Category: Salmonella

Guatemalan Cantaloupe Spreads Salmonella Panama

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the US Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA), report that cantaloupes grown in and shipped from the Asuncion Mita farm in Guatemala are responsible for at least 12 cases of gastroenteritis due to Salmonella Panama in four states. The Asuncion Mita farm is owned and operated by Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. (“Del Monte”).

According to CDC,  confirmed cases of Salmonella Panama illness “… have been reported from Oregon (5 cases), Washington (4 cases), California (2 cases), and Maryland (1 case). Reported dates of illness onset range from February 5, 2011 to February 23, 2011. Ill persons range in age from less than 1 year old to 68 years old, with a median age of 12 years old. Sixty-six percent are male. Among ill persons, two have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.” The agency warns that more illness might yet come to light.

Yesterday (March 22, 2011) Del Monte recalled 4,992 cartons of cantaloupes. The cartons each contained 4 plastic beige mesh sleeves sealed with a plastic orange handle with the Del Monte logo and the statement “3 count, Product of Guatemala.” The cantaloupes were identified with lot codes 02-15-24-10, 02-15-25-10, 02-15-26-10 and 02-15-28-10, and were available for sale between March 10th and March 21st.

The recalled cantaloupes were sold in Costco Warehouse stores in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Costco has posted a recall notice on its web site. Del Monte has put on hold production and distribution of cantaloupes from its Asuncion Mita farm.

An efficient trace-back system helped FDA and CDC determine the likely source of the illnesses. CDC described the process in the following way:

“Eleven of 12 ill persons reported eating cantaloupe in the week before illness. Ten of these 11 ill persons purchased cantaloupes before becoming ill at seven different locations of a national warehouse clubs. Information gathered with patient permission from membership card records helped determine that ill persons purchased cantaloupes sourced from a single farm. Product traceback information indicates these cantaloupes were harvested from single farm in Guatemala.”

Notwithstanding CDC’s confidence in the outcome of its investigations, one flagrant discrepancy begs for an explanation. The Del Monte recall notice says that the implicated cantaloupes were available for sale from March 10th to March 21st, inclusive. But the confirmed illness reported to CDC occurred from February 5th to February 23rd, 2011. This suggests to me that the contamination problem pre-dates by more than one month the shipping dates of the cantaloupes formally recalled by Del Monte.

I also wonder how the Maryland case fits into the epidemiological equation, when the implicated melons are said to have been distributed only in seven western US states.

Del Monte has experienced two prior instances of Salmonella contamination in its cantaloupes. In October 2010, the company recalled 81 cartons of cantaloupes grown in and shipped from Arizona. The cantaloupes, which “… had the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella …” were  distributed to wholesalers in the Detroit area. One year earlier, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores recalled Del Monte cantaloupes from its Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source stores in Nevada and Northern California between Oct. 5 and Oct. 16, 2009 after Salmonella was detected in a sample of the melons during routine testing. No confirmed illnesses were associated with either recall.

While the recall and the investigation continue, CDC offers the following advice to consumers and retailers:

  • Consumer should not eat recalled cantaloupes and restaurant and food service operators should not serve them.
  • Consumers who have cantaloupes in their homes can check with the place of purchase to determine if the fruit came from this company.
  • Recalled cantaloupes should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals from eating them.
  • Persons who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated cantaloupes should consult their health care providers.
  • Consumers and food preparers should wash their hands before and after handling any melon.  Wash the surface of melons such as cantaloupes, and dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel before cutting.

Alternatively, consumers might switch to honeydew melons and watermelons for the duration.

Recall Roundup: March 22, 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

  • Food Safety Recall: Universal Nutrition (New Brunswick, NJ) recalls specific lot numbers for Gain Fast, LAVA, Real Gains, Super Whey Pro, Torrent, Ultra Mass 4500, Ultra Whey Pro and Uni-Syn because one ingredient, whey protein, has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed in all 50 states.
  • Food Safety Recall: Northwest Premium Meats (Nampa, ID) recalls approximately 2,130 pounds of Homestead brand and Panther Ranch brand smoked ham and bacon products because they contain sodium nitrite, which is not declared on the label.
  • Food Safety Recall: Lakeside Foods, Inc. (Manitowoc, WI) recalls 105 oz. canned Pickled Sliced Beets (Codes EFBB229/003034 and EFBB229/003047), because some of the cans may have been undercooked and have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The product was distributed under the Bountiful Harvest, Code Elite, Comsource Medal, Lakeside, Monarch, Nugget Black, Restaurant Pride, and Sysco Classic labels in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
  • Food Safety Recall: Palmyra Bologna Company, Inc. (Palmyra, PA) recalls approximately 23,000 pounds of Seltzer’s Beef Lebanon Bologna that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled products were manufactured in December 2010 and shipped to distribution centers in California, Colorado, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania for further distribution to retailers. The CDC and state public health agencies have identified four cases of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania that have been linked to the consumption of the recalled Lebanon bologna products.
  • Food Safety Recall: Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. (Coral Gables, FL) recalls 4,992 cartons of cantaloupes, each containing 4 plastic mesh sleeves with 3 cantaloupes per sleeve (lot codes 02-15-24-10, 02-15-25-10, 02-15-26-10 and 02-15-28-10), because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella Panama. The recalled melons were grown in and shipped from Del Monte Fresh’s farm Asuncion Mita in Guatemala and distributed through warehouse clubs (Costco, according to Marler Blog)  in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. FDA has notified Del Monte of 12 reported cases of Salmonella Panama that have been linked epidemiologically to these cantaloupes.

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.

Recall Roundup: March 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

  • Allergy Alert: Kashi (La Jolla, CA) recalls Kashi Southwest Style Chicken entrees (10 oz.; Est. No. P-17644; UPC Code 1862729292; lot code of DEC28 11 RF B1), due to the presence of undeclared egg. The recalled chicken entrees were produced for Kashi by Request Foods, Inc. (Holland, MI) on December 28, 2010 and shipped to retailers nationwide.
  • Food Safety Recall: World Variety Produce, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) recalls Serrano Peppers (Product of Mexico; Lot #69073901), because the peppers may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled Serrano Peppers were sold from bulk displays in Walmart stores (Wisconsin, Montana, Utah and Wyoming) and Jewel-Osco stores (Illinois) between March 1, 2011 through March 18, 2011.
  • Alcohol Prep Pad Safety Recall Update: Eli Lilly and Company warns that patients should not use the alcohol prep pads made by the Triad Group that are contained in the black starter kits for Forteo® [teriparatide (rDNA origin) injection] in the United States. The alcohol prep pads were recalled by the Triad Group due to contamination with Bacillus cereus.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: American Regent recalls all unexpired lots of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection, USP, 4 mg/mL, 1 mL Single Dose Vials; 5 mL and 30 mL Multiple Dose Vials, because some vials of these lots either contain particulates or have the potential to form particulates prior to their respective expiration dates.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Horyl’s Superior Sausage Company Ltd. recalls Horyl’s Superior Sausage brand Polish Sausage, Pickled Polish Sausage and Garlic Bologna (best before dates up to and including 17 March 11) due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled sausage products were distributed in Nova Scotia.
  • Allergy Alert: CFIA warns the public that Chocolatey Chocolate Chip flavour Raw Organic Food Bars (Lot #01081610 and Lot #2071210) are being removed from the market due to the presence of undeclared peanuts. The imported product is known to have been distributed in Quebec and Ontario and may have been distributed nationally.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Mylan Pharmaceuticals recalls Lot #1037180 of Mylan-Minocycline 50mg capsules (bottles of 100) and Mylan-Amlodipine 5mg tablets (bottles of 100), due to a labeling error in which the Mylan Amlodipind tablet labels were mixed with Mylan-Minocycline capsule labels.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Biogan recalls Organic red lentils (Product of Turkey; Best before 24.05.2012) and Organic green lentils (Product of Turkey; Best before 30.10.2011), due to the presence of the pesticide Glyphosate.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Froosh ApS recalls Strawberry & Banana Smoothie (Batch L1040; Best before 08.08.2011), because a production error has resulted in fermentation of the product.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (France): Sanofi-Aventis France recalls Aturgyl brand Nasal Spray, 0.05% (Lot No. 211), due to contamination with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Australian International Foods Pty Ltd, and Woolworths Supermarkets Limited recall Woolworths Homebrand Mini Vegetable Spring Rolls (Product of China; Best Before dates from the 13 Jun 2012 to 05 Jan 2013 inclusive), because the frozen spring rolls may contain undeclared peanuts. The recalled product was sold in Woolworths/Safeway/Food for Less/Flemings Supermarkets nationally from 19 August 2010 until 18 March 2011.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall (Australia): JT Publishing Australia Pty Ltd recalls Chao Jimengnan ‘SuperPowerful Man’ tablets after the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) detects the presence of the prescription-only ingredients sulfosildenafil and tadalafil. The amounts of the prescription-only ingredients are significant and may cause severe side effects.
  • Herbal Supplement Safety Advisory (Australia): TGA advises Australian consumers that Fu Yuan Chun capsules, which are advertised over the Internet as being based on a traditional Chinese formula, have been found to contain therapeutic quantities of tadalafil (the active ingredient in Cialis). Tadalafil is a prescription-only substance in Australia, and may be harmful if taken without the supervision of a medical professional, particularly in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease.

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.