Discovery of rare E. coli O111 triggers recall of veal, beef, pork

Marcho Farms Inc., in Souderton, PA, has recalled 5,620 pounds of boneless veal, ground veal, and beef and pork products that may be adulterated with non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O111, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The veal, beef and pork products were produced on April 11 and 14. Products subject to the recall include:

• 60-lb.cases of “VEAL BONELESS TRIMMINGS HALAL” with case code “5398” and “MANFU. DATE” of “04/11/2017.”
• 60-lb. cases of “VEAL TRIMMINGS USDA CHOICE” with case code “98” and “MANFU. DATE” of “04/11/17.”
• 9-lb. cases of “VEAL, BEEF, PORK GROUND FOR MEATLOAF” with case code “3122” and “Sell By” date “05/05/17.”
• 10-lb. cases of “VEAL, BEEF, PORK GROUND FOR MEATLOAF BULK PACK” with case code “3125.”

These items were distributed to retail stores and food service locations in Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

The pathogen  was discovered when the Illinois State Meat Inspection Service notified FSIS on May 2 about positive STEC samples made with source material produced by Marcho Farms Inc. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products.

Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli outbreaks are rare, but tend to primarily be due to contaminated food and person-to-person transmission. Like E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism.

While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and remain consumers’ freezers.

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(s) will be posted on the FSIS website.

 

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Dole’s Springfield shutdown, recalls cost company $36 million

Because the Dole Food Company is going public, financial documents it has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available showing how much recalls and shutdowns have cost the company’s  Dole Fresh Vegetables unit during the past two years.

A 2015 recall of bagged salads distributed in 13 states because a sample of Dole Spinach salad yielded a positive result for Salmonella in a random sample test conducted by the Michigan’s ag department ended up costing Dole $10.8 million.

Then in early 2016, a deadly Listeria outbreak forced Dole Fresh Vegetables to shutdown its Springfield, OH, salad processing facility for almost four months while it also managed a large product recall. The plant closure and recalls ended up costing Dole $25,5 million.

Those extra Dole Fresh Vegetables costs contained in the SEC filings were first reported by the Springfield News Sun. Dole also reports its 2016 revenue of $4.5 billion was down from $4.6 billion in 2015.

Dole Food Co. has been a private company since 2013, controlled by 94-year-old David H. Murdock, a Los Angeles billionaire. Murdock is now planning to take the company public again, which is why the recall and shutdown information was spelled out in the SEC documents.

The timing of Dole’s SEC disclosures is interesting in that the company remains a potential target of a Department of Justice investigation into the deadly listeria outbreak. In the SEC filings, Dole reports it is “in the process of responding” to a DOJ subpoena.

In keeping with its policies DOJ has remained tight lipped about the probe, which also involves FDA.

Dole reported the listeria outbreak and resulting lawsuits are potential risks for the company.

“Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or it not fully pursued, the negative publicity surround any assertion that our products caused illnesses or injury could adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential customers and our corporate and brand image,” Dole’s SEC filing says.

“Moreover, claims and liabilities of this sort might not be covered by our insurance or by any rights of indemnity  or contribution that we may have against others.”

The financial filings go on to say that Dole has installed “proprietary produce wash technology in each of our salad manufacturing plants” and that it has implemented a sanitation program which “leverages the most recent advancements in cleaning chemistry.” Dole says it has gone with an “industry-leading” program for environmental surveillance and the “latest technology “for trending environmental test results within a produce processing environment.”

The 2016 listeria outbreak was associated with one death in the U.S. and up to three in Canada.  There were 19 confirmed cases in the U.S. and 14 in Canada that were associated with the outbreak.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the 2016 outbreak was the first time listeriosis was traced to leafy greens.

Swab tests performed by Dole inside the Springfield facility tested positive for listeria up to nine times beginning in July 2014, according to FDA inspection reports. It continued to produce and ship bagged salads from the facility.

 

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Cheese outbreak ‘over’ despite possibility of more illnesses

Even though infected people may not develop symptoms until weeks from now, the federal government has declared that a deadly Listeria outbreak traced to raw milk cheese is over.

In its “final update” on the outbreak traced to soft, raw milk cheese from Vulto Creamery of Walton, NY, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on May 3 that eight people had been confirmed with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes. Officials found the strain in Vulto Creamery cheese collected at the production facility and from victims’ homes.

All eight victims ate soft cheese before becoming ill. All eight victims had symptoms so severe that they required hospitalization. One victim was a newborn baby. Two victims, one from Vermont and one from Connecticut, died. The other victims were from New York and Florida. The Florida victim reported visiting New York and eating soft cheese before becoming ill.

The most recent victim became ill on March 13. Vulto Creamery had recalled its products just days before, on March 7 and 10.

It can take up to 70 days for symptoms of Listeria infection to develop, according to the CDC website. So, people who ate the recalled cheese in early March — or later if they already had it in their homes before the recall and were unaware of the danger — may not become sick until early July.

Seattle attorney Bill Marler, who is representing the families of the two outbreak victims who died, said Wednesday that it is non unusual for the CDC to issue a final report on an outbreak before all confirmed cases are counted.

“They have to draw a line and stop doing updates,” Marler said. “But for the victims and their families it’s never really over.”

Investigation details
Scientists and investigators used high-tech whole genome sequencing to identify the specific strain of Listeria monocytogenes that infected the victims.   The same strain was found in all eight people. That indicated a common source, according to the CDC.

“State and local health departments interviewed ill people or their family members about the foods they ate or other exposures in the month before their illness started,” the CDC’s final update states.

“Based on those interviews, eight of eight people ate a soft cheese. The ill resident of Florida reported traveling to New York state and eating soft cheese there before becoming ill. Available information indicated that cheese made by Vulto Creamery was for sale at stores where at least seven of the ill people bought cheese before getting sick.”

The Connecticut Department of Public Health collected leftover cheeses from the home of the dead victim in that state. The outbreak strain of Listeria was identified in the leftover cheese, which the victim’s family identified as Ouleout cheese from Vulto Creamery.

The New York Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services collected three intact wheels of Ouleout cheese from Vulto Creamery. The outbreak strain of Listeria was identified in samples taken from the three wheels of cheese.

Vulto Creamery distributed the raw milk cheeses nationwide, with most sold in stores in the northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states; California; Chicago; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C.

“This outbreak appears to be over. However, CDC recommends that consumers do not eat, restaurants do not serve, and retailers do not sell recalled raw milk cheeses made by Vulto Creamery,” according to the CDC update.

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Maple Leaf Foods recalls to quiche for lack of border inspection

Canada’s Maple Leaf Foods Inc., headquartered in Ontario, has recalled almost 25,000 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) fully-cooked quiche that was not presented for re-inspection upon entry to the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Without the benefit of full inspection, a possibility of adverse health consequences exists.

The products subject to recall were produced and packaged on Feb. 8 and can be identified by the following label information:

• 24-oz. individually-packaged plastic clam-shell containers of frozen “SCHNEIDERS LORRAINE HAM & CHEESE Quiche” with package code “62000 8096 9” on the individual retail containers.
• 24-oz. individually-packaged plastic clam-shell containers of frozen “H.E.B. Chef Prepared Foods Ham & Cheese Quiche” with package code “41220 63400 9” on the individual retail containers.

The products subject to recall do not bear the USDA federal mark of inspection, but bear establishment number “Canada 277.” The products were shipped to distribution centers in Indiana and Oklahoma for further distribution to retail stores nationwide.

On May 1  Maple Leaf Foods Inc., inquired about a shipment of products that were exported to the U.S. The following day, FSIS confirmed that there was a failure to present shipment and the products were already in commerce without receiving FSIS re-inspection upon entry into the United States.

No confirmed reports of adverse reactions or illnesses due to consumption of these products have turned up.  Anyone concerned about a reaction 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(s) will be posted on the FSIS website.

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Hepatitis A found in tuna; time limited for post-exposure shots

People who recently ate poke in Hawaii that was prepared with contaminated, frozen raw tuna still have time to receive post-exposure vaccinations for Hepatitis A. The frozen ahi cubes were distributed to retailers, restaurants and caterers by Tropic Fish Hawaii LLC and was sold to the public between April 27 and May 1 on Oahu.

“Because it generally takes two weeks for those infected to develop symptoms of Hepatitis A, vaccination or immune globulin can still provide some protection against the disease for those who may have been exposed in the last week,” state epidemiologist Sarah Park said in a Department of Health news release.

The implicated frozen ahi cubes are from Indonesia. Wholesaler Tropic Fish Hawaii distributed the tuna to several grocery stores and other customers before receiving screening test results for the Hepatitis A virus.

Anyone who ate poke made with the implicated tuna between April 27 and May 1 at any of the following locations should seek medical attention to determine if they need the post-exposure vaccine:

• Times Supermarket and Shima’s locations in Aiea, Kailua, Kaneohe, Kunia, Liliha, Mililani, Waipahu and Waimanalo;
• GP Hawaiian Food Catering; and
• Crab Shack Kapolei, also known as Maile Sunset Bar & Grill in Kapolei.

Earlier reports that the recalled, contaminated tuna had been sold at Aloha Sushi at 3131 N. Nimitz and the ABC store at 205 Lewers St. were incorrect, according to statements Tropical Fish president Shawn Tanoue provided to local media.

“Our normal procedure is to receive the test results prior to distribution, but unfortunately that did not happen with this particular shipment,” Tanoue told the Pacific Business News. “We have corrected our procedures to ensure this will not happen again. I want to personally apologize to our customers and the public. We are a local company and pride ourselves in our work and in providing the highest-quality products.”

The distributor, which is a subsidiary of CMU and Associates on the Big Island, recalled the imported, frozen raw tuna and notified its customers not to use it after learning of the positive test results for Hepatitis A on Monday, according to the Hawaii Department of Health.

About 140 out of 200 cases of the frozen ahi cubes were recovered before they were sold to distributors. The remaining products were reportedly picked up before they reached retail customers.

The Hawaii Department of Health is working with the Tropic Fish Hawaii LLC and visiting all affected facilities to ensure proper sanitation and decontamination procedures are taken, according to the department’s news release. The implicated tuna is embargoed by the state until further testing is determined and coordination with federal authorities is completed.

FDA warned Tropic Fish Hawaii in July 2016 about food safety violations
A warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on July 27, 2016, cited Tropic Fish for producing ahi tuna, mahi mahi, and skipjack tuna under insanitary conditions.

FDA told company president Tanoue in the warning letter that Tropic Fish needed a seafood HACCP plan for its fresh, refrigerated histamine-forming fish and keep it at 40 degrees F or below. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan is required by federal law.

Other specific violations noted in the July 2016 FDA warning letter include:

• Failure to keep seafood properly refrigerated;
• Failure to properly document employee health conditions that could result in the microbiological contamination of food, food packaging materials, and food contact surfaces;
• Inspector’s observation of an employee dragging tuna across the floor onto a pallet after management instructed the employee to place the fish onto pallets; and
• Improper and inadequate temperature monitoring of seafood.

Advice to consumers

People who have recently been exposed to Hepatitis A and who have not been vaccinated previously should be administered a single dose of single-antigen Hepatitis A vaccine within two weeks after exposure, according to the CDC. The average incubation period for Hepatitis A is 28 days, but symptoms can appear 15 to 50 days after exposure. (Photo courtesy of the CDC)

It will be some time before the Hawaii state health department can give the all clear signal. The incubation period for Hepatitis A runs from two to six weeks. Health officials are urging consumers who ate poke with tuna at the locations listed above to not wait for symptoms to develop before seeking medical attention.

Symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, diarrhea, and yellow skin and eyes. Anyone, including foodservice employees, exhibiting symptoms of Hepatitis A should stay home and contact their healthcare provider, according to the state health department news release.

The post-exposure vaccine must be taken within two weeks of exposure or it is not effective, the health department reported.

“While vaccination provides the best protection, frequent hand washing with soap and water after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, and before preparing food can help prevent the spread of hepatitis A. Appropriately cooking foods can also help to prevent infection,” according to the state health department.

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Pezzetta brand cheese recalled in Canada for Listeria risk

Canadian officials have found Listeria monocytogenes in a test sample of Pezzetta brand Montasio DOP cheese and are warning people to not eat the product, which is being recalled.

Complicating the situation is the fact that the labeling on the recalled cheese is inconsistent, according to the recall notice on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s website. The recalled cheese is known to have been sold at stores in Ontario and Quebec.

“Please note that some product packages may not bear the same brand or product name as described below, or a brand at all. Also, this product may have been sold clerk-served from deli counters with or without a label. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the affected product are advised to contact the retailers,” according to the recall notice.

The recalled cheese was sold at the following retail locations from March 24 through May 1:

• Del Fresh Foods, 6923 Steeles Avenue West, Unit 43-44, Etobicoke, Ontario; and
• Importation Berchicci Ltée, 6205 Boulevard Couture, Saint-Léonard, Quebec.

For the cheese that was sold in its branded packaging, consumers can identify it by the following label information — Pezzetta brand Montasio DOP Cheese

in variable sizes with various UPC numbers.

“Consumers should not consume the recalled product,” according to the recall notice. “Check to see if you have recalled product in your home. Recalled product should be thrown out or returned to the store where it was purchased.

“Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness.”

Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk, according to the recall notice. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth. In severe cases, people can die.

It can take up to 70 days after exposure for symptoms of Listeria infection to develop, so anyone who has eaten the recalled cheese is urged to monitor themselves in the coming weeks.

Similarly, anyone who has eaten the recalled cheese and developed Listeria infection symptoms should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to the pathogen so the proper diagnostic tests can be performed.

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Evanger’s sues supplier; says beef included tainted horse meat

Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company Inc. is suing Bailey Farms LLC, claiming that the meat supplier was at fault for a euthanasia drug found in Hunk of Beef and Against the Grain dog foods made by Evanger’s.

The suit, filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County in Illinois on April 25, names Bailey Foods LLC as the sole supplier of meat for Evanger’s Hunk of Beef canned dog food. Holly and Joel Sher, owners of the Wheeling, IL, Evanger’s want $20 million in punitive damages from Bailey Foods, which is based in Marshall, WI.

Beef supplied by Bailey Foods contained horse meat, according to Evanger’s lawsuit. The company further claims the horse meat was the source of the pentobarbital contamination that sickened several dogs earlier this year, killing at least one.

Evanger’s is seeking unspecified damages, to be proven at trial, recovery of attorney’s fees and costs, and punitive damages of $20 million.

The lawsuit alleges that Evanger’s ordered more than 21 tons of “Hand Deboned Beef” from Bailey Foods in November 2015, and an additional 21 tons of “Inedible Hand Deboned Beef” in late May 2016.

“Inedible” beef is unfit for human consumption according to federal law; however, if not contaminated or adulterated, it may be used in the manufacture of pet food.

As recently as Feb. 9, Evanger’s claimed to use “human-grade USDA inspected meats” in its products. The company updated its website shortly thereafter, dropping the reference to “human-grade” from the description.

The November shipment was used to manufacture Against the Grain Hand Pulled Beef”and the May 2016 order was used in the production of approximately 50,000 cans of Hunk of Beef.

On Feb. 3, Evanger’s recalled five production lots of Hunk of Beef canned dog food after the Food and Drug Administration found pentobarbital, a euthanasia agent, in a sample of the food. Pentobarbital is a barbiturate that is used by veterinarians and animal shelters to euthanize animals.

On Feb. 14, Evanger’s recalled a single production lot of Against the Grain Hand Pulled Beef canned dog food after FDA detected pentobarbital in a sample of the product.

On March 3, 2017, Evanger’s recalled all “chunk beef” products manufactured between December 2015 and January 2017, due to the possible presence of pentobarbital in these products. All of the recalled products contained meat from a single supplier, according to the company.

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