Dubai Style Chocolate Recall : An Expert view

There is another recall in Canada related to a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 117 people. Almost 50 products containing pistachios have been recalled so far.

The new recall is for non-branded Dubai-style chocolate sold at Juice Dudez locations from May 28 through Sept. 4. The chocolate was sold in various sizes and was clerk served.

As of Nov. 5, the Public Health Agency of Canada was reporting that the outbreak includes patients in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Patients range in age from 2 to 95 years old. Seventeen of the patients have required hospitalization. People became sick between early March and late September.

“Many people who became sick reported eating pistachios, and products containing pistachios, such as Dubai-style chocolate and pastry products. The outbreak strains of Salmonella that made people sick were found in samples of recalled pistachios and samples of the recalled Dubai-style chocolate. The investigation is ongoing and it is possible that additional sources may be identified,” according to an outbreak updated from the health agency.

The public health agency first posted information about the outbreak on Aug. 5 when there were 52 confirmed patients. The agency says there are likely many more people who have been infected because some people do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella. For every confirmed illness in a Salmonella outbreak the agency estimates there are 26 patients who go undetected.

Summary

Product

Dubai chocolate

Issue

Food - Microbial contamination - Salmonella

What to do

Do not consume, use, sell, serve or distribute recalled products

Distribution

Ontario

Issue

The affected products are being recalled from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination.

This recall is linked to an ongoing investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. Please refer to the Food Safety Investigation page for further details and related recall notifications and food recall warnings.

What you should do

• If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, contact your healthcare provider

• Check to see if you have recalled products

• Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products

• Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

Summary: A Food Business's Guide to Preventing Salmonella

For any food business, preventing Salmonella contamination is a non-negotiable part of operational integrity. This bacterium poses a significant risk to consumer health and brand reputation. Effective prevention is not a single step but a multi-layered system of controls, often described as a "hurdle approach." Here are the key pillars:

1. Rigorous Supplier Control & Ingredient Specification

The first line of defense is knowing your supply chain.

Vet Your Suppliers: Conduct audits and require certificates of analysis (COAs) that prove raw materials (especially poultry, eggs, nuts, spices, and cocoa) are tested for Salmonella.

Set Clear Specifications: Establish and enforce strict safety specifications for all raw ingredients regarding pathogen testing and microbiological criteria.

2. Implement Validated Kill Steps

Assume some raw ingredients may carry pathogens and have a step in your process to destroy them.

Thermal Processing: Use scientifically validated times and temperatures for cooking, baking, roasting, or pasteurizing. For low-moisture products like peanut butter or chocolate, this is often a controlled roasting step.

Other Technologies: For products that cannot be heated, alternative technologies like irradiation or high-pressure processing (HPP) may be validated and used.

3. Master the Separation of Raw and Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Areas

Cross-contamination is a primary cause of outbreaks.

Physical Separation: Maintain strictly separate areas, equipment, and utensils for raw and RTE products.

Control Traffic and Flow: Design facilities so personnel and airflow move from "clean" (RTE) to "dirty" (raw) areas, never the reverse.

Color-Coding: Use color-coded tools and equipment to prevent accidental cross-use.

4. Enforce Stringent Personal Hygiene Practices

People can be a vector for contamination.

Handwashing: Mandate frequent and proper handwashing, especially after using the restroom, handling raw materials, or touching surfaces in high-risk areas.

Illness Policy: Implement a clear policy that requires employees to report illnesses and excludes symptomatic staff (especially with diarrhea or vomiting) from handling food.

5. Maintain a Robust Sanitation and Environmental Monitoring Program

Salmonella can persist in the environment for long periods.

Sanitation Protocols: Develop and meticulously execute cleaning and sanitizing procedures for all equipment and surfaces. Pay special attention to hard-to-clean areas and potential niches (e.g., cracks, drains, equipment joints).

Environmental Monitoring (EM): Regularly swab and test the production environment (floors, drains, equipment surfaces) for Salmonella and indicator organisms. This is a critical early warning system to detect and eradicate the pathogen before it contaminates product.

6. Foster a Strong Food Safety Culture

Technology and procedures are useless without the right culture.

Training: Provide continuous, comprehensive training so every employee understands the "why" behind the rules and their role in preventing contamination.

Empowerment: Empower all staff to halt production if they observe a breach in protocol.

Conclusion:

Preventing Salmonella is a continuous process, not a one-time goal. By building a system based on supplier control, validated kill steps, strict segregation, impeccable hygiene, and proactive environmental monitoring, food businesses can protect their customers and their brand from this persistent threat.