Tag: FDA

Thomson Onion Salmonella Outbreak: Is CDC Missing in Action?

On July 21, 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informed the public of an outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections.

On July 24th, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) informed the public of an outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections apparently caused by the same outbreak strain as CDC was finding in the United States.

At the time of the initial reports, neither agency had determined the source of the outbreak.

On July 30th, PHAC updated its outbreak advisory, informing Canadians that the outbreak was linked to consumtion of red onions imported from the United States. That same day, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) posted a recall notice for red onions imported by Sysco in Western Canada.

Using the Canadian data as its starting point, on July 31st, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC announced that the US outbreak was linked to consumption of red onions produced by Thomson International, Inc. of Bakersfield, California.

Thomson International is a family-owned business, incorporated in California.

On August 1st, Thomson recalled its entire harvest of red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions from the 2020 growing season – approximately 18,750 tons of onions. The onions were distributed across the United States and exported to Canada.

CDC issued status updates of the size and scope of the US outbreak on August 3rd, August 7th, August 18th and September 1st, and has not been heard from since.

PHAC issued status updates of the size and scope of the Canadian outbreak on August 2nd, August 7th, August 14th, August 21st, August 31st and September 14th.

By August 7th, FDA had initiated its on-site investigation of Thomson’s Bakersfield facility, looking for the source of the Salmonella Newport contamination. By August 11th, FDA personnel had submitted 370 samples to the agency’s lab for Salmonella testing, including 278 swab samples, 82 onion samples, and 10 miscellaneous environmental samples, according to information obtained by eFoodAlert in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Not a single sample contained Salmonella.

The FDA investigation is still in progress. However, with the growing season complete and the packing plant idle, the chances of finding the source of the Salmonella Newport diminish day by day.

As of the last report from CDC, 1012 individuals in 47 states have been infected with Salmonella Newport as a result of having consumed contaminated onions. Only Louisiana, Oklahoma and Vermont have not reported any outbreak cases. Although there have been no deaths associated with this outbreak, 136 (more than 13%) of the victims have required a hospital stay.

In Canada, there have been 506 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport in seven provinces, and 71 people (14%) have been hospitalized.

Canada v. USA – A Performance Comparison

Why was CDC unable to determine the link between red onions and the Salmonella Newport outbreak until after PHAC had made the connection?

Why has CDC not provided an update to its outbreak status report in three weeks?

Why does Canada appear to have been much harder hit by this outbreak than the United States – 13.7 cases per million Canadians versus only 3.1 per million Americans? Is this due to some quirk of distribution, or have PHAC and its provincial partners done a better job of reporting than CDC and the various state health agencies?

Has the Covid-19 pandemic hit CDC so hard that it no longer has the resources to follow-up on illness outbreaks elsewhere?

 

IF CDC IS MISSING IN ACTION, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE US POPULATION?

 

 

Recalls and Alerts: September 13 – 16, 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.

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United States

REGULATORY ACTION UNDER FDA PRODUCE SAFETY RULE: FDA announces a consent decree of permanent injunction against Fortune Food Product, Inc., an Illinois-based processor of sprouts and soy products. The consent decree prohibits Fortune Food Product, Inc. from growing, harvesting, packing and holding sprouts and soy products at or from their facility, or any other facility, until certain requirements are met. The consent decree requires the defendants to, among other things, take corrective actions and notify the FDA before such operations may resume.

Allergy Alert: Willow Tree Poultry Farm, Inc. recalls Willow Tree Premium White Meat CHICKEN SALAD Classic (15 oz; Sell by 9/30/20 and a time stamp of 13:00:00 through 17:00:00) due to undeclared walnuts.

Canada

OUTBREAK ALERT UPDATE: PHAC reports 506 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport illness linked to onions in British Columbia (116), Alberta (292), Saskatchewan (34), Manitoba (25), Ontario (14), Quebec (24) and Prince Edward Island (1). The onions were produced by Thomson International, Inc. (Bakersfield, California) and imported into Canada.

Food Safety Recall: Poissonnerie Québec Océan recalls three products due to lack of required labeling regarding mandatory refrigeration. Please refer to the recall notice for a list of affected products.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Iceland): Matvælastofnun alerts the public that Bónus Kjarnabrauði bread (Best before 15.09.2020) contains undeclared lupines.

Allergy Alert (Italy): Shankara Bulgaria ltd recalls GIUSTO Senza Glutine brand COOKIE AVENA MIRTILLI ROSSI E CIOCCOLATO / Oat cookies with cranberries and chocolate (50g; Lot No./Best before 03-05-2021) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert (Italy): Shankara Bulgaria ltd recalls GIUSTO Senza Glutine brand COOKIE AVENA COCCO ARANCIA / Oat cookies with orange and coconut (50g; Lot No./Best before 23-04-2021) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert (Luxembourg): Industry recalls TARTICHOC brand Pâte à tartiner au chocolat fondant (Best before 05/2021 to 08/2021) and TARTICHOC brand Pâte à tartiner au chocolat lait (Best before 05/2021 to 07/2021) due to undeclared hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (UK): SPAR recalls SPAR Pesto Chicken Breast Sizzlers (330g; Batch codes 110920016 & 140920026; Use by 22 September 2020 & 23 September 2020, respectively) due to undeclared egg.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): WESTVLEES recalls Carrefour bio brand BIO AMERICAIN NATURE / raw ground meat (250g; Lot 637; Expiry date 20/09/2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delikip Bv recalls pilons de poulet marinés / marinated chicken legs (4 pieces / 4.2-4.8 kg; Lot #11092020; Best before 18/09/2020) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): La Fromagerie du Pays Welsche recalls La Fromagerie du Pays Welsche brand Munster fermier AOP traditionnel / Traditional Munster cheese (Lot #A189; Best before 15/09/2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): James O’Brien Farmhouse Cheese recalls All cheeses produced or cut by James O’Brien Farmhouse Cheese including brie, cheddar, feta, gouda and halloumi (all batches and ‘best before’ dates) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Sicily Food SRL recalls UNES brand SALMONE NORVEGESE AFFUMICATO / Norwegian smoked salmon (50g; Lot #SA75-22620; Best before 22-09-2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

 

Salmonella case count soars in onion outbreak – UPDATED

As of August 7, 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received reports of 640 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport infections across 43 states.

Eight-five outbreak victims have required hospitalization.

In addition to the US outbreak, 239 confirmed cases have been reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) across seven provinces as of August 7th. Twenty-nine Canadians have been hospitalized.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) illnesses in both countries have been linked to red onions grown and supplied by Thomson International, Inc. (Thomson) of Bakersfield, CA.

On August 1st, Thomson recalled all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions, including red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions shipped from May 1, 2020 to present.

The recalled onions were supplied to customers in the USA and Canada under several brand names, including:

  • Thomson Premium
  • TLC Thomson International
  • Tender Loving Care
  • El Competitor
  • Hartley’s Best
  • Onions 52
  • Majestic
  • Imperial Fresh
  • Kroger
  • Utah Onions
  • Food Lion

In addition to the Thomson recall, companies in the United States and Canada have recalled Thomson-supplied onions or products that contain onions on the Thomson recall list. Please follow the links to the individual recall notices for a complete list of products.

US recalls

ALDI
Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy (Southwest Turkey Cobb Salads)
Costco Wholesale (multiple recall notices)
Department of Defense Commissaries
Giant Eagle
Food Lion
Fred Meyer
Fry’s Food Stores
H-E-B
Kroger
Martin’s Groceries, Supermarket & Pharmacy
Publix Super Markets
Schnucks
Smith’s
Stop&Shop
Super 1 Foods
Taylor Farms (products without meat)
Taylor Farms (products containing meat)
Walmart (multiple recall notices)

Canadian recalls

List of recalled products in Canada
Costco Canada
Freshpoint Foodservice
Giant Tiger
Multiple companies
Sysco

This outbreak is not over. Both CDC and PHAC are anticipating additional cases. To keep yourself and your family and your customers safe, please take note of the following guidance:

Advice to consumers

Check your home for red, white, yellow, and sweet varieties, including whole, sliced, or chopped onions, and any prepared foods that contain onions as an ingredient, such as premade salads, sandwiches, wraps, salsas or dips. 

  • If you have onions at home:
    • Look for a label showing where the onion was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker. 
    • If the packaging or sticker shows that it is from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
    • If it isn’t labeled, don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
    • If you don’t know whether the onion found in a premade salad, sandwich, wrap, salsa or dip contains onions from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
    • Wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with onions or their packaging, such as countertops, fridge drawers, pantry shelves, knives, and cutting boards.
  • If you buy onions at grocery or convenience stores:
    • Make sure they are not selling onions from Thomson International Inc., or serving fresh foods prepared with them. 
    • If you can’t confirm that the onion in stores is not from Thomson International Inc., don’t buy it.
  • If you order salad or any other food items containing onions at a restaurant or food establishment:
    • Ask the staff whether their onions come from Thomson International Inc. If they did, or they don’t know, don’t eat it.
  • Do not eat any recalled food products. Check to see if you have recalled food products at home. If you do, throw them out and wash your hands. 
  • If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection, consult a healthcare practitioner immediate.
  • If you have been diagnosed with a Salmonella infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
  • Contact your local public health authority to report any food safety concerns at restaurants or grocery stores, or if you suspect food poisoning from a restaurant or other food establishments.

Advice to restaurants, retailers, suppliers and distributors

  • Check the label on bags or boxes of onions, or ask their suppliers about the source of their onions.
  • Do not ship or sell onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions.
  • Clean and sanitize all surfaces and storage bins that onions may have come in contact with, including cutting boards, countertops, slicers, utensils, and containers used to store or transport them.