Human Salmonella illnesses linked to raw pet food; Woody’s launches recall

This story by Phyllis Entis first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission

Woody’s Pet Food Deli is recalling three date codes of raw turkey pet food found by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to be contaminated with Salmonella. The agriculture department initiated testing after the Minnesota Department of Health identified a human case of Salmonella Reading linked to the pet food.

Public health officials discovered during their investigation that Woody’s Pet Deli raw turkey pet food was fed regularly to a pet in the household of the infected individual. The pet tested positive for a different strain of Salmonella.

Woody’s is a small Minnesota-based chain of pet food shops, with locations in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Woodbury.

The recalled product was sold in 5-pound plastic containers, identified as “Woody’s Pet Food Deli Raw Free Range Turkey,” and bearing one of the following Use By dates: 01/10/20, 01/12/20, 01/15/20.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an ongoing multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Reading infections linked to raw turkey products from multiple sources. The outbreak has been in progress since November 2017. As of Dec. 18, 2018, there had been 216 cases of Salmonella Reading illnesses reported in 38 states. One person has died and 84 have been hospitalized.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has been tracking 33 Salmonella illnesses in six provinces. Those patients are linked to raw turkey and raw chicken products. The same outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading has been recovered from both Canadian and U.S. patients.

No single source or supplier in either the United States or Canada of raw turkey products or of live turkeys has been identified that could account for the whole outbreak.

In November 2018 and again in December 2018, Jennie-O-Turkey Store Sales in Wisconsin and Minnesota respectively recalled nearly 128 tons of raw ground turkey products that were associated with the Salmonella Reading outbreak.

This is the second pet food recall linked to the Salmonella Reading outbreak. In February 2018, Raws for Paws recalled about 4,000 pounds of ground turkey pet food after two children were infected with Salmonella Reading. The outbreak strain was recovered from samples of the Raws for Paws food fed to pets in the household where the children lived. One of the two children was hospitalized with osteomyelitis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection in people usually include diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. Infected pets may experience diarrhea, fever and vomiting, or may be without symptoms. Even asymptomatic pets may shed Salmonella in their feces, spreading the infection in the environment.

Individuals who have purchased the recalled Woody’s product should throw it out or return it for a full refund. Consumers with questions should telephone their Woody’s store or contact the company by email at info@woodyspetdeli.com.

Recalls and Alerts: January 27 – 29, 2019

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

OUTBREAK ALERT / Pet Food Safety Recall: Woody’s Pet Food Deli recalls Woody’s Pet Food Deli Raw Free Range Turkey (5-lb plastic containers; Use by 01/10/20, 01/12/20 and 01/15/20) due to Salmonella contamination. Sampling was begun after the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) identified a human case of Salmonella linked to the pet food. The person with Salmonella infection was identified as part of an ongoing, multistate investigation of Salmonella Reading infections coordinated by the CDC.

Allergy Alert: Perdue Foods, LLC recalls PERDUE Fun Shapes Chicken Breast Nuggets (12-oz pkgs; Use by MAR 11 2019; Lot codes 17009010 – 19009010) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert: Tristar Food Wholesale Co. Inc. recalls DRIED SWEET POTATO (17.64-oz/500g pkg; Lot #2018/05/08; Expiration date 05/08/2019; UPC 6931948813633) due to undeclared sulfites.

Allergy Alert: Alter Eco Americas, Inc. recalls specific lots of its Deep Dark Blackout Organic Chocolate bar due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Tyson Foods, Inc. recalls Tyson WHITE MEAT PANKO CHICKEN NUGGETS (5-lb plastic pkgs; Best if used by NOV 26 2019; Case code 3308SDL03) due to foreign matter (rubber) contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Oskri Organics Corporation recalls ALL Oskri Corporation manufactured nut butters due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Gochenour Meats of New Washington, OH recalls approximately 38 pounds of fresh pork sausage, 11.42 pounds of little pigs fresh pork sausage and 10 pounds of Italian sausage due to foreign matter (rubber) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for additional detail.

Food Safety Recall: Eliot’s Adult Nut Butters recalls ELIOT’S SPICY THAI PEANUT BUTTER (12 oz; Lot 017 / Exp. Date: 07-2019 and Lot 082 / Exp. Date: 09-2019; UPC 51586-00600) and ELIOT’S HONEY CHIPOTLE PEANUT BUTTER (12 oz; Lot 080 / Exp. Date: 09-2019; UPC 51586-00602) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Alimentation Martin Aumais inc. recalls Moules Alfredo (All batches and dates; UPC 0226327903347) due to undeclared eggs.

Food Safety Recall: Sysco Milton recalls CEC Entertainment, Inc. brand No Yeast Proprietary Pizza Dough Premix (10.89 kg; UPC 00754498001086) due to Salmonella contamination. The recalled product was distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutional customers in Ontario.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): L’AFSCA recalls Bonvita Bon Ice Dark vegetarian ice cream (100g pkgs; Lot #L8/78; Best before 03/2020) due to undeclared milk

Allergy Alert (France): Unilever recalls BEN & JERRY Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream (500 mL; Lots #L83232, L83233, L83243, L83451) due to undeclared peanuts, milk, egg and soy.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): FSAI advises consumers that Ghana Taste Tom Brown Millet Based Porridge (400g; Batch code YFOO04072017TB; All date codes) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert (Luxembourg): Industry recalls Bonvita Bon Ice Dark Chocolate (100g pkgs; Best before 18-03-2020 & 31-03-2020) due to undeclared milk

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Go-Tan B.V. recalls Bami Goreng (Batch #7247; Best before 09-2019) due to undeclared shellfish

Allergy Alert (UK – England specific): Jumbo UK recalls Ghana Taste Tom Brown Millet Based Porridge (400g; Batch code YFOO04072017TB; All date codes) due to undeclared peanuts.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Auchan recalls McCain La Noisette (1kg; Lot LZ 25102018; Best before 10/2020) due to foreign matter (metal pieces) contamination

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Pak’n Save Botany recalls Brioche Fruit Loaf (450g; Best before 25.01.19) due to foreign matter (blue plastic) contamination.

Frozen, raw chicken nuggets sicken 54 in Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are investigating a new Salmonella outbreak linked to raw chicken.

As of January 25, 2019, 54 Canadians from ten provinces and three territories have become infected with Salmonella Enteritidis after consuming a frozen, raw breaded chicken product. None of the outbreak victims have been hospitalized in this latest outbreak.

Since mid-2017, PHAC has received reports of 529 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella illness linked to raw chicken, including frozen, raw breaded chicken. To date, three people are dead, and 90 victims needed to be hospitalized. The deaths cannot be attributed directly to the Salmonella infection.

The outbreak investigations triggered recalls of eleven different brands and varieties of frozen, raw breaded chicken products.

In response to findings by CFIA during its investigation of the most recent outbreak, Sofina Foods Inc. has recalled the following product:

Crisp & Delicious brand Chicken Breast Nuggets – Uncooked Seasoned Breaded Chicken Cutlettes, 1.6 kg packages:- Product code 2019 JL 19; UPC 0 69299 11703 5)

The recalled product is known to have been distributed to retailers in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, and may have been available nationwide, according to the recall notice.

Illnesses in the current outbreak have been confirmed in British Columbia (42), Alberta (81), Saskatchewan (18), Manitoba (25), Ontario (187), Quebec (111), New Brunswick (27), Nova Scotia (17), Prince Edward Island (5), Newfoundland and Labrador (12), Northwest Territories (1), Yukon (1), and Nunavut (2).

Symptoms of Salmonella infection may include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, chills, headache and low grade fever. The very young, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to severe symptoms, and secondary complications.

The public is advised not to consume the recalled product, and retailers and restaurants are advised to not sell or serve the recalled product.

PHAC recommends that consumers and food handlers observe the following precautions when preparing and handling frozen, raw breaded chicken products

Do not eat raw or undercooked frozen breaded chicken products. Cook all frozen raw breaded chicken products to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F) to ensure that they are safe to eat. Use a digital food thermometer to verify the temperature. Insert the digital food thermometer through the side of the product, all the way to the middle. Oven-safe meat thermometers that are designed for testing whole chicken and roasts during cooking are not suitable for testing nuggets, strips or burgers.
Microwave cooking of frozen raw breaded chicken products—including chicken nuggets, strips, burgers, popcorn chicken or chicken fries—is not recommended because of the possibility of uneven heating.
Always follow the cooking instructions on the package, including for products labelled Uncooked, Cook and Serve, Ready to Cook, and Oven Ready.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling frozen raw breaded chicken products.
Use a separate plate, cutting board and utensils when handling frozen raw breaded chicken products to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.
Do not re-use plates, cutting boards or utensils that have come in contact with frozen raw breaded chicken products to serve the cooked product unless they have been thoroughly washed.