In her blog at eFoodAlert.com, Phyllis Entis today discussed France’s approach, or lack thereof, to letting the food-consuming public know about foodborne threats to their health. The story arose from an outbreak of staphylococcal enterotoxin contained within three batches of cheese that were made using unpasteurized milk (aka "raw milk") from a single milk
Easter Recall: Minnesota ham potentially contaminated by listeria
The USDA’s food safety and inspection service announced this morning the recall of ham products (bad timing) that are potentially contaminated by listeria. The USDA’s statement reads as follows:
Lorentz Meats, a Cannon Falls, Minn., establishment, is recalling approximately 100 pounds of ham products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department
Black pepper and HVP rolling recalls continue
The outbreak linked to salami and pepper, and the recall linked to hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), have sparked additional food recalls. First, the pepper. The FDA’s recall notice posted today (it is dated March 25th–from a consumer health standpoint, shouldn’t these notices be going up a little closer in time to the day they occurred)
Stephen Colbert For FDA Spokesperson
What do you think, should the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hire Stephen Colbert to do all of its consumer alerts for recalled products?
Based on his informational (and comedic) handling of the latest product to be recalled in the ever-expanding Salmonella HVP outbreak, Pringles Cheeseburger and Taco Night flavored chips, Mr. Colbert has my
Update on Daniele salami/pepper Salmonella outbreak
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Yesterday, the CDC updated the case count in the Salmonella outbreak linked to recalled salami from Daniele Inc., red pepper from Wholesome Spice, and likely black pepper as well. A total of 245 people are now counted by the CDC as cases in this outbreak, coming from 44 states and the District of Columbia. But this
More on black pepper recall due to Salmonella contamination
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Yesterday, Heartland Foods, Inc., an Indianapolis, Indiana company recalled "all sizes/containers of COARSE GROUND BLACK PEPPER shipped from their facility at 6815 E. 34th Street, Indianapolis IN. Potential distribution took place on or after October 19th, 2009 to February 17th, 2010."
This recall comes on the heels of a major national outbreak linked to pepper-coated salami
Spices: emerging threat or clear and present danger?
Over the last several years, there have been multiple outbreaks linked to, and recalls of, various kinds of spices. From white pepper, to red pepper, to black pepper and beyond, spices are a potentially ideal vehicle for the transmission of foodborne disease. More and more people are becoming ill from contaminated spices, and more and more recalls are occurring. So is this problem merely an emerging threat? Or is it a problem that food producers must confront here and now, finding ways to better ensure the safety of the consumers they profit from.
Spice outbreaks in recent history:
1. Veggie Booty
In May 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a multi-state investigation in response to an increase in laboratory reports, first posted on PulseNet on April 2, 2007, of Salmonella Wandsworth. Salmonella Wandsworth is a very rare serotype that was never before implicated in a U.S. outbreak. As of September 6, 2007, there were 69 reported cases of Salmonella Wandsworth in 23 states and 14 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium in six states who became ill after consuming Veggie Booty, a puffed vegetable snack food with a raw, dried vegetable coating. A total of 61 bags of Veggie Booty were ultimately tested in twelve states. Salmonella was isolated from thirteen of them. Eleven of the thirteen bags were positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella Wandsworth, and one bag was positive for Salmonella Typhimurium and Enterobacter sakazakii. One bag also tested positive for Salmonella Kentucky, and Salmonella Haifa and Saintpaul were isolated from other bags.
The Union International Food outbreak sickened more than 79 people in Western states between December 2008 and April 2009; the majority of the illnesses were in California. Public health officials traced the outbreak to white pepper manufactured by Union International and sold under the brand names Uncle Chen and Lian How. Ultimately the company recalled more than 50 products, including spices, oils, and sauces, due to potential contamination with Salmonella.
3. Wholesome Spice Company and Overseas Spice
This outbreak and recall is, of course, still going on. According to the CDC just days ago, 238 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo, which displays either of two closely related pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, have been reported from 44 states and District of Columbia since July 1, 2009. Epidemiological investigation showed that these 238 sick people all ate Daniele Inc salami products contaminated by salmonella. Daniele used salmonella-contaminated pepper in the production of the various kinds of recalled salami.
4. Today’s recall of Johnny’s brand French dip au jus powder?
Will the Johnny’s recall, announced today out of Tacoma, Washington, be another recall or outbreak to add to this list? The ingredient list for the recalled prodcut states that it contains: ‘MSG, Wheat, Soy & Milk; Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (corn, soy, wheat), yeast extract, salt, rice flour, monosodium glutamate, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soy & cottonseed), caramel color, whey solids, non-fat milk solids, mono & diglycerides." Only time will tell, hopefully, what happened at Johnny’s to prompt today’s recall. Spices? Certainly possible.
The historical trend:
These kinds of events naturally prompt the question why are we suddenly seeing outbreaks and recalls linked to pepper and other spices. Is this truly a new phenomenon; a new species of failure by food importers and producers?
Continue Reading Spices: emerging threat or clear and present danger?
French Dip Powdered Au Jus recall due to Salmonella contamination
Yet another food recall due to Salmonella contamination. This one was announced this morning by Johnny’s Fine Foods, a Tacoma, Washington food company, who is recalling powdered au jus due to potential contamination by Salmonella. The FDA recall notice states as follows:
To date no known illnesses have been associated with this product.
Johnny’s French Dip
Many retail grocery locations may have recalled Huntington meat (E. coli)
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service just published the list of retail locations that may have beef and veal products subject to Huntington Meat’s 4.9 million pound E. coli recall. There are far too many retail locations that may have the recalled meat to list here. See Retail List to see whether stores
Spinach recall among Huffington Post’s worst product recalls of all time
The Huffington Post today announced its list of the ten worst product recalls of all time. The food recalls include melamine-tainted milk, worm-infested chocolates, and of course the September 2006 E. coli O157:H7 (and other serotypes) outbreak linked to Dole baby spinach. The spinach outbreak was among the most devastating outbreaks ever to occur in this country.
2006 Spinach Outbreak: a short summary:
Official word of the spinach outbreak broke with the FDA’s announcement, on September 14, 2006, that a number of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses across the country “may be associated with the consumption of produce.” “Preliminary epidemiological evidence suggests,” the statement continued, “that bagged fresh spinach may be a possible cause of this outbreak.” By the date of the announcement, fifty cases had been reported to the CDC, including eight cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and one death. States reporting illness included Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin.
The much-publicized outbreak grew substantially over the next several days. By September 15, the FDA had confirmed 94 cases of illness, including fourteen cases of HUS and, sadly, one death. Recognizing the lethality of the developing outbreak, the FDA’s September 15 release warned people should “not eat fresh spinach or fresh spinach containing products.” Continue Reading Spinach recall among Huffington Post’s worst product recalls of all time