Statement explains food safety credentials of aquaponic produce

The Aquaponics Association presents the 2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement, signed by over 130 organizations, including 98 from the U.S. This statement explains the food…

Plants and plant products exported to EU countries to carry phytosanitary certificates soon

Phytosanitary certificates will have to accompany most plants and plant products — including some foods — entering the European Union (EU) counties beginning Dec. 14. The new…

Dole Fresh Vegetables announces precautionary limited recall of colorful coleslaw

Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of cases of Colorful Coleslaw. This precautionary recall notification is being issued due to a sample of President’s Choice Colorful Coleslaw which yielded a positive result for Salmonella in a random sample test conducted by the…

Contamination caused by broken light fitting

New Zealand: Strawberries recalled as glass is found in punnet

In Porirua, a Pak'nSave supermarket has pulled punnets of strawberries from sale after one of them was found to contain glass. People who bought Zakberry-brand strawberries from Pak'nSave Porirua on December 2 have been asked to check them and return the product for a refund as it could contain plastic…

E.coli recall in US

"Outbreaks like these are another confirmation that the future of the industry will be indoors"

The FDA has not yet linked any specific romaine lettuce grower, supplier, distributor, or brand to the E.coli outbreak in Salinas, California. This week the outbreak has spread further with 67 people reported sick in 19 states. Just like last year around Thanksgiving, the advice is not to eat Romaine…

Total number of people infected by E. Coli from Salinas California romaine lettuce rises to 67

As of November 25th, a total of 67 people are confirmed to have been infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7, found in romaine lettuce. This number is up by 27 people since a previous update from November 22nd. The infected people are spread across at least 19 states. The continued advice from…

ToBRFV spreads further in Europe

The next country where ToBRFV is found is Spain. Rafael Sánchez Trujillo, head of the Plant Health Service of the Junta de Andalucía, spoke about finding the virus in an Almeria greenhouse during the…

Hong Kong government suspends import and sale of romaine lettuce from Salinas

Following The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) announcement about the possible contamination of romaine lettuce from…

Turkey provides farmers with "spinach" training

Following the recent poisoning cases from spinach, Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli announced that farmers will be provided with training on spinach and said: "We need to further explain to them how to prepare bunches and what to send to the market and what not to send to the…

E.coli recall in US

FDA: "Greenhouse and indoor grown lettuce safe"

There's only 37 days left on the calendar before 2020 starts, but in the US it might feel like a throwback to 2018. Just like last year, there's a recall of Romaine Lettuce in the week before Thanksgiving. And just like last year, greenhouse and indoor grown lettuce are declared safe. A total of 40 people…

Ireland: Minister for food, forestry and horticulture launches plant health and biosecurity strategy

The Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle, T.D., today launched DAFM’s Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy This strategy outlines the importance of plant health biosecurity for Ireland, as well as ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are aware of the risks to plant…

Nearly 100,000 pounds of salad products recalled because of E. coli

The Missa Bay company, working out of Swedesboro, New Jersey, is recalling approximately 97,272 pounds of salad products because the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated…

Hepatitis A outbreak related to blackberries sold by Fresh Thyme

A multi-state outbreak of Hepatitis A has been linked to eating blackberries purchased at Fresh Thyme grocery stores in three states: Indiana, Nebraska and Wisconsin. These…

Ready Pac still says: No recall for salads linked to this outbreak

US officials name romaine in Maryland E. coli outbreak

At least 20 people in Wisconsin have E. coli infections, linked to an outbreak in Maryland that has been traced to ready-to-eat romaine lettuce salads. Some officials,…

Through to November 2020

FDA will test romaine lettuce for pathogens

After four outbreaks in less than two years where likely contaminated romaine lettuce contained deadly E. coli O157: H7, the Food and Drug Administration has decided to turn to microbial testing for clues for the next year to try to figure out what’s happening. Earlier this year, the agency announced…

Toxic weeds found among spinach samples

Spinach hospitalises dozens in Turkey

At least 66 people have been hospitalized across Turkey over the past four days for food poisoning that is suspected to have originated from spinach mixed with a toxic weed. The case is serious enough to have prompted officials to launch an investigation and gather samples. Istanbul's health authority on…

2018 outbreak analysed

First Australian Salmonella Havana outbreak has been traced to alfalfa sprouts

According to researchers, the Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts last year was, in fact, the first identified Salmonella Havana occurrence in Australia. During June 2018, an increase in Salmonella Havana was detected through routine surveillance by the Communicable Disease Control Branch…

Istanbul, Edirne, Tekirdağ and Kocaeli provinces

Health Minister Koca urges calm over spinach food poisoning

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca urged citizens not to panic amid an increasing number of food poisoning cases due to spinach consumption. The number of patients poisoned from spinach mixed with toxic herbs has risen to 196, Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Tuesday, adding that there was no need for…

EU again hits Kenyan produce with ‘high chemical use’ label

The European Union has returned Kenya to the list of countries that use high levels of crop protection agents on their horticultural produce. This, again, poses a threat to exports, the country's major source of foreign exchange. The negative labelling comes just five months after Kenya was delisted in…

US: New outbreak of E.coli possibly linked to Romaine lettuce

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration shared news of a recent E.coli outbreak, involving 23 illnesses, that was likely associated with romaine lettuce. No deaths were reported. The active investigation has reached its end and the outbreak appears to be over. The FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease…

reporting obligation of possible infection

ToBRFV: Q-status in Europe starts today

As of today, the ToBRF virus has a quarantine status in the European Union. This means, among other things, that Member States are obliged to inform anyone who may be at risk…

possible second contamination in Westland

Netherlands: In addition to ToBRFV, PepMV also found at Dutch growers

In a report, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) provides more details about the discovery of the Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) in vine tomatoes at a greenhouse horticultural company in the Westland, the Netherlands. Among other things, it is reported that the infection…

US (GA): Center for Produce Safety funds UGA food science produce safety research

Three University of Georgia food scientists are among the recipients of grants awarded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) as part of its $2.7 million program. The grants will fund projects focused on food safety issues related to fruits and vegetables. “Right now, you hear a lot about Cyclospora causing…

Deadly fungus found in Far North Queensland

The Poison Fire Coral, one of world’s deadliest fungi, has been found in Far North Queensland for the first time. It is a long way from its usual home in the mountains of Japan and Korea. Dr Matt Barrett of James Cook University, confirmed the identity of the Poison Fire Coral fungus after local photographer…

Until now 71 people infected

Tomatoes linked to Salmonella outbreak in Sweden

Tomatoes are the probable source of a Salmonella outbreak in Sweden, according to public health officials. Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency of Sweden) identified 71…

Outbreak traced to basil from Mexico

CDC: 241 confirmed victims in Cyclospora outbreak

Last Monday, the CDC waited declared an end to a cyclosporiasis outbreak that was traced to basil from Mexico. The tally of laboratory-confirmed patients stands at 241, with…

United Fresh and PMA issue joint statement on Romaine Task Force report

Below is a joint statement from Cathy Burns, CEO, Produce Marketing Association and Tom Stenzel, President & CEO, United Fresh Produce Association: "After the immediate crisis…

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