In the news

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today that Aurora Packing Company, Inc., from North Aurora, Ill., is recalling approximately 62,112 pounds of raw beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The raw beef products were packaged on April 19, 2019. These items were shipped nationwide for further distribution and processing. The problem was discovered during traceback activities in response to random sample testing by FSIS. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to the consumption of these products.@ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2019/recall-057-2019-release

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is inspecting the Del Monte facility (in Kankakee, Illinois) that produced vegetable trays that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services linked to an outbreak of salmonellosis. As we reported, on May 21, 2019, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced that vegetable trays produced by Del Monte Fresh Produce Inc. and sold at Kwik Trip convenience stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota are linked to three illnesses in Wisconsin and one illness in Minnesota. The products involved are Del Monte Vegetable Tray (containing broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and dill dip) 6 oz. and 12 oz. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-infantis-linked-del-monte-vegetable-trays-spring-2019?utm_campaign=Outbreak%20Salmonella%20Del%20Monte%20Vegetable%20Trays%2005222019&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is warning that Del Monte vegetable trays could pose salmonella threat since three people have gotten sick in Wisconsin, one in Minnesota. All sick people reported consuming a Del Monte vegetable tray purchased from a Wisconsin or Minnesota Kwik Trip location prior to their illness. The people reported becoming ill between April 13 and April 27, 2019. The Del Monte vegetable trays associated with the investigation contain broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and dill dip. The Del Monte vegetable trays may also have been distributed to other retailers in Wisconsin. @ https://www.wisn.com/article/salmonella-linked-to-certain-del-monte-vegetable-trays-bought-at-kwik-trip/27547691

The CDC is investigating an outbreak related to raw oysters. The FDA is investigating a subset of the outbreak. Between the harvesting dates of February 12, 2019, and April 9, 2019, five ill patients reported eating raw oysters shortly before becoming ill with Shigella flexneri. One of the five patients was hospitalized; there have been no deaths. Laboratory analyses confirmed that reported clinical illnesses matched pathogens found in product samples and traceback information indicated the implicated shellfish were harvested from Estero El Cardon, in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The oysters harvested in Estero El Cardon, Baja California Sur, Mexico, were distributed to California, Nevada, New York, and Arizona with illnesses reported in California, Nevada, and New Hampshire. The New Hampshire case reported eating at a restaurant in California shortly before becoming ill. On May 7, 2019, the Mexican Shellfish Sanitation Program authorities voluntarily closed the growing area of Estero El Cardon and halted oyster harvesting in response to the reported illnesses. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-investigates-shigella-illnesses-linked-imported-raw-oysters?utm_campaign=Alert%20Shigella%20in%20Raw%20Oysters%2005212019&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua