Sandwiches recalled for Listeria from Target, Walgreens, others

Fresh, ready-to-eat egg salad and ham salad sandwiches, as well as a seafood stuffing mix, are under recall from several retailers and a vending machine company because federal inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes in the Greencore USA LLC facility where the products were made.

To view labels of all of the products subject to this recall, please click on the image.

Greencore is recalling sandwiches distributed between Sept. 24 and 27 to American Food and Vending, Hannaford Brothers, Target and Turkey Hill locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.

To see more labels for the products subject to this recall, please click on the image.

There is concern that consumers may have unused portions of the recalled products in their homes because some of the sandwiches have use-by dates of Oct. 2. Of even greater concern is the seafood stuffing, which was only distributed to Hannaford locations, but has use-by-dates reaching to Oct. 19.

“The products are being recalled because Listeria monocytogenes was found in environmental sampling conducted by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration),” according to the Greencore recall notice.

“Greencore has not received any reports of confirmed illnesses associated with these recalled sandwiches. As of Sept. 29, all (corporate) customers have been instructed to remove and destroy impacted product.”

Consumers are urged to not eat any of the recalled products. For labeling details that can be used to identify the recalled products, please see chart at bottom.

Although no finished products had been found to be contaminated with Listeria as of the posting of the recall notice, the FDA did find Listeria monocytogenes in the production facility.

Consequently, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products is urged to monitor themselves for symptoms of Listeria infection for the coming weeks. It can take up to 70 days for symptoms to develop. Anyone who develops symptoms should immediately seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to the bacteria.

Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems can develop serious and sometimes deadly infections from exposure to Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Not the first time
In January 2011 and June 2012, FDA inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes in the Greencore production facility in Byfield, MA. The inspectors found the pathogen on food contact surfaces, as well as on equipment and other surfaces.

After working with the company officials to resolve the cleaning and sanitizing problems that allowed the bacteria to thrive in the facility, the FDA issued a warning letter to Greencore in October 2012.

The FDA ordered Greencore to clean up its operations and institute ongoing programs to prevent pathogen contamination of its food production facility. In April 2013 the FDA finally issued a close-out letter regarding the 2011 and 2012 inspections.

In November 2016, Greencore recalled Fresh to Go brand chicken hummus sandwiches sold to 7-Eleven stores because of possible Listeria contamination, but it was a secondary recall. Sabra Dipping Co. had recalled its red pepper hummus — an ingredient in the Greencore product — for potential contamination.

Customer	Product	Size	UPC	Use-by date
Hannaford	Egg Salad Club Roll	5.1 oz	4126816587	9/28 – 10/2
	Ham Salad Club Roll	5.1 oz	4126816589	9/28 -10/2
	Seafood Stuffing	10 oz	4126820509	10/2 – 10/19
Walgreens	Egg salad on White Bread	6.1 oz	4902272043	9/29 – 10/1
Turkey Hill Fresh Selects	Egg salad on Homestyle Bread	4.7 oz	7350875001	9/29 – 10/1
	Ham salad on Homestyle Bread	4.9 oz	7350875003	9/29 – 10/1
Target	Egg salad on White Bread	5.9	7350875792	9/29 – 10/1
American Food and Vending	Enza Choice Egg Salad on White Bread	4.7	7350875735	10/1
American Food and Vending	Enza Choice Ham Salad on White Bread	4.7	7350875815	10/1

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Publisher’s Platform: It’s past time for FDA to out retailers

This peanut butter substitute was still on the shelf at a Luckys Market earlier this week, despite having been recalled in March for E. coli contamination.

On March 7, 2017, The SoyNut Butter Company recalled all varieties of I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butters and all varieties of I.M. Healthy Granola products. On March 10, 2017, The SoyNut Butter Company expanded its recall to include Dixie Diner’s Club brand Carb Not Beanit Butter.  This after poisoning over 30 people – mostly kids – several that suffered from acute kidney failure.

The recall notice, drafted by I.M. Healthy, on the FDA website did not mention where the tainted product was sold. Nearly six months later Food Safety News reported on September 5: “Earlier today, Amazon.com was still selling I.M. Healthy soy nut butter that was recalled in March when federal officials traced an E. coli outbreak to the product.”  Then on September 26 a friend of a client whose son nearly died from consuming the soy nut butter found the product on “Close Out” at Lucky’s Market on 200 Woodside Rd, Redwood City, CA 94061.

So, why does the FDA not release the names of retailers to retailers and consumers during a recall and/or an outbreak?

Caitlin Dewey of The Washington Post asked the same question in March of this year – “Why the FDA hides the names of grocery stores that sell contaminated food.”  I reread it today and it still makes my head hurt.

According to Caitlin:

The FDA does not specify, however, which stores, centers or schools — because that would violate its interpretation of an obscure trade secret rule. 

This interpretation differs from that of other agencies in the federal food safety system, an overlapping and often illogical network of regulatory fiefdoms. The system, which is responsible for keeping food free of bacteria and other pathogens, frequently has to weigh the very real interests of private food companies against potential risks to the public. In the case of releasing retailer lists during major outbreaks, the FDA has historically sided with business, ruling that such lists constitute “confidential commercial information” and thus should not be available for public consumption. 

Critics say that the agency’s unwillingness to share this information poses a clear danger to public health, particularly in cases like the current E. coli outbreak, where parents may not know if their child consumed the recalled product.

 “Our mantra is that a more transparent food system is a safer food system,” said Thomas Gremillion, the director of food policy at the Consumer Federation of America. “And there are lots of instances where having that distribution list would help victims of food-borne illness.”

The FDA’s current recall process has been in effect for years, though the agency did gain more recall authority under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. It is, for the most part, a voluntary system — which means there’s some variance in how quickly recalls happen. While most companies are highly motivated to clean up any contamination, it takes time to evaluate and respond to possible threats. And that time can be multiplied several times over if a product has moved through the hands of several distributors, manufacturers or other middlemen, an issue that the FDA was faulted for in a June 2016 alert by the Inspector General’s Office.

When a company does issue a recall, it has wide latitude over the amount of information it shares; in some cases, a recall will never be made public. Recalls that are made public typically contain a description of the product and an explanation of the problem. But companies are not required to reveal where the product was sold — whether to a store, a school, a restaurant or another manufacturer that put it in other products.

The recall for SoyNut Butter, for instance, says that “products were distributed in multiple states and may have been purchased in stores or through mail order. They were also distributed to childcare centers and schools in multiple states.” Those states include Virginia and Maryland, where two people have fallen ill. I.M. Healthy did not respond to a phone call or email requesting comment, though a statement on its website called the contamination “deeply concerning” and said that the company had immediately issued a recall. A list compiled by the site eFoodAlert claims that the product was sold at a number of major grocery chains, including Kroger, Giant and Whole Foods.

“Industry argues that they don’t want to turn over who they sell to, because competition will know and try to undercut them,” said Bill Marler, a prominent food safety lawyer who is representing the parents of one of the children sickened in the SoyNut outbreak. “That’s all well and good under normal circumstances. But those rules should not and do not apply to a product that could cause people to become ill.”

In a statement to The Washington Post, the FDA affirmed that it believes its disclosure measures are sufficient and blamed the lack of downstream recall information on federal disclosure rules. Federal regulations do limit the sort of information that can be released to the public. Under the Freedom of Information Act and Title 21 of the Code of Regulations, government agencies — and specifically, the FDA — are told to exempt trade secrets and commercial information from any of their releases.

“Examples of [confidential consumer information] include raw material supplier lists, finished product customer lists, trace back information, etc.,” said Peter Cassell, a spokesman for the FDA. “CCI is exempt from Freedom of Information Act requests, but can be shared through certain information sharing agreements (including with other Federal agencies).”

“The FDA publicizes recall notices, including pictures of affected products, and uses social media accounts to reach consumers as swiftly as possible,” he later added. “In some cases, the FDA can release certain information that is otherwise exempt from disclosure if it is necessary to effectuate a recall. In many cases, it is most efficient for the company to directly notify its distributors so they can take appropriate action.”

Cassell declined to make an agency lawyer available for comment or explain how the FDA had arrived at its definitions. But it’s probably worth noting that when another agency considered similar precedents, it came to different conclusions.

In the early 2000s, the Food Safety and Inspection Service — the branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that regulates meat, poultry and egg products — decided to revisit its own interpretation of the trade secrets rule. During a lengthy comments period, industry groups concerned with protecting their distribution lists from competitors faced off against consumer advocates. In 2008, after several years of debate, FSIS’s final rule concluded that it would “not cause substantial harm to the competitive position of any business” to disclose retailer names.

“FSIS now routinely posts these lists,” said Deirdre Schlunegger, the chief executive of STOP Foodborne Illness, an advocacy group for patients that lobbied FSIS 10 years ago. “We obviously believe consumers should have as much information as possible to make safe food decisions.”

Today, when FSIS issues a Class I recall — those that seem “reasonably” likely to cause health problems — it also issues a list of all the retail locations that have, or have had, the product. During last month’s massive cheese recall, for instance, FSIS published a list of every Safeway, Albertsons and Pak ’n’ Save that sold Taylor Farms salads containing Sargento pepperjack. But because FDA regulates the cheese itself, there was no such list of stores that sold the cheese outside salads.

“It does makes me wonder why the FDA can’t do the same,” said Sandra Eskin, the director of the Safe Food Project at Pew Charitable Trusts. “The fundamental issue is — is this information important to consumers during a recall? I would argue yes.”

But the man who led the effort to reform FSIS’s traded secrets rule has his own suspicions as to why the FDA hasn’t followed his lead. Richard Raymond, who was the undersecretary of agriculture for food safety under President George W. Bush, says that the fiercest opposition to the change came from the food industry. Raymond, who had been the chief medical officer in his home state of Nebraska, came to Washington, D.C., determined to change the rules on confidential information. He found himself surprised by the level of resistance.

“They were scared to death it would hurt their business,” Raymond said. “The retail stores want to protect their brand. … When you ask why FDA hasn’t done it, I suspect they don’t want that fight themselves.”

The FDA did not respond to Raymond’s comment by press time. But Gremillion, of the Consumer Federation, would like to see the agency take action.

“Why do confidential business interests trump public health in some cases and not others?” he asked. “We need more transparency around this.

I think it is past time for the FDA and the industries it oversees to be transparent – willingly or not.

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Pride & Joy refuses to recall raw milk after Salmonella found

Owners of an organic raw milk dairy in Washington say they have “politely declined” the state’s request that they recall their unpasteurized milk, which showed Salmonella contamination during routine testing by agriculture officials.

Claiming they are being targeted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the owners of Pride & Joy Puget Sound LLC posted a notice on the dairy’s Facebook page today after being notified on the positive Salmonella lab report from the state.

Public health officials are concerned that consumers may have unused portions of the implicated unpasteurized milk in their homes because the recalled product has a best-by date of Oct. 4.

A health alert posted today advises the public to not consume Pride & Joy organic raw milk because of the danger of Salmonella infection. All sizes of containers are subject to the alert. The dairy, in Toppenish, distributed the implicated unpasteurized milk via numerous retailers, drop-off locations and its farm store (see list below).

Children younger than 5, elderly people, pregnant women and people with suppressed immune systems — such as cancer patients — are at a higher risk of contracting serious infections from Salmonella exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of this afternoon, the state officials did not have any confirmed reports of illnesses linked to the dairy. However, earlier this year Washington officials investigated two Salmonella illnesses reported by people who consumed raw milk from Pride & Joy.

That investigation did not yield any positive results for Salmonella, but the dairy’s raw milk tested positive for E. coli bacteria, which generally causes more serious infections than Salmonella.

In February the owners of Pride & Joy — Allen Voortman, Cheryl Voortman, Ricky Umipig and Cindy Umipig — voluntarily recalled raw milk and shut down operations to clean and make other changes suggested by the state to reduce the chance of contamination.

Not it
In February, the dairy owners challenged the state’s lab results, saying the E. coli contamination could have occurred at any point in the supply chain after the unpasteurized, organic products left the dairy’s control. Retailers, consumers and officials in the chain of evidence were all cited by the dairy owners as possible sources of the contamination.

In their Facebook post today they took a similar stand.

“We have been targeted again. In a routine sample taken from our farm on Sept. 18, the WSDA (Washington State Department of Agriculture) is claiming they found Salmonella. In an unprecedented event, we have politely declined the ‘voluntary recall,’ ” according to the Facebook post.

“Since we have declined the recall, the WSDA admitted on a recorded phone conference yesterday with our attorneys present, that no one is sick, they can not (sic) shut us down and will not even be retesting our milk since we declined the recall. We will resume business as usual.”

The Pride & Joy owners also say they want to know what kind of Salmonella test the state used and the chain of custody of the sample.

In the state’s health alert, officials said that although unpasteurized, raw milk is legal to sell at retail in Washington, consumers should be aware of the risks.

“Retail raw milk is legal to sell and buy in Washington, but there are serious potential health risks. Consumers should read the warning label on the retail raw milk container carefully and ask their retailer to verify the milk was produced and processed by a WSDA-licensed operation,” according to the health alert.

Anyone who has consumed raw milk from the Pride & Joy dairy recently and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection, referred to as salmonellosis, should immediately seek medical attention.

Generally, symptoms develop within 72 hours of exposure, but it can take up to two weeks in some people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms can fever, diarrhea that is often bloody, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.

The Washington health alert including the following distribution list, which it obtained from Pride & Joy Dairy’s website:

Eastern Washington:

• Pride & Joy Dairy farm store (Granger)
• Bear Foods (Chelan)
• Better Life Natural Foods (Ellensburg)
• Settler’s Country Market (Ephrata and Moses Lake)
• Sage Mountain Natural Foods (Leavenworth)
• The Mazama Store (Mazama)
• Yoke’s Fresh Market (Richland)
• Glover Street Market (Twisp)
• Lemongrass Natural Foods (Wenatchee)
• Rhubarb Market (Wenatchee)
• Wenatchee Natural Foods (Wenatchee)
• Mill Creek Natural Foods (Union Gap)
• Rosauers Supermarkets (Yakima)

Drop-off group locations:

• Cle Elum
• Ellensburg
• Leavenworth
• Selah
• Wenatchee

Western Washington:

• Marvel Food and Deli (Auburn)
• Battle Ground Produce (Battle Ground)
• The Family Grocer (Duvall)
• Sno-Isle Food Co-op (Everett)
• Marlene’s Market & Deli (Federal Way and Tacoma)
• San Juan Island Food Co-op (Friday Harbor)
• Nature’s Market (Kent)
• Sunshine Corners Nutrition (Kent)
• Skagit Valley Food Co-op (Mount Vernon)
• Central Co-op (Seattle)
• Arnada Naturals (Vancouver)
• Chuck’s Produce (2 locations in Vancouver)

 Drop-off group locations:

• Auburn
• Bellevue
• Bothell
• Issaquah/Tiger Mountain
• Kenmore
• Kent/Covington
• Kirkland
• Lake City
• Lynnwood
• North Bend
• Puyallup
• Sammamish
• Seattle/Seward Park
• Shoreline

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Frozen fish ball products recalled for not listing milk on label

America New York Ri Wang Food Group Co. Ltd. has recalled several fish products because an allergenic ingredient, milk, was not declared on the labeling.

The recalled products include: Fish Balls, Fried Pollock Balls, White Fish Balls, Pollock Fish Balls, Cuttlefish Balls, Imitation Lobster Balls, Fish Tofu, Fried Fish Tofu, Fish Tofu with Shrimp Filling, Fish Tofu with Shrimp, and Fish Balls with custard and Fish Roe

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) discovered the problem, and Wang Food opted to recall products where a similar mistake was made in listing ingredients.    These products were distributed in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Illinois by retail stores in those states.

The products were also distributed to food service providers.

At retail, the products are sold in the frozen food sections of grocery stores.   Product packaging and labeling information are available here.

No illnesses have yet been linked to mistakenly labeled products.  The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating to determine the root cause of the problem. Consumers who have purchased the above products are urged to return them to the manufacturer for a refund.

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Processing problem spurs recall for staphylococcal enterotoxin

Processing deviations discovered by inspectors reviewing records at a Washington sausage company have prompted a recall of numerous products because they could be contaminated with staphylococcal enterotoxin.

German Sausage Haus LLC of Camano Island, WA, is recalling 1,252 pounds of heat treated, not fully cooked, not shelf stable meat products. The company shipped the products to retailers in Washington and to institutional kitchens in undisclosed states, according to the recall notice posted by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

To view photos of more of the recalled German Sausage Haus products, please click on the image.

“The frozen products were produced and packaged on various dates from June 14 to Sept. 8,” according to the recall notice. “The problem was discovered on Sept. 14 by FSIS Inspection Program Personnel when they observed a possible processing deviation while reviewing records.”

No details about adverse reactions or illnesses were included in the recall notice.

Consumers, retailers and operators of institutional kitchens can identify the recalled products by looking for the establishment number “Est. 45952” inside the USDA mark of inspection and the following label information:

• 

  To view additional photos of the recalled products, please click on the image.

  Vacuum packed (1 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Smoked Bacon” with package code “72301” and a package date of “08/18/2017.”

• Vacuum packed (1 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Smoked Shank” with package code “72501” and a package date of “09/07/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (1 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Smoked Fat” with package code “72131” and a package date of “08/01/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (1 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Smoked Pork Lion” with package code “72232” and a package date of “08/11/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Danube Smoked Sausages” with package code “71951” and a package date of “07/14/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Pituaros Smoked Sausages” with package code “72051” and a package date of “07/24/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Cabaj Smoked Sausages” with package code “71651” and a package date of “06/28/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Backi Petrovac Smoked Sausages” with package code “71652” and a package date of “06/28/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Devil Dog Smoked Sausages” with package code “71653” and a package date of “06/28/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Danube Smoked Sausages” with package code “71654” and a package date of “06/28/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Christmas Smoked Sausages” with package code “71655” and a package date of “06/28/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (2 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Donauschwaben Smoked Sausages” with package code “71656” and a package date of “06/28/2017.”
• Vacuum packed (1 each) “GERMAN SAUSAGE HAUS Smoked Ribs” with the following package codes and package dates:
  Package code “72231” and package date “08/11/2017”
  Package code “72442” and package date “09/01/2017”
  Package code “72511” and package date “09/08/2017”

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Frozen sausage recalled in Canada, U.S. for undeclared milk

A New York company is recalling frozen pork sausage products in the United States and Canada because they contain milk, a known allergen that is not declared on the product labels.

In the United States, the recall by RI Wang Food Group of Maspeth, NY, includes almost 27 tons of “China Brand” sausage products, which the company sent to retailers and institutional kitchens in New York and New Jersey.

In Canada, an undisclosed volume of the China Brand sausage products from RI Wang are under recall by Canda Six Fortune Enterprise Co. Ltd. Food companies in Canada rarely include information on the amount of product subject to recall. Canada Six Fortune Enterprise distributed the sausage to retailers nationwide.

Canadian inspectors discovered the problem during routine product testing, according to the recall notice posted Friday night on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s website. After the CFIA notified the company, RI Wang alerted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the finding.

Recall notices in both countries indicated no confirmed adverse reactions had been reported in relation to the China Brand pork sausage products as of Friday.

“If you have an allergy to milk, do not consume the recalled products as they may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction,” according to the Canadian recall notice. “Check to see if you have recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.”

In the United States, consumers, retailers and operators of institutional kitchens can identify the recalled China Brand pork sausages by looking for the establishment number “EST. M/P-40200” inside the USDA mark of inspection and the following label information:

25-lb. institutional pack of “Chinese Brand Big Sausage,” with the following lot codes and package dates:

• lot code “0118348” and package date “1/17/2017”
• lot code “0918296” and package date “3/10/2017”

255-g. retail packages of “Chinese Brand Big Sausage,” with the following lot codes and package dates:

• lot code “117338” and package date “1/28/2016.”
• lot code “117334” and package date “2/1/2016.”
• lot code “417269” and package date “4/6/2016.”
• lot code “682016” and package date “6/8/2016.”
• lot code “817151” and package date “8/4/2016.”
• lot code “518235” and package date “5/10/2017.”

25-lb. institutional pack of “Chinese Brand Mini Bite Size Sausage,” with the following lot codes and package dates:

• lot code “0118356” and package date “1/10/2017.”
• lot code “0118345” and package date “1/20/2017.”
• lot code “0118335” and package date “1/30/2017.”
• lot code “0118326” and package date “2/10/2017.”
• lot code “0118296” and package date “3/10/2017.”
• lot code “0118269” and package date “4/6/2017.”
• lot code “0118254” and package date “4/21/2017.”
• lot code “0118247” and package date “4/28/2017.”
• lot code “0118243” and package date “5/2/2017.”
• lot code “011229” and package date “5/16/2017.”
• lot code “0118228” and package date “5/17/2017.”

255-g. retail packages of “Chinese Brand Mini Bite Size Sausage,” with the following lot codes and package dates:

• lot code “117338” and package date “1/28/2016.”
• lot code “117334” and package date “2/1/2016.”
• lot code “217306” and package date “2/29/2016.”
• lot code “817150” and package date “5/9/2016.”
• lot code “682016 and package date “6/8/2016.”
• lot code “817151” and package date “8/4/2016.”
• lot code “717110” and package date “9/9/2016.”
• lot code “121704” and package date “12/19/2016.”
• lot code “118659” and package date “1/9/2017.”
• lot code “218315” and package date “2/21/2017.”
• lot code “218301” and package date “3/7/2017.”
• lot code “518235” and package date “5/10/2017.”
• lot code “618208” and package date “6/6/2017.”

In Canada, consumers and retailers can identify the recalled China Brand products by looking for the following label information:

• Ri Wang Food Chinese Brand Mini Bite size Sausage in 25-g packages with the UPC number 8 15655 01060 7;
• Ri Wang Food Chinese Brand Mini Bite Sausage in 2.27-kg packages with the UPC number 8 15655 01089 8; and
• Ri Wang Food Chinese Brand Big Sausage in 255-g packages with the UPC number 8 15655 01088 1.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Karen Tam, customer service manager at RI Wang Food Group by calling 718-628-8999 or by sending email to Karenp@riwangusa.com.

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Texas raw milk Brucella contamination hits 7 states

Although it is against federal law to sell unpasteurized milk across state lines, the CDC and state health departments are investigating illnesses in at least seven states in relation to Brucella bacteria found in raw milk from a Texas dairy.

One woman in Texas has been in the hospital for weeks with a lab-confirmed case of brucellosis. A sample from her matches antibiotic-resistant Brucella bacteria found in raw milk from K-Bar dairy in Paradise, TX, according to Texas officials and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It’s very important for people who drank raw milk from this dairy to seek treatment to prevent infection with Brucella RB51,” said Dr. William Bower who is leading the CDC’s brucellosis investigation group.

“Even if people don’t have any symptoms now, they can develop a chronic infection that can impact their health for years to come.”

As of this afternoon, the CDC and the Texas State Department of State Health Services had received reports about people who drank K-Bar milk or have symptoms consistent with brucellosis caused by Brucella RB51 in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Ohio, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas, according to a news release from the CDC.

The Texas department has been warning people about the Brucella bacteria found in the K-Bar milk for more than a month. In an Aug. 14 public alert the state urged consumers who drank the milk and their doctors to consider post-exposure antibiotic treatment, especially if there are brucellosis symptoms involved.

In a similar health alert Wednesday, the CDC recommended a 21-day regimen of rifampin and penicillin for anyone who consumed unpasteurized milk or dairy products from the K-Bar dairy from June 1 through Aug. 7. Brucellosis symptoms can develop as quickly as five days after exposure, but can also take up to six months to develop in some people.

“Initially, people with brucellosis experience fever, sweats, aches and fatigue,” according to CDC’s update today.

“If not treated, Brucella RB51 infection can result in long-term complications, like arthritis, heart problems, enlargement of the spleen or liver, and, in rare cases, nervous system problems. Like meningitis RB51 can cause severe illness in people with weakened immune systems and miscarriages in pregnant women.”

Hundreds may not know of risk
Texas officials report the owners of K-Bar Dairy have been “cooperating fully with the investigation” and has been operating in compliance with state dairy laws and rules.

However, the dairy does not have complete sales records, which has state and federal officials worried that hundreds of people may be unaware of they are at risk. The records K-Bar does have show people outside of Texas could be at risk of infection from its unpasteurized milk.”

In addition to raw milk, K-Bar Dairy offers unpasteurized cream, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products.

“Purchase records and illness reports indicate additional people in Texas and some as far away as California and North Dakota may need antibiotics to prevent or treat infection. In Texas, raw milk is only allowed to be sold on site at the dairy,” according to CDC’s update today.

Raw milk dairies are supposed to maintain contact information on customers in case they need to recall product. Unpasteurized milk is known to carry bacteria and viruses, which pasteurization kills, according to state and federal officials.

“Due to incomplete contact information, CDC staff have been unable to reach about 200 households in which someone bought K-Bar milk. People who sampled the milk at the dairy or got the milk from friends or family also may not be aware of their risk,” CDC reported.

Of the more than 800 households known to have purchased K-Bar raw milk during the exposure period, CDC is attempting to contact 672 and Texas is trying to reach 170. Generally households are considered to consist of an average of four people, meaning thousands of people are at risk of Brucella infection.

Officials do not have contact information on many of the households known to have purchased the contaminated raw milk. For the households that CDC has been able to reach, more than eight out of every 10 people were exposed to the bacteria.

“Of the 485 households with contact information, CDC successfully reached 236 households. Among the 236 households, 83 percent of people were exposed to RB51 by drinking the milk,” the federal agency reported.

Advice to consumers, physicians
People who consumed K-Bar raw milk should monitor themselves and their children for fever for four weeks after they last drank the milk. The CDC advises them to watch for other brucellosis symptoms for six months. These symptoms include but are not limited to muscle pain, lasting fatigue, arthritis, depression and swelling of the testicles.

Doctors can find more information about testing patients for Brucella RB51 and which antibiotics to use to prevent infection on the CDC website at: http://ift.tt/2vW2sMQ.

Blood cultures can be used to confirm infections, but the CDC warned health care providers Wednesday to indicate on lab orders that the cultures could grow Brucella, which could infect lab workers if they don’t take special precautions.

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CDC expands on Texas warning about Brucella in raw milk

A month after Texas public health officials urged raw milk drinkers and their doctors to be on the lookout for symptoms of Brucella infection, the federal government weighed in with its own advice.

Anyone who drank unpasteurized, “raw” milk from the K-Bar Dairy in Paradise, TX, from June 1 through Aug. 7 is “at an increased risk for brucellosis and should receive appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP),” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Wednesday.

The CDC echoed advice and warnings that the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) posted Aug. 14.

“A person who drank raw milk from K-Bar Dairy in Paradise, Texas, has been hospitalized with brucellosis. Milk samples from the dairy have tested positive for a Brucella strain called RB51,” according to the CDC health advisory.

“Brucella strain RB51 is resistant to rifampin and penicillin. A combination of doxycycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for 21 days is the recommended first-line PEP regimen for RB51 exposure.”

Complicating the situation is the fact that symptoms of Brucella infection can take five days to six months to develop. Consequently, anyone who consumed raw dairy products from the K-Bar Dairy from June 1 through Aug. 7 should monitor themselves for symptoms for the coming months.

Even if symptoms have not developed, the CDC recommends the post-exposure course of antibiotics for 21 days. There isn’t a serological test to detect RB51 infection. Blood culture is the diagnostic test recommended by the CDC for exposed symptomatic individuals.

Symptoms of brucellosis can include fever, sweats, malaise, anorexia, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and potentially more serious complications such as swelling of heart, liver, or spleen, and neurologic symptoms.

Sometimes symptoms continue for long periods of time. They can also be chronic or recurring. The confirmed patient in Texas had fever, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue before the diagnosis of brucellosis.

Diagnosis is often difficult because symptoms can come and go. Also, brucellosis is relatively uncommon, so some health care providers may not be familiar with its symptoms, according to the Texas health department’s Aug. 14 advisory.

“The DSHS is concerned that other people who consumed raw milk from K-Bar Dairy may also have been exposed to Brucella and became infected. Brucellosis may cause short-term and long-term disease,” according to the Texas advisory.

“… it is an uncommon infection and can present with a wide variety of non-specific symptoms and signs that can wax and wane over weeks or even months.”

The RB51 strain of Brucella is dangerous for medical staff and lab personnel in addition to patients, particularly because of its resistance to some antibiotics. Therefore, the CDC’s health advisory includes an extra warning for health care providers.

“When ordering blood cultures to diagnose brucellosis, please advise the laboratory that the blood culture may grow Brucella and that appropriate laboratory precautions should be observed,” the CDC recommended.

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Papaya Salmonella outbreak hits Hispanic population hard

The popularity of fresh papaya in some ethnic cuisine is resulting in a disproportionate number of Hispanics being infected in four ongoing Salmonella outbreaks.

With 235 laboratory confirmed infections as of this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the number of Hispanic victims in the individual outbreaks ranges from 50 percent to 91 percent. Two people have died, but their ethnicity has not been made public.

The CDC and Food and Drug Administration are tracking eight different varieties of Salmonella, all found in maradol papayas from Mexico and matched by laboratory testing to samples from the victims. As of Thursday the CDC split the victims into four outbreaks, based on four farms in Mexico that produced contaminated fruit.

Both FDA and CDC are warning against maradol papayas from the four farms in Mexico. The FDA is continuing its stepped up testing of papayas from Mexico, which it began after the initial outbreak was confirmed by the Maryland Department of Health in mid-July.

“CDC recommends that consumers not eat, restaurants not serve, and retailers not sell recalled Maradol papayas from Carica de Campeche, Rancho El Ganadero, El Zapotanito, or Productores y Exportadores de Carica Papaya de Tecomán y Costa Alegre farms in Mexico,” according to Thursday’s update.

“Several companies have recalled papayas from these farms: Grande Produce recalled Caribena brand maradol papayas. Agroson’s LLC recalled certain Cavi brand maradol papayas. Freshtex Produce LLC recalled Valery Brand maradol papayas. Bravo Produce Inc. recalled maradol papayas packed by Frutas Selectas de Tijuana, S. de RL de CV.”

Federal officials suggest that people who aren’t sure if papayas they have purchased are among those recalled should ask the retailers that sold the fruit. When in doubt, throw it out, the CDC recommends.

Specific details on the four ongoing Salmonella outbreaks traced to whole, fresh papayas from Mexico are available at the following links:

• Outbreak of Salmonella Thompson, Salmonella Kiambu, Salmonella Agona, and Salmonella Gaminara infections linked to papayas from Carica de Campeche farm in Mexico;
• Outbreak of Salmonella Newport and Salmonella Infantis Infections linked to papayas from Rancho El Ganadero farm in Colima, Mexico distributed by Caraveo Produce;
• Outbreak of Salmonella Urbana Infections linked to papayas from El Zapotanito farm in La Huerta, Mexico; and
• Outbreak of Salmonella Anatum Infections linked to papayas from Productores y Exportadores de Carica Papaya de Tecoman y Costa Alegre in Tijuana, Mexico imported by Bravo Produce Inc.

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CDC discovers fourth Salmonella outbreak linked to papayas

Federal and state officials are investigating another deadly Salmonella outbreak traced to papayas imported from Mexico, but they have not named retailers that sold the contaminated fruit.

At least 14 people across Arizona, California and Colorado have been confirmed with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Anatum, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person has died. At least five have required hospitalization.

A dozen of the victims live in California. At least four of them reported buying and eating papayas from the same retail chain before becoming ill. The Salmonella Anatum identified in lab samples collected from the victims match the strain of that type of Salmonella found by the Food and Drug Administration on papayas imported by Bravo Produce Inc. of San Isidro, CA. Bravo initiated a recall Sunday.

Neither the California retailer — which uses Bravo Produce as a supplier of papayas — nor any of the other retailers implicated in the other three ongoing outbreaks have been named by the FDA, which is overseeing papaya recalls by importers and distributors.

The FDA routinely cites laws regarding “confidential corporate information” as prohibiting the agency from revealing retailers that received recalled foods. In its advice regarding the current outbreaks and recalls, the FDA tells consumers on its website to ask retailers if they sold the suspect papayas.

Arguing that public health trumps corporate secrets, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) asked FDA on Aug. 17 to provide the list of retailers that handled papayas linked to the ongoing outbreaks. The federal agency denied that request and CSPI filed an administrative appeal this past week under the framework of the Freedom of Information Act.

“The typical consumer isn’t going to recognize the brand of papaya they buy or the farm it was grown on, but they know where they bought it,” said CSPI chief regulatory affairs counsel Sarah Sorscher.

“The FDA is supposed to be helping Americans avoid foodborne illness. It could improve by consistently disclosing retailer names and locations, along with brand names, dates of sale, lot numbers, and other useful information when it communicates with the media or with the public about recalls.”

Relentless investigators
Together, the four papaya-related Salmonella outbreaks have sickened 215 people from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Illnesses have been reported in 26 states. Including the California death announced Monday, the outbreaks have killed two people.

The outbreak reported Monday actually began in December 2016, according to the CDC.

“This past spring, CDC investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Anatum infections,” according to the Monday report.

“While the epidemiologic information indicated that papayas were the likely source of this outbreak at the time, investigators could not determine the specific source of contaminated papayas and the outbreak investigation ended after illnesses stopped.”

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) showed that all 14 victims were infected with the same strain of Salmonella Anatum bacteria, suggesting a common source of infection. That common denominator wasn’t confirmed until this month.

“FDA informed CDC that a sample from an imported papaya identified Salmonella Anatum on Sept. 4. …WGS showed that the isolate from the papaya and the isolates from the 14 people infected with Salmonella Anatum this past spring were closely related.”

The 14 confirmed victims had illness onset dates from Dec. 20, 2016, to April 8 this year. However, the CDC reported it is investigating at least six more cases of Salmonella Anatum infection to determine if they are also linked to the maradol papayas imported by Bravo Produce Inc.

As with the other three ongoing Salmonella outbreaks, the Salmonella Anatum outbreak has hit Hispanics particularly hard. Of 11 victims for whom ethnic information was available as of Monday, 10 of them were Hispanic. The CDC has theorized the disproportionate impact is because of the popularity of fresh papaya in Hispanic and Mexican cuisine.

Bravo Produce Inc. imported the papayas implicated in the Salmonella Anatum outbreak from a farm in Tijuana, Mexico. The farm, Productores y Exportadores de Carica Papaya de Tecomán y Costa Alegre, is the fourth specific growing operation identified by the FDA as having produced papayas contaminated with the outbreak strains of Salmonella.

Before Bravo received the fruit it went from the farm to a Mexican packing company, Frutas Selectas de Tijuana, S. de RL de CV. Bravo officials reported in their recall notice on Sunday that their recalled papayas have stickers with the Frutas Selectas name on them.

Advice to consumers, restaurants and retailers
State and federal public health officials recommend applying the golden rule of food safety regarding papayas on hand in homes and businesses — when in doubt, throw it out.

Additional recommendations from CDC include:

• If you have had whole, fresh papayas in your home or business, wash and sanitize countertops, cutting boards and utensils, as well as drawers or shelves in refrigerators where papayas were stored, with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or new paper towel.
• Wash your hands with running water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.

Anyone who has eaten fresh papaya recently and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection is urged to seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure so the proper diagnostic tests can be performed.

Salmonella bacteria can cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and fever.

Symptoms usually begin between 12 to 36 hours after exposure, but they may begin as early as 6 hours or as late as 72 hours after exposure.

Symptoms can be mild or severe and commonly last for two to seven days. Salmonella can infect anyone, but young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to have severe infections.

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USDA expands FoodKeeper App to include food recall alerts

Thanks to recent updates made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, users of the FoodKeeper application can choose to receive automatic notifications for food safety recalls.

Since its launch in April 2015, FoodKeeper has reached about 150,000 downloads. Now, when the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and Drug Administration announce food recalls, users can select to receive alerts as they happen, once a day or weekly.

Accessible on Google Play and iTunes  stores, the recent update includes instruction videos on proper handling and storage of food, along with a list of food and beverage products that has expanded to over 500 product items, according to the USDA’s news release.

“This is a great way for the public to stay informed when food is recalled,” said Carmen Rottenberg, acting deputy under secretary for food safety. “The FoodKeeper app is a very handy and easy to use tool.”

Rottenberg said in the news release that she believes the app reflects the USDA’s commitment to provide consumers with information and knowledge that will help them make informed decisions.

FSIS partnered with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute to develop the FoodKeeper app as a tool to “help reduce food waste and improve public health by sharing storage methods that extend the shelf life of the foods and beverages in American homes,” according to the release.

The recent updates now inform users of specific storage timelines for the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Advice is now available on more than 500 products, including dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, produce, seafood and various types of baby food.

Rottenburg said the updates to the FoodKeeper app should also help reduce foodborne illness across the nation: “We want to make sure the valuable recall information FSIS and FDA publish is available to as many Americans as possible. With the expansion of products covered in the apps database, this app is helpful to any type of consumer, and I encourage anyone who hasn’t already done so, to download and begin using the FoodKeeper app.”

Features of the FoodKeeper application include:

• Specific storage timelines for the refrigerator, freezer and pantry, depending on the nature of the product;
• Cooking tips and methods for various types of meat, poultry and seafood products;
• Notices for calendars on mobile or other devices on when products are nearing the end of their recommended storage date;
• Question forms for USDA’s “Ask Karen” which is USDA’s 24/7 virtual representative. It provides information about preventing foodborne illness, safe food handling and storage, and safe preparation of meat, poultry and egg products; and
• Submission form for items not included in the database for consideration in future updates.

The FoodKeeper app can also be accessed at http://ift.tt/2vQI2ZF if interested consumers do not have access to a smartphone.

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More papayas with Salmonella; Bravo Produce recalls fruit

Maradol papayas imported from Mexico by Bravo Produce Inc. have tested positive for Salmonella and are being recalled in relation to an ongoing outbreak traced to whole, fresh papayas grown on Mexican farms.

Bravo sent the papayas to retailers and wholesalers in California between Aug. 10 and Aug. 29, according to the recall notice posted Sunday on the Food and Drug Administration website. The federal agency notified the importer on Friday that some  fruit it had not yet distributed had tested positive for Salmonella bacteria.

The recalled fruit was grown by Productores y Exportadores de Carica Papaya de Tecomán y Costa Alegre SPR of RL and packed by Frutas Selectas de Tijuana, S. de RL de CV. It is the fourth Mexican farm identified in the FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation.

Bravo is referring to the recall as “a preventive measure.” Papayas from the other three Mexican farms were contaminated with outbreak strains of Salmonella bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Sunday evening, the CDC had not posted any information regarding the specific Salmonella bacteria detected in fruit imported by Bravo Produce, which is based in San Ysidro, CA.

The CDC and FDA have already warned consumers, restaurants and retailers not to eat, serve or sell maradol papayas from the other three farms: Carica de Campeche, Caraveo Produce and El Zapotanito farms in Mexico.

Papayas from those three farms have been directly linked to 201 people in 23 states who have been sickened with Salmonella infections in recent months. One outbreak victim has died and 65 had to be admitted to hospitals for treatment, according to the CDC’s most recent information, which was posted Sept. 1.

Bravo Produce reports the papayas it has recalled have stickers from the packing company, Frutas Selectas de Tijuana. The papayas are packed in boxes that also bear the packing company’s name.

The recalled papayas sold by Bravo Produce can be identified by the following product codes, which can be found on the side of the packing boxes:

1222335215
1222635220
1222335216
1223035223
1223335227
1223835233
1222235215
1222535220
1222235216
1222835223
1223435230
1222235216
1222935223
1222135214
1222935223
1222935223
1222135214
1222235216
1222935223
1223035223
1222935221
1223035223
1223835233

“All consignees of the product have been notified, via telephone and email, to remove and destroy the papayas that are on store shelves and other commercial places. Supervision for withdrawal effectiveness is already underway by FDA,” according to the recall notice.

Bravo Produce Inc. will take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its imported products, according to the recall notice. It will send samples to a private laboratory authorized by FDA for the detection of Salmonella. The company says it is also cooperating with FDA in its investigation and will provide all possible assistance.

Consumers who may have bought papayas from Productores y Exportadores de Carica Papaya de Tecoman y Costa Alegre S.P.R. de R.L and with the packing label of Frutas Selectas de Tijuana, S. de R.L. of C.V. are advised not to consume them. The FDA and CDC urge people to dispose of them so that won’t accidentally be eaten by other people or animals.

Advice to consumers, restaurants and retailers
Additional recommendations from CDC include:

• If you have had whole, fresh papayas in your home or business, wash and sanitize countertops, cutting boards and utensils, as well as drawers or shelves in refrigeratorswhere papayas were stored, with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or new paper towel.
• Wash your hands with running water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.

Anyone who has eaten fresh papaya recently and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection is urged to seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure so the proper diagnostic tests can be performed.

Salmonella bacteria can cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and fever.

Symptoms usually begin between 12 to 36 hours after exposure, but they may begin as early as 6 hours or as late as 72 hours after exposure.

Symptoms can be mild or severe and commonly last for two to seven days. Salmonella can infect anyone, but young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to have severe infections.

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Ragazzo’s Italian Style Meatball Mix recalled for soy not listed as allergen

Michigan’s Northside Noodle Company, located in Iron Mountain, Friday recalled approximately 123 pounds of meatball products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The product contains soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

The frozen pork and beef meatball mix items were produced on June 6, 2017, June 27, 2017, and Aug. 2, 2017. The recalled  products include:

• 1-lb. polystyrene foam packages containing “Ragazzo’s ITALIAN STYLE MEATBALL MIX,” with lot codes 2008, 2024 and 2044.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. M10062” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to a retail location in Michigan. The mistaken labeling was discovered during routine label verification checks.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list will be posted on the FSIS website.

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FDA faces suit for failing to reveal retailers in papaya outbreak

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) wants the Food and Drug Administration to release the names and locations of supermarkets and other retailers who sold papayas now subject to a nationwide recall because of a Salmonella outbreak.

But FDA won’t do it, even though another federal food safety agency routinely makes such retail lists freely available. That’s left CSPI with no other choice but to sue FDA in federal court under the Freedom of Infomation Act (FOIA).

In announcing the action, CSPI noted the Salmonella outbreak linked to maradol papayas imported from Mexico is ongoing. To date, the outbreak has infected 201 people in 23 states. It’s also resulted in one death and 65 hospitalizations.

CSPI filed its request for the list of retailers on Aug. 17. The FDA admitted this week it has 451 pages of documents that are responsive to CSPI’s request. But it is withholding them, citing exemptions for trade secrets, “confidential corporate information” among other things.

FDA tells consumers on its website to ask retailers if they sold the suspect papayas.

“The typical consumer isn’t going to recognize the brand of papaya they buy or the farm it was grown on, but they know where they bought it,” said CSPI chief regulatory affairs counsel Sarah Sorscher.

“The FDA is supposed to be helping Americans avoid foodborne illness. It could improve by consistently disclosing retailer names and locations, along with brand names, dates of sale, lot numbers, and other useful information when it communicates with the media or with the public about recalls.”

CSPI said FDA’s reluctance to disclose retailers who might have sold contaminated products is not new, but it is also not consistent. In May, the FDA disclosed the names of retailers that sold tuna, imported from Indonesia, that tested positive for Hepatitis A.

The Consumer Federation of America, Pew Charitable Trusts, CSPI, and other health groups wrote to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in August, explaining why lists of retailers of recalled food are not exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) decided several years ago that it could share with the public the names and locations of retail outlets involved with recalled products. That change came at the behest of Dr. Richard Raymond, USDA’s under secretary for food safety during President George W. Bush’s tenure.

Richard Raymond

Raymond, who before moving to Washington D.C. was Nebraska’s chief medical officer, previously told Food Safety News that without the “name and town” recalls are not be effective.

“When I was asked to move to D.C. to head up FSIS as its politically appointed under secretary, I knew I wanted to change the mindset that would not allow FSIS to release ‘proprietary information,’ as (FSIS) referred to the excuse that prevented it from releasing helpful information, or ‘confidential, corporate information’ as FDA has labeled the bureaucracy they hide behind on this issue,” Raymond recalled recently.

“I went to D.C. in 2005. The revised rule was posted in the Federal Register in 2008. That is actually pretty fast for Washington, D.C., a city of 12 square miles surrounded on all sides by sanity, ” he continued.

“Naturally, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the American Meat Institute were adamantly opposed to naming outlets possibly selling contaminated meat and poultry, along with many other associations and alliances, but common sense and sanity did actually prevail and now USDA does provide the stores’ names and locations.”

Almost a decade later, retail lists are now routinely attached by FSIS to recalls of meat, poultry, eggs and catfish.

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Beach Beat: It’s not rocket science, it’s computer science

If Jeff Bezos and the little online book-selling company he founded in a Seattle garage in 1994 can employee more than 314,000 people and buy Whole Foods Markets for $13.7 billion;

If he and the company known simply as Amazon can post a 25 percent revenue increase, quarter-to-quarter, taking in $38 billion from April through June this year;

If the man with a bachelor’s degree from Princeton can go toe-to-toe with Apple and Microsoft;

Why did it take six months for him and the world’s largest online retailer to stop offering and selling recalled soy butter that was — and probably still is — poisoning people across the country with E. coli bacteria?

Good question, right?

Here’s the answer from Cecilia Fan, who’s been “PR Manager” at Amazon.com since March:

“We won’t be commenting on this but appreciate your reaching out.”

I had submitted a query to Amazon.com seeking comment on the fact that it was continuing to sell I.M. Healthy brand “SoyNut Butter” as of Tuesday morning. The time stamp shows I hit send at 10:40 a.m. Fan’s above answer hit my inbox at 4:57 p.m.

During the ensuing hours a few things happened. Sales of the recalled peanut butter substitute, made by Dixie Dew Products Inc., on Amazon.com were quietly suspended. The Food and Drug Administration started investigating the situation. And, within minutes of each other around 3 p.m., Food Safety News broke the story and the Amazon PR manager sent an initial response to my morning query.

For my morning message I had used the subject line “recalled soy nut butter traced to E. coli outbreak still being sold to consumers on Amazon.com” and I asked what recall procedures and verifications Amazon uses to ensure recalled foods are not shipped to consumers.

Amazon’s response:

“Hi Coral – thanks for reaching out. Can you tell me more about your piece? Is this a product you purchased?”

If you’re not outraged,
you haven’t been reading this column
Not that I hold Fan responsible for the responses from the corporate behemoth. She’s no doubt not too near the top of the Amazon food chain, but Bezos is, and he’s apparently been asleep at the wheel.

With an intricate system of distribution routes, warehouses, suppliers and consumers connected via the massive network that is Amazon, how could there be any other answer other than the people at the very top did not pay attention to detail when they should have.

From the very first moment Bezos and the others in control at Amazon considered selling food, they should have considered how to handle recalls. They certainly represent themselves and their enterprise as being the very definition of cutting-edge of technology.

A bespectacled Sam Drucker at the General Store at Petticoat Junction could have done a better job of inventory control and customer service with his notepad, pencil and crank telephone.

Reality as of this moment
The folks at the FDA are on the case. I don’t care what people say about government workers. Civil servants may not make the world go round, but they certainly keep it from tipping too far off plumb.

“The FDA has verified that this listing has been removed from Amazon’s website. It is the responsibility of a recalling firm to ensure that the recall is effective. We are investigating further to determine how the products were still available for sale,” an FDA spokeswoman told me Tuesday evening.

The production facility of the soy nut butter producer, Kentucky-based Dixie Dew Products Inc., it still the most likely root source of the E. coli contamination, which sickened at least 32 people across the country earlier this year. The FDA inspected Dixie Dew’s soy flour supplier’s operation as part of its initial investigation into the outbreak.

“In addition to inspecting and collecting records at the manufacturing facilities, FDA inspected and sampled Dixie Dew’s soy flour manufacturer to determine if product entering the Dixie Dew facility could have been the source of the contamination,” according to the FDA spokeswoman.

“There were no objectionable conditions noted during this inspection. The supplier conducted all processing for the flour sent to Dixie Dew and did not ship out unprocessed soybeans.”

And finally, Amazon — and Bezos as founder, president and CEO — are ducking and covering and throwing a pubic relations staffer under the bus.

The I.M. Healthy “SoyNut Butter” should have been identified and pulled from availability as soon as the FDA sent out the initial recall notification in early March. If no one on the Amazon staff has signed up for the FDA’s recall alerts yet, the entire PR and quality assurance departments should do so immediately.

At the point a member of the press sends a query about continued sales of a recalled food product implicated in an illness outbreak, get a clue and put together a statement.

Finally, if you are selling food online — this goes for you Walmart and every other retailer out there in cyberspace — post all recalls on your website. Amazon and others offer consumers a list of links to the FDA and other government agencies that are involved in food recalls.

That’s passing the buck to your customers. Shame on you. Have your college interns copy and paste the recall notices into your content management system. It’s really the least you can do to protect your customers.

Oh yeah — It’s not just Amazon
A quick check of online retailers Tuesday showed some websites still appearing to offer the recalled I.M. Healthy “SoyNut Butter” for sale. Among them were Shop.com, Yumza.com and BestDeals.today.

There was also an ad for the recalled soy butter still rotating through a spot on eBay.com, but neither it nor the other sites we checked allowed transactions to go through on the product.

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New details show Walmart, Publix received recalled produce

Additional distribution details are now available from Country Fresh Orlando LLC showing the company’s freshcut vegetable products that were recalled because of Listeria concerns went to Walmart and Publix stores in addition to other retailers.

The recall includes diced bell peppers, vegetable kabobs, and creole and fajita mixed diced vegetables packaged under the Country Fresh and store brand labels. Retailers in five states received the recalled products: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

News of the recall broke during Labor Day weekend when multiple media outlets across the Southeast reported the Country Fresh products, packaged under the SEG brand, were being recalled. The reports identified Southeast Grocers LLC as the recalling entity for the products, which had been distributed to that company’s retail grocery banners BI-LO, Harveys, Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más.

On Tuesday, in a recall alert from the Food and Drug Administration, products packaged under the Marketside brand for Walmart and the house brand for Publix Supermarkets Inc. were included with the products packaged for the Southeast Grocers chains.

“The potential for contamination was uncovered as the result of a single routine sample taken at a retail store in Georgia which revealed that the finished product tested contained the bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes”, according to the recall notice on the FDA website, which is dated Sept. 2 but was not available until Sept. 5.

“The company has ceased distribution of the affected product as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Country Fresh continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.”

No illnesses had been confirmed in relation to the recalled products as of the posting of the notice on the FDA website.

The recalled products described in the chart below are in clear plastic containers and Styrofoam trays that are overwrapped with clear plastic film.

Consumers who have purchased any of these products are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 281-453-3305.

Advice to consumers
Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure. It can take up to 70 days after exposure to the bacteria for symptoms to develop.

Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In some cases an invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract.

In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. Listeria bacteria can also cause serious, sometimes fatal, infections in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, including cancer patients.

Description	Store	Description of Packaging	Use by Date Range	States Distributed
Fajita Blend 12 oz	Southeastern Grocers	Overwrap	8/12/2017 8/18/2017		FL
Stir Fry Vegetable	Southeastern Grocers	Overwrap	8/12/2017 8/18/2017		FL
Vegetable Kabob 23 oz	Southeastern Grocers	Overwrap	8/12/2017 8/18/2017		FL
Green Pepper Diced 6 oz	Southeastern Grocers	Clamshell	8/13/2017 8/20/2017		FL, GA
Creole Mix 6 oz	Southeastern Grocers	Clamshell	8/13/2017 8/19/2017		AL, FL, GA, LA, MS
Tri-Pepper Dice 6 oz	Southeastern Grocers	Clamshell	8/12/2017 8/19/2017		AL, FL, GA, LA, MS
Fajita Mix 6 oz	Southeastern Grocers	Clamshell	8/13/2017 8/19/2017		AL, FL, GA, LA, MS
Kabob Sensations Veggie Kabob 15 oz	Publix Supermarkets Inc.	Overwrap	8/12/2017 8/18/2017		AL, FL, GA
Dice Tri-Pepper 7 oz	WalMart Stores Inc.	Clamshell	8/13/2017 8/20/2017		AL, FL, GA
Marketside Veggie Kabobs 23 oz	WalMart Stores Inc.	Overwrap	8/13/2017 8/20/2017		AL, FL, GA

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Salmonella contamination forces massive egg recall in Israel

Israel has ordered the recall of about 11 million shell eggs out of fear they may be contaminated with  Salmonella. Moshav Goren in Western Galilee produced the eggs.

The Israeli egg recall is apparently not related to the withdrawal of millions of European eggs earlier in the summer because of contamination from the use of the toxic insecticide Fipronil and a cleaning agent and sanitizer known as “Dega 16.” Producers in Holland and Belgium were using the Fipronil mix to clean hen houses.

Israel’s health and agriculture ministers issued their public warning urging consumers not to consume any of the 11 million eggs because of contamination with Salmonella enteritidis. The two government ministers said the eggs sold by Yesh Maof and are marked with stamps for consumption up to and including Oct. 20.

The Israeli public should not bother returning eggs to retailers, according to the warning. Instead, they should immediately destroy them and their cartons to prevent secondary infections. Officials do not want to risk the return of egg cartons that might spread the Salmonella.

Routine inspections by Israel’s Agriculture Ministry revealed the Salmonella enteritidis contamination. One Moshav Goren hen house was the source of the contamination, but two others in the Western Galilee area are also suspected of being contaminated.

Israel banned egg sales from the area and announced plans to destroy the chickens as a way of eradicating the pathogen. It is also inspecting all other egg farms. After completing 60 percent of the inspections, it the ministry reported it found Salmonella at about 3 percent of the farms.

Salmonella enteritidis is not as prevalent in Israel as it is in Europe and the United States. When Israel destroys animals to control diseases, it reimburses farmers so they can rebuild their flocks or herds.

In Europe, Fipronil had led to the recall of more than 20 million eggs from as far away as Hong Kong and Taipei. At least one cleaning company used the insecticide to combat red mite infestations.

European food safety agencies also recalled at least 39 products made with eggs because of the concern over Fipronil.

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Amazon today removed nut butter recalled in March for E. coli

Earlier today, Amazon.com was still selling I.M. Healthy soy nut butter that was recalled in March when federal officials traced an E. coli outbreak to the product.

No one from Seattle-based Amazon immediately responded to mid-morning requests for comment from Food Safety News, but by 11 a.m. Pacific time, the recalled peanut butter substitute had been pulled from the retailer’s website.

Officials with the Food and Drug Administration are investigating the situation, but were not able to provide details as of mid-afternoon.

Although the outbreak was declared over in May by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that agency’s “final” report indicated additional illnesses were expected to be confirmed in relation to consumption of recalled soy nut butter products. The CDC cited the products’ long shelf life and the likelihood that some consumers still have unopened product in their homes as contributing factors to the lingering nature of the outbreak.

As of early May, the outbreak had sickened a confirmed 32 people across a dozen states. A variety of products made with soy nut butter produced by Dixie Dew Products Inc. remain under recall, including all varieties of I.M. Healthy “SoyNut Butter” products.

As of 9:45 a.m. Pacific time today, recalled I.M. Healthy brand “SoyNut Butter” was still available for purchase.

It is against federal law for anyone to sell or resell recalled products in any setting, including yard sales and thrift shops. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which became law in 2008, was used earlier this year by the Consumer Product Safety Commission against Home Depot. The big box home improvement retailer agreed to pay $5.7 million in relation to charges it sold recalled smoke detectors, light fixtures and other products.

After the Blue Bell Creameries ice cream recall that was linked to a deadly, multi-year Listeria outbreak, multiple sellers — many of them private individuals — offered the recalled ice cream for sale online. The auction site eBay, which has a policy against recalled items, removed all offers for recalled Blue Bell products from its offerings.

The Amazon.com website does not appear to offer a list of recalled products that it has offered for sale, as do many retailers. Amazon provides a list of government recall links and a “recall policy” that includes the following statement:

“Amazon monitors public recalls alert websites and also learns of recalls directly from manufacturers and vendors. When we learn of a recall, we suspend all impacted product offerings from our website and quarantine any related inventory in our fulfillment centers. We also reach out to any customers that previously purchased impacted products (and any seller that may have offered such products) to inform them about the recall.”

Linda Harris

Linda Harris, chair of the world renown Food Safety and Technology Department at the University of California-Davis, said Monday that she ordered recalled I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter from Amazon.com during Labor Day weekend. She received the $50 shipment of three jars of the recalled product in less than 24 hours.

“The story really is about recalls and the ability in today’s world of recovering all product when you have a recall,” said Harris, who is the immediate past president of the International Association for Food Protection.

“They have sophisticated programs that set prices and figure out complicated delivery schemes – they should be able to make sure recalled product isn’t available for sale.”

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Southeastern Grocers recalls SEG freshcut produce for Listeria

Multiple media outlets reported Sunday that Listeria concerns prompted Southeastern Grocers LLC to recall freshcut produce products from BI-LO, Harveys, Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más grocery stores.

However, no recall information had been posted by the Food and Drug Administration, Southeastern Grocers or any of the retailers as of 11 p.m. EDT Sunday.

The recalled products are packaged under the Southeastern Grocers SEG brand. Media reports Sunday did not include details about how the possible Listeria contamination was discovered. Officials with Southeastern Grocers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The specific products reportedly under recall are:

• SEG “Tri Pepper Dice” in 6-ounce packages with a UPC number of 3825911565;
• SEG “Stir Fry Vegetable” in 10-ounce packages with a UPC number of 3825911781;
• SEG “Fajita Blend” in 12-ounce packages with a UPC number of 3825911785; and
• SEG “Vegetable Kabob” in 23-ounce packages with a UPC number of 3825911592.

The packages reportedly have “sell by” dates between Aug. 12 and Aug. 20.

Customers with questions about the recalled products may contact the Southeastern Grocers customer call center at 866-946-6349, Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure. It can take up to 70 days after exposure to the bacteria for symptoms to develop.

Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. In some cases an invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract.

In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. Listeria bacteria can also cause serious, sometimes fatal, infections in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, including cancer patients.

Based in Jacksonville, FL, Southeastern grocers LLC has more than 700 grocery stores under its four banners of BI-LO, Harveys, Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más, according to the company’s website. The stores are throughout the seven southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.

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