Daniele International Inc., Italian Sausage Product Recall
(1/23/10) This firm out of Pascoag and Mapleville, R.I., is recalling approximately 1,240,000 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) varieties of Italian sausage products, including salami/salame, in commerce and potentially available to customers in retail locations because they may be contaminated with Salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. For more information read the FSIS press release
The CDC also has posted info about the outbreak on its website: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/montevideo/index.html
Johnson & Johnson Expands Tylenol Recall
(1/15/10) There is an off-odor associated with a small amount of product. Some have complained of nausea. This is a voluntary recall. Consumers should not consume suspect product and can apply for a refund. For more information, read the McNeil press release.
Nestlé Cookie Dough Recall
(6/22/09) It is still unknown how E. coli O157:H7 could contaminate cookie dough. At this point, the recall is a voluntary recall in that there has not been a definitive link, although there appears to be a high epidemiological correlation that cookie dough is responsible.
It is important to follow CDC recommendations, “Consumers should be reminded they should not eat raw food products that are intended for cooking or baking before consumption. Consumers should use safe food-handling practices when preparing such products, including following package directions for cooking at proper temperatures; washing hands, surfaces, and utensils after contact with these types of products; avoiding cross contamination; and refrigerating products properly.”
Listed below are the latest reports from the press, FDA, CDC, and Nestle:
Recall for Ground Beef due to E. coli O157:H7
(5/21/09) - An Illinois firm has recalled ground beef products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Detailed information on this recall and the associated products can be found on USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service Web site. It is important for consumers to check the temperature of their cooked meat products. This is especially true during warmer months, when the E. coli O157:H7 organism has been found to be more prevalent.
Warning for Alfalfa Sprouts
FDA has issued a warning for consumers to avoid consuming alfalfa sprouts because of the potential for Salmonella contamination.
Over the past year, there have been at least 3 outbreaks with over 100 reported illnesses, although it appears the current outbreak and an outbreak that occurred earlier this year are probably related.
Producers of sprouts buy seeds and then grow sprouts through the germination of the seeds. Since seeds may naturally contain pathogens such as Salmonella, growers must wash the seeds in a sanitizing solution before beginning the germination process. In these two related outbreaks, multiple sprout producers have been implicated...so it will need to be determined whether the issue is with the seed source or the sprout producers.
Until the issue is solved, avoid alfalfa sprouts.
Pistachio Recall Due to Salmonella
The pistachio recall, which began in March, was triggered when an industrial customer, Kraft Foods, had detected Salmonella in its product. While they had seen positive Salmonella results up to 6 months ago, it was not until last month that they were able to pinpoint the source. That source of Salmonella-contaminated pistachios was Setton Pistachio, based in Terra Bella, California.
While there have been no reported illnesses to date, the resulting recall of product will be extensive. As was seen with the peanut recall, pistachios are used as an ingredient in many other products. Manufacturers will need to conduct traceback to see if the pistachio-based ingredients ultimately came from this supplier. Remember, there may be intermediate processors, which may complicate the recall procedure for many companies, perhaps delaying their recall notice.
A few items to note:
Follow the FDA warning and avoid pistachio based products. This is especially true for at-risk populations, such as young children and the elderly.
Testing is not the best way to control for food safety. When there are low levels of contamination, as seen in this case, it may be difficult to detect contamination. Clearly, the key was having preventive measures at the source and, in this case, better procedures to prevent cross contamination. Such procedures include ensuring delineation within the process between raw and finished product. Testing is still important, though it is more of a verification that control measures are working.
More Information on the Pistachio Product Recall
PCA Peanut Recall due to Salmonella
As of March 17, 2008, the CDC reported 691 cases of Salmonella-related illness due to product sold by the Peanut Corporation of American (PCA). The PCA peanut recall has become one of the most extensive food recalls in the U.S. with more than 2,000 products recalled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PCA managed two plants. One is in Blakely, Georgia, which principally manufactured peanut butter and peanut paste; the other is in Plainview, Texas, which principally blanched, split, granulated and roasted peanuts for distribution to various food manufacturing customers. The Texas plant ceased operation, as of February 10.
For more information, visit the:
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CDC Web site to view an epidemic curve of the salmonella typhimurium