Nutrisystem recalls cookie dough bars for Listeria concerns

Nutrisystem Inc. is recalling one flavor of its Nutricrush bars sold at retail stores and online because they contain cookie dough that has been recalled because of possible Listeria contamination.

Only Nutricrush Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bars manufactured by Nobel Foods Inc. for Nutrisystem are implicated in the recall, according to a notice posted today on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

No “direct to consumer” Nutrisystem products are included in the recall. The recalled bars were sold nationwide online via amazon.com and walmart.com.

One lot of the bars — 455 cases of five-bar boxes — were distributed to ShopRite and Hanford stores in a dozen states: Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Vermont.

“The product can be identified by the UPC 6 32674 85579 4, Enjoy by Aug 22 2017 and Lot Code NF082216A. All code information is found on the back panel of the carton,” according to the recall notice.

“Consumers should not eat the recalled product. Consumers may discard the product or return it to the ShopRite or Hannaford from where it was purchased for a full refund. Twenty-four customers of Amazon.com and Walmart.com have already been identified, instructed to discard the product, and will be issued a refund. No illnesses have been reported.”

Consumers with questions can call Nutrisystem at 866-293-8118.

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled Nutrisystem bars and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctors of the possible exposure to Listeria monocytogenes.

Symptoms can take up to 70 days to develop after exposure. Listeria monocytogenes 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.

The Nutrisystem recall notice does not name the cookie dough supplier, but a number of companies are recalling products because they contain cookie dough supplied by Aspen Hills Inc., an Iowa company.

Aspen Hills recalled some of its cookie dough in mid-September after Blue Bell Creameries reported finding Listeria in it. The cookie dough company expanded the recall Sunday to include all of the cookie dough it produced between July 15 and Sept. 30. The cookie dough went to 27 food production companies, but Aspen Hills will not make its customer list public.

For more details on the Aspen Hills cookie dough recall and other product recalls related to it, please see: “Cookie dough recall for Listeria ripples through food chain”

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Cookie dough recall for Listeria ripples through food chain

At least four companies have issued ice cream recalls — Blue Bunny, Blue Bell, Chocolate Shoppe and Publix — because of a cookie dough recall that could cause dozens of secondary recalls from as yet unnamed companies.

It’s the second time in less than a month that Blue Bell Creameries has recalled ice cream because of potentially contaminated cookie dough from Aspen Hills Inc. of Garner, IA. The iconic Brenham, TX-based Blue Bell discovered Listeria monocytogenes during product testing at one of its production plants in September, resulting in the recall of two flavors across several states.

Aspen Hills recalled some cookie dough at that time and launched an in-house investigation. Although the cookie dough producer did not find Listeria in its products or plant, according to a statement issued Tuesday, it did discover food safety “issues,” which spurred company officials to issue a recall Sunday.

The cookie dough recall notice was not made public, though, going only to the 27 food manufacturing companies that had received Aspen Hills dough produced from July 15 through Sept. 30. All ice cream produced by Aspen Hills during that period is being recalled.

A spokesman for Aspen Hills said Tuesday that none of the 22,000 cases of cookie dough produced during that time frame and now under recall were sold to fund-raising entities. Only commercial food manufacturers received the recalled dough and Aspen Hills will not identify its customers.

“… our lab results for all of our products are negative for (Listeria monocytogenes) and we have no reports of any illness attributable to this product — but we are acting out of an abundance of caution because a thorough review of our manufacturing environment has revealed instances where we may not have met our food safety standards,” Aspen Hills owners said in a prepared statement.

“Some of the issues that were identified included inadequate documentation of protocol, failure to wear proper uniforms and the possibility of cross-contamination. Other issues involved the failure of our personnel to consistently follow our standard operating procedures.”

No illnesses have been reported in connection to the recalled ice cream, but symptoms of Listeria infection can take up to 70 days to develop. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled ice cream and develops symptoms of listeriosis should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Listeria.

Although healthy individuals may 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.

Monday Blue Bell officials recalled additional flavors of their ice cream, with Blue Bunny, Chocolate Shoppe and the Publix grocery chain soon following. All four companies urged consumers to check their homes for the recalled ice cream and either dispose of it or return it to the place of purchase.

The specific varieties and identifying package markings of the recalled ice cream are:

Blue Bell recall — A company spokesperson declined to provide the recall notice Blue Bell received from Aspen Hills, but said “we have suspended all ingredient orders from Aspen Hills indefinitely.” For more information, consumers with questions may call 979-836-7977.

Two Blue Bell flavors in half gallon and pint containers sold to retailers are under recall: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Cookie Two Step. Three Blue Bell flavors in 3-gallon containers sold to food service customers are under recall: Blue Monster, Chocolate Chip Cookie, and Krazy Kookie Dough. All of the Blue Bell recalled ice cream was produced from Feb. 2 through Sept. 7.

Both the consumer/retail and food service products produced with the cookie dough pieces were distributed by Blue Bell to the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Blue Bunny recall — Only one seasonal flavor of Blue Bunny ice cream is implicated in the recall, Hoppin’ Holidoodle, which is made with snickerdoodle cookie dough from Aspen Hills. It was distributed in six states: Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona and Texas.

The recalled, 46-ounce containers of Blue Bunny Hoppin’ Holidoodle can be identified by UPC and lot numbers as well as best-by dates. The codes to look for are:

• UPC number 070640014644, LOT 60001 MM 19115 6228, BEST IF USED BY 02/13/18
• UPC 070640014651, LOT 60001 MM 19115 6229, BEST IF USED BY 02/14/18

Anyone with questions about the Blue Bunny ice cream recall should telephone Wells Enterprises, Inc. consumer affairs at 1-800-331-0830.

Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Company Inc. recall —  This Madison, WI, company recalled two brands or ice cream in a total of five flavors in various sizes from 25 states Tuesday evening.

Unlike the other recalling companies, Chocolate Shoppe included the amount of its ice cream. It is recalling 4,183 3-gallon cartons and 5,296 pints. The company distributed its Baked Bear brand and Chocolate Shoppe brand products to ice cream shops around the country, via online outlets and to limited grocery stores.

The Chocolate Shoppe recalled products were distributed to Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Consumers may contact the company at 800-466-8043 or via email at info@chocolateshoppeicecream.com. Recalled ice cream flavors from the Chocolate Shoppe can be identified by the following label information.

Chocolate Shoppe branded 3-gallon cartons of:

• Cookie Dough 12/29/17, 12/19/17, 12/13/17, 12/6/17, 11/26/17 & 11/15/17
• Heaps of Love 12/29/17, 11/24/17 & 11/8/17
• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough 12/1/17 & 11/18/17
• Sticks & Stones 12/27/17, 12/2/17 & 11/10/17
• Yippee Skippee 12/1/17

Chocolate Shoppe branded pints cartons of:

• Cookie Dough 12/13/17, 12/9/17 & 11/26/17

Baked Bear branded 3-gallon cartons of:

• Cookie Dough 12/6/17, 11/26/17 & 11/15/17

Publix recall —  Only one flavor of Publix branded ice cream is implicated in the recall, Publix Premium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream.

The recalled ice cream was sold at Publix stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Carolina. It can be identified by the UPC number of 000-41415-03843 and a sell by date of May 27 2017, which is printed on the bottom of the half-gallon containers.

Publix customers with questions can call the company at 800-242-1227.

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Trout recall for E. coli blamed on General Mills flour

An “urgent” product recall issued Thursday and encouraging “immediate action” to remove breaded trout from commerce because it contains General Mills flour linked to an E. coli outbreak was still not available on the Food and Drug Administration website Monday afternoon.

Clear Springs Foods Inc. of Buhl, ID, sent the recall notice to purchasing officers and distributors Oct. 6, describing it as an “FDA recall for ingredient with E. coli 0121.” The most recent information from FDA related to the E. coli outbreak traced to General Mills flour was posted Sept. 29.

“This notification is to inform you of a product recall requiring isolation of product — Clear Springs Foods, Sun-Dried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Trout — and notification to Clear Springs Foods of remaining inventory of the item,” the recall states.

“A breading ingredient supplied to Clear Springs Foods by a supplier, Newly Weds Foods, was made with wheat flour from their supplier with the potential presence of E. coli 0121 bacteria.”

A spokeswoman for Clear Springs Foods said Monday that the trout recall is related to the General Mills flour recall. Newly Weds Foods officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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

In a series of three recalls, General Mills recalled more than 45 million tons of flour earlier this year after federal officials found laboratory evidence linking it to a 24 state outbreak that had sickened 63 people as of Sept. 5.

Distribution details for the Clear Springs Foods Sun-Dried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Trout product were not provided in the recall notice.

However, St. Louis-based regional retailer Schnucks alerted its customers about the recall, providing specific details.

“Schnucks customers who purchased any Sun-Dried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Trout filets between May 27 and Oct. 6 from the store’s seafood department should return any unused portions to their nearest store for a full refund,” according to the Schnucks notice. “Customers with questions may contact the Schnucks Consumer Affairs department at 314-994-4400 or 800-264-4400.”

Clear Springs Foods officials said in their recall notice that they were not aware of any illnesses related to the company’s trout. There is some concern that consumers may have the recalled fish in their home refrigerators or freezers.

Consumers can identify the recalled trout by the UPC number 10 070765 08761 2 and the lot number and date SP-08761:317 Packedon04/20/16

“The code is defined: the first two letters are the facility the product was processed at, the next five digits stand for the item number, the sixth digit is the day of the week, and the last two digits are the week of the year,” according to the Clear Springs Foods notice.

“This recall shall be conducted to the retail level. It is important that all product be isolated and stored in such a manner as to assure its separation from acceptable product so it will not inadvertently be used or shipped.

“As of Oct. 6, all future shipments originating at Clear Springs Foods Inc. Buhl, Idaho, or shipments originating from any of our forwarding warehouse will not have used this breading system.”

Any who has eaten the recalled Clear Springs Foods trout and developed symptoms of e. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to E. coli.

Symptoms of infection usually begin between two and eight days after eating or drinking something contaminated with the bacteria. Most people develop diarrhea, which is often bloody, and abdominal cramps, recovering within a week. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, E. coli 0121 is a potentially deadly bacterium. Seniors, the very young, and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

For additional details on the E. coli outbreak traced to General Mills flour, please see: “CDC closes flour/E. coli investigation; expects more illnesses”

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Kraft Heinz recalls RTE lunch products for misbranding, undeclared allergens

Kraft Heinz Company of Fullerton, CA, is recalling approximately 959 pounds of ready-to-eat “Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers” packaged lunch products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Sunday.

093-2016 labels

The product contains wheat and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on the product label.

The ready-to-eat meat and cheese packaged lunch items were produced on Sept. 21. The following products are subject to recall:

• 3.4-ounce boxes containing four-compartment plastic trays of “Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers” with a “USE BY” date of 25 DEC 2016 and production times ranging from 9:13 to 10:00 stamped on the side of the plastic container.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 537K” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Utah and California.

The problem was discovered Oct. 6 when the firm received a consumer complaint. There were no illnesses associated with the complaint, according to the company.

The establishment determined that the “Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers” products were incorrectly labeled with the back label for a “Nacho Lunchable” product. The back label contains the product ingredient statements and, as such, the “Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers” products that were mislabeled do not declare wheat and soy on the label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of this product, Kraft Heinz stated. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume it. This product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact the Kraft Heinz Consumer Relations Center at 1-800-573-3877.

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Mars recalls Cesar Classics Filet Mignon dog food for plastic pieces

Mars Petcare has recalled a limited number of Cesar Classics Filet Mignon Flavor wet dog food products due to a potential choking risk from small pieces of plastic.

The product can be purchased individually, as well as in flavor variety multipacks. The lot codes listed below are the only products affected by this recall.

Select packages of this product may contain small pieces of plastic, which entered the food during the production process.

Each Cesar Classics Filet Mignon Flavor product will have a lot code printed on the side of the tray that begins with 631FKKC or 631GKKC and best-before date between 08/04/18 and 08/05/18.

The Cesar Classics Filet Mignon Flavor can also be found in variety packs with the following lot codes: 632D14JC, 633B24JC, 634A14JC, 634A24JC, 634B14JC, 634B24JC, 634E14JC, 635A24JC, 635B14JC, 636D24JC and 636E14JC.

The company encouraged consumers who have purchased the affected product to discard it or return it to the retailer for a full refund or exchange.

The lot code is indicated by the red box.

Mars Petcare said that a small number of consumers have reported finding the plastic pieces. However, the company noted that it has not received any reports of injury or illness associated with the affected product.

Mars Petcare officials are working with its distributors and retail customers to make sure the recalled products are no longer sold and are removed from inventory. Those with questions may contact the company at 1-800-421-6456.

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Illnesses linked to Costco chicken salad in Washington

Less than a year after Costco recalled chicken salad that sickened people across seven states another outbreak linked to the club store’s rotisserie chicken salad has been revealed — more than a month after the suspect food was sold.

This product photo is posted with the public health warning regarding Costco chicken salad.

Only one Costco store was implicated as of Sunday when the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public warning about Salmonella illnesses associated with the rotisserie chicken salad from store number 1190 in Lynnwood, WA.

“Based on epidemiological evidence, four Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- case patients have been identified with illness onset dates ranging from Sept. 2 to Sept. 6,” according to the FSIS notice.

“Traceback investigation indicated that three of these case patients consumed rotisserie chicken salad purchased on Aug. 26, Aug. 31 and Sept. 2 from this Costco location.”

The suspect chicken salad was produced Aug. 26 through Sept. 2 and sold in various sized containers directly to consumers at Costco’s Alderwood store in Lynnwood,WA.

“FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. This product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” according to the public health alert. No product has tested positive for this strain of Salmonella.

“Clinical isolates associated with this investigation were tested for antibiotic-resistance, and three isolates from Washington State were found resistant only to tetracycline and susceptible to other antibiotics commonly used to treat salmonellosis.”

Anyone who ate the implicated chicken salad and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should immediately seek medical attention and alert their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-.

The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.

Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.

Costco’s 2015 chicken salad outbreak
In the fall of 2015 at least 19 people across seven states were sickened with infections from E. coli O157:H7 traced to Costco rotisserie chicken salad.

Among people for whom information was available, illnesses started on dates ranging from Oct. 6 to Nov. 3, 2015. Five people were hospitalized. Two people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. No deaths were reported.

The Food and Drug Administration conducted a traceback investigation of the FDA regulated ingredients used in the chicken salad to try to determine which ingredient was linked to illness. However, the traceback investigation did not identify a common source of contamination.

On Nov. 20, 2015, Costco reported to public health officials that the company had voluntarily removed all remaining rotisserie chicken salad from all stores in the United States.

On Nov. 26, 2015, Taylor Farms Pacific Inc., voluntarily recalled the celery and onion diced blend used in the Costco chicken salad and many other products containing celery, because they might have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

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Nestlé recalls drumstick ice cream treats because of Listeria

Nestlé USA Inc. has launched a nationwide recall of an undisclosed volume of ice cream Drumstick cones that were “inadvertently” distributed after the company found Listeria monocytogenes in its Bakersfield, CA, production plant.

“There have been no positive test results for LM (Listeria monocytogenes) present in the Drumstick cones themselves,” according to the Nestlé recall posed on the food and Drug Administration website.

“The products impacted by the voluntary recall were put into distribution inadvertently. No illnesses have been reported to date; the company is initiating this recall as a precautionary action to avoid any potential for consumer illness.”

Listeria monocytogenes can survive freezing temperatures, which, combined with the long shelf life of the ice cream treats, means the recalled products could pose an ongoing threat if they are in consumers’ homes.

Consumers can identify the recalled products by identification codes on the back of the packages and on the individually marked vanilla cones from the 24 count pack. The two packs being recalled carry distinct UPC codes, as well as a “best before” date and production code.

The recalled products are marked as follows:

Description	Production Code	UPC	Best Before Date
Nestlé brand Drumsticks variety pack DSTK Club CP 16×4.6floz US	6244580212	72554-11096	Between June 2 – June 15, 2017
	6245580212
	6246580212
	6247580212
	6248580212
	6249580212
	6250580212
	6251580212
	6252580212
	6253580212
	6254580212
	6255580212
	6256580212
	6257580212
DSTK Vanilla 24×4.6floz US	6258580212	72554-00160	Between June 16 – June 19, 2017
	6259580212
	6260580212
	6261580212

 

“Consumers who may have purchased the product listed above should not consume it, but instead should return it to the place of purchase or contact Nestlé Consumer Services for replacement,” according to the recall notice. “Please call or text 800-681-1676 or email Nestleproductinquiry@casupport.com; representatives are available 24/7.”

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and develops symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about their possible exposure to Listeria. It can take up to 70 days for Listeria symptoms to develop after exposure.

Listeria monocytogenes 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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