In 2007, Listeria monocytogenes was cultured from Organic Pastures Grade A raw cream.

In 2008, Campylobacter was cultured from Organic Pastures Grade A raw cream.

In November 2011, a cluster of five young children with Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 infection with matching pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns was identified. All five children reported drinking commercially available raw (unpasteurized) milk from a single dairy (Organic Pastures) and had no other common exposures. The epidemiological findings led to a quarantine and recall of all Organic Pastures products except cheese aged more than 60 days. Environmental samples collected at Organic Pastures yielded E. coli O157:H7 isolates that had PFGE patterns indistinguishable from the patient isolates.  

Routine testing by the company revealed the presence of Salmonella in the papayas, according to the recall notice. 

The company says no illnesses have been reported.

The recalled Papaya Maradol, Caribeña Brand cases were distributed in the Bronx, New York in wholesale stores and through retail stores from May 14 to May 17, 2012. The papayas were packed in 35 lb. cartons marked with the brand " Caribeña " and " Product of Mexico" stamped on the side. The papayas are sold individually, and each one bears a label that states "3112 CARIBEÑA Papaya MARADOL PRODUCT OF MEXICO www.grandeproduce.com" 

In 2001 Agromod Produce recalled papayas purchased prior to July 23, 2011 after an outbreak of Salmonella Agona that sickened 106 in California, Arizona, New York, Minnesota, Colorado, Washington, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas had been linked to the papayas. The outbreak related illnesses began after January 16 and continued to occur over several months. On August 25, the Food and Drug Administration banned imports of papayas grown in Mexico because of widespread and ongoing salmonella contamination. More than 15 percent of fresh papayas entering the U.S. from Mexico were contaminated with Salmonella.

The South Carolina Meat Poultry Inspection Department announced the recall on Friday for products from Lancaster Frozen Foods in Lancaster and G&W Inc. in Hickory Grove.

Products subject to recall were produced between March 2 and May 11 at Lancaster Frozen Foods, and between March 2 and April 12 at G&W. The ground beef was delivered to stores in South Carolina, and from a wholesale distributor to General IGA in Walterboro.

The problem was discovered through the department's lab testing, which confirmed a positive result for E. coli in ground beef from Lancaster Frozen Foods.

No illnesses have been reported so far from consumption of the ground beef.

Recall List to date:

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul

Country Value

Diamond

Diamond Naturals

Premium Edge

Professional

4Health

Taste of the Wild

Apex

Kirkland Signature/Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain

Canidae

Natural Balance

WellPet LLC

Solid Gold Health

Approximately 500 packages of affected product were distributed from April 12 through April 17, 2012 from this lot and as of the date of this release, 263 of these packages have already been retrieved from retail stores. Product was distributed to health and natural food retail stores located in the following states: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NM, OH, OK, OR, SC, SC, TN, TX, WA, WI, and WV.

The product comes in a 6 oz pouch with the World Berries™ logo identified as Organic Cacao Nibs with the following UPC code 632474929022, affected lot code 161104 and the use by date for products for the affected lot 04/14, which are laser etched on the vertical edge of the back panel.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product.

The potential for contamination was identified through the company’s own audit testing of finished product which detected the presence of E. coli 0157:H7. Production and distribution of the product has been suspended while FDA and the company continue their investigation. No other lots of this product and no other FunFresh Foods products are affected by this recall.

Consumers should not consume the product. Consumers who have purchased 6 ounce packages of "Cacao Nibs" are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Alternatively, consumers can call the company which will arrange for a full refund and for retrieval of affected products. Consumers may contact the company between Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time at 1-800-232-8619.

As of May 1, Buncombe County Department of Health reports 37 cases of Salmonella Paratyhpi B infection and continues to test and investigate people coming forward with symptoms of salmonella infection, some who ate tempeh and others who did not eat tempeh. The case interviews indicate that the disease transmission is linked to the outbreak in one of three ways: those who have eaten tempeh, those who have connections to others who have been ill with Salmonella Paratyphi b (person-to-person) and others that are under further investigation to determine if there are other sources of contamination associated with the outbreak.

Smiling Hara of Asheville is voluntarily recalling 12-ounce packages of unpasteurized soybean tempeh because of possible contamination with salmonella.

The company is recalling tempeh manufactured this year between Jan. 11 and April 11. The containers are marked with a best-by date of 7/11/12 through 10/25/12. Tempeh is used as a meat substitute in vegetarian cuisine.

The company is directing consumers to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers wanting more information can contact Smiling Hara at 828-242-1300.

“Anyone with this product in their possession should not eat it,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Smiling Hara launched the recall after samples collected by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services during a routine inspection tested positive for salmonella.”

Additional tests will be conducted by the N.C. Division of Public Health to determine whether the salmonella detected in the tempeh matches the strain found in an outbreak that has sickened 37 people. Cases appear to have been associated with residence or travel to Buncombe County since Feb. 28.

“We strongly encourage individuals to follow the recall guidelines to protect their health and the health of their families,”State Epidemiologist Dr. Megan Davies said.“We do not know yet if this is the same strain of salmonella that is causing the current outbreak.Any salmonella can be transmitted person to person, so it is very important for individuals to practice good hand-washing and to see a physician if they have any symptoms of illness.”

Symptoms commonly associated with this infection may include — but are not limited to — diarrhea that may be bloody, fever, headache and abdominal pain usually one to 10 days after exposure. The illness caused by salmonella infection usually lasts four to seven days, but may last longer. In some cases, people may need to be hospitalized.

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. 

The following products are being recalled by the firm.

1. All clear plastic packages containing 1.5 lbs. Grown in Natural Spring Water Soybean Sprouts.  The packages were not coded. 
2. All bulk (approximately 10 lbs.) plastic bags of Soybean Sprouts. The packages were neither coded nor labeled. 

These items were distributed to retail stores in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C.

The contamination was discovered after sampling by VDACS Food Safety and Security Program. Subsequent analysis by the Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the products. No illness has been reported to date.

190 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly have been reported from 21 states and the District of Columbia. The number of ill persons with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (8), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (9), Illinois (15), Louisiana (3), Maryland (20), Massachusetts (24), Mississippi (2), Missouri (4), New Jersey (18), New York (33), North Carolina (3), Pennsylvania (7), Rhode Island (6), South Carolina (3), Texas (4), Virginia (9), Vermont (1), and Wisconsin (15).

10 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Nchanga have been reported from 5 states. The number of ill persons with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Nchanga identified in each state is as follows: Georgia (2), New Jersey (1), New York (5), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (1).

28 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, from Moon Marine USA Corporation is the likely source of this outbreak.

FDA laboratories have identified Salmonella in two samples of Nakaochi scrape yellowfin tuna with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from the Salmonella Bareilly strain associated with this outbreak. One of the samples also yielded another type of Salmonella with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from the cluster of Salmonella Nchanga infections.

Testing conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection laboratory isolated the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly from one sample of recalled tuna and one sample of a spicy tuna roll made with recalled tuna.

The following 2 products are being recalled by the firm.

Clear clam shell packages containing 4 oz. Organic Alfalfa Sprouts with a sell by date of 4/28/2012.

This product was distributed in New York State. Product label and UPC code noted below.

UPC Code 688267047411

UPC Code 042891000523

3# Bulk containers of Clover Sprouts, with a production code of P93. This product was distributed to institutional accounts in Upstate New York.

The contamination was discovered after sampling under the USDA Microbiological Data Program by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets inspectors and subsequent analysis by the New York State Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the product. No illness has been reported to date.

Moon Marine USA Corporation (also known as MMI) of Cupertino, Calif., is voluntarily recalling all frozen raw yellowfin tuna product from India, labeled as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat, which is specifically scraped off from the bones, and looks like a ground product.

The product is not available for sale to individual consumers, but may have been used to make sushi, sashimi, ceviche and similar dishes available in restaurants and grocery stores.

The company name and Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA were printed on boxes of the product when it was initially sold to distributors. However, the boxes may have been broken into smaller lots for further sale and may not be available to the end retailer or consumer. Therefore, the tuna may not be readily identifiable by retail outlets or by consumers as being from the implicated lots.

The Nakaochi Scrape AA and AAA from MMI was sold through distributors to restaurants and grocery stores that make sushi, and has been linked to the ongoing outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly, which has caused 116 illnesses in 20 states and the District of Columbia to date.

Many of the people who became ill reported eating raw tuna in sushi as “spicy tuna.”

If you purchase “spicy tuna” or other sushi, sashimi, ceviche, or similar dishes that might contain Nakaochi Scrape from a restaurant or grocery store, check with the establishment to make sure that it does not contain raw recalled product from Moon Marine USA Corporation, also known as MMI. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

Consumers who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated raw Nakaochi Scrape should consult their health care providers.

12 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, from Moon Marine USA Corporation is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat that is scraped from the bones of tuna and may be used in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and similar dishes. Moon Marine USA Corporation (also known as MMI) of Cupertino, Calif. is voluntarily recalling 58,828 lbs of a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, labeled as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat, which is specifically scraped off from the bones, and looks like a ground product.

Consumers should not eat the recalled product, and retailers should not serve the recalled raw Nakaochi Scrape tuna product from Moon Marine USA Corporation. This investigation is ongoing. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing surveillance to identify new cases.

The Product Code and Use-by Date are in the upper right-hand corner of the package; the UPC code is on the back of the package, below the barcode. The salads were distributed in fifteen U.S. states (Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin).

No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall. This precautionary recall notification is being issued due to an isolated instance in which a sample of Seven Lettuces salad yielded a positive result for Salmonella in a random sample test collected and conducted by the State of New York.

No other Dole salads are included in the recall. Only the specific Product Codes, UPC codes and April 11, 2012 Use-by-Date of Seven Lettuces salads identified above are included in the recall. Consumers who have any remaining product with these Product Codes should not consume it, but rather discard it. Retailers and consumers with questions may call the Dole Food Company Consumer Response Center at (800) 356-3111, which is open 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (PDT) Monday - Friday.

Retailers should check their inventories and store shelves to confirm that none of the product is mistakenly present or available for purchase by consumers or in warehouse inventories. Dole Fresh Vegetables customer service representatives are already contacting retailers and are in the process of confirming that the recalled product is not in the stream of commerce.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause foodborne illness in a person who eats a food item contaminated with it. Symptoms of infection may experience fever and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain. The illness primarily impacts young children, frail and elderly people and those with weakened immune systems. Most healthy adults and children rarely become seriously ill.

The following products are subject to recall:

• 5- and 10- lb. boxes of 2-, 2.6-, 3-, and 4- oz. “Town & Country Foods XL Hamburg Patties”
• 5- and 10- lb. boxes of 2-, 2.6-, 3-, and 4- oz. “Town & Country Foods Hamburg Patties”
• 10- lb. box containing variously weighted bags of “Town & Country Beef for Stewing”
• 6-, 8-, and 10- oz. “Town & Country Beef Sirloin Filets”
• 5- and 10- lb. boxes containing variously weighted bags of “Town and Country Hamburg”
• 5- and 10- lb. boxes containing variously weighted bags of “Town and Country XL Hamburg”

The recalled products all bear a label with the establishment number “EST. 9710” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Additionally, the products contain the following packaging codes: 10952, 10962, 10972, 11002, and 11012. The products subject to recall were produced between April 4, 2012 and April 10, 2012 and were shipped to wholesale and retail establishments in Maine.

The recall resulted from "company lab testing which confirmed a positive result for E.coli O157:H7."  Interestingly,  Town and Country did not hold product pending test results, resulting in this recall.  It is hard to figure out what the purpose of testing the product is if you don't hold the product while you wait for the results.  Hopefully, none of the product will reach consumers, but some of it was produced a week ago.

• 10 lb. boxes of PRIME RIB BEEF PATTIES 8 oz, with product code 55317, and production code 11 NO 22
• 10 lb boxes of PRIME RIB BEEF PATTIES 71g, with product code 55391 and bearing a production code of 11 SE 01 or 12 JA 04

Since the issuance of the Public Health Alert, FSIS has learned that Sysco was contacted by the Canadian firm and began notifying their customers on March 20. FSIS was unaware of the firm's actions and proceeded with the Public Health Alert out of an abundance of caution.

Imported products were produced by New Food Classics of Burlington, Ontario and were imported by Sysco Seattle Inc., for distribution to restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Washington.

Routine test results showed the possible presence of Salmonella. NO illness has been reported.

The recalled product may be identified by packaging bearing the name Professional Produce of Florida/South. Florida Produce and may include the following lot numbers:

1977434, 1977911, 1978565, 1976393, 1976549, 1976551, 1977220, 1977514, 1977845, 1978122, 1978125, 1978930, 1976774, 1976786, 1977289, 1977310, 1977906, 1977913, 1978563, 1978574, 1979025, 1979034, 1976509, 1977743, 1978618, 280104C07

FSIS was notified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that ground beef patties associated with a Canadian health alert may have been exported to the United States. There has been one reported illness associated with ground beef product produced by the same establishment in Canada.

Products imported to the United States include:

10 lb. boxes of PRIME RIB BEEF PATTIES 8 oz, with product code 55317, and production code 11 NO 22

10 lb boxes of PRIME RIB BEEF PATTIES 71g, with product code 55391 and bearing a production code of 11 SE 01 or 12 JA 04

Imported products were produced by New Food Classics, CFIA Establishment 761 of Saskatoon, Ontario and were imported by Sysco Food Services to a distribution center in Blaine, Wash. for use by food service institutions.

FSIS has been unable to make contact with Sysco Food Services to discuss a recall of this product, so the agency is issuing a Public Health Alert to inform food service operations and consumers. FSIS will continue to provide information as it becomes available, including information about any related recall.

The Family Cow Dairy outbreak led to 78 illnesses.  Of the cases, 68 people were sickened in Pennsylvania, five in Maryland, two in New Jersey and three in West Virginia. At least nine people were hospitalized.

The Claravale recall has not been definitivey linked to any illnesses....yet.

However:

the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is currently conducting an epidemiological investigation of reported clusters of campylobacter illness where consumption of raw milk products may have occurred.

The product is manufactured by El Ranchero del Sur.  The company has pledged to conduct a voluntary recall through the FDA and is contacting its customers to arrange for the retrieval of all of their cheese products. El Ranchero del Sur cheese products can be found primarily in Mexican and Latin American grocery stores, restaurants, and other hispanic food establishments under the name brands El Ranchero, Los Corrales, and Carnes Don Beto with the plant number 34-0013669 marked on the label. All products are 14 ounces in weight except for the Queso Hebra Oaxaca String Cheese ball in 10 pound packages.

This is not the first time listeria has been associated with queso fresco.  According to Outbreak Database, in 1985, a massive outbreak of listeriosis caused 142 confirmed illnesses, including 28 deaths.

Adults can get listeriosis by eating food contaminated with Listeria, but babies can be born with listeriosis if their mothers eat contaminated food during pregnancy. The mode of transmission of Listeria to the fetus is either transplacental via the maternal blood stream or ascending from a colonized genital tract (Silver, 1998). Infections during pregnancy can cause premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth, or serious health problems for the newborn. Although healthy persons may consume contaminated foods without becoming ill, those at increased risk for infection can probably get listeriosis after eating food contaminated with even a few bacteria.

The salad products were produced on Jan. 20, 2012 and then distributed to retail stores in Michigan and vending companies in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. The products subject to the recall are 9.25-ounce packages of "18th Street Deli Julienne Salad," "18th Street Deli Julienne Salad Lite," and "Balanced Choice Julienne Salad Lite" that bear the establishment number "P-22061" inside the USDA mark of inspection and expiration dates of "01/27/12" and "01/30/12."

The problem was discovered when 18th Street Deli was notified by one of its suppliers that hard-cooked eggs (a product inspected by the FDA) had tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and are being recalled by Michael Foods Egg Products Co. The julienne salads contain the recalled eggs and are the subject of this FSIS recall. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.

The sandwiches being recalled have expirations dates of January 19 and January 22 and UPC 0543200194.  The sandwich is packaged in white butcher wrap. The Best Buy date is located on the white press on circular label. The UPC Code is located on the bottom of the product beneath the Ingredient and Nutrition Facts label.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall was the result of a routine sampling program by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which revealed that the finished products contained Listeria.

The product has already been removed from store shelves; however, consumers who may have purchased the sandwich for later consumption are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-394-6258 Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5 PM EST.