Food Safety News

Shearer’s Foods, LLC of Massillon, OH is recalling Great Value Twist & Shout Strawberry Creme Sandwich Cookies because they may contain foreign material, specifically plastic.

According to the details posted online by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), the recall was initiated on March 21, 2024, and is ongoing.

The recalled products were distributed in Oklahoma.

Recalled product:

Great Value Twist & Shout Strawberry Creme Sandwich Cookies 

• Net WT 15.35 oz. box containing film-wrapped trays of stacked cookies. 12 boxes per case.
• Product Quantity: 112 cases, 1344 units
• Code Information: BEST IF USED BY: SEP 11 2024 CB03

Consumers should not use this product. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to their place of purchase.

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Public health officials in Michigan are again warning against drinking unpasteurized, raw milk, this time because of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that has been found in dairy herds.

The virus has been found in dairy cattle in eight states, including Michigan. It has also been detected in wild mammals and birds as well as domestic chicken flocks. Millions of chickens have had to be destroyed because of the outbreak.

Two cases of infection from the virus have been confirmed in people in the United States and patients have been identified in other countries.

The Michigan health officials are reminding the public that pasteurization kills viruses such as HPAI, but it survives in raw milk.

“Now that HPAI is infecting both cows and birds, it’s important to make sure that you are consuming food that is safe, including ensuring that the milk products you eat or drink are pasteurized,” said Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian.

“Anyone can get sick from drinking raw milk, but children under age 5, adults over age 65 and those with weakened immune systems are more at risk for getting sick.” 

Pasteurized milk is extremely safe and has undergone a heating process which kills disease-causing germs like Campylobacter, E. coli and Salmonella. People who consume raw (or unpasteurized) milk, cheeses and other dairy products like ice cream created from raw milk are at risk for a variety of illnesses. Only pasteurized milk is sold in stores and provided to children in school lunches in Michigan.

People can get ill from the same source and product of raw milk they drank previously – milk that someone consumes from the same farm over a duration of time may not always be safe. Raw milk can become contaminated in many ways. While good safety practices can reduce the chance of germs getting in raw milk, they cannot eliminate risk, according to the Michigan public health agency.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not currently have concerns about the safety or availability of pasteurized milk products nationwide. Pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza viruses, in milk and is required for any milk entering interstate commerce.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking the following steps to reduce risk:

• Choose pasteurized milk and dairy products.
• Refrigerate milk, dairy products and other perishable food at 40 degrees F or colder.
• Throw away expired food, including milk and dairy products.

For more information, visit CDC.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk.

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The 11th Circuit Court Of Appeals was scheduled to hear that five-year habeas corpus motion from Stewart Parnell but pulled it back.

The second highest court in the land promises to re-assign the Stewart Parnell case shortly. 

The Atlanta-based court appears ready to wrap up the Habeas petitions from Stewart Parnell and his brother, Michael Parnell.  Both filed so-called Motion 2255 actions challenging their convictions and sentences for their roles in a deadly Salmonella outbreak from peanut butter products.

In the five years that the brothers have pursued federal Writs of Habeas Corpus, the procedure has yet not given them much encouragement. However, that may change as petitions for both men will likely be heard soon at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Stewart and Michael Parnell were convicted by a 2014 jury trial in Albany, GA. Both were associated with the now-defunct Peanut Corporation of America, which was found responsible for the 2008-09 multistate Salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds and killed several.

For their multiple felony convictions, Steward Parnell was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison, and Michael Parnell was sentenced to 20 years.

The Parnells filed petitions for federal Writs of Habeas Corpus under 18 U.S.C. §2254, which is for those in federal custody. The Latin “habeas corpus” translates into “you have the body.” A petition for the writ claims someone is being detained against their constitutional rights. A Habeas Corpus petition claims the arrest, sentence, or trial violated constitutional law, making imprisonment unlawful.

Ineffective assistance of trial counsel is the most common issue cited in Habeas Corpus petitions, and both Parnell brothers have raised that claim.

Stewart was first to file on Sept. 6, 2019. His attorneys wrote: “Stewart Parnell owned the Peanut Corporation of America (“PCA”), a peanut processing plant in Blakely, Georgia – a small town in southwest Georgia 48 miles southwest of Albany.

“In 2014, Mr. Parnell was convicted of conspiracy, introducing adulterated and misbranded food into interstate commerce, interstate shipments fraud, wire fraud, and obstruction of justice from a salmonella outbreak tied to PCA. After an unsuccessful direct appeal, United States v. Parnell, 723 Fed. Appx. 745 (11th Cir. 2018), Mr. Parnell now shows that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to move for a change of venue or to strike jurors for cause who knew about allegations of deaths resulting from the salmonella outbreak.”

Michael Parnell filed his Habeus Corpus petition about a month later.

After filing their petitions, the Parnells each scored a victory when the Magistrate Judge decided the issues raised were worthy of an evidentiary hearing. Magistrate Judge Thomas Q. Langstaff for the Middle District of Georgia presided over the hearings in late May 2021 in the same Albany, GA, courthouse where the Parnells were convicted.

Federal marshals delivered the Parnells to the evidentiary hearings, and they could trade witness and exhibit lists. But after it was over, Langstaff ruled against their petitions in his recommendation to the Middle District of Georgia, and the trial judge, W. Louis Sands, agreed.

The final denial by the Middle District of Georgia left an appeal to the 11th Circuit as the next option. Stewart Parnell’s petition arrived first and cleared one big obstacle by winning a motion “for a certificate of appealability.”

While “granted in part,” U.S. Circuit Judge Andrew L. Brasher has permitted Stewart Parnell to appeal on two critical issues:

1.) whether the distinct court erred in determining that Parnell could not establish a presumption of jury prejudice, based on adverse pretrial publicity, under Skilling v. United States; and

2.) whether a showing of presumed jury prejudice under Skilling operates to establish both prongs of an ineffective assistance of counsel claim based on the counsels’ failure to move for a change of venue.

With Rouse & Copeland in Savannah, GA, Amy Copeland is Stewart Parnell’s attorney for the Habeus Corpus petition. Her next deadline for filing the appellant’s brief is June 26, about two weeks from now.

Michael Parnell’s appeal to the 11th Circuit was filed on May 26. Two Virginia attorneys, Elliott M. Harding and William J. Dinkin, represent him.

Before taking his petition to the Atlanta court, Michael Parnell triumphed in getting his conviction record corrected by the Middle District. At the suggestion of his Bureau of Prisons (BOP) case manager, Parnell’s Introduction of Adulterated Food offenses was corrected to “Introduction of Misbranded Food.”

It was Nov. 10, 2008, when the CDC’s PulseNet staff first noted a small and highly dispersed multistate cluster of 13 Salmonella Typhimurium isolates with an unusual DNA fingerprint or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern reported from 12 states. By  April 20, 2009, 714 people in  46 states were confirmed with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium associated with the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) facility in Blakely, GA. Nine deaths were a direct result of the outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Criminal charges related to the outbreak were filed in 2013 against five PCA managers and executives. Only the Parnell brothers remain in federal custody.
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Scientists in Europe have updated the knowledge around parasites in fish based on available surveillance data.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) scientific opinion also evaluated methods for detecting and killing parasites in fish.

European data indicates that many species of farmed fish are free from parasites that can infect humans. These include Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, gilthead seabream, turbot, meagre, Atlantic halibut, carp, and European catfish.  

However, Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis simplex and Cryptocotyle lingua were found in European seabass, Atlantic bluefin tuna and/or cod, and Pseudamphistomum truncatum and Paracoenogonimus ovatus in tench, produced in open offshore cages or flow-through ponds or tanks.

Situation in Europe
Eleven foodborne outbreaks caused by Anisakis occured in the EU from 2010 to 2022. In 2020, there were two outbreaks, both reported by Spain, involving six people.

From 2010 to 2023, there were 544 reports of infected fishery products reported by 21 EU member states to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Italy had the most with 274 reports. Origin of products mainly included Spain, Morocco, and France. Anisakis was the parasite reported in the majority of notifications.

Experts said it was almost certain that fish produced in closed recirculating aquaculture systems or flow-through facilities with filtered water intake and only fed heat-treated feed are free of parasites.

The offshore location of salmon farms may result in increased exposure of the fish to anisakids as they are situated close to marine mammals’ migration routes and habitats. Aquaculture that relies on the capture of juvenile wild fish for subsequent growing and fattening in captivity, as used for Atlantic bluefin tuna in Europe, also potentially facilitates exposure of fish to parasites.

Scientists said more data was needed to estimate the prevalence of parasites in selected fish species, farming systems, and production areas in Europe.

The European Commission had asked EFSA to update certain aspects of a 2010 scientific opinion on the risk assessment of parasites in fish products.

Currently, the relationship between survival of the larvae, after a given treatment, and their infection capacity in humans is unclear, and as stated in the past opinion, a precautionary principle is adopted, meaning all larvae should be dead, which gives a higher margin of safety.

Detecting and killing parasites
Ecological drivers of infection of fish with parasites include temperature, salinity and oceanographic conditions; the fishing ground; fish length and size and part of the fish that is infected. Climate change may have an impact because of rising water temperature. People are also consuming raw or undercooked foods more often.

Freezing and heating continue to be the most efficient methods to kill parasites in fishery products. High-pressure processing may be suitable for some products. Pulsed electric field is a promising technology although further development is needed but ultrasound treatments were not effective.

For freezing, this is a core temperature of −15 degrees C (5 degrees F) for at least 96 hours, −20 degrees C (-4 degrees F) for at least 24 hours or −35 degrees C (-31 degrees F) for at least 15 hours. Heat treatment is at least 60 degrees C (140 degrees F) for 1 minute.

Traditional dry salting processes of anchovies inactivated Anisakis. Studies on other traditional processes such as air-drying and double salting also suggest that anisakids are inactivated.

Advanced processing techniques for cutting, which include gutting and trimming operations could have a significant impact on ensuring parasite-free products for consumers.

Scientists said further work should focus on detection and inactivation methods. They also said a survey should be undertaken at the processing stage to address data gaps on the occurrence of zoonotic parasites in fish species commonly produced in open systems.

Experts are also working to see if any wild fish species from specific fishing areas pose a risk to public health due to zoonotic parasites.  

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The Food and Drug Administration continues using import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed.

Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. 

Click here to go to the FDA page with links to details on specific alerts.

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What is the Salmonella Bacteria?

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes one of the most common enteric (intestinal) infections in the United States – salmonellosis. The term Salmonella refers to a group or family of bacteria that variously cause illness in humans.Salmonella serotype typhimurium and Salmonella serotype enteritidis are the most common in the United States.

What is the Incidence of Salmonella Infections?

In 2009, over 40,000 cases of Salmonella (13.6 cases per 100,000 persons) were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by public health laboratories across the nation, representing a decrease of approximately 15% from the previous year, but a 4.2% increase since 1996. [1] Overall, the incidence of Salmonella in the United States has not significantly changed since 1996. Only a small proportion of all Salmonella infections are diagnosed and reported to health departments. It is estimated that for every reported case, there are approximately 38.6 undiagnosed infections. The CDC estimates that 1.4 million cases, 15,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths are caused by Salmonella infections in the U.S. every year.

Salmonella can be grouped into more than 2,400 serotypes. The two most common serotypes in the U.S. are S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis. S. Typhi, the serotype that causes typhoid fever, is uncommon in the U.S. But globally, typhoid fever continues to be a significant problem, with an estimated 12-33 million cases occurring annually. Moreover, outbreaks in developing countries have a high deathrate, especially when caused by strains of the bacterium that are resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Salmonella are found in the intestinal tract of wild and domesticated animals and humans. Some serotypes of Salmonella, such as S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi are only found in humans. For ease of discussion, it is generally useful to group Salmonellae into two broad categories: typhoidal, which includes S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi, and non-typhoidal, which includes all other serotypes.

What is the Prevalence of Salmonella in Food and Elsewhere?

Most Salmonella infections are caused by eating contaminated food, especially food from animal origins. One study found that 87% of all confirmed cases of Salmonella were foodborne, with 10 percent from person-to-person infection and 3% caused by pets. Food remains the most common vehicle for the spread of Salmonella, and eggs are the most common food implicated. Chicken is also a major cause of Salmonella.Beginning in 1998, the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine has conducted surveys and tested chicken at retail for Salmonella and Campylobacter. Its 2009 study found 14% of broiler chickens at grocery stores to contain Salmonella. A USDA Baseline Data Collection Program report done in 1994 documented Salmonella contamination on 20.0% of broiler-chicken carcasses. However, in 2009 the same USDA data collection survey showed the prevalence of Salmonella in broiler chickens at 7.5%. Additionally, turkey carries a lower risk with a prevalence of 1.66%.  

While Salmonella comes from animal feces, fruits and vegetables can become contaminated. A common source is raw sprouts, which have been the subject of at least 30 reported outbreaks of foodborne illnesses since 1996. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cautions against consuming raw sprouts under any circumstances: “Unlike other fresh produce, seeds and beans need warm and humid conditions to sprout and grow. These conditions are also ideal for the growth of bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.”

What are the Symptoms of Salmonella Infection?

Salmonella infections can have a broad range of illness, from no symptoms to severe illness. The most common clinical presentation is acute gastroenteritis. Symptoms include diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, often accompanied by fever of 100°F to 102°F (38°C to 39°C). Other symptoms may include bloody diarrhea, vomiting, headache and body aches. The incubation period, or the time from ingestion of the bacteria until the symptoms start, is generally 6 to 72 hours; however, there is evidence that in some situations the incubation can be longer than 10 days. People with salmonellosis usually recover without treatment within 3 to 7 days. Nonetheless, the bacteria will continue to be present in the intestinal tract and stool for weeks after recovery of symptoms—on average, 1 month in adults and longer in children. 

What are the Complications of Salmonella Infection?

In approximately 5% of non-typhoidal infections, patients develop bacteremia. In a small proportion of those cases, the bacteria can cause a focal infection, where it becomes localized in a tissue and causes an abscess, arthritis, endocarditis, or other severe illness. Infants, the elderly, and immune-compromised persons are at greater risk for bacteremia or invasive disease. Additionally, infection caused by antimicrobial-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes appears to be more likely to cause bloodstream infections. 

Overall, approximately 20% of cases each year require hospitalization, 5% of cases have an invasive infection, and one-half of 1% die. Infections in infants and in people 65 years of age or older are much more likely to require hospitalization or result in death. There is some evidence that Salmonella infections increase the risk of developing digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome.

Although most persons that become ill with diarrhea caused by Salmonella recover without any further problems, a small number of persons develop a complication often referred to as reactive arthritis. The terminology used to describe this type of complication has changed over time. The term “Reiter’s Syndrome” was used for many years but has now fallen into disfavor. The precise proportion of persons that develop reactive arthritis following a Salmonella infection is unknown, with estimates ranging from 2 to 15%. Symptoms of reactive arthritis include inflammation (swelling, redness, heat, and pain) of the joints, the genitourinary tract (reproductive and urinary organs), or the eyes.

More specifically, symptoms of reactive arthritis include pain and swelling in the knees, ankles, feet and heels. It may also affect wrists, fingers, other joints, or the lower back. Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) or enthesitis (inflammation where tendons attach to the bone) can occur. Other symptoms may include prostatitis, cervicitis, urethritis (inflammation of the prostate gland, cervix or urethra), conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelid) or uveitis (inflammation of the inner eye). Ulcers and skin rashes are less common. Symptoms can range from mild to severe.

One study showed that on average, symptoms developed 18 days after infection. A small proportion of those persons (15%) had sought medical care for their symptoms, and two thirds of persons with reactive arthritis were still experiencing symptoms 6 months later. Although most cases recover within a few months, some continue to experience complications for years. Treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms.

How to Diagnose a Salmonella Infections?

Salmonella bacteria can be detected in stool. In cases of bacteremia or invasive illness, the bacteria can also be detected in the blood, urine, or on rare occasions in tissues. The test consists of growing the bacteria in culture. A fecal, blood or other sample is placed in nutrient broth or on agar and incubated for 2-3 days. After that time, a trained microbiologist can identify the bacteria, if present, and confirm its identity by looking at biochemical reactions. Treatment with antibiotics before collecting a specimen for testing can affect bacterial growth in culture, and lead to a negative test result even when Salmonella causes the infection.

What is the Treatment for Salmonella Infection?

Salmonella infections usually resolve in 3 to 7 days, and many times require no treatment. Persons with severe diarrhea may require rehydration, often with intravenous fluids. Antimicrobial therapy (or treatment with antibiotics) is not recommended for uncomplicated gastroenteritis. In contrast, antibiotics are recommended for persons at increased risk of invasive disease, including infants younger than 3 months of age. 

What are the steps a person can take to prevent a Salmonella infection?

In general, safe cooking and preparation of food can kill existing Salmonella bacteria and prevent it from spreading. Additionally, safe choices at the grocery store can greatly reduce the risk of Salmonella. 

• Always wash your hands before you start preparing food.
• Cook poultry until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 ºF.
• Cook beef and pork until they reach 160ºF. High quality steaks (not needle or blade tenderized) can be safely cooked to 145ºF.
• Cook eggs until they reach 160ºF or until the yoke is solid. Pasteurized eggs are available in some grocery stores.
• Do not eat or drink foods containing raw eggs. Examples include homemade eggnog, hollandaise sauce, and undercooked French toast.
• Never drink raw (unpasteurized) milk. 
• Avoid using the microwave for cooking raw foods of animal origin. Microwave-cooked foods do not reach a uniform internal temperature, resulting in undercooked areas and survival of Salmonella.
• If you are served undercooked meat, poultry, or eggs in a restaurant don’t hesitate to send your food back to the kitchen for further cooking.
• Avoid cross-contamination. That means that you should never allow foods that will not be cooked (like salads) to encounter raw foods of animal origin (e.g., on dirty countertops, kitchen sinks, or cutting boards). Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with raw foods of animal origin.
• Wash hands with soap after handling reptiles, amphibians or birds, or after contact with pet feces. Infants and persons with compromised immune systems should have no direct or indirect contact with such pets.
• Reptiles, amphibians or birds, or any elements of their housing (such as water bowls) should never be allowed in the kitchen.
• Avoid eating in animal barns and wash your hands with soap and water after visiting petting zoos or farm settings.
• Always wash your hands after going to the bathroom. The hands of an infected person who did not wash his or her hands adequately after using the bathroom may also contaminate food. 

References

1. CDC, “Salmonella Annual Summary Tables 2009,” 2009, available online at

http://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dfwed/PDFs/SalmonellaAnnualSummaryTables2009.pdf

2. CDC, “Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly through Food—10 States, 2008,” MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT, Vol. 58, No. 14, pp. 333-37 (April 10, 2009), online at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5813a2.htm

3. Voetsch, Andrew, et al., “FoodNet Estimate of the Burden of Illness Caused By Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Infections in the United States,” CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Vol. 15, No. 38, Supplement 3, pp. S127-34 (April 15, 2004) available online at http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/38/Supplement_3/S127.long

4. American Academy of Pediatrics, “Salmonella infections,” RED BOOK: 2006 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, edited by L. K. Pickering, pp. 581–584 (27th ed. 2006).

5. Miller, S. and Pegues, D., “Salmonella Species, Including Salmonella Typhi,” in Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Sixth Edition, Chap. 220, pp. 2636-650 (2005). 

6. Behravesh, C.B., et al., “Salmonellosis,” in CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES MANUAL, 19th Edition, published by American Public Health Association, pp. 535-540. (Heymann, D, editor 2008).

7.  Medus, C, et al., “Salmonella Outbreaks in Restaurants in Minnesota, 1995 through 2003—Evaluation of the Role of Infected Foodworkers,” JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION, Vol. 69, No. 8, pp. 1870-78 (Aug. 2006), article abstract and paid-access to full-text available online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16924912

8.  Jones, Timothy F., et al, “Salmonellosis Outcomes Differ Substantially By Serotype,” JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Vol. 198, No. 1, pp. 109-14 (July 1, 2008) at http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/198/1/109.full

9.  Varma, Jay K., et al., “Antimicrobial-Resistant Non-typhoidal Salmonella is Associated with Excess Bloodstream Infections and Hospitalizations, JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Vol. 191, No. 4,  pp. 554-61 (Feb. 15, 2005) available online at http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/191/4/554.long

10. Townes, John M., “Reactive Arthritis after Enteric Infections in the United States: The Problem of Definition,” CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Vol. 50, Issue 2, pp. 247-54 (2010) available online at http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/50/2/247.long

11. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, “Reactive Arthritis—Questions and Answers,” (online publication-date: April 2009), available at

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Reactive_Arthritis/default.asp#a (last accessed on July 20, 2011)

12. Townes, John M., et al., “Reactive Arthritis Following Culture-Confirmed Infections with Bacterial Enteric Pathogens in Minnesota and Oregon: A Population-based Study,” ANNALS OF RHEUMATIC DISEASE, Vol. 67, No. 12, pp. 1689-96 (Dec. 2008) article abstract at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18272671

13.       CDC, SALMONELLA SURVEILLANCE: ANNUAL SUMMARY: 2005 (2007).  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/phlisdata/salmtab/2005/SalmonellaIntroduction2005.pdf

14.       Tauxe, R, “Emerging Foodborne Diseases: An Evolving Public Health Challenge.,” EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 425-34 (1997) at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2640074/pdf/9366593.pdf

15.       USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), NATIONWIDE BROILER CHICKEN MICROBIOLOGICAL BASELINE DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM, July 1994—July 1995, (April 1996), online at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPHS/baseline/broiler1.pdf

16.       USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), THE NATIONWIDE MICROBIOLOGICAL BASELINE DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM: YOUNG CHICKEN SURVEY, July 2007—June 2008, at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Baseline_Data_Young_Chicken_2007-2008.pdf

17.       USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), THE NATIONWIDE MICROBIOLOGICAL BASELINE DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM: YOUNG TURKEY SURVEY, Aug. 2008—July 2009, at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Baseline_Data_Young_Turkey_2008-2009.pdf

18.       Wallinga, D, “Antimicrobial Use in Animal Feed:  An Ecological and Public Health Problem,” MINNESOTA MEDICINE, Vol. 85, No. 10 pp. 12-16 (Oct. 2002).

19.       White, David, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), Meetings for Expert Reviews on the NARMS Program, June 23-24, 2005, Rockville, MD, TRANSCRIPT, http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/AntimicrobialResistance/NationalAntimicrobialResistanceMonitoringSystem/ucm143994.htm

20.       Council for Agriculture, Science and Technology (CAST), “Foodborne Pathogens: Risks and Consequences: Task Force Report No.122,” pp. 1-87 (Sept. 1994) download at http://www.cast-science.org/publications/index.cfm/foodborne_pathogens_risks_and_consequences?show=product&productID=2852

21.       Buzby, Jean, et al., USDA Economic Research Service, “Bacterial Foodborne Disease—Medical Costs and Productivity Losses,” AER-741, August 1996, available online at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/AER741/

22.       Buzby, Jean and Roberts, Tonya, “The Economics of Enteric Infections: Human Foodborne Disease Costs, GASTROENTEROLOGY, Vol. 136, No. 6, pp. 1851-62 (May 2009).

23.       “Outbreak of Salmonella serotype javiana infections—Orlando, Florida, June 2002,” MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT, Vol. 51, No. 31, pp. 683-4 (Aug.  9, 2002) at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5131a2.htm

24.       Kass, E. H., “A Brief Perspective on the Early History of American Infectious Disease Epidemiology,” Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine, vol. 60, No. 4, pp. 341-48 (1987) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2590246/pdf/yjbm00082-0043.pdf

25.       Patrick. ME, et al.  “Salmonella Enteritidis infections, United States, 1985–1999,” EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jan. 2004), available online at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol10no1/02-0572.htm.

26.       Buzby, Jean and Roberts, Tonya, “The Economics of Enteric Infections: Human Foodborne Disease Costs, GASTROENTEROLOGY,  Vol. 136, No. 6, pp. 1851-62 (May 2009).

27.       Consumers Union, “How Safe is that Chicken?” CONSUMER REPORTS (Jan. 2010), online at http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/january/food/chicken-safety/overview/chicken-safety-ov.htm

28.       USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), FACT SHEETS, “Egg Products Preparation,” April 2011, available online at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Focus_On_Shell_Eggs/index.asp

29.       Foodsafety.gov, “Sprouts: What You Should Know,” online at http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/types/fruits/sprouts.html (last visited February 17, 2012).

30.       CDC, INVESTIGATION ANNOUNCEMENT: MULTISTATE OUTBREAK OF HUMAN SALMONELLA HEIDELBERG INFECTIONS, Aug. 2011, available online at http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/heidelberg/080111/

31.       CDC, SALMONELLA: PREVENTION, Sep. 2010, available online at http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/prevention.html

32.       USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), FACT SHEETS, “Salmonella Questions and Answers,” May 2011, available online at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/salmonella_questions_&_answers/

33. Illinois Department of Public Health, HEALTHBEAT, Salmonella, Jan. 2009, available online at http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbsam.htm

Consumer Reports (CR) has found concerning discoveries regarding pesticide contamination in everyday fruits and vegetables in a newly released investigation. The report, representing CR’s most extensive analysis to date, examines the pervasive presence of harmful pesticides in our food supply, raising critical questions about food safety and regulatory oversight.

While the exact extent of the health risks posed by chronic pesticide exposure remains uncertain, evidence from various studies suggests a link between pesticides and increased risks of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other health problems. Particularly vulnerable populations, such as farmworkers and their families, face heightened risks, with exposure during pregnancy and childhood potentially leading to developmental and respiratory issues. Concerns also arise regarding the potential cumulative effects of long-term exposure, especially for individuals with chronic health conditions or living in areas with high toxin exposure.

Based on seven years of data from the Department of Agriculture, CR’s food safety experts examined 59 common fruits and vegetables. Pesticides posed significant risks in 20 percent of the items scrutinized. Among the offenders were household staples such as bell peppers, blueberries, green beans, potatoes and strawberries.

 A particularly alarming revelation concerned green beans, which showed residues of a pesticide banned from use on the vegetable for more than a decade in the U.S. This issue points to potential gaps in regulatory enforcement and oversight.

“While fruits and vegetables are integral to a balanced diet, our findings underscore the pressing need for enhanced vigilance and regulatory action,” remarked James E. Rogers, Ph.D, who oversees food safety initiatives at CR. “It’s evident that current measures are inadequate in safeguarding public health against the risks posed by pesticide contamination.”

CR’s analysis offers actionable insights for consumers seeking to mitigate pesticide exposure. By utilizing CR’s ratings, individuals can identify safer alternatives and prioritize organic produce when feasible. The report emphasizes the importance of informed decision-making, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women, who may be more impacted by pesticide residues.

CR is advocating for regulatory interventions to better address pesticide risks. Enhanced oversight of imported produce, particularly from regions with more lax pesticide regulations, is recommended to ensure the integrity of our food supply. CR is also calling for increased support for organic farming practices, citing their potential to reduce reliance on harmful pesticides and promote sustainable agricultural systems.

CR hopes the report serves as an alarm for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and consumers alike to prioritize food safety and environmental stewardship.

Click here for the full report.

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The Food and Drug Administration has identified a new outbreak of infections from E. coli O157:H7.

The agency announced the outbreak on April 17 and indicated that traceback efforts have begun. However, the FDA did not report the food or foods being traced.

The FDA had identified nine patients in the outbreak as of the announcement. The agency has not reported how old the patients are or where they live.

Investigation of a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak continues with the patient count increasing. Since the announcement of the outbreak on April 10, the FDA has identified one more sick person, bringing the total to 12.

As with the new E. Coli outbreak, the FDA has not yet determined what food is the source of the Salmonella. The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food or foods are being traced.

No sampling or site inspections are underway in either of the outbreak investigations.

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According to the Danish food agency, there is still uncertainty among chefs and kitchen workers about the management of norovirus.

A Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) control and guidance campaign targeted restaurants, kitchens, and shops that supply ready-to-eat (RTE) food. Work involved 829 visits from June to November 2023.

The agency asked kitchen managers what steps they should take to prevent outbreaks. Some said they were unsure how far they could go concerning an employee’s illness and health.

Scale of issue
Norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne outbreaks in Denmark. The campaign focused on companies’ training of employees regarding personal hygiene, guidance on staff notification, and employer obligations to avoid contamination with foodborne viruses.

Danish officials said that if outbreaks are to be prevented and reduced, kitchen staff and company managers need to have the necessary knowledge to operate in a hygienically correct manner and in a way that minimizes the risk of food contamination with norovirus, as well as enabling them to act responsibly if an incident occurs, by informing management.

“Several kitchen managers have replied that they have not yet introduced procedures for handling norovirus and have not instructed employees in what to do if they are affected by norovirus,” said Lene Mølsted Jensen from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

“Because a sick employee can be a danger to food safety, the kitchen manager can inquire about the symptoms if the employee reports being sick with an upset stomach, just as the employee also must inform the boss about an upset stomach.”

Results showed that all visited companies had sufficient procedures around personal hygiene, including the behavior of employees in connection with symptoms of norovirus, so no sanctions were applied.

However, the fact that there were 20 outbreaks with 790 cases in 2021 and 2022 points to a difference between these findings and the companies’ actions in daily operations. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said detecting issues with a single pre-announced inspection can be difficult.

Main control findings
On two occasions, inspectors found sites did not have the necessary facilities for employees to maintain a high level of personal hygiene. In both cases, there was a lack of handwashing facilities.

Over half of the questionnaire respondents were unaware that General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules do not prevent them from asking about an employee’s possible symptoms.

Less than half of the participants knew about a guide from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration with advice on avoiding infecting consumers with norovirus.

More than 60 percent of companies use the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration as their primary source of information when looking for advice in the event of a suspected incident. Other sources include industry organizations and consultants.

In 2019, 2020, and 2021, outbreaks resulting from infection with norovirus represented 37 percent, 17 percent, and 22 percent, respectively, of all registered foodborne outbreaks. The number of confirmed norovirus outbreaks increased to 14 in 2021 from six in 2020.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration repeated bits of a control campaign from 2020/2021. The initiative is part of efforts against foodborne viruses from January 2019 to December 2023, alongside the agency’s strategy and goal of fewer people getting sick from food.

Similar work in 2022 revealed kitchen staff and food companies lacked knowledge about how foodborne viruses such as norovirus are transmitted and how to avoid passing the infection on to customers and colleagues.

Norovirus can spread through sick people, contaminated surfaces, or contaminated food and water. A person usually develops symptoms 12 to 48 hours after being exposed. Most people with norovirus illness get better within 1 to 3 days, but they can still spread the virus for another few days. Kitchen workers should stay away from work for at least 48 hours after symptoms have passed.

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Fresh organic basil sold at Trader Joe’s stores is behind a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the outbreak with the Food and Drug Administration. As of this afternoon, a dozen people across seven states have been confirmed with the outbreak strain of Salmonella.

The implicated fresh basil is sold in 2.5-ounce clamshell packaging under the Infinite Herbs brand. It was distributed to Trader Joe’s stores in Alabama, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Public health officials are interviewing patients and so far found that seven of eight patients interviewed reported exposure to fresh organic basil from Trader Joe’s stores before becoming ill.

Traceback data collected by FDA determined that Infinite Herbs LLC, in Miami, FL, was the supplier of the 2.5-ounce packages of organic basil sold at Trader Joe’s stores.

Trader Joe’s has voluntarily removed all Infinite Herbs brand organic basil packed in 2.5-ounce clamshell packaging from their stores and this product should no longer be available for sale.

The outbreak investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses. 

About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Anyone who has eaten any fresh organic basil from Trader Joe’s stores and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

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About 10 days ago, after a second human case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu was announced, the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) reworked its markup on the issue, not the message.

Since it first struck a commercial poultry flock on U.S. soil in early 2022. avian flu has been a harsh master, affecting 85.8 million birds in 48 states.

The USDA claims to have the world’s most robust avian influenza surveillance program. The flu has also taken 9,253 wild birds in 50 jurisdictions.

Recently, the CDC has been using color cartoons to spread its message that “Infected poultry can spread bird flu to people. Human infections with bird flu viruses are rare but possible.”

The CDC’s “protective actions for people” include these suggestions:

+ Avoid direct contact with wild birds, observing them only from a distance.

+ Do not make any contact with any dead birds and report any sick or dead birds.

Take protective actions around other animals thought to have HSN1 bird flu.

+ Food is safe to eat as long as it is properly handled and cooked.

+ CDC has not imposed any travel restrictions resulting from the avian flu crisis

+ Seasonal flu vaccines will reduce the risk of illness from avian flu.

+ The two human avian flu cases were many months apart, a Colorado poultry worker and a Texas dairy farm employee.  Both recovered.

+ Local health officials are being advised to look out for additional cases.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial flock in the United States on Feb. 8, 2022. 

Since then, APHIS has worked to identify and respond to detections and mitigate the virus’ impact on U.S. poultry production and trade. 

Detections are higher in the fall and spring because wild birds continue to spread the virus as they migrate to their seasonal homes. APHIS continues to work closely with the States.

To provide context on the overall size of the U.S. poultry flock, there are more than 368.2 million egg-laying chickens in the United States. In 2022, more than 9.5 billion broiler chickens and 208 million turkeys were processed in the United States, according to USDA data.

In meetings, CDC told state officials to ensure that their bird flu operational plans are up-to-date.

The latest human case of U.S. avian flu cases with these facts:

• A person in Texas tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus (“H5N1 bird flu”). This is only the second case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States; the first was in a poultry worker in Colorado in 2022.
• This person in Texas worked with dairy cows presumably infected with H5N1 bird flu viruses.
• This is the first time this virus has been found in cows and would be the first instance of cow-to-human spread of bird flu. Infected dairy herds have been found in eight states since the first confirmation in Texas.
• CDC has sequenced the influenza virus genome from a patient in Texas and compared this with other sequenced H5N1 viruses. The virus obtained from this person is nearly identical to what has been found in cows and birds in Texas. There are no changes associated with resistance to antiviral medications, and the virus is closely related to two existing candidate vaccine viruses.
• There is no sign of person-to-person spread of this virus at this time.
• This is an emerging and rapidly evolving situation that CDC is following closely. The CDC believes this virus’s overall risk to the general public remains low.

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Part of a federal investigation into lead in certain cinnamon applesauce products has been shifted to a followup status.

The new approach by the Food and Drug Administration is designed to provide post-incident response action. The agency will continue surveillance activities as well as prevention and compliance activities, according to an update posted by the FDA on April 16.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing to monitor the outbreak of lead poisoning and most recently reported 519 children impacted in the outbreak. The outbreak stretches across 44 states. The FDA has collected 90 “adverse incident” reports in the outbreak. The two agencies use different reporting methods, so their numbers may overlap somewhat and should not be added together. The CDC continues to add patients to its count.

Also, there can be significant lagtime between consumption of the lead contaminated cinnamon applesauce and the detection of elevated blood levels of the heavy metal.

Three brands of cinnamon applesauces sold in pouches and marketed for children have been recalled. They are Wanabana, Schnucks and Weis. Only cinnamon applesauce products have been implicated.

The FDA was first notified about the lead in the applesauce in mid-September of 2023 by public health officials in North Carolina. On Oct. 28 the FDA discussed analytical findings of lead in cinnamon applesauce produced by Astrofoods in Ecuador with the producer. Also on Oct. 28 the FDA issued a warning to U.S. consumers.

It was eventually determined that the lead was from contaminated cinnamon purchased from a third-party supplier. The FDA has reported that the lead was likely added to the cinnamon to increase its weight and therefore its commercial value.

Other key dates in the investigation include:

• On Oct. 29, 2023, Wanabana LLC notified their customers about recall of the WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree products.
• On Oct.30, 2023, and through continued cooperation with the FDA, Wanabana LLC issued a press release regarding their voluntary recall of all WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches.
• On Nov. 2, 2023, after reviewing records provided by the firm as part of their initial recall, the FDA learned that other products (i.e., certain Schnucks and Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches) were implicated in the recall and required additional public notice.
• On Nov. 3, 2023, the FDA updated its safety alert to, among other things, include certain Schnucks and Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches.
• On Nov.5, 2023, the FDA held a call with the firm, Wanabana LLC. During the call, FDA staff discussed the investigation, requested additional information from the firm, and asked the firm to update their press release regarding their voluntary recall and to provide additional clarification regarding the scope of the recall of all apple cinnamon fruit puree products, which the firm verbally agreed to provide.
• On Nov. 6, 2023, Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree products from Austrofoods were added to Import Alert 99-42.
• On Nov. 9, 2023, Wanabana LLC issued their expanded recall announcement to include information on recalled Schnucks and Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches, which also impacts markets outside of the United States. Customer information provided by Wanabana LLC shows that product was also distributed to Cuba and the United Arab Emirates.

About lead poisoning
Parents and caretakers should consult a healthcare provider and ask for blood tests if they suspect a child may have been exposed to the recalled cinnamon applesauce products. 

Short-term exposure to lead could result in the following symptoms: headache, abdominal pain/colic, vomiting, and anemia. 

Longer-term exposure could result in additional symptoms: irritability, lethargy, fatigue, muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning, constipation, difficulty concentrating/muscular weakness, tremors, and weight loss. 

Permanent consequences can lead to developmental delays and brain damage.

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Switzerland has reported a rise in warnings and recalls in 2023 compared to the year before.

The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) published 17 public warnings and 73 recalls for food compared to nine public warnings and 39 recalls in 2022. Recalls are conducted by companies and public warnings are made by Swiss authorities.

In 2023, most public warnings or food recalls concerned contamination by pathogenic microorganisms. There were 18 recalls and nine public warnings. Listeria was detected a dozen times, seven alerts were due to Salmonella, six because of E. coli, and two due to Bacillus cereus.

Foreign bodies were in second place with 16 recalls and included metal particles, pieces of glass and plastic parts. A dozen recalls were due to mycotoxins and four were because of pesticide residues.

Allergens prompted seven recalls and four public warnings. Two of the four warnings were due to detection of undeclared milk, and in the other two cases, to the presence of undeclared nuts.

Product types and RASFF data

Various types of products were the subject of public warnings or recalls, most often for the categories “milk and dairy products,” “herbs and spices” and “other/mixed foodstuffs”.

Milk and dairy products were behind a dozen of the warnings and recalls due to pathogens. The category “Other foods” caused 10 foreign body-related recalls. Seven mycotoxin alerts were due to herbs and spices. Cereals and cereal-based products caused three allergen warnings and recalls.

The overall number of Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications rose to 4,684 compared to 4,340 in 2022.

Switzerland can be involved when potentially unsafe products have been distributed to the country, when it is the country of origin of the implicated product or when company checks or official controls identify a problem.

The number concerning Switzerland remained stable at 232. The country published 83 notifications and was the origin of the affected product in 17 alerts.

Recalls down in Belgium

Meanwhile, Belgian food companies recalled 254 products from consumers in 2023 compared to 289 recalls the year before.

In 2023, there were also 85 warnings, mainly due to undeclared allergens in products or the wrong date on the packaging. The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) helps companies to inform consumers who may have purchased recalled products.

More than 8 out of 10 recalls were due to the detection of a chemical or microbiological risk. Nearly half of the products were recalled because of a chemical risk, such as too high a pesticide residue content or the presence of an undeclared additive.

Possible presence of bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli prompted more than a third of product recalls. In total, 17 percent of alerts were due to foreign bodies such as pieces of metal or glass.

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The latest posting on long-time persistent violative raw milk seller Amos Miller illustrates at least two costs of permitting litigants to abuse legal process: 1. It purports to allow illegal interstate commerce in a prohibited dangerous product, raw milk. 2. perhaps even more problematic it makes a mockery of public health laws and government enforcement litigation to enforce them, because courts have allowed second, third, and fifth chances to persistent violators.

I hope USDA (and FDA if within its jurisdiction) will promptly enforce the previous judicial recognition that this interstate traffic is illegal and dangerous to the public health. Like other national examples of persistent and notorious violators and lenient procedures, this reduces public confidence in our claim that we are a nation of laws.

I hope that federal judges will not continue to tolerate Miller’s illegal interstate shipments of regulated products, and will reassure the consuming public and legal participants in the dairy and food industry that the law matters, and that defiant violators cannot exempt themselves from the law because of their persistence.

— From Robert Spiller

Danish officials are trying to find the source of a Listeria outbreak that has affected 17 people since 2019.

Two illnesses have provisionally been registered in 2024, said the Statens Serum Institut (SSI). 

Patients have been infected with the same type of Listeria monocytogenes since the summer of 2019.

They are 13 women and four men with a median age of 73 years old. One patient is in their 20s and four are in their 80s.

Two deaths reported

All have been hospitalized and two people died within 30 days of the infection being detected.

Two infections were recorded in 2019, one each in 2020 and 2021, four in 2022, and seven in 2023.

Seven cases live in Hovedstaden, five in Midtjylland, two each in Nordjylland and Sjælland, and one in Syddanmark.

The SSI, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen), and DTU Food Institute are investigating the outbreak.

In 2022, Denmark recorded 86 listeriosis cases with three large outbreaks.

SSI work involves whole genome sequencing of patients’ Listeria isolates and interviews with patients or relatives to try and identify a possible source of infection.

Whole genome sequencing of the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria isolated from patients has shown they are very closely related and belong to sequence type (ST) 1607.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are working on an assessment relating to a multi-country outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes ST1607 linked to fish products. This should be published next week.

The agencies are also dealing with another multi-country Listeria outbreak potentially caused by fish products. Details will be made public in mid-May.

About Listeria infections

Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure.

People should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. 

Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. 

Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, and other complications. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.

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People who ate at the Main Deck restaurant in Penn Yan, NY, between March 27 and April 12 were potentially exposed to the hepatitis A virus. Most people do not get sick when an employee at a restaurant has hepatitis A, but there is still a risk. People who may have been exposed should receive treatment to prevent infection.

“While the risk of hepatitis A infection is low, we must act carefully to prevent the spread of this very contagious disease,” said Doug Sinclair, Yates County Public Health Director. “Anyone who may have eaten at this restaurant during this timeframe should check their immunization status and if not already vaccinated against hepatitis A, come to our free clinic or visit their healthcare provider if they are experiencing symptoms.”

The hepatitis A vaccine is only effective within two weeks of exposure to the virus. Yates County Public Health is advising anyone who ate food from the Main Deck restaurant between April 4 and April 12 to receive a free hepatitis A vaccine clinic is set for April 18 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Yates County Office Building located at 417 Liberty Street in Penn Yan. To register for an appointment, visit www.yatescountypublichealth.org. If you need assistance with scheduling an appointment or are unable to attend our clinic, call our office at 315-536-5160.   

Those who ate at Main Deck between March 27 and April 3 may have been exposed, but receiving the hepatitis A vaccine now will not prevent infection from this exposure. These people are encouraged to monitor themselves and their families for symptoms for 50 days after consuming the food. Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark-colored urine, clay-colored stools, joint pain, or jaundice. If you have any symptoms, contact your healthcare provider and be sure to tell them that you may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

The owner and staff at Main Deck have been cooperative and have complied with all recommendations from the state and local health departments. New York State Health Department staff conducted a thorough inspection of the restaurant and has cleared it to open.  

If you have questions, call Yates County Public Health at 315-536-5160. For more information on hepatitis A, visit the New York State Department of Health website at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/hepatitis/hepatitis_a/, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/afaq.htm. 

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The FDA is warning consumers not to eat and restaurants and retailers not to sell certain raw, frozen oysters from Korea because of an outbreak of norovirus infections.

The California Department of Health notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the outbreak on April 9. The FDA issued its warning on April 16.

The implicated fresh frozen half-shell oysters are from lots B231126, B240103, and B240214 processed by JBR (KR 15 SP) in Tongyeongsi, Republic of Korea. They were processed on Nov. 27, 2023, Jan. 4, 2024, and . Feb. 15, 2024, and have long shelf life when kept frozen.

On April 15, authorities at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in the Republic of Korea advised the processing firm to initiate a recall of the distributed lots of frozen, raw, half-shell oysters because of possible norovirus contamination.

The oysters were shipped to distributors in California and may have been further distributed.

“Shellfish, such as oysters, contaminated with norovirus can cause illness if eaten, and potentially severe illness in people with compromised immune systems. Food containing norovirus may look, smell, and taste normal,” according to the FDA warning. 

Restaurants and retailers should also be aware that shellfish, such as oysters, may be a source of pathogens and should control the potential for cross-contamination of food processing equipment and the food processing environment. They should follow the steps below:

• Wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.
• Retailers, restaurants, and other food service operators who have processed and packaged any potentially contaminated products need to be concerned about cross-contamination of cutting surfaces and utensils through contact with the potentially contaminated products.
• Retailers that have sold bulk product should clean and sanitize the containers used to hold the product.
• Regular frequent cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces and utensils used in food preparation may help to minimize the likelihood of cross-contamination.

About norovirus
Symptoms of norovirus infection may include vomiting and/or diarrhea, nausea, muscle aches, fever, and headache, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms typically start 12 to 48 hours after exposure and can last for one to three days. Most people recover without treatment, however some may need medical attention for dehydration.

People with norovirus infections can spread the infection easily to others. The virus can live o n surfaces for long periods of time.

To prevent others from getting sick always wash hands carefully with soap and warm water after using the bathroom or changing diapers. 

It is very difficult to kill norovirus, but its spread can be contained by using soap and water to clean toilets or other areas that may be soiled with stool or vomit. Even microscopic amounts of the virus are highly infectious.

Hard surfaces can be disinfected with 1/3 cup household bleach mixed with one gallon of water – always wear gloves when handling bleach-based cleaners. Wash soiled clothing and bedding in hot water and detergent. Soft surfaces that cannot be laundered can be steam cleaned.

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— ANAYLSIS —

Child labor and food fraud are food manufacturing activities that don’t bode well for food safety.

Food fraud comes and goes, but child labor just continues to build, with the food industry losing any embarrassment it once had for employing children.

And in a new twist, more food companies may resist child labor enforcement. 

Action by the U.S. Department of Labor against food companies employing children has become routine.

Earlier this month, the Labor Department accused a Los Angeles poultry company with using child labor and then hiding its product.

Federal labor officials are getting more creative in their investigations.  In cases associated with the Fu Qian Chen Lu poultry companies, they seek to get the money forfeited from the money made from child labor.

They claim the children were employed in dangerous jobs.

Nothing, however, comes easily in child labor litigation. A lawyer for Chen Lu claims underage employees were planted by the labor department, an accusation denied by the federal agency.

A federal judge in Los Angeles saw fit to issue a temporary restraining order favorite Department of Labor (DOL) in the case. A company attorney claims child labor enforcement “does more harm than good.”

DOL sought to end “oppressive” child labor.

And the number of child labor investigations continues to grow.  DOL reports 34 child labor investigations in California alone involving 103 children employed in violation of labor laws.

The frequency of child labor in the food industry surfaced last year when 13 meat plants in eight states contracting with Packers Sanitation Services paid fines totaling $1.5 million for putting children in critical and often dangerous food safety jobs.

The Fair Labor Standards Act bans children younger than 18 from working in dangerous occupations, including most jobs in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing, rendering, and packing establishments.

Many of  child labor violations appear to be on the horizon for the regulated meat industry,

According to the Economic Policy Institute, child labor violations have increased by nearly 300 percent since 2015, and the Labor Department found more than 800 violators during the past fiscal year. 

Without any adequate southern border,  thousands of minors have been waived into the United States and often owe debts to criminal cartels, which make them targets of human trafficking schemes. 

Homeland Security is also reportedly investigating industries likely involved in those schemes, and the meat industry is on that list.

Meanwhile, state child labor laws are continually under review, usually by those who want to make it easier for teenagers to work

During the current legislative session, Kentucky adopted House Bill 255, upping the hours 16 and 17-year-olds can work to 30 hours during the school week; the previous limit was six.

The bill will permit some Kentucky teenagers to hold hazardous jobs, 

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The Waitrose grocery chain blamed factors outside the retailer’s control and supply base for poor Campylobacter in chicken results.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) maximum target level is up to 7 percent of birds with more than 1,000 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) of Campylobacter.

Waitrose and Partners reported that 7.1 percent of chickens tested positive for Campylobacter above 1,000 CFU/g from October to December 2023.

“This is unusually high compared to our previous results, but the levels of Campylobacter can be adversely influenced by seasonal changes and localized weather conditions, such as unusually damp or foggy conditions, which are outside the control of Waitrose and Partners and its supply base,” said the retailer.

“Waitrose and Partners and its suppliers take any above 1,000 CFU/g result seriously, and our suppliers fully investigate all to ensure all controllable parameters are within agreed specifications.”

Waitrose and Partners results show that 2 percent of samples tested positive for Campylobacter at levels above 1,000 CFU/g from July to September and April to June.

Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Co-op
Data from the retailers covers the second half of 2023 on high findings of Campylobacter in fresh, shop-bought, UK-produced chickens.

The Sainsbury’s chain has joined retailer Tesco in stopping publishing related data.

“The safety of our products is extremely important to us and we have a range of processes in place to monitor and limit levels of Campylobacter in our fresh chicken. We have consistently achieved the FSA target for Campylobacter levels for several years, so we will no longer be formally reporting on this,” said Sainsbury’s spokesperson.

Sainsbury’s Campylobacter results for Q2 2023 showed that 1 percent of chickens had levels above 1,000 CFU/g compared to 3 percent in Q1.

Aldi has not updated its related webpage or provided the figures when Food Safety News asked it to do so. The latest data from Q4 2022 shows that 1.7 percent of chickens had levels above 1,000 CFU/g.

Co-op reported chickens contaminated at levels greater than 1,000 CFU/g for the first time since Q3 2021. In Q3 2023, 3.5 percent were above 1,000 CFU/g; in Q4, the figure was 2.6 percent.

Results from other supermarkets
Lidl recorded 4 percent of birds in the highest category from July to September and above 2 percent from October to December 2023. The figures were almost 2 percent in the highest category from April to June and 4 percent from January to March.

Marks and Spencer had 1 percent of samples in the top threshold in July, none in August, and 4 percent in September from 376 samples. The retailer also had 3 percent above 1,000 CFU/g in October, none in November, and 3.85 percent in December.

Marks and Spencer had no samples at the highest level from April to June. It also had none above 1,000 CFU/g in January and 1 percent each in February and March 2023 from 376 samples. 

Asda reported that 2.42 percent of samples were above 1,000 CFU/g in the third quarter of 2023 and 3.33 percent in the fourth quarter. This compares to 3.6 percent in the first quarter and 3.5 percent in the second quarter. 

Morrisons had no chickens contaminated above 1,000 CFU/g for both quarters, compared to 2.3 percent from April to June and 2.4 percent from January to March 2023.

Irish situation
In other news, details have been shared in Zoonoses and Public Health about a Campylobacter monitoring program in Ireland and testing results between 2019 and 2022.

2015, the Campylobacter Stakeholders’ Group was established to reduce contamination in Irish broiler flocks.

An analysis of 2019 to 2022 data showed a significant reduction in levels in both caeca and neck skin when results from 2022 were compared to 2019 and 2020. Campylobacter was detected in 37 percent of cecal samples from first depopulation (pre-thin) broilers and 30 percent of neck skin samples in 2022, with just 4 percent of neck skin samples from carcasses with levels above 1,000 CFU/g in 2022. 

Researchers said cooperation between stakeholders and regulators of the broiler chicken industry has facilitated a coordinated approach to monitoring Campylobacter levels and implementing control measures. This has enabled a steady reduction of the pathogen in chickens.

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The Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction as part of its enforcement activities. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners have 15 days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until a company has been given months to years to correct problems.

Trang Thuy Seafood Co. LTD
Tuy Hoa Phu Yen Province, Vietnam

A food firm in Vietnam is on notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for violation of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

In a Nov. 3, 2023, warning letter, the FDA described an April 9-13, 2023, Foreign Remote Regulatory Assessment of Trang Thuy Seafood Co. LTD’s seafood processing facility in Fukuoka, Japan.

The FDA’s inspection revealed that the firm did not comply with U.S. federal regulations. The FDA discussed items of concern with the firm and provided them with a list of their violations.

Some of the significant violations are as follows:

1. The firm must conduct a hazard analysis to determine whether food safety hazards are reasonably likely to occur and have a HACCP plan that, at minimum, lists the critical control points. A “critical control point” is defined in 21 CFR 123.3(b) as a “point, step, or procedure in a food process at which control can be applied, and a food safety hazard can, as a result, be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels.” However, their HACCP plan for “Frozen Tuna Treated by CO,” dated April 25, 2023, does not list a critical control point to control scombrotoxin (histamine) formation during the transport of fresh tuna from the harvest vessel to the processing facility. For tuna delivered refrigerated or on ice from the harvest vessel, the FDA recommends a critical control point at receiving to ensure the fish were held at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius), or completely surrounded by ice, throughout transit.

2. The firm must have a HACCP plan that, at a minimum, lists monitoring procedures and their frequencies for each critical control point. However, their HACCP plan for “Frozen Tuna Treated by CO,” dated April 25, 2023, lists monitoring procedures that are inadequate to control scombrotoxin (histamine) formation.

a. The firm’s monitoring procedure of “(redacted by the FDA)” at a frequency of “(redacted by the FDA)” at the “(redacted by the FDA)” critical control point is not adequate. They should use a continuous temperature-recording device such as a recording thermometer to continuously monitor the temperature and perform a visual check of the recorded data at least once daily.

b. Their monitoring procedure of “(redacted by the FDA)” at a frequency of “(redacted by the FDA)” at the “(redacted by the FDA)” critical control point is not adequate. They should use a continuous temperature-recording device such as a recording thermometer to continuously monitor the temperature and perform a visual check of the recorded data at least once daily.

3. Because the firm chose to include a corrective action plan in their HACCP plan, they described corrective action as being appropriate. However, their corrective action plan for “Frozen Tuna Treated by CO,” dated April 25, 2023, does not ensure the cause of the deviation is corrected at their critical control points.

Additionally, the FDA offered the following comments:

• The critical limit is “Fish are removed from the viscera before chilled in ice, and it is chilled in ice at less than or equal to 4 degrees Celcius as soon as possible after harvest but does not exceed 12 hours after fish die. Fish were covered by ice above, under, (redacted by the FDA)” listed in their HACCP plan for “Frozen Tuna Treated by CO,” dated April 25, 2023, at the “(redacted by the FDA)” critical control point to control histamine formation is a parameter associated with onboard handling. However, the necessary limit does not state that they are collecting records documenting this information. The FDA acknowledges that their listed monitoring procedures indicate that they obtained this information from the harvest vessel and are checking the records received from the harvest vessel. To ensure that incoming fish are appropriately handled onboard the harvest vessel, the FDA recommends that their critical limit include that harvest records accompany all lots received.
• The critical limit of “(redacted by the FDA)” listed in the firm’s HACCP plan for “Frozen Tuna Treated by CO,” dated April 25, 2023, at the “(redacted by the FDA)” critical control point does not identify where this temperature is obtained. The FDA acknowledges that their monitoring procedure states that the “(redacted by the FDA)” is monitored; however, the FDA recommends that their critical limit include that the internal fish temperatures at the time they are offloaded from the vessel are less than or equal to 4 degrees Celcius.

The full warning letter can be viewed here.

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