HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE LISTERIOSIS?

Listeriosis is caused by a tiny and innocent looking microorganism called Listeria monocytogenes which turns up quite frequently in our food supply. One of the biggest problems is that it is so hard to know if you have caught it.

Popular food items that most often carry this bacterium are Mexican-style cheese (queso fresco or queso blanco) or other cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, deli (ready-to-eat and supposedly “fully cooked”) meats, and raw vegetables and sprouts (the bacterium exists in the soil and water). Ready-to-eat or “convenience” foods (such as sandwiches, salads, snacks) are increasingly a culprit, because many food service workers carry this bacterium and can contaminate the food during preparation. There are several other posts on this blog discussing which particular foods you need to avoid.

If you are healthy and not pregnant, you don’t need to worry about Listeriosis. You might only feel a little bit “off” for a few days, or not even feel ill at all even if you do get a dose of it. But if you are pregnant (see previous post) or have a weakened immune system, you have to do your very best to avoid foods that could carry it. Should you catch it anyway, you need to get to the doctor as quickly as possible.

So how do you know if you might have it? The symptoms are usually ones like nausea, diarrhea, fever, headache and muscle aches, which could easily be confused with the ‘flu. If the infection becomes “invasive” (that is, the bacteria enter the blood causing bloodstream infection, or, the central nervous system, causing meningitis) you might even have convulsions, a stiff neck and feel disoriented, confused or suffer loss of balance.

A big problem for pregnant women is that they often only experience fever and other very vague symptoms. Other people with weakened immune systems, such as people with cancer, cancer treatments, or other serious conditions (like diabetes, kidney failure, liver disease, and HIV/AIDS) are more likely to have the full range of symptoms.

Remember too that just because you are sure you didn’t eat any “risky” foods in the last week or so, doesn’t mean you don’t have Listeriosis. It could be something you at as long as 20 or even 30 days ago, as sometimes symptoms of this disease take a very long time to develop. Go to a doctor anyway.

Listeriosis is usually treated with antibiotics during pregnancy. These antibiotics, in most cases, will prevent infection to the fetus and newborn. So quick action is important.

To your good health,

TSF

A LOAD OF FOOD RECALL ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Today the U.S. government is back to work at full force. That includes the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates over 80% of our food and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates the rest. So both agencies are catching up with announcement of ongoing recalls. It is certainly clear that contaminants were busily at work while the government was shut down.

Here are some of the recent food recalls. (As usual, I am not listing any food recalls because of allergens):

Costco’s El Camino Real store in South San Francisco, Calif., is recalling 9,043 units (approximately 39,755 lbs.) of rotisserie chicken products that may be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella Heidelberg (I've already blogged this one: see previous post).

Turkey Hill Dairy of Conestoga, Pa., is recalling certain packages of Fudge Ripple Premium Ice Cream and of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Premium Ice Cream, and Moose Tracks Stuff’d Frozen Dairy Dessert. The reason - a finding of metal shavings. (Not exactly what we want in our dessert).

Orange County Produce, LLC ("OC Produce") of California is recalling fresh red and green Bell Peppers for potential contamination with Salmonella. (Ooof - I just bought some..).

Garden Fresh Foods, a Milwaukee, WI. establishment, is recalling approximately 6,694 additional pounds of ready-to-eat chicken and ham products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria (This is an expansion of an earlier recall).

Asia Cash & Carry Inc. of Maspeth, New York has recalled PRAN brand Tumeric Spice Powder sold in 8.82 oz. jars. It was found to contain high levels of lead. This can cause health problems, particularly to small children, infants and pregnant women.

In all - a nice cross-section of our food supply. And if you think this is bad for the past few days, you should see the recalls for medical devices, drugs, injectables and supplements!

Enjoy your dinner.

To your good health,

TSF

LISTERIA-RISK FOODS PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD AVOID

I have written a number of blogs on L. monocytogenes, as I believe it to be one of the greatest food threats of our age. This bacterium can turn up anywhere since it is frequently present in the soil and can be on animals. It is also carried by an important percentage of food plant workers, and can hide in machinery used for food processing.

Several of my earlier posts have talked about which foods to avoid if you are in a high risk category (see previous post) - as in the case of pregnant women and some other people with weakened immune systems.

Below is an "avoid" list from Australia ( the NSW Government) which I think is pretty good (I am quoting except for some slight editing). But I am getting the feeling that no list is really complete (for instance, this one does not have whole melons on it).

Generally speaking anyone at high risk of listeriosis should not eat:

• pre-packed cold salads including coleslaw and fresh fruit salad
• pre-cut fruit
• pre-cooked cold chicken
• cold delicatessen meats
• paté
• raw seafood
• smoked seafood (for example, smoked salmon)
• unpasteurised milk or milk products
• soft cheeses such as brie, camembert, ricotta, or blue-vein (unless cooked and eaten whilst hot)
• sprouted seeds
• raw mushrooms


To your good health,

TSF

CONTAMINATED ONIONS CAUSE MANY FOOD RECALLS

Mass produced food, can also create massive and widespread problems. This is particularly the case when an ingredient used by a number of food producers turns out to be contaminated. The currently ongoing recall of diced onions and foods made with those onions is a case in point.

It started with Gills Onions, of Oxnard, CA. The company's diced, slivered and whole peeled onions and diced onion/celery mix were found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria (remember - this is the one that is so dangerous to pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system).

A number of other currently ongoing recalls have had to take place as a result. Enslin & Son Packing Company, a Hattiesburg, Miss. establishment, is recalling approximately 314 pounds of sausage products. Huxtable's Kitchen, a Vernon, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 5,610 pounds of barbeque chicken salads - sold at Trader Joe's (see photo). Some Wegmans Food Markets in Pennsylvania are recalling a number of prepared foods such as chilled stew with red and white beans, Wegmans Veggie Pizzas, Wingless Buffalo blue cheese dip and Crab-Pepper Jack (most sold and eaten by now) that were made with these onions. Cool Creations, LLC of North Kansas City, Missouri are recalling a long list of platters, and dips and bowls and medleys for the same reason.

Nor is this the end. There are bound to be more in the next few days, especially since the original onion recall has now been expanded to include other products.

My advice to anyone at high risk for Listeriosis: avoid prepared foods, at least for a couple of weeks, until all the contaminated food is recalled - that is, if it hasn't been already eaten.

To your good health,
TSF

SEVERAL SHREDDED AND GRATED CHEESE RECALLS

I am seriously thinking of adding all cheese to the list of "foods pregnant women should not eat" - the most popular blog on this site. That bacterium which is so dangerous for them - Listeria monocytogenes - is all over the place. And it is no longer just in unpasteurized raw cheeses either. In the last few years we have had quite a few in pasteurized cheeses as well.

And here are some more recalls. Mind you, these recalls are not just about cheese. The cheeses involved have all been grated or shredded, therefore adding to the risks. The contamination did not occur at the cheese producer level, but during the shredding or grating process.

Alpine Slicing and Cheese Conversion Company, located in Wisconsin, U.S.A., is recalling “HEB Queso Cotija (Grated)”, “El Viajero Queso Quesadilla (Shredded)”, “El Viajero Queso Cotija (Grated)”, and “BMF Queso Quesadilla (Shredded)” because testing has turned up Listeria monocytogenes in the "shred line" - presumably referring to the equipment used for shredding the cheese.

And here's another: Bekkum Family Farms LLC of Westby, WI, is recalling their shredded cheese with the odd name of "Grumpy Goat Shreds" which they sell under the Nordic Creamery brand name, in eight-ounce bags with a code date of 10-MAR-12. They got their cheese from Alpine Slicing (So much for the idea of it coming from their "farm") and sold it in stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and California beginning Nov. 11.

And, some grated Kosher cheeses have been recalled too. The World Cheese Company, producer of Haolam and Miller's kosher cheese products, has issued a recall of some of their shredded cheeses that were also packaged (and shredded?) at the same Wisconsin plant (is that really Kosher?). The recalled cheeses are All 8-ounce and 16-ounce bags of Miller’s shredded cheese (pizza, mozzarella, cheddar, fancy, muenster), with an expiration of June 5, 2012 through Sept. 4, 2012; all 32-ounce bags of Miller’s shredded mozzarella with an expiration date of Feb. 6, 2012 through May 7, 2012; all 5-pound bags of Miller’s shredded mozzarella, cheddar, muenster and Monterey Jack with a package date of Sept. 8, 2011 through Dec. 7, 2011.

Shred or grate your own cheese. Frankly, I hate doing it, but unless you are a total slob, it is likely to be safer.

To your good health,
TSF

AN UNUSUAL CASE OF LISTERIA IN BUTTER

I was surprised today to find a recall of butter because of Listeria monocytogenes being found in it. Anyone who reads this blog, or has read The Safe Food Handbook, knows that these bacteria are quite common in processed foods, including in dairy products, and especially in cheeses. But offhand, I could not recall any instances of it being found in butter in the U.S.

Out of curiosity, I checked back on some of the recall data bases. As I suspected, there have been very few cases of butter being contaminated with anything in the U.S. I located three butter recalls in the last fifteen years - one in Illinois, one in California and one in Nevada. In two out of three of these instances it was the very common Norovirus which was involved. In one, it was Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (which usually gives you a much worse case of food poisoning than does Norovirus).

And in at least two of these cases, the contamination occurred in banquet or restaurant food, which would make you suspect food handlers or poor storage. In other words, they were localized outbreaks, probably not originating at the point where the butter was produced. However, I do know of a sizeable outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in butter in the UK in 2003.

So, back to the recent unusual instance in the U.S. Golden Glen Creamery of Bow, WA has had to recall butter produced on November 2, 2011 because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. And - here goes another recall for Whole Foods Market. It always seems to have at least one about this time of the year. But apparently, the 4 oz. packages of Herbes de Provence Butter were only sold at the Whole Foods Market in Redmond, WA. and 4 oz. packages of NW Mushroom Trio Butter were sold at Whole Foods Market in Redmond, WA, and at various Metropolitan Market locations in Washington. Products were distributed between 11/7/11 and 11/28/11.

So never say "never" in food safety. As soon as you do, it will happen. Beware pregnant women, and anyone else who has a poor immune system. This bacterium can be deadly.

To your good health,
TSF

THIRD BAGGED SPINACH RECALL OF 2011

Unless I have missed some, we now have the third bagged spinach recall this year in the United States, due to the usual problem - bacteria which can give you food poisoning, and even be deadly. That makes two for Salmonella, and one for Listeria monocytogenes - the latest. (See posts for October 21 and April 7 for the other two Salmonella ones.)

Once again we see that "fresh and easy" is often also risky, as stressed in The Safe Food Handbook (the book, and also, in this blog). Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc., is voluntarily recalling fresh bagged Washed Spinach 12oz, with the Enjoy by date of OCT 16 sold under the f&e™ label.

By the way, Fresh & Easy is a British grocery chain that just recently entered Northern California's Bay Area, and has been in Southern California for some time (it prides itself on its wholesome food).

The recall was announced October 21, but the FDA didn't pass it on until today. And, as you can see by the "Enjoy by" date, it would be very unlikely that it hadn't all been eaten by now. Not unusual. But every day's delay is risky, particularly when bacteria such as L.monocytogenes is involved, and particularly for pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system.

And, of course, this makes another hit for Listeria monocytogenes, which seems to be winning in the food terrorist sweepstakes this summer. I will do a count one of these days when I get a chance.

To your good health,
TSF

NATIONWIDE RECALL OF LISTERIA-LACED NIKE SANDWICHES-EXPANDED

It's rather unpleasant to think that the sandwiches sold in our stores could have come from the other end of the United States. No wonder ready-to-eat foods are so dangerous, and best avoided in general. Listeria monocytogenes bacteria are more likely to hide in these than elsewhere in our food supply.

So here we have the latest: you may have thought the Nike brand was all about shoes, but it turns out that it is also a brand name for something we eat: Nike All-American sandwiches. They are made by Landshire of St. Louis, MO, but are distributed nationwide at retail supermarkets.

And, as you might expect, that "All-American" sandwich is made with unhealthy white bread. What else it has in it, apart from Listeria-bacteria(not on the ingredient list!) I don't know - but am trying to find out. The lot number of 11 237 6 is printed in black ink. Some 1,751 cases of them are being recalled (the ones that haven't been eaten yet). And, the recall could expand.

Make your own sandwiches. It's easy. Look at it as a creative endeavour and let your imagination run wild. And, its cheaper as well as healthier.

To your good health,
TSF

UPDATE: Landshire is now having to expand the recall of the Nike Sandwiches to include the addition of the Nike Super Poor Boy Sandwich as well as increasing production dates of the Nike All-American Sandwich because of Listeria Monocytogenes.

STILL ANOTHER BAGGED SPINACH RECALL

All these incidents of bacteria in the U.S. food supply are wearing me out, trying to keep up. You may notice that most of them are in produce - which we tend to eat raw. That is, no cooking "kill step" for bacteria. And yes, today we have another one.

At least it's a change from Listeria. Church Brothers, of Salinas, California is recalling 560 bags of clipped spinach after one bag tested positive for Salmonella bacteria during a random USDA testing. The recalled product was processed on October 6, 2011 and shipped in 2.5 pound bags to Super King Markets in Los Angeles, California. The “best if used by” date is 10/23/11, but it's been for sale for a couple of weeks.

By the way, this is the second bagged spinach recall this year due to Salmonella - check my post for April 7. It was Fresh Express that time.

And wait...That name "Church Brothers" rang a bell with me. Ah yes, they were involved in the bagged lettuce recall(Listeria that time) just a couple of weeks ago. Church Bros. is part owner of True Leaf Farms by the way, which name may be more familiar to you in connection with that lettuce recall (see earlier posts). It seems that True Leaf Farms is their processing arm (I thought it was the other way around). And, in spite of sending food out with two different kinds of bacteria in the last few weeks, they pride themselves on their safety precautions.

Here's a quote from their website:
"Church Brothers and True Leaf Farms pride themselves with having the highest integrity when it comes to Food Safety Standards and we adhere to the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement standards."

Maybe they should double check. Obviously something is wrong.And I would bet we are going to hear more about Church Brothers' plant and their bagged greens.

To your good health,
TSF

NOW IT'S LISTERIA IN BLUE CHEESE!

Those deadly Listeria monocytogenes bacteria seem to be taking over the U.S. food supply. I can't say I am really surprised, given how many food service workers carry it and this bug's survival abilities. But it is really annoying. I am seriously thinking of going on a chocolate diet.

The latest is blue cheese. Fair Oaks Dairy Products, based in Northwest Indiana, today issued a recall of all its blue cheese produced under the Fair Oaks Royal Blue Cheese label. The recall applies to any cheese purchased on or after September 25, 2011. Thank goodness, the actual quantity of the cheese is only 20 pounds (but, maybe could expand). The cheese was distributed to retailers in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

This time it is the company itself which turned up the bacteria, or rather, an independent laboratory it hired did so during testing of the cheese (often it is the FDA's laboratories which find the contaminant). But why it took so long, I don't know. This is almost a month later, and there is a good chance much of the cheese has been eaten. But overall, the company seems to have acted responsibly, immediately contacting the FDA once it got the bad news.

If you live in these areas, and ate this cheese (it's in royal blue foil) watch for any symptoms. , Remember that symptoms of Listeriosis,which are a bit like the flu, can take anywhere from 3 days to 70 days, or occasionally, even 90 days to appear. Usually it's around 12 days to 3 weeks.

Oh, and by the way, Listeria monocytogenes in cheese - particularly unpasteurized cheese, is not at all uncommon.

To your good health,
TSF

THE CAUSE OF THE CANTALOUPE OUTBREAK?

Well, it seems that a tentative cause has been found for the Listeria bacteria contamination of cantaloupes all over the U.S.. This really bad outbreak has now killed around 25 people, made at least 123 people ill, and probably affected many, who didn't become ill, but may become carriers of the bacteria.

Investigators have zeroed in on the packing shed at Jensen Farms in Ohio. The Listeria monocytogenes bacteria has been isolated in samples taken from the cantaloupe conveyor belts, a melon drying area, and a floor drain. Now the question is: how did it get there? A packing shed on a farm is like a transit area, with a whole lot going on. So there are many possibilities.

It could have been in the soil covering the cantaloupes when they came there . Or, it could have been in the washing water (it wouldn't be the first time that washing water actually made produce less safe, rather than more safe). Or, it could have been that recently purchased equipment from another farm which had previously been used to wash potatoes. Or, possibly, it could have come from workers in the sheds who were carriers (a lot of people are). Or, even from a truck, parked too close to the packing shed, which could have brought Listeria from another farm or road or field. We may never find out.

The farm didn't do too well during recent government inspection in terms of other conditions as well. Among the things that government inspectors noticed were pools of water on the floor (which could be recent, after the farm closed operations), cloths used to cover the melons, inadequate cooling of cantaloupes, and rather worn out and hard-to-clean equipment.
And guess what, this farm had passed a recent inspection by a privates safety contractor with flying colors (the packing plant scored 96 out of 100).

So what else is new. This has happened before many times (for example, with that huge peanut outbreak that originated in Georgia). Why? The procedure is for the farm or plant to hire and pay the company that inspects. So, hum ha, you might say they were a little biased towards giving a good report. These procedures have to be changed, and inspectors everywhere have to be trained better (I go on about this in the book).

Of course, the Jensen brothers have gone out of business and are battling numerous law suits. I feel sorry for them. This can happen so easily.

To your good health,
TSF

CONTAMINATED LETTUCE RECALL EXPANDS

This had not been a good couple of weeks for lettuce lovers in the U.S. And that just about covers everyone except me (I prefer arugula). What is more, the lettuce safety issue is becoming downright confusing. And, I am sure we haven't seen the end of it yet.

On October 1, I blogged the finding of Listeria monocytogenes in chopped romaine lettuce, produced by True Leaf Farms of Salinas, California, which issued a recall of its suspect products. Now there is another ready-to-use lettuce recall announced by Giant Eagle Farmer's Market, which is the largest supermarket in Western Pennsylvania. Giant Eagle is recalling eight ounce packages of Shredded Iceberg Lettuce as well as a number of deli products which used lettuce from the same lot, all with a use by date of October 14,2011.

Of course, they didn't grow the lettuce themselves. It came from a Salinas, California processor called River Ranch Fresh Foods, which, by the way, prides itself on its safety. The reason is the same as in the earlier (True Leaf Farms) recall - Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in the lettuce. But it's a different kind of lettuce. This company has not issued a recall of its lettuce, although it says it is co-operating with investigators.*

Now let's get to the broader issue. It seems that the problem is centered on lettuce from the Salinas area of California, with different kinds of lettuce involved. The question is: was the lettuce contaminated on the farm, or, at the processor's? It could be either. If Listeria got in at the farm level, that means it is probably in the growing environment, and could also affect other farms nearby. If it got in during washing, shredding or cutting at River Ranch, it could mean that this company has a contamination problem, and this could also affect lettuce from other farms that it is processing with the same contaminated equipment.

Either way, it is a bad situation. Listeria monocytogenes bacteria which can be deadly, especially to vulnerable people (such as pregnant women, newborns, those with weakened immune systems). And, remember that it can take as long as two months, and occasionally, even longer, for symptoms to appear.

So what are we to do? On my part, I have decided to avoid all California-grown leafy greens for a while until we find out more about where the contamination occured. And that applies to both ready-to-eat and whole (most would come from the Salinas area). I'll give up arugula too for good measure. Listeriosis is not something I want.

To your good health,
TSF

UPDATE: River Ranch has finally had to issue a recall of its Farmers Market and Hy-Vee brand iceberg, romaine and blended lettuce products. These salad products were distributed in Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania and sold in retail supermarkets.

IS ORGANIC FOOD MORE DANGEROUS?

I am always surprised by the number of people who believe that if a food item is "organic" it will not carry any bad bacteria. Yes, organic fruits or vegetables are likely to have lower levels of pesticides. But that does not protect them from those dangerous bacteria that we hear so much about these days - ones such as E.coli 0157, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and others. In fact, much of the research done suggests that they are even more likely to be contaminated than are conventionally grown foods.

The Rocky Ford cantaloupes that are causing the current outbreak of Listeriosis (from Listeria monocytogenes bacteria) were "pesticide free." (They have now caused at least 22 deaths and over 100 illnesses). The recently recalled grape tomatoes were organic.

Over the past few years we have had recalls of a huge range of organic foods because they were contaminated - including organic alfalfa sprouts, many organic fruits and vegetables, organic beef, organic turkey, organic peanut butter, organic eggs, organic cheese and even of organic chocolate and tea. (What have I missed?)

In fact, sad though it be, several recent studies, including one published this past May in the Journal of Food Protection, have concluded that organic food is more likely to have fecal contamination which is where these bacteria usually come from. The higher incidences of fecal contamination in organic foods is linked to the heavy reliance of composted animal manure for fertilizer. The book discusses this issue in more detail.

To your good health,
TSF

HOW TO MAKE YOUR CANTALOUPE SAFER

This ongoing outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in whole cantaloupes has Americans scared. Food poisoning is one thing, but once people start dying it's another. There have now been at least 100 confirmed illnesses and 18 deaths. Nor is this the end, because of the long lead time before symptoms develop. The detailed personal stories on line in some of the lawyers' blogs are enough to make one give up eating cantaloupes for life.

But many of us really like cantaloupes. We don't want to stop eating them. So how can we eat them more safely? Cooking cantaloupes is out, so we have to think of other ways to avoid - not kill - most of any existing bacteria. Here are some ideas.

• Eat whole cantaloupe rather than cut-up ready-to-eat packaged ones. Yes, I know this outbreak started in whole cantaloupes, but usually bacteria, and especially Listeria monocytogenes, are more likely to turn up in the sliced-up "convenience" type, coming from workers who are carriers or contaminated equipment or even packaging that is used.
• Always wash thoroughly your whole cantaloupe before cutting it, using cold running water. True, some have already been washed and look perfectly clean, but may not be, and others are clearly soiled. Use a soft brush if the cantaloupe has a rough skin, to get into all the crevices. Never use hot and then cold water, because this can draw any bacteria on the skin inside the cantaloupe.
• Wash your hands first and then peel the whole cantaloupe with a clean knife and then rinse it again under running cold water. This is a little tricky to do as it's pretty slippery. In that case, you may want to cut the cantaloupe in half, running it briefly under cold water where cut and then peel it. Rinse the now peeled item, the knife and your hads quickly again, before slicing up the cantaloupe.
• If a cantaloupe has a soft bruised area, cut off this part, with at least an inch margin (depending how bad the bruising is). Use an even wider margin if part of it is moldy.
• For the time being, avoid the Jensen Farm pesticide-free Rocky Ford ones if you happen to come across any, although not every cantaloupe will be heavily contaminated. As far as we know right now, the problem is limited to this farm's produce, and to any processors that used them for salads or convenience products. The cause of the contamination has not yet been identified, and if it is the irrigation water, contaminated soil or processing water, it will take a while to resolve. If that cantaloupe in your frig has no label, discard it anyway, just to be safe.

To your good health,
TSF

AN EXPANDING BAGGED LETTUCE RECALL IN U.S. AND TO CANADA

I feel as though I am repeating myself. Last night I blogged the expanding cantaloupe recall. Now I am blogging the expanding bagged, chopped, ready-to-eat Romaine lettuce one. Both involve the potentially-deadly Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

But I will say that at least the recall expansion in the lettuce case didn't come weeks after the first alert and recall - only a day. Much better. Also, it came at the FDA's urging - not because of bad record keeping.

Down to the facts. Here is what is happening. On September 29, True Leaf Farms issued a recall for 90 cartons of chopped romaine because Listeria monocytogenes turned up during testing of it. The recalled product was shipped between September 12 and 13, with a use-by date of September 29 - the date of the recall. Notice again how FDA testing results come far too late, especially for fresh produce, which tends to be eaten quickly. But I will add, that the company acted as soon as it got the results of the FDA testing.

The lettuce went to an institutional food service distributor (Church Brothers) in Oregon who further distributed it to at least two additional states, Washington and Idaho.

The next day's update expanded the recall to cover 2498 cartons of lettuce, to include additional product shipped to wholesale food service distributors in 19 more states - and to Alberta, Canada. The U.S. states include Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Vermont.

Three notes:
- Listeria monocytogenes turns up quite often in lettuce and leafy greens, especially ready-to-eat kind, and the FDA is trying to find out why. So this is a fairly typical recall.
- This recall has nothing to do with the ongoing cantaloupe one.
- The recall notice says that no illnesses have been connected to it - yet. (See my earlier post on this issue).

To your good health,
TSF

MORE CONTAMINATED CANTALOUPES

Latest statistics: at least 84 confirmed illnesses in 19 states and 15 deaths. This is the deadliest outbreak in the U.S. food supply since 1998.

In an industrialized food supply - such as that of the United States - food recalls commonly get bigger as time goes by. Other producers become involved, other distributors, other food companies who have used the contaminated products - or, it will be found that the food has reached additional markets in other areas of the country or even additional countries. That's what's happened with the ongoing Listeria-contaminated Rocky Ford cantaloupe recall in the U.S.

When I first blogged these contaminated whole cantaloupes (September 13) it was believed that they had been been shipped to only Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. When the company's recall came out the next day, it said they had gone to 17 U.S. states (IL, WY, TN, UT, TX, CO, MN, KS, NM, NC, MO, NE, OK, AZ, NJ, NY, PA). Then, more than two weeks later, Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado has admitted that ...ooops...a further check of its records show that it somehow didn't include all the states in its Sept. 14 recall. These contaminated whole cantaloupes also went to Indiana, Louisiana and Wisconsin.

This is really inexcusable. Stores in Indiana, Louisiana and Wisconsin didn't pull these cantaloupes off their shelves, food producers may have been using them, and people have been eating them for these two weeks - and some of them have been getting seriously ill.

Either this grower's records are the world's biggest mess, or, someone hid something.

To your good health,
TSF

LISTERIA IN CUT-UP CANTALOUPES: A DOUBLE RISK FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

Now there is a recall of cut-up fresh cantaloupe and fruit medley containing cut-up cantaloupe. Carol’s Cuts LLC, a Kansas food processor, had the bad luck to order its cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colorado . This is where the Rocky Ford whole cantaloupes originated that were found to carry the dangerous Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. So far, at least 55 illnesses and eight deaths have been conclusively linked to eating this "healthy" fruit (but remember the long delays in symptoms appearing and in reporting of cases).

The American eating public first began to hear about the suspect Rocky Ford cantaloupes at least two weeks ago. The FDA issued a kind of early alert, even before they were 100% sure, and even before the company's recall (see earlier post). However, the recall of the cut-up items is only coming now - much later. And, it is coming well after the "best-if-used-by" dates - September 3 and September 19, meaning they have most likely been eaten.

Delays create a double risk for people at high risk for Listeriosis, such as pregnant women (because of dangers to the fetus). Two weeks can mean over 40 meals in which you might have eaten cut-up cantaloupe, because you didn't know it was dangerous.

This is yet another reason not to eat cut-up fresh produce if you are pregnant.

I would suggest that Americans avoid all cut-up cantaloupe, and fresh ready-made fruit salads containing cantaloupe, until we find out if more companies will confess to having used the contaminated Rocky Ford ones.

To your good health,
TSF

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH LISTERIA IN OUR FOOD?

This has not been a good few weeks for Americans at high risk for Listeriosis - that potentially life-threatening disease caused by Listeria bacteria, usually in food. Such people include pregnant women (because of risks to the fetus), and older or sicker adults. Death occurs in some 16-20% of serious cases. This makes Listeriosis one of the most deadly foodborne illnesses we know.

Incidence of Listeriosis goes up and down, but generally seems to be on the increase. That is the case in several European countries, England, Wales, and, in the US. In the United States, there is also seasonal variation - worse during summer months.

L. monocytogenes can be present in soil and water, and can crop up in whole raw vegetables (such as the recent incidence in whole cantaloupes from Colorado). It can also turn up in raw dairy foods and meat products. But more frequently, this bacteria is found in processed or lightly-processed foods, such as ready-to-eat washed and cut up produce, deli meats, prepared salads, cheeses, and so on. One example is the recently recalled frozen avaocado pulp, imported from Peru. This bacteria withstands freezing very well.

What happens is that the bacteria usually get in during the preparation process, often from the workers handling the food. Why? Because a high percentage of them are carriers, although they may not be ill. How high a percentage? Estimates vary - probably somewhere between 5% and 30%, which is a very broad range. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that such numbers are increasing - and so is Listeria contamination in our food.

Of course, the fact that we are eating more and more of those time-saving ready-to eat convenience foods, adds to our increasing risk. Avoid them as much as you can!

To your good health,
TSF

LISTERIOSIS OUTBREAK: IS IT CANTALOUPES?

Today's media attention has been on widening of controls for E.coli bacteria in U.S. meat. The food safety advocates have finally got the government to agree to checking for six other deadly strains in addition to the common E.coli 0157:H7. But, like it or not, there is evidence that these bacteria - and many others - are more likely to be present in our "healthy" fruit and vegetables. Besides, we cook the meat - or, at least we are supposed to cook it - whereas we often eat fruit and vegetables raw. Raw is more risky, because there is no "kill" step.

Take that wonderful cataloupe (which I currently have in my refrigerator). When it is good, it is totally delicious (I always test them in the store by pushing the ends and smelling). And you can do so many things with it - raw, of course. And today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a scary announcement about cantaloupes.

There is an ongoing outbreak of Listeriosis (caused byListeria monocytogenes bacteria) in Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. This is probably a partial list, as research continues. Reportedly, 3 people in New Mexico have died, and at least 15 are seriously ill.

And the culprit food may be whole cantaloupes, most likely marketed from the Rocky Ford growing region of Colorado. This is fairly unusual, since this bacteria is usually associated with ready-to-eat food - for instance, cantaloupe that has been peeled and sliced up as well as a myriad of other popular convenience foods. But, it is occasionally found in soil, which probably happened in this case.

So beware - especially if you are pregnant or have a compromised immune system, cancer, or are an older adult. Listeria monocytogenes can be fatal. I have talked about this bacteria often in the past, but in case you haven't read those posts, here are the basics. Listeriosis symptoms can be easily confused with the flu - muscle aches and fever. Onset of symptoms after eating Listeria-contaminated food can vary tremendously from a few hours (which is rare) to as long as 70 or 90 days. Usually it is about 12 days.

If you are in a high risk group - skip the cantaloupe for now. I am on my way down to the refrigerator to toss it out.

To your good health,
TSF

UPDATE: An alert and a recall have now been announced.

TWO MORE FOODS RECALLED: CHEESE SPREAD AND BACON

Two more food product recalls have been announced by U.S. food safety authorities. They are cheese spread, contaminated with Salmonella bacteria, and bacon products, contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The cheese spread was sold through retailers, whereas the bacon products, originating in Canada, went to food service facilities.

Here are the details:

Miss Bonnie’s Gourmet, LLC is recalling its Miss Bonnie’s Gourmet Classic Cheddar Cheese Spread distributed between 8/1/11 and 8/10/11, with a “Best By Date” of December 23, 2011 and batch code number 0116206G113. The product is packaged in 8 ounce glass jars and was distributed to Kroger Stores in Roanoke, Virginia; Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Memphis, Tennessee.

Aliments Prince, S.E.C., an establishment from Ontario, Canada, is recalling approximately 380,000 pounds of diced bacon products. Food service institutions take note! The list of products recalled is posted on http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_063_2011_Release/index.asp:

To your good health,
TSF