In the news

On April 27, 2022, the USDA/FSIS issued a public health alert due to concerns that specific ground beef products may be adulterated with E. coli O26. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available. The ground beef items for this public health alert were produced on December 16 and 17, 2021. The products include 1-lb. foam trays containing “ALL NATURAL LAURA’S LEAN BEEF 92% LEAN 8% FAT GROUND BEEF.”, 1-lb. foam trays containing “Kroger GROUND BEEF CARNE MOLIDA 96% LEAN 4% FAT.”, 1-lb. foam trays containing “Kroger GROUND BEEF CARNE MOLIDA 85% LEAN 15% FAT.”, 1.3-lb. foam trays containing “PRIVATE SELECTION ANGUS BEEF 90% LEAN 10% FAT GROUND SIRLOIN.” 1-lb. foam trays containing “Kroger GROUND BEEF CARNE MOLIDA 93% LEAN 7% FAT.”, and 1-lb. foam trays containing “Kroger GROUND BEEF CARNE MOLIDA 80% LEAN 20% FAT.” The ground beef products were distributed to warehouses in Oregon and Washington and sold at retail locations. The problem was discovered after a consumer submitted a retail package of ground beef produced by Empire Packing bearing a use or freeze by “December 24, 2021” to a third-party laboratory for microbiological analysis. The consumer reported previously becoming ill but did not get tested for E coli.  The third-party laboratory confirmed the ground beef sample was positive for E. coli O26.  @https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ground-beef-products-due-possible-e-coli-o26

One of Israel’s largest food manufacturers, Stauss, just announced the biggest recall in Israeli history due to Salmonella in some of its products. Strauss Group announced that numerous popular chocolate products produced by its subsidiary company Elite were being recalled due to concerns of Salmonella contamination. The company and Israeli government officials scrambled to answer questions raised by the massive recall of Strauss products, and stores pulled chocolate, ice cream, cookies, and other products off shelves. The Health Ministry said that Strauss was informed that lab tests on some of its consumer-ready products tested positive for Salmonella. At least three people have been hospitalized with suspected salmonella poisoning from Strauss goods. There is criticism of the company’s decision to wait nearly a week after discovering there may have been a salmonella outbreak to announce the recall. Ministry officials have defended the delay, noting that the initial salmonella detection was in the factory area rather than the products themselves. At least two children and one adult have sought medical attention with suspected cases of salmonella poisoning following the recall. The products affected include some of Israel’s most popular snacks: Pesek Zman bars (those marked best before December 1, 2022, to April 1, 2023), Reva L’Sheva bars (best before between May 1, 2022, to December 15, 2023), Kif Kef, Taami, Egozi and Energy bars (best before July 1, 2022, to January 1, 2023), Parra Chocolate bars (best before October 1, 2022, to April 24, 2023) — all produced by Elite. The recall was later expanded to include the Milky chocolate pudding topped with chocolate lentils and a wide range of ice cream products, added out of an abundance of caution due to their inclusion of some Elite chocolate products. @ https://www.timesofisrael.com/strauss-offers-to-double-refunds-as-salmonella-scare-clears-products-off-shelves/

The USDA/FSIS reported that Lakeside Refrigerated Services (Swedesboro, N.J.) recalls approximately 120,872 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O103. The ground beef products were produced from February 1, 2022, through April 8, 2022. The recalled products bear the establishment number “EST. 46841” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS testing of imported products. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions due to the consumption of these products. Many clinical laboratories do not test for non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) such as O103 because it is harder to identify than STEC O157:H7. People can become ill from STECs 2–8 days (an average of 3–4 days) after consuming the organism.@ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/lakeside-refrigerated-services-recalls-ground-beef-products-due-possible-e-coli-o103

The Israeli chocolate maker Strauss (one of Israel’s largest food manufacturers )found salmonella in raw chocolate used for some of the company’s products on the eve of Passover and notified the Israeli Health Ministry but waited almost a week before alerting the public. The products being recalled belonging to its “Elite” line of chocolate snacks include the famous Shokolad Para, Pesek Zman, Egozi, Kif Kef candy bars, Energy chocolate-coated crackers, and Bonbonniere candy boxes, among others. Strauss announced that the production of the various chocolate products in the factory was immediately halted. Products manufactured in the vicinity of the discovery of salmonella were blocked from distribution. Strauss doesn’t know how many, or if any, contaminated products were sold to customers. Earlier this month, Israel joined the recall of Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs issued by the British Food Standards Agency due to contamination with salmonella. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-s-top-chocolate-maker-recalls-popular-brands-over-salmonella-outbreak-1.10760873