More than a half million pounds of potentially E. coli tainted ground beef have been recalled by Fairbank Farms of Ashville, New York. Over the weekend, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said that there was an association between the fresh ground beef products subject to recall and illnesses in Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts.

According to a Reuters report, a death in New Hampshire may also be connected to tainted Fairbank Farms ground beef. New Hampshire officials announced the death on Saturday but did not release information about the victim. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also said a New York adult with underlying medical conditions had died. (more…)

A case filed by Sheetz Inc. over how one of its suppliers owed money for providing Sheetz with Salmonella tainted tomatoes from July 2004, has reached a settlement, said the Altoona Mirror.

It was expected that the jury would spend the bulk of this week hearing the case between Sheetz and Coronet Foods Inc. the supplier, said the Altoona Mirror. Coronet is located in Wheeling, West Virginia. The trial was called off after the judge handling the case was told of the out-of-court settlement, which was received Friday and is confidential, reported the Altoona News. Although the terms of the settlement remain confidential, Sheetz did acknowledge that it suffered damages in excess of $11 million, the Altoona Mirror added. (more…)

Another link between Salmonella and peanut butter is making headlines. Food Safety News reports that the East Wind Community Inc., a 36-year-old commune located in the Missouri Ozarks, has an issue with Salmonella in its nut butter manufacturing facility.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), inspectors collected samples from the plant; laboratory analysis revealed the Salmonella pathogen, said Food Safety News. The commune produces a variety of nut products—since the 1980s—including, said Food Safety News, “Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Organic Peanut Butter, Roasted Peanuts, Cashew Butter, Tahini, and Organic Tahini.” (more…)

Tainted beef implicated in an E. coli outbreak is being recalled by South Shore Meats, Inc. of Brockton, Mass. The recalled ground beef has been blamed for sickening 20 schoolchildren and adults from Rhode Island. They became ill after visiting Camp Bournedale in Plymouth, Mass. earlier this month.

The recall involves approximately 1,039 pounds of fresh ground beef patties derived from bench trim as well as mechanically tenderized beef cuts that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said. The products subject to the recall include: (more…)

Since 1975, federal law has prohibited the sale of small pet turtles with shells, called carapace, that are shorter than four inches in shell length; however, public health officials say enforcement is spotty. Perhaps it is this uneven monitoring that allows the tiny banned pets to be sold in pet stores across the country more than three decades after the ban, an issue on which we have long been writing.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned distribution and sale of these turtles after a quarter of a million infants and small children were diagnosed with turtle-associated Salmonellosis. Turtles with shells larger than four inches are not considered a threat by the agency, as young children will likely not try to fit the animals in their mouths. The ban allows for exceptions, however, such at exportation to other countries and sale to experts for legitimate scientific, educational, and exhibition purposes; selling turtles to pet stores is not among legitimate exceptions. (more…)

Although a Senate bill seeking expansion of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety management is underway, the head of the agency says more is needed. Reuters reported that the bill enables the FDA to recall food; however, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the agency’s commissioner wants additional measures included.

For instance, Dr. Hamburg wants the agency to have improved access to food records during routine company inspections, to be able to inspect those areas considered high risk, and to receive funding to effectively manage these responsibilities, reported Reuters. “The legislation is a major step in the right direction,” Hamburg said to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, yesterday, quoted Reuters. (more…)

Another recall of beef over potential E. coli contamination has been announced. The Culebra Meat Market, reported WOAI.com, has recalled three beef cuts that were sold earlier this month over concerns that the meat might be contaminated with the dangerous, sometimes deadly, E. coli pathogen. No reports of illness connected to this recall have yet been announced.

The beef involved in the recall includes 4,000 pounds of stew meat, carne asada, and ground beef all produced by the Culebra Meat Market from October 2 through October 17, said WOAI.com. The beef was sold to some San Antonio, Texas area restaurants and was also sold in the Culebra Meat Market’s retail store at 2800 Culebra Road, reported WOAI.com. (more…)

About 1,120 cartons of Del Monte cantaloupe is being recalled over concerns of Salmonella contamination. Mercury News announced that Raley’s grocers are recalling the potentially contaminated cantaloupe that was sold in Northern California and Nevada. The recall was initiated after routine testing detected the Salmonella pathogen in the Del Monte cantaloupe, Mercury News said, citing the California Department of Public Health.

Mercury News reported that the recalled cantaloupe was sold throughout the San Francisco Bay Area at Raley’s and at Raley’s subsidiaries: Nob Hill Foods and Food Source. The cantaloupes were purchased between October 5 and October 16; consumers can exchange the recalled cantaloupe for full refund, said Mercury News. (more…)

Some apple and carrot portable pouch baby foods, manufactured by Plum Organics of Emeryville, California, is being recalled over potential botulism contamination, the Associated Press (AP) just announced.

The AP reported that the recalled apple and carrot Plum Organics baby food was sold individually throughout the United States at Toys-R-Us and Babies-R-Us stores. The recalled Plum Organics baby food was sold in 4.22-ounce pouches, with a “best by” date of May 21, 2010, and UPC 890180001221. (more…)

San Diego Meat Company, of San Diego, California is recalling approximately 925 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with the E. coli O157:H7 pathogen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) just announced.

The ground beef products subject to this recall include:

* 15-pound cases of “SAN DIEGO MEAT, GROUND BEEF PATTIES.”
* 10-pound bags of “SAN DIEGO MEAT, BULK GROUND BEEF.” (more…)