Month / September 2016

by admin

New #foodsafety #recall #undeclared #milk & #egg #Allergen in one lot of Field Day Organic Ranch Dressing

Drew’s, LLC Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk and Egg in One Lot of Field Day Organic Ranch Dressing

September 14, 2016

Contact

Consumers

Drew’s, LLC
  info@chefdrew.com
 1-800-228-2980

Announcement

View Product Photos
Drew’s, LLC of Chester, VT is voluntarily recalling one lot code of Field Day Organic Ranch Dressing due to product mislabeling that has resulted in an undeclared milk and egg allergen. Consumers who have severe allergies to milk and/or egg run the risk of serious or life- threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.
The recalled product comes in an 8 fl. oz. glass bottle with the lot code W210I, Best By date of Jan. 28, 2018, and UPC #042563600242. The lot code is located on the back of the bottle above the label.  Specifically, the front label of the affected product is correctly labeled Field Day Organic Ranch Dressing, 8 fl oz. The issue is some bottles have an incorrect back label such that the contains statement does not list milk and egg as allergens. These bottles can be identified by UPC# 042563600259.
This action is being taken in cooperation with the US FDA. Product has been distributed in retail stores nationwide.
To date, no illnesses related to this product have been reported. No other Field Day products are affected by this recall.
The recall was initiated after Field Day notified Drew’s LLC that the incorrect back label was used on lot W210I and had entered trade.
Consumers can return the product to their place of purchase for a full refund.
For more information, please contact Drew’s, LLC between 8:30AM-4:30PM EST Monday- Friday at 1-800-228-2980 or email  info@chefdrew.com.
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by admin

New #foodsafety #recall #undeclared #Peanuts in Creamy Almond Butter

New Seasons Market Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Peanuts in Creamy Almond Butter

September 13, 2016

Contact

Consumers

New Seasons Market
 talktous@newseasonsmarket.com

Media

Sara Stewart
  sara@maxwellpr.com
 (503) 231-3086

Announcement

View Product Photos
PORTLAND, Ore. – New Seasons Market has initiated a voluntary recall of its New Seasons Market 16oz. Creamy Almond Butter because it may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.
The recall affects customers who purchased the product with best by dates of 06/16/2017, 08/15/2017 and 08/30/2017 at New Seasons’ 19 locations in Oregon, Southern Washington and Northern California.
The voluntary recall is limited to the production codes of the one product listed below. Customers can find the UPC Code beneath the bar code on the product label and the Best-By-Date above the label on the clear plastic jar. No other production codes, sizes or varieties of New Seasons Market nut butters are affected by this recall. The mislabeled jars were discovered by New Seasons staff during a routine stock rotation check.
Product Name UPC Code Best By Dates
New Seasons Market Creamy Almond Butter 4060010401 06/16/2017
08/15/2017
08/30/2017
There have been no reports of illness to date, but to ensure customer safety, New Seasons is urging customers with any peanut health concerns or allergies to return the recalled New Seasons Market Creamy Almond Butter for a full refund. Receipts are not required for the return. New Seasons is standing by to answer customer questions at its stores or via email: talktous@newseasonsmarket.com.
Committed to reducing food waste and fighting hunger, New Seasons will evaluate the returned and unopened products for their safety and compliance. Those mislabeled will be destroyed. New Seasons Market will coordinate with hunger relief partners to get only the safe products into the hands of people in need.
About New Seasons Market
New Seasons Market is a West Coast neighborhood grocer with a people-first culture that builds and sustains relationships for the greater good. A champion of the regional food economy, it partners with farmers, ranchers and producers to deliver the best of the region and pairs local, organic favorites with grocery classics to offer customers choice, value and flexibility. The world’s first certified B Corp grocery store using the power of business for good, New Seasons Market started with a single store in Portland, Ore., in 2000 when three families and 50 friends united over shared values. Together with its 3,300 plus welcoming staff members, New Seasons Market offers a unique retail experience in which communities come together to realize the potential of a healthy, sustainable food system. New Seasons Market has 19 neighborhood stores in Washington, Oregon and California, as well as five New Leaf Community Market locations in Northern California, and commits 10% of its after-tax profits back to the communities it serves.
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by admin

September is National #Foodsafety Education month #NFSM. Today’s lesson: Proper cooling of cooked foods.

Continuing yesterdays lesson on the proper thawing of foods, I will now discuss the proper methods for cooling foods. The main process behind the proper cooling of cooked foods, is to get the temperature through the temperature danger zone as quickly as possible to minimize the chance of bacteria growing on the food.

I am sure many of us remember, and have done ourselves, the leaving of food out on the counter to cool before being placed in the refrigerator. This is mainly done, however incorrectly, to keep the temperature of the fridge from rising by placing hot or warm food inside. A refrigerator is the perfect place to keep cold food cold, but it is not very efficient at rapidly cooling foods.

As previously stated, the object of cooling foods, is to get the items through the temperature danger zone quickly enough to keep bacteria from growing to unsafe levels. According to the FDA, this can be done by cooling the items from above 135 degrees F (57C) down to 70 degrees F (21C) within the first two (2) hours, then cooling the item to below 41 degrees F (5C) in the next four (4) hours. As a side note, if the food cannot be cooled to 70 degrees within two (2) hours, it must either be discarded or reheated and cooled again.

To aid in getting the food items to cool properly within the allotted time periods, there are several ways to assist in reaching the desired goals. Some are designed for the food service industry, however others can easily be adapted for home use.

1. First, reduce the size of the food for quicker cooling. This can be done by dividing the items into smaller containers for faster cooling.

2. Place item in an ice water bath. As far as I know, everyone that boils eggs uses an ice water bath to rapidly cool the eggs after they are done cooking. The same principle applies to other items as well. For items that are liquid (or semi liquid) and can be stirred (frequently), placing the pan in an ice water bath in the sink and stirring will help speed up the cooling process of the item.

3. Stir food with an Ice Paddle. In some food service establishments, you can find a plastic paddle, that was filled with water and frozen. For large amounts of liquid items, the paddle can be used the cool the center portion of the item by stirring with the paddle. In a home, this can be accomplished by purchasing a smaller paddle, or simply using a plastic bottle filled with water and frozen and using it as a paddle to stir the food item.

4. Placing food in a blast or tumble chiller. This is mainly for food service operations, as these devices are not currently designed for home use. The object of this item is as it sounds, it is like a super powered fridge that will super cool food items very quickly.

5. Adding ice or cold water as an ingredient. This cooling technique works for liquid items that require more liquid to be added at the end of the cooking process. Instead of adding hot water (or even a hot broth), use very cold water or ice to speed the cooling process. If you add broth as a final ingredient, it is possible to chill the broth or freeze it into cubes just like you would regular water to speed the cooling process of the food item.

If you have any questions about anything that I present in these lessons, or have a question about anything regarding food safety, please feel free to contact me.

Tomorrows lesson: Proper reheating of previously cooked & properly cooled foods.

by admin

September is National #Foodsafety Education month #NFSM. Today’s lesson: Proper thawing of frozen foods.

Getting back to the temperature danger zone, it is imperative that foods either stay hot or cold. So how do you thaw foods to ensure that they thaw properly without entering the temperature danger zone for too long.

There are only four (4) methods for thawing foods properly. They are: in a fridge for 24 hours or more, under cool running water, in a microwave (if to be used immediately after thawing), or as part of the actual cooking process. Lets break each of these down properly.

1. In a fridge: The optimal way to defrost frozen foods in in a refrigerator , which maintains the temperature of the product outside the temperature danger zone. Planning should be made to insure that you have plenty of time to defrost the item before using. The biggest drawback is ensuring that you have enough fridge space to do this properly.

2. Under cool running water: if you happened to forget to pull the frozen item out of the freezer and get it thawing, you can always place the item under cool running water. Some have adapted this to think that they can just set the item in cool standing water for a few hours to allow it to thaw. The issue comes when the frozen item starts to freeze the water, so the running water keeps it from forming an ice block around the item being thawed, and allows for any ice crystals that do form to be removed by the moving of the water. The water should be cool, as hot water would cause parts of the item to get into the temperature danger zone and stay there longer than acceptable.

3. In a Microwave (if to be used immediately after thawing): Microwaves have been a great item for thawing and cooking foods. Unfortunately, the fact that they are not very good at cooking or thawing evenly throughout the food item, is the main reason that the food must be used immediately after thawing. Parts of the food item may have entered the temperature danger zone during the defrosting process, so the best thing to do is finish the cooking process immediately upon thawing.

4. As part of the actual cooking process: Many people have used this method without realizing it is actually an excellent method for keeping food out of the temperature danger zone. In this method, the food item goes directly from the freezer to the cooking process and is cooked in a minimal amount of time. Some examples of this are: frozen hamburgers that are placed in a skillet, frozen shrimp (or meatballs) thrown into a sauce for pasta.

By using these methods, you will help ensure that you are maintaining safe food for those you feed.

by admin

September is National #Foodsafety Education month #NFSM. Today’s lesson: Understanding the Temperature Danger Zone

The temperature danger zone, is the range of temperatures which are found to be the most favorable for foodborne illness causing bacteria to grow.
The standard temperature danger zone, as defined by the FDA, is from 41 degrees to 135 degrees. It must be noted that different states have different requirements for the temperature danger zone. (Some states have the low portion at 40 degrees, and some states have the high portion at 140 degrees. These distinctions are mainly for commercial food establishments, and I am providing them here for informational purposes only. When in doubt, it is better to go for the most restrictive to keep you from being in violation of your local laws.)
When working with food items, it is best to minimize the amount of time that the foods are within the temperature danger zone. In food service, the MAXIMUM amount of time an item may be in the temperature danger zone is for four (4) hours. It must be noted that this time is cumulative, so if you buy the item at the store, and it sits in the trunk of your car for an hour before you get home, that is one hour in the temperature danger zone that you have already used. If you then decide to separate it into smaller items, the time that you work on it will also add to the time it is in the temperature danger zone. If possible, you should have in your car, a cooler of some type that will help keep cold items out of the temperature danger zone.
Suffice to say, the better you are at being able to regulate the time an item is in the temperature danger zone, the better you will be at keeping foodborne illness causing bacteria from growing on your food items.
by admin

September is National #Foodsafety Education month #NFSM. Today’s lesson: Sushi, What am I risking when I eat it?

As with all food items, there is the potential for contamination. Sushi is generally a ready-to-eat item in that it does not undergo any cooking before service to the customer, and is safe to eat, provided that proper food safety procedures are followed.
There are two main issues with contamination that you should be aware of.
1. Cross-contamination: this occurs when either hands or equipment (and other food contact surfaces) are not properly clean and sanitized before use. This is generally the main reason that individuals may become sick from eating sushi.
2. Food borne pathogens: Whether they be viral, bacterial, or parasitic, raw seafood can be a vector for contamination’s. This is why proper sanitary conditions must be met in order to maintain a safe food supply. For example, Anisakiasis, a microscopic larval worm that lives in marine creatures is one of the most nastiest and potentially fatal organisms associated with raw seafood. The United States requires, by law, that sushi grade items go through certain deep freezing techniques in order to destroy these micro-organisms. The only other way to destroy this organism is through cooking, which defeats the purpose of sushi.
Suffice to say, the regulatory requirements for sushi grade seafood are more strict than many other food items, and while it is still possible to become sick from these items, they are fairly rare.
A few recent (2010 & 2015) incidents found to be linked to raw tuna in sushi was suspected to be linked to the raw tuna being imported from Indonesia.
by admin

New #foodsafety #recall #undeclared #soy & #milk #allergen in Shearer’s No Salt Added Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

Shearer’s Foods, LLC Issues Allergy Alert On Undeclared Soy And Milk In No Salt Added Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

September 9, 2016

Contact

Consumers

Shearer’s Consumer Affairs Department 
1-800-428-6843

Announcement

Shearer’s Foods, LLC of Massillon, OH is recalling Meijer brand 8.5 ounce packages of No Salt Added Kettle Cooked Potato Chips because they may contain undeclared soy and milk. People who have allergies to soy and/or milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.
The recalled No Salt Added Kettle Cooked Potato Chips were distributed to Meijer stores throughout the Midwest from August 10, 2016 until September 8, 2016.
The product comes in an 8.5 ounce bag marked the UPC # 719283595577 and with an expiration date on the package of OCT 31 2016. A total of 280 cases were affected. All 280 cases of the recalled No Salt Added Kettle Cooked Potato Chips were distributed to Meijer stores.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.
The recall was initiated after a consumer discovered that there were Salt & Pepper Potato Chips (which contain soy and milk) in a package labeled as No Salt Added Potato Chips, which did not reveal the presence of these allergens. Subsequent investigation revealed we inadvertently added a small quantity of the Salt and Pepper potato chips into the No Salt Added packages.
Customers who purchased the recalled product from Meijer’s may dispose of it or return the product to its place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Shearer’s Consumer Affairs Department toll free at 1-800-428-6843 Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
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by admin

New #foodsafety #recall possible #metal shavings in Publix Apple Coffee Cakes

Publix Recalls Apple Coffee Cakes (Foreign Matter-Metal)

September 8, 2016

Contact

Consumers

 1-800-242-1227 or
 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366)

Announcement

LAKELAND, Fla. – Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for Apple Coffee Cakes due to the possible presence of small metal shavings.
The Apple Coffee Cakes were sold at Publix bakery departments in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and the following counties in Florida: Alachua, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota.
The product has a UPC of 002-19562-00000 and includes all date codes.
“As part of our commitment to food safety, potentially impacted product has been removed from store shelves,” said Maria Brous, Publix media and community relations director. “To date, there have been no reported cases of illness or injury. Consumers who have purchased the product in question may return the product to their local store for a full refund.
Publix customers with additional questions may call our Customer Care department at 1-800-242-1227 or contact us by visiting our website at www.publix.com. Customers can also contact the US Food and Drug Administration at 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366).”
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by admin

New #foodsafety #recall #undeclared #wheat #allergen in 32,928 lbs of pork rind products

Savory Foods Recalls Pork Rinds Due To Misbranding and Undeclared Allergen

Class II Recall080-2016
Health Risk: LowSep 10, 2016
En Español
Congressional and Public Affairs 
Nina Anand
(202) 720-9113
Press@fsis.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2016 – Savory Foods, a Portsmouth, OH establishment, is recalling approximately 32,928 pounds of pork rind products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains wheat, a known allergen which is not declared on the product label. 
The Hot and Spicy Pork Rind items were produced from August 11, 2015 to August 31, 2016. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]
  • 3.5-oz. PLASTIC BAGS containing pieces of “UTZ HOT AND SPICY PORK RINDS CHICHARRONES” with use by codes of 2475 NOV 28/15 to 2475 DEC 9/16:
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 1001” printed by the USE BY DATE in the upper right hand side of the bag. These items were shipped to  a distribution center in Pennsylvania.
The problem was discovered by FSIS personnel during a routine label review.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Arturo C. Gutierrez de Velasco, VP of Operations, (773)-402-8267. Media with questions about the recall can contact Craig Leese, CFO, (773)-321-6936.
by admin

New #foodsafety #recall of 662,049 lbs of meat & poultry products due to insanitary conditions

MIH Marketing and Sales Recalls Meat and Poultry Products Due To Insanitary Conditions

Class I Recall079-2016
Health Risk: HighSep 10, 2016
En Español
Congressional and Public Affairs
Nina Anand
(202) 720-9113
Press@fsis.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2016 – MIH Marketing and Sales, a Beebe, AR. establishment, is recalling approximately 662,049 pounds of various meat and poultry products that were stored under insanitary conditions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The raw chicken breast fillet, chicken thigh, chicken drum, chicken wing, and chicken tender items were produced by various federal establishments and sold at 17 retail stores located in Arkansas between April 10, 2016 and September 10, 2016. These products were in clear packages weighting approximately 5 pounds each.
Products were sold at the following locations:
  • Edwards Food Giant #19 Forrest City, AR;
  • Edwards Cash Saver #3473 Little Rock, AR;
  • Edwards Food Giant #37 Marianna, AR;
  • Edwards Good Giant #3474 Little Rock, AR;
  • Edwards Food Giant #1710 Harrisburg, AR;
  • Edwards Food Giant #3475 Little Rock, AR;
  • Edwards Food Giant #3444 Bryant, AR;
  • Edwards Cash Saver #3476; Edwards Cash Saver #3442 and Edwards Food Giant #3477;
  • Knight’s Super Foods, Beebe AR;
  • Knight’s Super Foods, Babot, AR.
In addition, various retail meat and poultry products sold at Chicken City Retail stores are being recalled.  These products are in clear retail bags with a sales sticker that include the Sell-By Date between October 30, 2016 and March 19, 2017. The Chicken City Retail Stores that are recalling all meat and poultry products are located in Whitehall, AR; Jonesboro, AR; Conway, AR; Searcy, AR Marion, AR; North Little Rock, AR and Brinkley, AR.
The problem was discovered while the FSIS Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audits (OIEA) was conducting routine food defense surveillance activities. The FSIS OIEA investigator discovered that the product was being stored under insanitary conditions, including rodent activity, in the storage areas of the property. FSIS and the establishment detained the remaining product. The items subsequently tested positive for alkaline phosphatase, demonstrating evidence of possible fecal matter.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury or illness from consumption of these products.  Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall can contact John Hilger, Owner of MIH Marketing and Sales, at (501) -278-7041.