The Food and Drug Administration has initiated onsite inspections in two outbreak investigations.
One of the outbreaks involves E. coli O26:H11 infections from unpasteurized Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses, which were distributed nationwide. The Food and Drug Administration has not reported what location is being inspected.
The outbreak has sickened at least 13 people across nine states coast to coast. There have been eight hospitalizations. Three of the patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which causes kidney failure and sometimes brain damage or death. The sick people live in California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah.
The second outbreak the FDA has begun onsite inspections for is at an undisclosed location. It involves Listeria monocytogenes infections of unknown origin. There are 11 patients, but the FDA is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency previously initiated traceback efforts, but has not revealed what food it is tracing.
In other outbreak news, the source of 38 E. coli O157:H7 infections has been determined to be ready-to-eat, multi-ingredient chicken wraps. The brand or location of sale of the implicated chicken wraps has not been disclosed by the FDA nor the USDA, which has jurisdiction over the product because it contains chicken. The FDA has initiated an onsite inspection, but has not revealed what location is being inspected.
The chicken wraps were removed from the market before the link to the outbreak was confirmed and they are no longer available for sale and past their shelf life, according to the FDA. The USDA has not posted information about the outbreak except to link back to the FDA outbreak table. The FDA is continuing to investigate the source of the outbreak, including possible ingredient level contamination.
For an outbreak of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-, the outbreak has ended. FDA’s investigation is ongoing. There were 43 patients identified, but the FDA did not reveal their ages or where they live. The agency is conducting onsite inspections, traceback and sample testing, but it has not reported where the inspections are taking place, what food is being traced or what is being tested.