Ohio Ice Cream Company Recalls Ice Cream After Internal Tests Find Presence of Listeria

Velvet Ice Cream of Utica, Ohio has announced it is voluntarily recalling all of its ice cream and sherbet products made on or after March 24, 2021 as a precaution because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,  No illness or injury has been associated with the recalled products, which are being recalled in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The issue was identified as a result of the company’s routine testing.  The products were distributed to Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia through various drug stores, convenience stores and supermarkets

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/velvet-ice-cream-recalls-various-products-due-possible-listeria-risk
Velvet Ice Cream Recalls Various Products Due to Possible Listeria Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 26, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  April 27, 2021
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Company Name:  Velvet Ice Cream
Brand Name:  Multiple brand names
Product Description:  Ice Cream

Ohio Nut Company Recalls Crunchy Roasted Cheddar and Jalapeno Flavored Nuts for Undeclared Milk

Wolfies Roasted Nut Co. in Findlay, Ohio is voluntarily recalling its Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts due to an undeclared milk allergen. This recall has been initiated due to the ingredient label not stating a milk allergen. The issue was discovered during a routine inspection conducted by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

On the Wolfies company website, it looks as though milk is listed in the ingredient statement

Crunchy Roasted Cheddar & Jalapeno

NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Ingredients: Peanuts, water, flour, sugar, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, jalapeno pepper, salt,
onion, garlic. Cheddar Cheese (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), whey, partially hydrogentated
soybean oil, maltodextrin, reduced lactose whey, disodium phosphate, Blue Cheese (milk, salt,
cheese cultures, enyzmes), nonfat dry milk, citric acid, artificial color (yellow #5, yellow #6). No preservatives

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/wolfies-roasted-nut-co-issues-voluntary-recall-its-crunchy-cheddar-jalapeno-nuts
Wolfies Roasted Nut Co. Issues Voluntary Recall of its Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts
Summary
Company Announcement Date: April 23, 2021
FDA Publish Date: April 23, 2021
Product Type: Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement: Undeclared milk allergen
Company Name: Wolfies Roasted Nut Co.
Brand Name: Wolfies Roasted Nut Co.
Product Description: Crunchy Cheddar & Jalapeno Nuts

Cans of Beans Recalled for Faulty Seals That Could Result in Leakage and Contamination

Faribault Foods, Inc. is voluntarily recalling 15 ounce cans of certain varieties of Organic Black Beans and chili beans because the cans may have a compromised hermetic seal. The compromised hermetic seal may affect can integrity and may cause the cans to leak, bloat or allow bacteria to grow inside the product which could lead to serious illness. Clostridium botulinum poisoning in humans can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains the toxin. The recall was initiated after the firm had received consumer and customer complaints regarding failure of the hermetic seal. The problem related to the hermetic seal failure was corrected and no other product is affected.

The hermetic seal is formed when the top lid is placed upon the body of the can (which had been filled with beans) and this is pressed together by the equipment to form what is termed a double seam.

The closing equipment must be precisely set to ensure the proper folds are made. Closing machines are often operating at 200 to 500 (or higher) cans per minute with the machine having numerous sealing heads.  If one head is misaligned even slightly, an imperfect seal may be formed.  Cans from each sealing head are tested throughout the day by tearing the seal about and measuring the amount of overlap within the fold and thickness of the fold. 

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/faribault-foods-inc-announces-voluntary-recall-limited-quantity-sw-brand-organic-black-beans-and-o
Faribault Foods, Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall of a Limited Quantity of S&W Brand Organic Black Beans, and O Organic Brand Black Beans and O Organic Brand Chili Beans Due to Compromised Hermetic Seal
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 21, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  April 22, 2021
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Organic Food / Home Grown  
Reason for Announcement:  Potential for Clostridium Botulinum
Company Name:  Faribault Foods, Inc
Brand Name:  S&W and O Organic
Product Description:  Organic Black Beans and Organic Chili Beans

Biden Signs FASTER Legislation that Requires Sesame Allergen Declaration on Food, Opens Doors for Other Food Allergens

President Biden signed the FASTER (Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research Act ) that makes sesame the ninth allergen that requires label declaration.  

In the Washington Post article;

"According to Lisa Gable, chief executive of FARE, 1.6 million Americans have sesame allergies. This law will require foods containing sesame to be clearly labeled by January 2023. But perhaps more significant, the legislation says the Department of Health and Human Services must prioritize regular reviews of promising food allergy treatments and research."

While this will require those who use sesame to highlight it on the label..Contains Sesame, the bigger issue for manufacturers is that it opens the door for continued addition of allergens through a simpler review process through more simply changing regulation rather than passing new legistlation.

“The other big piece of this legislation is it will establish a risk-based scientific process and framework for establishing additional allergens,” Gable said.

This will have an impact on costs in that the need for label changes can come at an increased rate.  With over 160 food allergens, that Contains Statement could get pretty long.

The Legislation also puts additional resources into research and education on food allergens.

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/23/biden-faster-act-allergy/
Biden signs law that makes sesame the ninth major food allergen
The Faster Act will also step up allergy research
By
Laura Reiley
April 23, 2021 at 7:26 p.m. EDT

FAO Releases Document on Food Safety Perspectives for Edible Insects

 FAO released a document titled, "Looking at Edible Insects from a Food Safety Perspective".  The document overviews food safety hazards associated with edible insects.   Most issues are related to the inputs, specifically the food that is fed to the insects and the environment in which the insects are raised.  A good resource to bookmark for your file....'when I forced to eat bugs'.

I personally have begun to farm meal worms...not for my consumption but for Bluebirds.  I thought I would be churning out loads of meal worms and thus would have become a popular stop on the Bluebird circuit.  Months into the process and I am still working with my initial generation.  At this rate, I am finding it difficult to feed a few Bluebirds let alone the human population.

Imported Frozen Beef From Australia Recalled for E. coli O157:H7

JBS USA Food Company, a Greeley, Colo. firm and Importer of Record, is recalling approximately 4,860 pounds of imported boneless beef products after FSIS collected a routine product sample that confirmed positive for the presence of E. coli O157:H7.  The raw, frozen, boneless beef products were imported from Australia on or around Nov. 10, 2020 and distributed for further processing

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/jbs-usa-food-company-recalls-imported-boneless-beef-products-due-possible-e.-coli
JBS USA Food Company Recalls Imported Boneless Beef Products Due to Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination
FSIS Announcement
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2021 – JBS USA Food Company, a Greeley, Colo. firm and Importer of Record, is recalling approximately 4,860 pounds of imported boneless beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Outbreak Possibly Linked to Fake Cheese from CA, Recall Issued

The FDA. CDC. and State partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Duisburg infections linked to the consumption of Jule’s Cashew Brie, a vegan, or plant-based cheese alternative [fake cheese].   CDC identified an outbreak of five Salmonella Duisburg illnesses, which is considered a rare Salmonella serotype.  Three of five people interviewed recalled eating this [fake] cheese. 

Jule’s Foods of Carlsbad, CA has issued a recall for all Jule’s Foods products, 

These products are often made from raw cashews (unroasted), so there needs to be some Salmonella reduction step.  

Calling this Brie Cheese?  This product is made from cashews, so probably should have been called squishy nut loaf or something similar rather than besmirching real cheese.  Seriously though, when you read the title on the Investigation Notice, are you not thinking it is Brie cheese with cashews sprinkled on top.  Sounds lovely, served warm with some sliced French Bread and paired with a glass of Chablis.  No, it is squishy cashew loaf.  Not even sure what you pair that with...Zima?

https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-duisburg-jules-cashew-brie-april-2021
Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Duisburg: Jule's Cashew Brie (April 2021)
Ongoing investigation of illnesses linked to Jule’s Cashew Brie; Do not purchase, eat, sell, or serve
Content current as of:
04/23/2021

USDA-ERS Releases Report on Economic Cost of Major Foodborne Illness in the US 2018

The USDA-ERS (Economic Research Service) released their report on the Economic Cost of Major Foodborne Illness in the US. Based upon 2018 data, they estimate that the economic impact is $17.6 billion, up $2 billion from the last report in 2013. One can access the impact of each of the major food-related pathogens and how the values were calculated for each.

These estimates are based upon other estimates and so you can take these number with a grain of salt. They are more useful in justifying government expenditures than applying it to a company. However, one fact I think is interesting is this, "ERS approximated the value of each life saved in the United States at $8.7 million in 2013 dollars, which increased to $9.7 million in 2018 dollars when adjusted for inflation and income growth." Basically, if you save a life or two by preventing something, you just saved $9.7 million. Catching that labeling issue that would have allowed undeclared peanut getting into commerce.....probably at a minimum, you saved $9.7 million.  That would be something to be proud of.

USDA -ERS
https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2021/april/economic-cost-of-major-foodborne-illnesses-increased-2-billion-from-2013-to-2018/
Economic Cost of Major Foodborne Illnesses Increased $2 Billion From 2013 to 2018
by Sandra Hoffmann and Jae-Wan Ahn

Vitamin Gummies Recalled After Two Foreign Object Complaints for Metallic Mesh

Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (NYSE:CHD) today initiated a voluntary recall of select vitafusion gummy products after the Company’s investigation of two consumer reports identified the possible presence of a metallic mesh material in product lots manufactured in a four-day period between October 29 and November 3, 2020.  Nope, can't claim this as extra iron.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/church-dwight-initiates-voluntary-recall-select-vitamins-due-isolated-manufacturing-issue
Church & Dwight Initiates Voluntary Recall of Select Vitamins Due to Isolated Manufacturing Issue
Summary
Company Announcement Date: April 20, 2021
FDA Publish Date:  April 20, 2021
Product Type:  Dietary Supplements  Vitamins
Reason for Announcement:  May contain metallic mesh material
Company Name:  Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
Brand Name:  Vitafusion
Product Description:  Gummy vitamin products