Surveys Show People Stressed About the Safety of Food

An article posted elsewhere discussed two recent surveys on people's concern with the food supply.  One is a Gallup poll stating that "Americans’ confidence in the federal government’s ability to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply has reached a record low".  The other from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) stated "Confidence in the safety of the food supply is down from last year 

(62%, down from 70% in 2022). This confidence dropped most among Millennials and Hispanic  consumers.  Among multiple food safety issues, consumers are most concerned  about carcinogens in food, foodborne illness from bacteria, and  pesticides. Of those concerned with foodborne illness, nearly all are  familiar with “best by” dates, but only 2 in 3 (67%) are familiar with  what to do when their food has been recalled and far fewer (39%)  are familiar with the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline."

As pointed out in an earlier post, there are no indications that the food supply is less safe, in fact, probably more safe than it had been.  This is not to say we are void of issues.  There are food related outbreaks.  There are also some unknowns regarding micro-levels of chemicals in food where more research is needed.  However, is this something that should be causing us stress? Hopefully not.

If you are concerned about something, avoid it.  Take heart that over 300 million people in the US eat food everyday (hopefully) and the number of issues is very small.  And the issues are normally recalls, not outbreaks.   Our biggest issues are related to the fact we need to balance what we eat, control how much we eat, and follow proper food handling and preparation procedures.

So to what degree does the onslaught of information fed to us each day via social and mainstream media impact this stress.  Certainly in an election year, we are inundated with information, some of it exaggerated or over emphasized perhaps.  And now that one of the parties has grabbed the food safety mantra, can we expect to see even more of this type of information?

https://news.gallup.com/poll/650024/trust-government-assurance-food-safety-hits-record-low.aspx
Trust in Government Assurance of Food Safety Hits Record Low
Americans' faith in the safety of food at grocery stores also declines

Milk Recalled After Firm Determines Potential for Residual Almond Contamination

HP Hood LLC, Lynnfield, MA, is recalling five SKUs of 96 oz containers of LACTAID Milk because the product may contain trace amounts of almond, which is not listed on the label.  This issue was discovered as a result of routine maintenance programs which revealed the potential for trace amounts of almond.  No illnesses have been reported to date.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hp-hood-llc-recalls-select-units-96-oz-refrigerated-lactaid-milk-due-possible-almond-allergen
HP Hood LLC Recalls Select Units of 96 oz Refrigerated Lactaid Milk Due to Possible Almond Allergen

Summary  

Company Announcement Date:  September 20, 2024

FDA Publish Date:  September 20, 2024

Product Type: Food & Beverages Milk/Milk Product

Reason for Announcement:  Potential or Undeclared Allergen – Tree Nuts (almond)

Company Name:  HP Hood LLC

Brand Name:  Lactaid

Product Description: Lactaid 96 oz milk carton varieties

Hawaii Firm Recalls Coconut Cookies For Undeclared Milk Missed as Sub-Ingredient

KTM Services, Inc. of Honolulu, HI is recalling its 5.3 ounce and 17.7 ounce packages of Enjoy Premium Taro Cookie and Enjoy Premium Coconut Cookie because they contain undeclared Milk. The recall was initiated after information was confirmed that the Milk-containing product sub-ingredient (Sodium Caseinate-Milk derivative) was distributed in packaging without Milk on the label. Investigation indicates the problem was caused by a manufacturer’s sub-ingredient error. 

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ktm-services-inc-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-milk-cookies
KTM Services Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk in Cookies
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  September 10, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  September 19, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared milk allergen
Company Name:  KTM Services Inc
Brand Name:  Enjoy Premium
Product Description:  Coconut and Taro Cookies

Deli Meat Plant Responsible for Listeria Outbreak to Close, FSIS Notice of Suspension

Boar's Head Provisions has decided to shut down their Jarrett, VA facility in light of the Listeria outbreak that was linked to product produced at that facility.  There have been at least 57 cases with 9 deaths.

The closure affects 500 union workers as well as management.

The FSIS USDA Notice of Suspension is posted below.  It is interesting that the FSIS intensive sampling only found one positive in the environment...and that was on a pallet jack.  It is important to point out that this intensive sampling occurred as the company found out that product was involved in an outbreak, so did the plant get an opportunity to do a more intensive cleaning, was the plant operational at the time of sampling, was sampling done during operations and with that, was it done after production was going for 2 to 4 hours?  What did the company's internal sampling regiment results indicate, and how intensive of a program was it?

USA Todayhttps://www.newsbreak.com/share/3595027287273-boar-s-head-to-close-virginia-plant-linked-to-listeria-outbreak-500-people-out-of-work
Boar's Head to close Virginia plant linked to listeria outbreak, 500 people out of work
By Mary Walrath-Holdridge and Mike Snider, 

USA TODAY,

9/13/24

The Jarratt, Virginia Boar's Head plant linked to the ongoing multistate listeria outbreak is closing permanently, the company announced on Friday.

Michigan Establishment Issues Recall after Swapping Labels on Both Pork and Beef Sausage

Dearborn Sausage Company, Inc., a Dearborn, Mich. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,944 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) wiener products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens - the labels of the two products implicated in the recall were inadvertently swapped resulting in soy, a known allergen, and pork not being declared on the product labels.  

The problem was discovered when the establishment received a complaint from a retailer that the products they received may have been incorrectly labeled. The establishment determined that they inadvertently mislabeled beef wiener products as beef and pork wiener products and vice versa. The products labeled as beef and pork wiener products actually contain beef wiener products that contain soy; therefore, soy is not declared on the finished product label. Additionally, the product labeled as beef wiener products actually contain beef and pork wiener products, therefore, pork is not declared on the finished product label.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/dearborn-sausage-company-inc--recalls-wiener-products-due-misbranding-and-undeclared
Dearborn Sausage Company, Inc. Recalls Wiener Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

Baking Company Recalls Brownies for Undeclared Walnuts

Innovation Bakers, LLC of Fullerton, CA, is issuing a voluntary limited recall of one day’s production of its 3.5 oz packs of 7-Eleven Fudge Brownie (05254856392) because they may contain undeclared walnuts.  The FDA was notified and the recall was voluntarily initiated after it was discovered that the walnut-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of walnuts.

So was the label designed incorrectly, or more likely, the wrong product. brownies with walnuts, was incorrectly labeled as plain brownies.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/innovation-bakers-llc-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-walnut-7-eleven-fudge-brownie-distributed
Innovation Bakers, LLC Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Walnut in 7-Eleven Fudge Brownie Distributed in Southern California
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  September 10, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  September 11, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared walnuts
Company Name:  Innovation Bakers, LLC
Brand Name:  7-Eleven
Product Description:  Fudge Brownie

France - Five People Treated for Botulism After Eating Pesto Sauce

In France, 5 people are receiving medical treatment after eating pesto contaminated with botulinum toxin.  "According to authorities in the Indre-et-Loire department in west-central France, a locally made brand of wild garlic pesto sauce may have been contaminated with a dangerous toxin that can attack the nerves."  "Authorities were trying to locate some 600 containers with the same "O P'tits Oignons" sauce before they are eaten, say officials."

The five people are currently on respirators - the toxin impairs nerve signals to the lungs.

Pesto is an oil based mixture of basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil.  It is generally prepared fresh and kept refrigerated.  The pH would tend towards neutral because there are no acidulants.  Oil mixtures provide an anaerobic environment.  So the combination of a more neutral pH and an low oxygen environment are conditions that allow C. botulinum to grow if the temperature is right and other organisms don't outcompete it.   So where one would have problems is when this is temperature abused.

In the US Food Code, oil-based mixtures such as garlic in oil are considered TCS foods (Temperature Control for Safety).  For operations wanting to sell such products, there would need to something called a secondary barrier to prevent growth.  The first barrier is refrigeration.  But as with this case, there needs to be something there to prevent growth if the product is temperature abused.  This could be an antimicrobial compound or an acidulent to lower the pH.

BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1epwqln5e3o
Pesto linked to botulism cases in France
Michelle Roberts
Digital health editor, BBC News
Sept 11, 2024

How Much Cheese Does the Average American Eat Annually?

The average American eats 42 pounds of cheese per year. Initially that seems like a lot, but when you add it all together....pizza...cheese snacks...sliced cheese on every type of sandwich and burger, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano piled on everything...it makes sense.  And of course, there is the cheese tax.

The dairy industry is looking to increase capacity, so we need to continue to do our part.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-06/us-dairies-plan-4-billion-in-new-cheese-factories
The Average American Eats 42 Pounds of Cheese a Year, and That Number Could Go Up
Dairy processors are planning facilities across the US to meet surging demand.

By Ilena Peng

September 6, 2024 at 6:00 AM EDT

Is there such a thing as too much cheese? Producers across the US are betting billions of dollars that the answer is no. America’s per capita cheese consumption has more than doubled since the government began keeping track in 1975, to about 42 pounds a year—more than all the butter, ice cream and yogurt combined. Facilities for making cheese account for more than half of the $8 billion in US dairy-product projects slated to come online from 2023 to 2026, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

Rest of article - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-06/us-dairies-plan-4-billion-in-new-cheese-factories

Colorado Firm Recalls Dark Chocolate Product Containing Undeclared Milk

Hammond’s Candies of Denver, CO is recalling 4-ounce bags of Dark Chocolate Filled Mini Waffle Cones because they may contain undeclared milk.  The recall was initiated after the firm received one consumer report of an allergic reaction experienced after consuming the product. As part of the firm’s ongoing investigation, the product was tested and found to contain more than trace amounts of milk proteins, which is not indicated on the packaging. The firm’s investigation into the cause is ongoing.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hammonds-candies-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-milk-hammonds-dark-chocolate-filled-mini-waffle
Hammond’s Candies Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk in Hammond’s Dark Chocolate Filled Mini Waffle Cones
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  September 05, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  September 06, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Milk
Company Name:  Hammond’s Candies
Brand Name:  Hammond’s
Product Description:  Dark Chocolate Filled Mini Waffle Cones