Sausage Pizza Recalled Because it Wasn't Produced Under USDA Inspection

A Brooklyn N.Y. firm is recalling approximately 649 pounds of frozen pizza products that contain pork that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection.  The problem was discovered on June 4, 2019, when the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets contacted FSIS inquiring as to whether the plant was operating under a USDA Grant of Inspection.  [I guess they weren't....yeah, that 3% or more meat added just never seems like enough to bother somebody].

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/06/06/table-87-frozen-pizza-recall/
KOKA CBS 2
USDA Recalls Nearly 650 Pounds Of Table 87 Frozen Pizza Products
June 6, 2019 at 8:50 pm

Europe - Cold Smoked Fish Linked to 18 Cases of Listeria, 5 deaths

In Europe, cold-smoked trout and salmon produced in Estonia has been identified as the source of a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak which has affected 22 people in five countries since 2014.

Food Safety Magazine
https://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/news/cold-smoked-fish-to-blame-for-multi-country-listeria-outbreak/
News | June 4, 2019
Cold-Smoked Fish to Blame for Multi-Country Listeria Outbreak

Brazil - Atypical Case of BSE in Cow Impacts International Trade

A case of BSE, bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad cow disease, was detected in a 17-year-old cow.  While no meat from this cow entered commerce, several countries immediately banned beef imports from Brazil.

In the US, there are specific regulations for handling SRMs, or specified risk materials, that pose the greatest risk of containing the BSE agent.  The vertebral column and spinal cord of cattle 30 months of age and older are considered to be SRMs.

Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-livestock-madcow/brazil-reports-atypical-case-of-mad-cow-disease-ministry-idUSKCN1T12M0
World News
May 31, 2019 / 5:37 PM / 6 days ago
Brazil reports atypical case of mad cow disease: ministry

Two Recalls Issued for Foreign Material - Sausage Product and Chicken Product

Two companies issued recalls for foreign material.

Johnsonville, LLC., a Sheboygan Falls, Wis. establishment, is recalling approximately 95,393 pounds of its ready-to-eat jalapeño cheddar smoked sausage products that may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically hard green plastic.  The problem was discovered when the company notified FSIS that they received a consumer complaint regarding green hard plastic in the product.

Perdue Foods LLC., a Bridgewater, Va. establishment, is recalling approximately 31,703 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of bone material.  The problem was discovered after FSIS and the company received consumer complaints.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2019/recall-063-2019-release
Johnsonville, LLC. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Jalapeño Cheddar Smoked Sausage Links Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination 
Class I
Recall  063-2019 
Health Risk: High 
May 31, 2019 

Topics in Supply and Demand and Sustainability

U.S. organic sales pass $50 billion mark for first time - although the rate of growth is slowing.

Making Food Waste into a Business - As emphasis is put on reducing food waste, some have made utilization of food waste into a business.  This includes using off-spec fruit and vegetables either as part of an ugly produce sales program or to use as a raw material for pressing and blending, using spent brewing grains to make nutrition drinks, or using juice from cooked off chick peas for mayonnaise.

Getting Rid of Plastic Straws - More foodservice / retail operations are phasing out plastic straws.  This includes Whole Foods and Starbucks.  This is as much, or more of a symbolic move as plastic straws are just a small part of the overall plastic waste stream.

A Coffee Cup Recycling Program - With the growing need to curb waste, some are looking at a food container recycling system - once a cup is used, it is collected, washed, and then reused.  We have seen similar systems with pallets and bicycles, why not coffee cups.  (Personally, I'd prefer to bring my own and wash it myself.)

Project Loop - "Loop is a new way to shop, offering about 300 items — from Tide detergent to Pantene shampoo, Häagen-Dazs ice cream to Crest mouthwash — all in reusable packaging. After using the products, customers put the empty containers in a Loop tote on their doorstep. The containers are then picked up by a delivery service, cleaned and refilled, and shipped out to consumers again."  Shipping becomes a hurdle for this.  As well as consumers giving up the ease of use associated with disposable plastic.

Speaking of shipping,
Trucking capacity is in a jam.  Demand for trucking is expanding rapidly as eCommerce grows.  There is a need for more trucks and even a bigger demand for drivers.  Add on that the infrastructure issues (crowded highways, deteriorating roads and bridges).

This Week in Mislabeled Product for Week Ending May 25, 2019

There is egg in that salad - New Seasons Market is recalling approximately 60 pounds of Bacon Shallot Potato salad because it may contain undeclared eggs.  This recall was voluntarily initiated after it was discovered that product containing egg was sold in packaging that did not reveal the presence of egg.

Milk Missed on Salad Label - Wegmans Food Markets is recalling Wegmans Neptune Salad (UPC begins with 20108831), sold in random-weight packages, in the seafood department at six NY and NJ Wegmans stores on May 16 through May 21, 2019 because the product contains milk not declared on the label.  The recall was initiated after an employee discovered that some packages were labeled incorrectly at these stores.

Dried Apricots has Sulfites, But Not on Label - House of Spices (India) is recalling all lots of 7ounce (200g) packages of "LAXMI DRIED APRICOT" because they may contain undeclared sulfites. The recall was initiated after it was discovered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs that the sulfite-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of sulfites.

Forgot the Mayo (and that there are Eggs in the Mayo) - Hearthside Food Solutions of Woodridge, IL is voluntarily recalling 7-Eleven ‘The Italian Job’ sandwiches, which have an incorrect information panel label that does not declare eggs as an allergen.  In total, 1038 sandwiches were distributed to 362 7-Eleven stores in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois.  The issue was discovered when a sandwich was not scannable at the store.  It was discovered that an obsolete ‘Italian Style Sub’ label was used, which did not declare “reduced fat mayonnaise,” an ingredient that contains eggs.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/new-seasons-market-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-eggs-bacon-shallot-potato-salad
New Seasons Market Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Eggs in Bacon Shallot Potato Salad
Summary
Company Announcement Date: May 22, 2019
FDA Publish Date: May 22, 2019
Product Type:Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:Company Name:New Seasons Market
Brand Name:  New Seasons Market
Product Description:  Bacon Shallot Potato Salad

Feed Recall Due to Aflatoxins Expanded

"Cargill’s animal nutrition business is expanding its voluntary recall of select Southern States® feed due to aflatoxin levels that exceed FDA’s action levels. This is an expansion of the recall initiated May 6, 2019 and is the result of Cargill’s internal investigation that identified additional products containing an ingredient provided from the same supplier referenced in the May 6, 2019 recall announcement. The expansion includes products manufactured between October 31, 2018 and March 1, 2019."

Alfatoxin is a type of mycotoxin, or mold toxin, which is produced in raw materials such as corn when that corn or other product has been subject to conditions that allowed mold to grow.  Aflatoxin can had a wide range of effects on the animals fed with the contaminated product

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/cargill-expands-previously-announced-voluntary-recall-select-southern-statesr-feed-due
Cargill Expands Previously Announced Voluntary Recall of Select Southern States® Feed Due to High/Excessive/or Elevated Aflatoxin Levels
When a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company's announcement as a public service. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  May 26, 2019
FDA Publish Date:  May 26, 2019
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Elevated Aflatoxin Levels
Company Name:  Cargill, Inc.
Brand Name:  Southern States
Product Description:  Various animal feed

Who Knew - Everyone has Face Mites

In case you have not seen this story...we all have little mites that live in the pores of our face.  The mites, closely related to ticks, live off of the oils in your hair follicles.  They pose no real risk, except perhaps in certain cases where the numbers of mites gets out of control, resulting in a condition called demodicosis.

Click on the NPR story link to see a video of what these creatures look like.

NPR
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/21/725087824/meet-the-mites-that-live-on-your-face
Public Health
Meet The Mites That Live On Your Face

Granola Product Recalled Due to Foreign Material Associated Cashew Ingredient

A marketing company, purely elizabeth, is recalling granola products for unidentified foreign material.   Neither the FDA announcement or the company notice listed what the foreign material is.  But it did state that the foreign material was the cashew supplier's issue.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/purely-elizabeth-voluntarily-recalls-granola-due-potential-presence-foreign-material
purely elizabeth Voluntarily Recalls Granola Due to Potential Presence of Foreign Material

Summary
Company Announcement Date: May 22, 2019
FDA Publish Date: May 22, 2019
Product Type:Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:
Company Name:purely elizabeth
Brand Name:  purely elizabeth
Product Description:  Granola