In the news

The CFIA reported that due to positive test results for Salmonella, pistachios sold by an independent grocer in Barrhaven are being recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination. The organic pistachio kernels were sold at Barrhaven Market at 2910 Woodroffe Ave. The store is located in a strip mall. The recall includes pistachios sold up to and including Oct. 5 in Ontario. The affected products come in various volumes. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. This recall is the latest case of suspected Salmonella contamination involving pistachio products. More than 100 Canadians have been sickened, and more than a dozen have been hospitalized since July. @ https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/barrhaven-market-brand-organic-pistachio-kernels-recalled-due-salmonella?utm_source=gc-notify&utm_medium=email&utm_content=en&utm_campaign=hc-sc-rsa-22-23

The USDA-FSIS is issuing a public health alert for FSIS-inspected ready-to-eat (RTE) meals produced by FreshRealm that contain an FDA-regulated ingredient, specifically spinach, which may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). FSIS expects additional affected products to be identified and will update this public health alert as more information becomes available. The product under alert is 10.1-oz. containers of “HELLO FRESH READY MADE MEALS CHEESY PULLED PORK PEPPER PASTA” with lot code 49107 or lot code 48840. This item was shipped directly to consumers by HelloFresh. Also, 10-oz. containers of “HELLO FRESH READY MADE MEALS UNSTUFFED PEPPERS WITH GROUND TURKEY” lot codes 50069, 50073, or 50698. This item was shipped directly to consumers by HelloFresh. The problem was discovered when FreshRealm notified FSIS that the spinach used in these products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. @ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2025-10/PHA-10062025-01_Food-Labels.pdf

Giant Eagle, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of “Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad” sold in the prepared foods departments of its Giant Eagle and Market District locations across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and Indiana due to the potential of Listeria monocytogenes contamination. This recall is in response to a nationwide recall of ready-to-eat pasta originating from Nate’s Fine Foods. There have been no reports of illness associated with Giant Eagle’s recall to date. The recalled “Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad” was sold starting on September 25, 2025. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/giant-eagle-recalls-smoked-mozzarella-pasta-salad-due-potential-listeria-monocytogenes-contamination

A model was developed for a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model for Listeria monocytogenes (LM) on cantaloupe along the fresh-cut supply chain and evaluated potential risk reduction strategies. The developed model starts at harvest and includes conditions during transportation from the field to intermediate facility (packinghouse or cooling facility), handling at the intermediate facility, and transportation to the fresh-cut facility, storage pre-processing at the fresh-cut facility, processing and handling at the fresh-cut facility, as well as conditions during distribution, retail, transportation to home, and home storage. The model was simulated to (i) provide an estimate of LM concentration in a single serving (134 g) and (ii) estimate annual illnesses and deaths in the US attributed to LM contaminated fresh-cut cantaloupe. The baseline model predicted the median risk of listeriosis per serving in general and susceptible populations was 1.4 x 10-12 and 6.4 x 10-11, respectively. The median (5th, 95th percentiles) predicted number of illnesses and deaths annually attributed to fresh-cut cantaloupe were 0 (0, 1070) and 0 (0, 264), respectively. Time and temperature conditions post-packaging, and the initial number of LM at harvest had the greatest impacts on LM per contaminated serving and the number of annual illnesses; the initial LM levels at harvest and cross-contamination parameters at the fresh-cut facility had the greatest impacts on prevalence of contaminated servings. Assessment of interventions demonstrated that reducing temperature and/or time conditions post-packaging can be an effective risk reduction strategy. Overall, the developed tool estimates the risk associated with the consumption of LM contaminated fresh-cut cantaloupe and facilitates the identification and assessment of potential risk reduction strategies across the supply chain. Published in Farm-to-consumer quantitative microbial risk assessment model for Listeria monocytogenes on fresh-cut cantaloupe by Ingersoll Murphy et al J. Food Protection, available aniline 26 September 2025. @ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X25001784