“The sick person reported that the condiment container also contained onions, but none were left in the cup when it was tested,” wrote the CDC. “Because multiple food items were present in the container and in the sample that was tested, it is not possible to know which food item was contaminated. We are using this information in conjunction with other available information to help narrow the list of possible foods linked to illness.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning consumers that a multistate salmonella Thompson outbreak has been linked to a Colorado seafood company.
Seafood distributed by Northeast Seafood Products of Denver has been recalled following reports that people became sick after consuming a variety of raw and cooked seafood at restaurants and grocery stores, according to the agency.
Northeast Seafood Products was identified as the common supplier in the places where some of the consumers became ill, according to the CDC.
The CDC has been tracking the outbreak that’s sickened people in 14 states. To date, there have been 102 illnesses and 19 people have been hospitalized.
Federal health officials said seafood from Northeast Seafood Products has been distributed to restaurants and grocery stores – including Albertsons, Safeway and Sprouts – throughout Colorado up until Oct. 7.
The warning covers Haddock, Monkfish, Bone-in Trout, Grouper, Red Snapper, Red Rock Cod, Ocean Perch, Pacific Cod, Halibut, Coho Salmon, Atlantic Salmon Portions, Lane Snapper, Tilapia, All Natural Salmon Fillet, Pacific Sole and Farm Raised Striped Bass, according to the CDC.
The products were fresh when they were first distributed but may have been frozen later by consumers and businesses, the CDC continued.
SALMONELLA OUTBREAK FROM UNKNOWN SOURCE SPREADS TO 29 STATES
This outbreak is just one of four multistate salmonella outbreaks that the CDC is currently investigating.
While the outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg has an unknown food source, two others have been linked to Italian style-meats and raw frozen breaded stuffed chicken products.
According to the CDC, most people who become infected with the bacteria have diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps with symptoms lasting up to seven days.
However, children younger than 5 years old, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk for severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization, the CDC said.
On 10/8/2021, Northeast Seafood Products, Inc. recalled the following products
Haddock,
- Monkfish,
- Bone-in Trout,
- Grouper,
- Red Snapper,
- Red Rock Cod,
- Ocean Perch,
- Pacific Cod,
- Halibut,
- Coho Salmon,
- Atlantic Salmon Portions,
- Lane Snapper,
- Tilapia,
- All Natural Salmon Fillet,
- Pacific Sole,
- Farm Raised Striped Bass.
While the outbreak has spread to more than half the country, Texas has the most cases, with 111. Other states with relatively high counts include Oklahoma (63), Virginia (38), Illinois (28), and Maryland (22).
Common symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, but most people recover without specific treatment. Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days. The most harmful effects to be aware of include a fever higher than 102 degrees F, diarrhea for more than three days, bloody diarrhea, extensive vomiting, and severe dehydration, according to the CDC. The federal health agency estimates that 26,500 people are hospitalized every year due to salmonella exposure and about 420 Americans die annually from related illness. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness.
Although the U.S. saw a major salmonella outbreak linked to Italian-style meats earlier this month, a study released September 24 in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report identified 26 percent fewer infections transmitted by food during 2020 compared with the average annual number during 2017–2019. Scientists attributed the decline in part to safety measures instituted during the pandemic.
On October 6, the CDC ended another investigation of salmonella contamination in Bright Farms packaged salad greens that began back in mid-July of this year. That outbreak, which sickened 31 and hospitalized four in four states, is now officially over.
“Consumers can reduce their risk of foodborne illness by following safe food-handling and preparation recommendations,” wrote the study authors.