Month: June 2011

The Chicken Ranch

Earlier this spring, my husband, our Labradoodle and I moved into our new home in an urban area of coastal San Diego.

This neighborhood has it all – the beach, a vibrant downtown, lots of restaurants, shops and people. And chickens.

Yes, chickens are permitted under the San Diego Municipal Code, as long as they are kept 50 feet from any residence. But our next door neighbor’s chicken coop was less than half that distance from their house and within 50 feet of our house. Their half-dozen well fed hens free-ranged in the back yard, on their entry deck and into their kitchen.

Now, I have no problem with the excited sound that a hen emits when she successfully produces an egg. It is, after all, the highlight of her day. On the other hand, I have a huge problem with the flies, vermin and rodents that free range chickens attract to their immediate area. Inevitably, these “groupies” spill over into adjacent areas – including ours.

We explained to the neighbors that the chickens didn’t bother us, but that the spillover of the birds’ noisome groupies onto our property was unacceptable. We asked them to keep their yard and hen house scrupulously clean to minimize the hangers-on. When nothing happened, we complained to the City. The chickens are now gone, as is the coop.

The birds have moved a city block away, to the backyard of another household, where they are picked up and cuddled by the family’s children and their friends under the watchful eyes of an adult.

Clearly, some people either haven’t heard – or refuse to believe – that apparently healthy chickens and other poultry can harbor and spread Salmonella, Campylobacter and other diseases.

Families in 15 US states ignored the risk when they purchased chicks or ducklings as family pets this year.

CDC is tracking an outbreak of Salmonella Altona that has sickened 39 people since February 25th. Nearly half (44%) of the illnesses are in children under the age of five. More than one-quarter (28%) of the victims have been hospitalized.

Illnesses associated with the outbreak have been reported in Georgia (1), Indiana (1), Kentucky (4), Michigan (1), Maryland (3), Minnesota (1), North Carolina (6), New York (2), Ohio (8), Pennsylvania (4), Tennessee (2), Virginia (3), Vermont (1), Wisconsin (1), and West Virginia (1).

Patient interviews pointed toward contact with chicks and ducklings as a common element. Lab analyses yielded Salmonella Altona from three samples from a chick and its environment collected from an ill person’s household in Ohio, and three environmental samples collected from chick and duckling displays at two locations of a national feed store chain in North Carolina.

According to the Ohio Departments of Health and Agriculture, the chicks and ducklings were supplied by an Ohio company – Mt. Healthy Hatcheries, Inc.

CDC offers the following advice to people who want the experience of keeping poultry:

  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam. Adults should supervise hand washing for young children.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer until you are able to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
  • Clean any equipment or materials associated with raising or caring for live poultry outside the house, such as cages or feed or water containers.
  • Do not let children younger than 5 years of age, elderly persons, or people with weak immune systems handle or touch chicks, ducklings, or other live poultry.
  • Do not let live poultry inside the house, in bathrooms, or especially in areas where food or drink is prepared, served, or stored, such as kitchens, or outdoor patios.
  • Do not snuggle or kiss the birds, touch your mouth, or eat or drink around live poultry.

Recalls and Alerts: June 11, 2011

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

United States

  • Allergy Alert: Kom Son Food Co. (Oakland, CA) recalls Kim So’n Cooked Beef Meat Balls With Chicken & Anchovy Flavored Fish Sauce Added (12 oz. packages), Kim So’n Cooked Pork Meat Balls Anchovy Flavored Fish Sauce Added (12 oz. packages), and Kim So’n Cooked Beef & Tendon Meat Balls With Chicken & Anchovy Flavored Fish Sauce Added (5-lb packages), due to the presence of undeclared wheat. The recalled items were produced on December 9, 2010 through June 9, 2011 and shipped to retail establishments and restaurants in Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and California (San Francisco Bay area, only).
  • Outbreak Alert: The CDC has signaled the presence of a norovirus outbreak in Clanton, Alabama, according to a report in The Clanton Advertiser. Several victims have visited the emergency department of Chilton Medical Center with symptoms of vomiting and/or diarrhea consistent with the viral infection.

Canada

  • Outbreak Alert: Forty-nine cases of hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infections were diagnosed between January 1st and May 6th, 2011 in Cape Breton (NS). The majority of the cases were concentrated in Cape Breton Regional Hospital (32 cases) and Glace Bay Hospital (11 cases).

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Van der Plas recalls Rosabi Sprouts® beet sprouts after the Food Safety Authority finds EHEC-E. coli in a sample of the product. The strain of E. coli is different from the E. coli O104:H4 bacterium that has sickened more than 3,000 people, most of them in Germany.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Forty (out of 150) guests at a reception south east of Huddersfield town centre have been stricken with vomiting and diarrhea after eating a meal at the June 3rd event. The source of the outbreak is under investigation.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Mongolia): At least 89 members of a construction crew who were building a road to the Oyu Tolgoi Mine from the village of Khanbogd (Umnugobi Province) developed food poisoning after eating chicken supplied by the Nomads restaurant chain. Two of the ill workers are reported to be in serious condition.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Haiti): The Pan American Health Organization reports that 2,600 people become infected with cholera weekly in Haiti. An increase in the number of new infections coincided with the onset of rain storms. Only 2% of the population have access to safe drinking water.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.

Recalls and Alerts: June 10, 2011

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

United States

  • Outbreak Alert Update: CDC reports that the illness outbreak that affected 64 passengers and 3 crew members on board the Coral Princess cruise ship during its May 4-19 Alaska cruise was due to norovirus.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: An outbreak of Salmonella Altona that has sickened 39 people in 15 US states has been traced to chicks and ducklings purchased at agricultural outlets that were supplied by Mt. Healthy Hatchery, an Ohio-based company.
  • Outbreak Alert: The New Mexico Department of Health, New Mexico Environment Department and the City of Santa Fe are investigating an outbreak of gastroenteritis among 30 students and 4 staff members attending summer youth programs at Monica Roybal Center.
  • Outbreak Alert: Health officials in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia have reported a total of 13 cases of E. coli illness in what appears to be two separate outbreaks. The Virginia Department of Health has confirmed two cases of E. coli O157:H7 – a two-year old girl who died, and her 4-year old brother, who survived. Sullivan County reports one case of E. coli among the 11 Northern Tennessee cases, and advises that the cases in the Northern Tennessee region are not related to the German outbreak, and are NOT E. coli O157:H7.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Prairie Mushrooms recalls Premium brand Sliced Mushrooms With Gourmet Teriyaki Seasonings (12-oz pkg; all codes), due to the presence of undeclared soy and wheat. The recalled mushrooms were sold in retail stores in Alberta.
  • Allergy Alert: Le Goûtillon (Boucherville, QC) recalls several prepared entrées, that may contain undeclared soy, milk, eggs, mollusks or shellfish.
  • Allergy Alert: JFC International (Canada) Inc. recalls UCC Sumiyaki 3 in 1 Coffee Mix (170g; Code #J84205BB 2012.11.25) due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled product was sold in retail stores in Alberta and British Columbia.
  • Food Safety Recall: Latinamerican Foods Inc. – TIFCO recalls San Marcos brand Taco Sauce – Salsa (530mL; Code AS 279 T 0, PREF 10/05/11) and San Marcos brand Mexican Sauce – Pico de Gallo – Salsa (530mL; Code AS 51 A 1, PREF 02/20/2012), due to the presence of extraneous material (glass). The recalled products were sold in retail stores nationwide.
  • Food Safety Recall: La Panthère Verte (Montreal, QC) recalls Thai Tofu Curry and Vegetable Soup, sold refrigerated in unlabeled glass jars, because the safety of the products cannot be assured.
  • Food Safety Recall (Update): Canadian Food Inspection Agency advises consumers that recalled Simply Thick products may still be in the Canadian marketplace. Consumers are reminded not to purchase or use the recalled products.
  • Food Safety Recall: Tapio Tea Company recalls several fruit syrups, passionfruit jam and grape jelly, because the products may contain DEHP.
  • Food Safety Recall: Sweet Accessories Enterprises recalls Mango Drink Concentrate, Lychee Drink Concentrate, Sweet Yoghurt Drink Concentrate and Blueberry Drink Concentrate, because the products may contain DEHP.
  • Food Safety Recall: Canda Six Fortune Enterprise Co. Ltd. recalls Uni-President brand Guava Drink, Calamondin & Lemon Drink and Sugarcane Drink, because the products may contain DEHP. The beverages were sold in retain stores in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec.
  • Food Safety Recall: G.C. Galaxie Commerciale recalls various beverage syrups and Mint Conc. Juice, because the products may contain DEHP.
  • Food Recall: Quality Natural Foods Ltd. recalls Quality Brand Mughal E’ Azam and Quality Brand Nazrana mouth fresheners, because the products contain non-permitted food ingredients.
  • Food Recall: A. Lassonde Inc. recalls Oasis Classic 100% Juice Variety Pack (4 x 10 x 200mL; Code C20120320), due to non-hazardous microbiological spoilage.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Aldi Stores withdraws Greisinger Cheese Cabanossi Austrian air dried, hot smoked and seasoned sausages (300g; Batch code L1961; Best before 25 July 2011), because the product, which is labeled as dairy-free, contains cheese.
  • Allergy Alert (Ireland): Aldi Stores withdraws Greisinger Cheese Cabanossi Austrian air dried, hot smoked and seasoned sausages (300g; Batch code L1961; Best before 25 July 2011), because the product, which is labeled as dairy-free, contains cheese.
  • Food Safety Recall/Alert (Netherlands): Netherlands VWA warns consumers to discard Hamu brand beetroot sprouts, because they may be contaminated with an enterohemorrhagic strain of E. coli that is different from the German outbreak strain. Hamu B.V. has withdrawn the product from the market.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Maerlu (Hamu) International BV recalls beet root sprouts imported from the Netherlands (106 units of 50g; Expiry date 11-06-2011), after E. coli – unrelated to the German outbreak strain – was found in a sample of the sprouts.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Gravenstein Poultry ApS recalls fresh organic chickens (Raised in Hungary and cut/wrapped in Austria), because the chickens are contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0750): Salmonella Havana in feather meal from the United Kingdom; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0751): Salmonella infantis in organic chicken from Austria, via Germany; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0752): Suspicion of shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in sprouts mixture from Germany; distributed to Germany.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0753): Salmonella Liverpool in soybean meal from Germany/Switzerland; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0754): Salmonella in coriander powder from the United Kingdom, with raw material from India; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0755): Escherichia coli O103 and Escherichia coli O157 in beef carcass from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0756): Unauthorized sucralose sweetener E955 in almond biscuits from Belgium; distributed to Greece.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0758): Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli in beetroot sprouts from the Netherlands; distributed to Germany and Belgium.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0759): Mercury in chilled swordfish loins from Chile; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0760): Methiocarb in cherries from Israel; distributed to Cyprus.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0761): Carbendazim in pak wan vegetables from Vietnam; distributed to Germany.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alerts (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety CFS prohibits the import and sale of all batches of fruit syrup produced by Jin Zhuan Lifesciences Enterprise Co. Ltd, Taiwan, and has ordered the importer to recall related products. Additionally, has ordered the recall of Jin Ji Wang Food Co. Ltd. Peach Concentrated Juice (Product of Taiwan; all batches and sizes). and has prohibited the future import of this product. These actions were undertaken after DEHP was detected in samples of the products.
  • Food Safety Recall (Singapore): The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore has ordered the recall, and suspended import, of the following products that failed tests for DEHP: Possmei brand fruit juice concentrates; Signwin brand pudding powder, fruit jam and jelly; Chen En Food Product Enterprise Co. fruit juice concentrates; Feng Sheng Food Company fruit juice concentrates; Jin Guo Wan brand fruit juice concentrates; Sunlight brand beverages; and Tachungho brand fruit juice concentrates.
  • Food Safety Recall (Japan): Japan recalls dried tea from a Shizuoka tea factory, after radiation above the legal limit was detected in a sample.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): GlaxoSmithKline Limited recalls Augmentin powder for syrup antibiotic for pediatric patients (Manufactured in France), after the plasticizer Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) was detected in the product.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Parmalat Food Products Pty Ltd. recalls Pura Milk full cream milk (1 L plastic bottle; Date 15 JUN), due to the possible presence of a food-grade sanitizer, resulting in a metallic taste. The recalled milk was sold in IGA, Foodworks, service stations, hospitals and corner stores in metro and regional areas of New South Wales and ACT.
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Greens General Foods Pty Ltd. recalls Black & Gold Fruity Rings Cereal (300g; 7 Feb 2012, 8 Feb 2012), Coles Frooty Rings Cereal (300g; All dates up to and including 18 May 2012), and Woolworths Homebrand Fruity Rings Cereal (585g; All dates from 12 Jan 2012 to 19 May 2012, inclusive), because the products may contain fine wire pieces.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia):  The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises consumers that Pink Lady for Women capsules, which are sold over the internet and claim to be 100% herbal in origin, actually contain therapeutic quantities of tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis, a prescription only medicine. Consumers are advised to cease using the product and discard any unused capsules.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutics Goods Administration advises consumers that St. Nirvana Herbal Slimming Capsules in Bottles and Blister Packs, which are sold over the internet and claim to be 100% herbal in origin, actually contain therapeutic quantities of sibutramine and phenolphthalein, and can cause serious side effects. Consumers are advised to cease using the product and discard any unused capsules.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.