Posted on August 10, 2015 in Foodborne illness

A cyclospora outbreak traced to cilantro has infected 218 people so far this summer, making it the third consecutive summer that the parasite has travelled to the United States.

The 2013 Outbreak

In 2013, 631 people in 25 states were sickened from multiple cyclospora outbreaks beginning in June and ending in December. The outbreaks were traced to multiple food sources but the majority of illnesses were related to tainted produce from Mexico. 80% of the cases ocurred in Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas.

The 227 cases in Iowa and Nebraska were linked to commercial bagged salad mix produced by Taylor Farms, originating in Mexico. The salads were served at restaurants such as Olive Garden and Red Lobster.

The 270 Texas cases were traced to contaminated cilantro that was imported from the Puebla region of Mexico.

The 2014 Outbreak

In 2014, contaminated cilantro from the Puebla region of Mexico was again the source of a cyclospora outbreak. This particular outbreak infected over 120 people in Texas who ingested the cilantro that was either sold at grocery stores or served in restaurants.

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 Posted on August 04, 2015 in Foodborne illness

Who is Stewart Parnell?

Stewart Parnell, 61, is the former CEO of the Peanut Corporation of America (“PCA”), a peanut butter manufacturer. As a result of a salmonella outbreak tied to PCA products, Parnell has been found guilty on 71 counts of various crimes such as conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and wire fraud. Parnell's sentencing will take place on September 21.

The Salmonella Outbreak

Between 2008 and 2009 there was a salmonella outbreak from PCA products. PCA sold contaminated peanut butter from its southwest Georgia plant after salmonella was found in the factory. As a result of the salmonella outbreak, nine people died and over 700 fell ill from the tainted peanut products.

Parnell knew the product was tainted and proceeded to ship out truckloads of peanut butter to food brokers. PCA manufactured the peanut butter then sold it through brokers, which means that the contamination spread throughout the entire food supply. Even products that merely use peanut butter as an ingredient were contaminated. Parnell's brother was a food broker, which made tracing the outbreak even tougher.

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 Posted on July 29, 2015 in Food Poisoning

The Garden Fresh Steakhouse Potato Salad that is sold at Jewel-Osco stores in Illinois has been recalled for possible listeria contamination in the Chicago area. Although there have not been any reported illnesses, the possibly contaminated potato salad was sold between May 30 and June 9 of this year.

After being notified by Garden Fresh of the possible outbreak, Jewel stores removed and destroyed any possibly contaminated products. Garden Fresh health officials identified the possible presence of Listeria through internal testing as part of the company's robust testing protocols. No other Garden Fresh brand products or potato salads sold at Jewel stores were part of this recall.

Health officials have urged any person that purchased Garden Fresh Potato Salad between the May 30 to June 9 time frame to dispose of it immediately and return to the local Jewel store for a refund.

What is Listeria?

Listeria is a serious bacteria that can cause infection. People usually become infected by eating food that is contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. However, Listeria can also grow in a refrigerator if food is not stored at an appropriate temperature.

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 Posted on July 29, 2015 in Food Poisoning

Staphylococcus bacteria was found in the meals of those staying at a Salt Lake City homeless shelter, causing food poisoning in a total of fifty-five people last weekend. Road Home homeless shelter officials say that the shelter did not serve meals over the weekend but that many who stay overnight at the shelter eat at the same nearby kitchens and dining halls. However, no disciplinary action has been taken at this time, as the only violation found in Road Home by the Health Department was water in a sink used for washing hands that did not reach the appropriate temperature within 30 seconds.

All victims of the food poisoning were hospitalized when they exhibited signs of illness at the shelter. Salt Lake County Health Department officials said that the tests pointed to the cause of the food poisoning as a staph bacterium commonly found on skin. This type of bacteria can be introduced when food is prepared with bare, unsanitized hands or if food is not properly heated or cooled.

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 Posted on July 21, 2015 in Food Poisoning

The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety & Inspection Service recently announced a recall of chicken nuggets due to positive testing for Staphylococcal enterotoxin. Murry's Inc., a Pennsylvania food manufacturer, recalled over 20,000 pounds of gluten-free breaded chicken nuggets. The presence of bacteria in the nuggets was discovered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture during routine testing and sampling.

What is Staphylococcal Enterotoxin?

Staphylococcal aureus is a pathogen that produces a wide array of toxins and can cause many types of illnesses, including food poisoning. Staphylococcal enterotoxin is one type of toxin that is also a leading cause of gastrointestinal illness and therefore major cause of food poisoning.

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 Posted on July 21, 2015 in Foodborne illness

A recent food poisoning outbreak from a batch of candy sent nearly 2,000 children to the hospital in the Philippines. Nearly all of the children that were affected by the poisoning have recovered. Health Secretary Janette Garin indicated that preliminary lab results found that human skin and hair were likely the source of contamination in the candy. The contamination could be because the candy makers did not wash their hands or did not wear proper gear, such as gloves and hairnets, and as a result sweat and hair follicles dripped into the candy ingredients. Garin also noted that further tests had to be done to check for the presence of pesticides and toxic chemicals.

The company, Wendy's Durian Candy, has been ordered to stop manufacturing candy to avoid further complications. The company's suspension will be cleared pending the results of an inspection by the Food and Drug Administration.

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 Posted on July 11, 2015 in Food Poisoning

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is avidly working to find the cause of the recent cyclospora outbreak. There have been 151 reports of cyclospora in Texas this year, with 131 of these cases beings reported within the last two weeks. Although the source of the cyclospora outbreak has not been discovered, Texas health officials believe that it is likely linked to a fresh herb such as:

• Cilantro
• Basil
• Parsley
• Mint

Health officials also believe the produce is likely from Mexico. In 2014, there were 200 reported cases of cyclospora in Texas. Some of which were associated with cilantro derived from the Puebla region in Mexico.

What is Cyclospora?

Cyclosporiasis, or cyclospora, is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Those who become infected with cyclospora have consumed food or water that is contaminated with the parasite.

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 Posted on July 11, 2015 in Food Poisoning

In Florida there has been an increase in reported illnesses resulting from eating barracuda. Communities around Miami and the Florida Keys have been particularly affected by the barracuda-borne illness.

What is Causing the Illness?

In the Florida Keys and Bahamas, algae that grow in warm waters produce a toxin called ciguatera. Small coral reef fish then ingest the toxin by eating the algae. The smaller fish carry the poison onto larger carnivorous fish that prey on the smaller fish. These larger carnivorous fish, especially barracudas, are then caught and consumed by humans who then are exposed to ciguatera, resulting in a dangerous food chain reaction.

Symptoms of Ciguatera Poisoning

Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning can begin within three hours of digestion and include:

• Severe vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Weakness in the legs

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 Posted on June 05, 2015 in Food Poisoning

In preparation for beach season, the Chicago Park District has begun administering new water quality tests at four South Side beaches and one North Side beach:

• Calumet
• Rainbow
• South Shore
• 63rd Street
• Montrose

The University of Illinois at Chicago developed the new testing method. It produces water-testing results within 18 hours, allowing the Park District to quickly determine whether bacteria, such as E. coli, are present in the water. In addition to piloting the University's new water quality test, the Park District will continue to conduct the tests they have used for years to determine E. coli presence.

What is E. Coli?

Escherichia coli is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and animals alike and also causes food poisoning illness. The first identified source of E. coli illness was contaminated hamburgers in 1982.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, symptoms of E. coli infection include:

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 Posted on June 05, 2015 in Food Poisoning

A recent salmonella outbreak that has affected over 50 people in the United States has federal health officials searching for the source of the disease. According to the statement issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a vast majority of those who became ill from salmonella had recently eaten sushi that contained raw tuna in its ingredients. Although raw tuna is the suspected cause of the salmonella outbreak, a common brand or supplier has yet to be identified in the CDC's investigation.

Reported Salmonella Cases

Most of the reported salmonella cases involve people who live in or traveled to the southwestern part of the United States prior to falling ill. According to the CDC, salmonella has affected the following states since the first reported case on March 5, 2015:

• California
• Arizona
• Illinois

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