YumSugar

Recall Warning: Rochester Meat Company Recalls Ground Beef

YumSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:18:31 -0800

Listen up! The first ground beef recall of 2008 has arrived. The Rochester Meat Company of Rochester, Minn., has voluntarily recalled over 180,000 lbs. of ground beef due to a possible E. coli contamination. The recall comes after five illnesses in Wisconsin and one in California.

The scariest part is that the product is actually not available on a retail level, but is sold for commercial purposes. So hopefully the places where you're eating ground beef are being diligent in their practices. Make sure that ground beef patties have been cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. I know, some of you prefer yours a little more rare than that, but it's better to be safe than sorry, no?

If you're concerned about the meat your restaurant has, find out which boxes are being recalled.

Recall Warning: 143 Million Pounds of Beef Recalled

YumSugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:28:31 -0800

You've probably heard by now, but just in case, yesterday, the USDA recalled 143 million pounds of frozen beef. Yes, millions.

The largest beef recall in the US is occurring because Southern California based slaughterhouse Westland/Hallmark - the one that was recently shut down because of sick and mistreated animals - did not receive complete and proper inspections. Due to that fact, the Food Safety and Inspection Service has stated that the meat is unfit for human consumption.

The meat was sent to many federal school lunch programs, as well as several large fast-food chains. They estimate that 37 million pounds have already been consumed, and that no reported illnesses have occurred. The recall is more of a precaution since sick animals pose a higher risk of contamination.

Source

Recall Warning: Salmonella and Listeria, Oh Boy!

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:31:31 -0800

Seems that sprouts aren't the only thing being recalled due to salmonella bacteria. This time it's batches of Aunt Jemima Pancake and Waffle Mix: Original, Original Complete, and Buttermilk Complete. According to Aunt Jemima folks, there is only a health risk if it's consumed raw or undercooked. At this time, no illnesses have been reported.

The products - both two and five pound boxes - have best before dates of FEB 08 09 H through FEB 16 09 H stamped on top. The UPC codes are:

30000 43272 Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete 5 lb.
30000 05040 Aunt Jemima Original 2 lb.
30000 05070 Aunt Jemima Original Complete 2 lb.
30000 05300 Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete 2 lb.

If you think you have this product, or if you have any questions, contact Aunt Jemima at 1-800-407-2247.

And if one recall wasn't enough today, the East Coast based Stop & Shop Supermarket has recalled products that were sold in their deli. The following products have been recalled because they may have been contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Breaded Chicken Cutlet (labeled GB BRD CHIX CUTLETS or GB BR CHIX CUTLTS)
Chicken Marsala (labeled GB CHIX MARSALA)
Grilled Lemon Chicken (labeled GB GR LEMON CHIX or GB GR LNI CHCKN)
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (labeled GB GR TERIYKI CHIX or GB GR TRYKI CHICKN)

No illnesses have been found, but folks who have purchased these products should immediately dispose them. You can contact Stop and Shop for more info.

So tell me do all these food recalls change your purchasing habits?

Recall Warning: Pills in the Fish, Salmonella in the Sprouts

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:15:31 -0800

The folks at Gorton's Seafood are recalling their Gorton's 6 Crispy Battered Fish Fillets because one customer has found pills in her food.

Tracy Rowan of New Freedom, Penn., sat down to eat her fillets only to discover they contained several beige aspirin-sized pills.

The product is being recalled in Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The UPC number is #4440015770 and the date code is 7289G1. If you have any of these boxes, you are urged to call Gorton's for a refund at 800-896-9479.

If you're still concerned, the US FDA has more information.

In related news, Salad Cosmo USA is recalling alfalfa sprouts sold in northern and central California and Washington.

Trader Joe's has also recalled tubs of of alfalfa sprouts from Nature's Choice Alfalfa Sprouts.

Both sprout recalls are due to possible salmonella contamination.

Source and Source

Recall Warning: Hamburger and White Chocolate

YumSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 10:56:08 -0700

Looks like you better put your plans for white chocolate burgers on hold; your ingredients could be contaminated.

Last week over 21 million pounds of frozen hamburger were recalled due to an E. coli contamination. The Topps Meat company recalled packages with establishment number 9748 and sell-by-dates of Sept. 25, 2007 through Sept. 25, 2008. A full recall list is available at Topps's website.

If contaminated beef wasn't scary enough, Kraft just announced a recall on Baker's Premium White Chocolate Baking Squares due to a possible Salmonella contamination. The six-ounce boxes contain the UPC Code 0043000252200 and one of the following best when used by dates: 31 MAR 2008 XCZ, 01 APR 2008 XCZ, 02 APR 2008 XCZ, 03 APR 2008 XCZ. The recall only affects those boxes and no other varieties are impacted. If you have one of the contaminated boxes, you should throw it out. For more info call Kraft at 1-800-310-3704.

Scary times when chocolate isn't even safe!

Lean Cuisine Recalls Chicken Dinners

partysugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:27 -0800

Yesterday Lean Cuisine's parent company, Nestlé Prepared Foods, recalled approximately 879,565 pounds of frozen chicken meals.

According to the US Department of Agriculture and Food Safety, the meals may contain foreign materials like small pieces of plastic.

To find out what exactly is being recalled, read more.

9.5-ounce packages of “Lean Cuisine Pesto Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta" brand frozen meals.
Printed on each side of each package is a production code of “8280595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best Before MAY 2010.”
10.5-ounce packages of “Lean Cuisine Chicken Mediterranean” brand frozen meals.
Printed on the side of each package is a production code of “8231595912” or “8241595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best before SEP 2010”; a production code of “8263595912,” “8269595911” or “8274595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best before OCT 2010”; or, a production code of “8291595912” or “8301595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best before NOV 2010.”
12.5-ounce packages of “Lean Cuisine Chicken Tuscan” brand frozen meals.
Printed on the side of each package is a production code of “8234595911” and a use-by date of “Best before SEP 2009”; a production code of “8253595911” or “8269595912” as well as a use-by date of “Best before OCT 2009”; or, a production code of “8292595911” or “8296595911” as well as a use-by date of “Best before NOV 2009.”

Last Summer, Pizza Pockets, another brand under Nestlé, recalled a large number of frozen pepperoni Hot Pockets. I can't help but think plastic in frozen foods is an alarming trend. Let's hope the manufacturers get this problem sorted out soon. Until then, be sure to check the Lean Cuisines in your freezer.

Source

Recall Warning: Metromint May Not Be So Minty Fresh

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:15:39 -0800

Attention Metromint fans, the Soma Beverage Company - makers of Metromint - are recalling all bottles of Metromint flavors Peppermint, Spearmint, Orangemint, and Lemonmint that have a best before stamp of 2008/12/21 and were produced at its California facility (letters KSA located in the lower right-hand corner).

Why the recall? Turns out the bottles may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus, a type of food poisoning. If you've got your mitts on a recalled bottle return it to the place where you purchased it, and don't drink it as it could cause a wide range of symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting.

Uh oh, sounds like someone's got a PR nightmare on their hands. The water is normally pretty refreshing; it's bottled water with a splash of minty freshness. The company is pretty young and is still building a fan base. I hope this recall doesn't set them back too far.

If you're concerned and would like to speak with someone, Soma Beverage can be contacted at 415-979-0781, ext. 101.

Recall Warning: What Exactly Are Those Chunky Bits?

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:28:33 -0700

If you've purchased a can of Campbell's Chunky Baked Potato with Cheddar and Bacon Bits, you may want to look at the UPC number and make sure it wasn't one of the cans they're recalling. Don't worry, it's not due to salmonella or E.coli, or anything like that, but they are dangerous to consume as they may contain pieces of hard plastic. Campbell's is voluntarily recalling the soup as three consumers have reported minor injuries in and around the mouth.

24 states are affected by the recall: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

The label on the recalled cans have the following info:
JUL 08 2009 CT DT - BZ - 07097

Consumers with affected cans should not eat the soup and should return it to the store where they purchased it in exchange for a full refund.

Pieces of plastic?!? Talk about mmm mmm good...

Kellogg's Recalls Peanut Butter Sandwiches

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:00:05 -0800

Could peanut butter be the new milk? Following a salmonella outbreak thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter, Kellogg's announced late yesterday that it has asked stores to halt sales of all Austin and Keebler peanut butter sandwiches.While the company says it hasn't received any complaints or found any issues related to the products, Kellogg's has voluntarily ceased the sale of these products as a precautionary measure, after its supplier, Peanut Corp. of America, issued a recall for its peanut butter, due to possible contamination.

Austin and Keebler are pulling toasted peanut butter sandwich crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwich crackers, cheese and peanut butter sandwich crackers, and peanut butter-chocolate sandwich crackers from store shelves across the country.

Source

Dunkin' Drinks Join Beef, Cookie Dough Ranks in Food Recall

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:52 -0700

Yesterday, Dunkin' Donuts temporarily pulled its Dunkaccino and hot chocolate drinks off store menus after discovering that one of its suppliers' facilities may have been contaminated with salmonella. The doughnut chain's supplier, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative, voluntarily recalled several of its products, although no illnesses have been traced back to the contamination. Dunkin' Donuts is confident the drinks will be back in stores soon, but yesterday's recall is simply one more to add to a rapidly growing list of food contamination concerns. At the end of last month, Nestlé pulled 30,000 cases of Toll House refrigerated cookie dough after dozens of illnesses were traced to the product, which contained harmful traces of E. coli bacteria. Then over 380,000 pounds of beef were recalled across the country because the meat was also tainted with toxic E. coli. More than 12 people have been hospitalized as a result.

Food contamination appears to be a concern for Americans now more than ever. In March, following recalls of spinach, jalapeños, milk, and peanut butter, President Obama addressed food-safety issues and reassured Americans that he would aid the FDA in strengthening the country's food-safety system. Yet the situation only seems to be getting worse. Are you as frustrated with the FDA's lack of diligence as I am?