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FSPCA - Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance

Friday, January 26, 2018

Frozen Green Beans and Mixed Veggies Recalled After Pet Food Customer Test Indicates Listeria

National Frozen Foods Corporation (NFFC) is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of Not-Ready-To Eat IQF green beans and IQF mixed vegetables because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The recall was initiated based on a 3rd party test result of the IQF Green Beans only by a downstream customer that revealed that the finished products may potentially be contaminated with the bacteria.

This customer was a company who manufactured foods for pets using restaurant grade ingredients.  They also issued a recall for the pet foods.  "JustFoodForDogs (JFFD) of Los Alamitos, CA, is voluntarily recalling its Beef & Russet Potato, Fish & Sweet Potato and Turducken dog food meals in all sizes. JFFD uses 100% USDA and other restaurant grade ingredients in all of its pet food, and because the green beans used in these meals may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes".  "While testing demonstrates that only several dates of production were affected, out of an abundance of caution, JFFD is recalling all of the above mentioned products made from the dates of November 1, 2017 through January 14, 2018. These represent Best By lot code dates on all three of the JustFoodForDogs’ recalled products of 11/01/18 through 01/14/19."

This is another case of a not-ready-to-eat product being recalled for Listeria.  In this case, a the pet food customer who purchased this product to use  as an ingredient in making another product, tested and found Listeria.  Was this customer considering this a RTE product or did the see that there may be some issue where the product coudl be under-cooked?  Regardless, it then triggered the selling company to issue a recall, and thus affecting product sold to customers that would not have had any issue because they would have followed label instructions for cooking.

For the seller, this information needs to be part of the sales agreement with a realistic understanding of the capabilities of meeting that agreement- how the product is going to be used, what are the microbiological requirements that were stated on the specification,  will there be any testing of the ingredient was going - because as in this case, this can affect the sales of a lot of other product sold to other customers.  And if these customers made product, then we can expect cascading recalls to occur.

It is a dog-eat-dog...scratch that....a dog-eat-human food world...

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm593835.htm
National Frozen Foods Corporation Recalls Frozen Green Beans and Frozen Mixed Vegetables Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
January 24, 2018

Contact
Consumers National Frozen Foods Corporation (NFFC) 1-800-253-8269
Media National Frozen Foods Corporation (NFFC) mediainquiries@nffc.com
Announcement
View Product Photos

National Frozen Foods Corporation (NFFC) is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of Not-Ready-To Eat Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) green beans and IQF 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 of master cases or packages will effectively reduce the risk of exposure to this bacterium

This press release includes recalled products distributed to foodservice accounts in bulk and packaged containers in AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, IL, KS, MI, MS, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OR, TN, TX, VA, and WA. The products being recalled listed below were distributed between August 18, 2017 and January 12, 2018.

The recalled items can be identified by the date codes printed on the back of the 32oz. sized bag or the side of the master case. Only the following codes are affected by this recall:

Brand Listed on Packaging
Commodity Net Weight NFFC Item # Customer # Lot Information / Code Printed On Packaging
Bountiful Harvest Foundations Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 22486-11918  2229881 17100903A02
Bountiful Harvest Originals Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 22486-11908  2229871 17100903A02
Monarch Capri Blend 20 LB. 58108-00602 670229 38511-7H11G3N
Monarch Capri Blend 20 LB. 58108-00602  670229 38511-7H11H3N
NW Treasure Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 62406-90007  3828405 17102603A02
Simplot Classic Meadow Blend 32 oz. 71179-67166 965AUG081705H
Sysco Classic Cut Green Beans 32 oz. 74865-04977 1435197 17102703A03
Sysco Imperial Whole Green Beans 32 oz. 74865-24917  2101855 17102703A03
(No Brand Name) Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 15001-01070 38627-7H28A3N
(No Brand Name) Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 15001-01070 38627-7H28B3N
(No Brand Name) Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 15001-01070 38627-7H28C3N
(No Brand Name) Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 15001-01070 38627-7H28D3N
(No Brand Name) Cut Green Beans 30 LB. 15001-01070 38627-7H28E3N
Valamont* Cut Green Beans 32 oz. 72608-12082 38474-7H08F3N
Valamont Cut Green Beans 20 LB. 72608-12150 38510-7H11F3N
The World's Harvest* Cut Green Beans 32 oz. WRH99-FV021 38475-7H08F3N
The World's Harvest* Cut Green Beans 32oz. WRH99-FV021 38475-7H08G3N
* The 32 oz. inner clear poly bag has only lot code printed.

The recall was initiated based on a 3rd party test result of the IQF Green Beans only by a downstream customer that revealed that the finished products may potentially be contaminated with the bacteria. There has been no report of human illness to date.

The frozen green beans and frozen mixed vegetables are being recalled as a precaution with the health and safety of consumers as top priority and in full cooperation with the FDA. The recall has not yet been classified by the FDA.

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 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Pacific Time).

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm593097.htm
JustFoodForDogs Voluntarily Recalls Three Daily Diets because of Possible Listeria monocytogenes Health Risk from Green Beans
For Immediate Release
January 19, 2018
Contact
Consumers
JustFoodForDogs866-726-9509
Announcement
View Product Photos


JustFoodForDogs (JFFD) of Los Alamitos, CA, is voluntarily recalling its Beef & Russet Potato, Fish & Sweet Potato and Turducken dog food meals in all sizes. JFFD uses 100% USDA and other restaurant grade ingredients in all of its pet food, and because the green beans used in these meals may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the companyis alerting the public. Listeria monocytogenes can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans if they were to intentionally or unintentionally ingest the dog food or come into contact with contaminated feces from a pet that has eaten the food.

Listeriosis is rare in dogs and when infected most dogs have mild symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, however, more serious symptoms are possible, such as fever, muscular and respiratory signs, abortion and even death. In addition to the possibility of becoming sick, such infected animals can shed Listeria monocytogenes through their feces and thus serve as a source of infection to humans, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands. If your dog has consumed the recalled products and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Healthy people infected with Listeria monocytogenes should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms if they believe they may have consumed any of the above recalled items intentionally or unintentionally, or may have come into contact with contaminated feces from a pet that has eaten the food: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, aches and fever. Rarely Listeria monocytogenes can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis and can be life threatening. Pregnant women are more susceptible to Listeria infection, which can result in abortion. The most common way that people are affected is by consumption of contaminated food. Consumers exhibiting these signs after consuming this product should contact their healthcare provider.

The recalled JFFD Beef & Russet Potato, Fish & Sweet Potato and Turducken was distributed only through 11 JFFD retail locations in Southern California, 3 Pet Food Express (PFE) locations in Southern California and 10 Northern California PFE locations.

While testing demonstrates that only several dates of production were affected, out of an abundance of caution, JFFD is recalling all of the above mentioned products made from the dates of November 1, 2017 through January 14, 2018. These represent Best By lot code dates on all three of the JustFoodForDogs’ recalled products of 11/01/18 through 01/14/19.

The products being recalled were sold refrigerated or frozen and include all sizes offered – 7 oz, 14 oz, 18 oz and 72 oz.

No confirmed Listeriosis has been reported but there have been reports of short-term symptoms in some dogs (diarrhea and vomiting).

There have been no reports of human illness to date.

The potential for contamination was discovered after a purchaser of JFFD products reported to JFFD veterinary medical staff that her dogs had become ill. Tests to date confirm that green beans purchased from a restaurant supply distributor were positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

The restaurant supplier/distributor of these green beans has voluntarily put a “product hold” on the distribution of these green beans to restaurants and other human food retailers.

JFFD is currently making these recipes available without green beans until the matter is resolved.

JFFD notified and is working with FDA on this matter.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled JFFD products from a JFFD store should contact JFFD at 866-726-9509, from 9:00 AM – 7:00PM PST seven days a week, for a full credit or refund. Consumers who have purchased the recalled products from Pet Food Express should return them to any Pet Food Express for a full credit or refund.


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