Monday, July 18, 2022

Chicken-based Dog Treats Recalls After State Laboratory Finds Salmonella

Stormberg Foods is recalling various sizes and batches of our Beg & Barker Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, Billo’s Best Friend Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, and Green Coast Pets Chicken Crisps Dog Treat products due to a potential contamination of Salmonella. On July 6, 2022, the firm was notified by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA & CS) that a sample they collected tested positive for Salmonella spp.

Stormberg Foods LLC Recalls Chicken Strips and Chicken Crisps Products for Dogs Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination | FDA
Stormberg Foods LLC Recalls Chicken Strips and Chicken Crisps Products for Dogs Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 12, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 12, 2022
Product Type:  Animal & Veterinary
Reason for Announcement:  Salmonella
Company Name: Stormberg Foods
Brand Name:  Beg & Barker, Billo’s Best Friend, and Green Coast Pets
Product Description:  Chicken dog treats

Chicago Company Recalls Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowls Sold Online Due to Undeclared Peanut

Tovala of Chicago, Illinois, is voluntarily recalling Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowl and Gochujang-Glazed Salmon Bowl prepared meals, because they may contain undeclared peanuts.  The Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowl and Gochujang-Glazed Salmon Bowl meals were distributed through Tovala’s weekly direct-to-consumer meal delivery service to customers across the continental United States who selected the meals for delivery the week of July 4, 2022. Tovala directly notified customers by email and push notifications who were shipped the affected meals, as well as disabled the QR codes used for cooking the meals.  This recall was initiated after Tovala discovered that an ingredient sourced from a third-party supplier contained an undeclared peanut allergen. The ingredient was used in the Gochujang Glaze, which was included in the recalled meals. To date, the company has received one report of an adverse reaction.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/tovala-issues-voluntary-allergy-alert-undeclared-peanuts-prepared-meals
Tovala Issues a Voluntary Allergy Alert on Undeclared Peanuts in Prepared Meals
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 12, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 12, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared peanuts
Company Name:  Tovala
Brand Name:  Tovala
Product Description:  Gochujang-Glazed Salmon and Pork Bowls

Slow Laboratory Confirmation Forces Company to Recall Product on Presumptive Results

Hy-Vee, Inc. is voluntarily withdrawing all varieties and all sizes of its Hy-Vee Potato Salad and Mealtime Potato Salad due to a presumptive positive microbial result on the line that the potatoes were processed on. While final test results are not expected for approximately 7-10 days, due to the holiday weekend Hy-Vee elected to withdraw all product today from its shelves and service cases pending final test results.

Would love to get a better understanding of the delay here.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hy-vee-voluntarily-withdraws-all-potato-salad-varieties-due-presumptive-positive-microbial-test
Hy-Vee Voluntarily Withdraws All Potato Salad Varieties Due to Presumptive Positive Microbial Test Result
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 01, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 08, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Presumptive positive microbial test
Company Name:  Hy-Vee, Inc.
Brand Name:  Hy-Vee, Inc. and Mealtime
Product Description:  Potato Salad

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

FDA Outbreak Investigation of Listeria Linked to Small Ice Cream Processor

FDA, CDC and local agencies are investigating a Listeria outbreak linked to ice cream sold by Big Olaf Creamery, a Sarasota, Florida ice cream processor. .   To this point, there have been a total of 23 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes reported from 10 states with 1 death and one fetal death.

There are many small ice cream processors throughout the country.  This should serve warning that the operations need to review their Food Safety Plan with an eye on Listeria control.

https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-ice-cream-july-2022
Outbreak Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes: Ice Cream (July 2022)
Do not eat, sell, or serve ice cream products from Big Olaf Creamery of Sarasota, FL. FDA’s outbreak investigation is ongoing.

Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 23
Hospitalizations: 22
Deaths: 1
Fetal Loss: 1
Last illness onset: 6/12/2022
States with Cases: CO (1), FL (12), GA (1), IL (1), KS (1), MA (2), MN (1), NJ (1), NY (2), PA (1)
Product Distribution*: FL
*Distribution has been confirmed for states listed, but product could have been distributed further, reaching additional states

Friday, July 8, 2022

FDA Survey of PFAS Chemicals in Seafood - Is There a Bigger Concern?

FDA conducted a limited survey of seafood for PFAS.  FDA tested 81 samples of clams, cod, crab, pollock, salmon, shrimp, tuna, and tilapia (most of which were imported to the United States).   The goal was to determine if a wider survey is needed.

The FDA determined that samples of canned clams, which were from China, had sufficent level so that "the estimated exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a type of PFAS,[would be] a likely a health concern. For these canned clam samples with the two highest levels of PFOA, there would be a potential health concern for consumers who eat more than approximately 10 ounces (oz) of these clams per month, except for young children, who should limit consumption to 2 oz per month."  This product was recalled.

"The FDA initiated this seafood survey based on our prior testing of foods from the general food supply obtained from the FDA’s Total Diet Study (TDS), which found relatively low levels of PFAS in a few seafood samples. The percentage of seafood samples with detectable PFAS, the types of PFAS detected, and the levels detected in multiple samples are higher in this survey than we have found in the overall TDS samples. This is not unexpected, as seafood may be at increased risk for PFAS contamination from the environment. Therefore, we tested more samples of specific types of seafood, and in this survey our researchers tested for certain types of PFAS that have been identified in the literature as being more prevalent in seafood. Additionally, other studies in the scientific literature on clams from China and Europe have reported a range of levels of PFOA, including elevated levels."


https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-shares-results-pfas-testing-seafood
FDA Shares Results on PFAS Testing in Seafood

Constituent Update
July 6, 2022

Cans of Smoked Clams Recalled After FDA Testing Finds Detectable Levels of PFAS Chemicals

Bumble Bee Foods, LLC has issued a voluntary recall on a specific SKU of smoked clams after FDA testing found detectable levels of PFAS chemicals in samplings of the product. The recall only applies to a 3.75 can of Bumble Bee Smoked Clams with the UPC Label 8660075234 which came from a third-party manufacturer in China.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse group of human-made chemicals used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. PFAS do not easily breakdown and some types have been shown to accumulate in the environment and in our bodies. Available studies suggest associations between PFAS exposure and several health outcomes including but not limited to increased cholesterol levels, increases in high-blood pressure and pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, developmental effects, decreases in immune response, change in liver function, and increases in certain types of cancer.
 
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/bumble-bee-foods-llc-issues-voluntary-recall-375-oz-smoked-clams-due-presence-detectable-levels-pfas
Bumble Bee Foods, LLC Issues Voluntary Recall on 3.75 Oz Smoked Clams Due to the Presence of Detectable Levels of PFAS Chemicals
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 06, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 06, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Shellfish  
Reason for Announcement: Contains Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Company Name:  Bumble Bee Foods, LLC
Brand Name:  Bumble Bee Foods, LLC
Product Description:  Smoked Clams

Raw Frozen Beef Patties for Dogs Recalled After FDA Testing Finds Listeria

Primal Pet Foods is voluntarily recalling a single lot (#W10068709) of Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula (6-pound), with best by date of 05/22/23, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.  This voluntary recall is a result of routine sampling by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which revealed a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in one sample from one lot of Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula.

The company states: " The company uses a “test and hold” protocol to ensure that all products test negative for harmful bacteria before being released for sale. Primal Pet Foods confirmed that all testing results on this single lot of recalled product were negative for Listeria monocytogenes – both raw materials and finished product – before it left its production facility."

Primal Pet Foods Voluntary Recalls a Single Lot of Raw Frozen Patties Beef Formula Due to Potential Contamination with Listeria Monocytogenes | FDA
Primal Pet Foods Voluntary Recalls a Single Lot of Raw Frozen Patties Beef Formula Due to Potential Contamination with Listeria Monocytogenes
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 06, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 06, 2022
Product Type:  Animal & Veterinary  Pet Food
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name:  Primal Pet Foods Inc.
Brand Name:  Primal Pet Foods Inc.
Product Description:  Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula

Packages of Shortbread Cookies Recalled After Customer Discovers Chocolate Chip Cookies Inside

J&M Foods of Little Rock, Arkansas,  is initiating a voluntary recall because a select number of the Lavender Shortbread Cookies were erroneously packed with Chocolate Chip Cookies. As a result, the packaging does not list the presence of a possible allergen (soy or eggs).  The company  was made aware of this issue via a consumer contact. To date, there have been no illnesses reported.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/jm-foods-issues-voluntary-recall-select-lot-number-lavender-shortbread-cookies-due-packages-contain
J&M Foods Issues a Voluntary Recall on a Select Lot Number of Lavender Shortbread Cookies Due to the Packages Contain Chocolate Chip Cookies That Do Not Disclose the Correct Allergens
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  June 30, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 05, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Bakery Product/Mix  
Reason for Announcement:  Potential for Undeclared Soy or Eggs
Company Name:  J&M Foods
Brand Name:  Favorite Day
Product Description:  Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Vegan Protein Powder Recalled for Undeclared Milk After Wrong Flavor Ingredient Used

Natreve is voluntarily recalling specific batches of its Vegan Protein Powder French Vanilla Wafer Sundae flavor, because it contains trace amounts of undeclared milk due to an external manufacturing production error.  The issue was identified as a result of one illness having been reported to date. An investigation was conducted by the contract manufacturer indicating the problem was caused by a production process error for these two impacted lots. A whey-derived flavoring ingredient was inadvertently used in the blend for Natreve Vegan Protein Powder French Vanilla Wafer Sundae flavor, leading to trace amounts of whey being found in the above batches. Whey is derived from milk and may trigger an allergy, posing a potential risk to people with milk allergies.
No Canadian products nor other products or lots within the U.S. Natreve product offering are impacted by this voluntary recall.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/natreve-issues-voluntary-recall-limited-us-batches-natreve-vegan-protein-powder-french-vanilla-wafer
Natreve Issues Voluntary Recall on Limited U.S. Batches of Natreve Vegan Protein Powder French Vanilla Wafer Sundae Flavor Due to Undeclared Milk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 03, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 03, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared milk
Company Name:  Natreve
Brand Name:  Natreve
Product Description:  Vegan Protein Powder French Vanilla Wafer Sundae flavor