Tag Archives: France

French say it’s British sprout seeds: how about don’t eat sprouts

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Who wouldn’t want to hang out in Bordeaux, southwestern France. We did on our way back from the ocean-and-lake-side retreat of Maubuisson a few years ago and had probably the best lunch any friends could ever serve.

Unfortunately, 10 cases of E. coli poisoning have emerged in Bordeaux in the past few days, linked to raw spouts, and the same strain that walloped Germany.

Early on in the German outbreak, a U.S. science-type told me, it’s the seed that’s probably infected and more outbreaks will appear; that’s what happened in the U.S. over the past 15 years.

At least six out of the 10 people were found to have eaten the sprouts at a local fete in Begres, southeast of Bordeaux, said a police statement, citing health authorities.

Health authorities said tests had shown two of the patients were infected by the same potentially deadly strain of the disease as that found recently in Germany, but did not say whether there was a link between the two outbreaks.

Frederic Lefebvre, secretary of state for consumer affairs, said the sprouts were purchased at a Jardiland store and were produced by Thompson & Morgan based in Ipswich, England.

The minister called for the company’s sprouts, mustard and roquette to be withdrawn from sale while an analysis was conducted.

Lefebvre also recommended that "consumers who bought these same products not use them," he said in a statement.

8 kids sick with E. coli from burgers in France

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Eight children in Northern France have been admitted to hospital after eating beef burgers bought frozen from the German discount chain Lidl.

"One of the children was put on dialysis overnight," Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said on Radio Classique. "His condition has worsened."

The children, all aged between 20 months and 8 years, fell ill with symptoms such as bloody diarrhea. One was discharged from hospital on Wednesday.

Health authorities have blamed the contagion on beef burgers sold frozen for distribution under the "Steaks Country" label.

Privately-owned Lidl, which distributes burgers that are produced by French frozen-beef supplier SEB-CERF, has pulled all "Steaks Country" brand burgers from supermarket shelves.

5 children seriously ill from E. coli in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France

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At least five children were hospitalized for food poisoning of a rare type of E. coli in France. At least 4 of them had eaten frozen hamburgers sold by Lidl stores.

The serotype is not the same as in the German outbreak, according to authorities.

The 5 children are aged from 20 months to 8 years and one of them was hospitalized this weekend in a pediatric unit. All five victims had serious bloody diarrhea and suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome, explained Dr. Joëlle Perrin, medical advisor in the regional health agency.

Health authorities have identified that four of the five children ate frozen beef burgers from the Steaks Country brand sold in Lidl stores.
 

Cooking is not enough; Auchan recall frozen cheeseburgers because of E. coli O157:H7 ignores cross-contamination risk

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French retailer Auchan is recalling frozen cheeseburgers because of E. coli O157:H7 contamination but said that if cooked properly, to 65 C, the consequences of such contamination were prevented.

This ignores the risk of spreading even minute amounts of E. coli O157:H7 around household kitchens and food service operations.

AFP reported the manufacturer of the burgers, Cerf, said that the product recall was made "on behalf of the precautionary principle."

??They are sold without a brand name but in a plastic bag which is drawn on an American flag, it was learned from the company. ??"A review has highlighted, in the raw materials used in these products before cooking, the presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7.”
 

Eau de bacon

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The essence of bacon – in a spray?

Ninety years ago, Parisian butcher John Fargginay accidentally came across an aroma. After mixing a top secret recipe of eleven different pure essential oils with the essence of bacon, he was able to create a scent that would, “dramatically elevate his customers’ mood.” It was then when Fargginay invented bacon cologne.

The makers of this fragrance maintain that it is a sophisticated product, which can be found at “high quality retailers across the planet.”

The Fargginay company has produced two distinct bacon fragrances, Bacon Gold and Bacon Classic — Gold having “spicy maple aroma” and Classic having “sizzling citrus” notes. A bottle of either could be yours for only $36 direct from their website.

The fragrance does not actually make you smell like you just bathed in a frying pan. They explain that, “these are sophisticated aromas, comprised of essential oils, flowers, herbs and the essence of bacon.”

Don’t eat stray cereal bars; they may be hash bars

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French police were investigating today how a bag of hashish resin blocks, eaten by kids who mistook them for breakfast cereal bars, came to be left in the grounds of a school.

The students told teachers that they found the package containing the "leafy-flavored breakfast bars" hidden between a bush and the school fence during recess Friday, Le Progres newspaper reported.

One child from the school for six to 11 year olds in Tarentaize, near St. Etienne, in central France, was rushed to the hospital later that evening by his worried mother, along with a piece of the "leafy" bar.

Tests confirmed the bar that contained cannabis resin, and the boy was sent home. None of the other children who ate the bars became ill.

France: A teenager dies from food poisoning

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A 16-year-old died on Monday in hospital in Chartres, France, as a result of food poisoning which could be related to having a meal in a kebab restaurant in the city, closed the same day by the DGCCRF (Branch Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control). Her step-sister, who also shared the same meal, complained of stomach cramps.

"An autopsy Wednesday afternoon on the body of the girl found that the victim had suffered multiple organ shock and that the death was due to food poisoning," said the prosecutor of Chartres, Philippe Peyroux. The court ordered the DGCCRF to go to emergency in the kebab eatery type where the two women had eaten to conduct an inspection. "This revealed poor hygiene standards and many anomalies. The facility has been closed immediately for health reasons and as a precaution, especially since it is located near a school.”

Tests were being conducted but results were so far inconclusive.
 

59 sickened: Hepatitis A associated with semidried tomatoes imported from Turkey, processed, served in France, 2010

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In January 2010, two clusters of nontraveler-associated hepatitis A were reported in 3 districts of southwestern France.

Gallot et al. report in Emerging Infectious Disease that a single IB strain of hepatitis A virus (HAV) was isolated (FR-2010-LOUR, GenBank accession no. GU646039). We conducted an investigation to describe the outbreak, identify the vehicle of transmission and source of infection, and propose appropriate control measures.

Cases were identified through mandatory notification or through the National Reference Centre for HAV. A total of 59 cases were identified: 49 confirmed cases (resident of France and infected with the outbreak strain) and 10 probable cases (resident of southwestern France and with a locally acquired infection positive for HAV immunoglobulin M against HAV with onset during November 1, 2009–February 28, 2010). Twelve (20%) persons were secondary case-patients (symptom onset 2–6 weeks after contact with a case-patient).

Trace-back investigations identified a supplier in France that imported frozen semidried tomatoes from Turkey and supplied the 3 sandwich shop chains. In France, the frozen semidried tomatoes were defrosted and processed with oil and herbs before distribution. No heat treatment, disinfection, or washing was conducted after defrosting. The period of distribution of 1 batch matched the estimated period of contamination of nonsecondary cases. This batch was no longer available at the supplier or at the sandwich shops for virologic analysis or for recall.

Our results suggest that this nationwide hepatitis A outbreak was associated with eating 1 batch of semidried tomatoes imported from Turkey and processed in France. Infected food handlers are the most frequently documented source of contamination by HAV of food items, but food also can be contaminated by contact of products or machinery with contaminated water. Therefore, the tomatoes may have been contaminated during processing by the supplier in France, during production in Turkey, or during growing. Fecal contamination of foods that are not subsequently cooked is a potential source of HAV, and the virus remains infectious for long periods, even after freezing. Various fresh or frozen produce have been associated with hepatitis A outbreaks.

Recently, three other hepatitis A outbreaks were associated with eating semidried tomatoes: in Australia in May and November 2009 and in the Netherlands in 2010

Hamburger recalled for E. coli O26 in France

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Carrefour, the France-based retailer, is recalling frozen hamburger patties sold under the Carrefour Discount brand in its stores.

Albert Amgar sent along the notice and Amy translated, but I’m still struck with the unique way France has of blaming the consumer; maybe something is lost in translation.

“As a precautionary measure and with no consumer complaints to date, Carrefour has begun a recall of a batch of ground hamburger patties sold in the frozen food section under the Carrefour Discount brand in Carrefour, Carrefour Market, Carrefour City, Carrefour Contact and Carrefour Montagne stores.

“During regular testing undertaken by the supplier, Escherichia Coli O26 H11 bacteria were discovered. Carrefour immediately began to remove these products.

“Carrefour recommends that clients who might still have these products in their possession do not eat them and return them to their store where they will be refunded.

“In general, it is important to remember that thoroughly cooking hamburger patties may prevent the consequences of such a contamination, with the bacteria being killed by a temperature of 65C.”

Good for the supplier for testing for non-O157 shiga-toxin producing E. coli. But it isn’t so easy as cooking; cross-contamination is a huge issue in the food service or home kitchen, especially with frozen patties that people may handle like Frisbees.

Do I have (duck) egg on my face; listeria in fried duck thingies in France

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I make mistakes when I blog, trying to combine speed with accuracy. Usually they are corrected without much fuss; but when it involves language, and especially French, it gets dramatic.

My friend in France sends me stories about food-related recalls and outbreaks on a daily basis, usually from a French media source. Amy the French professor toiling away downstairs has her own work to do so I try not to bug her.

Lately I’ve been using goggle translate – oh, that’s google, I have a habit of writing goggle –to get the jist of the story and then blog it without bugging the French prof.

So when google translate suggested duck cracklings, I went with eggs, knowing I had a great picture of farm-fresh duck eggs from my colleague Kate. Turns out it was fritons or grattons or grillon, which was translated as cracklings, that showed up positive for listeria at Intermarche Figeac. They are, according to my French friend, small pieces of duck, fried with the fat of the duck (right, exactly as shown).

The French prof says she will use this as a translation anecdote for her students next semester and why humans are better than goggle – google.