Author: Phyllis Entis

Cantaloupes Recalled In Listeria monocytogenes Outbreak

Jensen Farms (Holly, CO) has recalled all Rocky Ford whole cantaloupes shipped between July 29, 2011 and September 10, 2011, because these melons “…have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria,” according to a recall notice posted earlier today on the FDA website.

The recalled cantaloupes were distributed to Illinois, Wyoming, Tennessee, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The recalled cantaloupes bear a green and white sticker that reads: Product of USA- Frontera Produce-Colorado Fresh-Rocky Ford-Cantaloupe or a gray, yellow, and green sticker that reads: Jensen Farms-Sweet Rocky Fords.

Investigations carried out by FDA, CDC and state and local health agencies earlier fingered whole cantaloupes from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado as the source for a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes. Confirmed and suspect cases have been reported in the following states, according to information released by CDC and various state health agencies:

  • Colorado:- 11 confirmed; 1 death
  • Indiana:- 1 confirmed
  • Montana:- 1 confirmed; 1 under investigation
  • Nebraska:- 1 confirmed; 2 under investigation
  • New Mexico:- 9 probable (all ate cantaloupe), including 3 deaths
  • Oklahoma:- 1 confirmed; 6 under investigation
  • Texas:- 2 confirmed

In all, six states are reporting a total of 17 confirmed illnesses, including one death. An additional 18 cases are still under investigation, including 9 probable cases in New Mexico. If the New Mexico cases are confirmed to be due to the outbreak strain, the contaminated cantaloupes will have claimed four lives.

Listeria monocytogenes has a very long incubation period – as long as three weeks in some cases. Therefore, it will be a long time before the full human cost of this outbreak can be determined.

It’s unclear from the Jensen Farms recall notice whether or not the outbreak strain has been linked ONLY to cantaloupes from this supplier, or whether other growers in the Rocky Ford region may also be affected. The Jensen melons were not distributed to either Indiana or Montana, according to the recall notice. Yet both of these states are reporting at least one confirmed outbreak case.

Listeria monocytogenes is a common soil microbe. It also is often found as a contaminant in floor drains in food production facilities. The Jensen Farms recall may not be the entire story.

Recalls and Alerts: September 14, 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.

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United States

  • Allergy Alert: Watkins Inc. (Winona, MN) recalls SoyNilla (7.7-oz containers; Lot #3000280), because the product contains undeclared milk. The recalled SoyNilla was distributed nationwide through the Watkins network of independent contractors, associates and mail orders.
  • Allergy Alert: Chocolate Decadence (Eugene, OR) recalls multiple lines of Chocolate Decadence chocolate bars, almond clusters, assorted fruit clusters, chocolate buttons (various flavors), truffles, fudge and molded chocolates, because the products may contain undeclared milk. One Connecticut customer has reported an allergic reaction after eating the chocolate.
  • Allergy Alert: Falcon Trading Company, Inc./SunRidge Farms (Pajaro, CA) recalls SunRidge Farms All Natural Milk Chocolate Cranberries (Lot Code 0211176, manufactured on January 21, 2011; Lot Code 3271003, manufactured on November 29, 2010), because the products may contain SunRidge Farms All Natural Milk Chocolate Toffee Peanuts. Peanuts, which are an allergen, are not declared on the product label.
  • Food Safety Recall: Fine Mexican Food Products, Inc. (City of Orange, CA) recalls Frozen Avocado Pulp (12/2-lb per case; distributed since June 2010; Expiration June/July/August 2012) and IQF Avocado Halves (8/3-lb/carton; distributed since June 2010; Expiration June/July/August 2012), because the avocado products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall results from the finding of multiple positive Listeria monocytogenes samples in 20-lb size avocado pulp manufactured at the same facility in Peru.
  • Food Safety Recall: Sanith Ourn Farm (Indiantown, FL) recalls Fresh Hot Basil herb (10-lb shipping containers; FLT DATE 08/23/11 and 08/30/11), because the herb may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled basil was distributed to retailers and one wholesale location in Washington, Oregon and Rhode Island on August 23, 2011 and August 30, 2011, and has a 5-day shelf life.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns EPI, LLC (Poplar Grove, IL) that a November 2010 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility revealed serious deviations from the current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements for manufacturing, packaging, or holding human food.
  • Outbreak Alert: FDA, CDC and state and local agencies are investigating a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes illnesses that has sickened at least 16 people and killed one. The illnesses have been traced to consumption of cantaloupes grown in the Rocky Ford growing region of Colorado. No recall has been announced, as investigators are still working to determine the source of the contamination.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall Update: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded its earlier Health Hazard Alert to include additional walnuts and walnut products, because these products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The walnuts and walnut products were repackaged by retailers using bulk walnuts imported by Johnvince Foods in 25 lb cardboard cases bearing Lot code W1866 and the name Andersen and Sons Shelling, Vina, California, USA, and were sold in Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Defco A/S recalls Smart Cooking Chicken cubes and Chicken strips, and The Good Taste Chicken cubes (150g; All best before dates through 26/9/2011) due to an error in the composition of additives, causing bubbling in the packages.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Vega Salmon A/S recalls Smoked Salmon slices (130g; Lot #77912811; Best before dates from 1/8 through 16/9-2011) after Listeria was detected in the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Finland): Vuonos Ice recalls Vuonos Ice Cream (100 ml, 500 ml, 2.5-L and 5-L containers; best before between 28.6 and 31.8.2012, inclusive) after samples were found to contain aflatoxin.
  • Personal Care Product Safety Recall (Spain): The Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios alerts the public that the following shampoo products contain the active pharmaceutical agent ketoconazol, and have been recalled: Ketoconazol Inmenol Shampoo Al 2%, Ketoconazol Shampoo Al 2%, and Ketocol Shampoo Al 2%. The recalled shampoos were imported from the Dominican Republic.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Advance Pharm Co. Ltd. recalls Duoflue Cold Tablet 1000’s (Batch 35262), because the newly revised label wrongly indicates the quantity of 500mg for the ingredient paracetamol. The correct quantity should be 150mg.
  • Food Safety Alert (Singapore): The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) advises the public that La Ruche tapenade and tartinade products implicated in France’s botulism outbreak were not exported to Singapore. Nevertheless, AVA warns consumers who may have purchased the products while traveling in France to discard these products.

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.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.

Colorado Cantaloupes Sicken Sixteen

Cantaloupes harvested in the Rocky Ford region of Colorado are responsible for an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that has sickened at least 16 people in Colorado (11), Indiana (1), Nebraska (1), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (2). CDC reports that 15 people have been hospitalized (that information is unavailable for the 16th victim). One death in Colorado has been attributed to this outbreak.

The number of illnesses – and the death toll – could rise significantly in the next few days; state and local health departments in several more states are investigating Listeria illnesses to determine whether they match the genetic profile of the cantaloupe outbreak strain. One of those states is New Mexico, which reports that it is investigating nine cases of Listeria infections, including three deaths. Oklahoma is investigating an additional 6 cases; Nebraska is awaiting genetic profiling on isolates from two additional Listeria patients. If all of these cases under investigation are confirmed to be due to a single strain, the total number of cases will more than double, to a total of 23 cases.

According to CDC, the outbreak strain has been found “…on cantaloupe collected from grocery stores and from an ill person’s home.” The report does not name the grocery stores where contaminated cantaloupes were procured. CDC adds that these cantaloupes were marketed as having been harvested in the Rocky Ford region of Colorado. FDA, CDC, state and local health departments, and the firms involved are cooperating to determine the exact source of the contamination.

The cantaloupes may have been distributed nationwide; however, no recall has been announced, as investigators still don’t know exactly which cantaloupes are behind the outbreak. FDA has released a short statement on its role in the investigation, but has not issued a Health Alert.

Listeria monocytogenes infections usually cause otherwise healthy adults to experience a mild form of gastroenteritis. But the infections can be serious – sometimes fatal – in susceptible individuals. Groups at high risk for serious complications include the elderly, the very young, pregnant women, cancer patients and anyone with compromised immune systems. Members of any of these high risk groups should avoid eating cantaloupe until this outbreak is over, unless the origin of the melon is clearly identifiable.

CDC offers the following Advice to Consumers:

Contaminated cantaloupes may still be in grocery stores and in consumers’ homes.

  • CDC recommends that persons at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, do not eat cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.
  • Consumers who have cantaloupes in their homes can check the label or inquire at the store where they purchased it to determine if the fruit was marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.
  • Listeriosis primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns. Persons who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated cantaloupes should consult their doctor immediately.
  • Cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals from eating them.