http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/ This Iowa State University Extension news feed collects food safety news from across the world to provide the latest information on food safety. This feed is sponsored by the Food Safety Consortium. en-us Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:42:21 CST Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:42:21 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/images/rss/FS_news_small.gif 26 142 http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/ Food Safety News mheerema@iastate.edu (Matt Heerema) dhenroid@iastate.edu (Dan Henroid) http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/downloads/rss/ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 1, 2012 –S&M USA ENTERPRISE is recalling ZHANG ZHOU BRAND TREMELLA because it may contain undeclared sulfites. People who have severe sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume this product. The recalled ZHANG ZHOU BRAND TREMELLA comes in an un-coded, 150 gram plastic bag and was sold in New York and New Jersey. It is a product of China The recall was initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis of the product by Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of sulfites in packages of ZHANG ZHOU BRAND TREMELLA which did not declare sulfites on the label. The consumption of 10 milligrams of sulfites per serving has been reported to elicit severe reactions in some asthmatics. Anaphylactic shock could occur in certain sulfite sensitive individuals upon ingesting 10 milligrams or more of sulfites. For the complete recall notice, please visit http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm290141.htm?source=govdelivery Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:41:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35682 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 13, 2011 -Advanced Animal Nutrition today announced a voluntary recall of its dry Dog Power Dog Food- due to aflatoxin levels that were detected above the acceptable limit. The affected products were manufactured between Jan. 4, 2011, and Nov. 18, 2011. No illnesses have been reported in association with these products to date, and no other Advanced Animal Nutrition pet food products are involved in this recall. Affected products are: ** DOG POWER ADULT MAINTENANCE FORMULA 21-12 Dog Food, 50 pound bags ** DOG POWER HUNTERS FORMULA 27-14 Dog Food, 50 pound bags ** DOG POWER HI-PRO PERFORMANCE FORMULA 26-18 Dog Food, 50 pound bags The recall only applies to the above products with the following Packaging Date Codes (lot numbers): K0004 through K1322. (UPDATED LOT NUMBERS ARE 4K1004 THRU 4K1322) The affected dry dog food products were distributed in the following states – Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Retailers have already been instructed to remove the affected brands and products from store shelves. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:40:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35681 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2012-As both the New England Patriots and New York Giants know, you win with defense. When it comes to planning a Super Bowl XLVI party, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) wants football fans to know how to play defense against potential foodborne illness. "Great food, large groups of friends and cheering on your team are what make Super Bowl parties so much fun," said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen. "We want to give hosts a few easy tactics to reduce the chances that their guests will develop foodborne illness amidst all the excitement at their Super Bowl parties." For the complete news item, please visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_020112_01/index.asp Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:58:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35679 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 1, 2012 – W & International Import Inc. is recalling “Rely” Sardine Anchovies because the product was found to be un-eviscerated. The recalled “Rely” Sardine Anchovies were distributed nationwide in 7.0 oz. plastic packages. The “Rely” Sardine Anchovies are a product of China. The “Rely” Sardine Anchovies were sampled by a New York State Department of Agriculture Food Inspector during inspection. Subsequent analysis of the product by New York State Food Laboratory personnel confirmed that the “Rely” Sardine Anchovies were not properly eviscerated prior to processing. The sale of un-eviscerated fish is prohibited under New York State Agriculture and Markets regulations because Clostridium Botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish. Uneviscerated fish have been linked to outbreaks of botulium poisioning. For the complete recall notice, please visit http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm290067.htm?source=govdelivery Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:58:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35680 One week after a company began notifying customers in 34 states about potential Listeria contamination in hard-cooked eggs, the Food and Drug Administration announced that Michael Foods, Inc. is expanding its recall of certain hard-cooked eggs. Michael Foods said it was widening the initial call back for three lot dates, announced January 26 after lab testing revealed that some of the eggs may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Additional lot dates have been added, the company said, because of new evidence that a repair project in its Wakefield, Nebraska packaging room "was the likely source of the contamination." For the complete news item, please visit http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/02/hard-cooked-egg-recall-expands-potato-salads-included/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120202 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:56:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35678 One more victim of the nationwide outbreak of Listeria infection linked to Colorado cantaloupes died this week, bringing the death toll up to 32. When the epidemic was declared over in December of last year, it was already the deadliest foodborne illness outbreak in the U.S. in nearly 100 years, having killed 30 of the 146 people sickened, and caused a pregnant woman to miscarry. But while the contaminated cantaloupes - distributed by Jensen Farms - had been long off the market by that time, the disease continued to wreak havoc on its victims, claiming two more lives. On December 18, 10 days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its final outbreak report, 92-year-old Paul Schwarz of Kansas City died after weeks suffering from listeriosis. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/02/cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-still-claiming-victims/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120202 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:54:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35677 With no disclosure about who could have supplied contaminated meat to a Northeastern chain of grocery stories, the outbreak of Salmonella infection involving ground beef sold by Hannaford supermarkets has been declared over. In its final investigation update Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 20 people in seven states were infected with an antibiotic-resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. That's one more case than was reported in the CDC's Jan. 5 update. "This particular outbreak appears to be over," the CDC stated. New Hampshire and New York each reported six outbreak cases, while Maine reported four. Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Vermont each reported one individual sickened by the outbreak strain of bacteria. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/02/cdc-outbreak-linked-to-maine-ground-beef-has-ended/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120202 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:53:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35676 The Mexican-style fast food chain referred to only as "Restaurant A" in a report on a ten-state outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is Taco Bell, Food Safety News has learned. While suspected ever since the CDC's outbreak report was issued on January 19, confirmation that Taco Bell was central to the investigation comes in a document from the Oklahoma State Department of Health's Acute Disease Service titled, "Summary of Supplemental Questionnaire Responses Specific to Taco Bell Exposure of Oklahoma Outbreak associated cases Multistate Salmonella Enterititis Outbreak Investigation." Oklahoma was second only to Texas, with 16 confirmed cases in the outbreak. Ill Oklahomans reported onset dates from Oct. 21 to Nov. 18, 2011. Half of Oklahoma's 16 victims specifically reported consuming food at a Taco Bell outlet. Four others either refused to complete the supplemental case-control questionnaire or were not available for follow-up. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/02/taco-bell-named-in-salmonella-investigation-report/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120201 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:51:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35675 With the ongoing economic crisis there has been a need for governments across the globe to cut budgets. Food safety lacks the tangible benefits of, say, health care and it was somewhat inevitable that food inspection agencies would experience the brunt of such cutbacks. In the United Kingdom, the Food Safety Agency that was established in the wake of the "mad cow" disease outbreak, amongst other food safety scares, was essentially dismantled with its portfolio being returned to Ministry of Agriculture (DEFRA). In Canada, the number of CFIA inspectors was increased following the listeriosis outbreak of 2008 in which contaminated deli meats resulted in 20 deaths. However, the Canadian government is now cutting over 200 inspectors in a bid to save $25 million from the federal budget. In the United States, the cutbacks have been deeper, with over 260 USDA offices being closed for a savings of $150 million per year. In reaction, many consumer groups, the press and unions have pronounced the cutbacks as placing the public in danger through the governments neglecting their responsibilities. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/02/food-safety-all-a-matter-of-ownership/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120201 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:09:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35670 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 1, 2012 -Michael Foods, Inc. is recalling specific lot dates of hard-cooked eggs in brine sold in 10- and 25-pound pails for institutional use that were produced at its Wakefield, Nebraska facility because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. The recalled eggs were purchased by food distributors and manufacturers located in 34 states (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WV). The recall is limited to hard-cooked eggs in brine in 10- and 25-pound pails prodced at its Wakefield, Nebraska facility, which are labeled under six brand names (Columbia Valley Farms, GFS, Glenview Farms, Papetti’s, Silverbrook, Wholesome Farms) and bearing lot codes of 1 LOT 1350W through 1 LOT 2025W and expiration dates ranging from 1/30/2012 to 3/10/2012 Only lot codes immediately preceded by a “1” AND ending in a “W” are affected, please see the following example: Here is an example of the lot codes on the packaging: USE BY 11 FEB 12 1 LOT 1362 W USE BY 11 FEB 12 = Use by Date 1 = line impacted by recall LOT 1362 = Lot Number W = Wakefield For the complete recall notice, please visit http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm289920.htm?source=govdelivery Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:49:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35673 Pennsylvania now says 20 people have been sickened by campylobacteriosis that may be related to raw milk from a Chambersburg-area farm. All of the people who are sick had consumed milk from the farm, called The Family Cow. But the state was still awaiting test results to determine if the milk is the cause of the illness. The illnesses involve 16 people from Pennsylvania and 4 from Maryland. They began getting sick about 2 weeks ago and some needed hospital care. The Family Cow produces milk sold at The Healthy Grocer in Hampden Township, and also serves customers at a Cumberland County drop off location. The company voluntarily stopped selling milk, but has said independent tests found no harmful bacteria in raw milk from The Family Cow. Raw milk is milk that hasn't undergone the normal pasteurization process intended to kill germs. Some people prefer raw milk because of their belief that it's healthier than normal milk. But health officials warn that raw milk can carry assorted germs that cause illness, and also say there are no proven health benefits of drinking raw milk. For the complete report, please visit http://apex.oracle.com/pls/otn/pm?an=20120201.0248 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:44:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35672 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2012 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are sponsoring a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items, and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 44th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR). The CCPR will meet in Shanghai, P.R. China from April 23, 2012 through April 28, 2012. The public meeting will be held on Feb. 14, 2012 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at EPA, Room S-7100, One Potomac Yard South, 2777 South Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia, 22202. The following items will be discussed during the public meeting: Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticide residues in food and feed Proposed revision of the Codex classification of foods and animal feeds Proposed guidance for selecting representative commodities for the extrapolation of MRLs for pesticides in commodity groups (Proposed guidance for selecting Guidance to facilitate the establishment of MRLs for pesticides in minor crops and specialty crops Documents and agenda items related to the 44th Session of the CCPR will be accessible at the Codex website at www.codexalimentarius.org. For the complete notice, please visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_020112_02/index.asp Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:41:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35671 County sheriffs and federal officials bickering over land, guns and water policies are as old as the West, but the Constitutional Sheriffs Convention, underway for the past three days in Las Vegas, has something new on the menu --- food safety regulation. "I made the decision that the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office was not going to be the milk police," Sheriff John D'Agostini told his Board of Supervisors in California ahead of the convention. Sheriff D'Agostini was testifying in favor of the "Local Food and Community Self-Governance" ordinance that El Dorado farmer Pattie Chelseth was asking the supervisors to adopt. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/01/sheriffs-who-wont-be-the-milk-police-gather-in-vegas/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:25:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35663 Leading food industry groups are urging the Obama administration to adequately fund federal food safety oversight, instead of seeking new taxes or regulatory fees. "We respectfully ask that you make securing adequate congressional funding for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety activities one of your highest priorities rather than proposing any new food taxes or regulatory fees on consumers and food makers," the groups wrote in a letter Monday to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and White House Office and Management Acting DIrector Jeffrey Zients. The letter was signed by a wide variety of industry groups, including the American Frozen Food Institute, the American Meat Institute, the Juice Products Association, the United Fresh Produce Association and the Pet Food Institute. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/01/food-industry-tells-obama-administration-no-food-safety-fees/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:22:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35662 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 28th, 2012 -How Sweet It Is Fudge and Candy Company Inc. is recalling / correcting its 32 count packages of “Peanut Butter Buckeye” and “Peanut Butter Smoothie” because they do contain undeclared milk allergens. People who have allergies to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. Both products are packaged in a 7“ x 7“ x 2“ Red, White, and Blue Box, with 32 cellophane wrapped pieces of candy per package.. The product was distributed to wholesale distributors, service stations and convenience stores in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Indiana, Virginia, and New York. Product UPC Code is: 69087100460. Lot # 3312011 through Lot # 0232012. Product would have been distributed from December 1st, 2011 to January 23rd 2012. The recall was voluntarily initiated on 1/25/12 after a complaint from a consumer with a milk allergy was received after consuming a Peanut Butter Buckeye. How Sweet It Is Fudge and Candy Company has corrected the label but out of an abundance of caution we are advising consumers who purchased the “Peanut Butter Buckeye” and the “Peanut Butter Smoothie” the product does contain a milk ingredient. For the complete recall notice, please visit http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm289743.htm?source=govdelivery Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:05:00 CST http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=35667