In the news

On June 5, 2024, the FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, reported investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Africana infections potentially linked to cucumbers. As of June 4, 162 people were reported to be infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Africana from 25 states and the District of Columbia. Of the 65 interviewed, 47 (72%) reported eating cucumbers. CDC and FDA are also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections, with 158 illnesses in 23 states. The two outbreaks share several similarities, including where and when illnesses occurred and the demographics of ill people. Investigators are working to determine whether the two outbreaks could be linked to the same food vehicle. As part of the Salmonella Africana investigation, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture collected samples of cucumbers from several retail locations in their state. One sample supplied by Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc., of Delray, Florida, tested positive for Salmonella. In response to the positive sample, Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. has recalled cucumbers grown in Florida. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-cucumbers-june-2024?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Escherichia albertii is an emerging zoonotic foodborne pathogen. The clinical significance of this bacterium has increasingly been recognized worldwide. However, a diagnostic method has not yet been established, and its clinical manifestations are not fully understood. An article published in Heliyon by scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan (Awasthi et al.2024) showed that an Eacdt gene-based quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is 100% specific and sensitive when tested with 39 E. albertii and 36 non-E. albertii strains, respectively. The detection limit of the real-time PCR was 10 CFU and 1 pg of genomic DNA per PCR tube. When E. albertii was spiked with 4 × 100–106 CFU per mL in a healthy person’s stool, the detection limit was 4.0 × 103 and 4.0 CFU per mL before and after enrichment culture, respectively. Moreover, the qRT-PCR detected E. albertii in five children out of 246 (2%) but none from 142 adults suffering from gastroenteritis. All five E. albertii strains isolated carried eae and paa genes. However, only one strain harbored stx2f genes. Long-term shedding of stx2f gene-positive E. albertii in a child stool could be detected because of the qRT-PCR developed in this study, which might have been missed if only conventional PCR and culture methods were employed. Furthermore, E. albertii isolated from siblings with diarrhea showed clonality by PFGE analysis. Taken together, these data suggest that the Eacdt gene-based qRT-PCR developed for detecting E. albertii is useful and will assist in determining the real burden and clinical manifestation of E. albertii infections. @ https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)06073-0

On June 3, 2024, the FDA reported on its abbreviated page (https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts) that Once Upon a Farm PBC (Berkeley, CA) recalled Organic Plant-Rich Meal, Curried Carrots & Beans, packaged in 3.5 oz, packed in single serving flexible pouches, due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The product is distributed frozen and is not ready to eat. The products were distributed in many states, including Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Texas. According to details published online by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recall was initiated on May 17, 2024, and is ongoing.

The FDA reported that UBC Food Distributors ( Dearborn, Michigan) is recalling the Ground Black Pepper under the Baraka brand name in 7oz plastic containers 7oz * 10 because it can potentially be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled “black pepper” was distributed nationwide in retail stores. The product comes in a 7 ounce, clear plastic package marked with an expiration date of January 2026 on the back of the label. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The potential for contamination was noted after the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) notified the company of the contamination based on a routine state surveillance sample collected by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets that tested positive for Salmonella the presence of Salmonella in some 7 ounce packages of Ground Black Pepper. Production of the product has been suspended while the FDA and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ubc-food-distributors-recalls-baraka-brand-ground-black-pepper-spice-because-possible-health-risk?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery