Category: Salmonella

USDA’s Failed Salmonella Policy

Denmark takes its Salmonella seriously – even in raw poultry.

Since the beginning of this year, Denmark has recorded seven recalls of raw poultry products due to Salmonella contamination. The recalled chicken and turkey products originated in Brazil (1 recall), Denmark (1 recall), Hungary (3 recalls), Germany (1 recall), and Poland (1 recall).

There were NO Salmonella outbreaks associated with or triggering any of these recalls. Just the detection of Salmonella in a sample of the raw poultry meat. And, in case anyone hasn’t noticed, only one of the recalled items was domestic – raw turkey products that were suspected of being contaminated with Salmonella. Not confirmed. Merely suspected.

Things are different in the USA. USDA accepts – indeed, expects – to find Salmonella in a significant fraction of raw poultry samples. In the fourth quarter of 2010, 4.2% of turkeys, 9.5% of broiler chickens, 9% of raw ground turkey samples and nearly 23% of raw ground chicken samples analyzed under USDA’s HACCP Verification Testing Program were positive for Salmonella.

It’s clear that USDA’s Salmonella policy is not working. CDC has identified two outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella illnesses this year – Salmonella Hadar associated with Jennie-O turkey burgers and Salmonella Heidelberg believed to be linked to ground turkey – that are associated with raw turkey meat. In 2010, an outbreak of Salmonella Chester illnesses was traced to contaminated Marie Callender frozen entrées. And in 2007, ConAgra (Banquet Foods) frozen pot pies were responsible for more than 270 illnesses and at least 65 hospitalizations.

We cannot even rely on USDA’s reported incidence levels of Salmonella in broiler and turkey carcasses, because the agency’s sampling method is badly flawed. One might almost conclude that the procedure was designed to underreport the true incidence of Salmonella in our raw poultry.

This is how USDA samples poultry carcasses for Salmonella testing (from the FSIS Laboratory Guidebook):

4.5.6 Whole Bird Rinses

Due to differences between sample types/sizes (e.g. chicken vs. turkey carcasses), follow instructions given in the specific program protocol.

a. For chicken carcasses, aseptically drain excess fluid from the carcass and transfer the carcass to a sterile Stomacher 3500 bag, or equivalent.

b. Pour 400 ml (or other volume specified in program protocol) of BPW into the cavity of the carcass contained in the bag.

c. Rinse the bird inside and out with a rocking motion for one minute (ca. 35 RPM). This is done by grasping the broiler carcass in the bag with one hand and the closed top of the bag with the other. Rock with a reciprocal motion in about an 18-24 inch arc, assuring that all surfaces (interior and exterior of the carcass) are rinsed.

d. Transfer the sample rinse fluid to a sterile container.

e. Use 30 ± 0.6 ml of the sample rinse fluid obtained above for Salmonella analysis. Add 30 ± 0.6 ml of sterile BPW and mix well.

f. Incubate at 35 ± 2C for 20-24 h.

g. Proceed to Section 4.6 to continue the cultural analysis or refer to MLG 4C for use of the BAX® PCR Assay.

Here are my problems with USDA’s method:

  • The first step in the procedure is to throw away excess fluid from the carcass – the very material that is most likely to contain Salmonella.
  • The carcass is rinsed with 400 ml (about 13.5 fluid ounces) of liquid – no problem there, if all of the liquid was used in the test. But USDA only uses 30 ml – less than 10% – of the rinse liquid for the Salmonella test.

In essence, USDA has dumbed down its Salmonella test, reducing the sensitivity of the test to less than 10% of what it should be – and easily could be.

USDA is fooling itself if the agency truly believes that its Salmonella data are valid. And it is misleading the US consumer.

The technology is available to address the problem of Salmonella in poultry. Just ask Denmark, or any of the Scandinavian countries.

The technology is available to test for Salmonella in poultry effectively. Just ask any non-USDA food microbiology lab.

It’s time to stop messing around with this food safety time bomb.

Recalls and Alerts: August 2, 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

  • Animal Feed Safety Recall: Ridley Block Operations, Inc. recalls Purina-Lix 38 Hi-E and RangeLand® 38 Hi-E free-choice supplement tubs for beef cattle (Lot No. DB00302716), because the softened product has the potential to contain excessive levels of urea. The recalled products were sold in Texas (Ft. Worth and Lubbock) and Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) through retail feed stores.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Diana Fruit Company, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) that a June 2011 inspection of the company’s acidified canned food manufacturing facility revealed significant deviations from the Emergency Permit Control regulations, and Acidified Foods regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Edenic Soy & Tofu, Inc. (Chicago, IL) that a February 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed serious violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Bagels Forever, Inc. (Madison, WI) that an April 2011 inspection of the company’s processing facility revealed significant violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation in manufacturing, packing, or holding human food in addition to significant violations of the labeling regulations for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns The H.T. Hackney Company (Knoxville, TN) that a February/March 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Inversiones Himalaya S.A. (Sechura – Piura, Peru) that a January 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed serious deviations from the low-acid canned food regulations.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1022): Listeria monocytogenes in pecorino cheese from Italy; distributed to Canada, Italy and the United States.

Canada

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1022): Listeria monocytogenes in pecorino cheese from Italy; distributed to Canada, Italy and the United States.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Medical Device Safety Recall (Hong Kong): CNW Far East Limited recalls all batches of its intrauterine contraceptive devices, Mona Lisa CuT 380A and Mona Lisa NT Cu 380 following discovery of mislabelling and wrong packaging involving the two models.
  • Outbreak Alert (Taiwan): One boy is dead and his twin is in hospital with severe food poisoning two days after consuming pieces of marinated ginger.

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.

Salmonella ‘Superbug’ Kills One – Sickens Seventy-Seven

Since March 9, 2011, a strain of Salmonella Heidelberg that is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics has sickened 77 people in 26 states. Twenty-two (38%) of the 58 people for whom the information is available have been hospitalized.

Thus far, illnesses have been reported from Alabama (1), Arizona (2), California (6), Georgia (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (7), Indiana (1), Kentucky (2), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (10), Minnesota (1), Missouri (2), Mississippi (1), New York (2), North Carolina (1), Nebraska (2), Nevada (1), Ohio (10), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (5), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (2), Texas (9), and Wisconsin (3).

The illnesses have been linked to the consumption of ground turkey from an as-yet unidentified source. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a Public Health Alert for Frozen, Fresh Ground Turkey Products on July 29th. Nearly one-half (49%) of the outbreak victims with available information reported having eaten ground turkey in the 7 days before they were interviewed.

According to CDC, cultures of four ground turkey samples – purchased between March 7th and June 27th from retail locations as part of the government’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System – were positive for Salmonella Heidelberg. Three of the four samples proved to be from a common production facility. The source of the fourth sample is still being determined. None of the four products that were found to contain Salmonella Heidelberg have been linked specifically to illnesses.

This is the second Salmonella outbreak in 2011 that is linked to the consumption of ground turkey products. As of April 1, 2011, twelve people in ten states were infected with an antibiotic-resistant strain of Salmonella Hadar after consuming turkey burgers from Jennie-O Turkey Store® inWillmar, MN. The poultry processor recalled 54,960 pounds of frozen, raw turkey burger products after samples of the burgers tested positive for the outbreak strain. State labs reported that the Salmonella Hadar outbreak strain was resistant to ampicillin, amoxicinnin/clavulanate, cephalothin and tetracycline.

The source of the Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak has not yet been identified; at least, its identity hasn’t been revealed. And no new recall of ground turkey products has been announced.

Ground turkey – like ground chicken – is a high risk food for Salmonella contamination. While turkey meat is perceived to be a healthy choice compared to ground beef, the relatively high baseline level of Salmonella in poultry products raises substantially the risk of undercooking and cross-contamination during handling.

CDC and FSIS are reminding consumers that, for safety, raw ground poultry must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF – and that the final temperature must be verified using a meat thermometer. Neither cooking for a specific number of minutes nor relying on the color of the meat, is a safe way to determine when ground poultry – or any raw meat – has been thoroughly cooked.

More information on the source of the contaminated ground turkey products should become available soon. Federal, state and local agencies are collecting and collating additional product information – including date and location of purchase of ground turkey meat – from outbreak victims as part of their traceback investigation.

Meanwhile, CDC offers the following advice to consumers, retailers and other food handlers:

  • Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry including frozen, fresh ground turkey. Then, disinfect the food contact surfaces using a freshly prepared solution of 1 tablespoon unscented liquid chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water.
  • Cook poultry thoroughly. Ground turkey and ground turkey dishes should always be cooked to 165 °F internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer; leftovers also should be reheated to 165 °F. The color of cooked poultry is not always a sure sign of its safety. Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately determine that poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product. Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink. Be particularly careful with foods prepared for infants, older adults, and persons with impaired immune systems. For more information, please see this FSIS fact sheet about safe food handling.
  • If served undercooked poultry in a restaurant, send it back to the kitchen for further cooking.
  • Cross-contamination of foods should be avoided. Uncooked meats should be kept separate from produce, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods. Hands, cutting boards, counters, knives, and other utensils should be washed thoroughly after touching uncooked foods. Hands should be washed before handling food, and between handling different food items.
  • Refrigerate raw and cooked meat and poultry within 2 hours after purchase (one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F). Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking. Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40 °F or below.
  • Persons who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated ground turkey should consult their health care providers. Infants, older adults, and persons with impaired immune systems are more likely than others to develop severe illness.