Posts from the "Microbial Contamination" category
NZ: New development in MPI’s berry investigation
Ministry for Primary Industries: A newly notified case of Hepatitis A is likely to be linked to the consumption of the Fruzio Mixed Berries product, which is currently the subject of an MPI-directed product recall.
If confirmed, the development would bring the number of people who have contracted Hepatitis A after eating the Fruzio Mixed Berries product to five, says MPI’s director of plant food and environment Peter Thomson.
Read Article →US: Fresh produce responsible for most foodborne illnesses in the U.S.
Food Safety News: Fresh produce is the cause of most foodborne illnesses in the U.S., reports the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
In a study of outbreaks that occurred between 2004 and 2013, the consumer advocacy group found that fresh produce, such as cilantro, cucumbers, cantaloupes and peppers, caused 629 outbreaks and almost 20,000 illnesses.
Read Article →NZ: Consumers angry at lack of information about food safety scares
Fairfax media: For Whangarei father Daniel Sterling, the worst bit is not knowing.
His four-year-old son Sam had been sick for a week with a vicious stomach bug unlike any he had had before, and a complete loss of appetite. Then he saw the news headlines: The brand of berries that he uses in Sam’s favourite smoothies are those linked to an outbreak of hepatitis A in this country.
Read Article →NZ: Berry company ‘gutted’ by recall
Radio New Zealand: The owner of the Nelson company at the centre of a scare over a Hepatitis A virus in imported berries is apologising to the people who became sick and has vowed to find the source.
The Ministry for Primary Industries last night ordered FSL Foods to recall its Fruzio Mixed Berries sold in 1kg and 500g bags containing blackberries and strawberries.
Read Article →NZ: MPI recalls frozen berries
NZ Ministry for Primary Industries: The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has made significant progress in its investigation of imported frozen berries associated with the increased risk from Hepatitis A.
“Today we have directed a specific company to recall a brand of imported frozen berries from shelves,†says MPI’s director plants food and environment Peter Thomson.
Read Article →NZ: Hepatitis scare: Calls for mandatory country of origin labelling on food
New Zealand Herald: Opposition parties are calling for mandatory country of origin labelling on New Zealand foods after four cases of hepatitis A were linked to frozen, imported berries.
But Minister for Food Safety Jo Goodhew says the Government has no plans to do so.
Read Article →US: E. coli from Costco chicken salad traced to tainted celery
Reuters: A multi-state E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 19 people who ate rotisserie chicken salad sold at Costco Wholesale Corp’s stores has been traced to a celery-and-onion mix used in the salad, prompting its California maker to recall the product.
Read Article →AU: Is double-dipping a food safety problem or just a nasty habit?
The Conversation: What do you do when you are left with half a chip in your hand after dipping? Admit it, you’ve wondered whether it’s OK to double dip the chip.
Maybe you’re the sort who dips their chip only once. Maybe you look around the room before loading your half-eaten chip with a bit more dip, hoping that no one will notice.
Read Article →US: Projects follow Salmonella‘s route through irrigation water
Center for Produce Safety: A pair of research projects that focus on Salmonella and its relationship to irrigation water are designed to help Southeastern producers better understand associated risks and steps they can take to address them. The first one, led by George Vellidis, Ph.D. and a professor in the University of Georgia’s Crop and Soil Sciences Department, looked at whether Salmonella moves through irrigation systems of Southeastern produce farms. Part of the project … examined water sampling methods.
Read Article →US: Multistate outbreak of Salmonella Poona infections linked to imported cucumbers
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:As of November 18, 2015, 838 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Poona have been reported from 38 [US] states. Among people for whom information is available, illnesses started on dates ranging from July 3, 2015 to November 1, 2015. Ill people range in age from less than 1 year to 99, with a median age of 18. Fifty-seven percent of ill people are female. Among 601 people with available information, 165 (27%) report being hospitalized. Four deaths have been reported.
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