In the news

The recent recall of Strauss in Nof Hagalil due to Salmonella caused the Israeli health ministry to close the factory for 3 months. As a result, there are no Strauss/Elite products on any shelf in Israel. The Ministry of Health has published a list of flaws in the factory operation, which likely led to the introduction of Salmonella. As a result, Strauss will lose millions of shekels. During the investigation, the suspicion arose, by the health ministry, as part of an ongoing investigation into salmonella contamination found at a Strauss factory, which the contamination might come from powdered milk from Tnuva provided to Strauss.  So far, the ministry has been able to identify bacteria in one batch of powdered milk produced on August 9, 2021. According to a report published by the Health Ministry last week, out of 300 samples taken so far from the Strauss factory, about 30 have come back positive for traces of Salmonella. The ministry of health report cited a range of issues that it blamed on Strauss Group, including construction work at the factory; an infiltration of pigeons into the factory; the unfilled role of a director of food safety at the factory; and improper thawing conditions for dairy fats used in chocolate production. @ https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-strauss-recall-salmonella-found-at-tnuva-factory-as-well/
 

In the UK, the FSA reports that Cranswick has closed a poultry site in Hull after the food group discovered salmonella in cooked chicken products, prompting a recall by many retailers. Tesco, Sainsbury, Marks, and Spencer, plus discounter Aldi, are among the chains that have withdrawn from selling products, including sandwiches, wraps, marinated chicken strips, and salads. Tesco’s One Stop convenience stores, Waitrose, The Co-op, and Amazon, were also named, along with coffee-shop chains Starbucks, Costa, and Caffé Nero. The group has launched an investigation with the Food Standards Agency (FSA). @ https://www.just-food.com/news/cranswick-foods-chicken-factory-closes-after-salmonella-contamination/

The FDA, CDC, and local partners investigated consumer complaints, and reports received by the FDA from 9/20/2021 to 1/11/2022, of illnesses among infants reported to have consumed powdered infant formula products from Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis MI facility. On May 12, 2022, the CDC closed the investigation due to a lack of new cases. The FDA established an Incident Management Group (IMG) on April 1, 2022, to continue to work on supply chain and food safety issues. Abbott has committed to completing enhanced testing of stored product batches before making release determinations. The FDA has informed Abbott Nutrition that the agency has no objection to the company immediately releasing products to fulfill specific needs. The FDA is concerned that the risk of not having specific specialty and metabolic products available could significantly worsen underlying medical conditions. Abbott has confirmed with the FDA that the company will consider releasing these products on a case-by-case basis, depending on product availability and the severity of the individual’s need. The recall caused a shortage of infant formula, creating a scandal that prompted the Congress to begin hearing on infant formula shortages. Mainstream media continue to post stories about the parents’ complaints about their inability to obtain infant formula. The FDA claims to be working around the clock to solve the problem. Lawmakers heavily criticize the time elapsed between the first illness report and the beginning of the FDA investigation. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Wayne Farms, LLC. (Decatur, Alabama) recalled approximately 585,030 pounds of a ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken breast fillet product that may be undercooked. The USDA/FSIS issued another recall as an extension of previous recalls to include more products. The RTE chicken breast fillet products were produced between February 9 and April 30, 2022. The products were shipped to distributors nationwide and further distributed to restaurants and retail locations. The retail locations are in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The problem was discovered when the firm received a customer complaint that the RTE chicken product appeared to be undercooked. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to the consumption of these products. @ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/wayne-farms-llc-recalls-ready-eat-chicken-breast-fillet-products-may-be-0