Frozen Dinners and Pizza Products Recalled for Potential Contamination with Glass Pieces

Nestle is recalling frozen dinners and pizza products that spinach because that spinach may have had glass pieces.  The products are under the DiGiorno®, Lean Cuisine®, and Stouffer’s® brands.

 

This appears to be a supplier related issue.  Unfortunately, so many national brands were affected.  This is a great example of how a single supplier source of a somewhat minor ingredient can a huge impact. 

   

FDA News Release

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm490200.htm

Nestlé USA Announces Voluntary Recall of a Limited Number of DiGiorno® Pizzas, Lean Cuisine® and Stouffer’s® Products Due to the Potential Presence of Foreign Material

 

Company Issues Another Recall for Green Beans After Listeria Positive Sample is Detected

Cascadian Farms, an organic division of General Mills, is recalling frozen green beans after a product sample was found to be positive for Listeria.   This comes after Cascadian Farms issued a recall back in August for product produced in 2014 when that product was found to be positive for Listeria.

Proper cooking of the green beans by the consumer will eliminate the Listeria, but there is a concern that people will not follow cooking instructions.  There have been no illnesses associated with this product.

The most likely source of Listeria contamination is in the processing environment.  Generally, green beans are blanched by the processor before freezing.  This blanching would eliminate the organism.  however, Listeria is problematic in that it can establish itself within moist, cool processing environments such as those used to make green beans.  Facilities work to prevent Listeria contamination through following practices such as good sanitation, controlling movement in and out of more critical areas (post blanch - freezing - packaging), and then monitoring those areas.

Freezing the product does not allow the organism to grow, but freezing will not eliminate it.


Wall Street Journal Business
http://www.wsj.com/articles/general-mills-recalls-another-batch-of-green-beans-due-to-listeria-1443815248
General Mills Recalls Another Batch of Green Beans Due to Listeria
Company says it found a pack of Cascadian Farm Cut green beans with listeria; it had seen another in August
By Josh Beckerman Oct. 2, 2015 3:47 p.m. ET

General Mills Inc. GIS 0.39 % is voluntarily recalling a small amount of frozen Cascadian Farm Cut Green Beans after a package tested positive for listeria, the second listeria-related recall for this brand of green bean this year.

The recall involves green beans produced on one day in June and is limited to 16-ounce bags with a “Better If Used By” date of 29JUNE2017.

General Mills said no related illnesses have been reported.

Frozen Corn Recalled for Listeria After Positive Test Result

Another frozen vegetable product is being recalled for Listeria.  In this case, it is frozen corn.  Listeria was found through testing conducted by the State of Tennessee.

In making frozen cut corn, the corn is husked, cut, water blanched followed by immediate cooling, IQF freezing and then packaging.  The water blanch temperature will be greater than 180F, generally 190 to boiling.  Therefore, any Listeria contamination would need to come from the post-blanch environment - from cooling to packaging.

Frozen corn is generally cooked by the consumer before serving, although there may be some RTE applications (although can't think of any).  Therefore, frozen corn would not have been considered a high risk product, so unsure why the State of TN decided to test this item.

Just this week, frozen green beans were recalled due to Listeria.


FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm460634.htm
Bonduelle USA Recalls Frozen Corn Because Of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Consumer:
1-877-990-2662

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 31, 2015 – Brockport, NY – Bonduelle USA Inc. of Brockport, NY is recalling 9,335 cases of frozen corn 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.

Frozen Green Beans, 2014 Pack Date, Recalled for Listeria

An organic frozen vegetable division of General Mills, Cascadian Farms, is recalling 2 lots of frozen cut green beans after a sample of the 18 month old product was found to be positive for Listeria.  There have been no reported illnesses.

There are a number of interesting points to note:

• The product was produced close to 18 months earlier, so it is curious why the product was just tested now. 
• Beans would have been blanched, so it is likely this is a case of post-process contamination....either occurring during initial bulk packing or repacking.
• The beans would have been from the 2013 harvest and frozen in bulk until repacked or the product was imported from another country...so there would be a lot of handling.
• This type of product would likely be cooked by the consumer.  The label would have instructions for cooking and provided those instructions were followed, then Listeria would be eliminated.
• Now that product from this facility was found to be positive for Listeria, will additional product be tested, including more recent product (if it hasn't been so already) and will there be a surge of attention brought to this facility (as well as other facilities that pack similar product).
• Frozen vegetables were also recalled in April after the facility had Listeria positive results for environmental samples. 

 

General Mills News Release

http://www.generalmills.com//en/News/NewsReleases/Library/2015/July/cc-recall/3b3a9c6b-4989-464c-91f6-289a55888a27

Aug 26, 2015

General Mills voluntarily recalls a limited quantity of frozen Cascadian Farm Cut Green Beans

  

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota - General Mills today announced a voluntary Class I recall of a limited quantity of frozen Cascadian Farm Cut Green Beans produced over two days in March 2014. The recall is being issued as a precaution after one package of finished product tested positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. No related illnesses have been reported in connection with this product.

 

This voluntary recall is limited to 10-ounce bags of frozen Cascadian Farm Cut Green Beans with either of two “Better If Used By” dates printed on the package:

 

10APR2016

11APR2016

 

The recalled product was produced and packaged in 2014. No other varieties or production dates of Cascadian Farm products are affected by this recall.

Inventure is Recalling Frozen Vegetables and Juice Blends Due to Potential for Listeria Contamination

Inventure's Georgia facility is recalling fresh frozen vegetables and  smoothie kits after the company discovered Listeria in that Georgia processing facility.  There have been no reported illnesses to date.

While Listeria in smoothies can be a risk, specifically since the product is considered ready-to-eat.  The vegetables on the other hand, do have cooking instructions.  However, there is a risk if the consumer undercooks the product or if they use it in the preparation of vegetable juice blends.

The other interesting point is that this action is being taken for positive environmental sample, not a product sample testing positive.  There is no indication as to the location in the environment of the positive sample or whether product was actually tested.  Since two product lines were recalled, either these lines shared the same pieces of equipment, or there were more than one positive samples.

Frozen Enchiladas Recalled Due to Potential Of Salmonella Due to Cilantro Ingredient

A California Company is recalling their frozen chili cheese enchilada product due to the potential for Salmonella.  The recall came after the supplier of the organic cilantro ingredient used in the product notified the producer that they had found Salmonella in their routine testing of the cilantro.

This frozen product appears to be cooked by the processor, at least partially.  Although we can't tell whether the cilantro was added before or after the thermal process.

Another item to notice is that the package has cooking instructions that direct the consumer to fully cook this product before consuming.  These process steps would help to lower the risk of Salmonella in the product, however, if an issue were to arise, then it be a disaster for the manufacturer.  The likelihood of under cooking by the consumer must also be taken into account.


FDA Recall Notice - Dec 3, 2014
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm425648.htm
Recall -- Firm Press Release
FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Overhill Farms Voluntarily Recalls Open Nature Chile Cheese Enchiladas Sold At Safeway Stores Nationwide Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination

Contact: Consumer: 1-323-582-9977

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — December 3, 2014 — Overhill Farms, Inc. of Vernon, California is voluntarily recalling the frozen food product Open Nature Chile Cheese Enchiladas due to potential Salmonella contamination. The supplier for the organic cilantro contained in such product notified Overhill Farms that the organic cilantro may have Salmonella contamination based on routine testing conducted. The product is sold nationwide at all Safeway-owned stores, including Safeway, Carrs, Genuardi’s, Pak ‘N Save, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb and Vons.

Frozen Meals Recalled Due to Link to E.coli Outbreak

UPDATE May 31, 2013

CDC issused the final update on this outbreak.

http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2013/O121-03-13/

A total of 35 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121 (STEC O121) were reported from 19 states.

• 82% of ill persons were 21 years of age or younger.
• 31% of ill persons were hospitalized. Two ill persons developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, and no deaths were reported.

UPDATE April 4, 2013

Rich Foods expanded the recall of various heat treated, not fully cooked frozen food items.  The recall will encompass what appears to be 10 months of production.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_025_2013_Expanded/index.asp

Rich Foods is recalling close to 200,000 lbs of frozen chicken quesadilla and other frozen products due to a potential link to an outbreak of E.coli O121. In this outbreak, at least 24 people in 15 states have become ill. Product did test positive for the strain, per NY Department of Health.  According to CDC, 78% of those ill are 21 years old or less.  33% are hospitalized, and 1 has HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome).

This product does have validated cooking instructions (bottom of page), so this product would not be considered a fully cooked product. However the company is recalling product.

The responsible E. coli strain, O121, produces a shiga toxin like the O157:H7 strain that is associated with ground meat, so infection with this organism can result in bloody diarrhea as well as kidney damage.

USDA Recall Notice
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_025_2013_Release/index.asp

New York Firm Recalls Frozen Mini Quesadilla, Pizza, Cheese Steak and Other Snack Products Due To Possible E. Coli O121 Contamination 
Recall Release

CLASS I RECALL


FSIS-RC-025-2013

HEALTH RISK: HIGH


WASHINGTON, March 28, 2013 – Rich Products Corporation, a Buffalo, NY firm, is recalling approximately 196,222 pounds of frozen chicken quesadilla and various other heat treated, not fully cooked frozen mini meals and snack items because they may be contaminated with E. coli O121, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to FSIS recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]

Trader Joe's Recalls Frozen Chicken Dinner Due to Listeria

Trader Joe’s is recalling a frozen chicken product, Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice after routine testing found the product was contaminated with Listeria. 240 cases were shipped to 14 eastern US states and DC. The product was made in Canada.

 The product is a frozen product and would be considered heat and serve (although a final temperature of 165ºF is listed as a temperature that should be reached before serving. http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2009/08/triumphant-return-of-tuesdays-tastings.html). Freezing will prevent the organism from growing, so the risk then comes down to the level of contamination to start and to what degree can we expect the heating to reduce that initial contamination. Of course, if a consumer puts the frozen product in the refrigerator for a few days before cooking, those Listeria levels could rise once the product thaws. Overall, it may not be a high risk, but a risk that the consumer probably does not want, and should not have to expect. Since this product was pre-cooked, the facility should be controlling Listeria in the post-process environment (after cooking through packaging).

 This is the second recall to hit the media in the last few months. The last was the Sunland peanut butter that was contaminated with Salmonella and resulted in 41 becoming infected. Trader Joe’s is a company that sources its products from food manufacturers and therefore must ensure that those suppliers have good food safety programs. Having two recalls does raise concern about the company’s sourcing program.

 

Nearly 5,000 pounds of Trader Joe's chicken and rice recalled

 http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-trader-joes-chicken-rice-recall-20121203,0,5193331.story

 By Tiffany Hsu
December 3, 2012, 8:19 a.m.

Trader Joe’s is facing yet another recall, this time affecting nearly 5,000 pounds of its store brand Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice, which may be contaminated with listeria bacteria.

The producer of the product, Canadian company Aliya’s Foods Limited, issued a voluntary recall of 4,865 pounds of the frozen food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.