Currently viewing the category: "listeriosis"

Beware Tainted Ricotta Cheese (Recall)

By On · Add Comment · In listeria, listeriosis, recall, ricotta, ricotta salata cheese

Listen up Italian food lovers–federal health officials say ricotta cheese tainted with listeria bacteria has been linked to 14 illnesses including at least one death. Eleven states are reporting illnesses linked to imported Italian ricotta salata cheese distributed by Forever Cheese, Inc., of New York. Forever Cheese has issued a recall of one lot—800 wheels of ricotta salata, or roughly 4,800 pounds—on Monday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the cheese was distributed to retail stores in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington between June 20 and August 9.

Listeria is rare but deadlier than well-known pathogens such as salmonella and E. coli. It is most dangerous to pregnant women, the elderly and others with compromised immune systems. It causes listeriosis, which can cause sepsis or meningitis. The overt form has a mortality rate of about 20%. It can be treated with antibiotics, however. The deaths linked to this outbreak were in New York, Nebraska and possibly Minnesota, although it is uncertain if the latter two were actually caused by the listeria.

Although the tainted cheese is a ricotta, it is not the same as soft ricotta used in lasagna. The CDC says the ricotta can have up to a four-month shelf life, so some consumers may still have it in their homes. To be on the safe side, anyone having ricotta cheese lying around and of which they are unsure of its origins, it would be best to just throw it out.

Warning: Recall on Pine Nuts.

By On · Add Comment · In CDC, FDA, food-borne illnesses, listeriosis, Salmonella enteritidis, Turkish pine nuts, Wegmans Food Markets

The FDA has issued a recall on Turkish pine nuts from bulk containers at Wegmans Food Markets, and also food items such as pesto, salads or baked goods that may have been prepared with the pine nuts.  Agency officials report that the pine nuts are imported from Turkey, and have sickened at least 42 people with Salmonella in seven states including California, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington.  Two people have been hospitalized for salmonellosis.

The CDC has reported 42 people sickened in five states–Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia–and implicated pine nuts purchased in Wegmans bulk bins and prepared foods that included Wegmans pine nuts as an ingredient as the source of the outbreak.  The CDC mentioned Caprese salad and asparagus with pine nuts sold at Wegmans stores as possibly being contaminated with Salmonella.

A recall by the Wegmans grocery store chain was limited to 5,000 lbs of pine nuts sold in the bulk foods department of most of its stores in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia between July 1 and Oct. 18, 2011.  The CDC said labs in Virginia and New York have isolated the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak strain from retail samples of Turkish pine nuts collected from a Wegmans store and from pine nuts and homemade pesto at outbreak victims’ homes.  Federal, state and local health authorities are continuing to use the national PulseNet monitoring system to identify other reports of Salmonella infection that may be part of this outbreak. 

As I’ve reported in this blog, we’re seeing increases in the number of food-borne illness every year, and they will continue to rise.  This latest recall of pine nuts on the heels of a cantaloupe listeriosis outbreak that has been the deadliest in modern U.S. history.  As of this writing, the 26-state outbreak is still in effect, and it might be some time before we can assess the final damage.  But, I digress–today, we’re talking pine nuts.  Make sure to check your cupboards for the Wegmans brand, and if you unsure…toss ’em.  It ain’t worth the puke.

Raw Cheese Recall

By On · Add Comment · In California Department of Food and Agriculture, Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis, Morningland Dairy Raw Milk Cheese, raw milk cheese products

Just when you thought it was all safe–you threw out the eggs, you tossed the Wal-Mart sandwiches–here goes another Listeria warning: Listeria monocytogenes found in raw milk cheese produced in Missouri and sold in four California counties, including Los Angeles, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

The listeriosis causing bacteria was found in two raw milk products labeled, Morningland Dairy Raw Milk Cheese Garlic Colby and Morningland Dairy Raw Milk Cheese Hot Pepper Colby.  The products were shipped from the Missouri plant to locations in Los Angeles, San Diego, Mendocino and Santa Cruz counties.

Listeriosis can be life threatening and is especially risky for pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and immunocompromised people (HIV, cancer).  Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, meningitis can occur.

If you like raw cheese and Morningland is your brand, move it to the same location you did the eggs and sandwiches–in the garbage.

Recalled Wal-Mart Meat Products

By On · Add Comment · In contaminated, deli meats, immunocompromised, infection, Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis, Marketside Grab and Go sandwiches, meningitis, Wal-Mart

If tainted eggs ain’t bad enough, we’ve now got contaminated deli meats to contend with.  According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Zemco Industries of Buffalo, New York, has recalled approximately 380,000 pounds of deli meat that may be contaminated with a potentially life threatening bacteria.

The deli meats, distributed to Wal-Marts nationwide, may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which was discovered in a retail sample collected by inspectors in Georgia. The USDA has received no reports of illnesses associated with the meats.  Wal-Mart notes that the voluntary recall is of meats that are ingredients in their Marketside Grab and Go sandwiches, but not individual packages of deli meat.

Copyright Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc. (www.denniskunkel.com)

Copyright Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc. (www.denniskunkel.com)

Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis, the leading cause of death among food-borne bacterial pathogens with fatality rates exceeding even Salmonella and Clostridium botulinum.  Listeriosis is rare and most commonly affects immunocompromised people–newborns, the elderly and people with immune deficiency syndromes. Pregnant women are at a higher risk.

Symptoms of listeriosis are fever, muscle aches and vomiting, and less commonly nausea and diarrhea. If the infection spreads to the nervous system it can cause meningitis, an infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.  Symptoms usually last 7-10 days.

 

“Listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy,” the USDA said.

The products being recalled are:

  • 25.5-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches BLACK FOREST HAM With Natural Juices Coated with Caramel Color” with the number 17800 1300
  • 28.49-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches HOT HAM, HARD SALAMI, PEPPERONI, SANDWICH PEPPERS” with the number 17803 1300
  • 32.67-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches VIRGINIA BRAND HAM With Natural Juices, MADE IN NEW YORK, FULLY COOKED BACON, SANDWICH PICKLES, SANDWICH PEPPERS” with the number 17804 1300
  • 25.5-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches ANGUS ROAST BEEF Coated with Caramel Color” with the number 17805 1300.

The meats were produced on dates ranging from June 18 to July 2, 2010. The “Use By” dates range from August 20 to September 10, 2010.

If you shop at Wal-Mart and buy their Grab and Go sandwiches, better grab and throw…that crap away–listeriosis is serious business.

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Nick Campos - All Rights Reserved.