Tag: Salmonella Bareilly

FDA Identifies Source of Salmonella Bareilly Outbreak

Frozen, scraped, raw yellowfin tuna backmeat, known as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA has been fingered as the source of an outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly illnesses that sickened at least 116 people in 20 states and the District of Columbia.

Here is what FDA reported late this afternoon:

Moon Marine USA Corporation (also known as MMI) of Cupertino, Calif. is voluntarily recalling 58,828 lbs of a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, labeled as Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat, which is specifically scraped off from the bones, and looks like a ground product.

The Nakaochi Scrape is associated with an outbreak of 116 cases of Salmonella Bareilly in multiple states: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (5), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Illinois (10), Louisiana (2), Maryland (11), Massachusetts (8), Mississippi (1), Missouri (2), New Jersey (7), New York (24), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (5), Rhode Island (5), South Carolina (3), Texas (3), Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (12).

The raw yellowfin tuna product may have passed through several distributors before reaching the restaurant and grocery market, and may not be marked with lot information. Distributors and end users should consult their suppliers to determine the origin of any Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA in their possession.

The recalled product was not distributed for retail sale to consumers, but may have been used to make sushi, sashimi, ceviche and similar dishes available in restaurants and grocery stores. While the company name and “Nakaochi Scrape AA or AAA were printed on boxes of product supplied to distributors, the tuna may not be readily identifiable by consumers as being from implicated lots.

News of the Salmonella Bareilly outbreak first broke on April 3rd. As of the CDC’s last update (April 13th), twelve people are known to have been hospitalized out of the 116 confirmed case patients. Reported onset dates for illnesses range from January 28th to March 31st. The youngest outbreak victim is 4 years of age; the oldest is 78 years old. Half of the confirmed case patients are female.

FDA has this advice for consumers:

  • Because raw seafood is not fully cooked to assure that pathogens are destroyed, it is not considered as “safe” as cooked seafood. The handling of raw seafood can also affect the safety of the product. Because the tuna may have been broken into unmarked sublots and may not be readily identifiable, consumers should take precautions in choosing to eat raw Nakaochi Scrape and be sure that it is not from the implicated lots.
  • If you purchase “spicy tuna” or other sushi, sashimi, ceviche, or similar dishes that might contain Nakaochi Scrape from a restaurant or grocery store, check with the establishment to make sure that it does not contain raw recalled product from Moon Marine USA Corporation, also known as MMI. When in doubt, don’t eat it.
  • Consumers who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated raw Nakaochi Scrape should consult their health care providers.

Salmonella Bareilly Outbreak – What The States Know

The multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly illness now stands, officially, at 93 people infected in 19 states and the District of Columbia, according to an Investigation Announcement released by CDC.

Illnesses have been confirmed in Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (4), District of Columbia (2), Georgia (4), Illinois (8), Louisiana (2), Maryland (8), Massachusetts (4), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (6), New York (23), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (2), Rhode Island (4), South Carolina (3), Texas (3), Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (8). Ten outbreak victims have been hospitalized. Seventeen of the 23 New York cases were reported from outside of the New York City area.

The number of confirmed cases will grow. eFoodAlert already has been told by the Connecticut Department of Public Health that they have identified five victims (compared with the total of four victims reported by CDC in that state).  None of the Connecticut outbreak victims were hospitalized. Investigations and food trace back activities are still underway in a number of states, including California, which is not one of the 19 states to have reported cases.

Illness onset dates range from January 28 to March 23, 2012. The youngest confirmed patient is 4 years old; the oldest is 78. Among the people for whom a food history is available, 69% reported eating sushi, sashimi or similar foods in the week before illness onset. This compares with a survey of healthy people in which only 5% reported having consumed these types of food.

Details are still sketchy, but a few states have shared additional information with eFoodAlert or have posted a summary on its website. Here is what we know, as of today (April 5th):

  • Connecticut:- Five outbreak cases identified; none hospitalized. Victims became ill in mid-February and early March.
  • Illinois:- The Illinois Department of Public Health reports nine confirmed cases, including three who were hospitalized. Illness onset dates range from February 11th to March 17th. Outbreak cases were reported from Chicago (6), Cook County (1) and Will County (2).
  • Louisiana:- Two confirmed cases (one male and one female); both hospitalized. Both became ill in mid-February. One of the victims reported eating spicy roll sushi in the week before becoming ill. No food history is available for the other victim.
  • New York State:- Seventeen confirmed cases (excluding New York City, which is covered by its own health department); one person hospitalized. The earliest New York State victim became ill on March 1st. Victims range from 16 to 78 years of age.
  • Virginia:- Five confirmed cases; none hospitalized. The earliest illness onset date was early February. All five outbreak victims are 20-50 years old, and live in the central and northwestern part of the state.
  • Wisconsin:- The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reports eight confirmed cases – three in Milwaukee and five in Waukesha. All are adults. Three of the eight were hospitalized.

The following states have informed eFoodAlert that they have not identified any outbreak related cases, and have no suspect cases under investigation at this time: Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.

CDC reports that the investigation has not yet conclusively identified a food source. Federal, state and local health officials are continuing to identify and interview other outbreak victims.

At this stage in the investigation, CDC has no specific advice or recommendations for the public, and is not suggesting that consumers avoid eating any particular foods.

Salmonella Bareilly Outbreak Update – 93 People Ill

The multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly illness that was first reported yesterday now stands at 93 people infected in 19 states and the District of Columbia, according to an Investigation Announcement just released by CDC.

Illnesses have been confirmed in Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (4), District of Columbia (2), Georgia (4), Illinois (8), Louisiana (2), Maryland (8), Massachusetts (4), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (6), New York (23), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (2), Rhode Island (4), South Carolina (3), Texas (3), Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (8). Ten outbreak victims have been hospitalized. Seventeen of the 23 New York cases were reported from outside of the New York City area.

The number of confirmed cases will grow. eFoodAlert already has been told by the Connecticut Department of Public Health that they have identified five victims (compared with the total of four victims reported by CDC in that state).  None of the Connecticut outbreak victims were hospitalized. Investigations and food trace back activities are still underway in a number of states, including California, which is not one of the 19 states to have reported cases.

Illness onset dates range from January 28 to March 23, 2012. The youngest confirmed patient is 4 years old; the oldest is 78. Among the people for whom a food history is available, 69% reported eating sushi, sashimi or similar foods in the week before illness onset. This compares with a survey of healthy people in which only 5% reported having consumed these types of food.

CDC reports that the investigation has not yet conclusively identified a food source. Federal, state and local health officials are continuing to identify and interview other outbreak victims.

At this stage in the investigation, CDC has no specific advice or recommendations for the public, and is not suggesting that consumers avoid eating any particular foods.