Category: botulism

From The Mailbag: Botulism and Vacuum-Packed Fish

I received an email a couple of weeks ago from Pamela in Canada, who asked the following question:

“I live in Canada, in Toronto, and I’ve noticed that there have been two or maybe even three separate and apparently unrelated incidents here involving botulism in vacuum-packed fish in gourmet grocery stores. I think that at least in some cases, this is fish from other suppliers that the stores have simply repackaged. From my limited knowledge I also understand that botulism can flourish in an anaerobic environment – like that of a vacuum bag?? Which leads me to wonder….. Are vacuum bags safe? What’s going on here?”

I was reminded of Pamela’s question yesterday, courtesy of the latest food safety alert from FDA. Euphoria Fancy Food Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) is recalling Dried Bream (7.5-oz vacuum packed plastic bags; Product of Russia; No batch or date codes; UPC 7 930042 250954), which was found by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets to not have been properly eviscerated prior to processing.

Several US states – including New York – have banned the sale of uneviscerated preserved fish, because the spores of Clostridium botulinum are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than in any other part of the fish. New York State monitors for this hazard on a routine basis and issues an alert whenever it finds that uneviscerated or incompletely eviscerated fish are offered for sale. The state has posted three such alerts so far this year.

The hazard is not just academic. In April 2012, three people in the Greater Toronto (Ontario, Canada) area developed botulism after eating a traditional uneviscerated, salted and cured fish (fesikh) at a catered event. The fesikh was supplied by Lotus Catering and Fine Food in Toronto.

Fesikh is a traditional dish served as part of Egypt’s spring celebration, according to an article in the Egypt Independent. “The best fesikh,” the owner of a fish shop in Old Cairo told the reporter, “is made of grey mullet fish from either Bardawil Lake, or from Kafr al-Sheikh Governorate, and then left out in containers until distended. When it is sufficiently putrefied, salt is added and the fish are left to pickle for at least 40 days.”

Not all dried, smoked or preserved foods are encouraged to putrefy as part of their recipe. But, allowing the contents of the intestinal tract to remain inside the fish during its drying, salting, smoking or pickling steps is not a safe practice, even without the putrefaction step.

In addition to the fesikh health hazard alert, there have been two recalls of vacuum packaged fish in Canada in 2012 – both in Toronto. McEwan Gourmet Grocery Store recalled two brands of Smoked Salmon in April, and Pusateri’s Fine Foods recalled several different products in June. Unfortunately, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency did not explain why it thought that these products were potentially contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.

Pamela is correct – Clostridium botulinum loves a vacuum. Manufacturers who use vacuum-packaging as a means of extending the shelf life of a product must pay special attention to the processing and to the ingredients used to prevent this pathogen from growing. Nevertheless, the risk of contracting botulism from a correctly preserved and processed vacuum-packaged food is extremely low. Nor must a food be vacuum-packed in order to be the source of a botulism incident.

In 1978, a Colorado restaurant wrapped potatoes in foil, baked them, and allowed them to cool – still foil-wrapped – overnight without refrigeration. The next day, the potatoes were cut up to make potato salad. Twelve people developed botulism symptoms; seven of them were hospitalized. The temperature/time combination used to bake the potatoes was not enough to kill the Clostridium botulinum spores, and the ambient temperature cooling period allowed the microbe to germinate, grow, and produce its toxin in the tightly wrapped potatoes.

The bottom line is that food must be processed, stored and handled in a safe manner regardless of whether or not it is vacuum-packed. Or, as I recently told Food Safety News

Food safety is a farm-to-table responsibility, whether the table is in a family’s kitchen, a seniors’ residence dining hall, a school cafeteria or a five-star restaurant.

Recalls and Alerts: May 8, 2012

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 Recall: Sold Gold Health Products for Pets, Inc. (El Cajon, CA) recalls Solid Gold WolfCub Large Breed Puppy Food (4-lb, 15-lb and 33-lb packs; Best before December 30, 2012; Batch code starting SGB1201) and Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult Dog Food (4-lb, 15-lb and 28.5-lb packs; Best before December 30, 2012; Batch code starting SGL1201), after being notified by Diamond Pet Foods regarding the presence of Salmonella in Diamond’s Gaston, South Carolina facility. The recalled products were distributed in the United States and Canada from between January and May 2012.
  • Consumer Product Safety Alert: Water Pik, Inc. will replace certain SinuSense™ Water Pulsator nasal irrigation devices it manufactured between May, 2010 and July, 2011. This program is being offered in response to consumer complaints that water being used in the Pulsator seeped into the battery compartment leading to battery corrosion, possible reservoir contamination and the need to prematurely replace batteries.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Buncombe County health officials report that the number of Salmonella Paratyphi B cases in the county has risen to 60. The outbreak has been traced to Smiling Hara Tempeh, a fermented soy bean product.
  • Food Safety Enforcement Action: The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) has issued a Notice of Violation and Order against Kanemitsu Inc. and George Kanemitsu dba Kanemitsu Bakery for selling, offering for sale, and distributing food products manufactured and prepared at its facility under unsanitary conditions. A penalty of $90,000 has been issued.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns O’Kroft, Inc. (Rockwall, TX) that a February 2012 inspection of the company’s facility revealed serious violations of the regulations for acidified foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Midwest Northern, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN) that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility found significant violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for manufacturing, packing, or holding human food.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Riddle Brothers (Hornbeack, TN) that a March 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Purus Labs, Inc., d.b.a. Dark Cyde Supplements (Dallas, TX) that an April/May 2011 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement facility found violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packaging, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Boiron Freres SAS (Valence, France) that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s juice processing facility found serious violations of the juice Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.

Canada

  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Dermolab Pharma (Sainte Julie, QC) and Dermtek Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Montreal, QC) recall REVERSA Cleansing Micellar Solution (300-mL clear bottle; UPC 06752000455 0; Lot code K0300D) due to possible contamination of the product by the bacterium Burkholderia cepacia. The recalled product was distributed to Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores across Canada.
  • Food Safety Alert: Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada remind the public that consumption of certain whole salted fish products like fesikh, a traditional dish in the Egyptian community, represents an increased risk of botulism because of the way they are prepared. The reminder comes on the heels of an outbreak of botulism in Ontario caused by the consumption of fesikh.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Prince Edward Island’s Chief Public Health Office reports that the outbreak of gastroenteritis related to a roast beef dinner prepared by volunteers of the Princetown United Church on Saturday, April 28th has now affected 209 people. Testing of left over foods from the event have revealed the presence of Clostridium perfringens.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Heritage Fine Chocolates recalls four Macro Wholefoods Market brand Lactose-free chocolate products due to the presence of undeclared milk. Please see the recall notice for details of the recalled products, which were sold nationwide in Woolworths, Safeway, Flemings and Food For Less Supermarkets.

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: April 23, 2012

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: Old Style Sausage (Denver, CO) recalls Old Style Sausage Bratwurst German Brand Sausage, Colorado Rocky Brat Amber Beer Bratwurst, Old Style Sausage Boulder Porter Bratwurst, Rocky Brat 1 Colorado Rocky Bratwurst, Old Style Sausage Rocky Brat II Colorado Rocky Bratwurst, Old Style Sausage Rocky Brats III Colorado Rocky Bratwurst, Colorado Rocky Brat Pork & Elk Bratwurst, and Colorado Rocky Brat Pork & Buffalo Bratwurst (12-lb cases; Est 8126; Produced prior to April 18, 2012; No packaging date or code), because the products contain undeclared egg. The recalled products were supplied to restaurants in Colorado.
  • Food Safety Recall: Albie’s Foods (Gaylord, MI) recalls Albie’s Pizza Calzone (pkgs containing 48 4.5-oz pieces; Produced April 10, 2012; Est 10100), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was shipped to institutions in Indiana and Michigan.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: XROCK INDUSTRIES (Fort Lauderdale, FL) recalls X-ROCK for Men (One capsule blister card, sold individually; All lot numbers; All expiry dates; UPC 0030950792) after analytical tests conducted by FDA reveal the presence of sildenafil and hydroxythiohomosildenafil. Sildenafil is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in an FDA-approved drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, and may cause serious side effects in some individuals.
  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (Hawaii): The Hawai’i State Department of Health embargoes approximately 28 acres of fresh basil produced by FAT Law’s Farm, Inc. due to the presence of methomyl, an unapproved pesticide.
  • Food Safety Alert (Tennessee): Tennessee Agriculture and Health officials are warning the public in and around Nashville that a truck load of potatoes destined for a landfill after being exposed to smoke and fire retardant was discovered missing and possibly distributed to unsuspecting area residents. Consumers should not accept or eat potatoes that were not purchased from a reputable source or retail outlet.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Kub Bakery Ltd. recalls Kub Bread brand Pumpernickel Bread (454g; UPC 0 72467 00116 6), due to the presence of undeclared soy. The recalled bread was sold in Manitoba.
  • Allergy Alert: Overwaitea Food Group LP recalls All Butter Croissants (6-ct; UPC 062639 418908; Packed on dates up to Apr.13.12), Mini Croissants (12-ct; UPC 062639 419066; Packed on dates up to Apr.13.12), Dessert Croissants (2-ct; UPC 062639 414436; Packed on dates up to Apr.14.12), Fresh Oven Quality Croissants (4=ct; UPC 062639 413118; Packed on dates up to Apr.13.12), Butter Croissants (8-ct; UPC 062639 412692; Packed on dates up to Apr.13.12) and Croissants (12-ct; UPC 062639 411237; Packed on dates up to Apr.13.12), due to the presence of undeclared egg. The recalled croissants were sold in Alberta and British Columbia.
  • Allergy Alert: Qualifirst Foods Ltd. recalls Nicole’s Divine Crackers – Dilly Dillingham (142g; Lot 11-143; UPC 7 32843 74494 9), due to the presence of undeclared gluten. The recalled product was sold nationally.
  • Allergy Alert: Uncle T Food Ltd. recalls (Japanese characters only) Noodles (135g; All codes; UPC 4 902881 048651), due to the presence of undeclared egg. The recalled product was sold in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: The Berwick Meadowbrook Meat Market (Berwick, NS) recalls Fully Cooked Boneless Hams (Best before dates of April 1 and April 3), because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled hams were sold at the Meadowbrook Meat Market retail store in Berwick and at Alderney Landing Farm Market in Dartmouth. There also was limited wholesale distribution of the recalled hams in mainland Nova Scotia.
  • Health Hazard/Outbreak Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns the public not to consume Whole Fesikh Mullet and Cut Up Fesikh Mullet In Oil  (variable count and weight packages; no code or date information; sold from Lotus Catering and Find Food, 1960 Lawrence Ave. E., Toronto, Ontario on or before April 17, 2012), because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. There have been three reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. Fesikh is a salted and cured fish product. The implicated whole and cut up fesikh was sold in Ontario. The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Arlene King is strongly advising the public to avoid consuming these products.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Costco Canada recalls certain articles of Children’s Jewellery sold from April 2nd to April 20th, 2012, because a component of the closure rings of these articles of jewellery have an unacceptable level of cadmium. Please refer to the recall notice for a list of affected products.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Belgium): Café-Tasse SA recalls Café-Tasse brand Chocolat fin Artisanal, Noir/Fine Artisan Dark Chocolate (45g; Lot 11 303249; Expiry 15/04/2012), due to the presence of undeclared milk.
  • Food Safety Recall (Greece): Luncheon Mit Evros SA recalls Franka Luncheon Thrace Frankfurter Sausages (380g vacuum packs; Expiry 6/28/2012), after government testing found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Al Durra Food Products (Syria) recalls Durra Sesame Tahini due to Salmonella contamination.
  • Food Safety Recall (Italy): FinPesca Srl recalls Merluzzo Nordico/Northern Cod (EAN 2112070/211570; Lot 2/35987) after parasites were reported in a sample of fish from the same batch.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall (France): French health authorities have ordered the recall of POWERtabs Dietary Supplement for Men (10 capsules/bottle, expiring 2013-12; 20 capsules/bottle, expiring 2013-12; and 2-capsule packages, expiring 2015-01), because these products contain undeclared and unauthorized dithio desmethyl carbodenafil, an active pharmaceutical ingredient.

Latin America and the Caribbean

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.