This Week in Allergen Related Recalls for Week Ending August 31, 2019

There is Gluten in that Wheat Ingredient - Heatherfield Foods, Inc., an Ontario, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 4,380 pounds of pork sausage products due to misbranding - the product has a gluten free claim represented on the front of the label; however, the product contains gluten in the form of wheat which wheat was declared on the label. The problem was discovered after FSIS received a consumer complaint.

Undeclared Milk in the Lemonade - Hiland Dairy facility in Chandler OK, is announcing a voluntary recall of one-half gallon (64-ounce) and pint (12-ounce) lemonade  over concerns the products may contain milk.  Hiland Dairy initially learned of a potential issue and then confirmed after internal quality-control testing at the Chandler, Oklahoma facility.

Chicken Salad Product Mislabeled - Bakkavor Foods USA, Inc., a San Antonio, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 1,913 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken salad products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, - the product contains pecans (tree nut), a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. The RTE chicken salad products are labeled as “Curry Chicken Salad” products but contain Tarragon Chicken Salad products.  The problem was discovered by the company during a review of production records.

Supplier Used Milk Derivative in Flavor Ingredients Not on Label- Nature’s One, Lewis Center, Ohio is recalling PediaSmart® SOY Vanilla Beverage Mix because milk is not listed under the “contains” label statement. Each lot is tested for milk allergen by independent 3rd party laboratories before release for sale: no milk allergen was detected in any lots of the finished product. No illnesses have been reported to date, however out of an abundance of caution the product is being recalled.   Nature’s One learned through a routine document review from a vendor that milk or a milk derivative was added to the natural flavor used in the product. Even though no milk allergen was detected through testing, labeling laws require milk is listed in the “contains” statement.

Wrong Label on Pistachio Labeled Meat Product - Olympia Meats, a Portland, Ore., establishment is recalling approximately 198 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) pork sausage products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens - the product contains pistachios (tree nuts), a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. The RTE pork sausage products are labeled as “Mortadella Classica” products but contain Mortadella Pistachio sausage products.  The issue was identified by a retail customer.

Undeclared Egg in Fish Cakes Great One Trading Inc. is recalling fish cakes because it may contain undeclared egg. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the product containing egg was not revealed on the packaging. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a mislabeling error by the manufacturer

Sulfites in Dried Fruit - Krasnyi Oktyabr USA Inc of Brooklyn, NY is recalling packages of “TAINY VOSTOKA ASSORTED DRIED FRUITS - QUINCE” and   TAINY VOSTOKA ASSORTED DRIED FRUITS -APPLE because they contain undeclared sulfites  The recall was initiated after routine sampling be New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis by Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of sulfites

CDC - 2018 Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Raw Cake Batter

In a 2018 Salmonella outbreak where 7 people in 5 different states become ill, raw cake mix was identified as the source.  The organism isolated from the individuals match the organism found in an unopen box of cake mix.

Of course, this means that these people ate raw cake dough.  In one case, "The Wisconsin patient reported having consumed an entire box of raw white cake mix over several days during the likely exposure period."

And what are we supposed to do with cake flour....bake it.  One can guess there are no instructions on the box for eating it raw.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6834a5.htm
Notes from the Field: Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Agbeni Associated with Consumption of Raw Cake Mix — Five States, 2018
Weekly / August 30, 2019 / 68(34);751–752

Recalls of Two Strange Brands Remind Us of Why FDA is Stretched Thin

Here are two items I have no particular care about...a tea from Oregon and a spice blend sold in NYC.  However, both have the potential to be pretty serious issues -the tea is being recalled for Salmonella and the spice product is recalled for potential lead - but both will have little impact on the majority of people.  However, just because most all of us are unlikely to drink the Milk Lady's Herbal Tea or use Balquis Yemeni Spice does not mean the FDA can give these suspect products a pass.

Food entrepreneurism is on the rise, but with that, there is an increased pressure on Federal and state agencies to ensure that regulations are enforced.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/mountain-mels-essential-goods-llc-recalls-milk-ladys-herbal-tea-blend-peaceful-baby-herbal-tea-blend
Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods, LLC Recalls The Milk Lady’s Herbal Tea Blend, Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea Blend, and Diges-teas Herbal Tea Blend, Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date: August 29, 2019
FDA Publish Date:August 29, 2019
Product Type:Food & Beverages  Coffee/Tea
Reason for Announcement: Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella
Company Name:Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods, LLC
Brand Name: The Milk Lady’s, Peaceful Baby, and Diges-Tea
Product Description: Tea

The Refrigerator as a Source of Food Waste - It is More than Code Dating

A study from THE* Ohio State University discusses food waste, specifically associated with items tossed from the refrigerator.  They find that there are a number of factors that lead to food waste..one is making a guess about the safety and quality of the product  in the refrigerator.  Other factors include "refrigerator cleaning frequency, grocery shopping duration and frequently checking nutrition labels are among food-related routines that affect the utilization of refrigerated food. Additionally, “best by”, “use by” and ambiguous date labeling significantly decrease the odds that food items are fully utilized."

Of course there is a focus back on label dating, "Our results suggest that strategies to reduce food waste in the U.S. should include limiting and standardizing the number of phrases used on date labels, and education campaigns to help consumers better understand the physical signs of food safety and quality,” Davenport said."

While the authors suggest there should be more attention on helping consumers make better decisions on whether food is bad or good, this is not always easy even for food professionals.  There are many unknowns as to a particular food in a given refrigerated that impact whether it is good or bad (from a quality more than safety standpoint...for the most part).  What is the temperature of the person's refrigerator? How long has it been open?  How many times has it been taken outside of the refrigerator and for what length of time?  Did anyone contaminate the product when open...with spoilage or pathogenic bacteria?  Is the product subject to oxidative rancidity? 

A stated date code is fine for closed product, but once open...the conditions in which the the product has been exposed have more of an impact.   That is, the exposure to bacteria, oxygen, etc.  At the very least, there will be increased potential for flavor loss over time.

Plus there are so many different items to have to make decisions about...leftover meatballs, jar of pickles, six jars of salad dressing, milk, yogurt, a dozen different condiments, etc, etc, etc.  And we have no clue how long it has been open.    In the end, we are forced to do that occasional mass eviction. 

Guilting people into not throwing food out is not necessarily the answer.  Rather, the key is buying and using what you will use in a short period of time.  Minimize the number of items and rotate them to use oldest first.

Unfortunately, we often buy and store way more than will be eaten in a short time.  We buy stuff that is 'meh' with regard to flavor, so it sits in the fridge.  Bottles come in unit sizes that are way more than we will use within a month or two. 

And as big as an issue of food waste is the packaging material that will end up in a landfill and with plastic, be there for the millennium.

*Trademark applied.

Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume 150, November 2019, 104440
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344919303350
Food-related routines, product characteristics, and household food waste in the United States: A refrigerator-based pilot study
Megan L. Davenport a, Danyi Qi b, Brian E. Roe a

Increased Exposure to Microbes in Air Reduces Risk of Asthma in Children

This is more evidence on the importance of exposure to the environment for children...in this case, Finnish researchers found that children who were exposed to a broader range of microbes in the air were less likely to develop asthma.  Further they "showed that farm-like microbiota of the child’s home protected children from asthma also in urban homes."  (I guess I should better appreciate that smell wafting over from the campus cow barns)

File this under - what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.


FIHW
https://thl.fi/en/web/thlfi-en/-/microbiota-in-home-indoor-air-may-protect-children-from-asthma-how-to-bring-protecting-microbiota-into-children-s-everyday-lives
Microbiota in home indoor air may protect children from asthma – how to bring protecting microbiota into children’s everyday lives? 

Spain - Large Listeria Outbreak Affect 150, Linked to Fully Cooked Meat Product

The largest-ever Listeria outbreak in Spain as affected as many as 150 with one death so far.  The outbreak has been linked to a processed pork plant located in the southern region of Andlusia which manufacturers carne mechada, a pre-cooked meat.  The facility has recalled all product manufactured in the suspect facility.  There is controversy over why it took so long for action where 'it' was first detected on August 5th but took until the 15th of August to issue the alert.

Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-listeria/spain-issues-international-alert-as-listeria-cases-hit-150-idUSKCN1VB1Z0
Spain issues international alert as listeria cases hit 150

CDC MMWR - New Strain of Antibiotic Resistant Salmonella Found in Mexican Cheese and TX Beef

In this week's Morbidly and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the CDC, a new strain of Salmonella is reported on.  This strain has decreased susceptibility to azithromycin, a normally recommend oral antibiotic for Salmonella infection.  According to the CDC report, from " June 2018–March 2019, an outbreak caused by multidrug-resistant Salmonella Newport with decreased susceptibility to azithromycin led to 255 infections and 60 hospitalizations. Infections were linked to Mexican-style soft cheese obtained in Mexico and beef obtained in the United States."

The strain had been detected in soft cheese from Mexico as well as in steer slaughtered in Texas as well as beef.  "The genetic similarity between isolates from beef in Mexico, beef in the United States, and a steer in the United States strongly suggests that the outbreak strain is present in cattle in both countries."

"To prevent infection, consumers should avoid eating soft cheese that could be made with unpasteurized milk, and when preparing beef they should use a thermometer to ensure appropriate cooking temperatures are reached: 145°F (62.8°C) for steaks and roasts followed by a 3-minute rest time, and 160°F (71.1°C) for ground beef or hamburgers."  That means you need to use a thermometer.

CDC MMWR

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6833a1.htm
Outbreak of Salmonella Newport Infections with Decreased Susceptibility to Azithromycin Linked to Beef Obtained in the United States and Soft Cheese Obtained in Mexico — United States, 2018–2019

Time to Get Tough on In-Store Micturition and Other Forms of Intentional Contamination

What is up with this....people intentionally contaminating food?  We have this guy who relieved himself on Starbucks material in a Target store, the lady who did her business on a bag of potatoes, and people licking ice cream and putting it back in the display.   A guy just got five years for falsifying results on testing, but what about these people who intentionally tamper with food?

Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/man-urinates-starbucks-cups-coffee-police
Man urinates on Starbucks cups, coffee filters, and in employee sink before fleeing the store, police say

CDC Reports Increasing Number of Hepatitis A Cases Across Country

Hepatitis A viral infection has been on the upswing across the country.  Since March of 2016, there have been 24,280 cases reported with 14525 hospitalizations and 236 deaths.  The numbers have been especially high in those who are homeless/have unstable housing or those using drugs.  Pennsylvania has had 376 of those cases while Ohio has had 3244 cases.

This increased level can put a lot of pressure on the foodservice sector, especially in the larger cities where establishments may be more likely to hire those those considered high risk for contracting the illness or have more interaction.

https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/outbreaks/2017March-HepatitisA.htm
Widespread outbreaks of hepatitis A across the United States
Since March 2017, CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) has been assisting multiple state and local health departments with hepatitis A outbreaks, spread through person-to-person contact.

At a Glance
Since the outbreaks were first identified in 2016, 29 states have publicly reported the following as of August 16, 2019

• Cases: 24,280
• Hospitalizations: 14,525 (60%)
• Deaths: 236