Category: Bacillus cereus

Recalls and Alerts: December 1, 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 Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for Cantella’s Fully Cooked Chicken Sausage with Apples, recalled by Papa Cantella’s Inc. due to misbranding and the presence of undeclared walnuts. The recalled sausages were sold in Von’s and Pavilions supermarkets in Southern California.
  • Food Safety Recall: Giant Eagle, Inc. recalls Valu Time Canned Pumpkin (purchased on or after August 30, 2011) and Food Club Canned Pumpkin (purchased on or after October 28, 2011), because the products do not meet quality standards. The canned pumpkin brands were produced by Topco Associates, LLC.
  • Food Safety Recall: Front Row Produce (St. Louis, MO) recalls Front Row Produce Grape Tomatoes (10-oz pkgs supplied in cases bearing lot #2310802, 2310405 or 2510401; 10-lb bulk in cardboard boxes bearing lot #2310801), because the grape tomatoes may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled tomatoes were supplied by Rio Queen Citrus (Mission, TX) and distributed throughout Missouri and Illinois to foodservice distributors and retail stores.
  • Food Safety Recall: Bavan Food Company (Sacramento, CA) recalls Bavan Brand Mix Goli Candy (14-0z/400gm clear pkg; all code dates), due to unacceptable levels of lead. The recalled candies were sold in several East-Indian retail stores in Northern California.
  • Food Safety Recall: Bee International Creation (Chula Vista, CA) recalls Bee Brand Sunny Day Gummies candy (100g plastic package; all code dates), due to unacceptable levels of lead.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Jérome’s Steak House et Boucherie (Boucherville, QC) recalls Chicken Noodle Soup, Cream of Chicken, and Spaghetti Sauce (1-liter size; all dates and codes), due to the presence of undeclared soy.
  • Allergy Alert: Metro Ontario Inc. recalls Irresistibles Gluten-Free Honey Nut O’s Cereal and Apple Cinammon Flavour O’s Cereal (285g; all codes), due to the presence of undeclared gluten. The recalled products were sold in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Allergy Alert: Axep Plus (Roxton Falls, QC) recalls several prepared foods due to the presence of undeclared soy, wheat, sulfites, egg, milk, and or anchovies. Please refer to the recall notice for details.
  • Unauthorized Health Product Safety Recall: CANA International Distributing Inc. recalls Stiff One Hard 169, after Health Canada finds an undeclared prescription medication (thiodimethylsildenafil) in the product. Stiff One Hard 169 was sold at retail locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, and also over the Internet.
  • Health Alert: Alberta Health Services reminds residents of Central Alberta to take precautions to limit the spread of norovirus, after a recent increase in gastro-intestinal illnesses reported in the Central Zone.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Enotria withdraws Capriola Pino Grigio della Venezie 2010 (75cl; all 2010 batches), because the wine contains undeclared sulfites. The affected batches were sold only in Morrisons supermarkets.
  • Allergy Alert (UK): Waitrose recalls Belgian Plain Chocolate (200g; Best before Aug 2012; Batch #L15423C), due to the presence of undeclared hazelnuts.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): Natrazahor France recalls Ivoria Tablette de Chocolat au Lait Amandes Caramélisées (Lot #L29; Best before 10/2012), due to contaminated with glass particles.
  • Food Safety Alert (Norway): The Food Safety Authority has discovered that a batch of lamb meat may contain traces of penicillin and/or sulfonamides. The affected lamb was sold on or after 24 November in nine Oslo-area shoes. Please refer to the Health Alert notice for a list of the affected shops.
  • Food Safety Recall (Finland): Helsinki Laziza Foods Ltd. recalls Natco® Jeera Ground Cumin (Packed by Natco Foods Ltd. in Great Britain; 100g, 400g, 1kg and 5kg pkgs; Best before dates of 11/2011, 4/2012, 5/2012, 6/2012, 8/2012, 9/2012, 12/2012, 1/2013, 3/2013, 4/2013, 7/2013) after the product was linked to a suspected food poisoning in a Helsinki restaurant. The recalled cumin is contaminated with Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens and Salmonella Caracas.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Gert Nielsen A/S recalls several products containing pork (produced 18/11-2011, 20/11-2011, 21/11-2011 and 22/11-2011, because the raw pork was found to be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Coop Denmark A/S recalls Italian Baby Spinach (75g; Packed by Alfano Tomasso, Italy; All lots sold during 24 to 29 November 2011), due to contamination with Campylobacter.
  • Food Safety Recall (UK): Creme d’Or Ltd. recalls Felko Christmas Figures with Candy (Batch codes 34557 and 38675; Best before 10/01/2013) and Gumball Machine with Candy (Batch codes 29557 and 3456; Best before 15/11/2012), due to the possible risk of a choking hazard.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Tadal  and Koylu Food BVBA recall Dardanel brand Canned Tuna and Dardanel brand Tuna packets sold after 21 September 2011, due to unacceptable levels of mercury in the tuna.
  • Food Safety Withdrawal (Ireland): Food Safety Authority of Ireland announces the precautionary withdrawal of all products manufactured by Societa Cooperativa Agricola GMG F.lli Gaudiano arl, Italy, as a result of a follow-up investigation of a botulism outbreak in Finland that was traced to Bio Gaudiano Almond-stuffed Olives. The products were distributed to Russell Gallery in New Quay, Co. Clare. Please refer to the Alert for a complete list of affected products.
  • Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Culina Foods bvba recalls Culina Foods brand Mustard Dill Dressing SLA, due to product fermentation. Please refer to the VWA safety warning for details on affected lot numbers.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: November 19, 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

  • Pet Food Safety Alert: FDA is warning pet owners that chicken jerky products for dogs (also sold as chicken tenders, strips or treats) may be associated with illness in dogs. In the last 12 months, FDA has seen an increase in the number of complaints it received of dog illnesses associated with consumption of chicken jerky products imported from China. FDA advises consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination.

Canada

  • Food Safety Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume the Richardson’s Farm Market brand Pasteurized Apple Cider (1L plastic jugs; sold from November 5 to 9, 2011), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The product was sold at Richardson’s Farm Market in Dunnville, ON and Hagersville Farmer’s Market in Hagersville, ON.

Europe

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.

Profiling Bacillus cereus

Bacillus cereus is the bacterial equivalent of a bipolar personality. Depending on the strain, it can cause either of two syndromes – a rapid onset emetic syndrome, or a slower onset intestinal upset.

Some history

The first reported description of Bacillus cereus food poisoning was published in 1950. The earliest documented US outbreak occurred in 1969. Two years later, the United Kingdom confirmed its first outbreak of Bacillus cereus food poisoning.

What is Bacillus cereus, and where is its natural habitat?

Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming soil microbe. It is widely distributed around the world, but has no known animal reservoir. The microbe is able to grow either in the presence or in the absence of oxygen. Its spores are sufficiently heat-resistant to survive pasteurization treatment of milk and standard cooking temperatures reached in domestic kitchens. It cannot survive the high-temperature treatment used to process canned foods.

How is Bacillus cereus transmitted? What is the incubation period of the illness?

Bacillus cereus strains produce one of two toxins – a heat-stable emetic toxin that is produced in the food as the microbe grows, and a heat-sensitive enterotoxin that is produced both in the food and in the intestines. Ingestion of the emetic toxin triggers the onset of nausea and vomiting, which can begin as soon as 30 minutes after a victim eats food containing the preformed toxin. Ingestion of the heat-sensitive enterotoxin (or its production in the intestines) results in the development of a diarrhetic syndrome that can begin some 8 to 16 hours after the toxin enters the body.

What are the symptoms of Bacillus cereus food poisoning?

Emetic syndrome:- In most individuals, the preformed heat-stable emetic toxin of Bacillus cereus triggers a bout of nausea and vomiting that can being from 30 minutes to 5 hours after eating a contaminated dish and typically lasts for 6 to 24 hours. This form of food poisoning can be confused with Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning.

Diarrhetic syndrome:- The onset of this form of Bacillus cereus food poisoning is slower than for the emetic syndrome – approximately 8 to 16 hours. The main symptoms are a profuse, watery diarrhea and abdominal pain, usually lasting about 12 to 24 hours. This food poisoning syndrome mimics the symptoms produced by Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin.

What is the prognosis of Bacillus cereus food poisoning?

Both forms of Bacillus cereus food poisoning are typically mild and self-limiting. Individuals who are already suffering from a debilitating illness or someone with a compromised immune system may suffer from dehydration. Someone whose swallowing reflex is impaired could accidentally aspirate vomit, resulting in lung complications.

What foods carry Bacillus cereus?

As a common soil inhabitant, Bacillus cereus is most likely to be found on harvested crops – grains, fruits and vegetables. Because the spores are heat-resistant and survive normal cooking conditions, Bacillus cereus food poisoning is most commonly associated with consuming cooked, starchy foods – such as rice dishes – that have been held at room temperature for several hours after cooking.

How can people protect themselves from Bacillus cereus?

First, by paying attention to food recall announcements and immediately discarding any recalled food or returning it to the store. Secondly, by not allowing a cooked food to stand for extended periods of time at room temperature. Food that is not to be eaten immediately should be refrigerated or frozen promptly. A frozen, cooked food should be thawed in the refrigerator, and not at room temperature.

For more information on Bacillus cereus and other food-borne pathogens, visit the CDC website or read Food Safety: Old Habits, New Perspectives.