British Columbia health officials have issued a public alert not to consume Gort’s cheese products after four confirmed and four potential cases of E. coli O157:H7 surfaced there since July. One person hospitalized with symptoms of E. coli infection reportedly died in August, according to a Tuesday story in the Vancouver Sun, and another seven others sickened in Alberta have been connected with the B.C. outbreak. The problem was linked to Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm in Salmon Arm, B.C., which stopped selling and shipping all of its cheese products as of Saturday, Sept. 14. According to the company’s website, Gort’s does not ship cheese products to the United States. Health officials with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) were not initially aware there was an E. coli outbreak until a cluster of cases was confirmed in late August. “We couldn’t pick (the E. coli problem) up in July or early August because the number of people infected was very low,” said Dr. Eleni Galanis, a BCCDC epidemiologist. She added that anyone who had eaten Gort’s cheese products in the past 10 days and had severe diarrhea or felt very ill should see a doctor, and that anyone with uneaten Gort’s cheese products at home should discard them. E. coli is a bacterium which infects the digestive tract. It can cause stomach cramps and mild to severe diarrhea, and, in some cases, can lead to life-threatening kidney problems and even death. There is more information about the risks of E. coli on the BCCDC website.
The News Desk team at Food Safety News covers breaking developments, regulatory updates, recalls, and key topics shaping food safety today. These articles are produced collaboratively by our editorial staff.
Authorities in Lithuania are investigating two cases of foodborne botulism linked to fish sold at a market.
The State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) conducted an inspection at a market
Parents in Arizona are reporting that their children became infected with E. coli after interaction with animals at the Arizona State Fair petting zoo.
A non-profit group that works with
A Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak traced to eggs that sickened more than 100 people has been declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There were 105 confirmed patients
Gear Isle is voluntarily recalling chocolate products because they have been found to contain undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients, sildenafil and tadalafil.
The recalled products are: Gold Lion Aphrodisiac Chocolate Sachet,
Schreiber Foods Inc. of Green Bay, WI, is recalling 144 Cases of Honey Almond Cream Cheese Spread, because it may contain undeclared almonds. People who have an allergy or severe
Falcon Trading Company Inc. is recalling organic black bean products because they contain pesticide residue.
The Royal Oaks, CA, company is recalling the three items listed below. Because these items
