By JOHN SHULTZ
The Kansas City Star
About 3,200 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products have been recalled because of concerns about Listeria contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced.
The food, made by Ilyssa Manufacturing Corp., was distributed to retail in 15 states, including Missouri.
Affected by the voluntary recall:
■ 16-oz. packages of Chef…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELESE
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Contact: Jim Klapthor, Media Relations Manager
Phone: 312-782-8424 x231
E-mail: jnklapthor@ift.org
FINDING FOODBORNE ILLNESS OUTBREAKS SOONER, FASTER
CHICAGO–If 25 people eating at a single banquet hall became sick and needed hospitalization, determining the cause could be as easy as checking the dinner menu. But if those same people were scattered across 20 states and became ill after eating food processed at a single site, identifying the link could sometimes be impossible.
Hence the development of FoodNet, a program implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect and analyze cases of foodborne illness, such as salmonella and E. coli outbreaks.
Since 1996, FoodNet has led to a 42 percent decrease in salmonella infections and 40 percent reduction in Listeria infections reported Robert Tauxe, a foodborne disease expert with the CDC, speaking last week at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting in New Orleans.Continue Reading Finding Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Sooner, Faster

07/26/2005
By Lindsey Carroll
Morris News Service
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Feta, brie and Camembert. Which one of these cheeses could damage a pregnant woman and her baby?
All three soft cheeses, as it turns out.
ìAnything that isn–t made with pasteurized milk, make sure to read the labels,– said Lana McCoy, a registered nurse at a local hospital.
McCoy said not only pregnant women but also elderly people, especially people with weakened immune systems, could be at risk for Listeria monocytogens.
Listeria is a type of bacteria that can be found everywhere — in soil, groundwater and also on plants. Animals and people can carry Listeria in their bodies, even without actually being sick. Most of the infections in humans are caused by eating contaminated food.Continue Reading Some soft cheeses pose Listeria risk

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-030-2005 HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Amanda Eamich
WASHINGTON, July 21, 2005 – Tip Top Poultry, Inc., a Rockmart, Ga., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 170 pounds of cooked chicken products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The products subject to recall are:
10 lb. cases of “DICED ? IN., COOKED CHICKEN MEAT, CARNE DE POLLO COCINADA, NATURAL PROPORTION.” The cases carry a code of “15310” and labels bear the establishment number “P-17453” inside the USDA seal of inspection.Continue Reading Georgia Firm Recalls Chicken Products for Possible Listeria Cross Contamination

July 20, 2005
A ProMED-mail post

Home – ProMED

Date: Wed 20 Jul 2005
From: ProMED-mail promed@promedmail.org
Source: NewsWatch 50 Syracuse, NY [edited]
http: //www.newswatch50.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=76FD5237-6844-4823-8E50-98A6DFF0BBBD
Health officials in the Syracuse area say one of 4 people infected in an outbreak of listeriosis has died. The Onondaga County Health Department says the adult patient died yesterday [19 Jul…

July 21, 2005
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recalled smoked salmon that was sold under the brand names Imperial Salmon House, Superior Brand Norwegian Cure and Golden Eagle Smoked Salmon because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The packages were produced on June 13, and have a shelf life of three to four months if maintained in an unopened frozen state, and four days if refrigerated. The salmon was sold in individual 2 to 4 lb. packages labeled: “Processed by Hickory House, Hialeah, FL 33016”, “21555, Product of the USA”, “keep frozen until ready to use.”Continue Reading Smoked Salmon Recalled

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
P05-44
July 20, 2005
Media Inquiries:
Cathy McDermott, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a Safety Alert to consumers about the recall of SMOKED SALMON SKINLESS SLICED SIDES packaged in various 2 to 4 lb. weight packages because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The products are sold under the brand names: Imperial Salmon House, Superior brand Norwegian Cure and Golden Eagle Smoked Salmon.
Today’s alert extends to packages produced on June 13th, 2005 and have a shelf life of 3-4 months if maintained in an un-opened frozen state, four days if kept refrigerated. They are sold in individual 2 to 4 lb. packages labeled as: “Processed by Hickory House, Hialeah, FL 33016”, “21555, Product of the USA”, “keep frozen until ready to use.” The product was sold in Florida, Georgia, New York and Virginia.Continue Reading FDA Issues Safety Alert on SMOKED SALMON, SKINLESS SLICED SIDES Due to Possible Health Risk

When diners become ill and blame something they ate, state experts start sleuthing. They interview the victims, conduct food lineups and try to narrow down the suspects.
By Scott Joseph
Sentinel Restaurant Critic
July 20, 2005
Sometimes people think it’s just a touch of the flu, a 24-hour bug. Upset stomach, cramps and diarrhea might be some of the discomforts they experience. But on occasion, these are actually indicators of a food-borne illness, and, for epidemiologists such as Dean Bodager, they aren’t symptoms, they’re clues.
Whenever there is an outbreak of food-borne illnesses, it falls to Bodager and other members of the Florida Department of Health to track down the source. Sometimes it’s simple. Most outbreaks occur at the point of preparation — a restaurant employee who didn’t wash his or her hands properly, food that wasn’t kept at the correct temperature to prevent bacteria growth, or some sort of cross-contamination.Continue Reading Food detectives