Category: cholera

Recalls and Alerts: July 9, 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 (Update): Frozen desserts recalled by Arctic Zero Inc. (Escondido, CA) due to the presence of undeclared milk allergen were sold in Whole Foods Market stores.
  • Food Safety Recall (Update): Some of the frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products recalled by Buona Vita Inc (Bridgeton, NJ) due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes were sold at Buehler’s Fresh Foods (DiRusso’s Beef Meatballs – 10#; 1 oz meatballs; UPC 5397591615), Walmart and Sam’s Club stores.
  • Food Safety Alert (Oregon): The Oregon Department of Agriculture announces the closure of recreational mussel harvesting from Tillamook Head south to Heceta Head, about 13 miles north of Florence in Lane County on the central Oregon Coast, due to elevated levels of paralytic shellfish toxins.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ohio): At least 10 people have been infected with E. coli after eating at a picnic in Germantown, OH. Six people are hospitalized.
  • Outbreak Alert (California): Santa Barbara County Public Health is investigating an outbreak of norovirus among more than 12 guests, visitors and employees at the Alisal Guest Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley, California.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): RAW.BITE recalls Rawbite Coconut, Organic Fruit and Nut Bar (50g; Best before 17/10-2012, 25/10-2012, 23/11-2012 and 21/12-2012), due to growth of yeast in the bars. The recalled bars were sold in 7-Eleven stores.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Maria Gries Landwirtschaft Grebehof (Löhnberg) recalls Bio Eier vom Grebehof/Grebehof Organic Eggs (6-packs and 10-packs; Expiry dates 25/07/2012 and 31/07/2012; Egg code stamp 0-DE-0660-391 to -394), because the eggs contain more than the permitted levels of dioxins and di-PCBs.
  • Personal Care Product Safety Recall (France): Laboratoires Pierre Fabre Médicament recalls Eludril Mouthwash Solution (0,5 ml/0,5g per 100ml; Lot G99001; Expiry 01/2015), due to breaches of Good Manufacturing Practices for chlorhexidine digluconate, the active ingredient in the mouthwash.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0947): Undeclared milk ingredient in candies from Slovakia; distributed to Slovenia.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0948): Salmonella corvallis in dog chews from Brazil, via the Netherlands; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0949): High content of beta-asarone in food supplements from the United Kingdom; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0950): Excessive Escherichia coli in big clams from Italy; distributed to Italy and Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0951): Salmonella in rooibos tea from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic and Poland.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a cluster of 15 cases of bacillary dysentery due to Shigella flexneri. The victims were part of a 32-person tour group that travelled from Hong Kong to Cambodia June 13th to 17th.
  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating three food poisoning outbreak clusters involving eight people, all of whom ate in a restaurant in the Eastern District on June 28th (six persons) and July 5th (two persons).

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Cuba): BBC reports that a patient has been diagnosed with cholera in Havana.

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 Vibrio cholerae

 

Some history

Vibrio cholerae was first isolated and described by Dr. Robert Koch in 1883, nearly 30 years after John Snow deduced that cholera was spread by water. The most recent major cholera epidemics were in Haiti (beginning in 2010) and in Zimbabwe in 2008

What is Vibrio cholerae, and where is its natural habitat?

Vibrio cholerae is a gram negative bacterium that is shaped like a curved rod. It is able to grow either with or without oxygen. It is found most commonly in bays and estuaries, especially in warmer climates. Shellfish growing in contaminated waters can develop a high concentration of the bacterium.

How is Vibrio cholerae transmitted? What is the incubation period of the illness?

Vibrio cholerae infections are transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or water. The typical incubation period is from 24 hours to 72 hours.

What are the symptoms of Vibrio cholerae food poisoning?

Symptoms usually consist of a profuse, watery diarrhea and vomiting.

What is the prognosis of Vibrio cholerae food poisoning?

Symptoms are severe and can last for 3 to 7 days, resulting in serious dehydration. Victims who are malnourished, or who are already suffering from another disease, are at an elevated risk of death.

What foods carry Vibrio cholerae?

Vibrio cholerae may be found in water, especially in crowded living conditions, such as occur in refugee relief camps. It also is found in shellfish that are harvested from contaminated estuaries. Outbreaks of cholera have been traced to the consumption of contaminated seafood, frozen coconut milk, and home-canned palm fruit. Any food that has been washed with contaminated water may carry Vibrio cholerae.

How can people protect themselves from Vibrio cholerae?

  • By paying attention to food recall announcements and immediately discarding any recalled food or returning it to the store.
  • By not consuming raw or undercooked seafood.
  • By not drinking water that may be from a contaminated source.
  • By taking special precautions when traveling to areas where cholera is endemic, including avoiding drinking tap water, eating cut fruit or fresh salads.

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

Recalls and Alerts: July 4, 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: Fruiti Pops, Inc. recalls Fruiti Pops Classic Coconut Frozen Dessert Bars (4-oz bars; UPC 763734 000011; No lot numbers or expiration dates), due to the presence of undeclared egg yolk. The recalled bars were sold by push cart vendors and ice cream trucks in Southern California between June 25, 2012 and June 28, 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Andante Dairy (Petaluma, CA) recalls Andante Dairy Cheese (sizes from 5 oz to 8 oz; No code dates or variety information on packages), due to a lack of proper pasteurization. Andante Dairy cheeses, except for Musette, Tomme Dolce and Etude varieties, are under a quarantine order, as the lack of proper pasteurization could have allowed the survival of dangerous pathogens. The cheeses were sold mainly to retail markets, restaurants and cheese shops in California, with very limited distribution in Chicago and New York.
  • Animal Feed Safety  Recall: PMI Nutrition Intl., LLC (Brentwood, MO) recalls LabDiet® Guinea Pig Diet (50lb; Formula No. 5025; Lot No. APR17122), Mazuri® Maned Wolf Diet (33lb; Formula No. 5MD9; Lot #APR21122), Mazuri® Small Bird Maintenance (25lb; Formula #56A6; Lot #APR15123), and Mazuri® Primate Maintenance Biscuit (25lb; Formula #5MA2; Lot #APR22122), due to the potential for an elevated Vitamin D level in these products. The recalled products were manufactured at the company’s Richmond, IN feed plant and were distributed throughout the USA and to a few international customers.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): The Co-op recalls Co-operative Truly Irresistible Fairtrade Peruvian Dark Chocolate with Dried Sweetened Cranberries (Best before 1 February 2013 and 2 February 2013), because the products contain milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate.
  • Allergy Alert (Denmark): Stella’s Bakery recalls Romkugler (300g; 5 pcs), Tree trunks (350g; 4 pcs), Butter Tart (400g), Cinnamon Tang (350g), and Day/Night Rivets (350g; 4 pcs) with production dates of 3 July 2012 or earlier, due to the presence of undeclared milk powder.
  • Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Britvic Soft Drinks UK recalls Robinsons Fruit Shoot and Fruit Shoot Hydro packs featuring the new Magicap (All batch codes and best before dates), because the caps may become fully or partially detached. The recalled product was not distributed directly in Ireland, but some retailers may have bought affected packs from Northern Ireland or the UK.
  • Food Safety Recall (Multiple countries): Britvic International recalls Teisseire Fruit Shoot (20 cl; Best before 02-2013 and 03-2013) due to a technical problem with the bottle caps. The product was sold in Belgium and France beginning in June 2012 in individual bottles and in multi-packs.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Dansk Supermarked Indkøb recalls ATCO Hazelnuts (200g plastic bags; Lot 2384; Best before 31/10-2012; Product of Germany), due to mold growth in individual bags of the hazelnut kernels.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): Auchan and Simply Market recall Pouce brand Sardines in tomato sauce (120g; Best before 20/01/2015, 21/01/2015 and 26/01/2015), because the products may contain histamine.
  • Outbreak Alert (France): Health authorities have received reports of eight cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and four cases of bloody diarrhea since May 28th in Aquitaine and Poitou-Charentes. All eight HUS victims are children; 6 of them are confirmed to be infected with E. coli O157. Seven of the eight HUS cases are residents of Aquitaine. All of the 12 outbreak victims reported having consumed ground beef – in most cases, purchased at Intermarché or Netto stores.
  • Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0916): Benzalkonium chloride in dietary food supplement from Slovakia, via the Czech Republic; distributed to Poland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0917): Dead mouse in pizza from Italy; distributed to Italy and Japan.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0918): Mold infestation in hazelnut kernels from Germany; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0919): Unauthorized 1,3 dimethylamylamine in food supplement from the USA; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0921): Didecyldimethylammonium chloride in chilled citrus fruit from South Africa; distributed to France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0923): Salmonella in beef meat from the Netherlands; distributed to Sweden.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Coles Supermarkets recalls Coles Lite Sour Cream (300ml plastic tub; Use by 02/08/12), due to E. coli contamination. the recalled product was sold in Coles Supermarkets in Western Australia only.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Cuba): Cuba’s Health Ministry has confirmed that three people have died and 53 more are infected in a cholera outbreak in the south-east part of the country. BBC News reports that about 1,000 people have received medical attention so far – most of them from the town of Manzanillo.

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.