In the news

The FDA reported that Primal Pet Foods Fairfield, CA)is voluntarily recalling a single lot (#W10068709) of Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula (6-pound), with a best by date of 05/22/23, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The company distributed sixty-six cases (396 units) of this single lot of Raw Frozen Primal Patties to Maryland, Georgia, Texas, and British Columbia, in late April 2022. Primal Pet Foods has received no complaints or reports of illness to pets or humans due to this recalled product. The recall resulted from routine U.S. Food and Drug Administration sampling, which revealed a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes. The Raw Frozen Primal Patties are sold in flexible packaging in the freezer at select pet stores. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/primal-pet-foods-voluntary-recalls-single-lot-raw-frozen-patties-beef-formula-due-potential?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The FDA reported that this week there are two updates. (1) The source has not been identified for the Salmonella Braenderup outbreak. Still, the case count has increased from 42 to 59 cases. (2) The product linked to illnesses for the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak is ice cream from Big Olaf Creamery in Sarasota, FL. The outbreak made 23 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes from 10 states (CO(1), FL(12), GA(1), IL(1), KS(1), MA(2), MN(1), NY(2), PA(1)). As a result of this outbreak, one person from Illinois died, and another pregnant woman had a miscarriage. @ 

FSIS issued a report on Foodborne illness outbreaks that may involve FSIS-regulated products. Included are outbreaks that involve four foodborne pathogens: Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), and Campylobacter. The report summarizes outbreaks that FSIS investigated from October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic likely decreased the number of reported foodborne illness outbreaks in FY 2021. For the previous three fiscal years, the outbreaks investigated by FSIS were 16 in 2018, 16 in 2019, and 12 in 2020. In the fiscal Year 2021, FSIS investigated nine outbreaks. These outbreaks involved approximately 200 illnesses and 60 hospitalizations. Of the nine outbreaks investigated by FSIS in FY 2021, Salmonella and STEC were each implicated in three outbreaks, with Lm implicated in two. Beef, followed by chicken, was the most common food product linked to outbreaks in FY2021. @ https://ask-bioexpert.com/blog-post/a-new-report-fsis-foodborne-illness-outbreak-investigations-fiscal-year-2021/

The CDC linked the multi state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that made 23 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes from 10 states (CO(1), FL(12), GA(1), IL(1), KS(1), MA(2), MN(1), NY(2), PA(1)) to Big Olaf Creamery in Sarasota, FL. As a result of this outbreak, one person from Illinois died, and another pregnant woman had a miscarriage. Big Olaf Creamery lists six locations in Sarasota County and nine other retailers across FL on its website. Of the 17 people interviewed, 14 (82%) reported eating ice cream. Among 13 people who remembered details about the type of ice cream they ate, six reported eating Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream or eating ice cream at locations that might have been supplied by Big Olaf Creamery. On July 1, 2022, Big Olaf Creamery in Sarasota, FL, voluntarily contacted retail locations to recommend against selling their ice cream products. @ https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/monocytogenes-06-22/details.html