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Listeria Blog

Surveillance & Analysis on Listeria News & Outbreaks

Perfect Pasta Inc.,Recalls Listeria Tainted Roast Beef

Posted by Bill Marler on February 14, 2013

Perfect Pasta Inc., an Addison, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 315 pounds of ready-to-eat roast beef products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following product is subject to recall:

  • 5-lb. packages of “GINA FULLY COOKED ROAST BEEF WITH SEASONED JUICE” with a lot code number of “040615RB” and a pack date of “02-06-13.”

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 19829” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products were produced on February 6, 2013, and distributed to institutions in Chicago.

The problem was discovered by FSIS through microbiological testing by the Agency. After the company received a positive sample for Listeria monocytogenes, most of its products were held but a portion may have been cross-contaminated as a result of equipment not being cleaned between production shifts and shipped into commerce. FSIS and the company have not received reports of illnesses due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Listeria Cheese Battle: Another Death in Australia, New Rules in U.S. and Canada

Posted by Bill Marler on February 9, 2013

According to Australian health authorities, a 68-year-old New South Wales man died from listeriosis late last month linked to the cheese made from pasteurized milk that has caused the death of two others and a miscarriage.  A further 23 people have also been infected with listeriosis.

Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a draft quantitative assessment of the risk of listeriosis from soft-ripened cheese consumption in the United States and Canada. The risk assessment is a joint effort between FDA and Health Canada. View the Federal Register Notice for the assessment.

The new FDA/Health Canada draft risk assessment found that the risk of listeriosis from soft-ripened cheeses made with raw milk is estimated to be 50 to 160 times higher than that from soft-ripened cheese made with pasteurized milk. This finding is consistent with the fact that consuming raw milk and raw milk products generally poses a higher risk from pathogens than do pasteurized milk and its products.

While raw milk and raw milk products put all consumers at risk, the bacteria they may contain can be especially dangerous to people with weakened immune systems, older adults, pregnant women and children. View guidelines for avoiding illness by choosing milk and milk products carefully.

FDA invites comments that can help FDA and Health Canada improve:

  • the approach used;
  • the assumptions made;
  • the modeling techniques;
  • the data used; and
  • the clarity and transparency of the draft quantitative risk assessment documentation.

To submit comments electronically, go to docket FDA-2012-N-1182 on regulations.gov. The comment period opens February 11, 2013 for 75 days.

Listeria Recall in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Utah

Posted by Bill Marler on January 26, 2013

Whole Foods Market is recalling one lot code of Whole Catch Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon (4 oz), cold smoked and sliced, sold in stores in 12 states, because it may contain Listeria Monocytogenes.

The recalled items were sold in stores in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Utah.

The recalled salmon is sold in black-and-gold, flat, rectangular vacuum-sealed packages; the lot code being recalled is 7425A2298B. The lot code is ink-jet printed on the back of the package, on the upper left side. The UPC code is 0 99482 40880 0. Signage is posted in Whole Foods Market stores to notify customers of this recall. Pictures of the product are enclosed.

Chicken Salad Recalled in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi

Posted by Bill Marler on January 21, 2013

Knott’s Fine Foods, Inc. of Paris, TN, is voluntarily recalling its 3 ounce Chicken Salad Sandwiches with an expiration date of 1/29/13 and earlier because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled Chicken Salad Sandwiches were distributed in West Tennessee, Western Kentucky and North Mississippi in 35 retail stores.

The product comes in a 3 ounce black wedge with clear plastic film closure. UPC code is 0-11984-01132-6. All expiration dates 1/29/13 and earlier are being recalled. The expiration date is located on an orange sticker on the clear film of the package.

More Salmon with Listeria Recalled

Posted by Bill Marler on January 9, 2013

As precautionary measure, Delifish has decided to expand the voluntary recall to include cold smoked products related to Julian dates 235 to 345, the previous voluntary recall included cold smoked products related to Julian dates 249- 291. There have been no new detections on products placed on the market in relation to this expansion.

The expansion means that all cold smoked products that have been produced in the same period as the product type which initially tested positive in the U.S.A. are now voluntarily recalled. The decision is taken in agreement with the FDA and is carried out as a precautionary measure.

There have been no complaints or illnesses reported. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Product was possibly distributed in the CA, NC, VA, OH, MA, IL, FL, GA, TX, DE, NJ, NY, PA, WA and Puerto Rico and reached consumers through retail stores.  The voluntary recall is carried out as a precautionary measure in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is based on Listeria detection in a few of the recalled batches.

Giant Salmon Listeria Recall

Posted by Bill Marler on January 7, 2013

GIANT Food Stores, LLC and MARTIN’S Food Markets, following a recall by Ocean Beauty Seafoods LLC, announced it removed from sale several varieties of smoked salmon due to possible contamination by listeria monocytogenes.

The following products are included in this recall:

* Nathan’s Nova Salmon, 3 o.z., UPC 7303080368, all sell by dates * Nathan’s Nova Salmon, 8 o.z., UPC 7303080369, all sell by dates * Lascco Smoked Salmon, 3 o.z., UPC 7284001703, all sell by dates

Cold Smoked Salmon Recalled Due to Listeria Risk

Posted by Bill Marler on December 31, 2012

Potential Listeria-positive products have been identified and we can confirm that Delifish S.A. has issued a voluntary recall of cold smoked salmon products potentially containing Listeria monocytogenes placed on the market in the USA produced from lots 249 through 291, manufactured between September 5 2012 and October 17, 2012. There have been no complaints or illnesses reported. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Product was possibly distributed in the CA, VA, OH, IL, FL, GA, TX, DE, NJ, NY, PA, and Puerto Rico and reached consumers through retail stores. Under the following brand names Black Bear of the Black Forest Smoked Salmon (1 lb., UPC # 810230000493, Lots = 249 thru 291), Food Service Cold Smoked Salmon Trim 1 lb. Lot #’s = 249 thru 291, Einstein Darn Good 4 oz. Retail package UPC # 099892315200, Lot #’s = 249 thru 291, Food Service Whole Smoked Side 3-5 lb. pack food service Lot# ‘s 249 thru 291, Silver Source Smoked Salmon Foodservice 2-3 lb. smoked fillet Lot# ‘s = 249 thru 291, Royal Fjord Smoked Toppers 6oz, UPC = 810230000561, Lot #’s = 249 thru 291, and Royal Fjord Sliced Smoked Salmon Loin, 12-14 oz. Item # 42925 Lot #’s= 249 thru 291 and HEB 4 oz. smoked salmon Package UPC 041220630417 Lot #’s= 249 thru 291

The voluntary recall is carried out as a precautionary measure in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is based on Listeria detection in a few of the recalled batches. No other products supplied by Delifish or Marine Harvest USA are involved in this case.

Photo: Product Labels

Walmart Recalls Smoked Salmon Due to Listeria Risk

Posted by Bill Marler on December 27, 2012

Multiexport Foods, Inc of Miami, FL is expanding the voluntary recall that it launched Saturday, December 22nd, 2012 of cold smoked salmon, 12 oz Twin Pack and the 1.25 lb Pack under the “Paramount Reserve”, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The recall is being expanded to include additional lot-sublot-batch codes.

The 12 oz Twin pack and 1.25 lb pack were distributed between November 12th to December 21st, 2012; to retail outlets that could be in the following states Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Montana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

The specific lot-sublot-batch codes of the cold smoked 12oz pack size (two 6 oz vacuum packages in a cardboard sleeve) and the 1.25 lb Pack under the brand “Paramount Reserve” potentially could be affected. The UPC code for the twin pack product is 6 88264 86705 0 and UPC code for the 1.25 lb pack is 6 88264 86664 0.

Worst Listeria Outbreak of 2012

Posted by Bill Marler on December 26, 2012

Forever Cheese Ricotta and Listeriosis – 22 Sick, 4 Dead
On September 10, 2012 Forever Cheese, Inc. recalled all Ricotta Salata Frescolina brand, Forever Cheese lot #T9425 and/or production code 441202 due to an outbreak of listeriosis linked to the product. By October 26, 2012 the CDC had identified 22 people sickened with 4 deaths.…Read More »

Listeria:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.   Marler Clark is presently representing 44 victims and their families in the 2011 Jensen Farms Listeria cantaloupe outbreak.

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Australian Camembert and Brie Cheese causes Listeria

Posted by Bill Marler on December 18, 2012

“Symptoms of illness can take up to 70 days to appear.”

Eight cases of listeria infection across Australia have found to be linked and a further three cases are under investigation, Victoria’s Department of Health said.  The state’s chief health officer Rosemary Lester said consumers should discard 1kg brie and camembert cheese branded Jindi, the 1kg Wattle Valley double brie and the 1kg Wattle Valley camembert with a best before date of December 21.

Two Victorians, three NSW residents and one person in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia have been diagnosed with the infection.