Canadian Beef Recall Grows, Again

The largest beef recall in Canadian history grew even larger Monday with the government's announcement that more products are being taken off the market for potential E. coli contamination.  Alberta-based XL Foods, Inc. is voluntarily recalling 260 more varieties of beef, announced the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in a health alert yesterday. These newly recalled meats have been added to hundreds of other beef products recalled by the company in the past two weeks. The problem was initially discovered by U.S. inspectors who discovered E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef samples taken at the Canadian border in Canada. CFIA conducted its own testing the next day, but the first recall was not initiated until September 16. Since that time, CFIA has expanded the recall 13 times and U.S. retailers have announced recalls of beef products from XL sold in at least 41 states. Over 1,100 beef products have hit the chopping block as part of this recall. At least four illnesses have been linked to beef strips manufactured by XL and sold at Costco, and five more are known to be under investigation. Some beef products listed in this latest recall - including rump roast, soup bones and tenderized hip steak among others -  have not been listed in previous recalls updates linked to the outbreak, which have mainly included ground beef and various whole and tenderized cuts.  Items subject to this recall were manufactured on the same dates as XL's previously recalled ground beef products, according to CFIA. Specifically, these production dates include August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5, 2012.  A full list of the newly recalled meats is available here. Affected products were sold in retail stores across the country,  including Dominion, Extra Foods, Real Atlantic, Save Easy, ValuFoods, Valu-mart, VillageMart and Zehrs, among others.  At least one-third of the Canadian beef supply is estimated to be affected by XL's recent recalls.  CFIA has closed the XL plant in Alberta until further notice, although Monday before the latest recall was issued there was talk of the plant reopening within the next few days.  Canadian officials say this recall investigation has prompted CFIA to examine product tracking requirements for companies in order to improve traceback.  "If they don't put the dots together to get the big picture for the day, they may be missing something. And that's where we have an improvement and we're going to make something happen," said Richard Arsenault, the agency's director of meat inspection, according to the Edmonton Journal.  © Food Safety News More Headlines from Food Recalls »

Risk Managers - What Is "Confirmed Information?"

On September 22, grocer Trader Joe's announced a recall of 16oz. plastic jars of Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter. The original recall announcement, posted on the 22nd, contained the following language: Out of the utmost caution and care for our customers, Trader Joe's is voluntarily recalling its Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter because of potential contamination with Salmonella. At this time, no confirmed illnesses directly linked to this product have been reported to Trader Joe's. While we have no confirmed information that suggests this peanut butter is unsafe to eat, there is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers and crew, and the quality of our products. On September 24, Drew Falkenstein, a Seattle-based food safety attorney and fantastic food safety blogger, took issue with the language, noting that on the same day of the recall, the CDC had announced that 14 of the 28 cases of a Salmonella Bredeney cluster had been interviewed, with 14/14 cases reporting shopping at Trader Joe's, and 12/14 cases reporting consumption of Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter in the week before getting sick. Wrote Falkenstein: That is called playing fast and loose with the facts.  I won't waste time speculating why Trader Joes denies the link between its peanut butter and this salmonella outbreak.  Any observer of outbreaks and recalls knows that it is something like, "no product has tested positive, so it could not have been us." The more prudent course would have been to acknowledge the problem, which is clearly based on solid epidemiological proof, and focus on why the problem occurred.  In its September 22 statement, the CDC states "Fourteen (100%) of 14 ill persons interviewed report shopping at Trader Joe's locations across the United States. Twelve (86%) of 14 ill persons report eating Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with Sea Salt in the week before becoming ill."  Recall notices are really not the right forum to conduct public relations. As of 10:30pm CST on September 24th, without any additional updates from the CDC having been released to the public, Trader Joe's recall announcement had been revised on the FDA's website, without the language Falkenstein interpreted as a denial of association with Salmonella illnesses: Out of the utmost caution and care for our customers, Trader Joe's is voluntarily recalling its Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter (sku 97111) because of potential contamination with Salmonella...At this time the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state health agencies are investigating whether there are direct links between this product and reported illnesses. Trader Joe's is fully cooperating with these authorities because there is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers and crew, and the quality of our products. This case study in public relations during food recall announcements brings to light an extremely important topic for food producers and distributors. What is the definition of "confirmed information?" The Food Industry as a Partner in Outbreak Investigations It is apparent that Trader Joe's did not publicly consider an epidemiological hypothesis to be "confirmed information" at the time of the recall. Without specific information about the studies used to produce the epidemiological hypothesis, it is inappropriate to judge this decision, even considering the apparent strength of the hypothesis. We should remember that while it is often only an epidemiological hypothesis that determines the liability of the food industry during outbreaks, hypotheses can be wrong. For this reason, industry participation in outbreak investigations is absolutely crucial. Often, an industrial traceback of products associated with a cluster of illnesses can confirm or deny the plausibility of an epidemiological hypothesis. In some instances, an industry-led traceback may be equally or more efficient than a public health-led traceback. Consider the high profile 2008 outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul that was initially associated with tomato consumption before being associated with Jalapeno and Serrano peppers. No industry traceback was able to explain how tomatoes sent to so many states and restaurants could have become contaminated with the same strain of Salmonella Saintpaul, and no recalls seemed to be able to end the spread of the outbreak, which should have been over quickly due to the short shelf life of fresh tomatoes. Once epidemiologists identified an association with peppers, however, an industry traceback quickly led to a single distributor, and the outbreak strain of Salmonella was quickly identified on a farm that supplied the distributor with Jalapeno and Serrano peppers. The epidemiological hypothesis and subsequent removal of certain tomatoes from store shelves and restaurants was a devastating blow to the tomato industry, and in retrospect, was in all likelihood attributable to public health error. In this case, did Trader Joe's decide to announce a recall before considering the available purchase dates and/or lot codes to investigate the plausibility of the epidemiological hypothesis? Regardless of the choice of words in the recall announcement, a recall at this point would probably be considered relatively proactive and prudent in the interest of public health. What Does the Food Industry Consider "Confirmed Information?" Did Trader Joe's consider internal traceback information "confirmed information," or, as Falkenstein suggests, did Trader Joe's consider an isolation of the outbreak strain of Salmonella from the actual end product or production plant "confirmed information?" At the same time, is it ever a good public relations strategy to suggest doubt in an epidemiological hypothesis in a recall announcement, or is that doubt better left unsaid? These critical decisions are for senior risk managers and should probably be considered by all food producers and distributors before they are implicated in a recall. In the interest of preventing future illnesses, deaths and potential liability, it is probably prudent for food producers and distributors to issue recalls as soon as possible after being contacted by public health authorities; however, it can be a difficult decision for a company to recall food products based solely on a hypothesis from government agencies that have apparently been wrong before.  This case reminds us that proactive leadership between public health and the food industry is critical, and it is in the best interests of the food industry to train senior risk managers in epidemiological methods and inference before foodborne disease outbreaks occur. Editor's note: Drew Falkenstein, whose blog entry is mentioned above, is an attorney at Marler Clark law firm, which underwrites Food Safety News.   © Food Safety News More Headlines from Opinion & Contributed Articles »

Pressure Builds in Alberta to Reopen Canada's XL Foods

Canada's largest in history beef recall and the closure of the nation's largest meat processing plant is putting unusual pressure on regulators to return the facility to service. As of Monday, it looked like the plan might have been working. But as of Monday night after the plant recalled even more beef products, that possibility has again been thrown into question. Dr. Richard Arsenault, who heads the meat program for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA),  indicated Monday that it was only a matter of days before the XL plant reopened. Closure of  XL Foods in Brooks, Alberta and the newly expanded recall of beef products represents the loss of over one third of Canada's entire beef production and it's probably not possible to overestimate the pressure being brought to get the facility reopened.  XL Foods is owned by Nilsson Brothers Inc., a Canadian-owned company with a network of livestock-based businesses including auction marts, feedlots and cow-calf ranches throughout western Canada. With these economic losses piling up, it is not surprising that all sorts of pressure is being brought upon the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the federal food safety agency that pulled the big processor's license to make beef products. So, Alberta's Agriculture Minister Verlyn Olson took reporters on a beef shopping trip on Saturday and on Sunday Alberta's Prime Minister Alison Redford met with several Provincial ranchers.  "Our priority right now is to make sure people know Alberta beef is a safe product, " said PM Redford. The PM said she was standing behind Alberta ranchers and their beef products.  "We certainly have a circumstance right now with respect to one company that is having some challenges with respect to regulations, but there is Alberta beef that is being produced right across this province today that is safe to eat, " she said. "Let's remember to cook it well and let's ensure that as we move ahead that we get this plant reopened so that we can keep the economy moving and we can again have confidence in this terribly important product that we have." Alberta ranchers told the Prime Minister they are concerned about the XL closure occurring just as they begin to move a lot of cattle to market. Canadian cattlemen are experiencing reduced prices just as consumer confidence is on the wane. More than 1,000 XL products are now on the recall list. Four of nine E coli cases in Alberta are linked to beef strips produced by XL Foods and sold at Costco and five others are under investigation. Here's how it developed: August 23, 2012: Cattle are slaughtered at a plant in Brooks run by Edmonton-based XL Foods Inc. Beef slaughtered that day is later recalled. August 24, 27, 28, 29, 2012: Beef is produced at the Brooks plant that is later recalled. September 3, 2012: U.S. officials alert the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that beef from the Brooks plant has tested positive for E. coli 0157: H7 bacteria. Both agencies begin investigations. September 4, 2012: E. coli is detected by CFIA and by U.S. border officials. No action is taken. September 11 and 12, 2012: The CFIA is alerted of two more cases of E. coli that have been confirmed in meat crossing the U.S. border. September 13, 2012: At the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Canada revokes the plant's permit to export beef to the U.S. September 16, 2012: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency sends out the first alert warning people not to eat, sell or serve 26 ground beef and ground-beef products sold at several major stores because they "may be contaminated with E. coli." The alert says XL Foods Inc. voluntarily issued the recall although no reported illnesses have been linked to the recalled products. September 17, 2012: The CFIA expands the voluntary recall to add 55 more ground beef and ground-beef products to the list of products recalled across Canada. All the products were manufactured at the Brooks plant. September 18, 2012: The CFIA expands the recall to add 14 more products. September 19, 2012: The CFIA adds 75 more products to the recalled list. XL Foods and its parent company, Edmonton-based Nilsson Bros., release a recorded statement saying XL Foods prides itself on providing safe and high quality beef products. September 20, 2012: The CFIA adds 37 products to the recall. The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service issues a public health alert. September 21, 2012: The CFIA adds 47 products to the recall. The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service updates its public-health alert. September 22, 2012: The CFIA adds 10 products to the recall. September 24, 2012: The CFIA issues a summary that says an in-depth review uncovered "several deficiencies" during an investigation into the slaughterhouse. September 25, 2012: The CFIA adds 60 products to the recall. The U.S. recalls products distributed to California, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Michigan, Nebraska, Utah and Wisconsin. Alberta Health Services officials say they are investigating a total of eight E. coli cases, four in Edmonton, three in Calgary and one in central Alberta. Lab test results come in to Alberta Health Services at night that confirm the four Edmonton patients were infected by E. coli-tainted strip loin grilling steaks they bought at a northeast Edmonton Costco. Alberta Health Services notifies the CFIA about the test results. September 26, 2012: Alberta Health Service officials announce that four people in Edmonton got sick from E. coli after eating Kirkland brand strip loin steaks purchased at a Costco outlet in Edmonton.  The CFIA recalls Kirkland brand beef steaks packaged and sold Sept. 4 to Sept. 7 from the Costco at 13650, 50th St. and a CFIA spokesman confirms the steaks were processed at the plant in Brooks. Top public health doctors in Alberta say they have asked Costco stores to stop using a meat-tenderizing machine that could push E. coli bacteria from the surface of meat inside, where it is protected from high cooking temperatures that kill the bacteria.  Also on this day, the United States Food Safety and Inspection Service expands its recall to cover 10 states. September 27, 2012: Alberta Health Services confirms it is investigating a fourth case in Calgary of E. coli poisoning, bringing the total number of recent cases in Alberta to nine. The health authority is still investigating what caused E. coli poisoning in four Calgary patients and one central Alberta patient. September 28, 2012: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announces that XL Foods Inc. in Brooks, Alta., suspends the packing facility's operating license and says it won't be able to resume operations until it implements corrective actions required by the agency. September 30, 2012 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announces the 12 expansion of the recall of XL beef. October 1, 2012 - CFIA again announces an expanded recall, this one including soup bones, beef tips, tenderized cubes and other products that were not previously on the recall list. The total number of recalled products now stands at over 1,000. © Food Safety News More Headlines from Foodborne Illness Outbreaks »

Four Salmonella Strains Linked to Small Turtles Still Causing Illnesses

Contact with small turtles is continuing to cause Salmonella illnesses around the country, according to a new report from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention.  These small reptiles - measuring four inches or less in length - have now been linked to 196 illnesses in 31 states since September of 2011. A total of 36 victims have been hospitalized.  The CDC first announced a series of three Salmonella outbreaks linked to tiny turtles in March of 2012. The three strains - Salmonella Sandiego, Salmonella Pomona and Salmonella Poona - had been linked to 66 illnesses in 16 states. Since that time, the agency has updated its outbreak report five times as an increasing number of cases have been reported and three more strains, including another strain of S. Sandiego, another of S. Pomona and another of S. Poona, have been connected to small turtles.  These strains are identified as Strain B in the CDC's report.  Since the agency's most recent update in early August, 28 more cases have been counted, bringing the total number of illnesses from 168 to 196 in 31 states. The newly reported illnesses were caused by Salmonella Sandiego, Strain A (6 new cases), Salmonella Pomona, Strain A (1 new case), Salmonella Poona, Strain A (4 new cases) and Salmonella Pomona, Strain B (17 new cases).  A possible link has been established between Salmonella Poona, Strain A infections and contact with small turtles sold at souvenir stores in the Florida panhandle.  Outbreak-specific case counts are as follows.  Salmonella Sandiego, Strain A A total of 76 individuals have been sickened in this outbreak. Illnesses occurred in California (11), Georgia (1) Illinois (2), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (5), Minnesota (1), North Carolina (1) New Jersey (6), New Mexico (5), Nevada (2), New York (19), Pennsylvania (8), South Carolina (1), Texas (1) and Virginia (1).  Of the people for whom information about illness was available, 24 percent were hospitalized.  The 6 new cases occurred in California (1), New Jersey (2), New York (1) and Pennsylvania (2). Those sickened range in age from less than 1 year old to 86 years, with a median age of 8.  Of the 51 people for whom information is available, 81 percent report contact with small turtles before falling ill, and 87 percent who recalled the type of turtle reported that it was a red-eared slider.  Salmonella Pomona, Strain A A total of 16 people have been sickened with this strain. Illnesses by state are as follows: California (3), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), New Jersey (1), Nevada (1), New York (2), Pennsylvania (3), Texas (1) and Virginia (1). The illness in New Jersey was reported since the last update. Victims range in age from less than 1 year old to 90 years old, with a median age of 16. Of the 13 people for whom information is available, 4 have been hospitalized.  Salmonella Poona, Strain A According to CDC, 25 people have been sickened with this outbreak strain of Salmonella.  The new total number of illnesses by state are as follows: Alabama (1), Arizona (2), California (3), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Kentucky (1) , Louisiana (1), Michigan (1), Mississippi (1), New York (3), Tennessee (3) and Texas (4). The 4 new cases are from Georgia (1), Kansas (1), North Carolina (1) and Tennessee (1). Of the 18 people for whom information is available, 6 were hospitalized. Victims range in age from less than 1 year old to age 70, with a median age of 3. When interviewed, 6 of the victims reported traveling to the Florida panhandle and purchasing or handling small turtles at a souvenir store.  In August of 2012, five different samples of turtle tank water from six souvenir stores in the panhandle of Florida tested positive for this strain of Salmonella. Salmonella Pomona, Strain B In total, 67 illnesses have been linked to the outbreak of Salmonella Pomona, Strain B. Of these, 17 were reported since the CDC's last update. The new cases are from Arizona (1), California (9), Delaware (1), Illinois (1), Nevada (1), South Carolina (1), Texas (1), Virginia (1) and West Virginia (1). These numbers bring the total case count by state to the following:  Alaska (2), Alabama (1), Arizona (2), California (11), Colorado (2), Delaware (3), Georgia (2), Illinois (1), Michigan (1), New Mexico (1), Nevada (3), New York (1), Ohio (2), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (1), Texas (9), Virginia (2) and West Virginia (1). Victims range in age from less than 1 year old to 94, with a median age of 2 years. Of the 33 for whom information is available, 11 were hospitalized.  © Food Safety News More Headlines from Foodborne Illness Outbreaks »

Cantaloupe Victim's Son Urges Washington to Act

Like many Americans, Paul Schwarz is fed up with the inaction in Washington, DC. After losing his father to the Listeria cantaloupe outbreak nearly a near ago, Schwarz has kept tabs on food safety policy and he's frustrated that none of the measures that could have prevented the tragic outbreak have been implemented. Last week, Schwarz took his first trip to our nation's capital to try and do something about it.   "I was very frustrated that Congress didn't grant us a hearing [on the outbreak]," said Schwarz, who lives in Independence, Missouri. "Every chance I get to tell Dad's story, I will. It affected our family immensely and 146 other families -- they have stories, too." Paul's father, Paul Schwarz Sr., was an active 92-year-old World War II veteran who was awarded two Purple Hearts. He is survived by his wife Rosellen of 68 years, five children, nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.  In a trip coordinated by the Pew Charitable Trusts, Schwarz Jr. met with a handful of Missouri lawmaker's offices -- Sens. Roy Blunt (R), Claire McCaskill (D), and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) -- to tell his dad's story and urge them to fully fund food safety efforts. He also asked members to send letters to the White House Office of Management and Budget, where key Food Safety Modernization Act rules have been languishing for 10 months, far longer than the normal 90 day review period. Many of the key rules -- which would mandate produce safety standards and preventative controls for food manufacturers -- were actually sent to OMB for review around the same time Schwarz lost his father, Paul Schwarz Sr., to Listeriosis complications at the end of 2011.      Though there has been speculation over whether the rules are being held up until after the election to avoid the potentially unflattering optics of "job-killing" regulations, even though the food industry supports FSMA, both OMB and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have insisted that the draft rules are just complex and will be made public as soon as possible. "It is complicated. There are four rules that have to work well together," said FDA's Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor, last month. "There's been the normal back and forth [with OMB]. They'll be cleared when they're cleared. There's not much more that I can say." Schwarz said the staff he met with were very receptive to his concerns, but no one had an explanation for the food safety hold up at the White House.   "They were very interested in what I had to say," said Schwarz. "They said they would do all the could." "Things are just held up," he added. "I don't understand all the inner workings, but it has been long enough. Lives are at stake." In the meantime, he's avoiding cantaloupe. Pictured: Paul and Rosellen Schwarz. Photos courtesy of the Schwarz family.   © Food Safety News More Headlines from Food Politics »

Tim Hortons, Panera rank high on Zagat survey

Advertisement Zagat announced the results of its 2012 fast food survey of 274 chains, with Panera Bread, Tim Hortons and Dunkin's Donuts ranking high in overall popularity, food, décor and service in the Annual Diner Survey of U.S. Restaurants. Panera ranked second in overall popularity in the large chain category, while Dunkin' Donuts was second in popularity behind Starbucks in the quick refreshment category. Panera and Corner Bakery were second and fourth, respectively, in the large chain category for top décor, while Tim Hortons ranked fifth in décor in the quick refreshment category. Panera ranked fifth for service in the large chain category, while Tim Hortons was fifth for service in the quick refreshment category. For the annual survey, Zagat polled more 10,500 diners from across the United States. Read the complete survey results here.

La Boulange launches mobile payment app

Advertisement La Boulange Café & Bakery, San Francisco, has launched a mobile app that allows customers to order from their smartphones. The app also lets them view the bakery's full menu, repeat previous orders, pay with a credit card and confirm pickup times and dates. The app is available for free download on iTunes and Google Play. "We are excited to begin offering this added convenience to our customers," J.P. Lachance, vice president of finance for La Boulange parent company, Bay Bread Group, said in a press release. "The new mobile ordering and payment apps give our longtime customers a new, more convenient way to experience their favorite morning or lunchtime treats." La Boulange joins a growing number of restaurants offering mobile ordering and mobile payments apps. With smartphone ownership growing at a rate of more than 30 percent each year, mobile payment could be a major factor for foodservice outlets in the coming years.