Food Safety
WV man hospitalized; 3 more ill in MO
Four more cases of Salmonella, including the first case in West Virginia, have been reported as part of a growing outbreak linked to cantaloupes from a farm in southwestern Indiana.
Missouri has increased its victim count from the 9 it originally reported to 12, reported the
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, while West Virginia counted its first case — a 47-year-old man who was hospitalized for 6 days at the end of July.
These new developments bring the total number of cases up from 141 in 20 states, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its initial update, to 145 in 21 states.
Neither CDC nor the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have updated their outbreak reports to reflect these new numbers.
The Missouri Department of Health says it is conducting interviews with victims. So far, at least 3 reported eating cantaloupes before becoming ill.
The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department in West Virginia is investigating the illness in that state, which occurred in Kanawha County. The Department warns that other people may still be at risk for infection.
“We want to make sure to put the word out to individuals because there’s still the chance they could still be in trouble,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of K-CHD Monday, according to
NY Daily News.
And that advice extends nationwide. Anyone who purchased cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana should discard them and not consume them. Many large retailers have taken cantaloupes grown in this reason off of store shelves.
Health officials are refraining from naming the farm whose cantaloupes have been implicated in this outbreak until they can confirm that the farm is the source.
See
Food Safety News‘ coverage of
advice from experts on cantaloupe safety for information on how to avoid foodborne illness from cantaloupes in light of both this outbreak and a recent recall of melons from North Carolina due to potential Listeria contamination.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache and body aches.
If you think you may have contracted a Salmonella infection, contact your healthcare provider.
Purchases from Central Valley Meat Co. were worth nearly $50 million in 2011
The U.S. Department of Agriculture purchased 21.2 million pounds of beef last year from Central Valley Meat, the plant shut down this week for inhumane treatment of cows. The beef went to federal nutrition programs like the National School Lunch Program, according to department records.
Though undercover video shows egregious mistreatment of spent dairy cows at the company’s slaughterhouse, some of which appear lame or injured, USDA said Wednesday there is so far no evidence that so-called “downer” animals — those who can no longer walk — were slaughtered for human consumption. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s investigation is ongoing.
As recently as 2009, Central Valley Meat was one of the top three suppliers of ground beef to the National School Lunch Program, but USDA has so far not responded to questions about current contracts with the company.
Records posted on USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service website show that between October 2010 and September 2011, the USDA purchased 21.2 million pounds of various beef products, including ground beef and boneless beef, from Central Valley Meat. Five separate purchases, ranging from 40,000 pounds to 6.9 million pounds, were made for a total of $49.7 million.
According to the overview of purchases, the USDA purchased around 135 million pounds of beef products during the fiscal year. Purchases from Central Valley Meat accounted for roughly 16 percent of beef purchases by volume during that time.
A graphic excerpt of the video, which animal rights group Compassion Over Killing says was shot by an undercover worker at Central Valley Meat, shows cows before slaughter covered in dirt and feces, some writhing on the ground and bleeding on themselves after being bolted several times but not rendered senseless. Several cows are shown projectile vomiting, presumably from stress, while being hit repeatedly with the bolt gun.
One cow is shown being suffocated by a worker who stands on the animal’s snout. Some cows seem to survive the bolt gun and get sent down the assembly line still thrashing as they are strung upside down before being bled out. Another clip shows cows being sprayed with hot water and electrically prodded to move them.
Shortly after learning about the video, popular fast food chain In-N-out Burger announced they had severed ties with the company, which had previously been supplying between 20 and 30 percent of the chain’s beef.
Renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin issued a statement Wednesday condemning certain practices featured in the video, but also questioned why some of the sick cows were not euthanized instead of being shipped to a slaughter facility.
“Some of the major issues in the video originate due to the poor condition of the animals arriving at the plant, many of which should have been euthanized on the farm,” said Grandin. “I urge the dairy industry to market their cows before they become weak and extremely debilitated.”
Central Valley Meat Co responded Monday by saying that it was cooperating fully with the USDA investigation.
“At Central Valley Meat Co., ensuring that the livestock we process are treated humanely is critically important,” said Brian Coelho, president of the company, in a statement. “Our company seeks not just to meet federal humane handling regulations, but to exceed them.”
Coelho said he was “extremely disturbed” to be told by USDA of the allegations, but the company has not yet commented on the contents of the video.
Update:
“Beef purchases from this company have been suspended during the investigation,” said a USDA spokesman in a statement late Wednesday. “The Department works to ensure that product purchased for the Federal feeding programs meets stringent food safety standards and that processors comply with humane handling regulations. While some of the footage provided from this facility shows unacceptable treatment of cattle, it does not show anything that would compromise food safety. However, we are aggressively continuing our investigation.”
Suppliers to federal nutrition programs are required to have animal welfare plans in place and they are subject to on-site audits. According to USDA policy, audit scheduling is performance-based with a minimum of two audits a year.
According to Compassion Over Killing, their investigator who shot the undercover video worked at the plant in June and July 2012. The last audit of Central Valley Meats was completed on July 24, 2012.
Salmonella case-count up to 178, with 61 hospitalizations and 2 deaths attributed to contaminated melons
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Wednesday night announced a recall of cantaloupe grown by Chamberlain Farms located at Owensville, IN.
Previously, FDA declined to name the cantaloupe farm involved in an ongoing outbreak of foodborne illnesses spreading across the country.
Cantaloupe from Chamberlain Farms “may be one source” of contamination in the multi-state outbreak of salmonellosis, FDA said in the announcement.
Chamberlain Farms agreed to remove their cantaloupe from the market place after meeting the health officials from FDA, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State of Indiana.
Salmonella Typhimurium is the cause of the outbreak that previously being attributed to an un-named cantaloupe farm in southwestern Indiana.
So far, 178 in 21 states have been sickened in the outbreak, which has result in two deaths.
FDA said records at Chamberlain Farms indicate the cantaloupe was originally shipped to Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Food Safety News has asked FDA for a wholesale-retail distribution list for cantaloupes from Chamberlain Farms.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) routinely provides such lists for Class I recalls like this one where there is an immediate threat to public health. “We don’t have the distribution list yet,” said Shelly Burgess, FDA’s spokeswoman.
Chamberlain’s melons were sold in local retail outsells in four counties in southwest Indiana and one county in southeast Illinois before being shipped to wholesalers in Durant, IA, Peru, IL, Owensboro, KY, and St Louis.
However, Chamberlain Farms reportedly stopped shipping cantaloupe on Aug. 17, the day Kentucky’s state laboratory connected the outbreak strain to two cantaloupes from an Indiana grower that were being sold at retail.
The agency’s late night announcement came after a day when it was taking ever more criticism for not going public with what it knew about the source of the outbreak.
Four cases of Salmonella infection have been linked to turkey jerky produced by a Minnesota company.
The Minnesota Department of Health is warning consumers not to eat whole-muscle turkey jerky manufactured by Hoffman Town & Country Meat Market because investigators have linked the product to a cluster of 4 illnesses from the same strain of Salmonella.
The first patient became ill August 2 and the last illness onset was August 7, according to MDH.
One of the victims was hospitalized but all have since recovered.
All 4 victims reported eating turkey jerky during the week before becoming ill.
Of those sickened, 1 lives in the Twin Cities metro area and 3 live in Greater Minnesota.
Hoffman Town & Country has issued a voluntary recall of all whole muscle turkey jerky sold on or before August 21, 2012. The product was sold wrapped in white butcher paper.
Consumers who purchased the recalled product and have not yet consumed it are urged not to eat it and to return it for a full refund.
Those with questions about the recall can call the company at 218-847-72-7.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection appear anywhere from several hours to 3 days after infection and include fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, head ache and body aches.
If you think you may have contracted a Salmonella infection, contact your healthcare provider.
A Dallas pork rind factory has halted operations to do a deep clean after finding Salmonella in their plant, according to a local news source.
NBC Dallas Fort Worth reported Friday that Rudolph Foods found four positives for Salmonella on the floor in their “pro-cook” area.
While the company said they did not find any positive in their finished product or on food contact surfaces, they continuously check for bacteria and if they find a positive they initiate a thoroughly cleaning.
They said they expect to resume full production in a week.
“This is a USDA inspected facility, and the onsite inspector has been informed throughout this process, and are supportive of the plant actions,” the company told NBC 5. “We’re confident there are no risks to any finished product. We can be certain, because not only is there a validated kill step in the fryer process, but all of our seasoning goes through our Sensitive Ingredient Program.”
NBC DFW reported that Dallas plant has been up and running since 2003 and can produce 15 million pounds of pork rinds per year.
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Recalls
Bagged Salad Recalled for Potential Listeria Contamination
Dole Fresh Vegetables is recalling 1,039 cases of bagged salad due to the potential that it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The California-based company issued the
voluntary recall Wednesday after a sample of its Dole Italian Blend taken by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture tested positive for Listeria.
The sample was collected as a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Microbiological Data Program (MDP), a small federal program that provides funding to 11 state agencies for produce surveillance.
While MDP was responsible for collecting the sample, it did not conduct the Listeria test.
“We at North Carolina did not do the testing on their product,” Daniel Ragan, Director of the Food & Drug Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, told Food Safety News. However, “The sample was collected through the USDA’s Microbiological Data Program,” he confirmed.
MDP was slated to be shut down in July of this year after being zeroed out in the Obama Administration’s 2013 budget proposal, but USDA decided to
extend the program until the end of the year after media attention prompted a public demand to keep it going.
Product subject to this recall — the fourth recall prompted by MDP testing this month — is marked with UPC code 7143000819, located on the back of the package below the bar code, and bears a use-by date of August 20. The salads were sold in 10 oz. bags coded 0049N2202008.
They were distributed in 8 U.S. states, including Alabama, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.
No illnesses have been linked to consumption of this product to date.
Although the product is now 3 days past its use-by date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is asking retailers to check their inventories and store shelves to confirm that none of the recalled product is in the warehouse or available to customers.
Dole Fresh Vegetables has contacted retailers to which the salads were distributed and is in the process of ensuring that the recalled product is taken off the market.
A Pennsylvania-based company is recalling several of its protein drinks because they may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that can cause a life-threatening illness in humans when ingested.
Protica, Inc. of Whitehall, PA issued a
voluntary recall of its Body Choice “Protein Shots,” Nutritional Resources “Protein Wave,” ProBalance “Protein to Go French Vanilla Latte” and “Protein to Go Milk Shake” Thursday after an on-site investigation revealed that they were being processed in a way that is not guaranteed to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum.
Toxins produced by this bacteria attack the nervous system and can cause paralysis and even death.
Products subject to the recall include:
– Protein to Go Milk Chocolate Shake, sold in a 2.5 oz. bottle, marked with the following:
Manufacture Date Lot Number
2/9/12 PP0402 4109 A
2/9/12 PP0402 4109 B
2/9/12 PP0402 4109 C
2/9/12 PP0402 4109 D
2/9/12 PP0402 4109 E
2/9/12 PP0402 4109 F
2/9/12 PP0402 4109 G
2/13/12 PP0442 4113
2/16/12 PP0442 4115
3/29/12 PP0892 4121
4/12/12 PP1032 4131 A
4/12/12 PP1032 4131 B
4/25/12 PP1162 4134 B
4/25/12 PP1162 4134 C
4/25/12 PP1162 4134 A
5/3/12 PP1242 4139
5/8/12 PP1242 4140
6/7/12 PP1592 4145 B
6/7/12 PP1592 4145 A
– Protein to Go French Vanilla Latte, sold in a 2.5 oz. bottle, marked with the following:
Manufacture Date Lot Number
9/8/2011 PP2511 4066 A
9/8/2011 PP2511 4066 B
10/11/2011 PP2841 4079
10/18/2011 PP2911 4086
12/6/2011 PP3401 4103
2/13/2012 PP0442 4112
4/2/2012 PP0932 4122
4/4/2012 PP0952 4125
4/11/2012 PP1022 4129
4/24/2012 PP1152 4133 A
4/24/2012 PP1152 4133 B
4/24/2012 PP1152 4133 C
5/1/2012 PP1222 4138 A
5/1/2012 PP1222 4138 B
5/1/2012 PP1222 4138 C
5/8/2012 PP1292 4141
6/8/2012 PP1592 4146 A
6/8/2012 PP1592 4146 B
– Nutritional Resources Protein Wave gelatin, served in a 6 oz. cup and marked with a manufacture date of May 03 2012 and lot number PP 1242 6123
– Body Choice Protein Shots, served in a 3 oz. vial and marked with a manufacture date of Dec 20, 2011 and lot number PP 3541 2924
Consumers who purchased any of the above products can return them to the place of purchase or to Protica for a full refund. Anyone with questions should call the company at 1-800-PROTICA (1-800-776-8422).
Symptoms of botulism (the illness caused by C. botulinum toxins) include general weakness, dizziness, double-vision, trouble speaking or swallowing, difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, abdominal distention and constipation.
If you think you may have botulism, contact your healthcare provider.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and North American Produce Sales are recalling Mexican mangoes sold in western Canada due to likely contamination of Salmonella Braenderup, CTV News reports.
Several illnesses have already been associated with the mangoes.
The affected mangoes are sold individually with a sticker reading PLU# 4959. They were sold in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon between July 12 and August 14.
Call the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at 1-800-442-2342 for more information.
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Articles of Interest
A Michigan family has sued Wal-Mart for selling contaminated cantaloupe that’s involved in the multistate Salmonella outbreak.
The complaint was filed in Michigan’s Calhoun County Circuit Court on behalf of Battle Creek resident Angela Compton and her two children, who both were infected with Salmonella Typhimurium after eating cantaloupe they purchased form Wal-Mart in mid-July.
Compton purchased three cantaloupes at the Wal-Mart store located at 6020 B. Drive North in Battle Creek on July 12, 2012, later cutting the melons into slices and serving them to her family. Within days of eating the cantaloupe slices, one of her children, “MC,” became ill with symptoms of Salmonella infection, including diarrhea and painful abdominal cramping.
She was treated several times by her pediatrician and was later seen at the emergency room for dehydration and was admitted to Bronson Kalamazoo hospital. “MC “was hospitalized for four days and continued to suffer symptoms of Salmonella infection for at least a week after she was discharged.
Her sister, “CC”, fell ill with a Salmonella infection several days into MC’s illness. She was also treated at her pediatrician’s office, but required further treatment at the ER on three occasions. Both children tested positive for Salmonella Typhimurium.
Michigan health officials told Angela Compton that her daughters’ illnesses were part of the multi-state cantaloupe outbreak linked to melons grown in southwest Indiana.
The complaint was filed on behalf of the Compton family by Marler Clark, the nationally known food safety law firm based in Seattle, and by prominent Michigan attorney Michael Heilmann.
“I’m in the middle of litigation from last year’s Listeria outbreak traced to cantaloupes grown in Colorado.” said attorney Bill Marler, “I would have expected farmers, distributors and retailers to have better food safety procedures in place this year to prevent another cantaloupe-related outbreak from happening.”
Marler represents 42 families from last year’s deadly Listeria outbreak traced to cantaloupes from Colorado’s Jensen Farms. His firm has been litigating foodborne illness cases since the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak.
It has represented victims of nearly every major foodborne illness outbreak in the last 20 years, and has brought cases against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Dole, Nestle, and Taco Bell.
The Michigan lawsuit may be the first brought in the Salmonella outbreak that has now reached 21 states with 145 sickened and two dead.
As the slaughterhouse accused of egregious humane handling violations remains unable to process meat after the U.S. Department of Agriculture withdrew inspectors from the plant over the weekend, three Central California Republican congressman are urging Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to “immediately” allow the company to operate again.
House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and Reps. Devin Nunes and Jeff Denham said in a letter Thursday that keeping the plant shut down serves “no legitimate interest” and harms the plant workers at a time when the community has double digit unemployment.
Though an undercover video shows mistreatment of spent dairy cows, including some that appear lame or injured, USDA said Wednesday there is no evidence that so-called “downer” animals were slaughtered for human consumption. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s investigation is ongoing.
“The investigation can and should continue, but does not necessitate a prolonged and economically disastrous full stoppage of operations,” wrote the congressmen in their letter. “Furthermore, your agency should more aggressively clarify the fact that our food supply is not – and never was – in jeopardy as a result of this alleged violation.”
On his blog, Rep. Nunes blasted Compassion Over Killing, the advocacy group that went undercover, as “extremists who are actively working to undermine production agriculture in the United States.” Nunes said local residents now confront “economic terrorism” from animal rights groups.
A graphic excerpt of the undercover video, which animal rights group Compassion Over Killing says was taken by an undercover investigator in June and July, shows cows before slaughter covered in dirt and feces, some writhing on the ground and bleeding on themselves after being bolted, but not rendered senseless, several times. Several cows are shown projectile vomiting, presumably from stress, while being hit repeatedly with the bolt gun.
Renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin issued a statement condemning certain practices featured in the video, but also questioned why some of the sick cows were not euthanized instead of being shipped to a slaughter facility.
“Some of the major issues in the video originate due to the poor condition of the animals arriving at the plant, many of which should have been euthanized on the farm,” said Grandin. “I urge the dairy industry to market their cows before they become weak and extremely debilitated.”
In a cattle industry newsletter this week, animal care expert, Dr. Dave Daley, an associate dean for the College of Agriculture at California State University, argued that any and all mistreatment of animals “cannot be tolerated.”
“We do not condone any mishandling of livestock on the farm or ranch or in the packing facility,” said Daley. “In fact, we firmly believe that those knowingly and willfully committing any abuse to animals should not be in the business – period. The actions depicted in these videos are disgraceful and not representative of the cattle community.”
Slaughterhouse under investigation a major school lunch supplier
As recently as 2009, Central Valley Meat was one of the top three suppliers of ground beef to the National School Lunch Program, but USDA has so far not responded to questions about current contracts with the company.
Records posted on USDA’s website show that between October 2010 and September 2011, the USDA purchased 21.2 million pounds of various beef products, including ground beef and boneless beef, from Central Valley Meat. Five separate purchases, ranging from 40,000 pounds to 6.9 million pounds, were made for a total of $49.7 million.
According to the overview of purchases, the USDA purchased around 135 million pounds of beef products during the fiscal year. Purchases from Central Valley Meat accounted for roughly 16 percent of beef purchases by volume during that time.
Shortly after learning about the video, popular fast food chain In-N-out Burger announced they had severed ties with the company, which had previously been supplying between 20 and 30 percent of the chain’s beef.
USDA, Costco, McDonalds, and Jack in the Box have also dropped Central Valley Meat as a supplier.
Central Valley Meat said it was cooperating fully with the USDA investigation.
“At Central Valley Meat Co., ensuring that the livestock we process are treated humanely is critically important,” said Brian Coelho, president of the company, in a statement. “Our company seeks not just to meet federal humane handling regulations, but to exceed them.”
Coelho said he was “extremely disturbed” to be told by USDA of the allegations, but the company has not yet commented on the contents of the video.
Violators receive FDA warning letters
Dairy and meat farms in California were among the most recent establishments to receive federal warning letters after unacceptable levels of drug residues were found in cattle that they sold for slaughter.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration visited each establishment to inspect operations there and looked at records to track animals that were slaughtered.
If an animal from a dairy farm was slaughtered for human consumption, FDA checked with the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to see whether tissue samples from a specific dairy cow were tested for drug residues.
When FSIS testing reveals residue levels higher than set limits, the operation receives a warning letter.
Meat: Cunha Calf Ranch, CA
Inspection Dates: May 2, May 24, June 5 and June 10, 2012
Violation: Sold cows for slaughter as human food with 7 residue violations of neomycin (highest was 18.43 parts per million). The FDA’s tolerance of neomycin is 7.2 parts per million.
Dairy: Double Diamond Dairy, CA
Inspection Dates: May 4, May 5 2012
Violation: Sold cows for slaughter as human food with two residue violations of neomycin (7.21, 7.47 parts per million).
Meat: GTA Calf Ranch, CA
Inspection Date: June 8, 2012
Violation: Sold cows for slaughter as human food with two drug residue violations of neomycin (14.91 parts per million) and oxytetracycline (5.89 parts per million). The FDA’s tolerance of neomycin is 7.2 parts per million and oxytetracycline is 2 parts per million.
Dairy: Johann Dairy Farm, CA
Inspection Dates: March 30, April 5, May 2, May 7, May 29, June 4, June 30 and July 3, 2012
Violation: Sold cows for slaughter as human food with nine drug residue violations of gentamicin (detected), neomycin (56.14 parts per million), penicillin (.08 parts per million), and sulfamethazine (4.418 parts per million). The FDA’s tolerance of gentamicin is 0 parts per million, 7.2 parts per million for neomycin, .05 parts per million for penicillin and 0 for sulfamethazine.
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