FSnet July 13/07

126 people ill after Chicago Food Fest

City Health Dept. investigation of food borne illness continues; public outreach leads to dozens of calls

Two more E. coli cases linked to lettuce

Father talks about daughter's battle with E. coli

Cloggers dance to help sick 3-year-old

Importer of salmonella-tainted spices for snack foods identified

Cadbury faces delay over salmonella ruling

Consumer advisory – Suspected tampering in Stella Artois Beer

Expanded – Health hazard alert – Certain sesame seeds sold at spcific retail outlets may contain salmonella bacteria

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126 people ill after Chicago Food Fest
13.jul.07
Associated Press
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2007/07/13/ap/health/d8qbhupg1.txt
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Department of Health was cited as saying Thursday that more than 120 people who ate from the same booth at the Taste of Chicago food festival last week became ill, at least nine of them with salmonella poisoning and 10 who were hospitalized.
The 126 people all ate at the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth, which served cucumber salad over hummus, grilled lamb and beef, pomegranate barbecued chicken and baklava.
It was the first confirmed outbreak of a food-borne illness associated with the Taste of Chicago in at least 20 years, the health department said in a release. The 10-day outdoor festival, which ended Sunday, brings out food from more than 70 restaurants and concerts.
Mike Bambouyani, manager of Pars Cove, was cited as saying the restaurant is cooperating with health officials to determine the cause of the outbreak.



 
City Health Dept. investigation of food borne illness continues; public outreach leads to dozens of calls
12.july.07
Chicago Department of Public Health
http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/jsp/content/showDynamicContentItem.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1785245072.1184339009@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceaddlghdjfehcefecelldffhdfhg.0&print=true&topChannelName=Dept&contentOID=536957128&contenTypeName=1006
As anticipated by Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) officials on Wednesday, public outreach related to a food borne illness outbreak has increased the number of reported cases.
As of noon today, 126 people have reported that they became ill after they ate food purchased from the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth at Taste of Chicago—up from the 17 reported yesterday.
Nine of the 126 are laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonellosis, with more results pending—up from the five reported yesterday. Ten people are known to have been hospitalized—up from the three reported yesterday.
Most of the individuals live in the Chicago area; a few are from downstate and a few others are from other states.
“In public health, better surveillance always leads to better case finding, and we are grateful to all those who have helped us reach out to the public about this situation in a clear, factual way,” stated CDPH Commissioner Terry Mason, M.D. “Our challenge now is to analyze these new reports and gain a greater understanding of the outbreak and therefore strengthen our ability to prevent outbreaks in the future.”
People who ate at the Pars Cove booth and who feel ill are advised to consult with their doctor and to call the City of Chicago at 311. Those calling from outside the city should phone (312) 744-5000.
The Pars Cove situation represents the first confirmed outbreak of illness associated with the event in at least 20 years. In the larger context of having safely served tens of millions of people in recent years, the Taste remains quite possibly the safest food service operation in the city. [About Food Safety at Taste of Chicago]
Nationally, there are about 40,000 cases of salmonellosis reported every year, although federal health officials say that the actual number of cases may be as much as 30 times higher—since most cases are mild and go unreported. In Chicago, there are about 300 reported cases each year. [Facts About Salmonellosis]
To alert the medical community to be on the lookout for cases of illness that may relate to the Pars Cove booth, CDPH earlier this week notified all hospitals in the city, as well as other public health departments, including the Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—who, respectively, have notified health departments statewide and nationwide.
CDPH sanitarians have visited the Pars Cove restaurant, 435 W. Diversey, to thoroughly inspect the premises. Additionally, CDPH is interviewing Pars Cove food handlers and administering stool tests for presence of the Salmonella bacterium. Pars Cove management is cooperating fully in the investigation.
Health officials say it is still too early to speculate on whether the bacteria were transmitted by food handlers or came from the food or a food ingredient.
About Food Safety at Taste of Chicago
Taste of Chicago is by far the most intensively regulated food service operation in the city. The event features a 24-hour-a-day food safety presence – teams of CDPH sanitarians inspect and re-inspect the 70-plus food booths from 8:30 a.m. to midnight each day, and staff hired by the Illinois Restaurant Association monitors and logs the temperatures in the refrigerated storage trucks overnight.
All vendors are required to undergo training to prepare, serve and store food safely under outdoor conditions.
Scrutiny is intense. A food booth is typically inspected at least four times each day, while a typical city restaurant is inspected twice a year.
While most vendors do an exceptionally good job of ensuring food safety, the intense scrutiny typically results in CDPH ordering the disposal of food that does not meet its exacting standards. Each year, about 2,000 pounds of food (an average of 200 pounds a day) at the event are disposed of by order of CDPH inspectors.



 
Two more E. coli cases linked to lettuce
13.jul.07
The Huntsville Times (AL)
Steve Doyle
http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1184318358284480.xml&coll=1
Two more people who may have eaten contaminated lettuce at a popular Huntsville restaurant have tested positive for E. coli exposure.
That brings to 18 the number of confirmed E. coli cases that public health officials have linked to shredded lettuce served at Little Rosie's Taqueria between June 27 and June 30. At least two restaurant customers are hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication of E. coli poisoning that can cause kidney failure.
Five-year-old Samuel Coggin of Meridianville is undergoing dialysis at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville and is expected to make a full recovery, relatives say. A 48-year-old woman whose name has not been released was in critical condition Thursday in Huntsville Hospital's medical intensive care unit.
Dr. Debra Williams, the Huntsville-Madison County Health Department's assistant director, was cited as saying she did not know the status of a 70-year-old female E. coli victim who became ill in Asheville, N.C., and had been undergoing dialysis there.
A 19th local resident who tested positive for E. coli O157:H7 did not eat at Little Rosie's; officials aren't sure how that person was infected, Williams said.
Public health officials say that it is safe to eat at Little Rosie's and that the contamination was limited to late June. The Whitesburg Drive restaurant scored 94 out of 100 on its most recent food-safety inspection.
Although state and county health officials point to shredded lettuce as the most likely culprit, Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who specializes in foodborne illness cases, was cited as saying he suspects that the outbreak ultimately will be tied to ground beef.
Marler was cited as saying there has been a flurry of about 50 E. coli cases nationally since early June, when California-based United Food Group recalled 5.7 million pounds of ground beef because of possible E. coli O157 contamination, adding, "I'm willing to bet this outbreak you're dealing with is a hamburger-related outbreak."
Tod Craig, a Little Rosie's co-owner, was cited as saying he does not want to speculate on the source of the outbreak until the state Health Department finishes its investigation. Scientists in Montgomery are running DNA tests on the 19 E. coli cultures to create a sort of genetic fingerprint for the Huntsville outbreak, which could allow them to trace the contamination to a specific farm or food distributor.



 
Father talks about daughter's battle with E. coli
13.jul.07
WHNT Channel 19 (AL)
Ellis Eskew
http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.asp?S=6783794
Lindsey Bailey is 5 years old, and will, according to this story, start kindergarten next month.
Her father, Dave Bailey, was quoted as saying, "She enjoys riding her bicycle, playing outside with their dog. … It was frustrating. A feeling of powerlessness knowing that you could influence very little with your child's health and well-being, which I view as my sole purpose in her life that she has everything she needs."
Lindsey ate at Little Rosie's June 28th with her 10-year-old brother, Michael. He, too, has developed the E. coli symptoms and is awaiting test results.
Bailey was further cited as saying that going out to eat is not what it should be, adding, "Kind of lost faith in the whole dining out experience. I wasn't at the restaurant that night, but seeing the results of both my children with symptoms they've had -- especially her with extreme screaming as loud as she can with pain."



 
Cloggers dance to help sick 3-year-old
13.jul.07
Times Argus (VT)
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/NEWS02/707130324/1003/NEWS02
The 3-year-old Randolph girl severely infected with E. coli in mid-June is continuing to fight for her life at a Boston hospital. Now, some Randolph performers are going to bat to help her and her parents in the difficult ordeal.
A benefit performance by the Randolph-based Green Mountain Cloggers is set for Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at the Washington County Field Days, said Hillary Barcomb, choreographer for the Cloggers exhibition dance team.
The 3-year-old was infected the same time as a 5-year-old from Barre Town in what were apparently unrelated incidents, according to the Vermont Health Department. Both were in critical condition in Boston, but the Barre Town girl has since improved.
For more information, log on to www.freewebs.com/greenmountaincloggersexhibitiondanceteam



 
Importer of salmonella-tainted spices for snack foods identified
13.jul.07
The Daily Record (NJ)
Associated Press
http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/NEWS02/707130342/1123
WASHINGTON -- Robert's American Gourmet Inc. was cited as saying Thursday that New Jersey spice importer Atlantic Quality Spice & Seasonings supplied the salmonella-contaminated seasoning used on snack food that has sickened 60 people, most of them infants and toddlers.
Ehrlich said previously the seasoning, believed made with Chinese ingredients, tested positive for a rare strain of salmonella. Atlantic Quality Spice & Seasonings of Edison, N.J., said it had received assurance from its suppliers that all its ingredients were salmonella free.



 
Cadbury faces delay over salmonella ruling
13.jul.07
Yahoo News (UK)
http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/13072007/140/cadbury-faces-delay-salmonella-ruling.html
Cadbury will, according to this story, have to wait until Monday to hear what penalty it faces over a Salmonella scare which led to the recall of more than a million chocolate bars. The decision had originally been expected to be delivered by a judge at Birmingham Crown Court following a prosecution brought by Birmingham City Council.
The confectionery giant pleaded guilty earlier this year to breaching food and hygiene regulations in connection with the outbreak in the summer of 2006.
The facts of the case have yet to be opened in court, but Cadbury has apologised for failing to realise a leaking pipe at its factory in Marlbrook, Herefordshire, posed a risk to health.



 
Consumer advisory – Suspected tampering in Stella Artois Beer
12.jul.07
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
OTTAWA -- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Labatt Breweries of Canada are advising the public that some Stella Artois beer bottles may have been tampered with.
The CFIA was advised of six bottles suspected of being tampered with in which concentrated alcohol was introduced into 330 ml Stella Artois beer bottles bearing the best before end of 11.2005 or 12.2005 and production codes of L32343T and L35243G. These codes have expired and should no longer be in the marketplace. These suspected tampering incidents occurred with beer sold at restaurants and bars in Toronto, Ontario and Kamloops, British Columbia. There are no reported incidents involving products purchased at beer or liquor stores. Stella Artois cans and draft beer are not affected.
There have been some reported reactions of vomiting associated with the consumption of this product.
Consumers are advised to check Stella Artois beer bottles for these best before end and production codes. Bottled beer from these codes, or bottles showing two neck labels glued on top of another, should not be consumed. Restaurants and bars are advised to check Stella Artois beer bottles for the affected best before end and production codes before serving.
The CFIA and Labatt Breweries of Canada are collaborating with the police authorities in their investigation.
Consumers with information regarding this suspected tampering should contact their local police department.
For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:
Labatt Breweries of Canada Consumer Hotline at 1-800-268-BEER (2337);
CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.



 
Expanded – Health hazard alert – Certain sesame seeds sold at spcific retail outlets may contain salmonella bacteria
12.jul.07
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
OTTAWA -- The public warning issued on June 28, 2007 has been expanded to include additional products and distribution information.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume certain pre-packaged sesame seeds described below because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The affected sesame seeds described in the table below were sold from the following stores in Ontario and Quebec.
Store
Product and label description
Sold from
Distributed in various retail stores in Quebec
Amira brand, White sesame seeds,
2.5 kg, UPC 0 69467 00452 5
January 31, 2007 to June 29, 2007
Distributed in various retail stores in Quebec
Amira brand, White sesame seeds,
150 g, UPC 0 69467 80051 6
January 17, 2007 to June 29, 2007
Distributed in various retail stores in Quebec
Amira brand, White sesame seeds,
454 g /1 lb, UPC 0 69467 90803 8
February 5, 2007 to June 29, 2007
Arya Food Market, 508 Gladstone Avenue, Ottawa
Arya Sesame seeds, 100 GR. Arya Market Services Inc., 477 Bank St., Ottawa, ON, February
February 27, 2007 to June 28, 2007
Mid-East Foods, 1010 Belfast Rd, Ottawa
Sesame Seeds Hulled, 0.454 kg, UPC 200809 102268
February 13 to June 28, 2007
Desi Price Club, 1950 Merivale Road, Ottawa
Desi Price Club, Sesame Seeds White
200 g, UPC 123456789362
0.5 lb, UPC 123456789740
1.0 lb, UPC 123456789361
2.0 lb, UPC 123456789461
April 1 to June 20, 2007
Cash & Carry Central, 1445 Mazurette, Montréal Amira brand, White Sesame Seeds,
907 g/ 2 lbs, UPC 0 69467 9January
January 17 to June 28, 2007
Tootsi Impex Marché Central, 673 du Marché-Central, Montréal
« Graines de sésame blanchies » sold in clear plastic bag in various package sizes
April 2 to June 25, 2007
Consumers who have purchased the sesame seeds described above during the time periods, and are unsure that it is affected product, should contact the retail store to determine if the product purchased is affected.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with this bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. In young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis may cause serious and sometimes deadly infections. In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.
The CFIA is working with importers, distributors and retail stores to have the affected products removed from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on Salmonella, visit the Food Facts web page at
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/causee.shtml.
For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.


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