Feds channel The Stones: You can’t always get what you want…

ST. LOUIS — Neither of the top U.S. food cops on stage here had the moves of Mick Jagger, but they borrowed the sentiment from one of The Stones’ greatest hits when they summed up federal progress on the food safety front.

The USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Al Almanza, left, answers a question from the audience as FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Stephen Ostroff, right, listens. The two top food cops gave a U.S. regulatory update Monday afternoon at the annual conference of the International Association for Food Protection. About 3,000 people are registered for the four-day event in St. Louis. (All photos by Coral Beach)

“You can’t always get what you want,” Jagger said in 1969. But, if we try real hard, and work together, we might get what we need, Al Almanza and Stephen Ostroff said Monday afternoon.

Almanza is the deputy under secretary for food safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, dairy and, as of earlier this year, catfish.

Ostroff is deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine at the Food and Drug Administration, which has jurisdiction over pretty much all other foods and beverages in the United States.

“You can do all the right things and still not get what you need,” Almanza said. “Government can’t do it on its own. … It takes government, science, industry, academia and consumers to protect and advance food safety.”

The USDA is already working with many of those entities on Almanza’s list, including the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FBI. The latter collaboration relates to things such as food safety at major stadium venues, he said.

Stephen Ostroff discusses progress made toward implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Ostroff, who introduced himself as the guy who has Mike Taylor’s old job, said FDA’s shift from a reactive to preventive approach to food safety, as mandated by the Food Safety Modernization Act, inherently requires the combined efforts of regulators, compliance officers and industry.

The FDA deputy commissioner also said it is unlikely that the agency will meet the 2020 target goals for reducing foodborne illnesses. But he said the goals are within reach.

“We are at the end go the beginning of FSMA,” Ostroff said. “We’re seven weeks away from the first compliance date for the largest companies for the first of the new rules.”

Ostroff also acknowledged recent criticism from the Office of the Inspector General that slammed the FDA for not acting faster to recall potentially dangerous food and put it on notice to develop and implement policies and procedures to speed up the process.

He reiterated the FDA’s response to the June 2 OIG report. In a June 9 blog post, Ostroff and two other top FDA administrators said the agency agrees it needs to change gears.

“We fully agree with the OIG that we must move as expeditiously as possible,” the FDA administrators wrote. “We also agree that timeframes should be set, but they must be done on an individual basis rather than by setting arbitrary deadlines. The complexities surrounding recall events make it difficult for the FDA to establish a single timeline applicable to all situations.

“The audit of FDA’s recall policies and procedures is ongoing, according to the OIG alert. The auditors will issue another report at the conclusion of the review, but the alert did not indicate when that would be.”

Al Almanza explains how funding whole genome sequencing of foodborne pathogens is a question of public health.

While FDA is spending much of its time and money now and in the foreseeable future on the implementation of FSMA, Almanza said the USDA is   also going down the prevention road by moving toward public health inspections and away from performance-based inspections.

Some progress already made includes pathogen reduction standards for chicken. Similar work is underway for the pork industry with a swine rule expected soon, Almanza said.

Moving forward, USDA plans to include requests for additional funding for whole gem one sequencing in its fiscal year 2017 budget.

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Check again: New lots added to frozen vegetable recall

Dozens of additional lots of frozen organic vegetables distributed to Costco stores nationwide are under recall with the ConAgra Foods’ expansion of a recall of Watts Brothers Farms branded products.

Organic mixed vegetables, organic sweet corn and organic peas are included in the expanded recalled and may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses had been reported in connection to the Watts Brothers Farms branded products as of Thursday.

Corporate and public health officials are concerned that consumers may have these products in home freezers and are urging people to double check the new list of product codes to make sure any Watts Brothers Farms branded frozen organic vegetables they have are not under recall.

The newly recalled products have “Best Before” dates stretching to February 2018.

“These products were first recalled on May 5 and 6, 2016, and have not been available for purchase since this date. As part of ConAgra’s internal recall follow-up procedures, additional package codes were recently identified,” according to the recall expansion notice on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

“Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”

Consumers can identify the newly recalled Watts Brothers Farms products by the “Best Before” date and package code on the back of the packages above the zipper.

“Consumers who have purchased these items are advised to discard them or return them to the store where originally purchased. ConAgra Foods is working with its customers to ensure the packages are removed from store shelves and are no longer distributed,” according to ConAgra’s recall notice.

Consumers with questions should call ConAgra’s hotline at 800-881-3989.

Products added to the recall list this week are as follows.

Watts Brothers Farms Organic Peas in 5-pound bags with a UPC number of 6.81E+11 and the following date and product codes:

• Best Before 10/23/16 code 6180 10 23 16 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/24/16 code 6180 10 24 16 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/30/16 code 6180 10 30 16 HH:MM
• Best Before 05/18/17 code 6180 05 18 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 05/27/17 code 6180 05 27 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 05/28/17 code 6180 05 28 17 HH:MM

 

Watts Brothers Farms Organic Super Sweet Corn, yellow/gold, in 5-pound bags with a UPC number of 6.81E+11 and the following date and product codes:

• Best Before 08/07/17 code 6180 08 07 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/01/17 code 6180 09 01 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/02/17 code 6180 09 02 17 HH:MM

 

 

Watts Brothers Farms Organic Mixed Vegetables in 5-pound bags with a UPC number of 6.81241E+11 and the following date and product codes:

• Best Before 01/08/17 code 6180 01 08 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 01/09/17 code 6180 01 09 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/02/17 code 6180 02 02 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/11/17 code 6180 02 11 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/27/17 code 6180 02 27 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 03/04/17 code 6180 03 04 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 03/05/17 code 6180 03 05 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 03/23/17 code 6180 03 23 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 06/29/17 code 6180 06 29 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 06/30/17 code 6180 06 30 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 07/23/17 code 6180 07 23 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 07/24/17 code 6180 07 24 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 08/10/17 code 6180 08 10 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 08/31/17 code 6180 08 31 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/04/17 code 6180 09 04 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/23/17 code 6180 09 23 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/24/17 code 6180 09 24 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/25/17 code 6180 09 25 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/01/17 code 6180 10 01 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/02/17 code 6180 10 02 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/14/17 core 6180 10 14 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 12/09/17 code 6180 12 09 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 12/10/17 code 6180 12 10 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 01/13/18 code 6180 01 13 18 HH:MM
• Best Before 01/15/18 code 6180 01 15 18 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/03/18 code 6180 02 03 18 HH:MM

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Ground tumeric recalled nationwide because of excessive lead

Gel Spice Inc. is recalling ground tumeric powder that was distributed to retailers nationwide because it contains excessive levels of lead, which is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, infants and children.

Consumers can identify the recalled Fresh Finds branded ground tumeric by the code number printed on the neck of individual jars (above left) and the UPC number printed near the bar code on the back label (above right).

“Routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ food inspectors and subsequent analysis of the product by the New York State Food Laboratory revealed the elevated level of lead,” according to the company’s recall notice on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

The Fresh Finds brand ground tumeric powder is packaged in 3.75-ounce jars and has a UPC number of 81026-01230. The recalled product also has the codes of “B/B 03/08/19” or “B/B 05/18/19” on the neck of the jars. The recalled spice was distributed to Big Lots stores nationwide.

The Bayonne, NJ, company, which has been importing and manufacturing spices, herbs, seeds and other baking ingredients since 1955 encouraged consumers to discard the recalled Fresh Finds brand tumeric. Consumers can call the company at 201-564-0435 for additional information.

No illnesses had been reported in connection with the tumeric as of Thursday, according to the recall.

“Lead can accumulate in the body over time. Too much can cause health problems, including delayed mental and physical development and learning deficiencies. Pregnant women, infants and young children especially should avoid exposure to lead. People concerned about blood lead levels should contact their physician or health clinic to ask about testing,” the company warned in the recall notice.

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25 sickened in Salmonella outbreak tied to deli salads

Iowa health officials are investigating about 25 illnesses potentially linked to deli-made potato salads sold by Big G Foods in Marengo, IA. Test results from the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa were presumed positive for Salmonella.

“We have approximately 25 cases under investigation. It is possible the investigation may determine some of the 25 cases are unrelated, and it is also possible more cases may be reported to us in the coming days,” said Polly Carver-Kimm, communications director for the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).

The store-made “Zesty Potato Salad” and “Traditional Potato Salad” dated July 14-24 were removed from sale and Big G is cooperating with the outbreak investigation. According to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), neither of the potato salads has been sold to the public since July 22.

“They’re doing testing, and some sort of cross-contamination is something they’re thinking is possible,” Gary Grafft, co-owner of the store, told Food Safety News on Thursday. He said the family-owned, single-location store has not had a similar incident since the deli opened in 1978.

He told the Iowa City Press-Citizen newspaper that a firm from Cedar Rapids, IA, was coming in Thursday to do a deep cleaning and sanitizing of the deli.

Two Iowa state agencies issued a joint consumer advisory Monday warning the public about the Big G deli’s potato salads and citing the risk of Salmonella infection.

“The bottom line is that no one should eat this product,” IDPH Medical Director Dr. Patricia Quinlisk said in the public warning. “If you have it in your refrigerator, you should throw it away.”

Big G reportedly posted the following statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday, however, it was no longer there on Thursday:

Big G Foods is a family-owned grocery store in Marengo, IA. (Photo courtesy of KCRG-TV9)

“We want to make sure all our customers are safe with the purchases they make at Big G. If you have purchased any Big G made potato salad from the full service case dated July 14-24 please throw it away. Something in the salad can make you sick. Bring your receipt in for a full refund.”

Mid-day Thursday, a Facebook post from the store reported test results and described how cross-contamination likely occurred:

“The states tests have shown a cross contamination that caused the salmonella outbreak. The cleaning of containers that had chicken in them previously cross contaminated the handle sprayer for the three compartment sink to be contaminated. The onions used for the potato salad was not a problem. Big G and the state are working together on a plan of action so this will not happen again.”

Also visible Thursday on the store’s Facebook page were numerous conversation threads making charges and counter-charges about illnesses related to consumption of the potato salads and what might have been known about the problem and when. Some of the posts referenced emergency room visits and alleged physical symptoms, and some stated that those who had bought the potato salads were part of a group hosting a funeral.

One woman posted that she had been contacted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in connection with the illness of her 6-year-old son. She wrote that the federal agency asked her questions “from the 3rd of July celebration, that is the date where the salmonella outbreak started.”

IDPH’s Carver-Kimm could not confirm whether anyone sickened had been hospitalized, but she told Food Safety News that CDC knew about the situation.

“Since we are still investigating this outbreak, we have not confirmed any hospitalizations associated with it. The CDC is aware of the outbreaks, but state and local officials are conducting the investigation,” she said.

Salmonella infection is relatively common in the United States and has been linked to eating eggs, poultry, meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, cheese, raw fruits and vegetables, spices and nuts.

According to CDC, most people infected with the bacteria develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most individuals recover without treatment.

However, CDC states that in some cases diarrhea may be so severe that the patients need to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, and then to other parts of the body. In these cases, Salmonella can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

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NC creamery recalls cheeses linked to at least 100 Salmonella cases

The Chapel Hill Creamery in Chapel Hill, NC, is recalling all of its cheese products because they have been linked to a growing Salmonella outbreak in North Carolina and elsewhere.

A local county health officer told Food Safety News on Thursday that the outbreak has sickened at least 50 people in North Carolina and about the same number in other states, and that it’s the same strain found in samples of raw milk from the Chapel Hill Creamery. Nine of those sickened in North Carolina have been hospitalized so far, she said.

These Jersey cows are the same kind as those at the Chapel Hill Creamery.

“This is way more than usual, which is why we started doing the investigation. We hit clusters of Salmonella, especially in the summertime, but we started seeing dozens and that’s when we started doing questionnaires to identify a common source,” said Dr. Colleen Bridger, director of the Orange County Health Department in Chapel Hill.

Bridger said not all of the 50-plus in-state cases have been interviewed, but the “vast majority” of those who have recalled eating cheese from the Chapel Hill Creamery.

“We’ve been monitoring the Salmonella cases for about three weeks and started doing questionnaires about a week ago, and it was just yesterday that we felt we had enough information to say this is probably the Chapel Hill Creamery. We didn’t want to make the declaration until we were sure,” she added.

The products being recalled include all codes, packages and sizes of 14 varieties of cheese manufactured by the Chapel Hill Creamery and distributed through retail locations, farmers markets and restaurants throughout North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

The cheese varieties are: Quark, Danziger, Swiss, Paneer, Calvander, Hot Farmers Cheese, Dairyland Farmers Cheese, Smoked Mozzarella, Fresh Mozzarella, Burrata, Hickory Grove, Carolina Moon, Smoked Farmers Cheese, New Moon, and Pheta.

“Although there is not yet a definitive link between the CHC cheese and the illnesses, there is enough evidence to implicate the cheese and we are asking customers to not consume these cheeses or use them in food service,” said Portia McKnight, Creamery co-founder.

Chapel Hill Creamery has asked its wholesale customers to remove any CHC cheese from their shelves and dispose of it. Consumers who have this product in their home should not consume it and should throw it away.

Customers are also being reminded to thoroughly wash their hands and any utensils or equipment that may have contacted the cheese in warm, soapy water.

Chapel Hill Creamery is working in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the Orange County Health Department to identify the source of the Salmonella and which of its cheeses are affected.

The Creamery plans to provide updated information on its website as it becomes available.

Bridger noted that some of the Creamery’s cheese products are made with raw milk and some are not. She also said it was the first such incident she knows of involving the local business.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of the outbreak and has been assisting the other states, Bridger said, while North Carolina state and local health officials are coordinating on their part of the investigation.

“We’re working with public health and with agriculture to try and figure out what the next step is to make sure we’ve resolved the problem and that they can resume production and selling their cheese again,” she said.

Orange County has provided a hotline at (919) 245-2378 for anyone in North Carolina who has questions about the outbreak.

Most persons infected with Salmonella experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. People who are concerned they might have Salmonella infections should contact their doctor to discuss testing and treatment.

The illness typically lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

More information on Salmonella is available here and here.

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Tests pending in Salmonella outbreak traced to whole hogs

The number of victims in a Salmonella outbreak traced to pork served at a holiday picnic in Seattle is holding steady at 15, and public health officials think it is likely to stay that way.

This photo from the Good Vibe Tribe Luau was posted on the organization’s Facebook page July 3.

However, it was unknown as of Wednesday whether anyone who did not attend the Good Vibe Tribe Luau on July 3 has become ill because of whole roasting hogs from Kapowsin Meats Inc., in Graham, WA.

Kapowsin supplied hogs for the luau and recalled 11,658 pounds of whole hogs July 21, the day after federal officials issued a nationwide health alert.

in 2015, Kapowsin whole roasting hogs were implicated in a five-month, five-state outbreak that sickened 192 people. Thirty people had symptoms so severe they required hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In August 2015, Kapowsin Meats recalled more than 115,000 pounds of whole hogs in connection with the outbreak of Salmonella I 4, [5],12:i:-and Salmonella Infantis.

The current health alert from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service was based on laboratory confirmation that patients who ate pork at the luau were infected with Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i-.

A spokeswoman for Public Health of Seattle & King County said Wednesday that the department had closed the survey of the attendees of the Good Vibe Tribe and is awaiting final lab reports. Those reports are expected later this week or early next week, she said.

Following is the list of retailers that received the recalled whole roasting hogs from Kapowsin Meats, as reported by USDA:

• Blue Max Meats in Buckley, WA;
• Bob’s Quality Meats in Seattle;
• Butcher Boys Beef Outlet in Puyallup, WA;
• East Asia Supermarket in Tacoma, WA;
• Home Meat Service Inc. in Shelton, WA;
• Lind’s Custom Meats in Kent, WA;
• Select Gourmet Foods in Kenmore, WA, and
• Western Meats Inc. in Tumwater, WA.

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FDA cites corporate confidentiality laws in secret sugar recall

Federal officials are working with a producer to recall an undisclosed amount of sugar because of contamination with bits of metal, but they say they can’t reveal either the sugar company or the food producers that received the sugar.

The situation has already caused at least two secondary recalls of consumer food products — almost 1,000 tons of P.F. Chang’s frozen entrées sold nationwide and 30 bakery products sold at Weis Markets.

“The sugar supplier contacted the FDA on July 15 about the problem,” a spokeswoman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

ConAgra Foods, which produced the recalled P.F. Chang’s branded entrées, reported in its recall notice that one of its employees discovered metal bits on July 1 while dispensing sugar for sauce formulation at a production plant in Russellville, AR. ConAgra issued a small recall July 6 and expanded it to almost 200,000 pounds of frozen entrees July 15.

In its July 22 recall notice, the Pennsylvania-based retailer Weis Markets referenced a recall by its sugar supplier. Weis operates more than 160 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and West Virginia.

“This voluntary action is being taken due to our supplier’s recall of the sugar ingredient,” according to the Weis Markets recall notice on FDA’s website.

Both Weis Markets and ConAgra reported that FDA was aware of and assisting with their recalls. Neither company identified the sugar supplier.

FDA has not published any information of its own regarding the sugar recall, citing federal law on corporate confidentiality.

“FDA is working with a sugar producer on the voluntary recall issued by the company,” according to a statement the agency provided to Food Safety News on Tuesday.

“We are still gathering information and working to identify other parts of the relevant supply chain and facilitate recalls where necessary. However, FDA is prohibited by law from releasing publicly certain information about supply chains, which may constitute confidential commercial information.”

The agency did not answer questions regarding:

• When the sugar producer began recalling its product;
• What volume of sugar is under recall;
• What states the sugar was distributed to, or
• What percentage of the sugar supplier’s customers have initiated recalls of consumer products.

FDA does not have a specific timeline for such situations, with its recall policy merely calling for actions to be taken in timely manner.

“In general, firms initiating a recall should promptly identify and notify the consignees who may have received the affected product,” according to FDA’s Tuesday statement. “If the depth of the recall is beyond the direct consignees, then the consignees should be instructed by the recalling firm to contact sub-accounts that may have received the product.

“FDA conducts audit checks on recalls and follows up with firms to ensure that recalls happen when necessary.”

The metal fragments found in the sugar range in size between 2 and 9 millimeters in diameter and are curled, malleable and shiny, according to Weis Markets and ConAgra Foods. No illnesses or injuries had been reported to ConAgra or Weis Markets as of the posting of their recall notices.

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