NJ Firm Recalls Frozen Desert After Consumer Has Questionable Reaction For Undeclared Dairy

Yummy Foods, In Edison, NJ is recalling their Yummy Swirly Ices line because it may contain traces of milk.   The recall was initiated after an allergen sensitive consumer complained about feelings of discomfort after consuming the Swirly Ices. The reason for the cross contamination is under investigation.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/yummy-foods-issues-allergy-alert-traces-milk-allergen-non-dairy-ices
Yummy Foods Issues Allergy Alert on Traces of Milk Allergen in Non-Dairy Ices
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  August 07, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  August 07, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Milk Allergen
Company Name:  Yummy Foods
Brand Name:  Yummy
Product Description:   Yummy Swirly Ices, various flavors

Florida Firm Recalls Cashewmilk Frozen Desert Product After Filling Error Into Coconutmilk Product Containers

G.S. Gelato & Desserts, Inc. of Fort Walton Beach, FL is recalling a limited amount of Full Circle Market Coconutmilk Chocolate Almond Crunch Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert 1 Pint/16 fl.oz. paper cartons, Lot 041624L2 BBD 10/15/2025, UPC 0 36800 46964 8, because it contains undeclared cashew.  G.S. Gelato was notified by one of the retail stores that the product carton and lid stated two different products. The firm conducted an investigation which determined that a single lot of pints of cashewmilk product was dispensed into the Full Circle Market brand Coconutmilk pints during the manufacturing process.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/urgent-food-recall-full-circle-market-coconutmilk-chocolate-almond-crunch-non-dairy-frozen-dessert
Urgent Food Recall of Full Circle Market Coconutmilk Chocolate Almond Crunch Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Due to Undeclared Cashew
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  August 06, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  August 06, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Cashew Allergen
Company Name:  G.S. Gelato & Desserts, Inc.
Brand Name:  Full Circle Market
Product Description:  Coconutmilk Chocolate Almond Crunch Frozen Dessert

CA Company Recalls Moong Dal After Mix-up of Lot Test Results

Thal Golden Spices Inc. of Hayward, CA is recalling 640 Packs of “Bikano Moong Dal 350g because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  Moong dal is split and skinned mung beans.

Thal Golden Spices Inc recently discovered an oversight in the distribution process of one of the  products. Unfortunately, the product was released without proper lab results. This issue came to light during an FDA inspection when inspectors 'identified discrepancies in the batch numbers slated for destruction'. [The company is] actively addressing this situation to ensure compliance and rectify the error."

So it seems that due to a mix-up of batches, the company shipped product that was was supposed to be destroyed?

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/thal-golden-spices-inc-recalls-product-because-possible-health-risk
Thal Golden Spices Inc. Recalls Product Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  August 04, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  August 04, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Contamination with Salmonella
Company Name:  Thal Golden Spices Inc.
Brand Name:  Bikano
Product Description:  Moong Dal, Crunchy Green Gram

Minnesota Firm Recalls Fresh Guacamole After Sampling Finds Listeria

Metro Produce Distributors Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is voluntarily recalling all Lunds & Byerlys fresh guacamole products with a use-by date of August 2, 2024, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The fresh guacamole was sold at Lunds & Byerlys grocery stores located throughout the Twin Cities area and St. Cloud.

The recall was the result of a routine sampling program by the company, which revealed that the finished products could potentially contain the bacteria. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the products as they continue their investigation. This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/metro-produce-distributors-inc-recalls-fresh-guacamole-because-possible-health-risk
Metro Produce Distributors Inc. Recalls Fresh Guacamole Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  August 02, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  August 02, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination
Company Name:  Metro Produce Distributors Inc.
Brand Name:  Lunds & Byerlys
Product Description:  fresh guacamole products

NY Company Recalls Chocolate Bar Because of Undeclared Nuts and Wheat

BonBon - A Swedish Candy Co. of New York, NY is recalling every Marabou Sea Salt chocolate bar, because it may contain undeclared almonds, wheat, and nuts.  The recall was initiated after it was discovered that batches of Marabou Sea Salt contained almonds, wheat and nuts outside of its allergen profile. The packaging disclosed the product contained “traces of nuts and wheat.”   But as we know, saying it contains traces of nuts and wheat is not compliant with regulation.

On May 8, 2024, BonBon was informed of the recall by our distributor, Ert Godis, and the product was removed from the sales floor and subsequently destroyed at every retail location.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/bonbon-swedish-candy-co-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-almonds-wheat-and-nuts-marabou-sea-salt-200g
Bonbon - A Swedish Candy Co.. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Almonds, Wheat and Nuts in Marabou Sea Salt 200g Chocolate Bar
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  August 02, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  August 02, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Allergen-Undeclared Almond, Wheat and nuts
Company Name:  BONBON - A SWEDISH CANDY CO.
Brand Name:  Marabou
Product Description:  Sea Salt chocolate bar

NY Firm Recalls Ice Cream for Undeclared Peanut After Mocked-up Case Enters Commerce

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream of Brooklyn, NY is voluntarily recalling its Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Lot 24V094 pints sold at the 81 Bergen Street Brooklyn, NY location. These pints contain an undeclared allergen, peanuts.  The recall was initiated after it was discovered that 8 pints containing the peanut allergen were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of peanuts. 4 pints have been recovered to date, leaving 4 pints remaining out in distribution. Subsequent investigation identified the problem was caused by a mock case sample which accidentally entered the distribution channel.

So how can this happen? A likely scenario - the company had developed the new packaging for Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll and decided to fill it with whatever was running that day to see what the packaging looked like full / try out the new packaging on the filler / etc.  So the containers were filled with peanut ice cream, but it was not destroyed after the trial.  Rather, this mock case made its way to the warehouse and was subsequently distributed.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/van-leeuwen-ice-cream-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-peanuts-vegan-pumpkin-cinnamon-roll-non-dairy
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Peanuts in Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 30, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  July 30, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Peanut Allergen
Company Name:  Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Brand Name:  Van Leeuwen
Product Description:  Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Non Dairy Frozen Dessert

VA Establishment Expands Recall As Testing Determines Outbreak Strain in Liverwurst Product

CDC and USDA-FSIS have identified Boar's Head liverwurst as having the outbreak strain of Listeria that has resulted in 34 cases with 33 hospitalizations and 2 deaths. From the CDC, "As of July 26, 2024, a total of 34 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 13 states (see map). Sick people’s samples were collected from May 29, 2024, to July 12, 2024 (see timeline). Of 33 people with information available, all 33 have been hospitalized. One person got sick during their pregnancy and remained pregnant after recovering. Two deaths have been reported, 1 in Illinois and 1 in New Jersey."

Whole genome sequencing results show that a liverwurst sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes.

Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc., a Jarratt, Va., establishment, is expanding its July 26, 2024, recall of deli meat products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. The establishment is recalling approximately 7 million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.

https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeats-7-24/index.html
Listeria Outbreak Linked to Meats Sliced at Delis
Posted July 31, 2024

Fast Facts
Illnesses: 34
Hospitalizations: 33
Deaths: 2
States: 13
Recall: Yes
Investigation status: Active (First posted on July 19, 2024).

USDA Proposes New Policy for Raw Poultry Establishments to Control Salmonella

The USDA proposed a new policy with the goal of reducing Salmonella in raw poultry products. Currently, the industry  performance standards in place, these did little to reduce poultry-related Salmonella outbreaks. One question will be whether this new policy will have any impact on the number of cases that are said to occur due to poultry. Secondly, how will the proposed testing be accomplished without major impacts on supply chain?  What are the costs?

Under the current system, facilities look at prevalence of Salmonella using an absence/presence analysis. and based on this, a facility is judged as meeting or not meeting the established standard. In the proposed system, establishments will look at number of Salmonella as well as determine if certain infectious strains are present.

"FSIS is proposing final product standards that would define whether certain raw poultry products contaminated with certain Salmonella levels and serotypes are adulterated as defined in the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.). Specifically, FSIS has tentatively determined that raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and comminuted turkey are adulterated if they contain any type of Salmonella at or above 10 colony forming units/per milliliter or gram (10 cfu/mL(g)) in analytical portion (i.e., mL of rinsate or gram of product) and contain any detectable level of at least one of the Salmonella serotypes of public health significance identified for that commodity."

"The proposed Salmonella serotypes of public health significance identified for raw chicken carcasses, chicken parts, and comminuted chicken are Enteritidis, Typhimurium, and I 4,[5],12:i:-, and for raw comminuted turkey are Hadar, Typhimurium, and Muenchen. These are the most highly virulent Salmonella serotypes associated with these products identified in the FSIS chicken and turkey risk assessments."

USDA would conduct sampling of products from the facility.

"The Agency intends to conduct a routine sampling and verification testing program for Salmonella in chicken carcasses, chicken parts, comminuted chicken, and comminuted turkey in which the Agency would collect samples of raw final products and analyze them for Salmonella levels and serotypes to determine whether the final product is adulterated. Under the proposed Salmonella verification testing program, FSIS intends to only collect and analyze samples of the final raw poultry products produced by an establishment, i.e., chicken carcasses to be shipped in commerce as whole chickens, chicken parts to be shipped in commerce as chicken parts, comminuted chicken to be shipped in commerce as comminuted chicken products, and comminuted turkey to be shipped in commerce as comminuted turkey products."

USDA would require facilities to establish controls, and as part of that, verification testing.

USDA will "establish new requirements pertaining to how establishments monitor and document whether their processes for preventing microbial contamination are in control. The proposed revisions are intended to clarify existing regulatory requirements related to process control monitoring in 9 CFR 381.65(g) and (h). Under this proposal, establishments would be required to incorporate statistical process control (SPC) monitoring principles into their microbial monitoring programs (MMPs). The proposed revisions would require that establishments use only validated and fit for purpose microbial sampling and analysis procedures, generate and record statistically meaningful microbial monitoring data, set benchmarks by which to evaluate microbial monitoring data, and otherwise define the statistical methods the establishment will use to evaluate the recorded data against the predefined limits."

"FSIS is proposing to specifically require establishments to, at a minimum, implement written corrective actions, including a root cause assessment, when microbial monitoring results deviate from the predefined criteria in the MMP, the other process control monitoring results, or the process control determination made for the entire HACCP system. FSIS has developed new guidance to help establishments meet the proposed updated sampling and analysis requirements under 9 CFR 381.65(g). The new guidance includes a SPC sampling plan based on paired sampling for Aerobic Count (AC) at the rehang and post-chill locations, with a one-sided process control statistical model that charts and calculates against minimum monitoring criteria at the minimum required frequency. Establishments that incorporate the guidance into their MMPs would not be required to provide FSIS with additional scientific or technical information to support their chosen statistical methods."

"FSIS is proposing to amend the recordkeeping requirements under 9 CFR 381.65(h) to require that establishments submit their microbial monitoring sampling results to FSIS electronically. FSIS is developing a web portal that will allow external partners to securely upload sampling information and submit it to FSIS electronically in a machine-readable format."

July 29, 2024
Special Alert
USDA Proposes New Policy to Reduce Salmonella in Raw Poultry Products

Today, FSIS issued a comprehensive proposed rule and determination to more effectively reduce Salmonella contamination and illnesses associated with raw poultry products. This is the culmination of FSIS’ three-year effort to reevaluate their strategy for controlling Salmonella rates in poultry and protect American consumers from foodborne illness linked to consumption of poultry products.

Three Food Companies from NY and NJ Recall Cinnamon Products After Testing Finds Elevated Lead Levels, FDA Updates

Updated on 7/31/24

FDA has updated the page listing different cinnamon products with lead that have been removed from commerce.  Overall, these products had levels ranging from 2 to 7ppm.

Two New York food companies and one from NJ issued recalls for cinnamon because the products have the potential to be contaminated with elevated levels of lead.

• American Spices, LLC. of Ozone Park, NY is recalling Spice Class brand Ground Cinnamon
• Advance Food International, Inc. of Maspeth, NY is recalling Shahzada brand Cinnamon Powder in 7oz packing 
• Colonna Brothers of North Bergen, NJ is voluntarily recalling its 1.5oz Marcum Ground Cinnamon & 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon

Both recalls are the result of an analysis conducted by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSAGM) that revealed the product contained elevated levels of lead. The companies have ceased the production and distribution of the product as the FDA and the companies continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.