Cheese Company Owner Sentenced 15 Months in Prison for Shipping Listeria Contaminated Cheese

The owner of a cheese company was sentenced to 15months in prison for knowingly shipping Listeria contaminated cheese.  The issue started in 2014 when Virginia regulatory officials found Listeria in the company's cheese products.   This triggered an FDA investigation which found numerous unsanitary conditions and additional products with Listeria.  While the owner agreed to clean his operation and recall product, he still went ahead and shipped product.

WFTV.com
http://www.wftv.com/news/local/florida-man-gets-15-months-for-selling-south-american-cheese-products-tainted-with-listeria/467770021
Florida man gets 15 months for selling South American cheese products tainted with listeria
Updated: Nov 16, 2016 - 11:36 AM

Additional Companies Recall Ice Cream Due to Cookie Dough Pieces with Potential Listeria Contamination

A number of companies are recalling ice cream products after the supplier of cookie dough pieces, Aspen Hills, has had a Listeria contamination issue.  The Listeria issue in the cookie dough pieces supplied by Aspen Hills was first discovered by Blue Bell Ice Cream as part of their intensified Listeria control program back in September.  In this round of recalls, recalled brands include Weight Watchers, Ashby's Sterling, Cedar Crest Specialties and Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Company
 
It is hard to determine why there is such a time lapse from the intial Blue Bell Ice Cream recall related to the Aspen Hill cookie dough pieces that occurred in September and these recalls.

FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm529155.htm
Voluntary Recall of Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sundae Due to Possible Health Risks from Cookie Dough Pieces Purchased from a Third Party Supplier
For Immediate Release
November 14, 2016

Grated Cheese Recalled After Sample Tests Positive for Salmonella

 A Brooklyn company, 4C Foods, is recalling grated cheese after FDA product testing found a sample to be positive for Salmonella.  There have not been any reported illnesses.

FoxNews.com

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/11/17/4c-foods-corp-recalls-grated-cheeses-over-salmonella-risk.html

4C Foods Corp. recalls grated cheeses over salmonella risk

Published November 17, 2016

Ice Cream Co-Packer Ceases Operations After Listeria Recalls

A California ice cream company, Dr. Bob's, closed it operations after FDA recall notices were issued by companies for which Dr. Bob's copacked.  The initial recall was issued November 4th after FDA found Listeria in the product and in the production facility.

The company, owned by a former dean for the Hospitality Management Program at Cal Poly, is located at a fairground in California.

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
http://www.dailybulletin.com/business/20161117/dr-bobs-ice-cream-company-closes-after-fda-recalls
Dr. Bob’s ice cream company closes after FDA recalls

Study - TV Cooking Shows Don't Demonstrate Good Food Safety Practices

A newly released study shows that television cooking shows show improper food safety techniques.   “The majority of practices rated were out of compliance or conformance with recommendations in at least 70% of episodes and food safety practices were mentioned in only three episodes,” said lead author Nancy L. Cohen, PhD, RD, LDN, FAND.

This study shows what many food safety experts have been saying for some time....that cooking shows are awful when it comes to food safety.   To be honest, most cooking shows are not really focused on how to cook, but rather on eating food (eating weird foods, finding restaurants, food facts, etc).


Newswise
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/664417/?sc=dwhn
Television Cooking Shows Overlook Safe Food Handling Practices Many programs miss the opportunity to model proper safety measures, according to a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

Co-Pack Facility Responsible for Ice Cream Recall Due to Listeria

A California company is recalling their fancy ice cream after FDA found Listeria in product and in the co-packing facility.

We see many entrepreneurs who focus on the marketing and sales and leave the manufacturing of the product to someone else.  Know the risk associated with those products and understand how the co-packer is controlling that risk.  Many would-be marketers ask if they should take a HACCP or Preventive Controls class - absolutely.  Should you institute a supply-chain control program to including audit and testing - absolutely, especially if the hazard analysis identifies potential risks.

The AC Creamery recall is also related to this co-packer. http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm527875.htm

FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm528091.htm
McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams Recalls Select 16oz. Packages Due To Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
November 4, 2016

Vending Company Recalls Food Items Not Properly Labeled (Including Allergens)

A PA vending firm is recalling a wide range of items because they did not have ingredient labels on their product which means that they did not have any allergen listing. 

I guess they were not paying attention in the ServSafe class.

FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm528146.htm
Crescent Vending Co. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared (Wheat, Soy, Milk, And Egg) in ProductFor Immediate Release
November 5, 2016

Maintenance Issue Results in Foreign Material in Reformed Chicken Patties

Another complaint for plastic in reformed chicken patties that resulted in recalling  over 20,000 lbs of product.  This time it was blue plastic and the issue was brought to light by 3 customer complaints.  According to the report - "The problem was discovered when the firm received notification of three consumer complaints mentioning firm blue plastic in their product. The product was contaminated around the time a trim repair was made on belt material."

Issue - Maintenance
FSIS Recall Notice
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/FSIS-Content/internet/main/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-103-2016-release
OSI Industries, LLC Recalls Chicken Products Due To Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Class II Recall 103-2016
Health Risk: Low Nov 6, 2016

How Local is That Produce Item at the Farmers' Market?

A TV News report out of Philadelphia shows that some produce items sold at Farmers' Markets are not grown on the local farm, but rather the same commercially grown items sold at the grocery store.  Sure, it is still fresh, but not grown by the guy selling it, or probably not grown in the same region.  The problem is that people don't realize it and they are spending more for it than they would at the grocery store.

This should not come as a surprise.  If you are buying berries in Lancaster at this time of the year, it is probably not grown anywhere near Lancaster.  Farmers' markets vendors will supplement what they grow with other items to have a broader offering.  To get these items, they often go to the same produce wholesalers / distributors where your grocery store gets them.  And because they are buying in smaller quantities, they pay more and thus charge more.
There is no problem with this as long as the consumer understands what they are buying.  It the consumer wants to pay a couple extra bucks to help support their local farmers' market vendor, have at it.  If you feel you have been duped, then talk with your farmers' market vendor.  Find out which items are truly local.  Also, understand what crops are grown in your area and the season for that crop.

(Thanks Josh for this link).

ABC News Channel 6 Philadelphia
http://6abc.com/food/action-news-investigation-is-farmers-market-produce-really-from-farm/1588491/
FOOD & DRINK
Action News Investigation: Is farmers market produce really from the farm?
Friday, November 04, 2016 11:56AM
ST. DAVIDS, Pa. (WPVI) -- An Action News investigation revealed not all those fruits and vegetables, packaged alongside local grown produce, may actually be from nearby farms.