In the news

The USDA/FSIS issued a public health alert for retail ground beef products sold by Bismillah Halal Meats (Marietta, Ga.) that may be contaminated with E. coli O103 (STEC). A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The raw ground beef was produced and sold directly to consumers from April 10 to 23, 2025. All products were weighed, wrapped, and labeled in-store at the time of purchase. All ground beef products produced and sold by this retailer from April 10-23, 2025, are subject to this public health alert. The problem was discovered when a sample was collected and analyzed by FSIS during retail surveillance, and the sampling results showed the presence of E. coli O103. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to the consumption of these products. Many clinical laboratories do not test for non-O157 STEC, such as O103, because it is harder to identify. FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. @ 

A publication in Food Policy (Volume 132 April 2025) entitled “Economic evaluation of lettuce traceability systems in mitigating foodborne illness risks” by scientists from Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, West Virginia, reports on the economic benefits of traceability in managing foodborne illness outbreaks using lettuce as a case study. The study also assesses its sensitivity to contamination severity (quantity and virulence of the pathogen), pathogen persistence (survival of the pathogen on produce over time), and illness latency (time from exposure to symptoms of infection). Using an economic model with pathogen dose response formulation, the study simulates the economic and health impacts of E. coli contamination originating from irrigation water. The results indicate that traceability benefits range from $4 to $91 million per outbreak, depending on shelf life, contamination severity, and latency of illness symptoms. Shorter shelf lives and contamination severity amplify the benefits. Traceability reduces illness by swiftly identifying and removing contaminated produce from the supply chain. The findings highlight the cost-effectiveness of traceability systems, especially for managing frequent or severe outbreaks. The study also demonstrates the contextual sensitivity of tracing benefits that stakeholders, including producers, retailers, and policymakers, should consider. Future studies should consider alternative contexts where benefits and costs may deviate from the estimates in this study. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306919225000594

The CORE update list of outbreaks and adverse events includes seven postings. A new outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1220) linked to an unidentified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated an inspection and sampling. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) reference number (2025-06) for the investigation has been added to the table. The outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis (ref #1300) linked to an unidentified product, the case count has increased from 50 to 59 cases. The outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis (ref #1301) linked to an unidentified product, the case count has increased from 22 to 24 cases. The FDA’s investigation of the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1292) has closed. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

In Belgium, AFSCA reported that following a notification by the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), they are withdrawing the product “Mousse au chocolat à l’ancienne” (400 g) from the Marie Morin brand due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The product was produced in France and exported to Belgium and other countries. @ https://favv-afsca.be/fr/produits/rappel-de-lafsca-74