Recently, Nestlé USA announced that two samples of its Toll House Cookie Dough produced at its Danville, VA plant tested positive for E. coli. This happened just months after Nestlé had to recall its ready-to-bake Toll House Cookie products after a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses were linked to the victims handling Nestlé’s raw cookie dough. According to Nestlé, none of the product that tested E. coli O157:H7 positive was shipped from the Virginia plant, so Nestlé is not going to issue a recall of its Toll House Cookie Dough.

Nestlé claims that the company now performs pathogen tests on every batch of cookie dough before it leaves its manufacturer. So a company spokesperson assured the public that the product currently on store shelves is safe to consume and unrelated to the E. coli contaminated batch.

Because of this E. coli positive test, Nestlé is going to shut down its Danville, VA facility for two weeks to change its cookie dough recipe and to allow FDA investigators to once again try to determine the source of the E. coli. Similar investigations last year were unable to find the source of the E. coli O157:H7 that had sickened over 70 victims in 30 states last summer.

The E. coli positive batches were manufactured someday between January 3^rd and 9^th but the positive tests were not reported to the FDA until January 11^th. The E. coli positive batches have been destroyed and Nestlé is now going to heat the flour it uses in its dough in order to pasteurize the ingredient from all foodborne pathogens including Salmonella and Listeria.

Nestlé reiterated its warning against eating their cookie dough raw and stated that there might be shortages of Toll House Cookies while the company replenishes its supply.

I am more than a little concerned about this latest news. E. coli is a food contaminate that is found naturally in feces; which means that feces is somehow getting into Nestlé’s cookie dough. It may be the flour and pasteurization will kill the pathogens in the flour, but flour may not be the contamination source. It might be any number of other sources. One of the problems foodborne illness investigators often run into is that testing doesn’t always find the source. Bacteria can be elusive and bacterial contamination may not be present at all times or may not occur throughout an environment.

E. coli O157:H7 and other strains that belong to the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, are of particular concern for consumers. Miniscule amounts of these bacteria (as little as ten) can cause severe foodborne illness and lead to the dangerous foodborne illness complication hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) occurs when the Shiga toxins produced by E. coli cause the blood to improperly clot and subsequently this leads organ failure. It is usually the kidneys that are first affected. Treatment for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can be difficult and it can be very painful; long term damage to the body is not uncommon, even in the least severe cases, and about one in ten victims of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) loses their life battling this vicious disease.

I currently represent people who were poisoned in the first Nestle’s Toll House outbreak and I can assure you that the illnesses caused by E. coli O157:H7 are quite devastating. E. coli O157:H7 isn’t just ordinary ‘food poisoning’ but an illness that can hold life in the balance and hold families hostage as they watch loved ones battle for their life.

Yesterday, the FDA named Michael R. Taylor as the new Deputy Commissioner for Foods. This is a newly created position within the brand new “Office of Foods”.  Mr. Taylor will be responsible for overseeing the FDA’s various food and nutrition programs.

No doubt qualified for this position, Taylor is a nationally recognized food safety expert, author, lawyer and professor who has held various positions within the FDA and the USDA’s FSIS throughout his career.   With his help, the FDA’s Office of Foods was created in August with the hope of centralizing and improving our current food safety system.

Despite hundreds of outbreaks and scores of recalls that each year sickens 70 million Americans, the responsibility of the country’s food safety has been divided amongst 13 underfunded, overworked and sometimes feuding governmental agencies.  Taylor is charged with sorting it all out and better organizing the nation’s food safety system by implementing prevention based strategies for food safety, planning the implementation of new food safety legislation, and ensuring that food labels contain clear and accurate information on nutrition.   Not an easy task.  I hope he’s up to the challenge, as our country desperately needs real, actual and meaningful analysis and improvement on our current food safety system.

It seems now more than ever we are hearing news reports of potentially deadly foodborne pathogens popping up in the food supply, like E. coli in spinach and cookie dough, salmonella in peanut butter, campylobacter in chicken and listeria in everything from deli meats and cheese to ready-to-eat products.  The FDA and other government agencies need to be more proactive in the war on foodborne illness, and it is good to see the FDA has created the Office of Foods and named  Taylor as its new Deputy Commissioner…. hopefully this is a step in the right direction.

The responsibility of food safety needs to be placed squarely on our regulatory agencies and the manufacturers of our food. 

I am eager and hopeful to see our new Deputy Commissioner rise to the task and finally give our nation’s food supply the safety overhaul it so desperately needs.

 Nurture, Inc., is voluntarily recalling selected varieties and date codes of HAPPYTOT Stage 4 and HAPPYBABY Stage 1 and Stage 2 pouch meals with date codes expiring between November 2010 and January 2011. These products are being recalled due to a packaging defect that potentially could cause the pouches to swell or leak. Swollen or leaking pouches could indicate that the products may contain bacteria that could potentially cause foodborne illness.

The products were sold at less than 300 retail locations nationwide.

Potentially affected varieties include:

Green bean, pear & peas, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00127 9;
Sweet potato, carrot, apple & cinnamon, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00128 6;
Spinach, mango & pear, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00129 3;
Butternut squash & apple, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00130 9;
Banana, peach, coconut & prunes, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00131 6;
Banana, peach & mango, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00132 3
Mango, NET WT. 3.5 OZ. (99g), UPC 8 52697 00134 7
Spinach Mango Pear, NET WT. 3.5 OZ. (99g), UPC 8 52697 00139 2
Apricot Sweet Potato, NET WT. 3.5 OZ. (99g), UPC 8 52697 00136 1

The above meals are packaged in plastic pouches with plastic caps.

To determine if a specific product is part of this voluntary recall, consumers should examine product packaging for expiration date codes between November 2010 and January 2011. These dates are printed as the first seven characters of a 15-character string.

Less than half of one percent of the products sold to date is affected by this packaging defect; no other products sold by the company are affected. As standard practice for Nurture, all products sold are sent to a laboratory for food safety testing prior to market release and no harmful bacteria have been detected in damaged packages to date.

One consumer complaint was received regarding swollen and leaking pouches. The company has worked quickly with the manufacturer to identify the cause of the malfunction and the issue has been resolved.

“We are committed to ensuring our organic foods are not only delicious, convenient, and as healthy as possible, but also delivered in the highest quality, dependable package for our youngest consumers,” says Shazi Visram, Nurture, Inc.’s Founder and CEO. “As a mother-to-be expecting my first child to arrive any day now, I know firsthand how critical it is for parents to have complete confidence in the foods they serve their children. We stand behind our mission to provide only the very best, which is why we have taken the measure to voluntarily recall these products.”

Nurture has worked with the contract manufacturer and the US Food and Drug Administration to resolve the matter.

 Parkers Farm, Inc. of Coon Rapids, Minnesota is recalling products because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infection 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.

The recalled products were distributed nationwide in the following retail stores: Hy-Vee, CUB, Rainbow, Byerlys Lunds, Target, Whole Foods, Jewel, Dominicks, Marsh, Price Chopper, Shop rite, Nash Finch, Sam’s Club, Costco, Safeway.

The following recalled products were sold under the Parkers Farm or Parkers label:

~~~16 ounce peanut butter in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are creamy, crunchy, honey creamy and honey crunchy with sell by dates between 11/14/2010 and 12/31/2010**.

~~~34 ounce peanut butter in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are creamy and crunchy with sell by dates between 8/11/2010 and 9/30/2010**.

~~~7 ounce bagel spreads in white plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are garden veggie, wild berry, strawberry, apple cinnamon and honey walnut) with sell by dates between 5/13/2010 and 6/30/2010**.

~~~14 ounce dips & spreads in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are jalapeño nacho, pimento and salsa con queso with sell by dates between 8/11/2010 and 9/30/2010**.

~~~8 ounce, 12 ounce and 16 ounce cold pack cheese in round or square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, bacon, onion, smoked cheddar, swiss almond, horseradish, garlic, port wine, and swiss & cheddar with sell by dates between 11/14/2010 and 12/31/2010**.

~~~16 ounce salsa in square plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are hot, mild, garlic, black bean and fire roasted with sell by dates between 3/14/2010 and 4/30/2010**.

Other labels affected by this recall:

~~~16 ounce Happy Farms Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine and swiss almond with sell by dates between 11/24/2010 and 12/10/2010**.

~~~8 ounce Kroger Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine and swiss almond with sell by dates between 11/18/2010 thru 12/15/2010**

~~~8 ounce Central Markets Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port win and swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates of 12/9/2010**

~~~14 oz. Central Markets Salsa Con Queso in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid) with sell by dates of 8/16/2010**.

~~~16 oz. Central Markets Salsa in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish with sell by dates of 3/17/2010 thru 3/24/2010**.

~~~8 oz. Dutch Farms Cold Pack Cheese in round plastic containers (tub with snap on lid), varieties are sharp cheddar, port wine, swiss almond, horseradish, and swiss & cheddar with sell by dates of 11/16/2010 thru 11/18/2010**.

**NOTE: Sell by dates are clearly printed on container ½ inch from top

Example: Sell By 10/21/10
07:56

The recall was a result of a sampling done by the state of Wisconsin and the state of Minnesota which revealed that some finished products contained the foodborne bacteria. FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

HP Hood is recalling select Heluva Good branded 8 oz. plastic cup containers of Cold Pack Cheese Food because they may contain 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. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness and nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Recalled products include:

8 oz. plastic cup containers of Heluva Good Port Wine Cold Pack Cheese Food
UPC 73570 55503
Sell by date between 11/15/2010 through 12/15/2010

8 oz. plastic cup containers of Heluva Good Sharp Cheddar Cold Pack Cheese Food
UPC 73570 55501
Sell by date between 11/15/2010 through 12/15/2010

The recalled products were distributed in stores in the following states: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island.

The recall is being done as a precaution and is the result of a sampling done by the state of Wisconsin (from the facility that co-packs products under the Heluva Good brand) which revealed that some finished products contained the foodborne bacteria.

Adams Farm Slaughterhouse, LLC., an Athol, Mass., establishment, is recalling approximately 2,574 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

This recall was initiated after the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) confirmed a positive ground beef sample for E. coli O157:H7, which it collected during an epidemiological investigation. Working in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), FSIS determined that there is an association between the ground beef products and an illness in the state of Massachusetts. FSIS is continuing to work with the MDPH on the investigation. Anyone with signs or symptoms of foodborne illness should consult a physician.

The following products are subject to recall:
• 1,025-pounds of “Beef Cuts and Ground” packed for Mazzarese.
• 697-pounds of “Beef Cuts and Ground” packed for Side Hill Farm.
• 852-pounds of “Beef Cuts and Ground” packed for Sweet Water Farm.
Each package bears a label with the establishment number “EST. 5497″ inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as the packaging date of “11/11/2009.” The beef products were distributed to private owners on three separate farms in the state of Massachusetts.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).  The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

The FDA has been pretty busy the past few weeks. The regulatory agency recently filed a lawsuit to prevent, a New Jersey cheese manufacturer from making food ever again. The permanent injunction came in response to continued cleanliness issues and repeated positive tests for Listeria. Shortly after the announcement of the injunction against the cheese maker, a Denver catering company was almost shut down because of vermin, insects and Listeria contamination. Just days ago, the FDA asked U.S. Marshalls to seize over $1 million worth of food from a Tennessee processor and warehouse that had failed an inspection because of  vermin and insect filth.

FDA warnings and injunctions are not particularly rare or unusual, but I did think it was interesting that each of these actions were in response to issues of cleanliness and vermin/insect infestation. These are the type of proactive measures that are necessary to keep foodborne illness out of our kitchens.

Unclean conditions and vermin/insect filth are not just warnings of a lack of sanitation but are also genuine threats for exposing food to dangerous pathogens. Insects could carry bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. Vermin like rats are capable of carrying parasites and can also harbor food poisoning bacteria. Many foodborne diseases can be caused from very minimal exposure to the pathogens that cause severe illness. As little as ten E. coli O157:H7 are needed to cause sickness, a cockroach would be able to carry millions of these microbes on a single appendage and insects have six appendages.

Listeria in airline food was the culprit responsible for an outbreak caused by chicken wraps served on an Australian airplane. The potentially lethal bacteria forced two women to go into labor early. Fortunately, there were no deaths from the listeriosis outbreak which is not always the case in this foodborne illness. Though listeriosis is fairly rare as food poisonings go, about 20% of the people who develop listeriosis die from the infection. Pregnant women and infants are at especially high risk of developing listeriosis.

It is not always the case that these unsanitary facilities get closed down before problems with consumers arise. Regulatory agencies have been in mostly a reactive state of mind for the past few decades. Moneys have dwindled, inspections have fallen, resources have been spread thin and the result is that agencies like the FDA have often enacted against companies after the list of outbreak victims grows large enough to tie together the facility responsible for introducing a foodborne illness to the public.

Not this time. These facilities could have hurt dozens possibly hundreds of people but the actions of the FDA may very well have prevented people from becoming victims of food poisoning. I hope that this momentum keeps these agencies moving forward and the proactive approach of preventing foodborne illness becomes the status quo for the FDA.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium found in soil and water. On occasion, vegetables become contaminated from infested soil or from manure used as plant fertilizer. Many animals can carry the bacterium without appearing ill. During processing, these infected animals can contaminate meats and dairy products.

Listeria has been found in a variety of raw foods, as well as in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft cheeses and cold cuts at the deli counter. Raw milk or foods made from unpasteurized have been linked to Listeria.

Listeria is killed by pasteurization and cooking; however, in certain ready-to-eat foods such as hot dogs and deli meats, contamination may occur after cooking but before packaging.

A team of microbiologists from Hollins University were curious to analyze how clean the average fountain soda was. What they discovered was not very encouraging. Almost half of the 90 soda samples collected from 30 fountains tested positive for some type of coliform bacteria. Coliform is a nice biological name for a rather unsettling bacteria; it is the name for bacteria that are commonly found in intestines and feces of various animals.

Also unsettling was the fact that most of the bacteria showed some type of resistance to one or more of eleven antibiotics the microbiologists tested. The team published their findings in the January Edition of the International Journal of Food Microbiology.

Among the coliform bacteria found were Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, in 11% of the beverages. E. coli comes in various strains, some harmless and others can be deadly. E. coli O157:H7, a strain of E. coli that produces a dangerous toxin, can cause the potentially fatal complication hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Another bacteria discovered in 17% of the sodas tested was Chryseobacterium meningosepticum, a pathogen with a record of resistance to antibiotics and an ability to cause illnesses like meningitis and sepsis. With such a strong antibiotic resistance, both bacterial meningitis and sepsis are complications that become very difficult to treat without drugs.

Among the other microbes the scientists found were Klebsiella (which has been linked to pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis), Staphylococcus (which has been linked to various illnesses and is the genus which MRSA belongs to) and many other bacteria, molds and microorganisms.

Fountain soda-borne illness outbreaks are not very common. But because fountain soda isn’t being indicated in outbreak situations doesn’t mean that the common beverage isn’t causing any number of illnesses. Only a very small portion of foodborne illnesses ever get attributed to a contamination source. Many individuals never report their illness unless it is severe enough to require medical testing. But it has been my experience as an advocate for foodborne and waterborne illness victims, that the only way to assure that people don’t get contaminated with dangerous pathogens is to never expose people to these microbes in the first place.

These findings may not be indicative of a national trend, since these samples were not taken from around the country and only a small number of samples were tested, but this study is an important opportunity to open up discussions and reevaluations of the way we distribute this popular beverage product.

Shigella is a genus of bacteria that causes diarrheal illness in humans. Shigella microbes are known to pass person to person and food can sometimes serve as a contamination source. Shigella were discovered over 100 years ago by a Japanese scientist named Shiga, for whom they are named.

There are several species of Shigella bacteria: Shigella sonnei, also known as “Group D” Shigella, accounts for over two-thirds of cases of shigellosis, a Shigella infection, in the U.S. Shigella flexneri, or “group B” Shigella, accounts for most of the other cases. Other types of Shigella are rare in U.S., though they continue to be important causes of disease in the developing world. Shigella dysenteriae which is fond in the developing world, can cause dysentery and has been responsible for numerous deadly epidemics.

Once someone has had shigellosis, they are not likely to get infected with that specific type again for at least several years. However, they can still get infected with other types of Shigella.