Tag: PHAC

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.

US exports Cyclospora outbreak to Canada

From cdc.gov

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has received reports of 37 confirmed cases of Cyclospora illnesses in Ontario (26), Quebec (10) and Newfoundland and Labrador (1).

The infections developed between mid-May and mid-June. One person has been hospitalized.

PHAC considers the outbreak to be ongoing, as the agency continues to receive reports of recent illnesses.

At least some of the outbreak victims report having eaten certain Fresh Express brand salad products containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and carrots before they fell ill. The rest of the cases are still under investigation.

On June 29, 2020, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced a recall of twelve varieties of Fresh Express brand salad products, which had been imported from the USA.

At the time of the recall, no Canadian illnesses associated with these products had been reported to PHAC.

The salad mixes implicated in this outbreak, and in a concurrent 8-state outbreak in the US, were produced at the Fresh Express facility located in Streamwood, Illinois. FDA is conducting a detailed traceback investigation into the source of the contamination.

The Cyclospora outbreak in the US has spread to 8 midwestern states, and has sickened at least 509 individuals as of CDC’s most recent (July 9, 2020) update. Thirty-three people have been hospitalized.

Lab-confirmed cases have been reported in Illinois (151), Iowa (160), Kansas (5), Minnesota (63), Missouri (46) Nebraska (48), North Dakota (6), and Wisconsin (30).

The following companies have announced product recalls in the USA due to Cyclospora contamination. Please click on the links for additional information on recalled products.

The recalled products have been distributed nationwide across Canada and in the following US states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 

Products may have been further distributed and sent to retailers in additional states, according to FDA.

Consumers in Canada and the USA should check their refrigerators and discard any recalled products with production codes beginning with lot code “Z177” or a lower number and have best before dates up to and including 20JUL08 – 20JUL14. This includes Fresh Express brand products in Canada and both Fresh Express and the above-mentioned store brands in the USA.

Symptoms of Cyclospora infection usually begin within one week of consuming a contaminated product and may include: watery diarrhea, abdominal bloating and gas, fatigue (tiredness), stomach cramps, loss of appetite, weight loss, mild fever, and/or nausea. Symptoms may disappear and then return over a period of several weeks without treatment.

If you think you may have eaten a recalled product and are experiencing these symptoms, please consult a health care professional without delay.

 

 

 

Canadian Listeria monocytogenes outbreak blamed on diced chicken imported from USA

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is investigating seven cases of Listeria monocytogenes infections in three Canadian provinces.

Five of the seven cases were reported during the period April – June 2019; the other two cases, involving the same genetic strain, occurred in 2017.

Six of the seven outbreak victims were admitted to hospital.

Outbreak cases were reported in British Columbia (1), Manitoba (1) and Ontario (5). The outbreak victims’ ages range between 51 and 97 years. Six of the seven victims are female.

The source of the outbreak has been traced to a production batch of Rosemount brand cooked diced chicken meat, which was supplied to hotels, restaurants and institutions. The implicated product was not packaged for retail sale.

As a result of the traceback investigation, Rosemount Sales and Marketing has recalled the following product:

Rosemount brand Cooked diced chicken meat 13 mm – ½” (#16305) (4.54Kg; PACKDATE: 01/21/19; UPC 2 06 20263 12454 7)

The recalled product was supplied to hotels, restaurants and institutions in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, and may have been distributed nationwide.

The fully cooked, diced chicken is a product of the USA, and was exported to Canada under USDA Export Certificate No. 039833. The manufacturer cannot be identified from the package labeling.

According to PHAC, anyone can become sick from Listeria bacteria, but those at highest risk of serious illness include pregnant women, their unborn children and newborns, adults 65 and over, and people with weakened immune systems.

Individuals living in group homes, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes would be members of one or more of these at-risk groups.

What you need to know
  • Foods that are contaminated with Listeria may look, smell and taste normal. Unlike most bacteria, Listeria can survive and sometimes grow on foods being stored in the refrigerator.
  • Symptoms of mild Listeria monocytogenes infections can appear as early as three days after exposure to a contaminated food, and may include fever, nausea, cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, constipation, and muscle aches.
  • Symptoms of severe infections may not appear until 2-3 weeks following exposure, and can take up to 70 days to develop. These symptoms can include stiff neck, confusion, headache, and loss of balance.
  • Pregnant women infected with Listeria monocytogenes may experience complications including stillbirth, early delivery, and infection in the newborn baby.
  • Severe cases of Listeria monocytogenes infections can be deadly.
What you need to do
  • If you have Rosemount brand cooked diced chicken meat 13mm – ½” (#16305), packdate – 01/21/2019 in your food establishment, do not eat the product or serve it to others
  • Secure the product and any foods made with the product in a plastic bag, throw it out and wash your hands with warm soapy water.
  • If you are unsure whether your Rosemount brand chicken is part of the food recall warning, discard the product.  Do not serve or consume it.
  • If you suspect you have become ill from eating Rosemount brand cooked diced chicken meat, or have symptoms consistent with listeriosis, talk with your healthcare provider.