Tag Archives: Spongebob

Cookie dough and crabs: 9 sick with E. coli O157 in Plymouth ‘linked to crab meat’

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In yet another example of prompt public alerts by UK health types, nine people were sickened with E. coli O157 in Plymouth in August and it’s now being made public (see E. coli O157 linked to leeks sickens 250 and kills 1 in UK; 8-month outbreak only now being made public).

A 3-month delay is, sortof, an improvement on an 8-month delay in public notification.

The Plymouth Herald reports this morning that environmental health officers and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) launched an inquiry after nine cases were confirmed in the city – in August.

It is believed to be the first reported outbreak of the E.coli O157 strain associated with the consumption of crab meat.

The investigation is continuing but there is a suspected link with an unapproved crab supplier.

Investigators revealed they took action after nine cases emerged in August. There have been no further reports of illness linked to crab since.

The South West HPA and Plymouth City Council said in a joint statement: "A wider investigation is still ongoing following on from the outbreak, so we are not in a position to give full details but we suspect a link to an unapproved crab supplier.

"Environmental health officers from the council acted swiftly to identify crab meat as a possible source and removed all potentially affected crab meat from food establishments as a precautionary measure.

"The team worked closely with the SW (North) Health Protection Unit to investigate the cases and ensure that GPs in Plymouth and beyond were aware of the issue, if anyone presented with symptoms."

The team also alerted food outlets in the city about the importance of only buying food or ingredients from approved or registered suppliers.

A study into the outbreak showed a ‘statistically significant’ association between cases and the consumption of crab meat away from home.

Lobster feast sickens over 220 in China

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More than 220 people were hospitalized after eating lobsters in east Jiangxi Province, a local hospital reported on Friday.

Ruichang city residents who unsuspectingly indulged in a Thursday night lobster feast later suffered from diarrhea, vomiting, and some contracted a fever, said Gong Jinwen, a doctor who treated the sick at Renmin Hospital. Doctors speculate that E. coli could be the cause.

More than 4,000 people attended the lobster shindig, which was part of the city’s government-sponsored lobster festival.

iCarly cross-contaminates with chicken

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Two-year-old Sorenne likes her SpongeBob SquarePants on the Nickelodeon Network when waking up, or some veg-out time.

Later in the programming day, Nick switches to teenage-oriented programming that involves a lot of singing and dancing and bad writing (it’s part of multimedia synergy).

I turned on the TV while prepping dinner yesterday and a show called iCarly appeared on Nick, with someone spreading salmonella and campylobacter throughout their kitchen. I recorded the show and changed the channel (the best thing about Central time is hockey games start at 6 p.m.).

The beginning of the iCarly episode, iWon’t Cancel the Show, shows Carly’s 26-year-old brother/guardian stuffing chicken for his hot date that evening.

In the photomontage attempted here, Spencer stuffs the chicken, answers his cell phone, hands it to sister Carly, who then grabs a water bottle and both proceed to touch everything else in the kitchen. Scene ends with cell phone ringing, stuffed in chicken (cue laughter).

71 now confirmed sick in Subway Salmonella outbreak; produce suspected

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An Illinois health spokesperson told The Packer today that fresh produce was the likely culprit sickening at least 71 people with Salmonella who ate at Subway restaurants in 22 different counties.

But no one’s really talking. That Spongebob cone of silence is working a lot better for the produce industry that it is for BP.

As of this morning, there were 71 confirmed cases of Salmonella serotype Hvittingfoss affecting people from 2- to 88-years-old.

Melaney Arnold, communications manager for the Illinois Department of Public Health told The Packer 26 people have been hospitalized, and seven were still in the hospital as of today.

Subway restaurants in 22 Illinois counties removed lettuce, green peppers, red onions and tomatoes from restaurants during the period in which people who got sick reported eating at a Subway — May 11 to May 25, according to the department — and replaced them with new product, according to a Subway news release.

Krusty Krab klosed for health violations; Sponge Bob needs food safety

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Bikini Bottoms – Health officials today closed the popular eatery “The Krusty Krab,” after finding several violations.

A foodworker, Spongebob Squarepants, who has worked preparing the restaurant’s signature dish, The Krabby Patty, for nearly 10 years was found to be in violation of handwashing code. Inspectors found that during his entire employment history as a fry cook, SpongeBob had never washed his hands.

This fact was discovered after officials reviewed videos of food prep at the Krusty Krab (8 seasons) and found not only no handwashing, but no handwashing station.

Mr. Krab owner of the establishment, said,

“I can’t believe they closed me store. What good would it do if he did was he hands? Spongebob is yellow and porous and he lives under the sea. This is ridiculous.”

Other violations that prompted the closing were: jetsam and flotsam contaminating prep areas, a large school of fish found in dishwasher, and patties served at seawater temperatures.

When contacted Squarepants denied having any responsibility in the closing.

“I love the Krusty Krab. It is my life. I wouldn’t do anything to get Mr. Krab in trouble. It was all Sqidward’s fault. He trained me.” Squarepants said from his home in a rotting undersea pineapple.

Squarepant’s co-worker, Squidward could not be reached for comment.

According to health authorities the restaurant will remain closed until a staff animator draws a handwashing station, animates a proper handwashing sequence for Squarepants and erases the rest of the violations.

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