In the news

The FDA posted on its website that  Veggie Noodle Co., LLC is recalling its Cece’s® Veggie Co. brand Fresh Veggie Ramen with Chicken Broth, all expiration dates, sold at retail stores nationally because the separately packaged egg ( branded Peckish) that is included in the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No other Cece’s brand products are subject to this recall. The voluntary recall is done out of an abundance of caution due to a recall by a provider of the eggs, Almark Foods, used in the product. An illness outbreak appears to be associated with eggs supplied by Almark Foods that were ingredients in foods produced by other companies. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/veggie-noodle-co-recalls-ceces-brand-product-because-possible-health-risk?utm_campaign=Veggie%20Noodle%20Co.%20Recalls%20Cece%E2%80%99s%20Brand%20Product%20Because%20of%20Possible%20Health%20Risk&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

The FDA announced on their website that Sprouts Unlimited of Marion IA recalled clover spouts in 4 oz packages because the product may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O103.  The affected batches of clover sprouts were distributed to Hy Vee Food stores, Fareway Food Stores, and Jimmy John’s restaurants in Iowa. The sprouts available at retail were packaged in pint containers from Sprouts Unlimited Inc. with a blue label on the lid. Sprouts Unlimited Inc. became aware of the potential contamination after receiving information from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Des Moines, IA that a cluster of E. coli O103 illnesses epidemiologically linked to clover sprouts from Sprouts Unlimited Inc.  @                 https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/sprouts-unlimited-inc-recalling-clover-sprouts-4-ounce-packages-due-possible-health-risk?utm_campaign=Sprouts%20Unlimited%20Inc.%20is%20Recalling%20Clover%20Sprouts%20in%204-ounce%20Packages%20Due%20to%20a%20Possible%20Health%20Risk&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

On December 23, 2019, Almark Foods expanded its voluntary recall to include all hard-boiled eggs manufactured at its Gainesville, Georgia facility. At this time, Almark Foods is no longer producing products from this facility. Companies who received recalled product from Almark Foods have initiated recalls of products containing these eggs. Additional companies and products may be added as the investigation continues.

Bakkavor Foods (Trader Joe’s Egg Salad and Potato Salad) (See previous news)

Diebergs Kitchen (Diebergs Market products) (See previous news)

Reichel Foods (Pro2Snax To The Max) recalled Pro2Snax To The Max Granny Apples /Hard-Boiled Egg/Cheddar/Cashew & Craisin and Pro2Snax To The Max Gala Apples/Hard-Boiled Egg/White Cheddar/Almond & Craisin. These items were distributed to retailers nationwide. Almark Foods may have supplied single serve prepackaged Hard Boiled Eggs contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

Great American Deli of Ooltewah, Tennessee recalled Egg Salad Sandwich. Almark Foods initiated a recall and is an ingredient supplier to one of Great American Deli’s suppliers, Knott’s Fine Foods, that provides egg salad to Great American Deli. The affected product has been delivered to convenience stores, micro markets and vending machines in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Whole-genome sequencing of the Listeria monocytogenes found in environmental samples collected at the Almark processing facility during FDA inspections conducted in February 2019 and December 2019 are a genetic match to the outbreak strain. On December 23, 2019, Almark Foods expanded the initial recall to include all hard-boiled eggs produced at its Gainesville, Georgia facility. This outbreak strain was found during environmental sampling in 2017 of one other food facility. That facility is not currently handling food and ceased operation in 2018. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-linked-hard-boiled-eggs-december-2019?utm_campaign=Outbreak_Eggs_12262019&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

The process of fast and accurate bacterial identification, sub-typing, and strain-level differentiation is of high importance in epidemiology. A research group from Copenhagen, Denmark, published an article describing a rapid, accurate and inexpensive method for the identification of bacterial isolates down to species/strain level. The new method developed for bacterial DNA enrichment and tagmentation allowing fast (<24 h) and cost-effective species-level identification and strain level differentiation using the MinION portable sequencing platform (ON-rep-seq). The method in combination with ONT-sequencing platforms, allows for highly cost-effective, bulk screening of bacterial isolates with species and strain-level resolution. The method is claimed to have the potential to become a modern standard molecular-based method with multiple applications in research, industry, and medicine. @ https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-019-0617-x#Sec7