Author: Kit Redwine

A voluntary recall first initiated on November 20, 2024 by Joseph Epstein Food Enterprises, Inc, based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and doing business as Mama Mancini’s, for its Mama Mancini’s Stuffed Shells with Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese and Hungryroot Ricotta Stuffed Shells 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 No press release was issued for this recall. The company has not said how the potential…

Palermo Villa, Inc., based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has issued a voluntary recall of 1,728 units of Connie’s Thin Crust Cheese Frozen Pizza due to possible contamination with plastic. Food contaminated with foreign objects has the potential to cause severe harm, including choking, injury, illness, damage to teeth, or even death. Background The recall notice did not state how the potential presence of plastic contamination in the recalled product was discovered. Distribution The affected product was distributed to retail grocery stores in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Product Details The company said that any products outside the above lot number are safe…

New Age International Inc, based in Brooklyn, NY has issued a voluntary recall of its Daily Veggies Enoki Mushroom due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria). 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 potential for contamination was detected when samples taken from a store in Baltimore, Maryland, were analyzed by the Maryland Department of Health Laboratories Administration. Testing confirmed the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes in certain 200g packages of Daily Veggies Enoki Mushrooms imported…

Japan NAGANO – Scombroid Poisoning Outbreak Affects Japanese Students Health officials in Nagano Prefecture have reported a large outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning at three schools in the village of Hakuga. At least 46 children and staff members on December 9 were sickened. The Nagano Prefecture education and health authorities confirmed that the incident occurred during school lunch service, with swordfish identified as the potential source of contamination. In response to the outbreak, local officials have enacted preventive measures, including a temporary suspension of operations at the school lunch center. Scombroid fish poisoning is a food-borne illness caused by consuming…

Four members of a family in the Rajouri district died earlier this week from suspected food poisoning. The father, 40, died during medical treatment, while three of his children, aged between 4 and 15 years also succumbed at a local hospital. The mother, 38, and another daughter, aged 12, remain under medical care.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced a recall of Sareks brand bitter apricot kernels due to the potential for cyanide poisoning. The recalled product contains excessive amounts of amygdalin, a naturally occurring chemical compound, and may result in acute cyanide poisoning. Background The recall was initiated after testing revealed the potential presence of Salmonella contamination. This is classified as a Class I recall, which means the affected products pose a high risk of serious health problems or death if the product is used or consumed. The CFIA is currently conducting a food safety investigation. Additional products may be…

The two operators of Marmaris Kebab House in Wales have been ordered to pay more than £10,000 (USD 12,700) in fines and costs after a food poisoning incident that hospitalized 11 people and affected over 50 customers, according to the BBC. Sami Abdullah, 46, and Hassan Saritag, 38, admitted to food hygiene offences related to the February 2023 outbreak. The case was heard at Newport Magistrates’ Court, where investigators revealed the outbreak was linked to shigella bacteria, likely caused by improper separation of washed and unwashed vegetables during coleslaw preparation. The court heard detailed accounts of the outbreak’s significant impact…

Riverside Natural Foods Inc., based in Chicago, Illinois, has issued a voluntary recall of its MadeGood granola bars due to potential contamination with pieces of metal. Food contaminated with foreign objects has the potential to cause severe harm, including choking, injury, illness, damage to teeth, or even death. Background The recall notice did not clarify how the potential presence of metal pieces in the recalled products was discovered. The company did say it has thoroughly examined the manufacturing site where the recalled products were produced and has identified the cause of the problem. Riverside said that the issue has been…

Last week, Food Poisoning News reported on a large-scale incident of foodborne illness related to consumption of traditional vietnames banh mi sandwiches from a local bakery on November 26, 2024. The owner of the bakery in Vũng Tàu City, has now been hit with significant penalties following the serious food poisoning outbreak that affected over 340 people and resulted in one fatality. Local authorities from Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province have fined the owner of Cô Ba, a bánh mì shop, 125 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $4,900). The business will also be required to suspend operations for five months. The incident…

Outbreak Update as of December 5, 2024 update The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections associated with cucumbers from grower Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico. As of December 5, 2024, 68 people across 19 states have been infected with the outbreak strain. NOTE: According to the nation’s leading salmonella lawyer, who filed the first cucumber lawsuits, “there are still so many victims out there, and I would just impress upon them to bring their Salmonella Lawsuits quickly to avoid problems…