Food Safety News and Resources
August 2023
28th August | Food Safety News and Free Resources1 |
Dirty ice cream machines kill 3 people |
High bromate in bottled water (USA) |
600 affected by food poisoning (Finland) |
Energy drinks with pharmaceutically active components recalled (Canada) |
300 diners infected by one restaurant worker (USA) |
Toxic kidney beans (France)|
Dietary supplement capsules E. coli recall |
Salmonella pet food alert |
Brucellosis stats explored |
New max residue limits (Australia) |
New food leader role at US FDA |
Free EMP Guidance |
💀 Dirty ice cream machines kill 3 people
Investigators have revealed that a deadly listeriosis outbreak in the first half of 2023 was caused by contaminated milkshakes from one restaurant. Investigators found the same strain of Listeria bacteria in all milkshake flavours. Food safety officials reported that the restaurant’s ice cream machines were not properly cleaned, leading all milkshakes to become contaminated with Listeria. The restaurant chain’s milkshake machines have been taken out of service until they can be confirmed to be free of Listeria contamination.
⚠🚱 High bromate in bottled water (USA)
More than 300,000 cases of natural spring water have been recalled due to the presence of bromate at levels exceeding the allowable limits. Bromate is formed from the reaction between ozone, which is used to treat the water, and naturally occurring bromine in the water.
🤢 More than 600 sick from suspected food poisoning outbreak (Finland)
There has been a massive suspected foodborne illness outbreak among students and adults at schools in Finland. The implicated food may be vegetable tortillas, and investigations are continuing.
⚠ 🥤 Energy drinks with pharmacologically active components recalled (Canada)
Energy drinks containing non-permitted ingredients including Munuca pruriens extract have been recalled following a consumer complaint. The drinks could pose a serious health risk because the pharmacological component of the Munuca pruriens extract is L-Dopa (levodopa) which can interact with prescription medication, harm certain people and cause serious side effects.
🤮 More than 300 illnesses from one worker (norovirus) – investigation report published
One worker who did not practice good hygiene has been blamed for a norovirus outbreak that sickened more than 300 people in 2022. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has just published its investigation report.
In the report it says the worker was vomiting on November 22 and worked as a food handler, preparing food without wearing gloves, from November 21 to 23. The suspected food vehicle was salad.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7233a4.htm?s_cid=mm7233a4_w
🧪 Toxic kidney beans: investigation report released (France)
Hundreds of people suffered from acute gastroenteritis after eating chilli con carne containing undercooked kidney beans at a dining facility in a military base in France in 2018. Researchers have released a report into the outbreak explaining that phytohaemagglutinin, a naturally occurring plant lectin was not fully destroyed during the bean cooking process.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/15/7/457
💊 Dietary supplement capsules with E.coli (USA)
Dietary supplement capsules have been recalled due to fears they are contaminated with E. coli.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/08/potential-e-coli-contamination-prompts-supplement-recall/
⚠🦠 Salmonella in pet food safety alert - risk to pets and humans (USA)
Authorities have issued a health advisory alert over certain lots of raw cat food and dog food in the USA that could contain Salmonella. Humans can get salmonellosis from cross-contamination from pet foods and pets can also get sick.
The pet food company previously had a similar Salmonella advisory alert in 2022 and was sent a warning letter by the FDA in February 2023 about Salmonella in its products.
🥛 Brucellosis disease burden report released
Researchers have estimated the global burden of Brucellosis and concluded it may be higher than was previously thought.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/9/23-0052_article
🐛 Proposed changes to pesticide/vet residues (Australia)
FSANZ has issued a media release about its annual call for comment on proposed changes to Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for nominated agricultural and veterinary chemicals:
Call for comment on proposed changes to residue limits for agricultural and veterinary chemicals
🕴 US FDA Makes a New Food Leadership Role
A new role in the FDA, ‘Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods’ has been created and will be filled by James “Jim” Jones, formerly of the EPA.
The new role will set and work on priorities for the proposed unified Human Foods Program which includes food safety, chemical safety and innovative food products that are intended to bolster the resilience of the US food supply.
🧫 Guidance on environmental monitoring programs (EMP)
BRCGS has produced a guideline to assist food businesses in identifying the processes and activities they should conduct to check and maintain the hygiene of their facility’s environment and how to create and implement an environmental monitoring program.
https://www.brcgs.com/product/effective-environmental-monitoring/p-16011/
21st August | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
⚠🌿 High levels of PFAS in kale (USA)
In 2019 – 2021 the USA FDA tested kale and found no PFAS contamination. So researchers were stunned when they tested kale, including organic and conventional, purchased from grocery stores across the country and found that seven out of eight of them contained “high” levels, up to 250 parts per trillion,
Some PFAS compounds are considered to have no safe intake amount, and EU guidelines for tolerable weekly intake of PFASs would be exceeded after two servings of one of the kale samples tested in the study.
Organic kales in the study contained higher levels of PFAS than conventionally-grown products.
The differences between FDA test results and these recent tests have been explained by the high limits of detection obtainable in the FDA testing and the few compounds within the PFAS group tested for by the FDA.
https://anh-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/230621-ANH-USA-PFAS-in-Kale.pdf and
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/30/kale-pfas-forever-chemicals-contamination
⚠ ☢ Recalls and withdrawals of extracts and food supplements due to unauthorised Irradiation
Horseradish powder that was irradiated in a non-approved establishment (in China?) was recalled and withdrawn from consumers and customers in Belgium and Spain. The horseradish was included in semi-finished product from USA – Europe 07/08/2023
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/623909
⚠🍪 Tropane alkaloids in products in Europe
Tropane alkaloids in biscuits made with corn flour from Belgium and France, Tropane alkaloids in sourdough powder from France – Netherlands 02/08/2023
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/626600
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/626762
🚜 Fruit harvesting machines and food safety risks – new information
A new study project which collected information about how often blueberry harvesting machines were cleaned and which cleaning methods worked the best has been published.
News story Project report with detailed findings
🩸 💀 People linked to the death of children from contaminated cough syrup have faced court (Uzbekistan)
The cough syrup contained diethylene glycol and/or ethylene glycol which was there as a result of food fraud in glycerine ingredients or accidental contamination. The people facing court in Uzbekistan number 21 and worked in roles related to the licensing of imported medicines and in private companies that imported and distributed medicines. Charges include the sale of substandard medicines, tax evasion, negligence, forgery and bribery.
🦠 Salmonella in cashew nuts and cashew nut products – an overview
Food Safety Magazine has published an in-depth article that summarises outbreak investigations of Salmonella infections linked to cashew nuts and cashew-containing products.
🧪 Hydrogenated oils, not GRAS!
Eight years ago, the FDA determined that hydrogenated oils are not recognised as GRAS status for use in food. Now it has issued a final rule.
In the final rule, partially hydrogenated oils are no longer ‘allowed’ in
peanut butter
canned tuna
margarine
shortening
bread
rolls
buns
And they are not allowed as ‘indirect food substances’ either.
The effective date of the rule was set to 22 Dec 2023. There is a comment period of 60 days which closes on 23rd October.
🎓 Free Webinar - Pure Gasses in Food Manufacturing - how to test for contaminants and purity, 18th August
This free webinar hosted by IFSQN will explore the uses of pure gases, common sources of contamination, and the best ways to test for contamination and purity in gases.
Register here:
https://event.webinarjam.com/register/319/415w8crz
🎓 Webinar Series: Climate Smart Food Digital Summit
Climate-Smart Sourcing, Production and Consumption by FoodNavigator; 3 Webinars, 19 – 21 September. Topics include:
How can sustainability be embedded into global supply chains?
Tackling supply chain disruptions from disasters and conflicts.
The potential of regenerative agriculture
Water scarcity and food production.
Diving into the blue economy for sustainable nutrition
Sustainability credentials of brands.
The transition of conventional proteins for climate-friendlier alternatives.
https://foodnavigatorsummit.com/live/en/page/home
14th August | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
⚠ 🥤 Unusual contaminants and/or food-pathogen combinations ⚠ 🥤
This week’s food safety news includes a bunch of unusual food-pathogen/contaminant combinations:
Slush ice drinks + glycerol overdose
E. coli + play water (sprinklers, kiddie pools)
Listeria + baked/dried olives
Egg/milk allergens + vegan food
Salmonella + tofu
Longlife milk + unknown contaminant/pathogen (gastrointestinal symptoms)
Trichinella + bacon and dried chorizo sausage
⚠ 🥤 Glycerol poisoning risk from slush ice drinks - warning to manufacturers and retailers 🥤⚠
The Food Standards Agency of the UK has issued new guidance asking businesses to minimise the use of glycerol in slush ice drinks and telling retailers not to offer free refills of such drinks to children under 10 years old. Glycerol is used to enhance the slush effect in slush ice drinks and has caused children to be hospitalised with glycerol intoxication from consuming large amounts of slush ice drinks in a short period.
⚠💦 E. coli sickens people – perhaps from playing in irrigation water (USA) 💦 ⚠
Irrigation water used for water play such as slip-and-slides, kiddie pools or sprinkler play could be the source of an outbreak of pathogenic E. coli (likely a Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli such as E. coli O157:H7), affecting 8 people in one city in Utah. There have been 5 hospitalisations. The pathogen can also be spread by food, drinking water and person-to-person contact.
Officials are warning people not to drink pressurized irrigation water or play in it.
⚠ 🦠 Listeria linked to black baked/dried olives (Italy) 🦠 ⚠
20 people have been affected by listeriosis from olive nere al forno (baked/dried black olives) in Italy.
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/611695
⚠🥛 Allergen risks in vegan and plant-based foods (UK) 🥛 ⚠
Foods labelled as vegan and ‘plant-based’ contained traces of egg and milk at a rate of 39% (n = 61) in the United Kingdom. The foods included vegan versions of chocolate confectionary, pizzas, burgers, muffins and wraps.
⚠ 🦠 Salmonella outbreak in 2021 linked to poorly made tofu 🦠 ⚠
The US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has reported on the cause of an outbreak of S. typhimurium that affected 38 people in 2021. The food source was tofu and investigators concluded that there were “lapses in sanitation” and failures in heat processing for the ready-to-eat soy product. Tofu had not previously been linked to nontyphoidal Salmonella outbreaks.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7232a1.htm?s_cid=mm7232a1_w
⚠🥛 Long life milk has sickened 7 people (Netherlands) 🥛 ⚠
Long life milk from Belgium has caused gastrointestinal illnesses in 7 people in the Netherlands. No information about the illness-causing agent is available at this time.
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/627424
⚠ 🐷 Trichinella in bacon and dried chorizo sausage sickens 15 (Argentina) ⚠
Trichinellosis is usually transmitted by eating undercooked pork products. However in this outbreak, authorities have found signs of the parasite Trichinella spiralis in samples of bacon and dried chorizo sausage.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/08/15-sick-in-argentinian-trichinella-outbreak/
⚠ 🥪 Salmonella from mayonnaise affects >500 (Taiwan) ⚠
Bahn mi (Vietnamese pork rolls) containing mayonnaise made with eggs are being blamed for a large Salmonella outbreak in Taiwan that has sicked at least 520 people, with at least 354 seeking medical help and 41 hospitalised.
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4966643
🐕 Changes to pet food labelling have been agreed (USA) 🐕
Members of the American animal feed association have agreed to make changes to ingredient declarations and nutrition facts on pet food labels so they are more like human food labels. There is a transition period of six years, with enforcement, via state regulations, expected to begin in 2029.
🍼 Sampling plans for detecting Cronobacter in infant formula have been compared – new research 🍼
Researchers have compared the performance of different sampling plans for the testing of infant formula for the presence of Cronobacter contamination, with random sampling found to perform poorly compared to systematic or stratified sampling for detecting low levels of the contaminant. In addition, taking more samples, even if smaller, can increase the power to detect contamination.
📜 New York follows California’s Additive Ban Proposal (USA) 📜
California is on its way to banning five food additives: titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye No. 3.
New York has just started along the same legislative pathway, which, if passed, would effectively ban the same five ingredients from 1st Jan 2025.
https://www.cspinet.org/article/5-food-ingredients-california-and-new-york-could-soon-ban
🎓 Free food safety risk test 🎓
Get a detailed breakdown of your company’s strengths and weaknesses in food safety with a Free Risk Test for Food Safety Practitioners from the SQF Institute.
The free risk assessment will allow you to:
Identify potential hazards and risks in your food safety program
Understand your level of risk and manage risks accordingly
Learn more here: https://go.sqfi.com/free-risk-test
🎓 Free webinar: How to Stress Test Your Risk Mitigation Plan, 6 September 🎓
This free webinar, hosted by SQF Institute and presented by Intertek Alchemy asks:
“Do you know how strong your risk mitigation plan is? Will your plan and assessment pass a stress test? Find out at our digital seminar”
https://www.sqfi.com/forms/meeting/MeetingFormPublic/view?id=2C4A0200000027
📌 Food Fraud News 📌
This week’s food fraud news includes:
Smuggled tomatoes;
False country of origin claims for olives and mushrooms;
Black pepper adulterated with plaster of Paris;
More bad news for rice.
Become a paid subscriber to access The Rotten Apple’s food fraud news.
7th August | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
⚠ Surprise! The rocks-in-cookies-company is now recalling falafels because they (also) contain rocks (USA) ⚠
Trader Joe’s has recalled falafel in 35 states because they might contain rocks. Last week the same company recalled cookies for the same reason. Also last week, the same company’s aptly named Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup was recalled because of insects inside the broccoli florets.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/recalls/article277792808.html
💀🍄 Poisonous mushrooms kill 3 people (Australia) 🍄💀
Three people have died and a fourth remains in critical condition after eating wild-foraged mushrooms. The mushroom species has not been identified.
🎓 4 Free Webinars 🎓
Hand hygiene compliance, 8th August
PFAS testing, 16th August
Risk mitigation mindset, 16th August
Risk mitigation in supply chains, 23rd August
🍏 Don’t forget our free live training on food safety culture, 17/18 August! 🍏
Food Safety Culture Training - 17th/18th August 2023
🎓 Webinar: Five Simple Strategies for Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance for Food Safety, 8th August
Hosted by Food Safety Magazine, this webinar will teach you the essential techniques to enhance employee hand hygiene practices and ensure the highest food safety standards.
Register here:
🎓 Webinar: Expanding the scope of PFAS screening and quantitation through targeted acquisition - water analysis and beyond, 16th August
This webinar, hosted by ThermoFisher Scientific will explore the range of sample types examined for routine PFAS detection and qualification.
Register here:
https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4233969/
🎓 Webinar: How to Integrate a Risk Mitigation Mindset into Your Food Safety Culture, 16th August
The host of this webinar, SQF, says “Learn how to integrate a risk mitigation mindset in this digital seminar with Intertek Alchemy.”
https://www.sqfi.com/forms/meeting/MeetingFormPublic/view?id=2C49FD00000017
🎓 Webinar: Critical Risk Mitigation Strategies For Your Ever-Changing Supply Chain, 23rd August
The host of this webinar, SQF, says “you will learn from examples of critical risk mitigation strategies and learn how to develop your own.”
https://www.sqfi.com/forms/meeting/MeetingFormPublic/view?id=2C4A0000000021
📌 Food Fraud News 📌
This week’s food fraud news includes:
Subway’s ‘fake’ tuna scandal (updates);
Allegations of massive price fixing in retail meat;
Food fraud in Ghana - an overview;
Become a paid subscriber to access The Rotten Apple’s food fraud news.
Recent Issues of Food Safety News
