Palama Meat Company is voluntarily recalling some ground beef products processed at its Kapolei plant in Hawaii that  between April 9-21 due to possible E. Coli contamination.  Approximately 4,500 cases of ground beef-related products are affected.  To date, Palama Meat has recovered about 40% of the product affected by this recall.

Consumers who have any of the following products are asked to return the product to point of purchase for a refund.  The following products with any of the associated Lot Codes are subject to recall.  A label with the production Lot Code is on every case and the production Lot Code is the date of production in a six-digit number in a Year Day Month (YR DY MO) format: (more…)

Salmonella tainted cantaloupes have been blamed for an outbreak of food poisoning that spans 16 states and several Canadian provinces, prompting the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a warning for cantaloupes imported from Honduras.  In addition, the Dole Fresh Fruit Company has recalled cantaloupes it purchased from a grower in Costa Rica because those cantaloupes have tested positive for Salmonella as well.

According to the FDA,  cantaloupes imported from Honduras by the company Agropecuaria Montelibano have left 50 people ill with Salmonella poisoning.  While no deaths have been reported as a result of the Salmonella tainted cantaloupes, 14 victims have required hospitalization.  In the US, the cantaloupe Salmonella poisoning has been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.  In Canada, Salmonella from the cantaloupes has been seen in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick.   (more…)

More frozen dinner have been recalled because of potential Listeria contamination. The US Department of Agriculture recalled 12 different Gourmet Boutique frozen meat dinner products. The Gourmet Banquet frozen dinner recall includes almost 7,000 pounds of Gourmet Boutique frozen meat products that may be contaminated with bacteria linked to the sometimes fatal disease listeriosis.

The dinners containing meat and poultry were sent to Georgia, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The recalled items’ production number is GBD 08058. (more…)

Some Aunt Jemima Pancake & Waffle Mix products have been recalled for potential salmonella contamination.  The Quaker Oats Company announced the products in the recall are a small quantity of Aunt Jemima Pancake & Waffle Mix:  Original, Original Complete, and Buttermilk Complete.  No other Aunt Jemima, frozen Aunt Jemima, or Quaker products are affected.

The products in question are sold in two- and five-pound boxes with Best Before dates of FEB 08 09 H through FEB 16 09 H stamped on the top and contain the following UPC codes:

•    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. (more…)

The makers of Progresso Soup and Hot Pockets are recalling some products because they contain Hallmark/Westland meat.    Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company recalled 143 million pounds of meat, following a videotape of plant workers treating cattle cruelly and violating federal regulations.  Most meat has likely been consumed; at least 37 million pounds were used for school lunches—the company is a top supplier to that program—and federal nutrition programs.  In the wake of this scandal, two of the world’s largest packaged-food companies—General Mills Inc. of Minneapolis and Nestlé Prepared Foods Company, part of Nestlé SA of Switzerland—said they are also  recalling products.

General Mills said it began a recall of 35,000 cases of its Progresso Italian Wedding soup because it contained beef from a supplier that received meat from Hallmark/Westland.  A company spokeswoman said she couldn’t say whether all of the product had been removed from store shelves yet; each case of soup contains between six and 12 cans.  Nestlé said it recalled some boxes of Hot Pockets sandwiches that contain beef from a vendor that used Hallmark/Westland, including some Philly Steak & Cheese sandwiches and some Croissant Crust Philly Steak & Cheese sandwiches sold in two-pack boxes.  A Nestlé spokeswoman said the recall involves about 49,000 cases of Hot Pockets; each case contains eight boxes.  Nestlé told retailers to remove the product from stores.  Minnesota supermarket chain Supervalu, Inc., said it began removing the Progresso soup and Hot Pockets items, as well as some frozen ground-beef patties linked to the recall.  A spokeswoman for Hormel Foods Corporation said no Hormel products were recalled; however, one of its subsidiaries—Southern California’s Farmer John’s—will recall a “small amount” of hot dogs and cotto salami. (more…)

The situation that sparked the Hallmark/Westland meat recall earlier this month might not be an isolated incident.  Other meat processors might be illegally slaughtering so-called downer calls, but the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it has no way of knowing if meat processors follow downer cow rules.  That frank admission from the head of USDA is just more evidence that the agency is in over its head, and is not doing enough to keep the food supply safe.

The USDA announced earlier this month that the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company was recalling 143 million pounds of meat, making it the largest meat recall in US history.  Most of the meat is beef and the recall comes after plant workers were caught on videotape forcing unfit cattle into slaughter.  The head of the USDA said officials are reviewing why the plant processed the downer cows, and also said that  it was too early to determine if such incidents were isolated to Hallmark/Westland.  “We are reviewing our procedures, how we work with the plant, how our inspectors work, our staffing needs,” Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said.  “And until we find out, we can’t assess other plants, and we can’t say… this is an isolated incident or an ongoing practice.”  Most of the meat has likely been consumed, but at least 37 million pounds were used for school lunches and federal nutrition programs, according to the USDA. (more…)

The Hallmark/Westland beef recall has raised serious questions about federal oversight of the beef industry, and now it is shedding light on the way that industry tries to influence the regulatory process.  According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the beef industry has been putting pressure on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to scale back the massive beef recall announced earlier this week.

The Hallmark/Westland beef recall involved 143 million pounds of potentially tainted meat, making it the largest recall in US history.  The Hallmark/Westland beef recall came just weeks after disturbing undercover video shot by the Humane Society showed workers at the plant using several abusive techniques to make sick animals stand up and pass a pre-slaughter inspection. These included ramming cattle with forklift blades and using a hose to simulate the feeling of drowning. (more…)

Listeria-tainted popsicles are the latest food to be recalled because of the food-borne bug. Ca Rem #1 Ice Cream, SeaTac voluntarily recalled its coconut-flavored popsicles after it was discovered that the non-dairy frozen dessert may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The frozen treat recall was initiated when routine sampling and analysis by the Washington State Department of Agriculture revealed the presence of Listeria.  No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product.

The Ca Rem #1 Popsicle is sold in 3-ounce un-coded plastic bags, primarily in Asian food markets and restaurants in western Washington and western Oregon.  Consumers who have purchased Ca Rem #1 popsicles should throw out the product and not eat it.  Questions can be directed to the company at 206-720-1887.
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E. coli tainted meat has sickened 5 people in 2 states, prompting a recall of 188,000 pounds of contaminated ground beef patties and other products.   The ground beef recall by the Minnesota-based Rochester Meat Company is the largest recall of E. coli contaminated meat so far this year.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), ground beef tainted with E. Coli O157:H7 distributed by the Rochester Meat Company has sickened four people in Wisconsin and a fifth person in California. E. coli is a bacterium that occurs naturally in the intestines of most animals, including humans. Most types of the bacteria are harmless, but the E. coli 0157:H7 strain can be particularly dangerous to people. The symptoms of E. coli poisoning usually occur within 3 to 9 days after a victim eats contaminated foods. E. coli 0157:H7 causes a disease called hemorrhagic colitis, which is the sudden onset of stomach pain and severe cramps. This is followed by diarrhea that is watery and bloody. Sometimes there is vomiting, but there is no fever. The illness lasts about a week. While most people will recover completely, E. coli poisoning can be very dangerous for children, the elderly and anyone with a weak immune system. In some cases, E. coli 0157:H7 will cause a disorder called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can be life-threatening. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), E. coli 0157:H7 is responsible for sickening 73,000 people every year, and of those, 60 will die from the disease.

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New Era Canning Company has issued yet another canned bean recall over botulism fears.  According to a notice posted on the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Website, New Era Canning Company of New Era, Michigan is recalling several more varieties of canned beans, including Mexican style chili beans, green beans, and dark red kidney beans that were shipped to food service and retail customers.  A record review by New Era Canning revealed that some of the cans from each lot may not have been adequately cooked.  Undercooking canned foods can create an environment where botulism spores can grow.  In December, New Era Canning issued a recall for just over 1,000 cans of green beans because of botulism concerns.

Botulism is an extremely dangerous disease that can lead to paralysis and even death. The disease generally appears between 6 hours and 2 weeks after eating a contaminated food. Symptoms of botulism include blurred vision, drooping eyelids, muscle weakness, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. Muscle weakness usually appears first in the shoulders, and travels progressively down the body. If not treated properly, botulism can paralyze breathing muscles. Victims can spend months on ventilators until the botulism toxin is out of their system. Anyone who ate a recalled New Era product who is now experiencing any of these symptoms needs to seek medical attention immediately.

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