Case count surges in mid-western Cyclospora outbreak

More than 200 people in eight US states have become infected with Cyclospora since the first half of May, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-three people have been hospitalized.

Epidemiological and traceback investigations are pointing the finger at bagged salads containing iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage produced by Fresh Express.

A total of 206 cases of cyclosporiasis have been confirmed in Illinois (57), Iowa (74), Kansas (1), Minnesota (25), Missouri (10) Nebraska (20), North Dakota (6), and Wisconsin (13).

Four Cyclospora oocysts from fresh stool stained using a modified acid-fast stain. The oocysts are variably acid fast (that is, they range from unstained to light pink to deep red or purple). (Credit: CDC/DPDx)

The average incubation period for Cyclospora is 1 week. Symptoms of infection can appear from 2 days to 2 weeks following ingestion of a contaminated food and may include: watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue. Some patients may also experience vomiting and low-grade fever.

Jewel-Osco, Fresh Express, ALDI and Hy-Vee have recalled bagged iceberg lettuce salad in recent days, including the following items:

Signature Farms Garden Salad (12-oz bags; BEST IF USED BY dates of May 16 through July 4; UPC 21130 98135; Plant #S5417). Sold in Jewel-Osco stores in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.
Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad (12-oz bags (UPC 6 81131 32894 4) and 24-oz bags (6 81131 32895 1); Best if used by May 19 to July 04). Sold in Wal-Mart stores in Iowa, Minnesota Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Little Salad Bar Garden Salad (12-oz bags; Best If Used By dates of May 1 through June 29; UPC 4099100082975). Sold in ALDI stores in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salad (All UPCs and expiration dates). Sold in Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

CDC warns that the items recalled so far do not account for all reported outbreak cases. Additional suspect products may be identified and added to the recall list.

Do not eat or serve any of the recalled items. Check your home for any of these recalled salads. Throw any remaining salad away, even if some of it has been eaten and no one has gotten sick.

If you live in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin and don’t know whether the bagged salad mix you have in your home is one of these recalled salads, do not eat it. Throw it away.

FDA is working with Fresh Express to identify other retailers that may have received the implicated bagged salad mix, and is working with retailers to ensure that all of the recalled products have been removed from the marketplace.

CDC requests that anyone experiencing symptoms of Cyclospora infection should do the following:

Talk to your healthcare provider.
Write down what you ate in the two weeks before you started to get sick.
Report your illness to the health department.
Assist public health investigators by answering questions about your illness.

Recalls and Alerts: June 21 – 24, 2020

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

OUTBREAK ALERT UPDATE: CDC and FDA are continuing to investigate a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses that has affected 122 individuals in 7 states and 19 of the outbreak victims required hospitalization. The outbreak has been linked to consumption of bagged salad mixes. Several products have been recalled, but the recalled items do not account for all of the reported cases, according to CDC. Please refer to the list of recalled items, below.

Allergy Alert: Mount Franklin Foods, LLC dba Azar Nut Company recalls 7-Select Yogurt Pretzels (5-oz pouch; Lots YR20140 & JT20147; Best by May/19/2021 and May/26/2021, respectively) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert: Trident Seafoods recalls Gordon Choice® Imitation Crab Supreme Style (40-oz pkg; Lot codes M828803, M904202, M916303, M935004, M016004) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert: Flagstone Foods LLC recalls North Star Sweet & Salty Caramel Trail Mix (14 oz; Lot code 05M04210; Expiration date 04/22/2021) due to undeclared cashews.

Food Safety Recall (see Outbreak Alert): Hy-Vee, Inc. recalls Hy-Vee Bagged Garden Salad (12 oz; all UPCs and expirations dates) due to potential Cyclospora contamination. The recalled products were sold at Hy-Vee locations in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Food Safety Recall (see Outbreak Alert): ALDI recalls Little Salad Bar Garden Salad (All product codes; Use by dates of May 16 to July 04) due to potential Cyclospora contamination. The recalled products were sold in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Food Safety Recall (see Outbreak Alert): Jewel-Osco recalls Signature Farms Garden Salad (12-oz bag; Best if used by May 16 through July 4) due to potential Cyclospora contamination. The recalled products were sold in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Sandwicherie Viet recalls Nem Chua (variable weights; sold up to and including 23 June 2020) due to manufacture and/or packaging under conditions that do not ensure safety for human consumption.

Europe

Allergy Alert Update (Belgium): PepsiCo BeLux recalls Lay’s Bugles Nacho Cheese (30g & 125g; Lots BV 81803 132, BV 81804 132, BV 81805 132, BV 81806 132, BV 81803 133, BV 81804 133, BV 81805 133 & BV 81806 133; Best before 19/09/2020) due to undeclared soy and wheat.

Allergy Alert (France): Bioporc recalls Bonjour Campagne Saucisson sec Bio / Organic dry sausage (Lot #L17.02; Best before 25/07/2020) due to undeclared hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): DekaMarkt and Dirk recall 1 de Beste Roomsaus / cheese sauce due to undeclared soy.

Food Safety Recall (Austria): EZA Fairer Handel recalls Belgische Trüffel / Belgian Truffle (100g; Batch #09091901; Sell by 9.9.2020) due to foreign matter (piece of metal) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Colruyt recalls Burgers au fromage / cheeseburgers (±300g; Best before 28/6/2020) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Industry recalls Sodebo brand Planet Wrap Libanais (Poulet à la libanaise) / Lebanese style chicken wrap (220g; Best before 30/06/2020) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Nordic Seafood A/S recalls COOP Kæmperejer, kogte / COOP Giant shrimp, cooked (300g; Lot #TASE_20/15; Best before 18-03-2022, 19-03-2022 & 20-03-2022) due to Vibrio cholerae contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Courses U recalls U Saveurs brand Véritable Andouille de Guémené à l’Ancienne/ Authentic old-style andouille de Guémené sausage (±270g; Lots 30E300410, 30E040520, 30E050520; Best before 01/08/2020 & 06/08/2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): L’Atelier de l’Argoat recalls L’Atelier de l’Argoat brand Véritable Andouille de Guémené à l’Ancienne (sold between 12/06/2020 and 19/06/2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): SODEBO recalls Sodebo brand Planet Wrap Libanais (Poulet à la libanaise) / Lebanese style chicken wrap (220g; Best before 30/06/2020) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Romania): SC VANBET S.R.L. recalls OUĂ 30 M / Eggs 30 M (Lot 160; Expiration 05.07.2020; Health mark RO EPC 53 CE) due to Salmonella contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Israel): SHEMO Bakery Ltd. recalls Cranberries with white chocolate coating (100g; Best before 2.9.20) due to undeclared milk.

Recalls and Alerts: June 18 – 20, 2020

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United States

OUTBREAK ALERT: CDC, FDA and public health officials in several states are investigating an outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to bagged salads. FDA and CDC are recommending that consumers should not eat, and restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve all ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salad sold in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri, all Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salad sold in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska, and Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salad sold in Illinois. As of now, CDC is aware of lab-confirmed cases in 6 states. Sixteen people have been hospitalized. The investigation is on-going.

Allergy Alert: H-E-B recalls several gallon-size Hill Country Fare fruit drinks due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert: Fresh Express recalls Fresh Express Southwest Chopped Kit (11.5 oz; Production codes G163B10A and G163B10B; Use by June 29) due to undeclared wheat, soy, cashews, and coconut.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Les Aliments Johnvince recalls Sweetened dried cranberries (variable weights – approx. 300g/bag; PLU 5176; Codes 06472, 06481, 0648; May have been sold from May 28, 2020 up to and including June 8, 2020) due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): PepsiCo BeLux recalls Lay’s Bugles Nacho Cheese (various package sizes and lot codes) due to undeclared soy and wheat. Please refer to the recall notice for additional details on the affected products.

Allergy Alert (Finland): Kesko Oyj recalls Pirkka Best Shrimp Salad Skagen (200g; Expiration date 4.8.2020) due to undeclared saithe, cod, wheat starch, and soy.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Delhaize and Lidl recall Lay’s Bugles Nacho Cheese (125g; Lots BV 81804 132, BV 81805 132, BV 81806 132; Best before 19/09/20) due to undeclared soy and wheat.

Allergy Alert (UK): Co-op recalls Co-op brand 2 Herby Pork Loin Medallions (305g; Use by 28 June 2020) due to undeclared soy.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Albert Heijn recalls AH gerookte forelfilet / smoked trout filet (125g; Best before 20/06 to 04/07, inclusinve) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): STONEMANOR INTERNATIONAL LTD recalls PRIMULA CHEESE TUBES (150g; All lot codes and expiry dates) due to potential Clostridium botulinum contamination.

Food Safety Recall Update (Belgium): Industry recalls jelly candies, jelly fruit cups and jelly straws due to a potential choking hazard. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Société DETRY recalls CARREFOUR PATE DE CAMPAGNE AU POIVRE VERT / Country-style paté with green pepper (150g; Lot #2412; Best before 10/07/2020) due to lack of a preservative agent.

Food Safety Recall (France): ELIVIA recalls ground beef sold under a variety of labels and store brands due to foreign matter (small metal filament) contamination. Please refer to Oulah! for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls various Carrefour BIO and Carrefour Sélection delicatessen meats due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Carrefour Sélection brand Prosciutto cotto alle erbe / prosciutto with herbs (120g; All lot/date codes) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Carrefour Bio brand Jambon cuit supérieur découenné Bio / organic cooked ham (100g; All lot/date codes) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Carrefour Sélection brand Mortadella Bologna (100g; All lot/date codes) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Sennereigenossenschaft Hatzenstädt recalls Schnittkäse „Almbauernkäse“ / Sliced Alpine Farm Cheese (Sold between May 1 and June 8, 2020.) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Auchan recalls various Auchan brand ground beef and ground meat due to foreign matter (small metal filament) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall Update (Luxembourg): Industry recalls various jelly candies due to potential choking hazard. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Industry recalls various brands of smoked filet of trout due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Sweden): Findus recalls Original Oxpytt Storpack (1500g; Lot codes L0068, L0069, L0070; Best before 06 2021) due to foreign matter (thin, 3 cm long metal wire) contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): CitySuper recalls Primula Original Cheese Spread (150g; Best before December 29, 2020; January 7, 2021; January 12, 2021; and January 14, 2021; Product of UK) and Primula Cheese Spread with Chives (150g; Best before December 29, 2020; January 5, 2021; January 12, 2021; and January 19, 2021; Product of UK) due to Clostridium botulinum contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Singapore): Atasco Pte Ltd recalls all Primula cheese spreads in tubes due to Clostridium botulinum contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.