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NC Announces Possible Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Holiday Inn (US)
College Station Market in Texas Closed For Fumigant (US)

NC Announces Possible Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Holiday Inn
Source: Food Safety News

The Cumberland County Department of Public Health in Fayetteville, NC announced Tuesday it is working with the N.C. Division of Public Health to investigate a gastrointestinal illness outbreak among staff and patrons of a local hotel’s restaurants. There are two confirmed cases of Salmonella and one individual has been hospitalized, the news release said.

As of Monday, the Health Department had identified 16 individuals with signs and symptoms consistent with salmonella: nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. All share a common denominator, according to NCDPH, they ate at the same establishment, the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, within the same time frame: Tuesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 8. The Holiday Inn Bordeaux has two restaurants, the All American Sports Bar and Grill and The Café Bordeaux. There is also a banquet kitchen.

“We are actively working with the hotel and restaurant management and with state officials to resolve this as soon as possible,” said Cumberland County Health Department Director Buck Wilson.

“We are fully cooperating with the local and state authorities and appreciate their efforts to control the spread of the illness,” said Scooter Deal, general manager at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

The Health Department is asking anyone who developed symptoms after eating at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux on Tuesday, May 7 or Wednesday, May 8 to call the department at 910-433-3638. Also, for additional information you can call the “Salmonella Hotline” at 910-433-3824.

Read the Food Safety News article here.

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College Station Market in Texas Closed For Fumigant
Source: Food Safety News

Hunt for Source of E. coli O157:H7 Continues

The popular BCS Asian Market in College Station, TX was closed Tuesday on orders of the Brazos County Health Department and the Texas Department of State Services. The surprise closure occurred as Brazos County health officials are working overtime to find the source of an April outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that left two boys fighting for their lives.

Inspectors from both agencies conducted a joint inspection of the BCS Asian Market and, according to a post on the health department’s Facebook page, “The establishment was closed due to factors affecting public health which resulted in scoring below 70. During the inspection, the inspectors located a restricted use fumigant (aluminum phosphide) stored with food and other items sold in the market,” according to the post.

The BCS Asian Market will remain closed for a minimum of 24 hours and will be required to pay $500 for re-inspection. Inspectors plan to return today to see if the violations have been corrected.

Brazos County health officials have not yet determined the source of the ten-person, College Station-centered cluster of E. coli O157:H7 cases that occurred from April 15-22. While the adults recovered, two infected College Station boys remain in Texas Children’s Hospital.

Read more in the Food Safety News article here.

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Tahini Salmonella Recall Expands (US/Nationwide)
FDA Warns of Botulism Risk from Juice Maker’s Products (US)
Almond and Peanut Butter, Tahini Recalled for Salmonella (Canada/Nationwide)
CDC Reports Two Multistate Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Live Poultry (US/Nationwide)
Firefly Update: 200 Sickened in Las Vegas Salmonella Outbreak (US/NV)

Tahini Salmonella Recall Expands (US/Nationwide)
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Krinos Foods, LLC. of Long Island City, New York is voluntarily recalling its TAHINI sesame paste, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The Tahini product was distributed nationwide through retail stores.

Following are product details:
• The TAHINI sesame paste product is sold in 1 LB glass jars, 2 LB glass jars and in 40 LB plastic pails.
• The UPC codes for the following products: 1 LB jar is 0-75013-28500-3, 2 LB jar is 0-75013-28510-2 and 40 LB pail 0-75013-04018-3.
• The recalled lots have a code stamped on the lid between “EXP JAN 01 – 2014 up to and including EXP JUN 08 – 2014” and “EXP OCT 16 – 2014” up to and including “EXP MAR 15 – 2015.”

To Krinos’ knowledge, no illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this recall.

The potential for contamination was noted after the Michigan Department of Agriculture conducted routine testing on a sample of the product in a retail store and advised Krinos of the positive test results. Krinos has ceased distribution of the product as FDA, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, and the company, continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled product are urged to discard the product and return the gold cap stamped with the following dates: “EXP JAN 01 – 2014 up to and including EXP JUN 08 – 2014” and EXP OCT 16 – 2014” up to and including “EXP MAR 15 – 2015. Provide proof of purchase for a full refund to:
Krinos Foods LLC 4700 Northern Blvd. Long Island City, NY 11101

If consumers do not have a proof of purchase, Krinos will reimburse them $8.00 per jar plus $.50 for postage.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at (718) 729-9000 between 8:30am and 4:30pm EST.

Read the FDA release here for additional details.

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FDA Warns of Botulism Risk from Juice Maker’s Products (US)
Source: Food Safety News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to drink any juice from a New York-based juice maker whose manufacturing processes do not adequately prevent its products from the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

According to FDA, carrot and beet juices from Juices Incorporated (aka Juices International and Juices Enterprises) of Brooklyn, N.Y. have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum due to food safety insufficiencies in production.

FDA filed a complaint for permanent injunction against the company in October of 2010 after the company failed to correct continuing sanitation violations at its facility.

A judge ordered the permanent injunction in January of 2011, thus blocking the company from manufacturing or selling product until it corrected its sanitation issues.

However, Juices Incorporated failed to comply with the consent decree, prompting a Judge for the Eastern Disctrict of New York to issue an Order to Enforce Consent Decree.

Now, FDA reports that “FDA investigators recently confirmed that Juices Incorporated and its owners continue to manufacture and distribute juice products and other beverages.”

Juices from the company were recently found in New York City area retail establishments and restaurants, reports FDA.

While the company’s carrot and beet juices are the ones that pose a particular botulism risk due to the way they have been produced, FDA is also recommending that consumers avoid any products made by Juices Incorporated, including Ginger Beer Drink, Agony Peanut Punch, Front End Lifter Magnum Punch, Irish Sea Moss, Cashew Punch, Sorrel Drink, Pineapple Twist, Soursop Juice, Corn Punch and any other types of juice the company might have distributed.

The carrot and beet juices FDA says are known to pose a botulism risk include:

• Carrot Juice Drink
• Carrot & Beet Juice Drink
• Carrot & Ginger Drink
• Double Trouble Carrot Punch
• Ginger Beet Juice
• Beet Juice Drink

Read the Food Safety News article here.

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Almond and Peanut Butter, Tahini Recalled for Salmonella (Canada/Nationwide)
Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume certain almond butter, peanut butter and tahini sold in bulk or repackaged at the various locations described here because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella or other harmful bacteria.

Consumers who are unsure if they have affected product are advised to check with their retailer.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Consumption of the affected almond butter, peanut butter and tahini could result in a wide range of symptoms that may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headache and body ache. In rare cases, chronic, severe, or even life-threatening symptoms may occur.

The manufacturer, distributor, and retailers are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

Read the CFIA release here for additional details.

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CDC Reports Two Multistate Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Live Poultry (US/Nationwide)
Source: Food Safety News

Two separate outbreaks linked to live baby poultry are sickening people across the country, according to two announcements from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday.

Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak
The first outbreak, caused by a strain of Salmonella Typhimurium, has sickened 146 people in 26 states since early March, when the outbreak began.

Of these patients, 27 have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been caused by the bacteria. Approximately two thirds (66 percent) of the victims are children 10 years old or younger.

While epidemiological investigation have pointed to baby chickens, ducks and other live baby poultry, the source of the outbreak has yet to be determined.

In interviews, 94 percent of patients report having contact with live baby poultry in the days prior to their illnesses. A full 97 percent of patients with available information report having purchased baby poultry from one of 13 agricultural feed store companies around the country.

The number of cases by state is as follows: Arizona (5), California (3), Colorado (16), Florida (2), Indiana (4), Iowa (2), Kansas (10), Louisiana (5), Minnesota (2), Mississippi (3), Missouri (9), Nebraska (9), Nevada (1), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (10), New York (8), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (9), Oregon (5), South Dakota (6), Texas (19), Utah (3), Vermont (1), Virginia (1), Washington (10) and Wyoming (1).

Salmonella Infantis and Salmonella Mbandaka Outbreaks
A second Salmonella outbreak tied to contact with live baby poultry is being caused by a strain of Salmonella Infantis and a strain of Salmonella Mbandaka, according to CDC.

A total of 61 people in 18 states have fallen ill in this outbreak since March 8 of this year. Of those sickened, 12 were hospitalized. No deaths have been linked to the outbreak strains of bacteria. In this outbreak, 48 percent of victims are 10 years old or younger.

The live chicks and ducklings thought to be the source of this outbreak were sold by Mt. Healthy Hatchery in Ohio.
“This hatchery uses multiple source flocks to obtain eggs and chicks, so it is unclear at this time where the contamination originated,” said CDC in its outbreak report.

Mt. Healthy Hatchery is the same operation whose baby poultry were the source of a 2012 outbreak of Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Newport and Salmonella Lille that sickened 195 people in 27 states and led to 2 deaths.

Read the Food Safety News article here.

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Firefly Update: 200 Sickened in Las Vegas Salmonella Outbreak (US/NV)
Source: Food Safety News

At least 196 patrons and four employees of Las Vegas tapas restaurant Firefly have fallen ill in the Salmonella outbreak health officials have called Nevada’s worst outbreak of the past decade, according to a report released Friday morning by the Southern Nevada Health District.

The outbreak sickened diners from 20 U.S. states, along with Canada and the United Kingdom.

Both Firefly on Paradise Ave. and neighboring restaurant Dragonfly, which shares kitchen facilities, have been closed since April 26 after the health district received reports of eight separate groups of patrons experienced illness. A health inspection at the establishment cited 44 demerits for Firefly and 47 for Dragonfly, including improper cooling practices, holding temperatures and storing of potentially hazardous foods that included “raw animal products” being stored above ready-to-eat foods.

Health investigators confirmed 16 of the cases through laboratory analysis to have been infected with Salmonella serotype I:4,5,12:i:-. Three of the confirmed cases were employees, each of whom consumed food at the restaurant and experienced illness onset timing showing they were not the source of the outbreak.

No new illnesses have been reported since May 1.

Read more in the Food Safety News article here.

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Typhoid Fever Possibly Spread by Food Handler at San Francisco Nordstrom Café (US/CA)
Raw Milk Campylobacter Outbreak on Kenai Peninsula Sickened 31 (US/AK)

Typhoid Fever Possibly Spread by Food Handler at San Francisco Nordstrom Café (US/CA)
Source: San Francisco Department of Public Health

Officials at the San Francisco Department of Public Health recently announced that a local restaurant food handler was diagnosed with typhoid fever. The public health investigation is ongoing, but based on current information, health officials believe the infectious disease was acquired by the food handler during a trip outside of the United States.

Anyone who ate at the Nordstrom Cafe within the Nordstrom store in the Stonestown Galleria in San Francisco on April 16, 17, 18, 20, or 27, 2013 may be at risk. Health officials advise these individuals to see a healthcare provider right away if they start to experience symptoms such as fever, weakness, stomach pains, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. In some cases a rash of flat, rose-colored spots may appear. Symptoms usually begin within 8 to14 days after exposure, but could potentially appear for up to 30 days.

"Unfortunately, symptoms of typhoid fever can resemble other illnesses," said Tomás J. Aragón, MD, Health Officer for City & County of San Francisco. "Persons who are at risk because they dined at the Stonestown Nordstrom Cafe on one of those dates should see a healthcare provider right away if they are feeling unwell, and should tell their physician that they may have been exposed to typhoid fever. There is testing and effective treatment available. If you suspect you have typhoid fever, do not prepare food or drink for anyone and do not care for young children, hospitalized patients, or persons with weakened immune systems."

Typhoid fever is an illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi.

Although death is uncommon, typhoid fever can be severe and life-threatening. In the United
States, 300 - 400 cases of typhoid fever occur each year, and most of those are acquired during international travel. People are at risk of typhoid fever if they eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by someone who has typhoid fever, or if sewage contaminated with the bacteria gets into the water supply used for drinking or food preparation.

For more information about typhoid fever, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/typhoid_fever/.

Read more in the San Francisco DPH release here.

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Raw Milk Campylobacter Outbreak on Kenai Peninsula Sickened 31 (US/AK)
Products from cow-share linked to outbreak still pose risk
Source: www.FoodSafetyNews.com

At least 31 residents of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula were sickened early this year in a Campylobacter outbreak linked to raw milk, according to a report from state health officials.

While this outbreak, which lasted from early January to mid-February, appears to be over, the farm whose raw milk caused the outbreak could still be serving contaminated product, according to the document, published by the Alaska Section of Epidemiology (SOE) last week.

Between January 8 and February 13, 31 people between the ages of 7 months and 72 years old fell ill with Campylobacter coli infections that were ultimately linked to a cow-share program on the peninsula.

Of the victims, two were hospitalized and four developed reactive arthritis, a painful inflammation of the joints caused by bacterial infections that can last up to a year.
The SOE report reveals that health officials had identified the cow-share program on the peninsula as the outbreak source by February 14. The following day, SOE and the Office of the State Veterinarian informed the implicated dairy and the public of the problem; however the dairy continued to sell its raw milk products on the Kenai Peninsula and in Anchorage.
At that point, 29 cases of Campylobacter coli had been linked to the dairy. The following week, after two more cases were identified, health officials issued an updated health advisory, after which they say the cow share program provided them with a list of its customers that turned out to be incomplete and lacked contact information for most shareholders.
On February 22, health officials conducted an environmental investigation at the cow-share operation, collecting samples from cow feces, milk and areas of the farm that come into contact with the milk during production.

While the outbreak strain of Campylobacter coli wasn’t isolated from samples taken that day, three separate strains of Campylobacter jejuni were found in samples of cow feces, and Listeria monocytogenes was cultured from a sample of raw milk.

Because other pathogenic bacteria were present on the farm, health authorities say its products could still cause illnesses in the future.

The SOE report offers the following advice to consumers, healthcare providers and producers of raw dairy items:

• Health care providers should educate families about the risks of consuming raw dairy products. Informational materials are available at http://www.realrawmilkfacts.com/.
• Providers should obtain stool cultures in patients with acute GI illness and history of raw dairy consumption.
• Providers should promptly report cases of Campylobacter infections to SOE by calling (907) 269-8000.
• Cow/goat-share operators should maintain current and legible shareholder/distribution records and share these records promptly with health officials if an outbreak is suspected to be linked to their farm.

Read the Food Safety News article here.

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Source: The Topeka Capital Journal

Carniceria Camecuaro, an East Topeka Mexican restaurant and meat market has been temporarily closed after more than 20 guests became sick after eating food at the establishment.

Since Sunday after the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) advised closure, the restaurant has been shut down. KDA is conducting follow-up inspections and ensuring that potentially contaminated food is discarded.

If you think you’re affected, contact your health care provider right away.

Read the full story here.

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