XPost: alt.food.safety, alt.business.marketeplace

May 4, 2016
On this page:

What is the Problem and What is being Done About It?
What are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?
Who is at Risk?
What Specific Products were Recalled?
What Do Restaurants and Retailers Need To Do?
What Do Consumers Need To Do?
Who Should be Contacted?
Additional Information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration along with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local
officials are investigating listeriosis linked to frozen
vegetables.

What is the Problem and What is Being Done About It?

The FDA, CDC and state and local officials are investigating a
multi-state outbreak of listeriosis identified in March 2016.

The CDC reports that eight people infected with the outbreak
strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from three
states (California, Maryland and Washington) from September 2013
– March 2016. Ill people ranged in age from 56 to 86, with a
median age of 76. Epidemiology and laboratory evidence available
at this time indicates that frozen vegetables produced by CRF
Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington, and sold under various brand
names are one likely source of illnesses in this outbreak. As
discussed further below, CRF Frozen Foods has initiated a recall
of certain products.

As part of a routine product sampling program the Ohio
Department of Agriculture collected packages of frozen vegetable
products from a retail location and isolated Listeria
monocytogenes from True Goodness by Meijer brand frozen organic
white sweet cut corn and frozen organic petite green peas. Both
products were produced by CRF Frozen Foods.

Whole genome sequencing showed that the Listeria monocytogenes
isolate from the frozen corn was closely related genetically to
seven bacterial isolates from ill people, and the Listeria
monocytogenes isolate from the frozen peas was closely related
genetically to one isolate from an ill person. This close
genetic relationship provides additional evidence that the
people in this outbreak became ill from eating frozen vegetables
produced by CRF Frozen Foods.

Based on the positive findings by the Ohio Department of
Agriculture, on April 22, 2016, CRF recalled 11 frozen vegetable
products because they may be contaminated with Listeria
monocytogenes. On May 2, 2016, following a conversation between
FDA, CDC and the firm, CRF Frozen Foods expanded its recall to
include all of its frozen organic and traditional fruit and
vegetable products manufactured or processed in CRF Frozen
Foods’ Pasco facility since May 1, 2014. Approximately 358
consumer products sold under 42 separate brands were recalled.

Additionally, March 2016 environmental samples collected by FDA
from Oregon Potato Company, located in Pasco, WA, were found to
be closely related genetically to seven of the isolates of ill
people associated with this outbreak. Based on this information,
Oregon Potato Company voluntarily recalled wholesale onion
products, which led to subsequent downstream customer recalls,
one disclaimer icon of which publicly disclosed Oregon Potato
Company as its product source. FDA is working to identify other
parts of the relevant supply chain that may have product
relating to this outbreak. However, FDA is prohibited by law
from releasing publicly certain information about supply chains,
which may constitute confidential commercial information.

FDA will continue to investigate to determine what, if any,
connection exists between the product sample isolates and the
environmental samples. This is a complex and ongoing
investigation, and updates will be communicated as they become
available.

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What are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?

Listeriosis is a rare but serious illness usually caused by
eating food contaminated with the bacteria called Listeria
monocytogenes. Anyone who experiences fever and muscle aches,
sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal
symptoms, or develops fever and chills while pregnant after
eating any of the products listed below should seek medical care
and tell the health care provider about eating the potentially
contaminated frozen vegetables. Symptoms can appear from a few
days up to a few weeks after consumption of the contaminated
food.

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Who is at Risk?

Listeriosis can be fatal, especially in certain high-risk
groups. These groups include the elderly, and people with
weakened immune systems and certain chronic medical conditions
(such as cancer). In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause
miscarriage, stillbirth, premature labor, and serious illness or
death in newborn babies.

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What Specific Products were Recalled?

On April 22, 2016, CRF Frozen Foods recalled 11 frozen vegetable
products because they may be contaminated with Listeria. On May
2, 2016, CRF Frozen Foods expanded its recall to include all
frozen organic and traditional fruit and vegetable products
manufactured or processed in CRF Frozen Foods’ Pasco facility
since May 1, 2014. Products have best by dates of April 26,
2016, thru April 26, 2018, and may have been purchased in all
fifty U.S. states and the following Canadian Provinces: British
Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan.

Refer to FDA’s Recall Notice for the full list of CRF Frozen
Foods that were recalled.

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What Do Restaurants and Retailers Need To Do?

Retailers and restaurants should not serve any of the recalled
products and should dispose of them. If they do not know the
source of their frozen vegetable products, they should check
with the supplier.

Wash and sanitize display cases and refrigerators where
potentially contaminated products were stored.

Wash and sanitize cutting boards, surfaces, and utensils used to
cut, serve, or store potentially contaminated products.

Wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and
sanitation process.

Retailers, restaurants, and other food service operators who
have processed and packaged any potentially contaminated
products need to be concerned about cross contamination of
cutting surfaces and utensils through contact with the
potentially contaminated products.

Regular frequent cleaning and sanitizing of cutting boards and
utensils used in processing may help to minimize the likelihood
of cross-contamination.

Listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures in foods.
Listeria can also cross contaminate other food cut and served on
the same cutting board or stored in the same area.

Retailers, restaurants, and other food service operators may
wish to consider whether other foods available for sale could
have been cross-contaminated from the potentially contaminated
products, and should be discarded.

Firms who have re-labeled, re-packed, or used the recalled
products to produce new products that have not received a
thermal kill step should contact the FDA Recall Coordinator in
your state to determine whether or not you should initiate a new
recall of your product(s). FDA District Recall Coordinators for
each state are listed at:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/
Recalls/IndustryGuidance/ucm129334.htm).

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What Do Consumers Need To Do?

The FDA urges consumers to not eat any of the recalled products
and to check their homes for the recalled fruit and frozen
vegetable products. CRF Frozen Foods directs any consumers who
have purchased any of the recalled products to return them to
the place of purchase for a full refund, or discard them.

Further, for frozen foods not listed in the recall, consumers
should thoroughly cook them and follow microwave or conventional
oven cooking instructions found on the package. Only thorough
cooking will kill bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.

Consumers should follow these simple steps:

Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds
before and after handling food.
Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting
boards and countertops; then sanitize them with a solution of
one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water;
then dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been
previously used.
Wipe up spills in the refrigerator immediately and clean the
refrigerator regularly.
Always wash hands with warm water and soap following the
cleaning and sanitization process.
Additional recommendations for preventing listeriosis are
available at the CDC Listeria website: http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention.html.
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Who Should be Contacted?

Consumers who have questions about the CRF Frozen Foods recall
may call the company’s consumer hotline at 844-483-3866, Monday
through Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

The FDA also encourages consumers with questions about food
safety to call 1-888-SAFEFOOD Monday through Friday between 10
a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, or to consult the fda.gov website: http://www.fda.gov.
 
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/uc
m499157.htm
 

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