Sandwiches and sold by Safeway and Carrs stores in Alaska recalled

Sandwiches and sold by Safeway and Carrs stores in Alaska recalled

In cooperation with the Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce recall of cucumbers that may be contaminated with Salmonella Poona, Safeway is voluntarily recalling made-to-order deli sandwiches with cucumbers produced by Andrew and Williamson and sold in nine Safeway and Carrs stores in Alaska.

Sandwiches were sold from August 1 through September 4 from the full-service sandwich counter. The stores include:

• Carrs at 1725 Abbott Rd., Anchorage, AK 99507
• Carrs at 1650 W Northern Lights Blvd., Anchorage, AK 99517
• Carrs at 5600 Debarr Rd., Anchorage, AK 99504
• Carrs at 1340 Gambell St., Anchorage, AK 99501
• Carrs at 1501 Huffman Rd., Anchorage, AK 99515
• Safeway at 1907 Seward Hwy., Seward, AK 99664
• Safeway at 1313 Meals St., Valdez, AK 99686
• Safeway at 90 Sterling Hwy., Homer, AK 99603
• Safeway at 301 N Santa Claus Ln., North Pole, AK 99705

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

No illnesses have been associated with Safeway or Carrs sandwiches. We are recalling the sandwiches out of an abundance of caution.

Customers who purchased the recalled sandwiches from the above-listed stores should discard or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Customers who have questions about the recall can contact Safeway at 1-877-SAFEWAY or Andrew and Williamson at 1-844-483-3864.

25 Cases of Botulism Linked to Fish Oil

A botulism outbreak in Bristol Bay communities is being monitored by state and local health officials, according to the state Department of Epidemiology, which said Wednesday that more than 25 people have so far been linked to a batch of contaminated seal oil produced in the village of Twin Hills.

Several people have been hospitalized, some are being monitored and health officials are still trying to contact others.

The first botulism cases were reported Friday after two people were flown from the village of Quinhagak to Bethel for care. The two were later taken by medevac to Anchorage and remained on respiratory support Wednesday, reportedly unable to breathe on their own, according to a state official monitoring the outbreak.

Three others from Quinhagak were treated for symptoms of botulism, and others in Twin Hills and Dillingham have reported symptoms or are being monitored. One child has also shown symptoms of the disease, which can be fatal, according to Dr. Michael Cooper, the infectious disease program manager at the Department of Epidemiology.

"This is a very concerning outbreak," said Cooper. "This is one of the largest clusters of botulism we've ever seen."

An investigation linked the illnesses to a batch of seal oil produced in Twin Hills, and Cooper said testing conducted at a state lab revealed the oil was particularly toxic.

"When it was tested, it came back at the highest level the lab instrument can measure for botulinum toxin," he said Wednesday.

The testing was completed Tuesday, and Wednesday morning, the state dispatched a second public health nurse from Anchorage to continue the investigation out of Dillingham.

"In an odd twist to this case, after we showed preliminary test results to the family who produced the oil, they sort of refused to stop eating or serving it," said Cooper.

The state did not have further details Wednesday about where that batch of seal oil may have been sold or traded in the region.

Botulism is a paralytic illness caused by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. In Alaska, botulism occurs almost always in fermented or preserved foods like improperly canned fish and "stink heads," according to a 2011 report from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. According to state data, seal oil appears to be one of the main culprits behind botulism cases in Alaska, responsible for 54 outbreaks from 1950 to 2010.

"Botulism can be lethal," said Dr. Catherine Hyndman, a family physician at the Kanakanak Hospital in Dillingham, where staff were helping track and treat infected individuals. "But one of the big problems, as many know, is that botulism toxin does not necessarily smell or taste out of the ordinary. The food can look and seem to be perfectly normal, but yet be contaminated."

Early symptoms may include nausea and gastrointestinal distress such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. According to Hyndman, early signs of muscle paralysis are indicative of botulism.

"This is a poison that paralyzes the muscles," she said. "The smallest muscle is the muscle that moves the eye to the sides, to the right or the left, and oftentimes that is the first muscle that is paralyzed." Blurred or double vision, unreactive pupils or drooping eyelids can be a sign of botulism poisoning.

Symptoms may appear as early as one day or as late as 10 days after consumption of contaminated food. Health officials are urging those who may have eaten some of the contaminated seal oil to seek medical advice and perhaps plan to be near a medical care facility for observation.

Source Alaska News Dispatch

Alaskan Salmon and Cod Recalled Due to Botulism

Big Blue Fisheries is recalling ALL smoked products because the products may not have been properly cooked and can be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death.

Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled..

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

Big Blue Fisheries initiated a voluntary recall after Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) conducted a routine inspection and discovered that some of their products may not have been properly cooked. To date, there have been no reported illnesses or consumer complaints.

The firm’s products sold under Big Blue Fisheries brand and Sitka Alaska Smoked Fish were distributed locally in Sitka, Alaska and wholesale nationwide between 09/24/11 to 09/24/13. Products were also sold from internet through the website: http://alaskasmokedfish.com throught Canada and the United States.

Products were sold in vacuum packed plastic packages with labels located on the front that include the pack date and AK#604.

Product Description	Weight	Pack Date
Pepper Smoked King Salmon	½lb to 1 lb	Between 9/24/11 and 9/24/13
Hickory Smoked King Salmon
Teriyaki Smoked King Salmon
Hickory Smoked Black Cod
Smoked Coho Salmon Bellies
Smoked King Salmon Bellies
Hickory Smoked Coho Salmon
Pepper Smoked Coho Salmon
Teriyaki Smoked Coho Salmon
Smoked Wild Silver (Coho) Salmon Filet	1lb to 2.5lbs
Variety Smoke Pack	1.5lbs

Consumers who have purchased the affected products should discard or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about the recall, including product returns, may contact Big Blue Fisheries at (907) 966-9999 from 9 AM - 5 PM Alaska time Monday – Friday.