Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/07/news-scan-jul-22-2014
News Scan for Jul 22, 2014
Trader Joe's E coli outbreak recap; Polio cases in Somalia
Filed Under:
E coli; Foodborne Disease; Polio
Final report on E coli lettuce outbreak notes two additional products
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) yesterday released a final report on a 2013 Escherichia coli outbreak traced to pre-packaged salads sold at Trader Joe's stores that sickened 33 people in four states, Food Safety News (FSN) reported today.
The report contains new information, including two previously unreported salad products linked to the outbreak: one produced by Glass Onion for Walgreens, and one made by an unnamed Oakland, Calif., company.
Two Glass Onion salad products had already been identified early in the outbreak: Trader Jose's Mexicali Salad with Chili Lime Chicken and Trader Joe's Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken. Both were produced by Atherstone Foods Inc., of Richmond, Calif.
All four salads contained romaine lettuce harvested and shipped by Ratto Bros. of Modesto, Calif., and grown by Lake Bottom Farms LLC.
After finding no positive samples at Glass Onion catering, investigators obtained samples from Ratto Bros. farms and found E coli in 5 of 44 environmental samples. But the E coli O157:H7 samples were not from the premises, only nearby, and they did not match the O157:H7 outbreak strain.
The investigators could not pinpoint how the salads became contaminated, FSN reported. Since the inspection, according to the report, Ratto Bros. has implemented new and improved procedures to lower the risk of future contamination.
Jul 21 CDPH report (8.5 MB)
Jul 22 FSN story
Somalia confirms 4 new polio cases
Somalia has confirmed 4 new polio cases so far this year, in its remote Jariban district in Mudug region in the country's northeast, the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) said today.
The 2014 infections bring the total number of cases to 198 since an outbreak was confirmed in the country in May 2013. Somalia's health ministry, with WHO support, carried out case investigations and outbreak response in the affected region.
"Responding to the polio outbreak is one of the top priorities of the UN and the humanitarian community at large," said the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Philippe Lazzarini, in a WHO/EMRO press release.
Since January, health officials have conducted nine rounds of vaccinations, and they will continue immunization efforts throughout the year. The campaigns have targeted more than 1.5 million children younger than 5 years and close to 5.5 million older children. The current round of vaccinations will run until Jul 25 and target close to 500,000 kids under 10 years old, WHO/EMRO said.
Jul 22 WHO/EMRO press release
News Scan for Jul 22, 2014
Trader Joe's E coli outbreak recap; Polio cases in Somalia
Filed Under:
E coli; Foodborne Disease; Polio
Final report on E coli lettuce outbreak notes two additional products
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) yesterday released a final report on a 2013 Escherichia coli outbreak traced to pre-packaged salads sold at Trader Joe's stores that sickened 33 people in four states, Food Safety News (FSN) reported today.
The report contains new information, including two previously unreported salad products linked to the outbreak: one produced by Glass Onion for Walgreens, and one made by an unnamed Oakland, Calif., company.
Two Glass Onion salad products had already been identified early in the outbreak: Trader Jose's Mexicali Salad with Chili Lime Chicken and Trader Joe's Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken. Both were produced by Atherstone Foods Inc., of Richmond, Calif.
All four salads contained romaine lettuce harvested and shipped by Ratto Bros. of Modesto, Calif., and grown by Lake Bottom Farms LLC.
After finding no positive samples at Glass Onion catering, investigators obtained samples from Ratto Bros. farms and found E coli in 5 of 44 environmental samples. But the E coli O157:H7 samples were not from the premises, only nearby, and they did not match the O157:H7 outbreak strain.
The investigators could not pinpoint how the salads became contaminated, FSN reported. Since the inspection, according to the report, Ratto Bros. has implemented new and improved procedures to lower the risk of future contamination.
Jul 21 CDPH report (8.5 MB)
Jul 22 FSN story
Somalia confirms 4 new polio cases
Somalia has confirmed 4 new polio cases so far this year, in its remote Jariban district in Mudug region in the country's northeast, the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) said today.
The 2014 infections bring the total number of cases to 198 since an outbreak was confirmed in the country in May 2013. Somalia's health ministry, with WHO support, carried out case investigations and outbreak response in the affected region.
"Responding to the polio outbreak is one of the top priorities of the UN and the humanitarian community at large," said the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Philippe Lazzarini, in a WHO/EMRO press release.
Since January, health officials have conducted nine rounds of vaccinations, and they will continue immunization efforts throughout the year. The campaigns have targeted more than 1.5 million children younger than 5 years and close to 5.5 million older children. The current round of vaccinations will run until Jul 25 and target close to 500,000 kids under 10 years old, WHO/EMRO said.
Jul 22 WHO/EMRO press release