In the news

The investigation of the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to queso fresco cheeses made by El Abuelito Cheese, Inc. is over. On 2/19/2021, El Abuelito Cheese, Inc. announced their initial recall of products, and on 2/27/2021, they announced the extended recall to cover additional products. 

Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve any recalled Queso Fresco, Quesillo (Oaxaca, string cheese), or Requeson (ricotta) cheeses. In this outbreak, there were 13 ill people, 12 hospitalizations, and one death. States with Cases: CT (1), MD (5), NY (4), and VA (3). The products were distributed in AL, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, NE, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WI @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-hispanic-style-fresh-and-soft-cheeses-february-2021?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

According to the CFIA, Les Dépendances (St-Hubert, Quebec ) has recalled batch/lots of Castel Regio branded Taleggio DOP Cheese products from the Canadian marketplace due to suspected Listeria monocytogenes contamination. This product may have been packaged at retail and sold in variable sizes. These processed cheese products were marketed, distributed, and sold in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Quebec. However, it is always possible these food products had wider distribution within the country. @ https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/inspection/2021/75601r-eng.php

Between June and October 2020, various agencies investigated a Salmonella Newport foodborne illness outbreak linked to the consumption of red onions supplied by Thomson International of Bakersfield, California. The outbreak caused 1,127 domestic illnesses and 515 reported Canadian cases. It was the largest Salmonella outbreak in over a decade. This outbreak is also significant because the food vehicle, whole red onions, is a raw agricultural commodity that had not been previously associated with a foodborne illness outbreak. The FDA released a report on its findings, including factors that potentially contributed to the Salmonella contamination of red onions. The FDA identified several plausible reasons for contamination that may have contributed to the outbreak. They, including potentially contaminated irrigation water, sheep grazing on adjacent land, signs of animal intrusion including fecal droppings and large flocks of birds that may spread contamination, as well as packing house cleaning and sanitizing practices. A leading hypothesis remained that contaminated irrigation water used in a growing field in Holtville, California, may have led to contamination of the onions. Salmonella isolates from two sediment subsamples and two water subsamples collected during this investigation were genetically related by WGS to clinical isolates from 2016 and 2018 foodborne illness outbreaks (Salmonella Muenchen and Salmonella Montevideo, respectively) associated with the consumption of sprouts. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/factors-potentially-contributing-contamination-red-onions-implicated-summer-2020-outbreak-salmonella

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is working with local health jurisdictions to respond to a multi-county outbreak of E. coli that might be linked to fresh produce. There are currently six confirmed cases across Benton, King, Snohomish, and Walla Walla counties. Three cases have been hospitalized, and one has developed HUS. DOH is only reporting confirmed cases infected with bacteria that have been genetically linked. However, local health officials may report higher numbers for their counties that include cases still under investigation. Other similar cases are being investigated in Washington State. @ https://www.kxly.com/public-health-officials-investigating-multi-county-e-coli-outbreak/