RTE Chicken Breasts Recalled After Complaints That Product May Be Undercooked

An Alabama company is recalling over 20 tongs of ready-to-eat chicken breasts after receiving complaints that the product appeared to be under-cooked.  The product is packed for and sold to foodservice establishments.  

While there have been no illnesses reported, the issue would be that if the product is truly undercooked, pathogens such as Salmonella or Campylobacter could be present..

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/FSIS-Content/internet/main/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2017/recall-037-2017-release
WFSP Foods LLC. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Breast Products That May Be Undercooked
Class I Recall 037-2017
Health Risk: High Apr 24, 2017

Bread Recalled for a Piece of Rubber

HEB, the Texas based grocery chain, is recalling sandwich bread after a piece of rubber was found in what is stated as an isolated instance.

FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm554393.htm
H-E-B Voluntarily Issues a Precautionary Recall H-E-B and Hill Country Fare sandwich bread with a best buy date of April 29th or earlier being recalled for potential rubber in the product

Food Safety Instructor Sentenced for Falsifying Exams

In Illinois, an approved instructor was sentenced to 18 months in prison for allowing students to get a certificate without taking the food safety class or exam.  For seven years, he took payoffs from students in exchange for him sending falsified documentation to that State that they took the 15 hour course and passed the exam, when they actually did neither.

The bribe was for $175.  Which isn't much per occurrence, but over time, could amount to a substantial amount.   Hard to tell how many people took the bribe. The fine was for only $5000, which is nothing compared to 18 months in the big house.

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Illinois
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/lynwood-man-sentenced-18-months-pocketing-bribes-exchange-allowing-food-service-workers
Lynwood Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Pocketing Bribes in Exchange for Allowing Food Service Workers to Bypass Sanitation Training and Testing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 20, 2017

CDC Releases Surveillance Data for Foodborne Illnesses 2013 - 2016

CDC released surveillance data for foodborne diseases for the period 2013 to 2016.  This covers 10 sites in the US and is used to compare incident levels over time.

One important point made is that testing for pathogens is changing, where lab facilities are using more culture independent diagnotic tests or CIDTs.  With CIDT's they look for markers and do not isolate the organism.  According to the report - CIDTs complicate the interpretation of FoodNet surveillance data because pathogen detection could be affected by changes in health care provider behaviors or laboratory testing practices

• Health care providers might be more likely to order CIDTs because these tests are quicker and easier to use than traditional culture methods, a circumstance that could increase pathogen detection 
• Pathogen detection could also be increasing as clinical laboratories adopt DNA-based syndromic panels, which include pathogens not often included in routine stool culture  
• CIDTs do not yield isolates, which public health officials rely on to distinguish pathogen subtypes, determine antimicrobial resistance, monitor trends, and detect outbreaks.

So basically, year to year numbers may be more difficult to interpret because testing is easier, especially for pathogens that were more difficult to grow or were not normally considered.  So while it looks like the incidence to certain pathogens are increasing, that is probably not the case.

CDC MMWR

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6615a1.htm?s_cid=mm6615a1_e
Incidence and Trends of Infections with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food and the Effect of Increasing Use of Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests on Surveillance — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 10 U.S. Sites, 2013–2016
Weekly / April 21, 2017 / 66(15);397–403

Soylent Product Recalled Again, This Time for Allergen Issues

The LA company that sells the meal replacement called Soylent is recalling product due to undeclared allergen, in this case, milk in the form of whey powder. It seems that a small amount of whey powder may have been incorporated into a one lot of product. This occurred during manufacturer by their third party facility (contract manufacturer).

This company recalled product seven months ago after a number of illnesses were reported which may have been linked to the product.

FDA Recall Notice

https://pennstatefoodsafety.blogspot.com/2016/10/venture-capitalist-start-up-soylent.html
Soylent Issues Allergy Alert On Potential Undeclared Milk in Soylent 1.8 Powder
For Immediate Release
April 24, 2017

Jalapeno Potato Chips Recalled After Supplier Recalls Flavoring for Salmonella

Frito Lay is recalling Miss Vickie's Jalapino Flavored Potato Chips after the seasoning "supplier’s recent recall of a seasoning blend which includes jalapeño powder that could contain Salmonella." No other flavors are impacted and there have been no illnesses to date.

Here is where a supplier control is critical (a supplier preventive control). You have an ingredient that will be added post-process, and so would be considered RTE (ready-to-eat).  The supplier of this spice should be working with their suppliers, especially if they are purchasing processed spices. Relying on a COA may not be enough, especially where products are made and shipped in JIT type processes.

FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm554447.htm
Frito-Lay Recalls Jalapeño Flavored Lay’s Kettle Cooked Potato Chips and Jalapeño Flavored Miss Vickie’s Kettle Cooked Potato Chips Due to Potential Presence of Salmonella
For Immediate Release
April 21, 2017

Frozen Hash Browns Recalled Due to Potential of Golf Balls

UPDATE - 4/26  Recall expanded to include Wegman's brand.

McCain Foods is recalling frozen hash browns because they may be contaminated with extraneous golf ball materials.  It seems that the golf balls may have been picked up during harvest and made their way through the slicing operation.

This is the type of issue where one would need to revisit their HACCP plan and made a determination on whether this type of hazard needs to now be included in the hazard analysis.

The HACCP team will need to tee up this discussion and determine whether or not this is a long shot to occur again.  It would be a mistake to putt it down the road for later discussion,  A big driver will be prevention of further recalls, which can cost a lot of green.  Certainly a slice of the ball can result in injury, such as causing a divot in someone's mouth or causing someone to choke, and this can result in further penalty.  The team will need to have a well planned approach and take a solid stance, and avoid a bunker mentality.

FDA Recall Notice

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm554452.htm
McCain Foods USA, Inc. Recalls Frozen Southern Style Hash Browns Due to Possible Health Risk. Product is Sold and Distributed Under The Roundy’s and Harris Teeter Retail Brands.
For Immediate Release
April 21, 2017

CDC Study - Allergen Control in Restaurants?

In a CDC study published in MMWR, researchers found that less than half of the restaurant staff members have been adequately trained on the food allergies in a foodservice operation - knowing what are the food allergens, how to prevent cross contact, and what to do if someone has a food allergy.  They also found that few restaurants had separate equipment or areas designated for the preparation of allergen-free food.  One fourth of surveyed managers reported having no ingredient lists or recipes for menu items.

Is there an expectation that all restaurants will have a true allergen control program?  Having an allergen control program that actually controls allergens can be difficult for food establishments, especially smaller ones.  At the least, foodservice workers should know the food allergens used in an establishment and whether their establishment can actually control allergens.  It can be a bigger mistake to say you are controlling allergens and are really not.  Challenges for restaurants include a wide variety of food served, limited space and equipment, high volume of product flowing through the kitchen at any given time, and higher staff turnover.

In talking with many people who have severe food allergens, the burden often falls on them to either avoid food establishments or to ask the right questions when ordering food.

CDC - MMWR
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6615a2.htm?s_cid=mm6615a2_e
Restaurant Food Allergy Practices — Six Selected Sites, United States, 2014

Weekly / April 21, 2017 / 66(15);404–407

Chicken Meal Product Recalled Due to the Potential for Salmonella....in the Brownie

Conagra Brands is recalling its Chicken Nugget Meat products after the supplier of the Brownie mix informed the company of potential Salmonella contamination.

It may be unexpected that in a chicken meal product, the brownie would be the issue.  It is unclear whether the brownie had received a validated cooking process by the manufacturer - it may be fully cooked, or just partially cooked.  The directions indicate that the brownie is to be cooked by the consumer as part of the listed cooking instructions..but of course, how much can that be counted upon.  So as stated, the manufacturer is acting out of an abundance of caution.

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/news-releases-statements-transcripts/news-release-archives-by-year/archive/2017/pha-042017
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Chicken Nuggets Meal Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Congressional and Public Affairs  Julie Schwartz  (202) 720-9113 Press@fsis.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is alerting consumers that the brownie mix dessert included in the breaded chicken nugget meal trays produced by Conagra Brands, Inc., a Marshall, Mo. establishment, may be contaminated with Salmonella. FSIS is issuing this alert, which affects 110,817 pounds of frozen meals, out of an abundance of caution after the company notified FSIS that the source material used in the brownie mix may be contaminated with Salmonella.