Category: food safety

Contaminated Peaches from USA Cause Salmonella Outbreak in Canada


Thirty-three Canadians in Ontario (22 cases) and Quebec (11 cases) have become infected with Salmonella Enteritidis after consuming peaches imported from the USA, according to a report released this morning by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Three of the outbreak victims have been hospitalized.

Those infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis range in age between 0 and 91 years, and 55% of the victims are female.

The outbreak is linked to peaches supplied by Prima Wawona, a California-based company, which has recalled a series of products from the marketplace.

Prima Wawona peaches have also been blamed for an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis in the USA, which had sickened 68 individuals in 9 US states as of August 21st, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On August 22nd, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a Consumer Advisory alerting Canadians to the presence of the recalled peaches in the country and warning that PHAC had identified some illnesses linked to their consumption.

Canadian consumers should avoid purchasing, serving or eating any of the following peaches, or any other food products containing these peaches.

  • Harvest Sweet Sweet 2 Eat Prima Sweet Value Wawona Yellow Peaches; PLU 4037, PLU 4038 PLU 4044,
  • Harvest Sweet Sweet 2 Eat Prima Sweet Value Wawona White Peaches; PLU 4401
  • Sweet 2 Eat Sweet O Organic Yellow Peaches; PLU 94037, PLU 94038, PLU 94044
  • Sweet 2 Eat Organic White Peaches; PLU 94401
  • Wawona Peaches; 907g / 2 lb; UPC 0 33383 32200 1
  • Wegmans Peaches; 907g / 2 lb; UPC 0 77890 49048 8
  • Extrafresh Peaches; 907g / 2 lb; 0 33383 02071 6; Codes CPO3148, CPO3164, CPO3163, CPO3186, CPO3207, CPO3213, CPO3228, CPO3265, CPO3281, CPO3302, CPO3328, CPO3354, MPO0500, MPO0503, MPO0524, MPO0671, MPO0678, MPO0689, MPO0693, MPO0703, MPO0716, MPO0725, MPO0730, MPO0767, MPO0795

Peaches imported in bulk may have been sold loose or in bulk, with or without a brand name. These peaches may have been repackaged into a variety of formats.

Except for the Extrafresh Peaches, the recall encompasses all products sold from June 1, 2020 forward.

What Consumers Need to Know

  • Do not purchase or consume any peaches listed above. If you are in doubt as to the origin of peaches which you have already purchased, throw them away and disinfect the bin in which they were stored.
  • Some of the peaches may have been supplied to restaurants, hotels, bakeries or various food service establishments, including hospitals and nursing homes and may have been used in salads, desserts or baked goods. It would be prudent to avoid all of these items, unless you can be certain they were produced using peaches not included in this Advisory.
  • If you are suffering from symptoms of salmonellosis, including low-grade fever, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and/or vomiting, consult your healthcare professional. Be prepared to provide information on the food items you consumed during the week before beginning to experience your symptoms

This is the third Canadian foodborne disease outbreak since the beginning of July, all of them linked to consumption of produce imported from the USA. Local produce is readily available during the summer months. Consider supporting your local producers instead of buying imported produce.

OUTBREAK ALERT: Wawona-brand bagged peaches linked to 9-state Salmonella outbreak


Sixty-eight people in nine US states have been infected with Salmonella Enteritidis according to a report just released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fourteen people have been admitted to hospital.

Outbreak cases are reported in Iowa (8), Maryland (1), Michigan (17), Minnesota (23), New Jersey (4), New York (8), Pennsylvania (1), Virginia (3) and Wisconsin (3).

Epidemiological evidence has linked the illnesses to consumption of Wawona-brand bagged peaches sold at certain ALDI stores in several states.

ALDI has recalled assorted bagged and loose peaches received from its supplier, Wawona Packing Company. The peaches were sold on or after June 1, 2020 in select ALDI stores in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia and also were available for purchase through Instacart, a grocery delivery service.

Please refer to the ALDI recall notice for additional details.

According to a report from the Minnesota Department of Health, outbreak victims in that state became ill after eating peaches purchased from Aldi, Target, and possibly other retail locations. Target is in the process of removing the implicated peaches from its stores, but has not issued a formal recall notice as yet.

FDA is conducting a full traceback investigation to determine the source of the contamination and the full scope of distribution of the implicated peaches.

What consumers need to know

  • Consumers should not eat, and retailers, suppliers and restaurants should not sell or serve Wawona brand peaches, or any foods made with these peaches.
  • Consumers who purchased bagged peaches from ALDI stores from June 1, 2020 to present and cannot identify the brand, should throw the peaches away.
  • If you believe yourself or a family member to be experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection, talk to your healthcare provider and/or report your illness to your local health department.

 

 

 

Salmonella case count soars in onion outbreak – UPDATED


As of August 7, 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received reports of 640 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport infections across 43 states.

Eight-five outbreak victims have required hospitalization.

In addition to the US outbreak, 239 confirmed cases have been reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) across seven provinces as of August 7th. Twenty-nine Canadians have been hospitalized.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) illnesses in both countries have been linked to red onions grown and supplied by Thomson International, Inc. (Thomson) of Bakersfield, CA.

On August 1st, Thomson recalled all varieties of onions that could have come in contact with potentially contaminated red onions, including red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions shipped from May 1, 2020 to present.

The recalled onions were supplied to customers in the USA and Canada under several brand names, including:

  • Thomson Premium
  • TLC Thomson International
  • Tender Loving Care
  • El Competitor
  • Hartley’s Best
  • Onions 52
  • Majestic
  • Imperial Fresh
  • Kroger
  • Utah Onions
  • Food Lion

In addition to the Thomson recall, companies in the United States and Canada have recalled Thomson-supplied onions or products that contain onions on the Thomson recall list. Please follow the links to the individual recall notices for a complete list of products.

US recalls

ALDI
Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy (Southwest Turkey Cobb Salads)
Costco Wholesale (multiple recall notices)
Department of Defense Commissaries
Giant Eagle
Food Lion
Fred Meyer
Fry’s Food Stores
H-E-B
Kroger
Martin’s Groceries, Supermarket & Pharmacy
Publix Super Markets
Schnucks
Smith’s
Stop&Shop
Super 1 Foods
Taylor Farms (products without meat)
Taylor Farms (products containing meat)
Walmart (multiple recall notices)

Canadian recalls

List of recalled products in Canada
Costco Canada
Freshpoint Foodservice
Giant Tiger
Multiple companies
Sysco

This outbreak is not over. Both CDC and PHAC are anticipating additional cases. To keep yourself and your family and your customers safe, please take note of the following guidance:

Advice to consumers

Check your home for red, white, yellow, and sweet varieties, including whole, sliced, or chopped onions, and any prepared foods that contain onions as an ingredient, such as premade salads, sandwiches, wraps, salsas or dips. 

  • If you have onions at home:
    • Look for a label showing where the onion was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker. 
    • If the packaging or sticker shows that it is from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
    • If it isn’t labeled, don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
    • If you don’t know whether the onion found in a premade salad, sandwich, wrap, salsa or dip contains onions from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
    • Wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with onions or their packaging, such as countertops, fridge drawers, pantry shelves, knives, and cutting boards.
  • If you buy onions at grocery or convenience stores:
    • Make sure they are not selling onions from Thomson International Inc., or serving fresh foods prepared with them. 
    • If you can’t confirm that the onion in stores is not from Thomson International Inc., don’t buy it.
  • If you order salad or any other food items containing onions at a restaurant or food establishment:
    • Ask the staff whether their onions come from Thomson International Inc. If they did, or they don’t know, don’t eat it.
  • Do not eat any recalled food products. Check to see if you have recalled food products at home. If you do, throw them out and wash your hands. 
  • If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection, consult a healthcare practitioner immediate.
  • If you have been diagnosed with a Salmonella infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
  • Contact your local public health authority to report any food safety concerns at restaurants or grocery stores, or if you suspect food poisoning from a restaurant or other food establishments.

Advice to restaurants, retailers, suppliers and distributors

  • Check the label on bags or boxes of onions, or ask their suppliers about the source of their onions.
  • Do not ship or sell onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions.
  • Clean and sanitize all surfaces and storage bins that onions may have come in contact with, including cutting boards, countertops, slicers, utensils, and containers used to store or transport them.