Compliance Resources to Help you Stay Current

Tropical Nut & Fruit of Charlotte, NC, has issued a nationwide recall of all its products containing walnuts supplied by Atlas Walnuts, LLC after November 16, 2010.  Possible salmonella contamination prompted the action. The voluntary recall was initiated when Atlas Walnuts, LLC recalled its product after learning that one of its customers tested positive for salmonella. Atlas conducted additional Salmonella tests on the same product lot and the results were negative.

Tropical Nut & Fruit of Charlotte, NC has not received any consumer illness complaints from the consumption of the products. The nationwide recall was initiated by way of abundant caution. Consequently, it is withdrawing the affected products from retail store shelves and the entire distribution system. Consumers should return the products to the store concerned for a full refund.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Occasionally, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. 

Regulations

Manufacturers of defective products voluntarily carry out most recalls. Alternatively, the FDA may identify a defective product 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-directed 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.

Source:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm236656.htm

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm165546.htm

The surprise of the decade comes with the Food Safety Bill possibly becoming a law as the Senate recently passed the bill.

Consumer groups and businesses are largely supporting this measure, which has come into play with alarming statistical reports claiming that 1 in 6 people are affected by food poisoning, and 3,000 die. In view of the recent contamination of produce, eggs, and peanuts, this sweeping bill aims to make food safer although it also comes under severe flak from various directions questioning control of food rather than safety of food.

The new bill puts the onus on businesses to develop measures and strategies to prevent contamination, and create new tests as opposed to relying on government inspections to determine food contamination at factories. Exempt from this will be some egg and meat products as they fall under the purview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Brinkman Turkey Farms Inc. of Findlay, Ohio, recalled Brinkman's Gourmet Barbecue Sauce Jars (22 oz, 40 oz, 160 oz) bearing the codes, UPC# 033244000215,UPC# 033244000222 and UPC# 033244000208 from distribution. These products were distributed to retail stores, distribution centers and consumers in Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa. The recall was initiated because the product contained milk and soy distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of these ingredients. Milk and soy can cause serious to life-threatening reactions in individuals allergic to them.

Pablo's Produce, Inc. of Oxnard, California, has voluntarily recalled one lot of cilantro bearing UPC # 03383801049 and sold between Nov 24, 2010 and Dec 2, 2010. The cilantro had been bundled with white twist ties, with the word "Cilantro" printed in black and the name of the supplier, "Pablo’s Produce of USA" printed in red and green.

The cans of chicken salad bear the establishment number "P-169" inside the USDA mark of inspection and the lot code "0225XXQBC". The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) re-issued Recall Release RC-064-2010, upon receipt of additional information from the recalling firm to correct the "Best-by" date so consumers can confirm they no longer possess the recalled products. This is a Class II recall where there is a health hazard situation with a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.
 

Lobby Shoppes, Inc. has recalled three of its products, Gourmet Cheese Popcorn (12 oz. bags and 24 oz. bags), Chicago Triple Mix Popcorn (12 oz. bags) and Caramel Corn (2 ½ lb. bags, 4 lb. bags, and 9 oz. tubs) because they contained undeclared ingredients like milk and soy, which can trigger serious allergies in susceptible individuals.

California Firm, Diana’s Mexican Food Products, Inc. has announced the recall of around 41,670 pounds of chicken tamales. The recall was triggered due to the presence of an undeclared allergen, whey. The company had not declared the same on the label.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC), with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has issued a voluntary recall of Golden Dipt® Fry Easy All-Purpose Batter, 10 OZ, having the UPC Code 4123470111 and to be used by NOV 17 11 AH as a limited number of packages of the product possessing this date code are said to contain an egg ingredient which does not show on its label.

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) notified Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. about their eggs testing positive in a routine study sample for Salmonella Enteritidis (SE). Ohio Fresh Eggs, LLC is one of Cal-Maine Foods’ suppliers. The routine sample test (environmental study) was done on the eggs from this supplier. Ohio Fresh Eggs supplied around 24,000 dozen eggs (unprocessed) to Cal-Maine, who then processed and repacked them at their facility in Arkansas in October 2010. The notification regarding SE presence went to the company only in the second week of November.

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.

Overstating or misstating the nutritional value of baby food, nuts and other products have irked FDA so much so that it has issued warning letters against 17 who’s who(s) in the food making industry including Nestlé and others. Labeling on a food product helps its buyers to understand the nutritional content of the food in an easier and a quicker way. Therefore, misstating or overstating can result into a serious health problem for the buyers. Keeping in mind the importance of labeling, FDA has issued warning letters against companies which have made false claims on their food packages and websites over trans fat content, antioxidant advantages, and omega-3 benefits that fail to meet the Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Not only overstatement, but additionally, these companies have masked the presence of a few contents like unhealthy fats in their product.

A broad array of products, starting from Gerber baby food, Juicy Juice, Dreyer’s ice cream to  POM pomegranate juice and Gorton’s fish fillets have received warning letters from FDA.

F.D.A. commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg has taken an exemplifying stand for improving information for consumers on food packages. Reinforcing her commitment to develop a clear, science-based labeling system that is effective with consumers, Dr. Hamburg has planned to issue draft guidelines for nutritional labeling and is ready to work with the food industry on a new labeling system. In an open letter to the industry, she has mentioned that while Wednesday's warnings are not indicative of labeling practices in the entire food industry, they should "give food manufacturers further clarification about what is expected of them as they review their current labeling”.

To know names of companies that have received warning letters from FDA, go to the below given link:

http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/default.htm#recent

Source:

http://news.yahoo.com/

www.nytimes.com/

 

Unsafe food can transmit disease from person to person as well as serve as a growth medium for bacteria that can cause food poisoning and take lives of many. To avoid this situation, food regulatory bodies have passed different regulatory measures, which ensure that food safety has been properly taken care of before releasing a food item in market.

FDA issued warning letter to LSG Skychefs DEN 235 for violations under Interstate Conveyance Sanitation regulations (21 CFR Part 1250). FDA inspections have revealed high degree of ignorance towards the upkeep of their facility and have allowed pest infestation which results in adulteration and cause human health hazard. FDA has documented with evidence the violations and has issued notification to effect change of classification from approved to provisional.

FDA Issues warning letter to JFD Enterprises Inc. for violation of Current Good Manufacturing Practices Regulations. JFD Enterprices have been charged under serious violations of 21 CFR 110. The observations have been that food products churned out of their facility are adulterated due to lack of sanitation in their processes. Also additionally they are charged for violation of 21 CFR 101 which regulates labeling of products where the observation has that been of misbranding.

E. coli 0157:H7 Salmonella and Listeria contamination by way of fresh produce is causing frequent public health outbreaks.

Tsunami 100 registered with the EPA has proven to be the only water additive which reduces pathogens in fruit and vegetables process water. It works to eliminate upto 99.9% of the pathogens in process water. It also has increased the shelf life by eliminating other surface pathogens on fruits and vegetables.

FDA till date has been issuing voluntary food safety guidelines but is under pressure to up the ante on forming a task force to investigate the recent outbreaks and suggest changes to avoid further proliferation of such outbreaks.

The emphasis on hygiene and sanitation seems to be shifting to the roots – that is right from the farm.