A New Cross-Border Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7?

June 28, 2009

Is it coincidence that both the US CDC and the Middlesex-London Health Unit in Ontario, Canada are in the throes of investigating meat-related outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7?

The Health Unit has received three reports of children infected with E. coli O157:H7 in the last five days. Two of those children ate kofta (spiced ground meat) purchased from the Westmount Halal Food Store in London, Ontario. The third child did not. Yesterday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency advised consumers to avoid eating ground meat or kofta purchased from this store.

Also, yesterday, JBS Swift Beef Company announced an expansion of its June 24th meat recall. The Company's action was triggered by a CDC investigation into a multi-state E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. According to the recall announcement, CDC has confirmed 18 associated illnesses in several states. The agency has released no additional details – not even which states have reported illnesses.

The meat recalled by JBS Swift was distributed throughout the United States and internationally. The Company did not indicate to which countries it supplied beef cuts, although Canada would be a logical recipient for some of the cross-border sales. A simple comparison of genetic fingerprints of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak strain from both sides of the border would quickly determine whether the US and Canadian outbreaks are related.

Both Price Chopper and Smith's Food and Drug Stores (part of the Kroger family of stores) already had posted recall notices following JBS Swift's June 24th recall announcement. The expanded recall will likely trigger additional recall notices from other grocery chains.

With the summer barbecue season now underway, these announcements are timely reminders to cook meat and poultry thoroughly. Always use a meat thermometer to determine whether the meat is done; color and texture are not reliable. Both USDA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency offer suggestions for safe food handling. Please read and follow those recommendations to ensure that you, your family members, and your friends enjoy a food-safe barbecue season.

Recall Roundup: June 28, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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

• Allergy Alert: City Baking LLC (Long island City, NY) recalls 781 individually wrapped City Baking brand Apple Crumb Cakes (bag code #161 or #169; UPC 854142000165) because they contain walnuts, which were not declared on the label. The 3 1/4 oz. packages were distributed in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Maine.
• Food Safety Recall: JBS Swift Beef Company (Greeley, CO) expands its June 24 recall to include approximately 380,000 pounds of assorted beef primal products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The expanded recall results from an on-going CDC outbreak investigation of 24 illnesses in multiple states. At least 18 of the illnesses may be associated. The recalled meat was distributed nationally and was exported.

Canada

• Food Safety Alert: The Middlesex-London Health Unit (Ontario) has received three lab-confirmed reports of E. coli O157:H7 infections in children in the last five days. Two of the three children reported eating kofta (spiced ground beef) purchased on June 14 and 15 from the Westmount Halal Food Store located at 490 Wonderland Road South. The source of the third child's infection is unknown. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency advises consumers to avoid ground meat or kofta purchased from Westmount Halal Food Store on or after June 2nd. While no recall notice has been issued, the store will issue refunds to any consumers who purchased these products.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Giant Food LLC
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Stop & Shop
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.

Recall Roundup: June 27, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns consumers not to consume Sweet Potato Slice, manufactured in China by Zhongshan Kaxing Industry & Trade Co., Ltd., because the product contains undeclared sulfites. All codes of this product, which is sold in 454 g packages bearing UPC 6 941882 504139, are being recalled by the importer. The recalled product was distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and may also be available in other provinces.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.

Recall Roundup: June 26, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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: Nuts For You recalls Roasted & Salted Peanuts because of possible health risk. The recalled items contain peanut products from Peanut Corporation of America and may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

• Food Safety Recall (UK): Sainsbury's recalls its own-brand sesame seed and seed mix products, because of the presence of Salmonella, detected by Sainsbury's during routine testing.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific

• Fraud Alert (Philippines): The Bureau of Food and Drugs warns consumers to be wary of advertisements for foods, dietary supplements and drugs that claim to provide protection against Influenza A/H1N1 (swine flu).

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.

Nestlé Toll House Cookie Dough: Rethinking A Pathogen

June 26, 2009

The outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 that has sickened as many as 69 people (46 confirmed, as of June 25th) in 29 states has been circulating in the United States for more than four years, according to CDC records.

Based on the chart displayed in CDC's outbreak investigation report, this strain has been reported in 363 E. coli O157:H7-infected individuals since February 2005. Significant clusters of reported cases occurred in February/March 2005, August 2005 through January 2006, April 2006 through December 2006, and April 2008 through December 2008. The present outbreak may have started as early as March 2009.

Without knowing the genetic fingerprint of the outbreak strain, we can only guess at the precise outbreaks associated with this particular E. coli O157:H7. Here are my best guesses.

• February 2005: Florida farm animal petting zoo outbreak (22 cases in February/March 2005)
• August 2005 - January 2006: Some of these illnesses may be linked to two ground beef recalls initiated in August 2005 and September 2005 by Flanders Provision Co. after CDC linked their meat epidemiologically to E. coli O157:H7 illnesses.
• April 2006 - December 2006: The November/December 2006 outbreak that was traced to contaminated shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell fast food restaurants in the northeast may account for some of these cases.
• April 2008 - December 2008: Iceberg lettuce outbreaks in the United States and Canada (September/October 2008) may have been due to this strain of E. coli O157:H7.
• March 2009 - ?: Nestlé Toll House raw cookie dough.

If my suppositions prove to be correct – and we won't know unless CDC and USDA release the genetic fingerprints for these incidents – this strain of E. coli O157:H7 is now endemic. It has made itself at home right across the United States. As, most likely, one or more other strains of E. coli O157:H7 have done, too.

What does this mean for food safety?

Quite simply, the food industry and its regulators no longer have the luxury of treating E. coli O157:H7 as a niche pathogen – one that is found only in a limited range of food products. This pathogen has kept one step ahead of regulators and the industry for nearly three decades, jumping from dairy cows and petting zoo animals to recreational water, beef, apple cider, salad greens, and sprout seeds. Now it appears to have jumped into raw cookie dough.

E. coli O157:H7 is a hardy microbe – in many ways, hardier than Salmonella. It also is deadlier than Salmonella. Inevitably, E. coli O157:H7 will become as pervasive as Salmonella. Eventually, it might even challenge Salmonella at the top of the list of foodborne pathogens.

This scenario might sound far-fetched, but who would have predicted the contaminated cookie dough outbreak? Certainly not Nestlé's Corporate Quality Assurance group.

It's time to start paying closer attention to E. coli O157:H7 across the entire food spectrum – before this versatile pathogen outflanks us again.

Nestlé Cookie Dough Takes Its Toll

June 26, 2009

With 70 victims (41 confirmed as of June 22nd) in 30 states, FDA and Nestlé still don't know how E. coli O157:H7 was introduced into Toll House raw cookie dough products.

Yesterday, FDA posted a series of inspection reports for the Danville, Virginia facility where the Toll House cookie dough was manufactured. The most recent FDA inspection, performed over the course of 12 hours on March 12 2009 – only four hours of which were spent on the Toll House cookie dough area – did not uncover a single sanitary violation or "objectionable" condition.

The inspection reports reveal little else. Thanks to Nestlé's corporate policy,

• FDA was not permitted to review the company's consumer complaint files;
• FDA was not permitted to review the company's HACCP program;
• FDA was refused permission to photograph any areas inside the facility; and
• FDA was not permitted to review either the pest control records or the environmental testing program.

If these restrictions sound familiar, it's because FDA and the Georgia Department of Agriculture encountered similar roadblocks at Peanut Corporation of America. It was only during the Salmonella outbreak investigation that FDA gained access to all of the Company's files, including lab test results.

Nestlé released the following statement on June 24th:

"Nestlé USA’s Baking Division is continuing to work with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), together with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), on an investigation into reported E. coli 0157:H7 illnesses that may be related to consumption of raw cookie dough.

At this point, the E. coli strain implicated in the CDC investigation has not been detected in our products. FDA investigators have been working at our Danville, VA production facility, along with Nestlé experts, to obtain dough samples for testing. As well, the investigators are testing our equipment, water and air handling systems. They’re also analyzing our detailed production records and reviewing our procedures.

We have temporarily suspended production at our Danville facility and stopped shipping product to our retail customers. We estimate that about 300,000 cases of product have been removed from sale since the recall began.

Nestlé announced a voluntary recall of all of our Nestlé TOLL HOUSE refrigerated cookie dough on June 19, 2009. Because the health and safety of our consumers is so important, we began the recall while the investigation is still underway.

No other Nestlé TOLL HOUSE products are impacted, including already baked TOLL HOUSE cookies purchased outside the home, all varieties of Nestlé TOLL HOUSE morsels, chocolate baking bars, or cocoa, and Dreyer’s and Edy’s ice cream products with Nestlé TOLL HOUSE cookie dough ingredients. Also, the recall does not include any Nestlé Professional™ cookie dough products that are destined for foodservice use, including frozen Nestlé TOLL HOUSE cookie dough and cookie dough “mix-ins” purchased outside the home.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled products should not consume them. Instead, we are asking that consumers return these products to their local grocer for a full refund. We invite consumers with questions to contact Nestlé Consumer Services at 1-800-559-5025 and visit our web site at www.verybestbaking.com."

The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, which is working its way through the House of Representatives, will increase FDA's access to quality assurance, environmental testing and other records during routine inspections – if the Act survives its trip through the House and Senate unaltered.

Meanwhile, it seems to take an outbreak investigation to bring about full cooperation between food corporations and regulators.

Recall Roundup: June 25, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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: Laxson Provision Company (San Antonio, TX) recalls approximately 350 pounds of a cervelat sausage product that may be undercooked. The recalled sausage was distributed only to small grocers in the San Antonio area.
• Food Safety Recall: JBS Swift Beef Company (Greeley, CO) recalls approximately 41,280 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The contamination was found as a result of USDA testing. The recalled meat was produced on April 21 and April 22, 2009 and shipped to distributors and retail establishments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
• Food Safety Recall: Kowalke Family Sprouts (Culver City, CA) recalls certain products containing Organic Alfalfa Sprouts after Salmonella is found in a surveillance sample. The recalled sprouts were distributed to grocery stores in Southern California, including Gelson’s and Whole Foods. The California Department of Public Health has issued a warning to consumers to avoid eating these sprouts.

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Recall (Australia): Roger's Select Meats (32-36 Main Road, Narangba QLD, 4504) recalls Roger's Select Meats Roast Beef (300-400g cryovac packets), labeled with Use By date of 02 July 2009 and available for sale from 18 June 2009. The recalled ready-to-eat meat was distributed in Narangba only.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.

Evanger's Back On Track With FDA

June 25, 2009

Evanger's has been given permission by FDA to resume interstate shipments immediately.

"The meeting went well," Joel Sher advised us in an e-mail yesterday evening, after returning from the "informal" hearing.

At the meeting, FDA asked Evanger's to submit a new set of Standard Operating Procedures ("SOPs") as a final condition for lifting the suspension. This should take 1-2 weeks, according to Joel.

Submission of new SOPs appears to be no more than a formality. The agency agreed that Evanger's could begin immediately to ship its canned pet foods interstate with the "review and approval" of the Company's Process Authority – the consulting firm that validated Evanger's sterilization processes and equipment.

Once FDA has received the SOPs, it will formally lift the suspension order. And Evanger's regulatory nightmare finally will be over.

Recall Roundup: June 24, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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

• Allergy Alert: La Mexicana, Inc. (Seattle, WA) recalls Solena Tortilla Chips with a June 03, 2009 code date, because they may contain undeclared milk and milk products. The recalled chips were distributed to retailers and food service outlets in Oregon and Washington.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Alimentation M.R. (1727, rue Savoie, Plessisville, QC) recalls all sliced deli meats, salads and take-out sandwiches sold between June 8 and June 19 inclusive, due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
• Food Safety Recall: Boucherie Fouquet-Morel (730 boul. des Récollets, Trois-Rivières, QC) recalls all smoked salmon and Rillettes de truite St-Alexis because the vacuum-packaging may permit growth of Clostridium botulinum.

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

• Allergy Alert (UK): Sainsbury's recalls some Heritage Raspberry Jelly and Strawberry Upside Down Trifle due to a labeling mix-up that resulted in the presence of undeclared milk, egg and wheat gluten.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.

Recall Roundup: June 23, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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 Alert: FDA warns consumers not to eat California Prime Produce and Orange County Orchards brands of pistachios. The pistachios, which had been recalled by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc., were received and repacked by Orca Distribution West Inc. Orca has not made any public announcements about these products.
• Food Safety Recall: International Meat Co., Inc. (Chicago, IL) recalls approximately 6,152 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The contamination was discovered by USDA during routine sampling. The recalled meat was shipped to distributors and restaurants in the Chicago area.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Kildara Farms (Sidney, BC) recalls Kildara Farms Organic Gourmet Salad Greens, sold in 113 g plastic containers bearing Best Before JUN 25 and UPC 8 10770 00001 4, because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was distributed in British Columbia.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific

• Adulterated Herbal Product (Hong Kong): The Department of Health warns consumers to avoid Jin Yuan Pai Xue Guan Qing Dao Fu Jiao Nang, which was found to be adulterated with sildenafil, a drug used to treat male erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil (brand name Viagra) can interact with some other pharmaceutical products, resulting in potentially serious side effects in certain individuals.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.

Recall Roundup: June 22, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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

• Allergy Alert: Seoul Shik Poom Inc. (Englewood, NJ) recalls its 2.2 lb packages of imported Honey Jujube Teas because they may contain undeclared sulfites. The recalled teas were distributed nationwide.

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

• Food Safety Recall: Waitrose recalls some of its Aberdeen Angus Beefburgers (available at the in-store service counter) because the burgers may be contaminated with small pieces of hard, white plastic.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.

Evanger’s: Filling In The Blanks

June 22, 2009

With all the discussion over Evanger’s recent run-in with FDA, I thought it would be useful to piece together the entire chain of events for eFoodAlert readers. Last Wednesday, I sent an email to Joel and Holly Sher, asking for their cooperation. The outcome was a 35-minute telephone conversation with Joel, followed by a series of email exchanges.

The following story is based on the telephone and email dialogues, supported wherever possible by independent documentation.

How It Began
In 2002, Joel and Holly Sher purchased Evanger’s, a Wheeling, IL pet food canning company, which was founded in 1935. The couple spent the next two years renovating the canning facility, learning the intricacies of manufacturing canned pet foods, and developing a network of local suppliers of fresh meat and produce for their pet foods.

Under its new ownership, Evanger’s strove to gain a reputation among pet owners for producing high quality canned pet foods. The Company, thanks to its reliance on domestic suppliers, was not involved in the 2007 melamine-related pet food recalls. In fact, under its current management, Evanger’s has never experienced a recall for any reason.

The Company’s first face-to-face contact with FDA took place in March 2008, when an inspector came to call – the first FDA visit to Evanger’s Wheeling facility in thirteen years.

A New FDA Emphasis On Inspection
FDA’s current canned food regulatory system came into being in the early 1970’s, and was an agency success story for more than 30 years. Unfortunately, success sometimes breeds complacency. On July 18, 2007, Castleberry’s Food Company recalled its canned chili products, when four cases of botulism were linked to the Company’s canned chili. The recall was expanded on July 21^st to encompass all of Castleberry’s canned foods, including pet foods.

Five months later, FDA received a second shock. Agency inspectors discovered that New Era Canning’s cut green beans presented a serious health risk, due to deficiencies in the Michigan Company’s canning operations. New Era recalled the green beans on December 21, 2007, and expanded the recall to include additional products in January 2008.

Prodded into action by the deficiencies that were revealed during the Castleberry’s and New Era investigations, FDA sent a Dear Colleague letter to all canned food processors on December 21, 2007. In the letter – issued on the same day as the first New Era recall – FDA reminded processors of their responsibilities under federal regulations. In addition, the agency stepped up its canned food inspection program.

Three months after FDA released its Dear Colleague letter, the agency sent an inspector to visit Evanger’s. During his visit, the FDA inspector pointed out several deviations to Joel Sher, many of which were corrected while the inspection was still in progress. The most significant issue – one that would require more time and outside expertise to correct – was the need to update the Company’s sterilization “Processes”, on file with FDA.

Because canned foods present an ideal environment for the growth of Clostridium botulinum and the development of the deadly toxin that causes botulism, FDA requires that canned food manufacturers validate their cooking processes for each individual recipe. Government regulations also are very specific in their requirements for equipment validation and record keeping.

The inspector who visited Evanger’s in March 2008 pointed out that the Processes then on file with the agency were outdated. Joel and Holly had modified some formulas and developed a new line of “hand-packed” canned foods. The Company needed to submit new validation data to cover the changes – and was required to operate under an Emergency Permit while its documentation was brought up to date.

Evanger’s Complies
Evanger’s hired two different experts in canned food process validation to bring its paperwork into full compliance. Thermal Process Technology took care of the hand-packed products, and TechniCal was handed the loaf-style canned food validation project.

TechniCal and Evanger’s went beyond the bare requirements for validation, deciding to base the loaf-style canned food process validation on the most difficult product to sterilize – the Vegetarian loaf-style. In addition to the standard process validations, Joel Sher instructed TechniCal to also validate the effectiveness of the Company’s canned food sterilization equipment – the retorts – in a “worst case scenario”.

Retorts are equipped with vents that are opened while steam is introduced into the chamber. The vents allow dry air to escape as the steam enters the retort, preventing the formation of air pockets that could result in inadequate sterilization. TechniCal, on instructions from Evanger’s, ran a test of the process without opening the vents. Even under those “worst case” conditions, the sterilization process was effective.

All of the work was completed promptly, and all of the validation data were in FDA’s hands by the end of August 2008. In order to tidy up Evanger’s process file, TechniCal also deleted the obsolete processes from the Company’s FDA file.

In fact, when eFoodAlert contacted FDA by email on December 2, 2008, we were told, “Evanger’s was issued a permit and is now operating in full compliance with applicable FDA regulations.”

Certain that the company had met all FDA requirements, Joel Sher planned to request the dismissal of the Company’s Emergency Permit during the next inspection, scheduled for March 2009. But that was not to be.

The Stumbling Block
As planned, the FDA inspector returned to Evanger’s in March 2009. On making his rounds, the inspector pointed out a couple of minor deviations, which were addressed immediately and noted on the inspection report. But, according to the inspector, TechniCal had made a mistake in its submission, on Evanger’s behalf, of the process validation data to FDA.

Instead of naming the validation process “All Loaf Style Solid Pack Products”, which would have covered the entire range of products, TechniCal named the process “Vegetarian”. Rather than simply allowing TechniCal to correct the process name, FDA decided to apply the letter of the law, and demanded that Evanger’s submit a separate process validation for each individual loaf style. And, two months after the inspection, FDA suspended Evanger’s Emergency Operating Permit – even though the Company was already working to comply with FDA’s demands.

Is Evanger’s Canned Pet Food Safe?
During our telephone conversation, I asked Joel Sher whether FDA had ever requested a product recall. “No,” he replied, “Absolutely not!”

Joel went on to explain that, if FDA was concerned about the safety of Evanger’s canned foods, the agency could have requested a recall, and could have asked Illinois to block sale of the canned food within the state. FDA took no such actions.

In response to my questions regarding the Company’s internal Quality Assurance program, and its commitment to product safety, Sher disclosed the following:

• Evanger’s processes all of its loaf-style pet foods based on the requirements for the toughest product to sterilize – the Vegetarian loaf. This provides an extra safety margin for all of the other products;
• Evanger’s has validated its sterilization equipment under worst-case scenarios, again ensuring a safety margin for normal operations;
• Evanger’s supplier of vitamin and mineral premixes maintains a Certificate of Analysis on file for each premix batch, and those Certificates are available to Evanger’s upon request;
• Evanger’s receives a Certificate of Analysis for each shipment of other specialty ingredients, such as guar gum;
• Evanger’s conducts incubation testing of each batch of canned food it produces; and
• Evanger’s conducts random sampling of its products for microbiological and nutritional profile testing, carried out by a reputable independent laboratory.

No manufacturer is immune from the occasional complaint from a dissatisfied customer. And Evanger’s is no exception. The Company tries to address complaints as they arise, but its efforts are not always successful.

One former customer, unhappy with Evanger’s response to her complaint that the Company’s dry dog food had made her dogs ill, took matters into her own hands. She arranged for a sample of Evanger’s dry food to be tested for copper, aflatoxins and solanine. The testing lab reported negative results for solanine (a natural toxin sometimes found in potato) and aflatoxins (toxins produced by some molds). The lab determined the level of copper to be 12.3mg/Kg (shown on the report as 1.23mg/100g).

The amount of copper found by the testing lab is nearly twice the minimum level (7.3mg/Kg) recommended by FDA for a dry dog food, but well within the maximum recommended level of 250mg/Kg. And despite the customer’s claim that a copper concentration of 12.3mg/Kg is excessive, other high quality dry dog foods routinely contain this much copper. Innova dry dog food, for example, typically contains 14.4mg/Kg.

What Happens Next?
Evanger’s has filed the required additional Process information with FDA, and has requested an informal hearing – set for June 23^rd – to review its status. The Company expects their Permit suspension to be lifted shortly thereafter.

“Meanwhile,” Joel Sher reports, “Evanger’s continues to manufacture its high quality, nutritious, wholesome, innovative and safe products at its plant in Wheeling, Illinois.”

Nestlé Toll House Cookie Dough: Is Cross-Contamination The Answer?

June 20, 2009

With 65 E. coli O157:H7 infections in 29 states appearing to be linked to the consumption of raw Toll House cookie dough, Nestlé's Quality Assurance staff must be scrambling to determine how the pathogen might have sneaked in.

E. coli O157:H7 usually is associated with raw meat, unpasteurized dairy products and raw produce. None of these items can be found on any Toll House cookie dough ingredient list. And none of the cookie dough ingredients ever have been associated until now with E. coli O157:H7 contamination, as far as we can tell.

Unless the pathogen was introduced into Nestlé's production facility by an asymptomatic carrier of the disease – a Typhoid Mary – we would suggest that the most probable source of the contamination is an ingredient.

While we have no inside information on Nestlé's processes or the FDA outbreak investigation, we have figured out one possible scenario. But, first, a little history lesson.

In 1994, nearly 600 people in 41 states suffered from gastroenteritis after consuming Salmonella-contaminated Schwan's ice cream. The contamination was blamed on a "sanitary" bulk tanker truck that had not been properly sanitized after hauling a load of raw liquid egg. The improperly cleaned tanker then was used to transport ice cream mix to Schwan's. The result: Salmonella-contaminated ice cream.

History might be repeating itself in this outbreak. Dairy herds are a major reservoir for E. coli O157:H7, and contamination of raw milk by this pathogen has been documented on several occasions. Bulk tanker trucks haul raw milk from the farm to dairy companies. They also deliver bulk pasteurized egg products to food processors, such as Nestlé.

Perhaps a particular tanker was not sanitized properly between carrying a load of raw milk and a load of bulk pasteurized egg. If so, E. coli O157:H7 may have survived the improper sanitizing treatment, and then contaminated the egg.

This is pure speculation, of course. Nestlé might own a fleet of sanitary tankers that are dedicated to hauling pasteurized egg products. And as of this evening, neither FDA nor Nestlé have reported finding the outbreak strain in any sample of Toll House cookie dough, in the company's production environment, or in any of the ingredients.

But it might have happened that way.

Recall Roundup: June 20, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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

• Allergy Alert: Unilever United States, Inc. recalls imported Knorr® Kosher Soup Mix- Chicken Vegetable Flavor with Pasta due to undeclared egg. The soup mix was was manufactured in Israel by Unilever Bestfoods Israel Ltd. and imported and distributed nationally across the United States.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Knorr® recalls Knorr Kosher Soup Mix – Chicken Vegetable Flavor with Pasta (62g pouch) due to the presence of undeclared eggs. This product was manufactured in Israel by Unilever Bestfoods Israel Ltd., and imported and distributed by a third party. Consumers are asked to discard the product and call 1-877-270-7412 for more information on the recall and to request a refund.
• Food Safety Recall: Restaurant Chez Gautier Inc. recalls certain deli products due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The sliced meats and cucumber salad were sold only in the province of Québec.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the link on our sidebar.