Tag Archives: walnut

Australias note: US also names reason for recall and if anyone is barfing, Hines Nut Co, Dallas, TX voluntary recall of walnut

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Hines Nut Company, Dallas, TX, today announced a voluntary recall of WALNUT HALVES & PIECES, Lot Number 6908. The product was sold by GOLD STATE NUT COMPANY of Biggs, CA, and packaged by Hines Nut Company. These nuts may be contaminated with Salmonella.

salm.walnut.feb.15The product was packaged and distributed as follows:

Hines Nut Brand

Packed in black foam trays with a Green and Gold Label

Weight of 12 or 16 ounces

Packaged between November 25 and December 5, 2014

Lot Number printed on label

Distributed in Texas

Best by dates from September 21, 2015 to October 1, 2015

Harris Teeter Farmers Market Brand

Packed in black foam trays with a Red and Black label

Weight of 10 ounces

Packaged December 2, 2014

Lot number printed on Nutrition Facts label on back of package

Distributed to two distribution centers in North Carolina

Best by date of September 28, 2015

The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by an outside company contracted by the FDA revealed the presence of Salmonella in a package of the product.

To date, Hines Nut Company, Inc. has not received any complaints concerning illness on this lot number.

Recalls and questions grow because of E. coli O157 in walnuts in Canada

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The creepy, crawly recall of walnuts and walnut-containing products continues in Canada because of E. coli O157:H7.

But no one is saying how the E. coli O157:H7 was detected, whether it is genetically the same strain as the E. coli in walnuts that sickened 13 Canadians and killed one earlier this year, and there has been nary a peep from California where the walnuts were apparently grown.

After declaring on Sept. 1, 2011 there were “no confirmed illnesses,” the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced expansions to recalled walnut products on Sept. 6, 7 and 8 (actually 9, about two hours ago), 2011, and has switched the lingo to, “There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

In the latest notice, CFIA says Johnvince Foods of Toronto is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace for example, see right), but yesterday mentioned Andersen and Sons Shelling, Vina, California, USA.

Earlier this year, 14 people were sickened after eating E. coli-contaminated walnuts distributed by Montreal-based Amira Enterprises.

One patient in Quebec with an underlying medical condition died during the outbreak, which also affected people in Ontario and New Brunswick.

The byzantine world of government speak; E. coli O157 again in walnuts in Canada

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In CFIA-speak, ‘no confirmed illnesses’ means there are sick people, but we can’t say so until we’re super-duper sure through testing, no matter how many more people get sick. It’s part of a disturbing trend where government agencies are pressured to downgrade the findings of epidemiology and rely only on positive test results. It’s on display in the Del Monte vs. Oregon lawsuit, and was on full display in the Maple Leaf listeria outbreak of 2008 that saw 23 people die and 53 others sickened; CFIA led with a press statement then “There have been no confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.”

So no one should be comforted after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported this morning that certain prepackaged raw shelled walnut products described below are being voluntarily recalled because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

“There have been no confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.”

Uh-oh.

When no one is sick, CFIA says, “there have been no illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.”

It’s the kind of wiggle-room bureaucrats thrive on – and shows the overall importance of public health.

The following raw shelled walnut products, imported from USA and packaged in Canada, are affected by this alert.

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Raw California Walnut Halves Unsalted 250 g 0 60383 87185 7 Best Before 2012 OC 07
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California Walnuts 350 g 0 64777 28695 1 16581

Earlier this year, 14 people were sickened after eating E. coli-contaminated walnuts distributed by Montreal-based Amira Enterprises.

One patient in Quebec with an underlying medical condition died during the outbreak, which also affected people in Ontario and New Brunswick.
 

Canadian E. coli outbreak linked walnuts appears to be over; 1 dead 13 sick

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Canadians rejoice: the E. coli O157 outbreak that sickened 14, apparently linked to walnuts, is over.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says other than walnuts distributed by Montreal-based Amira Enterprises, there’s no indication that raw, shelled walnuts pose a health risk and therefore it is no longer recommending that Canadians roast raw, shelled walnuts before eating them.

One patient in Quebec with an underlying medical condition died during the outbreak, which also affected people in Ontario and New Brunswick.

The agency says that based on the information available, raw, shelled walnuts are still the suspected source of the outbreak, although it was never confirmed by laboratory testing of walnuts.

"Although positive laboratory findings would confirm, negative findings do not disprove walnuts as the suspected source of the outbreak."

I look forward to the scientific report on this outbreak that will be available … probably never.

E. coli in walnuts in Canada? Nothing new

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Three weeks since the last update on an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to walnuts in Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada today reported … nothing.

PHAC stated:

“Since the last update on April 7, 2011, there have been no new cases of illness reported as part of this outbreak in Canada. The last reported case became ill on March 25, 2011.

"The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) continues to work with provincial/territorial authorities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada to identify illnesses that may be associated with this outbreak and to confirm the source of the outbreak. PHAC will provide updated information as the outbreak investigation progresses."

And then it repeated the statement of April 7, 2011, which noted there have been 14 cases of E. coli illnesses reported from Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. Some of these cases have experienced serious illness. Ten individuals have been hospitalized and 3 cases developed haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
 

Mediocrity wins Canadians lose with foodborne illness

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A bunch of Canadian medical types say Canada sucks at food safety; the first president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency disagrees.

They’re both wrong.

"Canada’s public and private sectors are not doing enough to prevent foodborne illnesses," writes Dr. Paul Hébert, Editor-in-Chief with coauthors. "Among the major failings are inadequate active surveillance systems, an inability to trace foods from "farm to fork" and a lack of incentives to keep food safe along the "farm to fork" pathway."

Maybe. But citing self-published reports that haven’t been peer-reviewed doesn’t lend much credibility to the argument. And speaking on behalf of all Canadians, with statements like the following further disminish credibility.

“Canadians are usually good at regulation. Canada’ s pragmatic yet stringent regulation of financial institutions ensured that the economic downturn has been less severe here than in other countries. In health, our blood system’s surveillance programs and ability to trace products from ‘vein to vein’ is another fine model.”

The way Canada handled the emergence of HIV in the blood supply in the early 1980s was an international embarrassment. Good regulation does not equate to good enforcement. I don’t know what banking has to do with food safety other than it’s another myth Canadians like to comfort themselves with at night, content their world doesn’t contain the harsh nasties of other places.

Oops, that’s a generalization. I should stay away from that; so should editors of journals.

Ron Doering, an Ottawa lawyer and a former CFIA president, will give a speech on food safety at McGill University on Friday during the launch of the school’s new Chair in Food Safety, the first of its kind in Canada. Although he agrees the system could use some improvement, Mr. Doering said it is not in a ramshackle state.

“I’m not aware of any system anywhere in the world that’s better than ours on public health reporting for foodborne illness,” he said. “It doesn’t mean it’s perfect. There’s no zero risk. But I’m not aware of any study that demonstrates in any persuasive way that any country has a better food inspection system than Canada.”

Doering is right there is no published study that demonstrates one food safety system is better than another; such comprehensive studies are difficult, expensive and don’t mean much. But the listeria outbreak of 2008 in which 23 died was another international embarrassment, the Ontario salmonella-in-sprouts outbreak that sickened over 600 was another, and what is going on with E. coli O157:H7 in walnuts is another shameful addition.

There are lots of great epidemiologists and public health professionals in the Canadian system – but they are stifled by a system that rewards mediocrity.

The only way consumers will be able to exercise choice is to market food safety at retail, get beyond the platitudes, and show some data.
 

Was it walnuts? E. coli O157:H7 update in Canada

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Some were wondering yesterday if Amira-imported walnuts from California was the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Canada that has sickened 13 and linked to one death.

Keith Warriner of the University of Guelph said there appear to be some unanswered questions in the federal government’s food-safety investigation, so he wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out walnuts aren’t to blame for an outbreak of E. coli in three provinces.

"I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be more like the tomato recall we had," he said Friday.

This is how a single food agency apparently works in Canada:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Sunday announced a voluntary recall of shelled walnut products imported from California by Montreal-based Amira Enterprises Inc., because they may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The agency took action based on information provided by the Canadian Public Health Agency and a risk assessment by Health Canada.

In fact, a senior public health official said Friday there is "no evidence" the Quebecer who died of E. coli illness actually ate any of the walnuts thought to be behind the outbreak. "When we bring information from different people together, they share something in common, and in this particular case, we were looking at food consumption, and this individual did not fit the same pattern," said Dr. Mark Raizenne of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Of the 12 people who were able to provide information about their food consumption history to the Canadian Public Health Agency as part of the investigation, four people reported they hadn’t consumed walnuts.
Those hit by the outbreak consumed foods typically associated with E. coli, such as ground beef, but there was no overlapping brand -meaning the "likely source based on the information that we have" is walnuts, said Raizenne.

To date, no Amira walnut product has tested positive for E. coli, according to CFIA.

Meanwhile, CFIA last night announced the fingered raw shelled walnuts were also available in Vancouver (that’s in Canada) and should be avoided.

Not that it matters, because CBC reported yesterday that those same walnuts are still on store shelves in Montreal.

University of Manitoba food sciences professor Rick Holley said the CFIA does not have the resources to do a proper followup.

"It’s one thing to make a recall, it’s another thing to make sure it happens.”
 

Poopy nuts update; public health hopeless at straight talk

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I generally buy walnuts in a plastic bag, already shelled. Once home, they go into a glass container where I’ll grab a few while puttering in the kitchen, or toss some on a salad, or into Amy’s oatmeal cookies or fiber-brownies (right, displayed this morning by daughter Sorenne).

When the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in walnuts was first announced, early on April 4, 2011, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said people were sick but wouldn’t say how many while fingering walnuts imported from California and imported by Amira Enterprises of St. Laurent, Quebec as the suspected source.

Later on April 4, 2011, the Public Health Agency of Canada issued its own statement, saying 13 were sick and that “consumers who have raw shelled walnuts in their home can reduce the risk of E. coli infection by roasting the walnuts prior to eating them. Consumers should place the nuts on a cooking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, turning the nuts over once after five minutes.”

Sorenne won’t be doing that.

At the time I noted this advice does not account for the risk of cross-contamination with a virulent pathogen and that my microbiology friends look forward to testing it out.

On April 7, 2011, Quebec health types confirmed the death of one person linked to the walnuts and a spokesthingy said, "The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has serious doubts as to whether the infections are related to walnuts, but it’s the most probable source.”

(Are you getting a sense of how well single-food inspection agencies work?)

Late last night, PHAC issued another statement, saying there were 14 people sick in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick, including 10 hospitalizations, 3 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, and one death.

The PHAC statement emphatically states:

“If you have these products in your home, don’t consume them.”

But then goes on to less emphatically state,

“Until further notice, consumers who have raw shelled walnuts in their home can reduce the risk of E. coli infection by roasting the walnuts prior to eating them. Consumers should place the nuts on a cooking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, turning the nuts over once after five minutes. Wash your hands and cooking utensils thoroughly after handling the walnuts.”

So PHAC added a washing recommendation in recognition of cross-contamination risks.

This is sorta hopeless. Throw any suspect walnuts out and don’t underestimate the risk of cross-contamination.

PHAC then ritually stated how people should cook meat to the proper internal temperature, wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them, clean counters and cutting boards and wash your hands regularly.

Sorenne wonders what this has to do with walnuts.

Public Health Agency of Canada, with all your salaries and collaborating bureaucrats, why are you so terrible at talking about food safety (see anything related to PHAC and listeria, 2008).

Consumers are not the critical control point (CCP) for walnuts sitting in a jar at home.
 

Walnuts suspected but not confirmed as E. coli source

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The Montreal Gazette is reporting tonight that public health authorities are still trying to pin down the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has claimed the life of one Quebecer, caused severe kidney complications in another, and sickened 11 others in Canada.

Not much new, other than a few quotes from some of the players.

Adel Boulos, vice-president at Amira Enterprises Inc. said Thursday none of the walnut samples — collected from the individuals who got sick, from stores and from the food importer’s warehouse, adding, "We have decided to do the recall even though none of the walnuts have tested positive. The investigation is going on and we are co-operating fully with the government to make sure that nobody gets sick."

Nathalie Levesque, a provincial Health Department official, said, "The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has serious doubts as to whether the infections are related to walnuts, but it’s the most probable source.”

Read into that what you like. If this was a homegrown product, CFIA would not be saying anything public, based on their past track record (see Maple Leaf). But when it’s imported, CFIA tends to rediscover the basics of epidemiology. Or maybe I’m wrong. If CFIA publically disclosed how, when and why they inform the public about potential food risks, and was consistent, perhaps there would be some confidence in the system.

Alice D’Anjou, a Canadian Food Inspection Agency spokeswoman said, “We got to trace these nuts right back to their source. We’re still trying to identify where the contamination happened, where the problem is, and how to fix it.”

In an advisory issued on Monday, the agency declared that "at this time, the outbreak investigation indicates that several individuals have reported consuming raw shelled walnuts.

The recalled walnuts, all imported by Amira from California, include products sold under the brand names Merit Selection and Tia. The walnuts were sold pre-packaged as well as in bulk bins.
 

Walnuts suspected in Quebec E. coli death

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Quebec’s Health Department confirmed Thursday that one person in the province has died of E. coli O157:H7 after possibly eating contaminated walnuts.

The person had pre-existing health problems, a ministry spokesperson told CBC News.

No other information about the individual was released.

So far, 13 cases of E. coli illness in Canada have been linked to contaminated walnuts distributed by Quebec-based Amira Enterprises.

Nine of the cases have been in Quebec. Two have been confirmed in Ontario along with two in New Brunswick.

Health Canada has been warning people to avoid eating shelled walnuts from bulk bins or certain brands, including Amira, Tia and Merit Selection (right, from CBC, delivery trucks parked outside the Montreal offices of Amira Enterprises).

There has been no additional information for three days. This is Canada, and what with their fourth federal election in seven years, expect the information to be flowing forward in super-duper slow motion.

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