Ongoing Outbreaks: What We Can Learn from the Most Recent Carrot and Cucumber Outbreaks
Last month in our blog, we highlighted the recent E. Coli outbreak stemming from onions served at McDonald’s restaurants. In our blog, we highlighted some key considerations when serving fresh produce that often lacks the kill step that we have with most proteins. However, since that blog was published, we’ve had two more high profile outbreaks across the United States involving fresh produce.
In November, a recall was initiated by a company when their carrots, which were packed as both a standalone product (whole organic carrots) and in organic and conventional vegetable medley packages after it was suspected that they may have been contaminated with E. coli O121:H19. As of late November 2024, investigations by the FDA and CDC have linked contaminated carrots to over 39 illnesses, 15 hospitalizations, and one death.
Cases span the US, including states from Washington, Oregon, and California to states as far east as New York and Massachusetts. The carrots in question were distributed by a national brand and primarily sold at large retail chains. The FDA has issued a recall of the implicated products, urging consumers to check their purchases and discard affected items. The source of contamination appears to be linked to agricultural water used during irrigation.
Almost simultaneously, a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak has been tied to fresh cucumbers distributed to 36 states. As of this writing in early-December 2024, the outbreak has resulted in 68 reported illnesses across 19 states, with 18 hospitalizations. While no fatalities have been recorded, the widespread nature of the contamination has prompted significant recalls, affecting not only whole cucumbers but also prepackaged salads and sushi products containing the cucumbers.
Retailers and distributors are cooperating with the FDA to remove affected products from store shelves. But for consumers and foodservice operators, it is recommended to avoid eating or serving cucumbers unless you can confirm their origin and safety.
…both of these outbreaks underscore the risk of cross-contamination during food handling and processing.
There isn’t much more that I can add to last month’s blog post related to handling fresh produce, but both of these outbreaks underscore the risk of cross-contamination during food handling and processing. While cucumbers are often considered low risk in terms of contamination, improper handling during washing and packaging can easily spread harmful bacteria. Many times our employees don’t always consider these as “potentially hazardous,” but we must ensure that we follow the same strict sanitation protocols that we require with meat products to prevent cross-contact between contaminated and uncontaminated products.
These incidents underscore the importance of maintaining rigorous safety standards at every step of the food supply chain. From farming to processing and distribution, gaps in safety practices can lead to significant public health risks. Foodservice managers play a role in this system by staying informed about recalls and acting upon those recalls quickly.
As federal agencies continue to investigate these outbreaks, ongoing collaboration between regulators, producers, and foodservice operators is essential to preventing future incidents and ensure a safer food supply. Risk Nothing.
To Toss or Not to Toss? That is the question.
Our first blog for the month emphasized the basic safe food practices needed to keep you and your guests healthy (and happy!), especially during these times of COVID. The impact of foodborne illness can range from an uncomfortable few days to hospitalization or death. Foodborne illness IS preventable and the steps taken to keep food safe also maintain quality of food, and ultimately profitability. Think of attention to food safety as part of quality control and a win-win business strategy. Knowledge about food safety can be helpful when controlling costs as making wise decisions when determining the fate of unserved food can affect the bottom line.
Holiday Food Safety Controls
In case you have not noticed - the holidays are here! We have seen store decorations up since mid-September and early bird deals advertised for several weeks, stretching the typical Black Friday deals throughout the month as retailers strive to ensure market share, while following increasingly stringent mandates for physical distancing
Proper Cooling: Your Food-Safe Culture Demands It
Last week, we had a great webinar presented by Dr. Paola Paez from the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs at Kansas State University. If you were not able to join us, please feel free to go back and review the webinar to learn some valuable ways in which you can implement safe cooling practices in your foodservice operation.
Why Cooling Foods Correctly Isn’t Something to Chill Out Over
Every year one in every six individuals or 48 million Americans experience a foodborne illness. When an outbreak occurs at your restaurant, the investigation process can be difficult. Are you ready?
