PSU Food Safety News Blog Ranked in Top 10 Food Safety Blogs for 2025

 According to Feedspot, a global blog and podcast hosting site, Penn State Food Safety News is ranked as one of the top food safety blog sites in the world.  For 2025, Penn State Food Safety News is ranked #9, breaking into the top ten!

https://bloggers.feedspot.com/food_safety_blog/

Thanks to all of you who continue to support our effort in bringing you the important issues involving food safety!

Georgia Firm Recalls Snack Pack Product for Undeclared Allergens After Incorrect Back Label Applied

Naturipe Value Added Fresh LLC. of Alma, GA, is recalling its 2.1 oz./60 gram packages of "Berry Buddies, Berries & Pancakes" bento box snack packs because they contain wheat and EGGS that were not declared on the label.  The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the incorrect back label was placed on the back of the package. Because of this, the allergens of WHEAT and EGGS were not listed on the label. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a production label changeover failure which has since been corrected.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/naturipe-value-added-fresh-llc-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-wheat-eggs-berry-buddies-berries
Naturipe Value Added Fresh LLC Issues Allergy Alert On Undeclared Wheat & Eggs In "Berry Buddies, Berries & Pancakes” Lot # 1097901
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  February 18, 2025
FDA Publish Date:  February 19, 2025
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared allergen (wheat, eggs)
Company Name:  Naturipe Value Added Fresh LLC
Brand Name:  Naturipe Snacks
Product Description:  Berry Buddies, Berries & Pancakes bento box snack packs

Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamias Recalled for Undeclared Almonds

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Company LLC of Kea’au, HI is voluntarily recalling one batch of its Mauna Loa Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamias snack (1oz) pouches, due to the presence of undeclared almonds which are an allergen.  The recall was initiated after Mauna Loa’s internal quality control process identified that the affected batch, manufactured by a third-party co-manufacturer, contained undeclared almonds. Immediate action was taken to contain the affected product, notify the third-party co-manufacturer, alert consumers and distributors, and report the issue to the FDA.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/mauna-loa-macadamia-nut-company-llc-issues-product-recall-undeclared-almonds-mauna-loa-milk
Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Company, LLC Issues a Product Recall on Undeclared Almonds in Mauna Loa Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamias (1oz) Pouches
Summary
Company Announcement Date: February 15, 2025

FDA Publish  Date: February 15, 2025

Product Type: Food & Beverages

Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared almonds

Company Name: Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Company, LLC

Brand Name: Mauna Loa

Product Description: Mauna Loa Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamias  

MN Bakery Recalls Mislabeled Muffins for Undeclared Walnuts

JE Bakery 2019, LLC, doing business as Broadway Bakery, Minneapolis MN is voluntarily recalling its Raisin Bran Muffin 6 count due to a labeling error. The affected product was mislabeled and instead contains Glorious Morning Muffins, which contains Walnuts, a known allergen not declared on the label.

Bamboo Shoots Recalled for Temperature Abuse, Botulism Potential?

AKT Trading Inc of Torrance, California is recalling 120 packages of Menma Ajitsuke Prepared Bamboo Shoot Product, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death.  This issue was discovered on 1/14/2025 at the Tokyo Central Costa Mesa retail store where the product was found being sold under ambient (non-refrigerated) conditions. The missing "Keep Refrigerated" label likely contributed to this issue. The product was immediately removed from sale at this location. Consumers who have purchased the affected product with the specified expiration date are urged not to consume it. Consumers should discard the product or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Technically, this vacuum packed product must have a secondary barrier (low Aw, low pH, etc) so that one would not need to rely on refrigeration because of issues where the product would be temperature abused. Otherwise, temperature control would be preventive control needed to be maintained throughout the supply chain, which is not likely for a retail product such as this.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/akt-trading-inc-recalls-seasoned-bamboo-shoots-because-possible-health-risk
AKT Trading Inc. Recalls Seasoned Bamboo Shoots Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  February 11, 2025
FDA Publish Date:  February 12, 2025
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Foodborne Illness - Botulism
Company Name:  AKT Trading Inc.
Brand Name:  CHOSHIYA
Product Description:  Menma Ajitsuke Prepared Bamboo Shoot

Frozen Pasty Recalled for Undeclared Egg

The USDA-FSIS is issuing a public health alert for frozen, fully cooked ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry pasties, produced by the Pasty Oven, Florence, WI, due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen. The products were produced using an egg wash, which contains egg, a known allergen, that is not declared on the product label.  FSIS discovered the problem during routine labeling review activities when it found that the egg ingredient was not listed on the final product label.



https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-frozen-ready-eat-meat-and-poultry-pasties-due
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Frozen Ready-To-Eat Meat and Poultry Pasties Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergen
The Pasty Oven, Inc.

FSIS Announcement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for frozen, fully cooked ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry pasties due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen. The products were produced using an egg wash, which contains egg, a known allergen, that is not declared on the product label. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers with allergies to eggs are aware that this product should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the affected products are no longer available for purchase.

FDA Begins Email Communications Listing Weekly Recap of Recalls

We just received an email from FDA titled Weekly Recap of Recalls...for each of the weeks of this year starting January 12 to 18, 2025.  Those of you who are receiving recall information from FDA already probably received the series of emails as well.  Good idea.

Recent Recall for Oysters Highlights Norovirus Risk

Over the past year, there have been 14 recalls for oysters after foodborne illness outbreaks, primarily due to norovirus infections.  Five of those outbreaks / recalls occurred over the past 4 months (below), with the last one due to oysters harvested in Louisiana.   

Raw oysters are a risk for viral and bacterial pathogens.  As filter feeds, they capture the contaminants in the water column and those contaminates are consumed when the oysters are eaten raw.  The government requires shellfish identification tags to be placed on the shellfish when harvested and these tags accompany the shellfish to the point of sale, at which point, they must be kept on file in the event of an outbreak.  This allows investigators to identify the site in which the oysters were harvested and then issue a source specific recall.

Louisiana Oysters - Norovirus - Feb 2025

The Louisiana Department of Health has issued a recall for certain oysters that were harvested from Louisiana due to an outbreak of norovirus illnesses. The oysters were harvested from Louisiana Area 3 from 1/10/2025 through 2/4/2025. The oysters were shipped to distributors and retailers in AL, FL, LA, MD, MS, NC, and TX and may have been distributed to other states as well. The FDA is advising restaurants and food retailers not to serve or sell and to dispose of, and consumers not to eat, these oysters following the instruction provided below because they may be contaminated with norovirus.

Seafood Processor Recalls Canned Tuna of Various Brands for Can Lid Failure, Botulism Concern

Tri-Union Seafoods has made the decision to voluntarily recall select lots of canned tuna products sold under the Genova®, Van Camp’s®, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s brand names. This voluntary recall is out of an abundance of caution following the notification from our supplier that the “easy open” pull tab can lid on limited products encountered a manufacturing defect that may compromise the integrity of the product seal (especially over time), causing it to leak, or worse, be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.

While some news articles are stating this recall is botulism contamination, it is better stated as a can lid failure issue that could result in Clostridium botulinum contamination, and thus a risk for botulism.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/tri-union-seafoods-issues-recall-select-genovar-van-campsr-h-e-b-and-trader-joesr-tuna-cans-due
Tri-Union Seafoods Issues Recall of Select Genova®, Van Camp’s®, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s® Tuna Cans Due to Clostridium Botulinum Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  February 07, 2025
FDA Publish Date:  February 10, 2025
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Foodborne Illness - Botulism
Company Name:  Tri-Union Seafoods
Brand Name:  Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B, Trader Joe’s
Product Description:  Canned tuna