In the news

The Public Health Agency of Canada and federal and provincial public health partners are investigating an outbreak of norovirus and gastrointestinal illnesses involving four provinces: British Columbia (B.C.), Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. The outbreak is linked to the consumption of raw oysters from B.C. Some oyster harvesting areas in B.C. associated with illnesses have been closed as a part of the investigation. For oysters from B.C, food recalls were conducted on February 18, 2022, March 20, March 23, and March 27, 2022. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) continues its food safety investigation. As of March 30, 2022, there have been 279 cases of norovirus and gastrointestinal illness linked to the consumption of B.C. oysters reported in the following provinces: B.C. (262), Alberta (1), Saskatchewan (1), and Ontario (15). Individuals became sick between mid-January and late March 2022, and no reported deaths. Testing of several cases has confirmed the presence of norovirus infection. Some oyster harvest areas in B.C. associated with this outbreak have been closed as a part of the investigation.@ https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/public-health-notices/2022/outbreak-norovirus-gastrointestinal-illness-linked-raw-oysters-british-columbia.html

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is alerting consumers to avoid eating Ocean Mist Farms brand Romaine Hearts (Coeurs de laitue Romaine) with coding “22RHDM2L” and harvest date of “MAR 10,” grown in Coachella, CA. The MDA Laboratory found Cyclospora in the product during routine surveillance sampling. No illnesses associated with this product have been reported in Minnesota. The Ocean Mist Farms brand Romaine Hearts lettuce (22 oz. package) was sourced from Ocean Mist Farms of Castroville, CA. the Ocean Mist Farms brand Romaine Hearts lettuce (22 oz. package) was sourced from Ocean Mist Farms of Castroville, CA. The product was sold at the Super One Plaza in Duluth, Super One West in Duluth, and Super One in Two Harbors. The product was also sold throughout the Twin Cities Metro area. @ https://www.mda.state.mn.us/mda-issues-consumer-advisory-ocean-mist-brand-romaine-hearts

FDA and CDC issued updates on their investigation of Cronobacter in infant formula. Five environmental subsamples collected from the Sturgis, MI, facility were positive for Cronobacter sakazakii; four samples collected by the FDA and one by Abbott detected four. The positive Cronobacter sakazakii environmental samples at the Sturgis, MI, facility have been analyzed using WGS, revealing five different strains of Cronobacter sakazakii. The analysis performed by WGS did not find these samples from patients to be closely genetically related to the multiple strains of Cronobacter found in the environmental samples obtained from Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility. Product samples collected by FDA at the facility were analyzed for Cronobacter by FDA and were found negative. In 2022 FDA inspected the facility and issued a 483 that included that the company did not establish a system that assured that infant formula does not become contaminated by microorganisms in the formula or the processing environment. They also did not assure that all surfaces that contacted infant formula were maintained clean.  @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The French Health authorities (Sante Publique France) have established a link between a Nestlé frozen pizza and several severe E. coli bacteria contaminations cases. The outbreak caused a record number of infections since the end of February, with dozens of children who got ill and two have died. Analyses have confirmed a link between several cases of infection and the consumption of Fraîch’Up frozen pizzas from the Buitoni brand, which Nestlé owns. Buitoni has recalled Fraich’Up frozen pizzas from the market and advised consumers not to consume products purchased before March 18. Since the end of February, France has recorded many HUS infections due to Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). According to the French public health authority, 104 cases are being investigated, and children as young as one have been affected across 12 regions of France. The company closed two production lines on March 18 at its facility in Caudry, in the north of France, which produced between 100,000 and 150,000 pizzas per week. @ https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20220331-frozen-pizza-blamed-for-some-e-coli-infections-sweeping-through-france-children-nestle