tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control has issued a warning about a salmonella outbreak involving the Freybe brand of headcheese.
The centre said Wednesday that in the past two weeks, 10 cases of a rare strain of salmonella have been identified among B.C. residents who apparently ate the cheese.
Anyone who may have bought the cheese is being urged to throw it out or return it to the store where it was bought.
Epidemiologist Dr. Elini Galanis said most of the infected people were elderly and about half of them needed to be hospitalized.
?There may be other people who also experienced symptoms, but did not see their doctors, leaving potentially more unreported cases,? she said.
?If you purchased headcheese from mid-June to July 13 and are uncertain if it is associated with this recall, please call the store where it was purchased to identify the brand.?
Symptoms associated with salmonella infection include stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, fever and headache.
They occur six to 72 hours after someone has eaten contaminated food and can last a few days to a week.
Headcheese is made from meat from the head of a pig and is combined with gelatin and spices.
Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd. is voluntarily recalling the cheese, which is produced by a third-party manufacturer.
However, the headcheese is sliced and packaged at deli counters in various stores so consumers may not be aware of the brand they bought.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control is working with health authorities around the province and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to investigate other possible cases and the cause of the contamination.
Salmonella are naturally occurring bacteria found in the intestines of animals, especially poultry, cattle and swine, although meat, eggs, dairy and raw fruits and vegetables can also be contaminated.
While most people recover without treatment others may become so ill that they end up with bloodstream infection and severe dehydration.
Young children, the elderly and people with week immune systems are at highest risk of severe infection.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...lla-outbreak-in-bc/article1639999/?cmpid=rss1
The centre said Wednesday that in the past two weeks, 10 cases of a rare strain of salmonella have been identified among B.C. residents who apparently ate the cheese.
Anyone who may have bought the cheese is being urged to throw it out or return it to the store where it was bought.
Epidemiologist Dr. Elini Galanis said most of the infected people were elderly and about half of them needed to be hospitalized.
?There may be other people who also experienced symptoms, but did not see their doctors, leaving potentially more unreported cases,? she said.
?If you purchased headcheese from mid-June to July 13 and are uncertain if it is associated with this recall, please call the store where it was purchased to identify the brand.?
Symptoms associated with salmonella infection include stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, fever and headache.
They occur six to 72 hours after someone has eaten contaminated food and can last a few days to a week.
Headcheese is made from meat from the head of a pig and is combined with gelatin and spices.
Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd. is voluntarily recalling the cheese, which is produced by a third-party manufacturer.
However, the headcheese is sliced and packaged at deli counters in various stores so consumers may not be aware of the brand they bought.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control is working with health authorities around the province and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to investigate other possible cases and the cause of the contamination.
Salmonella are naturally occurring bacteria found in the intestines of animals, especially poultry, cattle and swine, although meat, eggs, dairy and raw fruits and vegetables can also be contaminated.
While most people recover without treatment others may become so ill that they end up with bloodstream infection and severe dehydration.
Young children, the elderly and people with week immune systems are at highest risk of severe infection.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...lla-outbreak-in-bc/article1639999/?cmpid=rss1