In the news

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that the Phoenicia Group Inc. recalled Alkanater-brand Tahina, also known as tahini due to possible salmonella contamination. The product was sold in Ontario, Quebec and could have been sold nationally according to the CFIA website. The recall includes the 454-gram containers with an expiration date of August 20, 2020. Test results from the CFIA triggered the recall. There have been no reported illnesses related to the product but the agency said any recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store it was purchased. @ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-tahini-recall-jan-2020-1.5427365

To reduce pathogens in produce, antimicrobials, such as chlorine and peracetic acid (PAA), are used. However, these chemicals may damage the natural microflora of fresh produce. A novel promising approach for targeting pathogenic bacteria in foods without impacting the normal food microbiota are bacteriophages. Research by Intralytix, Inc, published in the Journal of Food safety (January 2020, early view;https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17454565)  found that a combinational treatment of conventional antimicrobials treatment (PAA and chlorine) and bacteriophages, specifically the Salmonella‐targeted preparation SalmoFresh, maintained the bactericidal effectiveness of individual interventions, and in some cases, achieved substantially increased efficacy. An additional advantage of the bacteriophage was that the bacterial microbiomes of farm-fresh and organic produce were less affected after phage treatment compared to PAA and chlorine. Finally, our study revealed that resistance rates against SalmoFresh were relatively minor and unaffected by the stresses introduced after chemical washes and/or bacteriophage treatment. 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) notified on its website that the Italian Store recalled Scarpone’s Italian Store brand frozen Ground Veal from the marketplace due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The product was sold at The Italian Store, Calgary, Alberta. This recall was triggered as a result of the CFIA test results. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. @ https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2020-01-13/eng/1578959926811/1578959932803

Fresh Location, of Lenoir City, Tennessee recalled: Protein Snack Tray 6.44 oz packaged in a 4-compartment plastic, and Protein Trail Mix 3.52 oz packaged in a 10.5 ounce plastic cup, due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. The contamination might come from Almark Foods the manufactures the Hard-Boiled eggs which are included in the products.  The eggs might be associated with a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has been linked to several reported illnesses and one reported death. To date, Fresh Location has not received any reports of illness related to the consumption of our Protein Snack Tray or Protein Trail Mix. The affected product could have been delivered in the following states through convenience stores, micro-markets, hospitals, hotels and vending machines: Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana, and Mississippi. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fresh-location-announces-product-recall-due-possible-listeria-contamination