Tag Archives: flax

Low levels of Salmonella in sprouted chia can cause big problems (I miss Phil Hartman)

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Despite the increasing popularity of sprouted chia and flax seed powders, no data have been reported on their intrinsic physicochemical properties and background microflora.

chiahead11Here, we report the moisture content, water activity, pH, and fatty acid methyl ester and bacteriological profiles of 19 sprouted chia and flax seed samples, 10 of which were associated with an outbreak of salmonellosis in Canada and the United States. The physicochemical parameters of the Salmonella-positive samples did not differ significantly from those of the negative samples. However, the higher Enterobacteriaceae and coliform levels on the contaminated powders were associated with the presence of Salmonella. Enumeration of Salmonella by the most probable number (MPN) method revealed concentrations ranging from 1 MPN per 3 g of powder to 1 MPN per 556 g of powder.

The results of this study demonstrate that low numbers of Salmonella may be linked to foodborne outbreaks.

Physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics of organic sprouted chia and flax seed powders implicated in a foodborne salmonellosis outbreak

Journal of Food Protection®, Number 5, May 2016, pp. 696-889, pp. 703-709(7)

Tamber, Sandeep; Swist, Eleonora; Oudit, Denise

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/iafp/jfp/2016/00000079/00000005/art00002

From the Salmonella-in-low-moisture-foods files: contaminated flax leads to recall

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Your organic steel cut oats & chia with flax and rye flakes might have Salmonella in it, if it’s from Homestat Farms.

Homestat Farm of Dublin, OH is recalling some of its 42-ounce packages only of “Organic Steel Cut Oats & Chia with Flax And Rye Flakes” because the flax seed ingredient has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled “Organic Steel Cut Oats & Chia with Flax And Rye Flakes” was distributed on a limited basis in Sams Club retail stores located in AK, CA, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MN, MS, NC, NH, OH, PA & TX.

The product comes in a 42 ounce carton UPC 8 35882 00620 4 marked with Best Buy: 03/16/17-1, 03/16/18-1, 03/19/17-1, 03/19/17-2, 03/23/17-1, 03/23/17-2, 03/24/17-1, 03/26/17-1, 03/26/17-2, 04/08/17-2. The best buy date can be found embossed on the bottom flap of box next to the bar code.

A supplier informed Homestat Farm of this after a contamination was found in flax seed provided to another customer.

That product sounds like something that Drunk Uncle might say. It probably goes well with some swiss chard on a Roku or an Amazon Prime pumpkin spice.