XPost: alt.food.taco-bell, misc.invest.stocks   
   From: social-justice@costco.com   
      
   May 4, 2016   
   On this page:   
      
   What is the Problem and What is being Done About It?   
   What are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?   
   Who is at Risk?   
   What Specific Products were Recalled?   
   What Do Restaurants and Retailers Need To Do?   
   What Do Consumers Need To Do?   
   Who Should be Contacted?   
   Additional Information   
      
   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration along with the Centers for   
   Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local   
   officials are investigating listeriosis linked to frozen   
   vegetables.   
      
   What is the Problem and What is Being Done About It?   
      
   The FDA, CDC and state and local officials are investigating a   
   multi-state outbreak of listeriosis identified in March 2016.   
      
   The CDC reports that eight people infected with the outbreak   
   strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from three   
   states (California, Maryland and Washington) from September 2013   
   – March 2016. Ill people ranged in age from 56 to 86, with a   
   median age of 76. Epidemiology and laboratory evidence available   
   at this time indicates that frozen vegetables produced by CRF   
   Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington, and sold under various brand   
   names are one likely source of illnesses in this outbreak. As   
   discussed further below, CRF Frozen Foods has initiated a recall   
   of certain products.   
      
   As part of a routine product sampling program the Ohio   
   Department of Agriculture collected packages of frozen vegetable   
   products from a retail location and isolated Listeria   
   monocytogenes from True Goodness by Meijer brand frozen organic   
   white sweet cut corn and frozen organic petite green peas. Both   
   products were produced by CRF Frozen Foods.   
      
   Whole genome sequencing showed that the Listeria monocytogenes   
   isolate from the frozen corn was closely related genetically to   
   seven bacterial isolates from ill people, and the Listeria   
   monocytogenes isolate from the frozen peas was closely related   
   genetically to one isolate from an ill person. This close   
   genetic relationship provides additional evidence that the   
   people in this outbreak became ill from eating frozen vegetables   
   produced by CRF Frozen Foods.   
      
   Based on the positive findings by the Ohio Department of   
   Agriculture, on April 22, 2016, CRF recalled 11 frozen vegetable   
   products because they may be contaminated with Listeria   
   monocytogenes. On May 2, 2016, following a conversation between   
   FDA, CDC and the firm, CRF Frozen Foods expanded its recall to   
   include all of its frozen organic and traditional fruit and   
   vegetable products manufactured or processed in CRF Frozen   
   Foods’ Pasco facility since May 1, 2014. Approximately 358   
   consumer products sold under 42 separate brands were recalled.   
      
   Additionally, March 2016 environmental samples collected by FDA   
   from Oregon Potato Company, located in Pasco, WA, were found to   
   be closely related genetically to seven of the isolates of ill   
   people associated with this outbreak. Based on this information,   
   Oregon Potato Company voluntarily recalled wholesale onion   
   products, which led to subsequent downstream customer recalls,   
   one disclaimer icon of which publicly disclosed Oregon Potato   
   Company as its product source. FDA is working to identify other   
   parts of the relevant supply chain that may have product   
   relating to this outbreak. However, FDA is prohibited by law   
   from releasing publicly certain information about supply chains,   
   which may constitute confidential commercial information.   
      
   FDA will continue to investigate to determine what, if any,   
   connection exists between the product sample isolates and the   
   environmental samples. This is a complex and ongoing   
   investigation, and updates will be communicated as they become   
   available.   
      
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   What are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?   
      
   Listeriosis is a rare but serious illness usually caused by   
   eating food contaminated with the bacteria called Listeria   
   monocytogenes. Anyone who experiences fever and muscle aches,   
   sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal   
   symptoms, or develops fever and chills while pregnant after   
   eating any of the products listed below should seek medical care   
   and tell the health care provider about eating the potentially   
   contaminated frozen vegetables. Symptoms can appear from a few   
   days up to a few weeks after consumption of the contaminated   
   food.   
      
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   Who is at Risk?   
      
   Listeriosis can be fatal, especially in certain high-risk   
   groups. These groups include the elderly, and people with   
   weakened immune systems and certain chronic medical conditions   
   (such as cancer). In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause   
   miscarriage, stillbirth, premature labor, and serious illness or   
   death in newborn babies.   
      
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   What Specific Products were Recalled?   
      
   On April 22, 2016, CRF Frozen Foods recalled 11 frozen vegetable   
   products because they may be contaminated with Listeria. On May   
   2, 2016, CRF Frozen Foods expanded its recall to include all   
   frozen organic and traditional fruit and vegetable products   
   manufactured or processed in CRF Frozen Foods’ Pasco facility   
   since May 1, 2014. Products have best by dates of April 26,   
   2016, thru April 26, 2018, and may have been purchased in all   
   fifty U.S. states and the following Canadian Provinces: British   
   Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan.   
      
   Refer to FDA’s Recall Notice for the full list of CRF Frozen   
   Foods that were recalled.   
      
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   What Do Restaurants and Retailers Need To Do?   
      
   Retailers and restaurants should not serve any of the recalled   
   products and should dispose of them. If they do not know the   
   source of their frozen vegetable products, they should check   
   with the supplier.   
      
   Wash and sanitize display cases and refrigerators where   
   potentially contaminated products were stored.   
      
   Wash and sanitize cutting boards, surfaces, and utensils used to   
   cut, serve, or store potentially contaminated products.   
      
   Wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and   
   sanitation process.   
      
   Retailers, restaurants, and other food service operators who   
   have processed and packaged any potentially contaminated   
   products need to be concerned about cross contamination of   
   cutting surfaces and utensils through contact with the   
   potentially contaminated products.   
      
   Regular frequent cleaning and sanitizing of cutting boards and   
   utensils used in processing may help to minimize the likelihood   
   of cross-contamination.   
      
   Listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures in foods.   
   Listeria can also cross contaminate other food cut and served on   
   the same cutting board or stored in the same area.   
      
   Retailers, restaurants, and other food service operators may   
   wish to consider whether other foods available for sale could   
   have been cross-contaminated from the potentially contaminated   
   products, and should be discarded.   
      
   Firms who have re-labeled, re-packed, or used the recalled   
   products to produce new products that have not received a   
   thermal kill step should contact the FDA Recall Coordinator in   
      
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