Food Safety Report – Sunday April 15th, 2012

Food Safety

Oregon Raw Milk E.coli Outbreak Sickens Four Children, Two Have HUS

April 13, 2012 By Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

A raw milk  E.coli outbreak has sickened four children in Oregon. Three of them are hospitalized and two have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which causes kidney failure, according to a press release from health officials in Oregon obtained by Food Poisoning Bulletin.

The children, who are all under the age of 15, drank raw milk from Foundation Farm in Clackamas County before they became sick as did other customers of the dairy who have not had diagnostic testing to confirm E. coli 0157:H7 infections.

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Baked goods sold in USA contain potassium bromate, a carcinogen banned in Europe but allowed in the US due to chemical loophole

By Mike Adams, April 12 2012
(NaturalNews) Much of the flour sold in the United States has been treated with potassium bromate, which causes the flour to bulk up, strengthens the dough, and makes bread rise more rapidly. This decreases the time needed for baking (thereby reducing costs) and also allows the use of low quality flour that might otherwise be unsuitable for baking. There’s only one problem with this: Potassium bromate causes cancer. Potassium bromate is so widely accepted as a carcinogen that it has been banned…

 Read Full Article Here

Yellowfin Tuna Product Implicated in Salmonella Outbreak

Authorities name possible source of multistate outbreak linked to sushi

by Gretchen Goetz

Yellowfin tuna product is the likely source of the Salmonella Bareilly outbreak that has sickened 116 across 21 states and has been linked to sushi, health officials announced Friday evening.

Cupertino, CA based Moon Marine USA Corporation is voluntarily recalling 58,828 pounds of its “Nakaochi Scrape” – tuna backmeat scraped off the bones of the fish and sold in a frozen, ground state – after investigators pinpointed the product as a common food source among outbreak victims.

The implicated food is not sold directly to consumers, but is usually served by retailers in sushi, sashimi, ceviche or similar dishes containing raw fish.

Of the 53 outbreak victims interviewed, 43 (81 percent) reported eating sushi in the week preceding their illnesses. Of the 43 who recalled eating sushi, 39 (91 percent) ate sushi that contained tuna, and 36 (84 percent) specifically recalled eating a product that contained “spicy tuna.”

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Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Strikes Three in Alaska

by News Desk

Three suspected cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning were reported in Alaska this week, according to the state’s Department of Health and Social Services.

All three individuals ate shellfish harvested in the Juneau area over Easter weekend.

The first case, reported on April 10, was a man who went to the hospital in Juneau complaining of numbness and tingling that began in his lips and tongue and had progressed to his hands. The man had eaten razor clams harvested from Admiralty Island, and had symptoms develop within a few hours.

The next two cases, reported April 12, were from two people who ate butter clams harvested from either Lincoln Island or Ralston Island over Easter weekend. The couple reported tingling and numbness of the lips, tongue and face that developed a few hours after eating the clams.

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Recalls

Full Circle Concierge Snack Nut Blend Recalled for Undeclared Allergens

April 13, 2012 By Linda Larsen

John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc. is voluntarily recalling Full Circle Concierge Snack Nut Blend because it contains undeclared soy and milk. Anyone allergic to those ingredients who consumes this product could have a serious or life-threatening reaction.

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Imported Fish Recalled

by News Desk

H.C. Foods Co. of Commerce, CA is recalling frozen dried mackerel and dried round scad after U.S. Food and Drug Administration personnel found that the fish imported from the Philippines was not properly eviscerated prior to processing.

The dried fish may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause botulism, a serious and potentially fatal foodborne illness.

No illnesses have been reported.

Read Full Article Here

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Allergen Alert

Allergen Alert: Medittera SA Greek Foods

by Julia Thomas

Mediterra S.A. of Chios, Greece is recalling various foods sold via the Internet and in one New York retail store because they contain allergens not listed on the labels.

These products have been sold in the United States via Internet sales through www.mastihashopny.com and from one retail store located at 145 Orchard St., New York, New York.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the allergen-containing products were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of the allergens. Specifically, the company did not declare that albumin is egg albumin, yogurt is milk yogurt, bread contains wheat, and almonds and pine nuts are nuts.

MEDITERRA S.A. printed and sent corrected labels for these products earlier this month and says all products now properly declare all ingredients, including any allergens.

Read Full Article  Here

Allergen Alert: Harry and David Recall Barbeque Almonds

by News Desk

Harry and David of Medford, OR is recalling approximately 205 2 oz. bags of its Premium Kansas City Style Barbeque almonds because the bags may contain peanuts.

Peanuts are not declared as ingredients, but the label includes the statement “May contain trace amounts of allergens not listed in the ingredients.”

This problem was discovered on April 10, 2012 when peanuts were found in bulk product shipped to Harry and David by a third party supplier.  However, no peanuts have been reported in bags of Harry & David Premium Kansas City Barbeque Almonds to date.

There have been no reports of adverse reactions.

Read Full Article Here

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Articles of Interest

 

Label tenderized beef? Recall renews worries

American Meat Institute

Meat producers use blade tenderizers to treat tough cuts of meat, breaking muscle fibers and connective tissues.

By JoNel Aleccia

On the eve of summer grilling season, the recall of more than a ton of beef potentially contaminated with dangerous E. coli bacteria — including mechanically tenderized sirloin steaks — is renewing calls for better labeling.

Connecticut Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro said that the Wednesday recall involving some 2,057 pounds of ground and texturized beef from Town & Country Foods Inc. of Greene, Maine, underscores why consumers should be told when meat has been mechanically pierced with needles or blades.

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Employees Reported Working While Ill at Cebolla’s in Indiana

April 13, 2012 By Linda Larsen

The investigation continues into the norovirus outbreak in Indiana that sickened 107 people who at at Cebolla’s Mexican Grill in Fort Wayne. John Silcox, Director of Communications at the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health told Food Poisoning Bulletin that seven food handlers reported working while ill during the outbreak time frame.

Norovirus is extremely contagious. It’s spread through direct contact, contaminated food and water, and by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes gastroenteritis, which inflames your stomach or intestines or both.

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes ‘FAIR USE’ of any such copyrighted material.]

Food Safety Report – Saturday April 14th, 2012

Food Safety

 

HSUS Reports ‘Deplorable’ Conditions at Large PA Egg Farm

 

The group urges Congress to act on industry-backed egg standards legislation

by Helena Bottemiller

The animal agriculture industry is facing another round of unflattering headlines. The Humane Society of the United States on Thursday released video and photographs of alleged abuse and insanitary conditions at a large egg farm that supplies the mid-Atlantic region.

HSUS, an animal rights group loathed by the livestock sector, last year struck a historic deal with the egg industry to seek federal legislation for alternative housing for egg-laying hens, and now the group says the latest undercover investigation at Kreider Farms in Pennsylvania should propel Congress to act on the bill.

“The egg industry in the United States now supports legislation to provide legal protection for hundreds of millions of egg laying hens. Kreider Farms is one producer that disagrees,” said Paul Shapiro in the HSUS’ investigation video. “In fact, its standards are even less than the voluntary standards that the industry has right now.”

HSUS is alleging that Kreider Farms not only treats its 7 million birds inhumanely — the released video shows chickens packed in cages (which is how the vast majority of egg laying hens in the United States are kept) and dead birds stuck in caging — but keeps them in filthy conditions, which helps bacteria like Salmonella spread. The investigation found some manure and eggs testes positive for Salmonella.

Read Full Article Here

FDA Warning Letters: April 10, 2012 Update

by News Desk

From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning letters posted since our April 3, 2012 update:

Lucky Taco, Inc. of Hustisford, WI was warned by the FDA that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed significant violations, including that its Java Mint flavored Lucky Cruncher Cookie contained a coffee liquer flavor with color additives not declared on the label and that its Lucky Taco Mexican Fortune Cookie containued milk, an allergen not declared on the label. The FDA also challenged the company’s “low calorie” claims for some of its products.

Read Full Article Here

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Recalls

 

Heineken Recalls Certain Beers Due to Bottle Defect

 

by News Desk

Heineken USA is recalling certain Mexican beers because the bottles may be defective, so there is a potential for small particles of glass to separate from the inside lip of the bottle and fall into the beer. The pieces may vary in size and some may not be easily visible, the company said in its recall announcement.

The problem affects certain 12-ounce brown bottles of Carta Blanca and Dos Equis Ambar, as well as “Beers of Mexico” and “Best of Mexico” pack varieties. Indio 12-ounce bottles, which are only in the “Best of Mexico” pack (available only in Texas), are also affected and being recalled.

Dos Equis Lager green bottles and draught; Dos Equis Ambar draught; Tecate; and Carta Blanca 32-ounce bottles are not impacted nor are any other Heineken USA brands.

According to the company’s news release, the number of defective bottles is less than one percent, and the recall is a precautionary measure.

“There have not been any reports of consumer injuries, and while the likelihood of a possible injury to a consumer is very low, the presence of small particles of glass in the bottle could pose a health risk,” the company stated in its recall announcement.

Read Full Article Here

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Allergen Alert

 

Allergen Alert: Peanuts in Caramel Cob

 

by Julia Thomas

Kathy Kaye Foods is recalling certain Classic Caramel Cob Junior because it may contain peanuts, an allergen not included on the label.

No adverse reactions have been reported.

Routine sampling and analysis by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets revealed the presence of peanut allergen at 34 parts per million in packages of Classic Caramel Cob Junior with a best-by date of Dec. 23, 2011….

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Allergen Alert: Nuts with Soy, Milk

by Julia Thomas

John B. Sanfilippo and Son are recalling Fisher Vanilla Bean Almonds and Fisher Cocoa Mocha Almonds because they contain soy ingredients not declared on the label, and a snack nut blend because it contains soy and milk ingredients not listed on the label.

There have been no reports of adverse reactions.

Read Full Article Here

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Articles of Interest

The Rise to Fame of ‘Pink Slime’

In the news since 2008, why no LFTB backlash until now?

by James Andrews

Last week, Iowa’s Gov. Terry Branstad and U.S. Rep. Steve King called for a congressional hearing on the media coverage that fueled a public backlash against ‘pink slime,’ Beef Products Inc.’ s Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB). Among other things, King accused journalists and activists of perpetrating a “smear campaign” against BPI and suggested they should go under oath to explain why they “could not base their allegations on facts.”

Coming from top-tier lawmakers, the demands for a hearing were a testament to the significant influence of media and social networking on the national perception of LFTB. Since the backlash ignited last month, concerned parents and grossed-out burger lovers have spoken out in droves, demanding it be labeled or altogether removed from store shelves and school lunches.

But LFTB isn’t new. It’s been marketed since 2001, when the Food and Drug Administration OK’d the ammonia treatment process, and it had been in McDonald’s hamburgers and on school lunch trays since at least 2004. The Washington Post wrote about it in 2008, the documentary Food, Inc. showed BPI’s process on camera, and a 2009 story discussing BPI’s product earned journalist Michael Moss and the New York Times a Pulitzer Prize. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver railed against it on primetime television in 2011.

So, after roughly four years in the popular media, what sparked the sudden, forceful public rejection of LFTB?…

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Canada’s Food Inspectors Nervous About Federal Budget

by Dan Flynn

Since the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper has been in power in Ottawa, the Canadian Food Safety Inspection Agency (CFIA) has seen annual increases in its inspector ranks.

Also there is a yearly scare about food safety jobs that gets pushed along by government unions with speculation about cuts that might occur as Canada goes through its budget process.

This year, Canadians are being told 100 food inspector positions might be cut from the federal government’s budget. Might the scare tactics this year be for real?  Maybe.

To understand Canada’s budget ritual as it affects food safety, it’s important to know the numbers to begin with.  As of March 2011, CFIA employed a total of 7,544.  Its ranks have increased in every year since 1999…..

Read Full Article Here

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes ‘FAIR USE’ of any such copyrighted material.]