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The CFIA reported that Mountain Valley Dairy Ltd., doing business as Kootenay Meadows brand Nostrala (Creston, British Columbia), recalled Surface-Ripened Organic Cheese sold in variable sizes recalled due to Staphylococcus aureus and generic E. coli. The recalled product has been sold in British Columbia and Alberta. @ https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/kootenay-meadows-brand-nostrala-firm-surface-ripened-organic-cheese-recalled-due
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The INFOSAN (International Food Safety Authorities Network) Secretariat reported that it was involved in 47 food safety incidents concerning 53 WHO Member States (MS) and territories from all WHO regions during this first quarter of the year. There were twenty-eight incidents involving a biological hazard [Salmonella spp. (9), Listeria monocytogenes (6), E. coli (3), Clostridium botulinum (2), Hepatitis A (2), Anisakis (1), Cronobacter (1), Entamoeba histolytica (1), Leptospira (1), Norovirus (1), and Shigella (1)]; nine involving a chemical hazard [methanol (2), aflatoxins (1), chlorothalonil (1), ergot alkaloids (1), histamine (1), lead (1), nitrogen (1), and patulin (1)]; six involving an undeclared allergen/ingredient [peanuts (2), egg (1), gluten (1), milk (1), soy (1)]; three involving a physical hazard [glass (1), metal (1), stones (1)]; and one of an unknown hazard. The food categories most commonly involved in the 47 incidents during the first quarter of 2023 were fish and other seafood (6), meat and meat products (6), composite foods (5), nuts and oilseeds (5), cereals and cereal based products (3), fruit and fruit products (3), milk and dairy products (3), snacks, desserts, and other foods (3), vegetables and vegetable products (3), alcoholic beverages (2), food for infants and small children (2), herbs spices and condiments (2), legumes and pulses (1), non-alcoholic beverages (1), and two unknown food sources. The affected Member States were distributed as follows: 23/53 from the European Region, 9/27 in the Western Pacific, 8/35 in the Americas, 7/47 in Africa, 4/11 in South-East Asia, and 2/21 in the Eastern Mediterranean.@ https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2023-infosan-quarterly-summary-2023-1
Due to the active engagement of INFOSAN members and partners, 53% of incidents were reported to the INFOSAN Secretariat by INFOSAN members (Emergency Contact Points and Focal Points), 28% of those incidents were communicated to the Secretariat through the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), and 19% through various WHO channels.
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The FDA reported that Cricket Creek Farm (Williamstown, MA) recalled 165 units of Sophelise cheese and 149 pounds of Tobasi cheese because it could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Sophelise and Tobasi were distributed in Massachusetts and New York through Wild Oats, Williamstown, MA; Provisions Williamstown, Williamstown, MA; McEnroe Organic Farm Market, Millerton, NY; New Lebanon Farmers Market; New Lebanon, NY, at restaurants and farmers markets. Sophelise is a washed, pasteurized milk cheese with a soft rind and pinkish hue; the circular cheese measures 4 inches in diameter and is around 1 inch tall. It is sold in semi-transparent packaging with a round blue label. Sophelise was distributed between March 29, 2023, and May 26, 2023. Tobasi is a washed raw milk cheese with an orange rind and creamy interior. It is wrapped in clear packaging with a gray and orange label. When sold at retail stores, it is sold in small rectangular cuts. When sold wholesale, the cheese is a square format, roughly 8”x8” and 1.25 inches tall. One hospitalization due to Listeria monocytogenes has been reported to date. The current lot of Sophelise was positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The three batches of Tobasi are being recalled due to their proximity to the exposed product during storage. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/cricket-creek-farm-recalls-sophelise-and-tobasi-cheeses-because-potential-listeria-monocytogenes
Cricket Creek Farm of Williamstown, MA is recalling 165 units of Sophelise cheese and 149 pounds of Tobasi cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people
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The CDC reported in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on the multistate outbreak of Salmonella traced back to Jule’s cashew brie. The product was recalled on April 22, 2021. (Lewis K, Vasser M, Garman K, et al. Notes from the Field: Multistate, Multiserotype Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Cashew Brie — United States, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:589–590.) On March 30, 2021, the Tennessee Department of Health identified two Salmonella Duisburg isolates. The specimens containing the isolates were from two patients who reported eating the same brand of cashew brie at the same restaurant. They identified three additional Salmonella isolates, two from patients in California and one in Florida, closely related genetically to the Tennessee isolates. Outbreak strains of S. Chester, S. Typhimurium, and S. Urbana were included in the investigation. Overall, 20 cases were identified in four states: California (seven S. Typhimurium, three S. Chester, three S. Urbana, two S. Duisburg), Florida (one S. Chester, one S. Duisburg), Maryland (one S. Urbana), and Tennessee (two S. Duisburg). Twenty-three (64%) samples yielded 51 Salmonella isolates, including 19 (95%) of 20 retail samples and four (25%) of 16 samples collected from the production facility. @ http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7221a4
This report describes a multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to cashew brie.
