Showing posts with label typhoid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label typhoid. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: May 10, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.


United States
  • Food Safety Recall: Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. (Coral Gables, FL) recalls Roche Bros. Vegetable Tray (3-lb oval transparent; UPC 717524888013; Best if used by dates: 4/23/2011, 4/24/2011, 4/26/2011, 4/27/2011, 4/28/2011, 4/30/20115/1/2011 and 5/3/2011), and Roche Bros. Vegetable Trio tray (16-oz transparent; UPC 715524304162; Best if used by dates: 4/23/2011, 4/24/2011, 4/27/2011, 4/28/2011, 4/30/2011, 5/1/2011 and 5/3/2011), because the grape tomatoes that were used in these trays were supplied by Six L's Packing Company and may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were sold in Roche Bros. Supermarkets in Massachusetts.

  • Food Safety Recall: Safeway Inc. recalls Eating Right Veggie Party Platter (UPC 79893-10708; sold from 04-29-2011 to 05-07-2011; “Best if Used By” dates ranging from 05-09-2011 to 05-16 2011), supplied by Mann's Packing, because the platters contain grape tomatoes sourced from Six L's and may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were sold at all Safeway and Safeway-owned stores, including Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save stores.

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Multi-Mex Distributor Inc. (Tucker, GA) recalls dietary supplements that are packaged to resemble antibiotics. The recalled products were distributed in Georgia, Tennessee, California, Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Colorado and Indiana (Indianapolis only). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

  • Veterinary First Aid Kits Recall (Alcohol Prep Pads): Creative Pet Products, Inc. and MAI/Genesis (Veterinary Concepts) recall several Pet Supply First Aid Kits containing alcohol prep pads and/or iodine prep pads manufactured by H&P Industries Inc. (Triad or NovaPlus brands), as the prep pads may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus. The affected kits include: 10140 Horse Aid™ Kit, 10145 Sporting Dog Kit, 10148 Sporting Dog II Kit, and 10151 K9 First Aid Police & Military Kit.

  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns God's Garden Pharmacy (San Diego, CA) that a January 2011 inspection of the company's facility identified a number of significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for Dietary Supplements.

  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Tufo's To Go, L.L.C. (Pataskala, OH) that a December 2010/January 2011 inspection of the company's airline catering facility resulted in the classification of the facility being changed from "Approved" to "Provisional" after the inspection revealed significant violations of the Interstate Conveyance Sanitation regulations promulgated under the Public Health Service Act.

  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Dangjin Food, Inc. (Republic of Korea) that a review of the company's HACCP plans revealed serious deviations from the requirements of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns International Fish Canners (Scotland) Ltd. (United Kingdom) that an October 2010 inspection of the company's canned seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the United States’ Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Regulation.


Europe
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Denmark): Denmark's Food Administration warns consumers against a range of dietary supplements containing the potentially harmful herbal ingredient Maca. These dietary supplements are marketed under the names Maca 500 mg, Horny Goat Weed & Catuaba, Tribolan, Maca Pro powder, Maca Extreme, Red Maca, Maca Powder Pro 6.1 CAC Organize and Raw Maca Powder.

  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Multiple links in Jamie Oliver's chain of Italian restaurants has been named as the possible source of food poisoning incidents in an article by Nick McDermott, writing for MailOnline. According to the article, food safety violations were detected during spot-checks at 11 restaurants in the chain between November 2009 and November 2010. The information was obtained in response to a Freedom of Information request.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0606): Foreign body (bone) in mussels in brine from Denmark; distributed to Malta.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0607): Mold in rye whole grain crackers from Germany; distributed to Germany and Austria.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0608): Adulteration (vegetable sugars added) of honey from Spain; distributed to Italy.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0609): Glass fragments in jars containing gherkins from Turkey; distributed to Germany.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0610): Glyphosate in dried lentils from Italy; distributed to Germany.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0611): Salmonella enteritidis in biscuits from Poland; distributed to Poland.

  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0612): Ammonium sulphate adulteration in protein feed from Italy, via Slovakia; distributed to Hungary.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0613): Salmonella in chilled chicken kebab from Denmark; distributed to Sweden.

  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0614): Salmonella Livingstone in poultry meat and bone meal from Germany; distributed to Latvia.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Food Safety Recall (Saudi Arabia): Nestlé recalls Milkybar Buttons (Product of UK), because the candy may be contaminated with pieces of rubber.

  • Cosmetic Product Safety Alert (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority warns the public that herbal and cosmetic products marketed by Al Bussma Al Thahabiyah Company are not registered with the FDA and have been found to contain harmful substances. Please refer to the official notice for a list of the affected products.

  • Contact Lens Safety Alert (Philippines): The Philippines FDA warns the public that sidewalk vendors in Metro Manila are selling contact lenses without a license in violation of the Food and Drug Administration Act. These unregistered products pose a risk of injury to anyone who uses them.

  • Outbreak Alert (Indonesia): A snack bar in Hsinchu Science Park has been identified as the source of four cases of typhoid fever. The manager of the eatery is suspected to be the source of the contamination.

  • Food Safety Advisory (Vietnam): The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will be carrying out a nationwide food hygiene survey in anticipation of the implementation of the country's new Food Hygiene Law, which comes into effect on July 1st.


Australia and New Zealand
  • Name and Shame (New South Wales): The NSW Food Authority has published a list of 33 establishments that received Penalty Notices under the Name & Shame program. The establishments are located in Blue Mountains, Newcastle, Wyong, Canada Bay, Waverley, Warringah, Penrith, Sydney, Marrickville, Gosford, Blacktown, Holroyd, Baulkham Hills, Mosman, Maitland, Willoughby and Auburn.


Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: April 14, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.


United States
  • Food Safety Recall: Spice Hunter recalls Spice Hunter Curry Seasoning, 1.8oz (Lots 09 198 and 09 225) and Spice Hunter Ground Turmeric, 2.0oz (Lots 09 196, 09 201 and 09 264) due to the possibility of high levels of lead in the products. The recalled items were sold at Top Food & Drug store locations, and may also have been available elsewhere.

  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Investigation: On Friday, March 25th, the Rhode Island Department of Health issued a recall of all baked goods from DeFusco's Bakery in Johnston, RI. As of April 13, 2011, the recalled zeppole and other baked goods have been implicated in 75 cases of Salmonella gastroenteritis (74 in Rhode Island and one in Massachusetts); 46 of the cases have been lab-confirmed; 29 victims were hospitalized (2 remain in hospital), and two people have died.

  • Recreational Water Safety Advisory (Oregon): A Health Advisory has been issued due to higher-than-normal levels of bacteria in ocean waters at Seaside Beach in Clatsop County. Direct contact with the water should be avoided until the advisory is lifted.

  • Cosmetics Product Safety Recall: Redken recalls Redken Guts Volume Foam Mousse (UPC 82214226107), because the aerosal can liner may corrode over time, leading to possible explosion of the can.


Canada
  • Allergy Alert: L'Épicerie du Village (Sainte-Sophie) recalls a large number of prepared soups, entrées, pâtés and sauces, due to the presence of undeclared egg, wheat, soy, milk protein and/or sulfite.

  • Outbreak Alert (Saskatchewan): Four residents and six staff members at the Gull Lake Special Care Centre have been identified as suffering from an enteric illness, the cause of which has not been determined. The Cypress Health Region has declared a "Full Outbreak" at the facility. In order to prevent the outbreak from spreading further, visitation to the entire facility is restricted until further notice.

  • Health Advisory (Saskatchewan): The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority and Ministry of Health warn that heightened risk of flooding in many parts of the province this spring may pose a threat to private water wells and cisterns used for drinking water sources. As a safety measure during spring runoff, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority is offering free testing of private wells and cisterns used as sources of drinking water that have been potentially impacted by flooding across the province.


Europe
Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Food Safety Alert (Singapore): Singapore has lifted its suspension on the import of fruites and vegetables from Japan's Ehime prefecture.

  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (China): Chinese authorities have detained five people and shut down the Shanghai Shenglu Food Co, a steamed bun manufacturer, after finding that the company's products had been dyed, were expired, or contained undeclared chemicals.

  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): The Provincial Health Office has warned of an outbreak of typhoid fever in Negros Occidental province. The number of cases reported so far in 2011 is 60% higher than during the same period last year. Three deaths due to typhoid have been recorded this year.

  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): An outbreak of cholera has been declared in Bataraza town in Palawan. At least 430 cases of diarrhea have been reported since March 1st; at least 30 people - mostly children belonging to a tribe - have died.

  • Outbreak Alert (Congo DR): Fifty-one people have died as a result of cholera in eastern Congo (Democratic Republic) since February. Since the onset of the outbreak, 913 people have been hospitalized. It is feared that the onset of heavy rains could worsen the outbreak.

  • Food Poisoning Outbreak Investigation (Mauritius): Eighty-two people were diagnosed with food poisoning by staff of the Flacq Hospital on April 10th. Sixty people were admitted to hospital due to the severity of their symptoms. One death may be linked to the outbreak. All of the victims report having eaten cream pie purchased at the Marday White Mountain bakery on April 7th. The bakery's manager, who also suffered from the food poisoning incident, has been questioned by police.


Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Outbreak Alert (Colombia): The Ministry of Health reports that 19 confirmed cases of hepatitis A infections have been diagnosed in La Paz within the last month; an additional 10 suspect cases are under investigation. Approximately one-half of the victims are under 14 years of age. The source of the outbreak has not been determined, but contaminated food and/or unsafe drinking water are suspected.

  • Outbreak Update (Haiti): The rainy season is bringing with it a flare-up in the number of reported cases of cholera. In the last two weeks - since the onset of the rainy season - the Partners in Health cholera center in Mirebalais has seen 1,000 new cases. As a whole, Haiti is reporting some 2,000 new cholera cases a week.

  • Health Alert (Mexico): The Ministry of Health reports that 27,476 cases of acute diarrheal disease have been documented in Yucatan so far in 2011 - up 19% over the same period last year. Forty percent of the cases are children under five years of age.


Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.



Thursday, December 9, 2010

Outbreaks and Alerts: December 9, 2010

A daily digest of international outbreaks, alerts and food safety news

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Midland, TX. December 2nd: The Midland Health Department reported Thursday it has observed more than 10 times the typical number of Shigella diarrhea cases since October – 53 versus the expected incidence of 3-4 per month.
  • Gibbon, MN. December 7th: State Agriculture Department investigators have seized several hundred gallons of raw milk and other food produced by Mark Hartmann's dairy farm in defiance of a state order to halt production at the farm. Raw milk produced at Hartmann's farm was the source of eight cases of E. coli O157:H7 in May and several other instances of gastroenteritis in July and August.
  • Boise, ID. December 8th: Health officials have found evidence of E. coli at a privately run prison south of Boise after five inmates at the Idaho Correctional Center became ill around December 1st.
  • Bellaire, MI. December 8th: The Northwest Michigan Health Department has issued a norovirus advisory for the region. Health workers suspect that norovirus was behind two outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Grand Traverse County in October - one linked to a company luncheon and the other at a day care center.
  • Maine. December 9th: The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC has issued a norovirus health advisory after receiving reports of five outbreaks from four counties in the last 10 days. Four of the outbreaks occurred in long term care facilities, and the fifth was in a school setting.
  • Washington, DC. December 9th: EPA has published a petition filed by 82 public health and environmental groups to ban the antibacterial agent triclosan for nonmedical use. A 60-day comment period has been announced.
  • Brown County, Kansas. December 9th: The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Willis and portions of the City of Horton after a loss of water pressure was reported in the public water system.


Canada
  • Peterborough, ON. December 8th: The Peterborough Regional Health Centre continues to restrict visitors to its B3 medical unit, due to an outbreak of Clostridium difficile, MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. No new cases have been identified.


Europe
  • Llandudno, Wales. December 8th: Badgers Café is facing five hygiene and cleanliness charges after an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis PT14b last year.
  • Wiltshire, UK. December 8th: Churchfields School remains closed as investigations continue into an illness outbreak, thought to be due to norovirus. Twenty-four staff members are absent with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Liverpool, UK. December 8th: Banks Road Primary School in Garston is experiencing an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis. About 55 of the 209 pupils are affected.
  • UK. December 9th: The Health Protection Agency has recorded 43 outbreaks of norovirus in hospitals since the beginning of November. Thirty-nine of the outbreaks have led to ward closures.
  • Saint-Michel, France. December 9th: A 14-year old student at Puygrelier College has been hospitalized and 143 are ill with food poisoning. A meal served to the students on Tuesday is suspected to be the source of the outbreak. Lab analyses are in progress.
  • Östersund, Sweden. December 9th: The municipality believes that it has found the source of the Campylobacter contamination in its municipal water system. The parasite is thought to have entered the system in a multi-family dwelling in the Odensala neighborhood of Östersund.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Putrajaya, Malaysia. December 8th: The Health Ministry has ordered a probe of the waters of the Kenyir Lake to determine the extent to which it is contaminated with E. coli, following media reports of high levels of the bacteria having been found in the waters of the lake by a study undertaken by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.
  • Morogoro, Tanzania. December 8th: Four people have died and 58 were hospitalized in a new outbreak of cholera. The first cases in the area were reported two weeks ago.
  • Singapore. December 9th: Cordial drinks and chicken frank rolls were suspected to have caused the mass food poisoning incident at the Singapore Sports School canteen last month which affected 106 students. A sample of chicken frank rolls was found to contain low levels of Bacillus cereus, and one of the food handlers also tested positive for Salmonella.
  • Cebu, Philippines. December 9th: The number of reported cases of typhoid fever continue to rise in two villages of Alegria. At least 30 residents have been hospitalized; 160 are experiencing symptoms of typhoid. Contaminated water is suspected to be the source of the outbreak.


Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Outbreaks and Alerts: December 8, 2010

A daily digest of international outbreaks, alerts and food safety news

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Brainerd, MN. December 7th: Crosslake Community School was closed last friday after three staff members and more than 20% of the student body were absent due to an outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis.
  • Oregon. December 7th: An advisory is in effect for Harris State Park Beach, due to a sewage spill into Harris Creek. While the advisory is in effect, visitors should avoid direct contact with the water. Children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to potential infection from waterborne bacteria.


Canada
  • Ottawa, ON. December 7th: Health Canada is reminding Canadians of some basic rules for safe handling of leftovers during the holiday season.


Europe
  • Dublin, Ireland. December 6th: The Food Safety Authority of Ireland reports that it issued one Improvement Order and four Closure Orders to food businesses during November.
  • Sunderland, UK. December 6th: A Campylobacter infection thought to have been contracted from contaminated food left a couple dangerously ill in hospital as a result of their stay at Kenya's Baobab Beach Resort. Mick and Liz Rodwell were on a 15-day safari in celebration of Liz's 56th birthday.
  • Kharkiv, Ukraine. December 7th: Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into an outbreak of food poisoning at the Kharkiv Air Force University that sickened 96 cadets in November. An inspection revealed numerous problems at the university cafeteria, including improper sanitation, outdated equipment and failure by university authorities to monitor food quality.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Hong Kong. December 6th: The Centre for Health Protection is investigating two clusters of suspected food poisoning involving 10 people. Both clusters are associated with consumption of food in the same restaurant in Tung Chung on November 28th and December 4th.
  • Hanoi, Vietnam. December 6th: The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade has rejected a proposal from the owners of the city's unhygienic Thinh Liet Abattoir to keep the facility open until next August.
  • Hong Kong. December 7th: The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed a local case of cholera involving a 61-year old woman in Shau Kei Wan. This is the 9th case of cholera reported in Hong Kong this year.
  • Uganda. December 7th: The illness that has killed at least 38 people in northern Uganda remains a mystery. Preliminary tests have ruled out Ebola, typhoid and several other diseases.
  • Dhaka, Bangladesh. December 7th: Officials at Rajshahi University in western Bangladesh have ordered a major rat extermination drive after rodent meat found its way into chicken curry served to students. The chef has been suspended.
  • Lusaka, Zambia. December 7th: The Ministry of Health has confirmed three cholera cases from Chawama and Kanyama Townships. No deaths have been reported.
  • Papua New Guinea. December 7th: Between 200 and 300 people have died from cholera in the Western Province. Thirty-two of the deaths were recorded at Daru General Hospital. More than 2,000 cases of cholera have been reported, with many of the victims from isolated villages.
  • Cebu, Philippines. December 7th: A state of disaster has been declared in Alegriaafter nearly 200 people were diagnosed with typhoid fever. The town's water system is under investigation.

Australia and New Zealand
  • Lake Hume, Australia. December 8th: An algae bloom has been confirmed in Lake Hume. The public is being urged to avoid any water that appears bright green, or where green scums or a distinctive odor are present.


Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Panama. December 7th: Six hundred cases of diarrhea have been linked to poor food handling practices and the consumption of spoiled food.
  • Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. December 7th: The number of confirmed cholera cases has reached 22, according to the Public Health Ministry. The government believes that the situation is under control.
  • Haiti. December 8th: As of December 3rd, the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population had confirmed 91,770 cases of cholera; 43,243 (47.1%) victims were hospitalized, and there have been 2,071 deaths (death rate of 2.3%). A nationwide cholera surveillance system has been established. A French medical report commissioned by the Haitian authorities to determine the origin of the epidemic has pointed a finger at the Nepalese peacekeepers who were deployed as part of the international earthquake relief efforts. The United Nations does not consider the French report to be definitive proof of the Nepalese connection.


Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Outbreaks and Alerts: September 28, 2010

A daily digest of international outbreaks, alerts and food safety news

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


For information on the US Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak and egg recalls, please click here.


United States
  • Montpelier, VT. September 27th: Vermont Department of Health district offices have received replacement shipments of Similac and Isomil liquid infant formulas, which can be used as substitutes for the powdered infant formulas that were recalled recently by Abbott.
  • King County, WA. September 27th: The Department of Health has ended the boil water advisory for the East King County water system that serves Riverbend Homesites.
  • Sacramento, CA. September 28th: California became the largest state to limit the toxic metal cadmium in children's jewelry after Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a new bill into law that will limit cadmium in jewelry for children six-years old and under to no more than 0.03% starting in 2012.
  • Silver Spring, MD. September 28th: FDA warns Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Inc., Walgreen Company and CVS Corporation to stop making unproven claims on mouth rinses. The three companies claimed that their sodium fluoride-containing mouth rinse products were effective at removing plaque above the gum line and promoting healthy gums. According to FDA, these claimed benefits have not been proven.


Canada
  • Ottawa, ON. September 28th: Health Canada reminds Canadians of the importance of adhering to good food safety practices while home canning.
  • Sudbury, ON. September 28th: Sudbury Regional Hospital reports six cases of Clostridium difficile on the sixth floor of its South Tower. Visitor restrictions are in effect for the six patients, and enhanced infection control procedures have been initiated.


Europe
  • UK. September 27th: The Health Protection Agency has identified 97 cases of Salmonella Bareilly in England since the beginning of August; Scotland is investigating a further 17 lab-confirmed cases. The source of the outbreak is not yet known; however, one possibility is bean sprouts. A small number of samples have tested positive for Salmonella, but it has not been determined whether the Salmonella recovered from bean sprouts is Salmonella Bareilly. The investigation is ongoing.
  • Lothians, Scotland. September 28th: Thirty-three pupils and 30 staff members at Saltersgate Special Needs School were stricken with severe vomiting and diarrhea. Norovirus – sometimes called the winter vomiting bug – is suspected to be the cause of the outbreak.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Ndola, Zambia. September 27th: Two suspected cases of typhoid were recorded by the Ndola District Health Management Team last week. A similar outbreak took place in the neighboring city of Kitwe one month ago.
  • Davao City, Philippines. September 28th: Residents of Barangay Alejal of Carmen received a pleasant surprise: purified drinking water for the neighborhood's 550 families.
  • Manila, Philippines. September 28th: The Department of Health is checking a report that two residents of Caloocan City have died due to complications from cholera. At least eleven more people have become infected with the disease.


Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Piura, Peru. September 28th: Thirty-six people were diagnosed with salmonellosis after eating grilled chicken in a restaurant in the Sullana shopping center. The manager of Maxi Bodega, where the incident took place, suggested that the problem was not the chicken, but may have been the dressings or sauces and has sent samples for lab analysis. Maxi Bodega has been in touch with patients and will cover the costs of their care.


Monday, September 27, 2010

Outbreaks and Alerts: September 27, 2010

A daily digest of international outbreaks, alerts and food safety news

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


For information on the US Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak and egg recalls, please click here.



Europe
  • Cádiz, Spain. September 1885: Cholera invaded the region 125 years ago, with 23 cases and 12 deaths reported in Cadiz; two illnesses and a death have been reported in El Puerto de Santa Maria, and the cholera hospital established in Santo Domingo reported one death.
  • Charente-Maritime, France. September 27th: The winter storm Xynthia has been blamed for the development of Domoic Acid, a neurotoxin produced by red algae, in coquille Saint Jacques (scallops). Domoic acid causes Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) in humans. The harvest season for coquille Saint Jacques usually opens at the beginning of November. More tests will be conducted before then to determine whether or not the shellfish are safe to harvest.
  • Kidlington, UK. September 27th: One dead mouse = £16,821.14, according to Oxford Crown Court.
    That's the amount of the fine assessed against Premier Foods after the company admitted to having failed to maintain acceptable standards at its British Bakeries site in London. Stephen Forse found a dead mouse in a loaf of bread he had purchased on-line through Tesco.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Hong Kong. September 24th: The Centre for Health Protection advises that three women who consumed coral reef fish were diagnosed with ciguatoxin poisoning.
  • Istanbul, Turkey. September 25th: More than Listeria- and Salmonella-contaminated hamburger patties have gone missing after Fasdat Gida, the company responsible for distributing meat to Burger King, cancelled its contract with TT Gida on the grounds that the meat was contaminated. Although Fasdat Gida claimed that the meat was sent to Zeybek Solid Waste Center for safe disposal, there are indications that the meat was sold for human consumption.
  • Srinagar, Pakistan. September 25th: One person is dead and 15 others have been hospitalized after an outbreak of cholera in south Kashmir's Islamabad district. Locals blame contaminated tap water, but officials say that the outbreak victims were infected as a result of drinking water from a nearby stream that was contaminated by runoff resulting from recent heavy downpours.
  • Cebu, Philippines. September 26th: The Department of Health is warning of a rise in the number of cases of diarrhea in Central Visayas. The Cebu City Health Department has recorded 1,443 cases, with four deaths, during the first eight months of this year.
    Doctors are advising the public to use boiled water for drinking.
  • Fayoum, Egypt. September 26th: Five members of a family were taken to hospital with food poisoning after eating a meal of spoiled rice. The five victims include a five-year old child, a teen and three young adults.
  • Taiwan. September 27th: The Department of Health announces that vitamin and food supplements in tablet and capsule form shall be subject to registration and market approval, effective January 1, 2011.
  • Beijing, China. September 27th: As of September 16th, dairy manufacturers are required to keep records of all raw materials purchased, and are required to conduct melamine tests on all products before distributing them in the market. The buying and selling of melamine in China now is on a "real-name" basis to allow the tracing of all products from wholesalers to retailers.
  • Mumbai, India. September 27th: Malegaon blast suspect Pragya Singh Thakur was transferred to JJ Hospital after being diagnosed with typhoid.
  • Muta, Jordan. September 27th: Forty celebrants at an engagement party were diagnosed with food poisoning after eating Aljato purchased from a Muta pastry shop.


Australia and New Zealand
  • New South Wales, Australia. September 26th: The NSW Food Authority has added the following restaurants to its Name and Shame list for a variety of breaches of the Food Standards Code: DJ's Sushi (poor temperature control); Koh-Ya Yakiniku Japanese Restaurant, Neutral Bay (storing raw meat on dirty wet towels directly above ready-to-eat food); Everest Tandoori, Kogarah (mobile phone lying on chopping board that was in use); Balmain Trattoria and Pizzeria (9 breaches, including using food past use-by date and preparing food in basement; and Money Bags Thai Restaurant, Baulkham Hills (3 breaches, including preparing raw prawns and noodles in back courtyard in dirty, unprotected buckets).


Latin America and the Caribbean