The FDA, CDC, and partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg infections linked to Jif peanut butter products produced at the J.M. Smucker Company facility in Lexington, Kentucky. J.M. Smucker Company has voluntarily recalled the Jif peanut butter products. The FDA has posted additional recalls by companies that used the Jif peanut butter as an ingredient ie manufacturinf a new product (e.g., chocolate products) or in repackaging the product (e.g., snack cups). The USDA has issued a recall of ready-to-eat Super Asian Chicken Salads made with recalled Jif peanut butter and sold at an Amazon Go retail location in Washington State.@ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-peanut-butter-may-2022?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
FDA updates list of recalls; reminds consumers to check homes for recalled Jif peanut butter
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The fresh organic strawberries that caused the hepatitis outbreak were imported from Baja, California, in Northern Mexico. They were branded as FreshKampo and HEB by their supplier. The strawberries were purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 15, 2022. The CFIA is also investigating an outbreak of hepatitis A in Canada due to imported strawberries branded Freshkampo. The strawberries cause 18 illnesses and 13 hospitalizations in the US. States with Cases: CA (16), MN (1), ND (1). These imported fresh organic strawberries are past their shelf life and are not available for purchase in stores. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-hepatitis-virus-strawberries-may-2022?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Do not eat, serve, or sell imported FreshKampo or HEB brand organic strawberries purchased between 3/5/2022 – 4/15/2022. FDA’s investigation is ongoing.
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An article published in the Journal of Food Protection (TARBOUSH et al. 2022, J Food Prot (1997) 60 (7): 761–770) described the effect of gamma irradiation doses of 2.5, 5.0,7.5, and 10.0, kGy on raw chicken (breast and thigh) stored at 4.0°C. Samples were drawn at day 0 and 3-day intervals up to 21 days for sensory and microbiological analyses. All irradiation doses had little effect on the sensory acceptability (appearance, odor, texture, taste) of both raw and cooked chicken (breast and thigh). The juiciness and tenderness of cooked chicken were only slightly affected by irradiation, and chickens were not rejected even after 21 days of storage. A dose of 2.5 kGy seemed adequate to extend the shelf life of chicken by 12 days, and increasing the dose level above 2.5 kGy gave little, if any, benefit. A dose of 2.5 kGy was enough to destroy Salmonella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter species and coliforms. Irradiated chickens, with their increased shelf life, would mean less waste, considerable savings in the poultry trade, and safer products in terms of pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter species. @ https://meridian.allenpress.com/jfp/article/60/7/761/195943/Sensory-and-Microbial-Quality-of-Chicken-as
Chickens were subjected to gamma irradiation doses of 2.5, 5.0,7.5, and 10.0 kGy using a semi-commercial gamma irradiation facility. The irradiated and unirradiated (control) chickens were stored at 4.0°C, and samples were drawn at day 0 and at 3-day intervals up to 21 days for sensory and microbiological analyses. All irradiation doses (2.5 to 10.0 kGy) had little effect on the sensory acceptability (appearance, odor, texture, taste) of both raw and cooked chicken (breast and thigh). Irradiation extended the time during which these characteristics were acceptable. Moreover, juiciness and tenderness of cooked chicken were only slightly affected by irradiation, and chickens were not rejected even after 21 days of storage. A dose of 2.5 kGy seemed adequate to extend the shelf life of chicken by 12 days, and increasing the dose level above 2.5 kGy gave little if any additional benefit as far as total and psychrotrophic bacterial counts are concerned. Moreover, the dose of 2.5 kGy was enough to destroy Salmonella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter species and coliforms. The study also showed that yeasts of the genera Candida, Saccharomyces, and Alternaria started to grow on day 12 in samples treated with ≥5.0 kGy, but not in samples treated with <5.0 kGy.
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The Washington Post reported that Daily Harvest recalled its French leek and lentil crumble after receiving complaints from customers that the product is causing the products causing gastrointestinal problems. Daily Harvest provides home deliveries of vegan frozen food it claims is good for consumers and the environment. Customer complaints included testimony that they have experienced stomach, liver, and gallbladder issues after eating the product. The company claims that all pathogen and toxicity results came back negative. The FDA has posted no recall, and the nature of the problem is yet unclear. @ https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2022/06/22/daily-harvest-fda-recall/
Daily Harvest recalled its lentil-leek crumbles and says it’s trying to identify the “root cause” of reports that the topping sickened customers.