Author: Kit Redwine
AKT Trading Inc, based in Torrance, California, has issued a voluntary recall of 120 packages of Choshiya-brand Menma Ajitsuke Prepared Bamboo Shoots due to potential risk of Clostridium botulinum contamination. Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning that can cause severe or fatal illness. Background The recall was initiated after the product was found at the Tokyo Central store in Costa Mesa, California being sold under non-refrigerated conditions. The impacted product did not have a “Keep Refrigerated” label. The product has since been removed from sale at this store. Distribution The specific recalled packages…
West Java CIANJUR – Nine Dead After Consuming Dangerous Homemade Alcohol Mix A food poisoning incident in Cianjur, West Java has claimed nine lives after a group of villagers consumed a dangerous homemade alcoholic mixture at a local gathering last Thursday. Three additional victims were hospitalized, with one currently still receiving medical treatment and two others having been discharged, according to Channel News Asia. The victims, all residents of Pademangan Village ranging in age from 29 to 55, had reportedly mixed 96 percent ethanol with soda and bottled drinks for consumption at the gathering. The ethanol, which was purchased through…
University Health Services (UHS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison notified approximately 4,000 students and staff on Friday about a potential hepatitis A exposure linked to Rheta’s Market, a campus dining facility, according to dailycardinal.com. The alert was issued after a student employee at Rheta’s Market tested positive for hepatitis A. The student was reportedly infectious while working at the facility, which led the university to contact anyone who may have visited the dining hall during the exposure period. The school’s Environment, Health and Safety team conducted a thorough cleaning of Rheta’s Market, which has since been cleared to reopen and…
Another day, another outbreak aboard a cruise ship. Earlier, Food Poisoning News reported on an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness on Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas that affected over 90 passengers and crew. This time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that it’s a Holland America LIne cruise ship that is dealing with a significant norovirus outbreak that has sickened 119 people during its current Caribbean voyage. According to the CDC, when passengers or crew members experience stomach-related symptoms during a cruise, it’s vital they report them to the ship’s medical center immediately. Quick reporting helps…
McDonald’s Corporation’s fourth-quarter results for 2024 revealed the significant aftermath of an October E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions in Quarter Pounders, resulting in a 1.4% decline in U.S. same-store sales. This performance marked the company’s weakest quarterly showing since the second quarter of 2020, prompting a comprehensive recovery strategy, according to QSR. The outbreak’s impact reached its peak in early November, with the Rocky Mountain region continuing to experience sales declines compared to pre-outbreak figures. However, the company reported improving trends through November and December, ultimately achieving positive guest count growth in the final month of the year.…
Tri-Union Seafoods, based in El Segundo, California, has issued a voluntary recall of select lots of canned tuna products due to potential risk of Clostridium botulinum contamination. Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning that can cause severe or fatal illness. Background The recall was initiated after the company was notified by a supplier that the “pull tab can lid on limited products encountered a manufacturing defect that may compromise the integrity of the product seal (especially over time), causing it to leak, or worse, be contaminated with clostridium botulinum.” Distribution The impacted product…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced last week that a gastrointestinal illness outbreak has struck the Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Radiance of the Seas, affecting 89 passengers and two crew members. The outbreak was identified on February 4, midway through the vessel’s 8-day Caribbean voyage that departed from Tampa, Florida. The ship, carrying 2,164 passengers and 910 crew members, has implemented emergency protocols in response to the outbreak. Royal Caribbean staff have collected stool samples from those affected for laboratory testing to identify the specific cause of the illness. The cruise line has also isolated sick…
Background The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a food safety alert for oysters harvested from Louisiana’s oyster harvest Area 3, following confirmed cases of norovirus contamination. The recall spans oysters harvested between January 10, 2025 and February 4, 2025, Distribution The affected oysters were distributed across multiple states including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas, with possible wider distribution to other regions. Product Details The notice encompasses a broad range of oyster products, including half-shell market oysters, shucked oysters, frozen varieties, breaded oysters, and post-harvest processed products. Consumer and Commercial Action For consumers who…
Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) launched an investigation last Friday into a food poisoning incident involving porcini mushrooms that affected four Hong Kong residents. The victims, two men and two women ranging in age from 30 to 74, experienced symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever approximately two to three hours after consuming the mushrooms at a residential location on January 30. All four sought emergency medical treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and United Christian Hospital, where they were admitted for care. They have since been discharged following treatment. Laboratory analysis of uncooked mushroom samples from the…
A voluntary recall by Jack and the Green Sprouts, based in River Falls, Wisconsin, has been issued for its 5 oz packages of Alfalfa sprouts that expired on January 29, 2025 due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) remains ongoing. Listeria is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in vulnerable populations such as young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems. Background The recall was initiated after routine testing by the state of Minnesota uncovered the potential presence of Listeria in expired 5 oz packages of the recalled product. The…