Use of Almond Flour in Pie Instead of Wheat Flour Results in Allergic Reaction

New Seasons Market of Portland, Oregon is recalling Strawberry Rhubarb Bakewell Tart, because it contains undeclared almond. "After a staff member consumed the Strawberry Rhubarb Bakewell Tart and had a mild reaction but did not seek medical attention, the manufacturer of the product was notified of this potential allergic reaction. The manufacturer confirmed the product did contain almond flour, but almond was not listed in the product specification. New Seasons Market initiated this recall because the scale label does not declare almond."

So this appears to be a mis-formulation issue where almond flour was inadvertently used.  Also could be cross-contact where residual almond flour was not properly removed.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/new-seasons-market-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-almonds-strawberry-rhubarb-bakewell-tart
New Seasons Market Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Almonds in Strawberry Rhubarb Bakewell Tart
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  June 04, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  June 04, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared almonds
Company Name:  New Seasons Market
Brand Name:  New Seasons Market
Product Description:  Strawberry Rhubarb Bakewell Tart

Recalled Infant Formula Also Found to be Contaminated with Cronobacter

Dairy Manufacturers of Prosper TX issued an health warning about its Powdered Goat Milk Infant Formula product that was initially recalled on May 25th initially recalled on May 25th when the product was found to have not been produced under federal registration.  But now, this product has been found to have a health concern in that a sample of this product has tested positive for Cronobacter spp.  The product was produced by was manufactured at D.M. Mexicana Sa De Cv in Monterey, Mexico.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dairy-manufacturers-inc-notifying-consumers-about-safety-concern-crecelac-infant-0-12-infant-formula
Dairy Manufacturers Inc. Is Notifying Consumers About a Safety Concern With Crecelac Infant 0-12 Infant Formula (Lot # 24 039 1 CHE 352-1) That is Part of an Ongoing Recall – Expansion of Previous Recall
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  June 03, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  June 04, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Infant Formula & Foods
Reason for Announcement:  Cronobacter spp. contamination
Company Name:  Dairy Manufacturers Inc.
Brand Name:   Crecelac
Product Description:  Powdered Goat Milk Infant Formula

FDA Issues Health Warning on Apricot Powder Due to Amygdalin

Following receipt of a complaint and sample results from DSHS, the FDA notified Apricot Power of the results of amygdalin analysis and FDA's initial concerns. "On 5/8/24, the firm declined to recall the products. Upon additional assessment of the findings, the FDA held a follow up call with the firm to share the risks associated with these products. As of 5/24/24, the firm has continued to decline a voluntarily recall of these products. The FDA is issuing this safety alert to warn consumers."

The "analysis determined that the Apricot Power products identified with the lot numbers above contain high levels of amygdalin, which, when consumed, could lead to fatal cyanide toxicity. Mild-to-moderate symptoms of acute cyanide toxicity from the ingestion of kernels containing amygdalin include difficulty breathing (dyspnea), bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes (cyanosis), weakness, and lightheadedness. Symptoms of severe acute toxicity include coma, seizures, stupor, dysrhythmias, cardiovascular collapse, and metabolic acidosis."

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-issues-warning-about-toxic-amygdalin-found-apricot-seeds
FDA Issues Warning About Toxic Amygdalin Found in Apricot Seeds
May 24, 2024

The FDA reviewed analytical packets from the Commonwealth of Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) from three samples collected by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), representing the products listed below, and found them all to contain the toxic compound amygdalin:

Apricot Power – Bitter Apricot Seeds – NGR FY24-015 (California Select) -Net weight 8oz (227g)
Apricot Power – Seeds Bitter Apricot Seeds – NGR FY24-016 (Organic Turkish Select) – Net weight 8oz (227g)
Apricot Power – Seeds Bitter Apricot Seeds – NGR FY24-017 (South African Select) – Net weight 16oz (454g)

Auto-Brewery Syndrome - Taking Home Brew to the Next Level

'A woman kept getting drunk despite not drinking. Fungi in her gut were brewing their own alcohol."

"Auto-brewery syndrome arises when such fungi — including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or brewer's yeast, and Candida albicans — grow in high enough concentrations and access enough carbs through a person's diet to intoxicate them. "  Her normal flora had been wiped out because of antibiotic usage.

Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/health/viruses-infections-disease/a-woman-kept-getting-drunk-despite-not-drinking-fungi-in-her-gut-were-brewing-their-own-alcohol

A woman kept getting drunk despite not drinking. Fungi in her gut were brewing their own alcohol.

A woman kept ending up in the emergency room with excessive sleepiness, slurred speech and the scent of alcohol on her breath, but she had not ingested a drop of liquor. It turns out that microbes in her gut were brewing their own booze — and making her drunk.

Friday, June 7th is World Food Safety Day! How Will You Celebrate?

 World Food Safety Day is here, and right now, you are thinking about how you will celebrate this awesome day.

Of course here at Penn Safety Food Safety, every day is food safety day.  We don't need some stinkin' calendar guy to come up with a special holiday for food safety.  I know our food safety news patrons wake up each day thinking about food safety, probably because they had some nightmare involving some food safety catastrophe.  Food safety paranoia is what sets us apart and it will be what eventually drives us mad. 

And why June 7th?  Was there some famous food safety person born on June 7th?  Well if there was some famous person, I could not find them in the 5 minutes I took to browse through some internet site for famous people born on June 7th.  But you know who was born on June 7th.  Liam Neeson.  Damn straight.  And what would Liam Neeson say in his food safety movie?

Leaning into the wait person, and speaking in a low, assertive voice, “I don't know who you are. I don't know who your chef is.  But what I do have are a very particular set of food safety skills, skills I have acquired over way too long of a career.  Food Safety skills that make me a nightmare for people like you and your establishment. If you cook my burger correctly, that'll be the end of it. I will eat it, I will not bother you, but if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you and I will have you recook it."

How many of you have sent your food back to have it properly cooked?  With a serious attitude like that, I think it is time to kick up our food safety skills and get serious.

How about a new food thermometer?  Not one of those stinkin' bimetallic cheapies with slow response time where you have to stick the darn thing up to the dimple point (and why is that dimple point so far back on the stem anyway?).   No, you will get some high tech, state of the art, remote digital piece that costs more than your grill.  Check this on out.

CHEF iQ Sense Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer with 2 Ultra-Thin Probes, Unlimited Range Bluetooth Meat Thermometer, Digital Food Thermometer for Remote Monitoring of BBQ Grill, Oven....$126 on Amazon.  

These look like missiles that you can launch into your prey and then leave them there to measure the temperature as you cook it.  And of course, it is all controlled by your cellphone.

Eating out?  Another way to celebrate is to order food that is normally served raw or rare, but have the chef cook it...way past well done.  Ahi tuna...canned.   A filet mignon...braised to 180F.  Oysters on the half-shell..boiled.   No better way to send the chef a message that today, you stand for food safety.

You can spend the day cleaning AND sanitizing every pot, pan, and utensil in your entire kitchen.  Put on some Bach on Pandora radio and then clean until your hands are shriveled like prunes.  Then sanitize everything with the fresh sanitizer solution.  Really kill it by using 400ppm to 500 ppm and then of course following it with a rinse.  No better smell than that of an indoor pool.

How will you celebrate?

Happy World Food Safety Day!

https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/world-food-safety-day
World Food Safety Day

World Food Safety Day is June 7. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization which sponsor World Food Safety Day have designated “Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected” as the theme for 2024. The purpose of this year’s theme is to draw attention to sudden food safety incidents and underline the importance of being prepared for such incidents, no matter how severe they may be.

Michigan Firm Recall Ground Black Pepper After State Lab Finds Salmonella

UBC Food Distributors in Dearborn Michigan is recalling the Ground Black Pepper under the Baraka brand name in 7oz plastic containers 7oz * 10 With UPC code 8 22514 26626 6 because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  The potential for contamination was noted after the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) notified us of the contamination based on a routine state surveillance sample collected by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets that tested positive for Salmonella the presence of Salmonella in some 7 ounce packages of Ground Black Pepper.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ubc-food-distributors-recalls-baraka-brand-ground-black-pepper-spice-because-possible-health-risk
UBC Food Distributors Recalls Baraka Brand Ground Black Pepper Spice Because of Possible Health Risk Announcement
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  June 03, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  June 03, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Spices, Flavors & Salts
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Contamination with Salmonella
Company Name:  UBC Food Distributors
Brand Name:  Baraka
Product Description:  Ground black pepper

FL Produce Distributor Recalls Cucumbers After State Lab Finds Salmonella

Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. of Delray, Florida, is recalling whole cucumbers shipped to certain states from May 17th through May 21st, 2024, due to the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  
The recall was initiated after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture informed the company that a product sample tested positive for the bacteria.

The recalled cucumbers were shipped in bulk cartons from May 17th through May 21st, 2024, directly to retail distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fresh-start-produce-sales-initiates-recall-whole-cucumbers-because-possible-health-risk
Fresh Start Produce Sales Initiates Recall of Whole Cucumbers Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  May 31, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  June 01, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Salmonella
Company Name:  Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc.
Brand Name:  No Brand Name
Product Description:  Whole Cucumbers

TX Firm Recalls Infant Formulas After Failing to Comply with Infant Formula Regulations for Registration

Dairy Manufacturers Inc., of Prosper, TX – 5/24/24, is voluntarily recalling all lot codes for infant formulas available in the US: Crecelac Infant 0-12, Farmalac 0-12 and Farmalac 0-12 Low lactose to the retail and wholesale level. The products are being recalled because the products listed were sold in the U.S. without comp)lying with the FDA’s infant formula regulations (21 CFR 106.110 New Infant formula registration. This was identified after an FDA notification, because the firm has not submitted the required premarket notification.  

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dairy-manufacturers-inc-issues-voluntary-recall-products-due-non-compliance-requirements-under-21
Dairy Manufacturers Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Products Due to Non-Compliance with Requirements Under the 21 CFR 106.110 New Infant Formula Registration
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  May 24, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  May 25, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Food Compliance Programs – Baby Formula
Company Name:  Dairy Manufacturers Inc.
Brand Name:  Crecelac and Farmalac
Product Description:  Infant Formula

Popcorn Mix Recalled for Undeclared Wheat Allergens as Part of the Pretzels

AMB Food Inc. in Brooklyn NY is recalling 8 oz bags of Pop a Nosh Mix Munch Regular and Honey BBQ snacks because it contains pretzels, but does not list Wheat as an allergen.  The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the pretzels included in both snack mixes contain wheat and both flavors were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of wheat. The firm continues to investigate and make appropriate corrections.

The product is in a prelabeled bag, so the allergen listing was missed when designing the label.


AMB Food Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Wheat in Product
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  May 23, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  May 24, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared allergen - wheat
Company Name:  AMB Food Inc
Brand Name:  Pop a Nosh
Product Description:  Mixed Munch Regular and Honey BBQ