Proposal to close Washington oyster beds when temperatures rise

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Ben Chapman

Vibrio is one of the nastier foodborne pathogens, one of the reasons why I don’t go near raw oysters (the other being that I just don’t like them). In 2014, Washington oyster producers dealt with the fallout from over 70 Vibrio cases linked to their products. The illnesses caused beds to be closed for two months and now, according to AP, the WA State Department of Health is proposing rules that would close the harvest areas proactively.

Local shellfish growers support the recommendations, saying the changes would better protect public health without creating hardships for the local industry.

“I think that’s a more reasonable way of approaching the problem,” Blau Oyster Co. owner Paul Blau said.

Following the seasonlong closure last year, Blau received a state exemption that allowed his company to sell shucked oysters with warning labels. It helped, but the small business still felt an impact.

“Not being able to sell live oysters in the shells . that’s kind of our high-priced product that we sell that time of year,” Blau said.

Under current regulation, inland areas like Samish Bay are subject to summerlong closures if four illnesses are traced back.

“That means a lot of closures are taking place in August and September, when we know most illness occurs in July and August,” state Office of Shellfish and Water Protection spokeswoman Laura Johnson said.

The revision would set water temperature thresholds that would result in shorter harvest times or full closures when exceeded.

“We’re excited about the change. It will be a positive one for public health . and we don’t think we’ll be closed any more than we have historically. We will just be closed proactively,” Taylor Shellfish Farms spokesman Bill Dewey said.

For inland areas, harvest closures would occur at 66 degrees and last until 24 hours after the temperature drops.

Oyster harvesters would also be required to cool shellfish to 50 degrees or less within five hours, as well as report harvest quantity and water temperature to the state agency.

“We know the growth of vibrio is so tied to temperature, it only makes sense that you’re going to be required to record temperatures when you harvest,” Dewey said.

To date, the Department of Health has tracked reports of vibrio-related illness, but not the quantity of oysters sold. The new data-filing requirement will enable the agency to look at the ratio of sickness to the number of oysters consumed.

“Everybody has been frustrated by our historic way of managing vibrio in the state . What we’ve done historically is monitor for illnesses, and then when we get those illnesses we shut it down,” Dewey said. “That’s a really bad way to manage public health, but we didn’t have another tool to do it. I think we’ve come up with a solution in this new rule.”

2 sickened: Fancy food ain’t safe food, Listeria in Wash. ice creamery edition

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Douglas Powell

A Snohomish gourmet ice-cream producer linked to two cases of Listeria poisoning failed a health inspection in October, but state officials didn’t shut it down until the infections came to light.

JoNel Aleccia of the Seattle Times reports the problems detected during the Oct. 15 inspection weren’t deemed “critical,” so the firm continued operations, said Kirk Robinson, assistant director for food safety and consumer services with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).

“When we do an inspection, 90 or above would be a passing inspection,” Robinson said, noting that Snoqualmie scored 87 in October.

Among the problems noted in October: deteriorating floors; excessive dust and “dried, flaking residue” on parts of the pasteurizer vat; “black residue” on metal carts; mold on a bucket used to collect water; standing water in a walk-in cooler; flies; and male workers without facial-hair protection.

The plant, which typically sends 1,000 gallons a day of ice cream, sorbet and gelato to Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, Molly Moon, Seattle’s Space Needle and others, was shut down last week, after the Listeria illnesses were confirmed in two King County men.

200 sick: Lake in Washington suspected for Norovirus outbreak

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Douglas Powell

A mysterious intestinal ailment that struck down about 200 people who swam in a Washington lake has pushed officials to shut down access to the lake.

The swimmers who enjoyed a summer weekend at Horseshoe Lake have been reporting symptoms of nausea, cramps and diarrhea, officials said.

The officials suspect a norovirus may be the culprit but are awaiting test results.

In the meantime the popular Horseshoe Lake County Park swimming site has been closed to vacationers until further notice, they say, and warning signs have been posted on the lake shoreline.

“Although there is no laboratory confirmation of a specific virus or bacteria responsible for the illnesses at this time, Public Health and Kitsap County are issuing the temporary closure as a precautionary measure while they investigate and to protect the public and prevent any additional illnesses,” the county public health district said [pdf] in a statement.

The county park is apparently the only area on the lake affected so far, officials said.

Rats at Adams Morgan sushi restaurant, sewage at Hyattsville Pizza Hut among DC restaurant closures

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Douglas Powell

This week’s WUSA9 Food Alert focuses on restaurant closures for serious health department violations.

Russ Ptacek of WUSA9 reports suspensions include North Sea Carryout on 18th St. NW, Chen’s Gourmet on MacArthur Blvd. NW, Jason’s Sub in Takoma Park, Bubble Tea Café in Westfield Wheaton Mal, Pizza Hut in Hyattsville and Tis Corner Café in Silver Spring.

All the restaurants passed health department re-inspections and are back in business.

In the heart of Adams Morgan, our Food Alert cameras recorded rat feces on the basement floor in a restaurant known for Asian fusion and sushi.

Prior to our visit, health inspectors cited the restaurant, North Sea Carryout on 18th St. NW, for 20 violations

The manager showed us paperwork proving he’d corrected the certified food safety manager violation, and a tour inside showed no sign of large flies cited by inspectors or the thermometer violations cited in the suspension report.

He said an exterminator is battling the situation, but we found rat droppings in two locations in the restaurant’s basement storage area.

We didn’t find any violations in the kitchen.

113 sick On the Border; Washington restaurant Salmonella source still unknown

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Douglas Powell

Health officials are still trying to determine the source of a Salmonella outbreak in Vancouver, Washington, that has sickened more than 100 people.

Clark County Public Health reported 38 confirmed and 76 probable cases of salmonella as of Thursday afternoon, with calls continuing to trickle in as people hear about the outbreak, said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer.

Health officials are still interviewing people who reported symptoms after eating at On the Border Mexican restaurant between Sept. 20 and Oct. 8, when officials closed the eatery to stop the spread of salmonella.

Most of the salmonella cases tied to the restaurant are among adult customers; five food handlers were also sickened. Eight people with salmonella have been hospitalized. As of Thursday, seven of the eight had been released from the hospital, Melnick said.

The restaurant reopened Monday afternoon.

Sushi Land closed after signs of foodborne illness reported

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Douglas Powell

The Bella Bottega Sushi Land in Washington State, part of a chain of restaurants that serve sushi on conveyor belts in Oregon and Washington, was closed Thursday and it was apparently worse than the malfunctioning refrigerator, as originally reported.

Katie Ross, a spokesperson from the King County Department of Health told the Redmond Patch the investigation into the conveyor-belt style sushi restaurant was prompted by complaints of foodborne illness that were reported by parties not affiliated with Sushi Land.

“As a result our environmental health divison did an investigation…and the refrigerator was not the only issue,” Ross said. For example, she said, an employee was observed not washing his hands properly.

Blessed are the cheesemakers who don’t include listeria

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Douglas Powell

A Washington state cheese processor and distributor has agreed to keep its products off the market until they are proven safe for consumption as part of a consent decree of permanent injunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Del Bueno, of Grandview, Wash., which processes a variety of cheeses and distributes them to specialty grocery stores and restaurants, and owner Jesus Rodriguez, agreed to terms of the consent decree entered by U.S. District Judge Lonny R. Suko of the Eastern District of Washington, on April 3.

Under the consent decree, Del Bueno cannot process or distribute food until it demonstrates that it has developed a control program to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes from its production facility and products.

Del Bueno must, among other actions, hire an independent laboratory to collect and analyze samples for the presence of Listeria, retain an independent sanitation expert, develop a program to control Listeria for all employees in both English and Spanish, and destroy all food items currently in the facility. Once the company is permitted to resume operations, the FDA may still require the company to recall products or cease production if future violations occur.

“When a company continues to produce food that presents a risk for consumers, the FDA will take action,” said Dara A. Corrigan, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “We will not hesitate to protect the public’s health.”

FDA and Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) inspections since 2009 have documented numerous deficiencies in Del Bueno’s processing facility. In addition, FDA laboratory testing since 2010 also found Listeria monocytogenes in Del Bueno’s finished cheese products and in the Del Bueno facility. Both the FDA and the WSDA repeatedly advised Del Bueno and its owner of the unsanitary conditions at the facility.

In 2010, Del Bueno cheese was linked to a case of listeriosis in Washington state. Although no illnesses have been reported in 2012 from Del Bueno products, individuals who have eaten these products and experience any of the symptoms of listeriosis listed above should contact their health care professional.

229 sick; norovirus caused cheerleader illness outbreak; don’t barf in public or at least clean it up

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Douglas Powell

Last week, some 300 staff and students in San Francisco were sickened with norovirus believed to have been transmitted by someone barfing on a door handle.

It now appears a similar mode of transmission sickened 229 cheerleaders and cheeries at a Washington state competition.

JoNel Aleccia of msnbc cites Suzanne Pate, spokeswoman for the Snohomish Health District, as confirming Friday that norovirus was the cause, and the outbreak was likely precipitated by people who were ill in public.

"Somebody arrived at the event sick," said Pate, noting that janitorial crews were called to clean up vomit in a restroom and on an adjacent walkway. Those areas were likely exposure sites for the cheer and dance teams, she said.

Some 229 people were sickened and least 33 people sought medical attention for their illnesses, state health officials said late Friday. That number is expected to grow as the investigation continues.

A Comcast Arena spokeswoman said officials had sanitized the premises in accordance with federal health guidelines before a new event scheduled for Friday night. Tests of the arena’s water supply showed no problems, Pate said.

"It’s probably the best-scrubbed place in the county," she added.

Cheerleader toll climbs to 200 after Washington tournament

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Douglas Powell

Nearly 200 people across the state have reported illnesses after attending a high school cheer and dance event in Everett earlier this month.

Preliminary survey results show at least 192 reports of illness from participants and adults who attended the event Feb. 4. Students and adults from Columbia River and Skyview high schools in Vancouver attended the event.

The Washington State Department of Health is investigating the cause of the outbreak.

As part of the investigation, questionnaires were sent to participants and their families and stool samples are being collected for testing at the state Public Health Laboratories.

More than 3,000 people attended the event and more than 1,000 competed in the State Cheerleading and Salute to Spirit in cheer and dance/drill.

3 sick with E. coli in Wash. state; raw milk products recalled

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Douglas Powell

At least three people are sick with shiga-toxin producing E. coli in Washington state, and whole and skim raw milk and cream from Cozy Vale Creamery in Tenino with sell-by dates of Dec. 6 or earlier is being recalled.

The recall was initiated after Washington State Department of Agriculture environmental swabbing at the facility discovered that locations in the milking parlor and processing areas were contaminated with toxin-producing E. coli.

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