Food Safety News and Resources
September 2023
25 September | Food Safety News and Free Resources1 |
Nine children dead from foodborne illness (Cote D’Ivoire) |
Children poisoned by adulterated cookies (South Africa) |
Multiple botulism cases and one death linked to sardines (France) |
Packages of cut butternut squash recalled due to E. coli contamination (USA) |
Listeriosis outbreak under investigation (Australia) |
Bacillus cereus in pork bologna causes illnesses (Vietnam) |
197 students ill after eating wraps (Denmark) |
Investigators reveal source of 2 year long Hep A outbreak (Germany) |
Plastic cheese recall (USA) |
Free webinar - Lessons Learned Ten Years on From Horsemeat |
Free Webinar - The Origin of the Effort to Develop a Nationally Integrated (USA) Food Safety System |
Free Webinar - How to Effectively Challenge Your Crisis Management and Food Defense Plan |
💀Nine children have died from foodborne illness – herbicide contamination is suspected (Cote D’Ivoire)
Seventy-one children became ill and 9 died after eating corn mush (porridge) prepared in a single location. It is suspected that the corn mush was contaminated with herbicide, after inspectors found the corn storage area to contain corn flour spread out for drying and three cans of herbicide.
https://www.gouv.ci/_actualite-article.php?recordID=15712
🍪Children poisoned by adulterated cookies (South Africa)
Ninety children were sickened and three are still in hospital after eating cookies allegedly laced with ‘dagga’ (cannabis) which they purchased from a street vendor.
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/three-children-still-in-hospital-following-space-cookies-poisoning/
💀Multiple botulism cases and one death linked to sardines (France)
Sardines preserved in oil, which were made locally and served at just one restaurant have sickened 15 people with botulism. At least ten people were hospitalised, eight in intensive care and one death has been recorded. The sardines tested positive for Clostridium botulinum type B and type B toxin was found in patients’ serum. Symptoms can take up to ten days to develop so further cases could occur.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/09/sardines-confirmed-as-botulism-source-as-patient-count-grows/
⚠Packages of cut butternut squash recalled due to E. coli contamination (USA)
Freshly cut squash was recalled after E. coli was found during routine testing by the manufacturer.
🦠Listeriosis outbreak under investigation (Australia)
Nine cases of listeriosis are being investigated, with patients in three states. Because of Listeria’s long infection lead time (up to 2 months before symptoms appear), more cases could develop.
Officials from one state of Australia reported more listeriosis cases than usual for 2023, raising the alarm. Cooked shredded chicken supplied in bulk packages to hospitals, cafes and restaurants has been identified as the probable source.
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/urgent-warning-for-millions-of-aussies-over-listeria-outbreak/news-story/804d54e1deaf8920ab1017ccd6703f1d and https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/09/chicken-linked-to-listeria-infections-in-australia/
🦠Bacillus cereus in pork bologna causes illnesses (Vietnam)
Bahn mi rolls containing both Bacillus cereus and Salmonella caused illnesses, with 150 hospitalised. The B. cereus was found in samples of pork bologna from the rolls and Salmonella was found in the pork char siu. Both microorganisms were found in pork meatballs and fresh vegetables at the bahn mi eatery.
⚠197 students ill after eating wraps supplied by one caterer (Denmark)
A delicastessen that made wraps for two separate student events which sickened 197 people has been fined and given a ‘sour smiley’ rating by authorities. People who ate the wraps became ill with probable Escherichia coli infections, and a hygiene inspection of the delicatessen revealed problems with hygiene protocols and ‘separation of toilet and production’.
🍓Investigators reveal source of 2 year long Hep A outbreak (Germany)
Frozen strawberries have been identified as the source of an outbreak of hepatitis A which started in October 2021, with the most recent confirmed case being from July 2023. Fifty-nine people became sick, with the same genotype of hepatitis A virus, and 38 people were hospitalised. Most reported eating frozen strawberries.
⚠Plastic cheese recall (USA)
A batch of individually wrapped cheese slices is being recalled because the plastic film "remains adhered to the cheese" after the wrapper has been removed.
🎓Free webinar (free for IFST members): Lessons Learned Ten Years on From Horsemeat
Hosted by IFST and free for members, £25 for non-members, this webinar addresses food law (UK), case law examples from an enforcement perspective and due diligence for food businesses. For technical and quality management professionals.
🎓Free Webinar - Tale of the Cocktail Napkin: The Origin of the Effort to Develop a Nationally Integrated (USA) Food Safety System, Part 3, 28th September
Part three of this three-part webinar series hosted by Quality Assurance & Food Safety will discuss the FSMA and mutual reliance, including thoughts from state food program managers.
Register here:
https://gie-net.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T24lGjQIRB-Gi7UU9Fseng#/registration
🎓Free Webinar - How to Effectively Challenge Your Crisis Management and Food Defense Plan, 5th October
Hosted by SCS Global Services, this free webinar will examine the GFSI prerequisites and offer creative approaches to not only ensure compliance but also enhance your plans.
Register here:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1622282554174859020
📌 Food Fraud News 📌
In this week’s food fraud news:
Shocking results from meat species adulteration tests;
Surprisingly good fish mislabelling results in UK survey;
Basmati rice fraud;
Illicit watermelons;
Fake wine made with chemicals, dyes and grape flavour seized;
Russian organised crime boss accused of making millions from illegal seafood trading.
Become a paid subscriber to access The Rotten Apple’s food fraud news.
18 September | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
Pathogenic E. coli outbreak sickens almost 400 (Canada) |
State agrees to ban four food additives (USA) |
Food safety software developers can now access recall data (USA) |
Free on-demand webinar: Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for food authenticity, and quality testing |
Free Webcast - Metal detectors and x-ray inspection systems |
Free Webinar - Revolutionizing Rodent Control |
⚠🦠 Pathogenic E. coli outbreak sickens almost 400 (Canada)
Six children are on dialysis, 38 people have been hospitalised and there are 377 laboratory-confirmed cases of illness in an outbreak of E coli in Canadian day care centres. The outbreak is thought to have been caused by food prepared at a central kitchen used by the eleven day care centres affected. Health inspectors found critical violations in the kitchen, related to temperature abuse, sanitation failures and a pest infestation. No food source has been identified at the time of writing.
https://nationalpost.com/news/calgary-e-coli-outbreak
🍬 🛑 State agrees to ban four food additives (USA)
A bill banning four food additives has been passed in both houses of government in California. The additives are brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propyl paraben and Red Dye No. 3.
The ban will not become law until the bill has been signed by the govenor, with the deadline OCtober 14.
Because U.S. food manufacturers are unlikely to produce special versions of products for California market this could effectively force food manufacturers to reformulate nationwide.
https://foodfix.co/california-takes-on-food-additives/
💻 Food safety software developers can now access recall APIs (USA)
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has enabled API-access to data on food recalls and food safety alerts so that software developers can automatically connect to food safety information.
🎓 Free on-demand webinar: Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for food authenticity, and quality testing
This free, on-demand webinar, developed by UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and other regulatory agencies, is an introduction to the application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for use with food authenticity, and quality testing. Designed for people working in the food industry, food authenticity testing and regulatory roles.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/e-seminar-introduction-to-irms-for-food-authenticity
🎓 Free Webcast - Product and package effect - Metal detectors and x-ray inspection systems, 10th October
Thermo Fisher Scientific will be conducting a webcast on the effective strategies for overcoming product inspection challenges related to both product and packaging issues, ensuring the detection of foreign objects and contaminants, safeguarding consumer safety, and preserving your brand's reputation.
Register here:
🎓 Free Webinar - Revolutionizing Rodent Control: Harnessing Intelligent Monitoring for Safer Food Supply Chains, 26th September
Hosted by Quality Assurance & Food Safety, this free webinar will discuss the correlation between food movement and rodent activity.
Register here:
https://gie-net.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BzeunsQTQ1S3rnK9YwEc5A#/registration
11 September | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
Food safety failures at infant formula making facilities (USA) |
Disposable gloves hygiene testing |
Listeriosis deaths linked to cold smoked salmon (Sweden) |
Updated allergen labelling guidance (United Kingdom) |
Free webinar: Pest prevention strategies |
Free webinar: Foreign object controls |
Food safety failures at infant formula facilities with Cronobacter sakazakii recalls (USA)
Three infant formula manufacturers have received warning letters following inspections by the US FDA. The letters state that the businesses did not have a “system of process controls covering all stages of processing that was designed to ensure that infant formula does not become adulterated due to the presence of microorganisms in the formula or in the processing environment”
The inspections and subsequent letters follow recalls which occurred in December 2022, February 2023, and March 2023, for three separate formula manufacturers after Cronobacter sakazakii was discovered in their products.
Damaged disposable gloves hygiene study
A study in which researchers swabbed gloves inside and out and subjected them to a watertight test found that damaged gloves have more bacteria than intact gloves after they were used for food handling. Gloves that had been used to handle noodles and rice dishes had more bacteria than those used to handle beverages and snacks.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X23068308
Listeriosis deaths traced to salmon (Sweden)
Nineteen people were sickened and six people with listeriosis died in an outbreak that has been linked to vacuum-packed cold smoked salmon from two brands made in one facility. The outbreak began in 2022 and 15 cases have occurred since May 2023.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/09/deadly-listeria-outbreak-solved-in-sweden/
Allergen labelling guidance (UK)
The UK Food Standards Agency has just published updates to its best practice guidance on food allergen labelling.
It contains general information and guidance for food businesses in their use of Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL), including when to use a PAL, which allergens to address with a PAL, and how to use PAL statements on vegan food labels.
Free Webinar: Effective Pest Prevention Strategies for Manufacturing, Warehousing, and Distribution, 27th September
This one-hour free webinar hosted by Eurofins Food Assurance will discuss the best practices and proven strategies for effective pest prevention tailored specifically to the food safety industry.
Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/969870844152058454
Free Webinar - Foreign Object Control: Best Practices in Food Processing and Foodservice, 26th September
FoodSafety Magazine is hosting a live webinar where participants will gain insight into:
1. Recognizing and managing typical considerations and hazard combinations related to foodborne outbreaks (FOs) in food processing and foodservice settings.
2. Utilizing effective strategies for evaluating ingredient and equipment suppliers to reduce the likelihood of FO risks.
3. Implementing redundant safety measures to enhance the reliability of controls for high-risk FO hazards.
4. Executing efficient corrective actions in the aftermath of an FO incident for improved incident resolution.
Register here: https://onlinexperiences.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowUUID=585693C6-7D99-4CA4-BCE6-2ADD4DA61504
4 September | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
Worm brain from foraged greens (Australia) |
Soy flour recall - an unexpected contamination source |
Ice cream recalled for Listeria (USA) |
Remote audits/inspections evaluated (England) |
On-demand webinar: Pesticide residues in foods |
Free webinar - Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains |
On-demand webinar – Tips for your next FDA regulatory inspection (USA) |
🐍🧠 Worm brain from foraged greens
Weird #foodsafety news: A parasite that hasn't been seen in humans before, and which usually only infects small mammals, has infected a woman who ate wild-foraged greens. It grew into an 8 cm (3 inch) long worm in her brain.
🌿 Recalled soy flour - an unexpected contamination source
Cargill issued a recall/withdrawal of soy flour and textured soy flour products in March 2023 because food manufacturers had found gluten during testing. It also removed gluten-free claims from products processed at a facility in Iowa at the same time.
Freedom of information requests have revealed that the source of the gluten was probably agricultural co-mingling of the soybeans with rye, which is a common cover crop in Iowa. More about this in today’s newsletter.
⚠🍦 Icecream recalled for Listeria (USA)
Two people have been hospitalised in the USA after eating ice cream contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2023/brooklyn-ice-cream-house-listeria-outbreak-sickens-two/
📖 🌳 New CCP decision tree has been published in the Codex Alimentarius
The newest version of the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene (which codifies HACCP) contains a new annex, Aneex IV, with a new CCP decision tree and worksheet (Figure 1 and Table 1).
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc6125en
Remote audits/inpsections evaluated (England)
A study which sought to understand the benefits and limitisationsi of remote assessments for food safety has been published. It concluded that remoate assessments are probably best for food businesses which have been compliant in past assessments, low-risk businesses, ‘triaging’ exercistses and closing out non-compliances which are structural or related to documentation.
🎓 On-demand webinar: Pesticide residues in foods
This replay can be watched on demand. Hosted by IFSQN and presented by the Assistant Director of the Export Inspection Council, the webinar addresses the presence of pesticide residues in food items as a challenge to food safety and food security. He also discusses the variation in MRLs (maximum residue limits) of different countries/ ISSBs which has become a challenge to the trade
🎓 Free Webinar - A Risk Based Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in your Supply Chain, 12th September
This is the first of two part-part webinars hosted by Intertek SAI Global which will discuss some of the recent key changes to the social compliance auditing landscape for Australian businesses.
Register here:
🎓 On-demand webinar – Tips for your next FDA regulatory inspection (USA)
Hosted by IFSQN and presented by AIB, this webinar will include tips to assess if your regulatory inspection team is prepared to answer FDA questions.
Recent Issues of Food Safety News
