FDA Investigating a Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Concord Linked to Tahini Produced by Achdut Ltd.

November 27, 2018 United States Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Concord illnesses linked to tahini imported from an Israeli manufacturer, Achdut Ltd., located in Ari’el, Israel. Achdut Ltd. has voluntarily recalled all brands of tahini products manufactured from April 7, 2018 to May 21, 2018 with expiration dates of April 7, 2020 to May 21, 2020.   Recommendations The FDA is advising consumers not to eat recalled Achva, Achdut, Soom, S&F, Pepperwood, and Baron’s brand tahini with expiration dates ranging from April 7, 2020 to May 21, 2020. The product lot codes range from 18-097 to 18-141. Consumers should discard the product or return the product to the store for a refund. Some brands of tahini manufactured by Achdut Ltd. may lack specific dates or may have labels that are written in Hebrew. Consumers who have purchased a tahini product and are uncertain of where the product was manufactured or cannot identify the brand by lot codes or expiration dates should use caution and discard the product or return the food to the store for a refund. More product information and pictures of the recalled product labels can be found in the firm’s recall announcement. Retailers and restaurants should not use any of the recalled tahini manufactured by Achdut Ltd. at their establishments. Retailers and restaurants should throw the product out.  Firms that may have used the recalled tahini (either repacked or used as an ingredient in a food without a kill step) should consider recalling their products. Recalls should be reported to your local FDA office. A list of recall coordinators can be found here. Consumers who have symptoms of salmonellosis should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care. Background CDC identified five ill people in the U.S. infected with Salmonella Concord that had the same genetic fingerprint as the Salmonella Concord found in tahini sampled at the point of import into the United States. Of the five U.S. cases interviewed, all five reported consuming hummus made with tahini; three people reported eating tahini or hummus made with tahini in a restaurant in the U.S., while the other two people reported consuming tahini or hummus made with tahini during international travel. A sample of imported tahini collected by FDA at the point of import tested positive for Salmonella Concord. The tahini was Baron’s brand manufactured by Achdut Ltd. This manufacturer was placed on an FDA Import Alert, detaining additional product from the firm at the U.S. border until evidence is presented demonstrating that Salmonella is not present in the product. Whole genome sequencing analysis has indicated the positive sample of imported Baron’s brand tahini is highly related to clinical isolates from ill people in the U.S.

Safety tip: How to travel safely

Safety tip: How to travel safely Before you take to the roads (or skies) this holiday season, make sure you are ready for both the expected and unexpected. These simple tips can help make the difference. • Know before you go: Check local road conditions (https://www.nmroads.com/mapIndex.html?), weather forecasts (https://www.weather.gov), and news for each part of your journey so you can pack and prepare accordingly. Check your vehicle condition carefully, and pay particular attention to safety equipment (lights, wipers, car jack, spare tire, etc.). • Stick to main roads/highways when possible: If there is adverse weather expected, stick to the main roads. You can go sightseeing later when the weather is better. Highway crews prioritize the clearing of busy roads during storms, and usually have no capability of ever clearing small roads. • Let others know your plans: Make sure friends/family are aware of your travel plans, to include the route(s) you plan to take, and when to expect you. Importantly, stick to the planned route(s), or let them know if you have to change plans. • Bring extra blankets, clothes, and supplies: You may be perfectly fine driving in bad weather, but other people on the road might not be as skilled. If they cause you to crash, make sure you are able to get by until emergency help arrives. An extra coat, blanket, some food and water can all be very helpful. • Make sure your cellphone is charged, and bring along a car charger. It is difficult to communicate with others, including calling for help, if you don’t have a way to do it. If you plan on listening to music from your phone, keep it plugged in so your battery is still in good shape so you can call if you need to. • Slow down in bad weather: If you encounter bad weather, like rain, sleet or snow, slow down. Wet pavement reduces traction, which makes braking difficult. If you have to stop, try to plan where you will pull off the road. Look for level, paved shoulders, rest areas, parking lots, etc. If you are still near the road, stay in your vehicle, keep your seatbelt on, and turn on your hazard lights. • Keep fuel in your tank: Winter is not the time to try to see how far you can go before you run out of fuel. When you get below half a tank and have an opportunity to refuel, take it. Remember, a winter storm may mean power is out in the place you otherwise might have been planning to get fuel, and you could be stuck. • If stranded, stay warm and ration supplies: If you get stranded in a storm in winter, stay inside the vehicle if possible to avoid being exposed to frigid temperatures. Ration food, water, and fuel, and get out that blanket you brought to help stay warm. If needed, run the vehicle for about 10 minutes each hour to generate heat, but make sure the tailpipe/exhaust pipe is not blocked, and crack a window so you don’t get carbon monoxide in the car.

Dont wash your chicken

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and during this time of year it is important to take steps to stay healthy. Well, one way to stay healthy is to not wash your turkey or chicken! Sounds weird, right?

Developed by New Mexico State University in collaboration with Drexel University, “Don’t Wash Your Chicken” is an online resource about how to properly prepare chicken or turkey. Washing your poultry under running water splashes bacteria all over you, your kitchen towels, your countertops, and any other food you have nearby. The safest way to get rid of bacteria is to simply cook your bird to the proper temperature.

“Don’t Wash Your Chicken” includes an animation (screen capture below) that shows how bacteria from raw chicken or turkey splatters everywhere under running water!

The message and multimedia materials for “Don’t Wash Your Chicken” were featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, NBC's Today show, CBS's The Doctors, ABC's The Chew, FOX network, and more than 500 regional TV stations and newspapers. Written pieces appeared in Slate’s Browbeat, NPR’s The Salt, and dozens of other blogs and news sites.

To learn more about steps to take towards staying healthy, check out the link below for more information:

https://aces.nmsu.edu/dontwashyourchicken/index.html#anchor_118684