Limited Edition, Fresh & Easy Tomatoes Recalled After Salmonella Found

Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce says that it's recalling 1 lot of grape tomatoes after USDA inspectors in Michigan performed what apparently turned out to be a positive test for Salmonella.  The company says that it's working with health officials on this recall and stresses that no actual illnesses have been reported.

In a press releases issued last evening the company says that 2 brands are affected by this recall:

• Limited Edition®
• Fresh & Easy

The company says to look for 10.5 ounce "clamshell" packages with UPCs of 033383655925 on them and 7 ounce "clamshells" with the bar code 20025465.  These tomatoes were sent, Andrew Williamson says, to 18 states and 2 Canadian provinces.

Andrew Williamson says that it's contacting stores directly about the recall but folks who may have these packages of tomatoes in their home are instructed to simply throw them out.  You can read the company's entire press release about this recall of Limited Edition and Fresh and Easy grape tomatoes here.

Tyson Recalls Beef Over E. Coli Fears

Kansas-based Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., has announced a recall of more than 131,000 pounds of ground beef over fears that the meat may be contaminated with E. coli.  In a statement dated yesterday the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says that the recall was prompted by positive E. coli tests conducted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The FSIS statement did not say how many people are believed to have been sickened by the meat.  It would only say that an ongoing investigation involved the testing of leftover meat in patients' homes.  (Yes, that's plural.)

There are 3 different products being recalled here:

• 5-pound chubs of Kroger-brand "GROUND BEEF 73% LEAN - 27% FAT," packed in 40-pound cases containing eight chubs. Cases bear an identifying product code of "D-0211 QW." These products were produced on Aug. 23, 2011 and were shipped to distribution centers in Ind. and Tenn. for retail sale.
• 3-pound chubs of Butcher’s Brand "GROUND BEEF 73% LEAN - 27% FAT," packed in 36-pound cases each containing 12 chubs. Cases bear an identifying product code of "D-0211 LWIF." These products were produced on Aug. 23, 2011 and were shipped to distribution centers in N.C. and S.C. for retail sale.
• 3-pound chubs of a generic label "GROUND BEEF 73% LEAN - 27% FAT," packed in 36-pound cases each containing 12 chubs. Cases bear an identifying product code of "D-0211 LWI." These products were produced on Aug. 23, 2011 and were shipped to distribution centers in Del., Fla., Ga., Md., Ill., Ind., Mo., N.Y., Ohio, Tenn., Texas and Wis. for retail sale.

All the products bear "Best Before" or "Freeze by" date codes of SEPT 12 2011 and should have the code 245D printed along their package seams.

USDA is urging everyone who may have this meat on hand to check their freezers.  Throw out any recalled meat, the agency urges.  And if you believe you've been sickened by tainted meat you're advised to seek medical care.

Florida Spinach Dip Recalled for Listeria

Publix Super Markets has issed a recall for spinach dip sold in its Florida stores over fears that the dip could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  According to the company's press release the potential contamination was discovered during routine testing that was undertaken by the company itself.

The company stresses that no actual Listeria infections have been reported to date and only spinach dip sold in certain Publix stores in Florida are affected.  No stores outside Florida, the company says, are covered by this recall.

Customers who believe they may have this dip on hand will want to look for 16 ounce containers with this these codes:

• UPC 41415-00062
• Use By Date of OCT 10 C1

A Publix spokesperson says that all the dip has been removed from store shelves.  Anyone with this dip their homes is invited to return it to their place of purchase for a refund.

You can see a photo of the recalled Publix Deli Spinach Dip here.

Coffee Roaster Accused of "Filth"

Zoka Coffee Company has, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a very real rodent problem and those pests could be rendering coffee produced by the company "contaminated with filth" and "injurious to  health".

In a series of inspections that took place in mid-April inspectors say they found numerous instances of rodent "pellets", gnaw holes, nests and urine stains in, on and around the company's coffee.  There was also evidence of insect infestations.  Inspectors say they found both webbing and larvae, as well.

The problems were not limited to a small area, either.  In the official warning that the FDA just made public this morning, inspectors say they found these things in rooms used for production and storage.  They also found evidence of rodents in the employees' training and break rooms.  Inspectors say they even observed a live rodent in the tea "repackaging" room.

Zoka apparently tried to address the issue because the FDA acknowledges a reply dated in May.  But Zoka's response was "inadequate", says the FDA, because it didn't fully address the rodent problem.  Nor did Zoka take steps to adequately train employees in the use of appropriate hygiene.  The warning letter listed 1 instance in which inspectors witnessed a Zoka employee performing routine tasks without practicing proper handwashing.

The FDA's warning letter to Zoka Coffee Company gives the company 15 working days to respond.

Euphoria Fancy Food, Capitol Food Services Warned by FDA

In its weekly release of official warning letters the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, released copies of its warning letters to Capitol Food Services of Rochester and Euphoria Fancy Food of Brooklyn.  Both New York companies were inspected in early August and both, say FDA inspectors, have "serious" violations of the Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point regs.

Euphoria Fancy Food was cited for not having a plan in place to assure the safety of its imported fish.  The FDA says that Euphoria imports its Herring Special Salting and its Marinated Sprat from Russia but did not take the "affirmative" step necessary to assure the safety of those foods.  If Euphoria does not comply the FDA can stop future imports, the warning letter says.

Capitol Food Services is accused of failing to implement a hazard analysis for each type of fish it processes.  It failed, the letter says, to work up a HACCP plan for its crabmeat, mahi fillets, seafood salad, smoked salmon, and tuna salad to to prevent the growth of harmful germs and the formation of toxins.  Capitol also neglected to have a HACCP plan for it mahi fillets and tuna salad to prevent the formation of scombrotoxin.

Both companies were given 15 working days to present the FDA with a plan outlining the companies' corrective actions.

You can read the FDA warning letter to Euphoria Fancy Foods here and the FDA warning letter to Capitol Food Services here.

Allergy Alert Issued for SeaPak Breaded Shrimp

Rich Products Corporation is recalling its SeaPak Breaded Butterfly Shrimp because the foods contain whey that is not declared on the products' labels.  No illnesses have been reported and the company's press release stresses that the whey in these products make up less than 0.1% of the total "recipe" for these breaded shrimps.

You can see a photo of SeaPak Breaded Butterfly Shrimp here.  If you have these products you'll want to look for these codes:

• Best By date of January 25, 2013
• UPC of 100 41322 10254 6

The products were sold nationwide but the company says that all its distributors and retailers have been notified of the recall and asked to destroy any remaining inventory.  If you have these breaded butterfly shrimps on hand you're asked to return them to your place of purchase.

Allergy Alert Issued for Vareniki/Dumplings

Brooklyn-based M & P Food Productions has issued a recall and allergy alert for its Vereniki/Dumplings products because the foods contain milk and wheat that are not declared on the products' labels.

M & P says that 5 products are being recalled and all have "Best Before" dates of between September 19, 2011 and March 19 2012.  Here's the list of Vareniki/Dumplings being recalled:

• Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki cabbage, NET WT. 14 oz., UPC 7 07163 02619 8
• Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki potato & onion, NET WT. 14 oz., UPC 7 0 7163 02616 7
• Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki potato & mushroom, NET WT. 14 oz., UPC 7 07163 02617 4
• Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki farmer cheese, NET WT. 14 oz., UPC 7 0716 302618 1
• Bapehuku Dupling brand Vareniki sour cherry, NET WT. 14 oz., UPC 7 07163 02615 0

These dumplings were sent to:

• New York
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Florida
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• South Carolina

You can see a photo of the recalled Vareniki/Dumpings here but the company says that all the packages are 14 ounce sealed plastic bags.  The dumplings are found in the freezer section of the market.

The company says that the problem with the label was initially discoverd by the USDA and later confirmed by the FDA.  If you have these dumplings you're urged to return them to your place of purchase for a refund.  No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported so far.

FDA Issues Oyster Warning for Hood Canal in Washington

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has just issued a warning to consumers not to eat oysters from the Hood Canal ares of Washington.  This oyster warning was prompted by 3 confirmed and 2 possible cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections.  This bacterium isn't the Vibrio bacterium that causes cholera but it's in the same genus.

The agency is recommending that anyone who recently purchased oysters check to see where the oysters were harvested.  The oysters involved in these infections all came from Washington but were shipped to these states:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Texas
• Virginia
• Utah
• Washington

They were also shipped to 4 foreign countries:

• China
• Indonesia
• Taiwan
• Thailand

The agency says that if you discover that your oysters came from the Hood Canal Area 4 area of Washington you should throw them out.  If you or someone if your family has recently consumed oysters from this area and didn't get sick you're probably fine, the agency says, and no further action is necessary. However if you've eaten oysters or other shellfish and developed diarrhea within a week of doing so you're urged to seek medical treatment and tell your doctor about your possible exposure to the bacterium.  The symptoms of this infection can begin within a few hours or take as long as 5 days to present themselves.

36 Disease Outbreaks Associated With Drinking Water in 2007 & 2008

The Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, has released its most recent Surveillance report on disease outbreaks spread by drinking water.  This report covers all months in 2007 and 2008--the most recent years for which complete data is available.  In the report we learn that 36 outbreaks were directly associated with drinking water and those outbreaks sickened more than 4000 Americans.  At least 3 people died as a result of those outbreaks.

By far, the most common illnesses involved acute gastrointestinal illnesses.  More than 61% of all drinking-water-associated outbreaks--22 in all--had "tummy bugs" as their main problem.  Coming in at a distant 2nd were acute respiratory infections, or ARIs, which were implicated in 12 outbreaks or 33% of the total.  Skin irritation and hepatitis tied for 3rd place.  They were each blamed for 1 outbreak each.

The vast majority of these outbreaks were blamed on problems that occurred at some point in the water treatment process.  Only 13 outbreaks occurred outside the control of a municipal water system.  And only 1 of those was ultimately linked to a pluming problem.

As for the various germs that caused these outbreaks, most of them--9, in fact--were caused by bacteria.  Viruses were to blame in 5 outbreaks and parasites took the blame in another 2.  The improper use of chemicals caused 1 and a combination of bacteria and viruses caused another.  In 3 cases the exact cause was never actually identified.

So what did the CDC learn from all this info?  Well, one thing experts know is that we aren't seeing fewer outbreaks and that's even taking into consideration that government agencies have been collecting data like this since 1971.  The second is that Legionella continues to the be our main threat when it comes to water-borne diseases.

So, who else has the urge to go check their water filters?

Pepperidge Farms Recalls Sesame Sticks

Pepperidge Farm has issued a voluntary recall of some of its 10.2-ounce boxes of Baked Naturals Sesame Sticks due to the possible presence of small, thin pieces of wire that a few customers have reported finding in the snacks.  Customers will want to look for boxes with a yellow 20% More! banner across the top of the box.  Then you'll need to check for these codes on the top flap of the box:

• W07*1781 Sell by 11/20/2011 
• W07*1891 Sell by 11/27/2011
• W07*1921 Sell by 12/4/2011 
• W07*2041 Sell by 12/11/2011 
• W07*2061 Sell by 12/13/2011
• W07*2221 Sell by 1/1/2012

In a press release dated late last week Pepperidge Farm says that a "small number" of people have reported minor injuries to their mouths.  While it doesn't actually admit that there's wire in the snacks the company does say that it's issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution and concern for customer safety.

Pepperidge Farms says that this recall covers about 13,000 cases of the Baked Naturals Sesame Sticks.  They are sold throughout the U.S. but not Canada.

If you have these snacks you're urged not eat them.  Instead, says the company, you should return them to your place of purchase for a refund.  You can also contact Pepperidge Farm at (866) 535-3774 if you would like more information about the recall of Baked Naturals Sesame Sticks.

You can read Pepperidge Farm's press release here and see a photo of the recalled Baked Naturals Sesame Sticks boxes here.

Carol's Cuts Recalls Potentially Contaminated Cantaloupe Products

Carol's Cuts of Kansas City, Kansas has issued a recall of its 5 pound chunk trays of cut cantaloupe and its 8 ounce fruit medley clamshells containing cantaloupe because the cantaloupes used in both of these food products has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The company's September 23rd press release says that the cantaloupes were produced by Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado.  Jensen Farms, as you've undoubtedly heard by now, has been identified as the source of a recent listerosis outbreak that has affected more than 50 people in several states.  As of late last week the death toll stood at 8.

Carol's Cuts says that the 5 lb chunk trays were sent to institutional customers.  Those customers have all been notified of the recall.  The 8 oz clamshells were sold to retail customers and Carol's Cuts is urging people who have these in their refrigerators to return them to their place of purchase for a refund.

You can read Carol's Cut's press release here and see a photo of the recalled clamshell fruit medley here.