LISTING OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRESS RELEASES
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313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 240-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

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For Immediate Release:

August 17, 2010

Foods Potentially Tainted with Salmonella Sicken LAC Residents
In unrelated incidents, eggs and frozen fruit pulp recalled

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today cautioned residents to be aware of two nationwide food recalls of products linked to Salmonella outbreaks that have sickened hundreds in California, including dozens of people in Los Angeles County. The recalled products include certain eggs from Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa; and frozen mamey pulp from COCO, S.A. of Guatemala.

"Public Health is coordinating with state and federal agencies on this issue and has reached out to food distributors and retailers throughout the county to ensure that these product are removed from vendors' shelves." said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer.

Eggs

The recalled eggs have been linked to a Salmonella Enteriditis outbreak that has sickened 266 in California so far, 43 of them in Los Angeles County. No deaths have been attributed to the product in Los Angeles County.

Most people infected with Salmonella Enteriditis develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection. The illness typically lasts between four and seven days. However, infants, elderly individuals and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness. Severe infections can be fatal if left untreated by antibiotics.

This recall includes eggs packaged under the following brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons, 18-egg cartons) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946. Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223. Consumers are advised by Wright County Egg to return the eggs in the original carton to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.

Also, please remember that the Egg Safety Center and the Food and Drug Administration recommend that eggs should be fully cooked until both the yolks and the whites are firm, and consumers should not eat foods that may contain raw or undercooked eggs. For more information on proper handling and preparation of eggs and answers to other frequently asked questions, visit www.eggsafety.org.

Frozen Mamey Pulp

Mamey, also called "zapote" or "sapote," is a tropical fruit grown primarily in Central and South America. It is often added to milkshakes, jellies, or other foods or beverages and consumed as a shake or a smoothie. Frozen mamey fruit pulp can be purchased in grocery stores throughout the U.S., and packages have a two- to three- year shelf life.

The affected product comes in a 14-ounce plastic package. All production lot codes are being recalled. The UPC is 041331090803. Consumers who have purchased Goya brand Mamey Pulp are urged to discard the product and contact Goya Foods, Inc.'s Consumer Affairs Department Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Eastern Daylight Time at 1-800-275-4692.

The mamey pulp has been linked to a Salmonella Typhi outbreak that has sickened five people in California, two of them in LA County. No deaths have been attributed to this product.

Typhoid fever, or enteric fever, is an acute systemic disease caused by the Salmonella Typhi. Transmission may occur person-to-person or by ingestion of food or water contaminated by the urine or feces of acute cases or carriers. Persons with typhoid fever usually have prolonged fever as high as 103° to 104° F (39° to 40° C). They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. The only way to know for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or blood tested for the presence of S. typhi. Only humans and other primates can become infected with S. typhi.

Ill persons are given an antibiotic to treat the disease. Persons given antibiotics usually begin to feel better within two to three days, and deaths rarely occur. However, persons who do not get treatment may continue to have fever for weeks or months, and as many as 20 percent may die from complications of the infection. Hand washing after using the toilet, before preparing or serving food, and before and after caring for others is important in preventing the spread of typhoid. Vaccines are available to those at high risk or travelers.

"If you have purchased eggs or mamey pulp recently, please check your refrigerator and freezer to make sure that you do not have any of the potentially contaminated product," Dr. Fielding said.

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises more than 4,000 employees and has an annual budget exceeding $750 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do, please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter: LAPublicHealth.





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