Food Safety Humor

FSPCA - Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance

Monday, June 20, 2016

Frozen Peas Recalled Due to Listeria Positive Test Result

A Washington state frozen food company is recalling frozen peas and blends of frozen vegetables that include peas after testing found the product may be contaminated with Listeria.  There have been no reported illnesses.

This recall affects a number of private label brands including those sold through Walmart (Great Value) and Target (Market Pantry).

New York based HelloFresh is also recalling product with peas.  HelloFresh is a mail order company that sends food kits to people for in-home food preparation.   Being that this company direct ships to their customer, making direct contact with those individuals should be easy.

Peas are normally blanched before freezing, and so the Listeria contamination most likely occurred someplace between blanching and packaging.  While frozen peas are normally cooked by the consumer before eating, which if done according to validated cooking instructions posted on the package, would eliminate the pathogen.    However, many use peas as a ready-to-eat ingredient in salads and dips, so in those cases, Listeria could be present.  There is, also a chance that people would not heat the peas sufficiently.

That is the case with associated recalls for product sold through Whole Foods where Green Cuisine is initiating a voluntary recall of “Pesto Pasta Salad with Arugula”.  Another company is recalling wraps because the peas were used.   And then a Portand Oregon company is recalling Macaroni Salad made with peas.  What supplier arrangement was in place...did the manufacturer agree on the use of this product as an ingredient in RTE food.

Allowing the frozen peas to thaw and then sit at refrigerated temperatures (or higher) for a number of days could allow the Listeria, if present, to increase in number.  This could be an issue with mail order products such as those delivered through HelloFresh.

FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507535.htm
National Frozen Foods Corporation Recalls Frozen Green Peas and Frozen Mixed Vegetables Because of Possible Health Risk

For Immediate Release
June 17, 2016
Contact
Consumers National Frozen Foods Corporation 1-800-253-8269
Media mediainquiries@nffc.com

Announcement

Seattle, WA – National Frozen Foods Corporation is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of Not-Ready-To Eat frozen green peas and frozen mixed vegetables because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, 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.

Following cooking preparation instructions on the labels will effectively reduce the risk of exposure to this bacterium.

This press release does not include recalled products distributed to food service accounts in bulk containers and recalled products distributed to food service accounts in Canada and Japan.

The frozen green peas and frozen mixed vegetables are being recalled as a precaution with the health and safety of consumers as top priority. The recall was the result of a sample tested by the company which revealed that the finished products may potentially be contaminated with the bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration has been made aware of this recall. There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items to date.

The products being recalled listed below were distributed in retail stores nationwide between September 2, 2015 and June 2, 2016.

The recalled items can be identified by the date codes printed on the back of the retail sized bag or the side of the master case. Only the following codes are affected by this recall:

See List - http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507535.htm
(Brands - Bountiful Harvest Green Peas, First Street Green Peas, Great Value Mixed Vegetables, Great Value Steamable Mixed Vegetables, Great Value Sweet Peas, Live Smart Mixed Vegetables, Market Pantry Mixed Vegetables, Market Pantry Steam-In-Bag Mixed Vegetables, Market Pantry Sweet Peas, and Sprouts Farmers Market Mixed Vegetables)

Consumers should not consume these products. Consumers who purchased affected products may return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-253-8269 Monday – Friday 8.am to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time).



http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507280.htm
HelloFresh Recalls Frozen Peas Because of Possible Health Risk

For Immediate Release
June 16, 2016

Contact  Consumers 1-800-733-2414

Announcement

HelloFresh of New York, N.Y. is recalling frozen peas due to notification from a supplier that the peas have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The peas were included in HelloFresh recipe kits delivered the week of June 11-15, 2016 and the weeks of March 12-25, 2016.

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.

Currently, no illnesses or customer complaints have been reported to date, however, in an abundance of caution, the company has decided to conduct this voluntary recall. HelloFresh immediately informed their affected customers of the recall and advised them to discard the product.

The peas were delivered by a third party delivery service in Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia, as part of the meals "Summer Vegetable Salad with Seared Chicken, Garlic Croutons, and Mustard-Chive Vinaigrette" (June 11-15, 2016), "Lemony Pan-Seared Chicken with Pesto Potato Salad and Peas" (March 12-18, 2016), and "Seared Steak with Spring Veggie Succotash and Mint-Chive Pesto" and "Nir's Lamb-Stuffed Zucchini with Spiced Lentil Stew" (March 19-25, 2016). We expect that the March items have already been consumed and no cases of illness have been reported. The peas would have arrived in a portion cup inside a kit box labeled with the recipe names described above.

The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed of the pod fruit Pisum Sativum. Customers in these states are encouraged to discard the entire kit box, and not eat any of the ingredients from that recipe. Following the cooking preparation instructions printed on each individual case will effectively reduce the risk of exposure to this bacterium.

If you have any concerns or are experiencing symptoms linked to this recall, please contact your healthcare provider immediately. If you have any additional questions, please call HelloFresh 1-800-733-2414 during the hours of 6am EST to 11pm EST Monday through Friday and 6am EST to 7:30pm EST Saturday and Sunday.


http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507532.htm
Green Cuisine Recalls Pesto Pasta Salad with Arugula Sold in Select Whole Foods Market Stores Due to Potential Health Risk
For Immediate Release
June 18, 2016

Contact
Consumers  Customer Service  818-837-7774
Announcement
View Product Photos

Green Cuisine is initiating a voluntary recall of “Pesto Pasta Salad with Arugula” because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, 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.

Green Cuisine is issuing this voluntary recall after being notified by their supplier, National Frozen Foods, that the frozen green peas used in the product are being recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled products was sold in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona Whole Foods Market locations between 06/15/16 and 06/16/16.

There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items to date.

The recalled product was sold in 7.4 oz clear plastic containers with the name “Whole Foods Pesto Pasta Salad w/Arugula,” UPC code 857898004333 and “best by” date of 6/20/16.

Consumers who have purchased this product should discard it and bring their receipt back into the store for a full refund. Consumers with questions should call Green Cuisine’s customer service line at 818-837-7774 between the hours of 8am to 4pm PST, Monday through Friday.


http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507326.htm
Essential Foods Recalls Four Flavors of Globespun Gourmet Wraps Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release

June 16, 2016

Contact
Consumers Essential Foods Inc. 1-206-545-4194

Announcement

Essential Foods Inc. of Seattle, Washington is voluntarily recalling four flavors of Globespun Gourmet 8oz wraps because an ingredient (peas) has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, 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 Globespun Gourmet wraps were distributed in Washington and Oregon to grocery outlets and corporate cafeterias.

The products come in 8oz, plastic wrapped, ready to eat form. The affected products are the following flavors:
Globespun Gourmet Thai UPC#3232800405
Globespun Gourmet Coconut Curry UPC#3232800210
Globespun Gourmet Tandoori- flavors of India UPC#3232800211
Globespun Gourmet Dolma La- Tibetan potato UPC#3232800503

The products have a date stamp of 06 17, 06 20 and 06 24 on the bottom of the wrap.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The potential for contamination is connected to a recall of frozen peas which had the potential of testing positive for Listeria monocytogens. Peas are used in the above recipes and are therefore affiliated with the recall.

The production of the product has been suspended while FDA and our supplier work to resolve the source of the issue.

Consumers who have purchased 8oz Globespun Gourmet Thai, Coconut Curry, Tandoori or Dolma La wraps are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-206-545-4194.


http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm507331.htm
Zupan's Markets Initiates Voluntary Recall of Macaroni Salad With Cheddar Cheese Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
June 16, 2016

Contact
Consumers  Duck Delivery Produce Inc.  1-503-288-9380

Portland, Ore. – Zupan's Markets is initiating a voluntary recall of its Macaroni Salad with Cheddar Cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, 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.

There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items to date.

Zupan's Markets is issuing this voluntary recall after being notified by their supplier, National Frozen Foods, that the frozen green peas used in the product are being recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled Macaroni Cheddar Cheese Salad is packaged in a plastic bag, 5 lb. net weight. The label listed item #23070 and the UPC 8 87241 80712 0.

The recalled product was distributed to four Zupan's Markets locations in Portland and Lake Oswego, Oregon between 04/09/16 and 06/14/16.

The product was sold both in Zupan's Markets service deli salad case, sized to order, and available in prepacked round plastic containers (8, 12 & 16 oz.) in its Grab & Go area. Scale label on bottom of the product container reads Macaroni Salad with Cheddar Cheese with code 394.

Anyone who has the recalled product in their possession should not consume it and should destroy or discard it. Consumers can return to Zupan's Markets for a full refund. Questions can be directed to Duck Delivery Produce Inc. at 503-288-9380 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time).

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.

About Zupan's Markets

Founded by John Zupan in 1975, Zupan's Markets is a local and family-owned market that has served Portland's food-loving community for over 40 years. Zupan's Markets, with four locations, focuses on quality, selling everything from the best meats and wines to the freshest produce, baked goods, gourmet deli products, specialty foods, flowers and more, always emphasizing locally sourced, artisan products when possible. For more information, visit www.zupans.com or check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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