RECALL: Listeria fear prompts 372K-pound hot dog, corn dog recall

What Is Listeria?

More than 372,000 pounds of hot dogs and corn dogs made earlier this month are being recalled over concerns of listeria contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Alstus, Oklahoma-based Bar-S Foods is recalling five chicken and pork products that could potentially be contaminated with listeria. The USDA says Bar-S hasn"t received test results, but is recalling the items due to recurring listeria issues at the company.

The recalled items include Bar-S bun-length and classic franks made with chicken and pork, Bar-S classic corn dogs and Signature Pick 5 corn dogs. They were made between July 10 and 13. The products are:

-16-oz/1-lb. packages of BAR-S Classic BUN LENGTH Franks MADE WITH CHICKEN, PORK ADDED with Use By date of 10/11/2016 and case code 209.-12-oz. packages of BAR-S CLASSIC Franks MADE WITH CHICKEN, PORK ADDED with package code 6338, Use By date of 10/10/2016 and case code 6405.-24-oz./1.5-lb. cartons of SIGNATURE Pick 5 CORNDOGS 8 Honey Batter Dipped Franks On A Stick with a Use By date of 4/6/2017 and case code 6071.-42.72-oz./2.67-lb. cartons of BAR-S CLASSIC CORN DOGS 16 Honey Batter Dipped Franks On A Stick with Use By dates of 4/7/2017 and 4/8/2017 and case code 6396.-48-oz./3-lb. cartons of BAR-S CLASSIC CORN DOGS 16 Honey Batter Dipped Franks On A Stick with package code 14054, Use By dates of 4/6/2017 and 4/9/2017, and case code 14038.

Listeria primarily affects older adults, pregnant women newborns and adults with weakened immune systems. The government says no reports of illness have been linked to the products.

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Source: http://www.fox9.com/news/177062109-story

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Roos Foods Takes Responsibility for 2014 Listeria Outbreak

What Is Listeria?

A company that lost its food facility registration almost two years ago after Mexican-style cheeses it produced and distributed were blamed for a 2014 outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes pleaded guilty on Friday to food adulteration in a federal court in Delaware.

Since its registration was pulled on March 11, 2014, Delawares Roos Foods Inc. has been been shut down as companies without food facility registrations cannot distribute food products. On Friday, the company and its principals, Ana A. Roos and Virginia Mejia, agreed in a consent decree of permanent injunction to plead guilty.

In early 2014, Roos Foods distributed several varieties of ready-to-eat cheeses, including ricotta, quest fresco and fresh cheese curd through sales and distribution to wholesale customers in Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Both a criminal charge and civil complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) allege that the Roos cheeses distributed in interstate commerce were associated with Listeria outbreak the sickened five adults and three newborns in Maryland and California. Those who became ill said they ate the soft or semi-soft cheeses in the month before they were sickened.

Listeria monocytogenes was isolated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from the cheeses manufactured by Roos Foods. An FDA inspection of the Roos Foods facility in Kenton, Del., found the companys cheese products were adulterated because they were prepared, packed or held in insanitary conditions where they may have become contaminated with filth and rendered injurious to health.

FDA found Roos was in violations of numerous monitoring and sanitation regulations, including roof leaks, and surfaces on walls, floors and ceilings that were uncleanable. Environmental samples turned up Listeria monocytogenes on a dozen different surfaces inside the plant.

The FDA will not tolerate food companies that fail to provide adequate safeguards and place the public health at risk by producing and shipping contaminated products, said Howard Sklamberg, the agencys deputy commissioner for global regulatory operations and policy. We will continue to work with the Department of Justice to use the full force of our justice system against those that place profits over the health and safety of American consumers.

Both DOJs Consumer Protection Branch and U.S. attorneys for the District of Delaware were involved in the bringing the action against Roos Foods.

If they want to re-open, Roos Foods and its principals have agreed to a long list of conditions that are baked into the consent degree. These include obtaining support from independent laboratories and experts to, among other things, write a plan for remedial action for dealing with Listeria.

Also, if Roos Foods re-opens, it must allow FDA to make unannounced inspections at any time, and bear the costs of those visits.

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Source: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/01/roos-foods-admits-role-in-2014-listeria-outbreak/

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Canadian officials investigating 4-month Listeria outbreak

Listeria infections in humans

UPDATE:Canadian officials believe there is a link with a U.S. outbreak that has been traced to Dole Food Co. bagged salads and leafy greens, but they are waiting for final lab results, according to media reports.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with federal and provincial public health partners to investigate an outbreak ofListeria monocytogenesinfections in five provinces.

To date, the source of this outbreak has not been confirmed. However prepackaged leafy greens, salad blends, and salad kits are food items being investigated.

Epidemiological evidence has confirmed seven cases ofListeria monocytogenesacrossfive provinces related to this outbreak: Ontario 3, Quebec 1, New Brunswick 1, Prince Edward Island 1 and Newfoundland and Labrador 1.

All cases have been hospitalized, and one person has died, however it has not been determined ifListeriacontributed to the cause of death, according to the public alert from the health agency.

Onset of the illnesses began September 2015 and continued into early January. The majority of cases , 71 percent, are female, with an average age of 81 years. All cases have been hospitalized, and one person has died, however it has not been determined ifListeriacontributed to the cause of death.

Listeriais a type of bacteria that can be found in food, soil, plants, sewage and other places in nature, according to health officials. Eating food withListeriaon it can cause a serious disease, called listeriosis, in high-risk groups. People can get listeriosis by eating meat, fish, dairy products, plants or vegetables contaminated with Listeria.

Some people face a higher risk of becoming sick withListeriathan others. Those who are at highest risk of serious illness include pregnant women and their unborn/newborn children, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.

Public health officials recommend high-risk individuals follow safe food handling practices and avoid high risk food items such as:

• uncooked meat and vegetables including pre-packaged leafy greens;
• unpasteurized raw milk and cheeses and other food made from unpasteurized milk;
• ready-to-eat meats such as hot dogs, pt and deli meats; and
• refrigerated smoked seafood and fish.

Many people are exposed toListeria, but only a few will actually develop listeriosis. Mild symptoms may include:

• fever
• muscle aches
• nausea
• diarrhea

Severe symptoms may include:

• headache
• poor coordination
• seizures
• neck stiffness

In the milder form of the disease, symptoms can start the following day after consuming a product withListeria. For the more serious form of the disease, the incubation period is generally much longer; on average about 21 days, but can be up to 70 days after exposure.

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Source: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/01/122720/

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Caramel Apples Linked To Recent Listeria Outbreak

A recent outbreak of listeria has been traced to prepackaged caramel apples, sickening at least 24 persons and resulting in four deaths in 10 states.

Health officials are warning consumers to avoid these products until a full investigation by the CDC reveals the source of the outbreak.

According to the CDC, there have been 28 cases of people affected, with at least 26 hospitalized. There have been five reported deaths from the outbreak, of which four have been directly linked to listeria.

Nearly 83 percent of ill persons who provided information to the CDC stated that they had eaten the prepackaged caramel apples prior to becoming ill. It is unclear which brands are affected and how the contamination actually occurred. However, the CDC has made it clear that there is no reason to stop eating caramel or apples that have not been prepackaged.

The outbreak began around mid-October extending into Halloween, which is the time when the confections are typically purchased. The commercially produced and packaged item can have a shelf life of up to 30 days, so it is possible that some may still be in stores with low turn over of products.

Listeria is a foodborne illness which can have a devastating effect on the elderly, pregnant women, infants, as well as those whose immune systems are compromised, especially those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes. In these persons, it could lead to meningitis, a potentially fatal illness affecting the brain and the central nervous system.

Symptoms of listeria, a bacterial illness, can be nonspecific, and may include nausea, diarrhea, muscle aches, headache, malaise and fever. The disease typically does not lead to serious infection in healthy persons, and can successfully be treated with antibiotics if detected early in its course.

One pitfall is that listeria can mimic the flu, so persons may not seek medical treatment, believing that the illness will just runs its course. However, if there is a recent history of consumption of caramel apples along with flu-like symptoms, then persons should contact their medical provider, or seek care in an emergency department.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2014/12/20/caramel-apples-linked-to-recent-listeria-outbreak/

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