Iowa Creamery Issued Warning Letter for Not Knowing How to Label Food Products Properly

FDA issued a Warning Letter to Picket Fence Creamer of Woodward, Iowa after finding twelve flavors of ice cream and three flavors of cheese curds contained undeclared ingredients and sub-ingredients.  From the notice, the company failed to identify ingredients and also failed to detail the makeup of certain ingredients (listing the sub-ingredients).  Makes you wonder if they were controlling allergens from product to product.

While a small farm producer, they were distributing their food items to retail stores.

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/picket-fence-creamery-llc-618726-01142022
Picket Fence Creamery LLC

MARCS-CMS 618726 — JANUARY 14, 2022

FDA Issues Warning Letter to LA Seafood Company for Not Having HACCP Plan

FDA issued a Warning Letter to D&C Seafood of Venice, LA for not have a HACCP plan in place for thier seafood products - 1) king mackerel and wahoo to control the food safety hazards of histamine formation, 2) king mackerel and barracuda to control the hazard of ciguatera toxin, and 3) king mackerel, wahoo, barracuda, and cobia to control the hazard of undeclared allergens.

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/dc-seafood-inc-617675-09152021
WARNING LETTER
D&C Seafood, Inc

MARCS-CMS 617675 — SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Imported Enoki Mushrooms Recalled After State Laboratory Finds Listeria

Golden Medal Mushroom Inc. of Los Angeles, CA is recalling all cases of its 200g/7.05-ounce packages of Enoki Mushrooms, lot # 300511, product of China, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The potential for contamination was discovered after routine testing by Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in 200gram package of Enoki mushroom.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/golden-medal-mushroom-inc-recalls-enoki-mushrooms-because-possible-health-risk-0
Golden Medal Mushroom Inc. Recalls Enoki Mushrooms Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  February 03, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  February 04, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement: Listeria Monocytogenes
Company Name:  Golden Medal Mushroom Inc.
Brand Name:  Golden Medal Mushroom Inc.
Product Description:  Enoki Mushrooms

CT Firm Recalls Ice Cream After FDA Sampling Finds Listeria on Equipment

The Royal Ice Cream Company, Inc. of Manchester, CT is recalling specific lots of Batch Ice Cream Brand Vanilla, Ginger, and Mocha Chip Ice Cream, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The recall was initiated by Royal Ice Cream after FDA sampling revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on processing equipment. The company is holding future product and testing before releasing distribution of the products as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem."

At this point, one day code comprising 3 products are being recalled.  Would not be surprised to see this recall expand, especially since the problem has not yet been identified.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/royal-ice-cream-company-inc-recalls-batch-ice-cream-brand-vanilla-ginger-and-mocha-chip-ice-cream
The Royal Ice Cream Company, Inc. Recalls Batch Ice Cream Brand Vanilla, Ginger, and Mocha Chip Ice Cream Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  February 04, 2022
FDA Publish Date: February 04, 2022
Product Type: Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement: Listeria Monocytogenes
Company Name:  The Royal Ice Cream Company, Inc.
Brand Name:  Batch Ice cream
Product Description:  Vanilla, Ginger, and Mocha Chip Ice Cream

Three Companies Recall Salted Plum Products Due to Lead Contamination

EL CHAVITO, INC. of San Diego, CA is recalling all lots of Saladitos Dried Salted Plums and Saladitos Enchilados Salted Plums With Chili because while La Fiesta Food Products, La Mirada California is recalling all lots of Saladitos Con Chile(Salted Plums with Chili) and A&E Corrales LLC, Seattle, WA is recalling Saladitos Dried Salted Plums With Chili because these products have the potential to be contaminated with lead.

No reason on how the lead was detected or where it originated.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/el-chavito-inc-recalls-saladitos-dried-salted-plums-and-saladitos-enchilados-salted-plums-chili
El Chavito, Inc. Recalls Saladitos Dried Salted Plums and Saladitos Enchilados Salted Plums with Chili Because of Possible Health Risk

Summary

Company Announcement Date:  February 03, 2022

FDA Publish Date:  February 03, 2022

Product Type:  Food & Beverages

Reason for Announcement:  potential to be contaminated with lead

Company Name:  EL CHAVITO, INC.

Brand Name:  El Chavito®

Product Description:  Saladitos Dried Salted Plums and Saladitos Enchilados Salted Plums With Chili

Salad Dressings Recalled for Undeclared Egg

Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of Wish-Bone Thousand Island and Chunky Blue Cheese dressings due to egg in the product, which is not declared on the product label.  While there was no reason stated for how the error was identified or how it occurred, both products do contain egg yolk so it is likely that the wrong back label was applied.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/conagra-brands-issues-voluntary-allergy-alert-undeclared-egg-wish-boner-thousand-island-and-chunky
Conagra Brands Issues Voluntary Allergy Alert on Undeclared Egg in Wish-Bone® Thousand Island and Chunky Blue Cheese Dressings
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  January 28, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  January 31, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared egg
Company Name:  Conagra Brands, Inc.
Brand Name:  Wish-Bone
Product Description:  Salad dressings

Consumer Reports - Test Results for Frozen Produce

Consumer Reports released their testing results of frozen produce.  Nothing special to report regarding pathogens or nutrient quality.  Their testing did not yield any pathogenic bacteria.  Which we would generally expect.   From a nutrient perspective, they found that frozen is generally comparable to fresh.

That being said, it is always important to follow proper handling and preparation procedures.  From time to time, we can encounter contamination issues, such as with Listeria.  While the study did not look for viruses or parasites, and although a low risk, these too have been found.  https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/foodborneoutbreaks.html

https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/are-frozen-fruits-and-vegetables-healthy-and-safe-a1002196402/
Are Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Healthy and Safe?
CR tested more than 300 samples of frozen produce for bacteria that commonly cause foodborne illness

"For our tests, we looked for E. coli, listeria, and salmonella, types of bacteria that commonly cause foodborne illness, in eight frozen categories—avocado, berries, corn, mangoes, peaches, pineapple, spinach, and smoothie mixes. In total, we included 369 items from big brands, private label, and store brands, including 365 by Whole Foods, Blendtopia, Birds Eye, Campoverde, Dole, Great Value, O Organics, and Trader Joe’s."

FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Listeria-contaminated RTE Chicken Salad Produced by GA Establishment

USDA-FSIS issued a public health alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken salad products produced by Simply Fresh Market, a Marietta, Ga after company tested product and found a sample positive for Listeria monocytogenes.   The RTE chicken salad with apples and walnuts items were produced on Jan. 17, 2022 and have an expiration date of January 25 [a date which has already passed].


https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-chicken-salad-products-due-possible

FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ready-To-Eat Chicken Salad Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken salad products produced by Simply Fresh Market, a Marietta, Ga. establishment, may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall was not requested because the known affected product is no longer available in commerce for consumers to purchase.

FDA Warning Letter - Fresh Cut Produce Facility

FDA issued a Warning Letter to Onofrio's Fresh Cut of New Haven CT, a produce processing facility for RTE fresh-cut produce (e.g., onions, peppers, celery, broccoli, cantaloupe, watermelon, and kiwi).  The FDA collected environmental samples from various areas in the processing facility and found Listeria monocytogens in several areas.

FDA stated issues with the Preventive Control Plan as well as with GMPs.  With regard to the Food Safety Plant, while the hazard analysis considered pathogen contamination at the cutting and assembling processing steps. it determined that a preventive control was not necessary due to CGMPs/SSOPs and a prior wash step. However, "RTE fresh-cut produce is exposed to the environment during cutting and assembly and does not receive a lethal treatment or otherwise include a control measure (such as a formulation lethal to the pathogen) that would significantly minimize the pathogen. Thus, environmental pathogens are a hazard likely to occur in the absence of preventive controls (i.e., sanitation controls)."

FDA’s current inspection included the collection of environmental swabs on July 13, 2021, during the production of RTE fruits and vegetables; four (4) of seventy-one (71) swabs were confirmed positive for L. monocytogenes. The positive findings include a mixing room floor drain adjacent to a table where RTE celery was being cut, forklift wheels, a wheel on a rolling cart holding shrimp and seafood salad ingredients, and a packing room broom handle

One item stated in the Warning Letter was a bit surprising in that FDA seems to be suggesting a Supplier Preventive Control for the produce.  The report stated that the company "did not establish supply-chain controls for pathogens such as L. monocytogenes, pathogenic E. coli, and Salmonella at the receiving step for incoming produce. [The] hazard analysis indicated that pathogens will be controlled at a later wash step. However, [the] produce wash does not effectively destroy pathogens on the whole produce, as indicated by an email on July 20, 2021, from a representative of [the] supplier of (b)(4) sanitizer, which is used in your produce wash."  This may be difficult if the company is bringing in raw, unwashed produce.

The facility had a number of GMP issues which would exasperate the situation.  Condensation, poor plumbing, inadequate cleaning of equipment (both contact and non-contact surfaces),  and poor food handling practices.


https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/onofrios-fresh-cut-inc-618502-01102022
WARNING LETTER
Onofrio's Fresh Cut, Inc.
MARCS-CMS 618502 — JANUARY 10, 2022