This Week in Mislabeled Products - Week Ending October 13, 2018

Protein Shakes Missing Almond Flour on Label - Forager Project is recalling three dates of Nuts and Vanilla – Organic Plant Protein Shake because the product contains almond flour which is not declared on the label.  The issue was discovered by the company.

Ice Cream Recalled After Reaction to Undeclared Peanut - Kemps of St. Paul, Minn., is voluntarily recalling Sweet Me Creamery Brookie Dough ice cream, individual pints and pint four-packs, because it may contain an undeclared peanut allergen.  "he recall was initiated following consumer reports of an allergic reaction after consuming the product. The facility has identified corrective actions that will prevent reoccurrence."

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm623242.htm
Voluntary Recall of Limited Amounts of Nuts & Vanilla Protein Plant Shake
For Immediate Release
October 11, 2018

Pistachios Recalled After Positive Salmonella Tests

BazziniI LLC of Allentown, PA is recalling 4,000 pounds of  in-shell pistachios received from one of its suppliers because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. "The recall was initiated as the result of a routine sampling program by the company which revealed that the finished product may contain the bacteria. The company has ceased production and distribution of the above products as FDA and the company continue their investigations."

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm622867.htm
Bazzini LLC Recalls Certain Pistachio Products Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
October 6, 2018

Not-Fully-Cooked Meat Entrees Recalled Due to Spoilage Organisms

Valley Fine Foods, a Forest City, N.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 35,516 pounds of heat-treated, not fully cooked meat and poultry products that may be adulterated due to presence of spoilage organisms that have rendered it unwholesome and unfit for human food.  The problem was discovered on Oct. 4, 2018 by the establishment’s research and development department during routine internal testing. FSIS was notified on Oct. 10, 2018.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-090-2018-release
Valley Fine Foods Recalls Meat and Poultry Products due to Possible Adulteration
Class II Recall 

090-2018
Health Risk: Low 

Oct 11, 2018

Underprocessed RTE Chicken Jerky Product Recalled in Tennessee

A Pigeon Forge, Tenn. establishment, is recalling approximately 23 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken jerky products due to a processing deviation that may have led to underprocessing of products.  The problem was discovered on Oct. 10, 2018 by FSIS inspection program personnel during a records review verification.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-089-2018-release
Jerky Boyz Chicken Jerky Recalls Chicken Jerky Products due to Possible Processing Deviation
Class I Recall 

089-2018
Health Risk: High 

Oct 11, 2018

Wisconsin Firm Recalls Pork Product Due to Listeria Detected by FSIS

Malone’s Fine Sausage Inc., a Milwaukee, Wis. establishment, is recalling approximately 26,323 pounds of ready-to-eat pork head cheese product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The problem was discovered on Oct. 9, 2018 by FSIS inspection program personnel while verifying the disposition of product that FSIS tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-088-2018-release
Malone's Fine Sausage, Inc. Recalls Pork Head Cheese Products due to Possible Listeria Contamination
Class I Recall 
088-2018 
Health Risk: High 
Oct 10, 2018 

'Embalmed Milk' and Other Challenges Prompting the Early 20th Century Food Laws

An interesting read by Deborah Blum on tainted milk before the days of pasteurization and the Pure Food Laws.  At the turn of the 20th century, milk could be found loaded with bacteria, watered down using contaminated water, plaster dust, or pureed calf brains, or have formaldehyde added as a preservative.

Undark.org
https://undark.org/article/battling-scourge-embalmed-milk/
Battling the Scourge of ‘Embalmed Milk’
How an obscure Indiana public health official pioneered the campaign against tainted dairy products at the turn of the 20th century.
10.05.2018 / By Deborah Blum

Britain - Sandwich Shop with Two Allergen Deaths

A fancy British sandwich chain seems to have two deaths due to undeclared allergens. A 2016 case where a 15 year old girl died from an allergic reaction to sesame seeds, which were not listed on the label. And in "the latest announcement, Pret said it believed the second customer’s death had been caused by dairy protein found in a nondairy yogurt supplied by CoYo, a maker of vegan products in Britain." Testing did reveal the presence of milk allergen in this non-dairy yogurt.

Dairy-free yogurt is made from soy or in this case, coconut.

Here are some rare cases where you have allergen related deaths from sesame and diary.

NY Times
https://www.nytimes.com/

2018/10/07/business/uk-pret-a-manger-allergy.html
Pret A Manger Says a 2nd Customer Died of Allergic Reaction

Ice Cream Product Recalled After Listeria Illness Where Strain Matches A 2017 Environmental Sample

A Florida Ice cream company is recalling product after a case of Listeria occurred in May, where that Listeria strain had been found in the facility during a environmental sampling in 2017.  Working Cow Homemade Ice Cream, Inc. of St. Petersburg, FL is recalling No Sugar Added Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream manufactured in three-gallon tubs during the month of May 2018.

"This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) following notification of a recent consumer case in Florida which has been linked to a strain of Listeria monocytogenes found to be present at the Working Cow manufacturing facility during environmental sampling in 2017. Although subsequent environmental sampling has yet to yield positive test results, investigations are ongoing to ensure root cause has been properly addressed. No other illnesses have been reported."

This is interesting in that the recall is being issued on the premise that the Listeria found in 2017 in the plant was still there in 2018 even though internal testing did not find it.  One would guess that the epidemiological investigation found that the patient had eaten the ice cream in question.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm622688.htm
Working Cow Homemade, Inc. Recalls Product Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
October 4, 2018

NY Regulators Issue Alert on NY Cheese Due to Inadequate Pasteurization

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets issued a consumer alert regarding cheese from Sprout Creek Farm of Poughkeepsie, NY that was not properly pasteurized. "The reason for the recall is the air temperature at the start and end of the pasteurization process is required to be above 150deg F per the Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance; the batch in question did not meet that standard."

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm622705.htm
Consumer Alert: Sprout Creek Farm “Margie” Cheese Batch Recalled
For Immediate Release
September 28, 2018