Missouri Company Recalls Seasoning After A Supplier-initiated Substitution Results in Undeclared Allregens

Baron Spices, Inc. of St. Louis, MO is recalling 708 units of Blues Hog Sweet and Savory Seasoning, because it may contain undeclared Soy and Wheat allergen.  A supplier to Baron Spices, Inc sent a replacement ingredient and did not disclose that it included allergens. The replacement ingredient contained soy and wheat whereas the original product did not contain either allergen.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/baron-spices-inc-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-soy-and-wheat-blues-hog-sweet-savory-seasoning
Baron Spices, Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Soy and Wheat in Blues Hog Sweet & Savory Seasoning
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 09, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  April 09, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential or Undeclared Allergen – Soy and Wheat
Company Name:  Baron Spices, Inc.
Brand Name:  Blues Hog
Product Description:  Seasoning

Florida Company Recalls Ice Cream Product for Undeclared Allergens

Belgian Yummies of Fort Myers, FL, is alerting the public that its 4-ounce packages of Ice Cream Sandwiches and 5-liter containers and 4.75-liter pans of Gelato contains undeclared allergens.  The recall was initiated after Belgian Yummies and the Florida Department of Agriculture discovered during an inspection that the product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of wheat, soy, egg, coconut and/or peanuts and FD&C Yellow #5. The problem was caused by outdated labels being used during the packaging process.  Labels were immediately corrected, and ingredient lists were provided to all wholesale customers who received the affected products.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/belgian-yummies-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-allergens-wheat-soy-egg-coconut-andor-peanuts-and
Belgian Yummies Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Allergens of Wheat, Soy, Egg, Coconut and/or Peanuts and FD&C Yellow #5 in Ice Cream Sandwiches and Gelato
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 09, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  April 09, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Ice Cream/Frozen Dairy
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Wheat, Soy, Egg, Coconut &/or Peanuts, FD&C Yellow #5
Company Name:  Belgian Yummies
Brand Name:  Belgian Yummies, SOFRA, Ria
Product Description:  Ice Cream Sandwiches & Gelato

FDA Issues Warning Letter to Illinois Firm After Mispacking Peanut Product Into Containers Labeled as Raisin Product

FDA issued a Warning Letter to Regal Health Food International, Inc. of Chicago IL regarding the Regal Gourmet Snacks Milk Chocolate Raisins in that the finished product label did not declare a major food allergen, peanuts. 

• The firm recalled the product labeled Regal Gourmet Snacks Milk Chocolate Raisins after being notified by a consignee of a consumer complaint regarding milk chocolate peanuts being found in containers labeled as milk chocolate raisins. The firm indicated in documentation provided to the Human and Animal Food Operations (OHAFO) East Division 6 Recall Coordinator that milk chocolate peanuts were packed into tubs labeled “Milk Chocolate Raisins” due to an error in the packing process by (b)(4) packers.
• This documentation also described the proposed corrective actions to prevent reoccurrence including: retraining employees on packing procedures, additional labeling of work in progress products, additional product and label confirmation steps and using an (b)(4) line which will have less opportunities for this type of error. 

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/regal-health-food-international-inc-662089-11292023
Regal Health Food International, Inc.
MARCS-CMS 662089 — NOVEMBER 29, 2023

Recipient:
Igor Piatigorsky
President

WARNING LETTER
CMS 662089

Laundry Detergent Pods Recalled Due to Defective Outer Bags

Procter & Gamble is recalling 8.2 Million units of Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ace Pods and Ariel Pods liquid laundry detergent packets packaged in flexible film bags due to defective bags.  The outer packaging meant to prevent access to the contents can split open near the zipper track, posing a risk of serious injury to children and other vulnerable populations if the contents of the laundry detergent packets are ingested, as well as posing a risk of skin or eye injuries. Ingestion of a large quantity of any surfactant-containing household cleaning products can cause death among individuals with underlying health issues.

There have been no confirmed cases of incidents or injuries directly relating to this packaging defect. P&G has received four reports of children in the United States accessing the liquid laundry packets, three of which reported ingestion during the time period that the recalled lots were sold, but it is not known if these laundry packets came from recalled bags.

Back in the day, we would just put the pods in another container when the outer bag rips, and how many end up tearing the bag when opening it anyway.  And who stores it where kids can get at it?  But there is a risk for some we guess.  In the end, how many who have purchased the product are doing that, pouring it into another container, and then returning the outer package to the store.  This can be a very costly recall.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240405233949/en/Procter-Gamble-Recalls-8.2-Million-Defective-Bags-of-Tide-Gain-Ace-and-Ariel-Laundry-Detergent-Packets-Distributed-in-US-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury

Procter & Gamble Recalls 8.2 Million Defective Bags of Tide, Gain, Ace and Ariel Laundry Detergent Packets Distributed in US Due to Risk of Serious Injury

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) today announced a voluntary packaging recall of Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ace Pods and Ariel Pods liquid laundry detergent packets packaged in flexible film bags. This recall announcement applies only to bags distributed in the United States.

Minnesota Firm Recalls Candies After Mislabeling Issue Results in Undeclared Almonds

Abdallah Candies of Apple Valley, MN is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of Abdallah Candies 8 oz. sea salt almond alligators. The products have a chocolate covered cherries label with code 0315 on the bottom of the box. The boxes do contain sea salt almond alligators but have an incorrect ingredient label.  Sea salt almond alligators contain almonds as an ingredient, which was not declared on the ingredient label.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/abdallah-candies-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-almond-abdallahs-8-oz-sea-salt-almond-alligators
Abdallah Candies Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Almond in Abdallahs 8 oz. Sea Salt Almond Alligators
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 02, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  April 02, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared almonds
Company Name:  Abdallah Candies
Brand Name:  Abdallah
Product Description:  Sea Salt Almond Alligators

Illinois Animal Feed Facility Recalls Multiple Lots of Feed After Equipment Failure Results in Misformulated Products

ADM Animal Nutrition, a division of ADM, is recalling a multitude of animal feed products produced at manufacturing facility in Quincy, Illinois  due to that specific lots may contain elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and/or chloride and may harm chickens, swine, beef cattle and equine

After receiving a customer complaint related to swine refusing to eat feed from a single lot of MoorMan’s ShowTec Sale Burst w/DF DEN, ADM immediately investigated and discovered that the company’s animal feed manufacturing facility in Quincy, Illinois, experienced an equipment failure issue that impacted ingredient distribution in the plant. The company quickly initiated the recall once it was confirmed that these specific lots could contain harmful levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium sodium, and/or chloride.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/adm-animal-nutrition-recalls-select-pen-palsr-chicken-feed-moormans-showtec-swine-feed-ampt-cattle
ADM Animal Nutrition Recalls Select Pen Pals® Chicken Feed, MoorMan’s ShowTec Swine Feed, AMPT Cattle Feed and Seniorglo Horse Feed Products
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  March 30, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  April 01, 2024
Product Type:  Animal & Veterinary  Animal Feed
Reason for Announcement:  Specific lots may contain elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and/or chloride and may harm chickens, swine, beef cattle and equine.
Company Name:  ADM Animal Nutrition
Brand Name:  Multiple Brand Names
Product Description:  Chicken Feed, Swine Feed, Cattle Feed, Horse Feed

California Nut Butter Producer Issued Warning Letter for Ineffective Food Safety Plan

The internet has opened the door to many food operations to sell products.  People often base their decision for  purchasing based upon that website.  Unfortunately, there is little more to go on than that.  But is that enough?  Recently, FDA inspected a Berkley California operation, Living Tree Community Foods, Inc. (https://www.livingtreecommunityfoods.com) and found that they were not producing foods to the required food safety standards.

Living Tree Community Foods, Inc, a Berkeley, CA processes organic seeds and tree nuts into ready to eat (RTE) organic seed and nut butters as well as repacks a variety of RTE and non RTE food products.  The company had a Food Safety Plan, but was basically there for show in that it did not really address the hazards associated with the process.  Company processes 25 different RTE nut & seed butters but "the  hazard analysis did not identify biological, chemical, and physical hazards associated with these products and with tree nuts/seeds as significant hazards which require a preventive control at receiving, storage, slicing nuts and seeds, holding in bin, mixing (b)(4)/cooling, and/or packaging steps." 

Biological hazards - the "presence of pathogenic bacteria” associated with the company's seeds and tree nut ingredients at the receiving step, but the company determined that the hazard was not significant. The company cited prerequisite programs including “Approved Supplier Program,” “Good Manufacturing Practices” and “Receiving and Storage Practices.  However, “Preventive Control #1 – Approved Supplier Program which includes Continuing Letters of Guarantee and Specifications” at the Receiving Step as the control that will be applied to ensure only approved materials are received. In the company response dated April 28, 2023, the company provided a revised “Approved Supplier Program Version 3.” but these responses did not indicate what requirements the supplier must meet to demonstrate control of the pathogen hazards.

Allergen hazards - the hazard analysis in your “Food Safety Plan for Nut and Seed Butters, Muesli, Bars, and oils Version 2” did not consider the hazard of allergen cross contact as a potential food safety hazard at the slicing, or mixing steps to evaluate whether it requires a preventive control. The firm considered “allergen cross contamination” at the packaging/filling processing step; however, it was determined that that the hazard was not significant.  Also did not identify and evaluate the hazard of undeclared allergens due to an incorrect label as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard to determine whether it requires a preventive control.

Mycotoxins - in the hazard analysis for mycotoxins associated with the seeds and tree nuts as a potential food safety hazard to evaluate whether it requires a preventive control; the firm determined that the hazard was not significant based on ingredient and supplier history. Tree nuts and seeds are known to be associated with aflatoxins.

GMP issues - equipment and utensils were not designed and were not of such material and workmanship as to be adequately cleanable and were not adequately maintained to protect against contamination.  The firm did not take reasonable precautions and measures to ensure that all persons working in direct contact with food wash hands thoroughly (and sanitize if necessary to protect against contamination with undesirable microorganisms) after each absence from the workstation and at any other time when hands may have become soiled or contaminated.

Labeling claims made on the labels were cited as well.

FDA Warning Letter
https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/living-tree-community-foods-inc-656541-03042024
Living Tree Community Foods, Inc.
MARCS-CMS 656541 — MARCH 04, 2024

Imported Deluxe Macaroons Recalled for Undeclared Allergens Not Listed in English

Lidl US has announced a voluntary recall of Deluxe branded Macarons Party Edition due to undeclared allergens. The recall was issued due to undeclared wheat, soy, egg, milk, and tree nuts (almonds, pistachios, and coconut) in the products as a result of non-English ingredient labeling.  The issue was internally discovered after delivery to the stores.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/lidl-voluntarily-recalls-deluxe-branded-macarons-party-edition-due-undeclared-allergens
Lidl Voluntarily Recalls Deluxe Branded Macarons Party Edition Due to Undeclared Allergens
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  March 29, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  April 01, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared allergens - wheat, soy, egg, milk, tree nuts (almonds, pistachios, and coconut).
Company Name:  Lidl US
Brand Name:  Deluxe
Product Description:  Macarons Party Edition

CA Firm Recalls Frozen Ice Cream Bars After Salmonella Positive Test

Tropicale Foods of Modesto, CA is voluntarily recalling 5,224 units of Helados Mexico Mini Cream Variety Pack with best by date of “MO Best By 10/11/2025”, because the mango bars in the variety pack have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  Finished product testing on the mango bars revealed that the finished product may contain Salmonella. The company has ceased distribution of the affected product. The company is conducting an investigation as to what caused the problem and will take effective action to prevent any future issue.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/tropicale-foods-recalls-helados-mexico-mini-cream-variety-pack-because-possible-health-risk
Tropicale Foods Recalls Helados Mexico Mini Cream Variety Pack Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  March 29, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  March 30, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella
Company Name:  Tropicale Foods
Brand Name:  Helados Mexico
Product Description:  mango bars in the variety pack