Fearing health risk, Artisan Confections Recalls Dagoba new moon™

Sweet Chocolates on Sour Recall

A Salmonella scare has led to the recall of Dagoba Organic Chocolate new moon Rich Dark Chocolate 74% cacao 0.32 ounce squares. The Artisan Confectioners Company has announced recall of a limited quantity of its products. Other sizes and other Dagoba items are not covered by the recall. 33 cases of 0.32 oz squares sold across the nation are on recall. They include those sold online and through natural/specialty food retail outlets after October 27, 2010. Products sold from the display boxes and labeled with the code 37HLB11, UPC 10474-55509 were the only ones to be affected. The item was produced at a third-party manufacturer. When quality checks revealed the presence of Salmonella in a single sample, the recall was initiated.

Effects of Salmonella

The presence of Salmonella may not change the smell and look of food. Symptoms like high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea may be associated with Salmonella-contaminated food. Arthritis is a Long-term is a possible complication induced by Salmonella.  The symptoms could prove serious and life-threatening in young children, people with a weakened immune system and the elderly.

Regulations

Food-borne illness or food-borne disease or food-poisoning is any illness resulting from consumption of contaminated food.  Food infection refers to the presence of bacteria or other microbes which infect the body after consumption. The manufacturers or distributors of the product voluntarily carry out most recalls of products regulated by FDA. Alternatively, the FDA may find a product defective and instruct the company concerned to recall the product. If the company does not recall the product, the FDA can seek legal action under the FD&C Act.  These include seizure of the available stock of the product, and/or injunction of the firm, including a court request for recall of the product. FDA guidelines that companies should follow while recalling defective products are published in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 7.

Injunction against A. Chau Sprouting Co, Gretna, La: Violation of Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act

On March 16, 2010, the FDA sought a permanent injunction against A Chau Sprouting Co., a sprout grower in Gretna, La, in the U.S District court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The defendants were charged with violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by preparing, packaging and stocking sprouts under insanitary conditions. This may have led to contamination of sprouts by filth. Over the years the agency had issued several warnings to the company. Reportedly, consumption of the sprout had not led to any illness but the FDA did not want to take chances. Five FDA inspections conducted over nine years had revealed that the defendants failed to implement basic food and sanitation principles and sanitation practices.

The violations included:
 

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