Check again: New lots added to frozen vegetable recall

Dozens of additional lots of frozen organic vegetables distributed to Costco stores nationwide are under recall with the ConAgra Foods’ expansion of a recall of Watts Brothers Farms branded products.

Organic mixed vegetables, organic sweet corn and organic peas are included in the expanded recalled and may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses had been reported in connection to the Watts Brothers Farms branded products as of Thursday.

Corporate and public health officials are concerned that consumers may have these products in home freezers and are urging people to double check the new list of product codes to make sure any Watts Brothers Farms branded frozen organic vegetables they have are not under recall.

The newly recalled products have “Best Before” dates stretching to February 2018.

“These products were first recalled on May 5 and 6, 2016, and have not been available for purchase since this date. As part of ConAgra’s internal recall follow-up procedures, additional package codes were recently identified,” according to the recall expansion notice on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

“Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”

Consumers can identify the newly recalled Watts Brothers Farms products by the “Best Before” date and package code on the back of the packages above the zipper.

“Consumers who have purchased these items are advised to discard them or return them to the store where originally purchased. ConAgra Foods is working with its customers to ensure the packages are removed from store shelves and are no longer distributed,” according to ConAgra’s recall notice.

Consumers with questions should call ConAgra’s hotline at 800-881-3989.

Products added to the recall list this week are as follows.

Watts Brothers Farms Organic Peas in 5-pound bags with a UPC number of 6.81E+11 and the following date and product codes:

• Best Before 10/23/16 code 6180 10 23 16 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/24/16 code 6180 10 24 16 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/30/16 code 6180 10 30 16 HH:MM
• Best Before 05/18/17 code 6180 05 18 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 05/27/17 code 6180 05 27 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 05/28/17 code 6180 05 28 17 HH:MM

 

Watts Brothers Farms Organic Super Sweet Corn, yellow/gold, in 5-pound bags with a UPC number of 6.81E+11 and the following date and product codes:

• Best Before 08/07/17 code 6180 08 07 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/01/17 code 6180 09 01 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/02/17 code 6180 09 02 17 HH:MM

 

 

Watts Brothers Farms Organic Mixed Vegetables in 5-pound bags with a UPC number of 6.81241E+11 and the following date and product codes:

• Best Before 01/08/17 code 6180 01 08 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 01/09/17 code 6180 01 09 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/02/17 code 6180 02 02 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/11/17 code 6180 02 11 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/27/17 code 6180 02 27 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 03/04/17 code 6180 03 04 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 03/05/17 code 6180 03 05 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 03/23/17 code 6180 03 23 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 06/29/17 code 6180 06 29 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 06/30/17 code 6180 06 30 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 07/23/17 code 6180 07 23 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 07/24/17 code 6180 07 24 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 08/10/17 code 6180 08 10 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 08/31/17 code 6180 08 31 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/04/17 code 6180 09 04 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/23/17 code 6180 09 23 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/24/17 code 6180 09 24 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 09/25/17 code 6180 09 25 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/01/17 code 6180 10 01 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/02/17 code 6180 10 02 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 10/14/17 core 6180 10 14 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 12/09/17 code 6180 12 09 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 12/10/17 code 6180 12 10 17 HH:MM
• Best Before 01/13/18 code 6180 01 13 18 HH:MM
• Best Before 01/15/18 code 6180 01 15 18 HH:MM
• Best Before 02/03/18 code 6180 02 03 18 HH:MM

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Ground tumeric recalled nationwide because of excessive lead

Gel Spice Inc. is recalling ground tumeric powder that was distributed to retailers nationwide because it contains excessive levels of lead, which is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, infants and children.

Consumers can identify the recalled Fresh Finds branded ground tumeric by the code number printed on the neck of individual jars (above left) and the UPC number printed near the bar code on the back label (above right).

“Routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ food inspectors and subsequent analysis of the product by the New York State Food Laboratory revealed the elevated level of lead,” according to the company’s recall notice on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

The Fresh Finds brand ground tumeric powder is packaged in 3.75-ounce jars and has a UPC number of 81026-01230. The recalled product also has the codes of “B/B 03/08/19” or “B/B 05/18/19” on the neck of the jars. The recalled spice was distributed to Big Lots stores nationwide.

The Bayonne, NJ, company, which has been importing and manufacturing spices, herbs, seeds and other baking ingredients since 1955 encouraged consumers to discard the recalled Fresh Finds brand tumeric. Consumers can call the company at 201-564-0435 for additional information.

No illnesses had been reported in connection with the tumeric as of Thursday, according to the recall.

“Lead can accumulate in the body over time. Too much can cause health problems, including delayed mental and physical development and learning deficiencies. Pregnant women, infants and young children especially should avoid exposure to lead. People concerned about blood lead levels should contact their physician or health clinic to ask about testing,” the company warned in the recall notice.

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25 sickened in Salmonella outbreak tied to deli salads

Iowa health officials are investigating about 25 illnesses potentially linked to deli-made potato salads sold by Big G Foods in Marengo, IA. Test results from the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa were presumed positive for Salmonella.

“We have approximately 25 cases under investigation. It is possible the investigation may determine some of the 25 cases are unrelated, and it is also possible more cases may be reported to us in the coming days,” said Polly Carver-Kimm, communications director for the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).

The store-made “Zesty Potato Salad” and “Traditional Potato Salad” dated July 14-24 were removed from sale and Big G is cooperating with the outbreak investigation. According to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), neither of the potato salads has been sold to the public since July 22.

“They’re doing testing, and some sort of cross-contamination is something they’re thinking is possible,” Gary Grafft, co-owner of the store, told Food Safety News on Thursday. He said the family-owned, single-location store has not had a similar incident since the deli opened in 1978.

He told the Iowa City Press-Citizen newspaper that a firm from Cedar Rapids, IA, was coming in Thursday to do a deep cleaning and sanitizing of the deli.

Two Iowa state agencies issued a joint consumer advisory Monday warning the public about the Big G deli’s potato salads and citing the risk of Salmonella infection.

“The bottom line is that no one should eat this product,” IDPH Medical Director Dr. Patricia Quinlisk said in the public warning. “If you have it in your refrigerator, you should throw it away.”

Big G reportedly posted the following statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday, however, it was no longer there on Thursday:

Big G Foods is a family-owned grocery store in Marengo, IA. (Photo courtesy of KCRG-TV9)

“We want to make sure all our customers are safe with the purchases they make at Big G. If you have purchased any Big G made potato salad from the full service case dated July 14-24 please throw it away. Something in the salad can make you sick. Bring your receipt in for a full refund.”

Mid-day Thursday, a Facebook post from the store reported test results and described how cross-contamination likely occurred:

“The states tests have shown a cross contamination that caused the salmonella outbreak. The cleaning of containers that had chicken in them previously cross contaminated the handle sprayer for the three compartment sink to be contaminated. The onions used for the potato salad was not a problem. Big G and the state are working together on a plan of action so this will not happen again.”

Also visible Thursday on the store’s Facebook page were numerous conversation threads making charges and counter-charges about illnesses related to consumption of the potato salads and what might have been known about the problem and when. Some of the posts referenced emergency room visits and alleged physical symptoms, and some stated that those who had bought the potato salads were part of a group hosting a funeral.

One woman posted that she had been contacted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in connection with the illness of her 6-year-old son. She wrote that the federal agency asked her questions “from the 3rd of July celebration, that is the date where the salmonella outbreak started.”

IDPH’s Carver-Kimm could not confirm whether anyone sickened had been hospitalized, but she told Food Safety News that CDC knew about the situation.

“Since we are still investigating this outbreak, we have not confirmed any hospitalizations associated with it. The CDC is aware of the outbreaks, but state and local officials are conducting the investigation,” she said.

Salmonella infection is relatively common in the United States and has been linked to eating eggs, poultry, meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, cheese, raw fruits and vegetables, spices and nuts.

According to CDC, most people infected with the bacteria develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most individuals recover without treatment.

However, CDC states that in some cases diarrhea may be so severe that the patients need to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, and then to other parts of the body. In these cases, Salmonella can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

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NC creamery recalls cheeses linked to at least 100 Salmonella cases

The Chapel Hill Creamery in Chapel Hill, NC, is recalling all of its cheese products because they have been linked to a growing Salmonella outbreak in North Carolina and elsewhere.

A local county health officer told Food Safety News on Thursday that the outbreak has sickened at least 50 people in North Carolina and about the same number in other states, and that it’s the same strain found in samples of raw milk from the Chapel Hill Creamery. Nine of those sickened in North Carolina have been hospitalized so far, she said.

These Jersey cows are the same kind as those at the Chapel Hill Creamery.

“This is way more than usual, which is why we started doing the investigation. We hit clusters of Salmonella, especially in the summertime, but we started seeing dozens and that’s when we started doing questionnaires to identify a common source,” said Dr. Colleen Bridger, director of the Orange County Health Department in Chapel Hill.

Bridger said not all of the 50-plus in-state cases have been interviewed, but the “vast majority” of those who have recalled eating cheese from the Chapel Hill Creamery.

“We’ve been monitoring the Salmonella cases for about three weeks and started doing questionnaires about a week ago, and it was just yesterday that we felt we had enough information to say this is probably the Chapel Hill Creamery. We didn’t want to make the declaration until we were sure,” she added.

The products being recalled include all codes, packages and sizes of 14 varieties of cheese manufactured by the Chapel Hill Creamery and distributed through retail locations, farmers markets and restaurants throughout North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

The cheese varieties are: Quark, Danziger, Swiss, Paneer, Calvander, Hot Farmers Cheese, Dairyland Farmers Cheese, Smoked Mozzarella, Fresh Mozzarella, Burrata, Hickory Grove, Carolina Moon, Smoked Farmers Cheese, New Moon, and Pheta.

“Although there is not yet a definitive link between the CHC cheese and the illnesses, there is enough evidence to implicate the cheese and we are asking customers to not consume these cheeses or use them in food service,” said Portia McKnight, Creamery co-founder.

Chapel Hill Creamery has asked its wholesale customers to remove any CHC cheese from their shelves and dispose of it. Consumers who have this product in their home should not consume it and should throw it away.

Customers are also being reminded to thoroughly wash their hands and any utensils or equipment that may have contacted the cheese in warm, soapy water.

Chapel Hill Creamery is working in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the Orange County Health Department to identify the source of the Salmonella and which of its cheeses are affected.

The Creamery plans to provide updated information on its website as it becomes available.

Bridger noted that some of the Creamery’s cheese products are made with raw milk and some are not. She also said it was the first such incident she knows of involving the local business.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of the outbreak and has been assisting the other states, Bridger said, while North Carolina state and local health officials are coordinating on their part of the investigation.

“We’re working with public health and with agriculture to try and figure out what the next step is to make sure we’ve resolved the problem and that they can resume production and selling their cheese again,” she said.

Orange County has provided a hotline at (919) 245-2378 for anyone in North Carolina who has questions about the outbreak.

Most persons infected with Salmonella experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. People who are concerned they might have Salmonella infections should contact their doctor to discuss testing and treatment.

The illness typically lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

More information on Salmonella is available here and here.

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Tests pending in Salmonella outbreak traced to whole hogs

The number of victims in a Salmonella outbreak traced to pork served at a holiday picnic in Seattle is holding steady at 15, and public health officials think it is likely to stay that way.

This photo from the Good Vibe Tribe Luau was posted on the organization’s Facebook page July 3.

However, it was unknown as of Wednesday whether anyone who did not attend the Good Vibe Tribe Luau on July 3 has become ill because of whole roasting hogs from Kapowsin Meats Inc., in Graham, WA.

Kapowsin supplied hogs for the luau and recalled 11,658 pounds of whole hogs July 21, the day after federal officials issued a nationwide health alert.

in 2015, Kapowsin whole roasting hogs were implicated in a five-month, five-state outbreak that sickened 192 people. Thirty people had symptoms so severe they required hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In August 2015, Kapowsin Meats recalled more than 115,000 pounds of whole hogs in connection with the outbreak of Salmonella I 4, [5],12:i:-and Salmonella Infantis.

The current health alert from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service was based on laboratory confirmation that patients who ate pork at the luau were infected with Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i-.

A spokeswoman for Public Health of Seattle & King County said Wednesday that the department had closed the survey of the attendees of the Good Vibe Tribe and is awaiting final lab reports. Those reports are expected later this week or early next week, she said.

Following is the list of retailers that received the recalled whole roasting hogs from Kapowsin Meats, as reported by USDA:

• Blue Max Meats in Buckley, WA;
• Bob’s Quality Meats in Seattle;
• Butcher Boys Beef Outlet in Puyallup, WA;
• East Asia Supermarket in Tacoma, WA;
• Home Meat Service Inc. in Shelton, WA;
• Lind’s Custom Meats in Kent, WA;
• Select Gourmet Foods in Kenmore, WA, and
• Western Meats Inc. in Tumwater, WA.

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FDA cites corporate confidentiality laws in secret sugar recall

Federal officials are working with a producer to recall an undisclosed amount of sugar because of contamination with bits of metal, but they say they can’t reveal either the sugar company or the food producers that received the sugar.

The situation has already caused at least two secondary recalls of consumer food products — almost 1,000 tons of P.F. Chang’s frozen entrées sold nationwide and 30 bakery products sold at Weis Markets.

“The sugar supplier contacted the FDA on July 15 about the problem,” a spokeswoman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

ConAgra Foods, which produced the recalled P.F. Chang’s branded entrées, reported in its recall notice that one of its employees discovered metal bits on July 1 while dispensing sugar for sauce formulation at a production plant in Russellville, AR. ConAgra issued a small recall July 6 and expanded it to almost 200,000 pounds of frozen entrees July 15.

In its July 22 recall notice, the Pennsylvania-based retailer Weis Markets referenced a recall by its sugar supplier. Weis operates more than 160 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and West Virginia.

“This voluntary action is being taken due to our supplier’s recall of the sugar ingredient,” according to the Weis Markets recall notice on FDA’s website.

Both Weis Markets and ConAgra reported that FDA was aware of and assisting with their recalls. Neither company identified the sugar supplier.

FDA has not published any information of its own regarding the sugar recall, citing federal law on corporate confidentiality.

“FDA is working with a sugar producer on the voluntary recall issued by the company,” according to a statement the agency provided to Food Safety News on Tuesday.

“We are still gathering information and working to identify other parts of the relevant supply chain and facilitate recalls where necessary. However, FDA is prohibited by law from releasing publicly certain information about supply chains, which may constitute confidential commercial information.”

The agency did not answer questions regarding:

• When the sugar producer began recalling its product;
• What volume of sugar is under recall;
• What states the sugar was distributed to, or
• What percentage of the sugar supplier’s customers have initiated recalls of consumer products.

FDA does not have a specific timeline for such situations, with its recall policy merely calling for actions to be taken in timely manner.

“In general, firms initiating a recall should promptly identify and notify the consignees who may have received the affected product,” according to FDA’s Tuesday statement. “If the depth of the recall is beyond the direct consignees, then the consignees should be instructed by the recalling firm to contact sub-accounts that may have received the product.

“FDA conducts audit checks on recalls and follows up with firms to ensure that recalls happen when necessary.”

The metal fragments found in the sugar range in size between 2 and 9 millimeters in diameter and are curled, malleable and shiny, according to Weis Markets and ConAgra Foods. No illnesses or injuries had been reported to ConAgra or Weis Markets as of the posting of their recall notices.

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Listeria found in Reser’s North Carolina plant has been there since 2013

Portland, OR — Oregon-based Reser’s Fine Foods Inc. has recently recalled salad products because of the Listeria risk posed by an outsourced ingredient. Now the company has its own problems with the stubborn bacteria at a manufacturing facility in North Carolina.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration told company president and CEO Mark Reser in a July 1 warning letter that the facility in Halifax, NC, which produces refrigerated, ready-to-eat (RTE) salads, was inspected from Nov. 3-10, 2015, and that Listeria was found in several places within the plant.

The Reser’s Fine Foods Inc. manufacturing facility in Halifax, NC.

“During our inspection, FDA collected environmental samples from various areas in your processing facility, including areas that are in close proximity to food and food contact surfaces. FDA laboratory analyses of the environmental swabs found the presence of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), a human pathogen in your facility,” the federal agency wrote.

As a result, the food products made there are adulterated because they were “prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health,” FDA added.

Six environment swabs collected on Nov. 3-5, 2015, at the North Carolina plant were positive for Listeria monocytogenes, according to FDA’s warning letter. Four were taken inside the processing room, including from a direct food-contact surface.

This was “not the first time FDA investigators collected environmental samples from your facility that were found to be positive” for Listeria, the letter continued, adding that environmental samples taken during a 2013 inspection also found Listeria in various locations within the facility, including floor gaps, wheels of forklifts and carts that are moved throughout the facility, and floor drains.

Analysis using whole-genome sequencing revealed that at least three different strains of Listeria are present in the North Carolina plant, FDA stated.

“The evidence demonstrates that L. monocytogenes has maintained its presence within your production facility since November 2013. The reoccurring presence of identical strains of L. monocytogenes in your environment indicates a resident strain or niche harborage site present in the facility. These findings also demonstrate that your sanitation procedures have historically been inadequate to control, reduce, or eliminate this pathogenic organism from your facility,” the agency wrote.

CGMP violations also noted

In addition, FDA told Reser’s that agency investigators had found serious violations of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations at the Halifax plant. These problems involved inadequate cleaning and sanitizing of utensils and equipment.

The agency’s warning letter specified that pieces of food from previous manufacturing runs remained on the machinery afterward, and some were allergens such as shellfish and wheat. Other problems involved dripping condensate, puddled water, slimy build-up around drain holes, bad seals, worn equipment and insufficient measures to keep metal parts and other extraneous material out of food products.

Reser’s responded to the agency on Nov. 25, 2015, with a description of numerous steps being taken to address these issues at the North Carolina facility. However, FDA noted that the response “does not fully address the violations observed during the inspection.”

Mark Reser

Attempts by Food Safety News to speak with Mark Reser on Wednesday were unsuccessful, and calls to Ken Braswell, general manager of the North Carolina plant, marketing staff at the company’s Oregon headquarters, and a Portland-based public relations spokeswoman for the company were not returned.

Reser’s opened the Halifax plant in May 2001 and expanded it by 500 jobs in 2010. The facility makes refrigerated macaroni and pasta salads and desserts such as puddings and gelatins. Annual production there more than doubled from 40 to 100 million pounds during 2001-2009.

Listeria is notoriously difficult to eradicate once it gains a foothold in a food manufacturing facility. Unlike most pathogens, it tolerates cold temperatures and can even grow in refrigerated environments. However, the bacteria are killed by cooking and pasteurization.

Infection with Listeria monocytogenes, or listerosis, is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Most people do not get seriously ill, but infection during pregnancy can cause fetal loss (miscarriage or stillbirth), preterm labor, and illness or death in newborn infants.

Previous Listeria-related recalls

A recall in April involving Reser’s products was linked to one lot of potentially Listeria-contaminated onions used as an ingredient in 19 of its branded refrigerator salads. The individually quick frozen onions were supplied by Oregon Potato Company (doing business as Freeze Pack) and were cited in several secondary recalls announced by other companies, including Pictsweet and Schnucks. A Reser’s spokeswoman said at the time that the company was no longer using onions from that source.

Reser’s recalled products earlier this year for possible Listeria linked to onions from an outside supplier. The recalled products included various potato salads, macaroni salads and tuna salads sold under the following brands: Reser’s, Safeway, Walmart, Savemart, Stonemill Kitchens and Sysco.

The company also issued a large recall of its RTE salad products in October 2013, which USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service stated was due to potential cross-contamination with Listeria monocytogenes from product contact surfaces at the firm’s manufacturing facility in Topeka, KS.

FDA sent Reser’s a warning letter on Nov. 1, 2013, informing the company of Listeria-positive swabs collected from the Topeka plant. These swabs were taken from a water line where condensate was dripping into a mayonnaise mixing vat, providing a direct route of contamination into food, the agency stated.

FDA followed up on Sept. 3, 2014, with a “close out letter” noting that corrective actions the company had taken at the Topeka facility appeared to address the previously observed violations there.

In a non-food-related incident, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the company $71,700 last fall for an ammonia leak in March 2015 at the Topeka plant found to have stemmed from a compressor seal leak. Eight of the 13 OSHA violations involved safety and record-keeping problems.

No illnesses have been cited in connection with any of the company’s recalls or facility problems.

Reser’s, which has its corporate offices in Beaverton, OR, built a 310,000-square-foot salad and specialty food plant and distribution center in nearby Hillsboro, OR, last year. The new facility reportedly cost about $18 million and, because it was built in a state enterprise zone and created and/or retained jobs in Oregon, was eligible for up to five years of property tax breaks.

Reser’s has also purchased other food firms in recent years, buying Orval Kent and parent company Chef Solutions for $69.2 million and Vaughn Foods for $18.25 million in 2011. It was reported in 2014 that Mistral Capital Management, a New York equity firm, provided $36.4 million in cash and $25.3 million in secured debt for the purchases and that Reser’s had $1 billion in revenue at the time.

Reser’s employs about 4,800 people in 16 facilities across the U.S. and in Mexico. Starting out as a family operation in 1950 making salads and prepared dips, the firm has recently branched out into fresh fruit and vegetables. One of Oregon’s largest privately held companies, Reser’s posted about $700 million in revenue in 2010.

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American consumers don’t understand the impact of food waste

A study published in PLOS ONE shows that even though American consumers throw away about 80 billion lb of food a year, only about half are aware that food waste is a problem.

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Using quinoa to replace fat in sausages

A study published in the Journal of Food Science examines the effect of replacing fat with quinoa on the quality characteristics of dry-cured sausages.

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School lunch supplier expands recall as precaution over Listeria

Let’s Do Lunch, the Gardena, CA school lunch supplier doing business as Integrated Food Service (IFS) is out with an expansion of its July 19the recall that this second time around time provides listings  of all recalled products, the identities of all IFS distributors, and the names of all the schools involved.

The reason for the expanded recall remains the same: the products have “the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.” There are not yet any reports of illnesses associated with the recall.  The recalls of products from schools comes as most are on summer vacation.

IFS opted for the recall after environmental testing was conducted as part of the the initial investigation. No positive findings in any food products or on food contact surfaces. IFS initiated a thorough cleaning and disinfection process, followed by extensive testing, and also has engaged outside food safety experts to review the company’s processes and policies.

The company is working closely with FDA officials and has voluntarily expanded the recall to include products produced between 5/18/16 and 6/16/16. The products were distributed to foodservice distributors in eight States. None of the recalled products are sold at any retail location.

The schools and foodservice distributors were located in the following states: CA, MI, NC, NM, OH, PA, TX, VA, WA. On the IFS website, customers will find a list of school districts that received the products being recalled. The list will be updated daily as further information becomes available.

The company is thoroughly communicating the details of the recall and is notifying customers and distributors to hold any product that may be in frozen storage until arrangements can be made to return or destroy the product. IFS will work closely with schools and school foodservice distributors until the company can assure that no recalled product remains in their locations.

Any school district that believes it may have product still in frozen storage that is affected by this recall should contact the IFS recall coordinator at (800) 560-9999 between the hours of 8AM and 5PM Pacific time, Monday through Friday, or at recall@integratedfoodservice.com for return or disposal instructions.

IFS is a third-generation, family owned company. It said it initiated the voluntary recall because of its commitment to take every precaution against food borne illnesses.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections especially in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Others typically suffer only short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Listeria is unusual for its long incubation period, meaning the time from exposure to symptoms. The average period is 30 days, but incubations can take twice that long.

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Colorado company recalls beef products linked to E. coli illness

Good Food Concepts LLC (dba Ranch Foods Direct) of Colorado Springs, CO, is recalling approximately 2,606 pounds of non-intact beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Tuesday.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 27316” inside the USDA mark of inspection and “PACKED ON” dates of June 6, 7, and 8, 2016. These items were shipped to wholesale and retail locations in Colorado. According to a list provided by FSIS, those locations were the Continental Deli in Denver and Ranch Foods Direct in Colorado Springs.

The non-intact beef items were produced on June 6, 7, and 8, 2016. The following products are subject to recall (labels for these recalled products can be found here).

• Packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef 4-1 Ground Beef Patties 15# case.”
• Packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef 4-1 Ground Beef Patties 5# box.”
• Packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef 3-1 Ground Beef Patties 5# box.”
• Packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef 2-1 Ground Beef Patties 15# case.”
• 1-lb. packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef Ground Beef 85% 1#.”
• 1-lb. packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef Ground Beef 80% 1#.”
• 1-lb. packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef Ground Beef Sirloin 90% 1#.”
• Packages containing “Callicrate Beef Ground Beef: Beef Ground Beef 85/15 1# x 20 Bundle.”
• Packages containing “Callicrate WAGYU Beef Ground Beef: WAGYU Ground Beef 1#.”
• 1-lb. packages containing “Beef Stew Meat Tenderized.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct Ground Beef 85/15.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct Ground Beef 80/20.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct Ground Chuck.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct 80% Lean 20% Fat 3/1 Patties NET WT. 15#.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct 80% Lean 20% Fat 2/1 Patties 7 OZ NET WT. 15#.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct 80% Lean 20% Fat 3/1 Patties NET WT. 5.0#.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct 80% Lean 20% Fat 4/1 Patties NET WT. 15#.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct 80% Lean 20% Fat 2/1 Patties NET WT. 15#.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct 80% Lean 20% Fat 6/1 Patties NET WT. 15#.”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct Ground Beef (73/27).”
• Packages containing “Ranch Foods Direct Ground Tenderloin.”
• Products identified as “Cowpool D 1/4.”
• Products identified as “Cowpool A 1/8.”
• Packages containing “Chef’s Bundle: 4-Skirt Steak, 6- NY Strips, 6-Top Sirloin, 3-Chuck Roast, 2-Cube Steak, 15-Ground Beef 80% Lean 20% Fat.”
• Packages containing “Colorado Bundle: 4-Skirts Steaks, 4-Chuck Eye Steaks, 4-Top Sirloin, 2-Chuck Roast, 15-Ground Beef 80% Lean 20% Fat.”

FSIS was notified of an E. coli O157:H7 illness possibly associated with ground beef consumption on July 14, 2016. Working in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the El Paso County Public Health Department, FSIS determined a possible link between the ground beef products from Ranch Foods Direct and this illness. Based on epidemiological investigation, one case-patient has been identified in Colorado with an illness onset date of June 12, 2016.

Through laboratory testing and traceback investigation, FSIS confirmed on July 25 that ground beef products originating from Ranch Foods Direct were adulterated with E. coli O157:H7. FSIS continues to work with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the El Paso County Public Health Department on this investigation and will provide updated information as it becomes available.

FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Dave Anderson, manager, at (719) 574-0750, ext. 241.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 1-10 days (3-4 days, on average) after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children younger than five and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

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Beef recall in New Hampshire is connected to the E. coli cluster

That E. coli O157:H7 illness cluster in New Hampshire, which has grown to 14 cases, is now connected to  a recall of about 8,000 pounds of raw beef products by PT Farm LLC in North Haverhill, NH.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the recalled products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The raw, intact and non-intact beef product items including ground beef, ground beef patties and other sub-primal cuts, were produced between June 6 and June 16. The following products are subject to recall:

• Various weights and various sizes of raw intact and raw non-intact “Chestnut Farms” beef products packed in cardboard boxes.
• Various weights and various sizes of raw intact and raw non-intact “PT Farm” beef products packed in cardboard boxes.
• Various weights and various sizes of raw intact and raw non-intact “Miles Smith Farm” beef products packed in cardboard boxes.
• Various weights and various sizes of raw intact and raw non-intact “Robie Farm” beef products packed in cardboard boxes.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “M8868” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations and for institutional use in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

FSIS was notified about the New Hampshire E. coli O157:H7 illness cluster on July 20.

Working in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, FSIS determined that there is a link between the beef products from PT Farm and this illness cluster.

Based on epidemiological investigation, 14 case-patients have been identified with illness onset dates ranging from June 15 to July 10. Traceback for eight of the patients for whom data was available led back to a single day of production at PT Farm. This investigation is ongoing. FSIS continues to work with the New Hampshire health officials on this investigation and will provide updated information as it becomes available.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps two to eight days after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list will be posted on the FSIS website at http://ift.tt/1gO8Ec3.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume beef products that have been cooked to a temperature of 145° F for roasts with a three minute rest time and 160° F for ground meat. The only way to confirm that beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

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Serrano peppers quickly pulled from supply chain over salmonella

A fast-moving recall effort this past weekend by Edinburg, TX-based Warren Produce appears to have stopped serrano peppers potentially contaminated with salmonella from reaching retail produce counters.

The newspaper and website covering the fresh produce industry, ThePacker, reports that Warren Produce was notified about the problem at 4:30 p.m. July 22 after the Food and Drug Administration sampled a single lot.

The Texas company recalled that lot along with two others from the same grower, although those lots did not test positive for salmonella. The recalled lots are #115181, #115158 and #115186.

By the morning of July 25, Warren’s Jimmy Henderson had received confirmation from 15 of the 18 destinations for the peppers that the product was pulled from the supply chain.

Henderson described the recall as “very effective.”

Warren Produce Co. LLC  is a wholesale distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables including watermelons.

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Meijer Inc. recalls deli salads because of possible Salmonella

Meijer Inc., a grocery retailer, is recalling several varieties of fresh deli salads and sandwiches because of potential contamination with Salmonella.

This is one of several fresh salad and sandwich products Meijer Inc. is recalling because of possible contamination with salmonella.

The implicated salads and sandwiches were sold in Meijer stores from July 20 through July 25, according to the recall notice on the retailer’s website.

“Prime Foods LLC, our supplier for an ingredient used within select Markets of Meijer salads and sandwiches, is recalling product due to potential Salmonella,” according to the recall notice posted today. “There have been no known illnesses reported to Meijer from the product affected by this recall.”

Ronald Bennett, chief operating officer for Prime Foods said this afternoon that the danger to the public is extremely low. He said one of the Meijer central locations that prepares fresh foods for the chain was the only Prime Foods customer to receive the recalled egg product.

“It’s a very small amount of product that is involved and we have a certificate from our third-party lab that it was OK when they tested it,” Bennett said. “Right now there is no evidence of anything pathogenic. We just didn’t want to take a risk when the lab notified us that they had some kind of anomaly.”

Bennett said the situation was still unfolding this afternoon, but that initial reports from the third-party lab suggested that an internal audit in that facility showed some kind of problem there.

A complete list of the recalled deli salads and sandwiches is posted on the Meijer Inc. website. The Michigan company operates more than 200 stores in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

“Consumers who have purchased this product should discontinue use and return the product to the nearest Meijer store for a full refund,” according to the recall notice.

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More sick; General Mills recalls more flour traced to outbreak

As the E. coli outbreak traced to General Mills flour continues to grow the giant food company has again expanded its recall of flour and renewed its warnings to consumers to not eat raw flour.

These are three of several varieties of three brands of flour recalled by General Mills in relation to a multi-state outbreak of E. coli.

Four more people are confirmed with E. coli infections, bringing the count to 46 people across 21 states, according to a Monday afternoon update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

No one has died, but 13 victims have required hospitalization and one has developed the serious complication hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is often fatal. The first 42 outbreak victims were infected with E. coli O121.

A second serotype of the pathogen — E. coli O26 — is also involved and has been confirmed by lab tests to have been present in General Mills flour from a sick consumer’s home, a CDC spokeswoman told Food Safety News.

In response General Mills expanded its recall — already at 30 million pounds — to include two more months of production from its Kansas City, MO, plant. The recall now includes flour produces at the plant from Nov. 4, 2015, through Feb. 10 this year. The operational status of the plant is unclear.

The recall still includes only three main brands of flour, Gold Medal, Signature Kitchens and Wondra. Several sizes and varieties of these three brands are under recall. The complete list is available online.

“At this time, it is unknown if we are experiencing a higher prevalence of E. coli in flour than normal, if this is an issue isolated to General Mills’ flour, or if this is an issue across the flour industry,” according to a news release from General Mills Monday afternoon.

“The newer detection and genome sequencing tools are also possibly making a connection to flour that may have always existed at these levels.”

The news release from the Minneapolis-based food giant reminds consumers about their responsibilities for food safety in their homes.

“The illnesses reported to health officials continue to be connected with consumers reporting that they ate or handled uncooked dough or ate uncooked batter made with raw flour. No illnesses have been connected with flour that has been properly baked, cooked or handled,” General Mills officials said in the news release.

In addition to packaging and distributing the flour for consumers and restaurants, General Mills also sold bulk lots of it to undisclosed corporate trading partners that have used it to produce other foods. Among those foods are certain flavors of Betty Crocker brand cake mixes that General Mills itself produces.

The Betty Crocker cake mixes and products from other companies are under recall because they contain the recalled flour. The Food and Drug Administration knows what companies bought the flour from General Mills, but the agency is gagged from releasing that information because of rules about corporate trade secrets.

General Mills’ Chief Operating Officer Jeff Harmening said in Monday’s news release that the company is “committed to convening experts to work with government officials to learn more and create new protocols, if needed.”

He also reminded consumers of the inherent dangers of raw flour and said “the most important thing they can do to keep safe is to not eat uncooked flour.”

The company also warns that “flour is made from wheat that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present and the normal flour milling process does not remove these bacteria. In order for severe E. coli illness to occur from flour, all three of the following things have to happen,” according to the news release.

1. The flour a consumer is using has to contain the sub-types of E.coli that can make you sick.

2. The consumer has to eat raw dough, batter or other uncooked food made with the flour, or handle the raw dough and not wash their hands.

3. The consumer’s individual health characteristics will impact if they get sick and how severely. Some consumers have mild symptoms and others get very sick. It is not always known who will get sick and who will not.

The CDC’s update Monday afternoon stated additional outbreak victims are likely to be identified.

“Illnesses that occurred after June 29, 2016, might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to CDC. This takes an average of two to three weeks,” according to the CDC.

The most recent information from state health departments and the CDC shows illnesses started on dates ranging from Dec. 21, 2015, to June 25 this year. Ill people range in age from 1 to 95 years old, with a median age of 18.

General Mills first recalled flour on May 31, pulling back 10 million pounds. On July 1 the company expanded the recall, adding 20 million pounds.

The volume of Monday’s expansion was not included in the General Mills news release.

 

MINNEAPOLIS, July 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Due to four new confirmed illnesses, General Mills is adding additional flour production dates to the previously announced U.S. retail flour recall that was originally announced on May 31, 2016. The illnesses reported to health officials continue to be connected with consumers reporting that they ate or handled uncooked dough or ate uncooked batter made with raw flour.  No illnesses have been connected with flour that has been properly baked, cooked or handled.

The addition of new flour production dates is the result of General Mills conducting proactive flour testing and new information from health officials who are using new whole genome sequencing techniques to trace illnesses. E.coli (several sub-types) has been detected in a small number of General Mills flour samples and some have been linked to new patient illnesses that fell outside of the previously recalled dates.

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At this time, it is unknown if we are experiencing a higher prevalence of E.coli in flour than normal, if this is an issue isolated to General Mills’ flour, or if this is an issue across the flour industry. The newer detection and genome sequencing tools are also possibly making a connection to flour that may have always existed at these levels.

“As a leader in flour production for 150 years, General Mills is committed to convening experts to work with government officials to learn more and create new protocols, if needed,” said General Mills President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Harmening. “Most importantly, we want all the avid home bakers out there to have peace of mind and know the most important thing they can do to keep safe is to not eat uncooked flour.”

Flour is a raw ingredient that is intended to be cooked or baked.  Flour is made from wheat that is grown outdoors where bacteria are often present and the normal flour milling process does not remove these bacteria.

In order for severe E. coli illness to occur from flour, all three of the following things have to happen:

(1)

The flour a consumer is using has to contain the rare sub-types of E.coli that can make you sick.

(2)

The consumer has to eat raw dough, batter or other uncooked food made with the flour, or handle the raw dough and not wash their hands.

(3)

The consumer’s individual health characteristics will impact if they get sick and how severely. Some consumers have mild symptoms and others get very sick. It is not always known who will get sick and who will not.

Previously announced recalled flour production dates ranged from November 4, 2015 through December 4, 2015. The expansion announced today includes select production dates through February 10, 2016. The new recall applies only to the specific product and date codes listed below.

13.5 ounce Gold Medal Wondra

Package UPC

000-16000-18980

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

14MAY2017PK

2lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour

Package UPC

000-16000-10710

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

18JUN2017KC, 01AUG2017KC, 13AUG2017KC through
21AUG2017KC

10lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour

Package UPC

000-16000-10410

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

18JUN2017KC, 01AUG2017KC

5lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour

Package UPC

000-16000-10610

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

18JUN2017KC, 01AUG2017KC, 13AUG2017KC through
21AUG2017KC

5lb Gold Medal Self Rising Flour

Package UPC

000-16000-11610

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

27OCT2016KC

4.25lb Gold Medal All Purpose Flour

Package UPC

000-16000-12670

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

01AUG2017KC, 19AUG2017KC, 20AUG2017KC, 21AUG2017KC

5lb Gold Medal Unbleached Flour

Package UPC

000-16000-19610

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

01AUG2017KC, 14AUG2017KC, 15AUG2017KC, 16AUG2017KC,
17AUG2017KC, 19AUG2017KC, 20AUG2017KC

2lb Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached

Package UPC

000-21130-53000

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

BB 15 AUG 2017, BB 16 AUG 2017

5lb Signature Kitchens Unbleached Flour All Purpose Enriched

Package UPC

000-21130-53022

Recalled Better if Used by Dates

BB 01 AUG 2017

Consumers are asked to throw away any flour in their possession that is part of this recall.  A full list of retail products included in the flour recall since May 31, 2016 can be found at http://ift.tt/1O2ySNf.

Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick. Some strains of E. coli create potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Seniors, the very young, and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. Guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can be found on the FDA website and the CDC website.

Anyone diagnosed by a physician as having an illness related to E. coli is also urged to contact state and local public health authorities.

Consumers with questions or requesting replacement product should contact General Mills at 1-800-230-81031-800-230-8103 FREE. Consumer information can also be found at http://ift.tt/1O2ySNf.

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Weis recalls baked goods because of metal bits in sugar

Another recall spurred by metal fragments in sugar from an unnamed supplier was issued Friday evening, this time for 30 bakery products sold by Weis Markets.

The Weis recall includes muffins, cookies, shortbread and bread products distributed to the Pennsylvania-based retailer’s stores. It operates more than 160 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and West Virginia.

“This voluntary action is being taken due to our supplier’s recall of the sugar ingredient,” according to the company’s recall notice on the Food and Drug Administration website. “Weis Markets has received no reports of adverse reactions or injuries due to consumption of these products to date.”

Similar to the Weis recall, ConAgra Foods did not name the sugar supplier earlier this month when it recalled more than 195,000 pounds of P.F. Chang’s brand frozen chicken and beef entrées.

ConAgra discovered the problem with metal fragments on July 1 when an employee at its Russellville, AR, facility observed metal fragments while dispensing sugar from a supplier for sauce formulation during processing.

Both the Weis and ConAgra recall notices said the fragments range in size between 2 and 9 millimeters (mm) in diameter.

The Weis recall notice warns that the metal fragments may be in the sugar toppings used on its muffins and other baked goods.

The muffins are packaged in plastic salad containers. The loaf bread and cookies are packaged in plastic containers with hinged lids, and the Irish soda bread is packaged in a plastic bag. The sell by date can be found at the bottom of the scale label affixed to the packaging. The complete list of Weis recalled baked goods and their identifying label information is as follows:

Product	UPC	Sell By Date
GOURMET DOUBLE DUTCH MONSTER MUFFINS	2100827004002	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET RAISIN BRAN MONSTER MUFFINS	2100817004005	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET PISTACHIO FLAVORED MONSTER MUFFINS	2100807004008	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET APPLE SPICE MONSTER MUFFINS	2100867004000	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET CHOC CHIP MONSTER MUFFINS	2100857004003	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
MONSTER SIZE PINA COLADA MUFFINS	2100837004009	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET PUMPKIN MONSTER MUFFINS	2100917004004	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET CRANBERRY ORANGE MONSTER MUFFINS	2100907004007	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GINGERBREAD MONSTER MUFFINS	2100887004004	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET RED VELVET MONSTER MUFFINS	2103007004007	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET CINNAMON CHIP MONSTER MUFFINS	2100957004002	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET LEMON POPPY MONSTER MUFFINS	2100927004001	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET BANANA NUT MONSTER MUFFINS	2100727004003	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET BLUEBERRY MONSTER MUFFINS	2100737004000	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET CORN MONSTER MUFFINS	2100747004007	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET CHERRY ALMOND MONSTER MUFFINS	2100797004002	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET BUTTER RUM MONSTER MUFFIN	2100787004005	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
GOURMET ORANGE PINEAPPLE MONSTER MUFFINS	2100757004004	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
TRIPLE BERRY LOAF BREAD	2107736005007	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
BANANA CHOC CHIP LOAF BREAD	2122396005006	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
BANANA WALNUT LOAF BREAD	2122196005008	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
APPLE CINNAMON LOAF BREAD	2122106005005	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
PEACH MELBA LOAF BREAD	2122566005003	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
BLUEBERRY LEMON LOAF BREAD	2122096005009	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
IRISH SODA BREAD	2107620003997	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
IRISH SODA SCONES	2107980003996	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
OLD FASHIONED SHORTCAKE	2101477004008	5/28/16 – 7/24/16
CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES	21045335004491	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
SOUR CRÈME COOKIES W/CHOCOLATE CHIPS	2100945004496	5/28/16 – 7/26/16
SOUR CREAM COOKIES	2100775004499	5/28/16 – 7/26/16

 

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‘Wild Boar Brotwurst’ recalled because of excess nitrites

A Colorado company is recalling more than 4,500 pounds of “Wild Boar Brotwurst” products because of excessive levels of nitrites.

“The problem was discovered by FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service) personnel during a routine label verification task,” according to the recall notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“FSIS discovered that the establishment’s formulation for the use of sodium nitrite, a restricted ingredient, exceeded the regulatory limit. … Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

The 4,692 pounds of recalled brotwurst from House of Smoke Inc. in Ft. Lupton, CO, was produced and packed on various dates beginning April 27, 2015, and running through July 12 this year.

Consumers can identify the recalled products by label information including establishment number “EST. 6273” inside the USDA mark of inspection and specific lot numbers.

The following lot numbers are subject to the recall — 517240, 515160, 517160, 518070, 514080, 511380, 518090, 517001, 513211, 512221, 614110, 616210, 614050, 618150, 616060, 613160, 617070 and 612170.

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Giant recalls Own Brands 3 bean salad because of Listeria

Giant Food Stores Inc. is recalling store branded 3 bean salad because an unnamed ingredient from an unnamed supplier may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The salad may have been sold in bulk or in 1-pound prepackaged containers from service deli cases and/or from “Grab 7 Go” deli cases in Giants and Martin’s stores, according to the recall notice on the Giant website.

The recall notice on the Giant website does not include product photos or details about distribution. The retailer is offering consumers full refunds when they return the recalled salad to stores.

Identifying information for the recalled “Own Brands 3 Bean Salad” includes:

• OB 3 Bean Salad BULK – 1 LB; UPC 23700600000; Codes: ALL CODE DATES
• OB 3 Bean Salad PREPACK – 1 LB; UPC 23657100000;  Codes: ALL CODE DATES

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Agave Dream Cappuccino ice cream recalled for Listeria risk

Agave Dream of Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA, is recalling 389 cases of its Cappuccino ice cream because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The company stated that the recalled item was distributed nationally through retail stores receiving product from KeHE Distributors’ Romeoville, IL, warehouse, DPI Northwest; Americold in Los Angeles; IWI’s Franklin, IN, warehouse, and Haddon House, Richburg, SC.

The recalled product consists of pints of Agave Dream Cappuccino ice cream packed in a brown paper pint-sized container with “Agave Dream” printed on the front of the carton and with a Best By date 07/04/17 and a UPC of 899349002048.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall is the result of a routine sampling by the State of Washington, which revealed that the finished products contained the Listeria bacteria. The company has ceased production and distribution of the product while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the company continue their investigation into what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased Agave Dream Cappuccino ice cream with a “Best By” date 07/04/17 are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 866-993-4438 or by emailing to agavedream@sbcglobal.net Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT.

Listeria is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

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Bar S recalls chicken and pork products including franks and corn dogs

The Altus, OK-based Bar-S Foods Company, late Tuesday recalled approximately 372,684 pounds of chicken and pork hot dog and corn dog products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The ready-to-eat, chicken and pork hot dog and corn dog items were produced on July 10, 11, 12, and 13, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:

• 16-oz/1-lb. packages of “BAR-S Classic BUN LENGTH Franks MADE WITH CHICKEN, PORK ADDED” with “Use By” date of 10/11/2016 and case code 209.
• 12-oz. packages of “BAR-S CLASSIC Franks MADE WITH CHICKEN, PORK ADDED” with package code 6338, “Use By” date of 10/10/2016 and case code 6405.
• 24-oz./1.5-lb. cartons of “SIGNATURE Pick 5 CORNDOGS – 8 Honey Batter Dipped Franks On A Stick” with a “Use By” date of 4/6/2017 and case code 6071.
• 42.72-oz./2.67-lb. cartons of “BAR-S CLASSIC CORN DOGS – 16 Honey Batter Dipped Franks On A Stick” with “Use By” dates of 4/7/2017 and 4/8/2017 and case code 6396.
• 48-oz./3-lb. cartons of “BAR-S CLASSIC CORN DOGS – 16 Honey Batter Dipped Franks On A Stick” with package code 14054, “Use By” dates of 4/6/2017 and 4/9/2017, and case code 14038.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. P-81A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

Bar-S Foods notified FSIS’ Dallas District Office earlier on July 19, 2016, of its intention to recall five chicken and pork hot dog and corn dog products that could potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The company has not received test results for Listeria monocytogenes in connection with the recalled products, but due to recurring Listeria species issues at the firm, it has decided to remove the products from commerce as a precautionary measure. There have been no confirmed reports of illnesses or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

FSIS and Bar S are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website.

 

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Seven brands of black beans recalled because of ink pen

Faribault Foods Inc. is recalling 15-ounce cans of black beans after a consumer found part of an ink pen in a can.

Seven brands are included, but only one production code is implicated in the recall of no-salt-added black beans, according to a recall notice posted on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

The code on the recalled cans is “Best By 04 APR 2019 258F2 095 16 XXXX” and can be found on the bottom of the 15-ounce cans.

These are two of seven brands of 15-ounce cans of no-salt-added black beans that have been recalled.

Brands included in the recall are:

• Hyvee No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• La Preferida Low Sodium Black Beans (Frijoles Negros Bajo En Sodio)
• Our Family No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• Sprouts No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• Mrs. Grimes No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• Kuner’s No-Salt-Added Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
• HEB Black No-Salt-Added Beans (Frijol Negro Sin Sal)

No other production codes, sizes or brands of Faribault Foods Inc. products are affected by this recall.

“This has been determined to be an isolated incident,” according to the recall notice. “We are recalling these products because they may contain small pieces of plastic and/or metal that may cause injury. Although our investigation is ongoing, we believe the source of the plastic and/or metal was an ink pen that entered the product stream.

“Consumers who may have purchased the products listed above should not consume them but should instead return them to the store where purchased for a refund or replacement.”

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ConAgra expands recall of chicken and beef over metal fragments

The July 6 recall by ConAgra Foods was expanded Friday to include an additional 191,791 pounds–up from the original 3,806 pounds—for a total of 195,597 pounds of chicken and beef P.F. Chang’s brand entrée products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal.

The problem was first discovered on July 1 by an employee at the Russellville, AR ConAgra facility who observed metal fragments while dispensing sugar from a supplier for sauce formulation during processing. No injuries have yet been associated with the metal fragment contamination.

The fragments range in size between 2 and 9 millimeters (mm) in diameter, and are curled, malleable and shiny. The metal fragments may be embedded in the sauce contained within the frozen entrée products.

The frozen chicken and beef entrée items were produced on various dates between May 31, 2016 and June 22, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Signature Spicy Chicken” with “Use By” date of 6/08/17 and case code 5006616500.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Mongolian Style Beef” with “Use By” date of 6/17/17 and case code 5006617400.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Mongolian Style Beef” with “Use By” date of 6/1/17 and case code 5006615800.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Beef with Broccoli” with “Use By” date of 6/4/17 and case code 5006616100.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Sweet & Sour Chicken” with “Use By” date of 6/3/17 and case code 5006616000.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu General Chang’s Chicken” with “Use By” date of 6/3/17 and case code 5006616000.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Garlic Chicken with Dan Dan Noodles” with “Use By” date of 6/8/17 and case code 5006616500.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Lo Mein Noodles” with “Use By” date of 6/10/17 and case code 5006616700.

• 22-oz. plastic bagged meal packages of “P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Signature Spicy Chicken” with “Use By” date of 5/26/17 and case code 5006615200.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 233” or “EST. P-115” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributors and retail locations nationwide.

The resulting sauce is a component in the frozen entrée products. On July 14, 2016, ConAgra Foods was notified by the supplier of an FDA recall involving multiple production lots of sugar due to potential metal contamination. The recall action involved additional lots of sugar potentially used in FSIS regulated products at ConAgra Foods, and resulted in this expansion of the initial recall action.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website.

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CDC closes investigation; warns of ongoing Listeria threat

The investigation into a Listeriosis outbreak traced to frozen vegetables from CRF Frozen Foods Inc. has ended — but federal officials warn more people could still be stricken by the potentially deadly Listeria monocytogenes pathogen.

“People could continue to get sick because recalled products may still be freezers and people who don’t know about the recalls could eat them,” according to an outbreak update posted this afternoon by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

“Retailers should not sell and consumers should not eat recalled products.”

Those “recalled products” include more than 350 frozen products packaged by CRF Frozen Foods Inc. under 42 brands, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Recalled products were sold across the U.S. and Canada.

“The FDA facilitated the recall of at least 456 products related to this outbreak. CRF Frozen Foods recalled 358 products and at least 98 other products were recalled by other firms that received CRF-recalled products,” according to FDA.

A complete list of the recalls linked to CRF Frozen Foods’ recall is available on the FDA website.

Production plant remains closed
CRF owners closed the Pasco, WA, plant where the food was produced after issuing recalls on April 23 and May 2. The first recall was for 11 frozen vegetable products. The second was for all organic and traditional frozen vegetable and fruit products processed at the facility from May 1, 2014, through this spring.

Today an external public relations consultant hired by CRF said the company’s owners will take their time reopening the facility. He said CRF’s business is seasonal, based on crop harvests, and with the end of summer nearing it wouldn’t make any difference if they reopened in a few weeks or a few months.

A variety of Kroger-branded frozen vegetable products are included in the recall.

“The company executives are spending a good bit of time and effort focused on a new design of the plant, to ensure the company has state of the art equipment and processes, once operations resume,” said spokesman Gene Grabowski.

Officials with the privately held CRF, which is part of the R.D. Offutt Co., were pleased that the outbreak investigation was declared ended, Grabowski said this afternoon, adding that they would “continue to proceed with redoubled vigilance to ensure that nothing of this nature happens again.”

Although CRF knows how much product it shipped, its officials did not reveal those volumes in its recall notices.

“The company has no estimate of product recalled or destroyed,” Grabovski said. “Much of the recalled product has been managed by retailers, so no complete records are available.”

The victims and how they were discovered
The outbreak includes at least nine people from four states on opposite sides of the U.S. They were sickened with a strain of Listeria monocytogenes that Ohio officials coincidentally discovered in CRF frozen products while conducting routine testing of randomly collected packages of frozen foods from retail stores.

All nine people were so sick they had to be hospitalized. Three of them died, but state public health officials reported to the CDC that only one of the deaths was specifically caused by the Listeria infection.

The first known victim became sick in September of 2013. Five victims fell ill in 2015 and three were confirmed with the outbreak strain this year. The most recent case was May 3, according to the CDC.

CDC scientists detected the outbreak in March this year and linked it to frozen food from CRF’s Pasco plant using a combination of high-tech DNA testing and the oldest medical technique on the books — patient interviews.

“State and local health departments attempted to interview the ill people, a family member, or a caregiver for the ill person about the foods the ill person may have eaten in the month before the illness began,” CDC reported.

Officials were able to interview four people, three of whom reported that before they became sick they ate frozen vegetables that turned out to have been produced at the CRF Pasco plant.

“Two reported Organic by Nature brand frozen vegetables. The third ill person reported eating O Organic brand frozen vegetables,” CDC reported.

While the CDC investigators were trying to find a common denominator among the Listeria victims, staff with the Ohio Department of Agriculture were conducting routine, random product sampling of frozen vegetables from grocery stores.

The Ohio tests revealed Listeria monocytogenes in frozen organic white sweet corn and frozen organic green peas packaged under Meijer’s True Goodness brand. Both products were produced by CRF at the Pasco facility.

“Whole genome sequencing showed that the Listeria isolate from the frozen corn was closely related genetically to eight bacterial isolates from (the) ill people, and the Listeria isolate from the frozen peas was closely related genetically to one isolate from (one) ill person,” the CDC reported.

Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to compare and ultimately match the Listeria monocytogenes samples from the outbreak victims and the randomly tested frozen vegetables. PulseNet is a national sub typing network of public health labs and includes a national database of DNA fingerprints of foodborne pathogen strains.

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Frozen farm-raised catfish recalled for potential chemical contamination

Haring Catfish Inc. of Wisner, LA, is recalling approximately 21,521 pounds of siluriformes fish (catfish) products that may be adulterated with a residue of public health concern, specifically gentian (crystal) violet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Thursday, July 14, 2016.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 51217” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations and hotels, restaurants, and institutions in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas.

The problem was discovered on July 11, 2016, after routine FSIS sampling results revealed a violative level of the chemical gentian (crystal) violet in the product.

The siluriformes (catfish) products items were produced on June 28 and 29, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:

• 11-lb. Cardboard boxes of IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) “catfish” tails in plastic wrapping identified as HARING CATFISH and having Lot Code 2140 printed on the label.
• 15-lb. Cardboard boxes of IQF “catfish” steaks, irregular filets, whole fish, strips, nuggets, and partially gutted fish in plastic wrapping identified as HARING CATFISH and having Lot Code 2140 printed on the label.
• 30-lb. Cardboard boxes of IQF “catfish” steaks, irregular filets, whole fish, strips, nuggets, and partially gutted fish in plastic wrapping identified as HARING CATFISH and having Lot Code 2140 printed on the label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions, injury, or illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them but instead to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about this recall can contact Dottie Walker at (318) 724-6133, ext. 119.

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Marie Callender’s recalls biscuit mix with General Mills flour

Recalled General Mills flour linked to an ongoing E. coli outbreak has spurred yet another secondary product recall — this time it’s Marie Callender’s cheese biscuit mix.

The International Commissary Corp. (ICC) distributed the biscuit mix to retailers in Alabama, California, Washington, Utah and Texas, according to the recall notice on the Food and Drug Administration website.

“Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled products are urged to throw them away. Retailers who received the recalled products are being contacted. FDA and the Centers for Disease Control warn that consumers should refrain from consuming any raw products made with flour, according to the recall notice.

“ICC was notified by a supplier that an ingredient contains flour which was recalled by General Mills because it may be contaminated with E. coli O121. We are unaware of any illnesses to date from the recalled Marie Callender Cheese Biscuit Mix products.”

While there are no confirmed illnesses connected to the biscuit mix, 42 people in 21 states have been confirmed to have been infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli that has been found in the recalled General Mills flour, the CDC reported July 1.

The recalled Marie Callender’s cheese biscuit mix can be identified by the best-by dates on the product labels:

• 7-ounce packages with best-by dates of March 22, 2017, and May 17, 2017; and
• 14-ounce boxes with the best-by date of June 17, 2017.

“The quality of Marie Callender’s products and the safety of our customers are the upmost important issues,” ICC vice president of sales Kevin Greene said in the recall notice. “We are working with our retail customers and the FDA to ensure any affected product is removed from the marketplace immediately. Consumers and media with questions can contact Joanna Fraire at 408-792-3123, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific (time) or at Joanna@commissary.com.”

Anyone who has eaten of handled the recalled biscuit mix and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should immediately see a doctor for testing. Symptoms usually develop three to four days after exposure, according to the CDC, but may begin as soon as 1 day or as late as 10 days. The symptoms often begin slowly with belly pain or diarrhea that can be bloody and that worsens over several days.

The very young, seniors, and those with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to food borne illness.

“Around 5 percent to 10 percent of those who are diagnosed with (E. coli) infection develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS),” according to the CDC.

“Persons with HUS should be hospitalized because their kidneys may stop working and they may develop other serious problems. Most persons with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent damage or die.”

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