Whole Foods Takes Warning Letter on the Chin for February Inspection

FDA issued a warning letter on June 8, 2016 to Whole Foods for an inspection completed back in February.  While Whole Foods responded to the inspection findings in March, the Warning was issued this week (June 8th), because FDA did not find the response acceptable.

"We do not consider your response acceptable because you failed to provide documentation for our review, which demonstrates that all your noted corrective actions have been effectively implemented. This documentation may include photographs, invoices, work orders, voluntary destruction records of any affected products, certification of actions performed by contractors, and/or any other useful information that would assist us in evaluating your corrections."

The initial inspection found a number of issues, nothing overly serious. but mostly what could be considered sloppy procedures.  This included multiple condensation issues, improper sanitation procedures with instances where too high a sanitizer concentration was used, potential cross contamination issues, inadequate handwashing water temperatures, and improperly marked sanitizing agents.  Environmental sampling of 100 samples was negative for Listeria monocytogenes, but one sample was positive for a non-pathogenic species of Listeria.

Clearly some bad vibes going on between the agency and the plant.  If issues were so bad, why did a follow-up inspection not occur, or why wasn't this letter issued in March?  A lot to take away from this.

• Tighten up procedures now rather than having an agency inspector tell you.  Inspections are rarely perfect, but the number of issues seen here show a lack of attention to detail.
• Ensure corrective actions to inspection reports are completed as soon as possible.Those corrective actions must be detailed / documented to cover each and every element addressed in the inspection and be able to demonstrate that the risk issues have been adequately  addressed .  Overkill in documentation support was needed here rather than glossing over.  

Boston Globe
https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/06/14/whoole-foods-kitchen-everett-hit-with-food-safety-violations/U2oSoRitbt1FeV9s3hFf4K/story.html
FDA inspectors find evidence of Listeria at Whole Foods kitchen
By Megan Woolhouse Globe Staff June 14, 2016

General Mills Flour Tests Positive for E. coli O121

FDA has confirmed that a sample of recalled General Mills flour has tested positive for E. coli O121.  This comes as General Mills is recalling 10 million pounds of flour after 38 people have gotten ill.

So if you have this flour, either dispose of it or return it if it has not been opened.


General Mills Website
http://www.generalmills.com/flour
Flour recall
Gold Medal, Gold Medal Wondra, and Signature Kitchens flour recalled due to possible E. coli O121 contamination

June 11
Update:
The FDA has alerted General Mills that it has confirmed one sample from our recalled flour has now tested positive for E. coli O121. The positive test was in flour from the recalled time period noted in the recall below:

More Recalls Associated with Sunflower Seed Recall

(This is a updated re-issuance of the June 9 posting to include added recall notices).
A number of companies are recalling sunflower seed containing food items after SunOptima has expanded their recall  to include all product produced since last May.

• Honey Bunchie, LLC Recalls a Limited Number of Gourmet Honey Bars That Contain SunOpta Sunflower Kernels due to Possible Health Risk
• Creative Snacks Co. Issues Further Expanded Recall on Sunflower Seeds and Trail Mixes Including Sunflower Seeds Due to Possible Health Risk
• Bounce USA Recalls Apple Cinnamon Protein Punch Energy Balls Because of Possible Health Risk
• NoGii Voluntarily Recalls Nuts About Berries Paleo Bars Because of Possible Health Risk Related to Sunflower Seeds
• Post Consumer Brands Voluntarily Recalls Limited Quantity of Great Grains Protein Blend – Honey, Oats & Seeds Cereal Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

From June 9

• Hershey Issues Voluntary Recall of SoFit Products Due to Expanded Supplier Recall of Sunflower Seeds
• Rucker's Wholesale and Service Co. Recalls Sunflower Kernel, Sweet & Salty Mix, Cajun Hot Mix
• Taylors Candy Inc. Recalls "Stuckey’s Sunflower Kernels" Because of Possible Health Risk
• SunOpta Announces Second Expansion of Voluntarily Recall on Market District Pre-Packaged and Bulk Sunflower Seeds Sold at Market District Stores [Giant Eagle]
• Maranatha Brand Voluntarily Recalls Certain Lots of Sunflower Seed Butter
• Brown & Haley Expands Voluntary Recall of Mountain Thins “Trail Mix” Flavor
• Kashi Company Expands Recalls of Impacted Products
• Harvest Expands Recall of Certain Sunflower Kernel Products
• Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Sunflower Seed Containing Products
• Hy-Vee Voluntarily Expands Recalls to include One Salad Topping and Additional Trail Mix Products 
• First Source Expanded Recall Of "Various Products Containing Sunflower Kernels 

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

New Recall Information below
Leak to Earlier Recall Information listed here: http://pennstatefoodsafety.blogspot.com/2016/06/companies-issue-recalls-after-sunflower_9.html

More Snack Items Recalled Due to Peanut Allergen Contamination in Flour

Kellogg Company is recalling selected Keebler, Famous Amos, and Kellogg brand items because the flour used to make those items may have peanut allergen.  This is part of the Grain Craft recall of flour that also forced the recall of products by Frito Lay and Hostess last week.  (Frito Lay updated their recall to include additional products.)

 Mars Chocolate also issued a recall for Combos.

FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm506487.htm
Kellogg Company Voluntarily Recalls Certain Snacks for Potential Undeclared Peanut Residue Due to Flour Supplier Recall
For Immediate Release
June 13, 2016

Display Case LED Lighting Negatively Impacts Milk Quality

Researchers have found that LED lights now being used in more display cases may have a negative impact on milk quality.  As the industry moves to LED lighting for energy savings, milk producers will need to look at packaging materials that will prevent the specific wavelengths that can cause deterioration.

In the release it states that "Riboflavin and other photosensitive components in milk are activated when struck by light energy, releasing a cascade of electrons that can degrade proteins and oxidize fats........LED lighting produces a pattern of wavelength that differs from the fluorescent bulbs that have been used to illuminate display cases. LEDs typically emit in the blue spectrum, around 460 nanometers, and produces a broader emission peak than fluorescents. That peak in LED light is near the narrow band where riboflavin absorbs light, a fact the researchers surmise could be selectively destroying the nutrient and damaging the perceived quality of the milk."

So is LED lighting having an impact on other food products?

EurekAlert
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-06/cu-cso060916.php
Consumers sour on milk exposed to LED light
Public Release: 9-Jun-2016
Cornell University

Introduction of Peanuts During Infancy Reduces Risk of Peanut Allergies

Research has shown that the introduction of peanuts during infancy can reduce the risk of developing peanut allergies later in life.  NIH released findings that this strategy will not have an impact on infant health or eating habits including breast feeding.

This should be an important consideration for new mothers in preventing a potentially life-threatening allergenic reaction for their children

National Institutes of Health
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/peanut-allergy-prevention-strategy-nutritionally-safe-nih-funded-study-shows
Peanut allergy prevention strategy is nutritionally safe, NIH-funded study shows
Friday, June 10, 2016

FDA Recall Program Performing Poorly?

The US Office of Office of Inspector General for HHS is conducting an audit of FDA's recall program.  In their preliminary report, they found that FDA was not acting fast enough.  In this report this statement was made:

"We found that FDA did not have an efficient and effective food recall initiation process that helps ensure the safety of the Nation’s food supply. Specifically, FDA did not have policies and procedures to ensure that firms or responsible parties (collectively referred to in this document as "firms") initiated voluntary food recalls promptly. This issue is a significant matter and requires FDA’s immediate attention."

In response, FDA issued a statement, and in that, wrote:

"FDA oversaw thousands of food recalls, with an average time for recall initiation of less than a week. A small number of these recalls fell well outside of that average, with months passing before all impacted products were taken off shelves, even though the FDA notified the companies involved of a contamination as soon as it had evidence."

FDA News Release
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm505926.htm
Statement on HHS OIG Early Alert on FDA food recall initiation process
For Immediate Release
June 9, 2016

Adult Multivitamin Gummies Recalled After Company Fails to Complete Testing for Salmonella and Staph

Nature Made is recalling their Gummies Adult Multivitamins after they found that Salmonella and Staphylococcus testing was not properly completed on the batches those batches recalled.

It is hard to know the risk of these products without knowing the test results the company had found on a historical basis.  One would guess minimal.

FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm505706.htm
FDA Recall Notice
Nature Made® Recalls Various Products Because of Possible Health Risk
For Immediate Release
June 8, 2016

Food Loss and Waste Standard Published

Food waste is continuing to become a bigger issue.  A group of 'leading' international organizations have written a standard for measuring food loss and waste.  As major retailers push for food loss and waste reductions, these standards can be used to measure that.

In the IFT release:

"In 2015, The Consumer Goods Forum, which represents more than 400 of the world’s largest retailers and manufacturers from 70 countries, adopted a resolution for its members to reduce food waste from their operations by 50% by 2025, with baselines and progress to be measured using the FLW Standard."

IFT Weekly
http://www.ift.org/food-technology/newsletters/ift-weekly-newsletter/2016/june/060816.aspx
June 8, 2016
Organizations partner to introduce food loss, waste global standard