Welcome to the Microbiology Information

Since the beginning of 2009, the list of compamies affected by the salmonella contaminated peanut butter or for that matter any products made by the Peanut Corporation of America has grown larger.

It looks like a huge lawsuit will follow and I’m sure there’ll be an increase in salmonella testing from all food manufacturers.    

Here’s an up to date list from since Jan 09.

 

February 17, 2009

C&K Market, Inc., Parent Company of Ray’s Food Place, Shop Smart, And Price Less Foods, Recalls Bulk Peanuts, Whole Honey Peanuts, and Trail Mix Because of Possible Health Risk

Theo Chocolate Issues Nationwide Recall of “Peanut Butter Big Daddy” and Peanut Confections Due to Possible Health Risk

Bear Naked Announces Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter Granola Due to Peanut Corporation of America Recall

Slim-Fast Updates and Corrects Nationwide Recall Of Three Slim-Fast Bar Products with Peanuts

Junior’s Cheesecake and Desserts Conducts Nationwide Recall Of Selected 8″ Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecakes Because Of Possible Health Risk

February 14, 2009

Multiple Brands of Trail Mix and Fruit and Nut Trail Mix Recalled As Part of Nationwide Peanut Corporation of America Recall

Heavenly Candy Company Issues Nationwide Recall of “Peanut Bliss” Candy Because it May Contain Peanuts Contaminated with Salmonella from the PCA Texas Plant

February 13, 2009

Allann Bros Coffee Recalls All Products That Contain Peanuts Including Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundts, Cowboy Cookies, Monster Cookies, Double Delicious Bars, Turtle Brownies, Rice Pilaf, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Fudge Pie, Peanut Butter Fudge Cups, Sesame Peanut Noodle Salad, Thai Chicken Salad, Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Fudge Bars, Turkey Thai Peanut Soup Because of Possible Health Risk

Premier Packing Company Is Recalling Dry Roasted Unsalted Peanuts, Dry Roasted Salted Peanuts, Fiesta Mix, Toasted Diced Peanuts, Honey Roasted Peanuts, and Roca Toffee because of a Possible Health Risk

Eillien’s Candies, Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of 5oz Nut Topping (Chopped Peanuts) Due to Possible Health Risk

The Alps Candy Recalls Honey Roasted Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Bad Byron’s Specialty Food Products, Inc. Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Bad Byron’s Barbeque Seasoned Roasted Peanuts

Turner Holdings, LLC Announces Voluntary Recall Due to Potentially Contaminated Peanuts

Gayle’s Chocolate Recalls Sugar Free Chocolate Covered Peanuts Sold In-Store and at Detroit Metro Airport Because of Possible Health Risk

Whole Foods Market Stores in Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii Voluntarily Recall Peanut Grinder Products

Slim-Fast® Conducts Nationwide Recall of Three Slim-Fast Bar Products with Peanuts

Betty Lou’s Inc. Recalls Nut Butter Peanut Butter Protein Balls Because of Possible Health Risk

Melaleuca Joins Other National Food Companies and Voluntarily Recalls Attain Nutrition Bars Chocolate Peanut Butter Flavor and ProFlex15 and ProFlex20 Protein Bars Chocolate Peanut Butter Flavor Due to Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America

Balance Bar Company Recalls Honey Peanut Balance Nutrition Energy Bars

Dr. Melina Inc. Recalls Chocolate Peanut Protein Bars Because of Possible Health Risk

Complete Life Potential of Poulsbo, WA Announces a Voluntary Recall of Caveman Peanut & Sea Salt Bar and Salted Corn & Peanut Bar Because of Possible Health Risk

General Mills Voluntarily Recalls Three Flavors of Cascadian Farm Snack Bars Containing Peanuts

Stop & Shop Issues a Voluntary Recall of Two Nature’s Promise Peanut Products

Mountain Man Nut and Fruit Co. Announces Expands Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Cherry Hill Supremes

Cougar Mountain Baking Company Of Seattle, WA Announces a Voluntary Recall of Its Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk, & Ballpark Cookies and Cookie Dough Because of Possible Health Risk

The Annapolis Chocolate Co., Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Select Chocolate Peanut Butter Products Due to Possible Health Risk

February 12, 2009

Arbonne International Expands Its Voluntary Recall of Figure 8® Peanut Butter Chews Due to Possible Health Risk

Blanton’s Candies Recalls Peanut Brittle and Sugar Free Peanut Brittle Because of Possible Health Risk

Brent and Sam’s Announces Expanded Voluntary Recall of Two Previously Recalled Varieties of Archer Farms Brand Cookies

Brent and Sam’s Announces Expanded Voluntary Recall of One Variety of Previously Recalled Sam’s Choice Brand Cookies

Aurora Products Inc. Expands Their Voluntary Recall to Include Organic Raw, Organic Roasted Salted and Organic Roasted Unsalted Peanuts Produced Under Aurora Natural Brand Due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Contamination and Potential Health Risk

American Almond Products Company, Inc. Recalls Selected Lots of Roasted Granulated Peanuts, Peanut Brittle Crunch, Chunky Peanut Butter, Fresh Direct Brand Honey Roasted Peanut Butter and Fresh Direct Brand Chunky Peanut Butter Because of Possible Health Risk

Mooresville Ice Cream Co. Conducts Carolinas Recall of Half Gallon and Three Gallon Containers of ‘Chocolate Peanut Butter Delight’ Flavor of DeLuxe Ice Cream Because of Possible Health Risk

In-Room Plus, Inc and In-Room West, Inc. Conduct Worldwide Voluntary Recall of Select Honey Roasted Peanuts and Hot Cajun Mix Because of Possible Health Risk

Red Wheel Fundraising (RWFR, Inc.) Voluntarily Recalls Cookie Dough Due to Potential Health Risk

GKI Foods Inc. Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut-Containing Candies Because of Possible Health Risk

February 11, 2009

Something Better Natural Foods Conducts Nationwide Recall of Products With Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Germack Pistachio Co. Recalls Sugar Free Milk Chocolate Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Golden Temple of Oregon LLC Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of WHA GURU CHEW Peanut Cashew Bars Due To Possible Health Risk

February 10, 2009

Orchard Crest Farms issues a voluntary recall for some of their snack products due to expanded recall by Peanut Corporation of America concerning contamination with possible health risk

WinCo Foods Recalls Bulk Organic Cascade Trail Mix Containing Peanuts, Distributed in the Western US, Because of a Possible Health Risk

Great Harvest Bread Co. of Bellingham, WA Announces a Voluntary Recall of their Cupids Crunch, Reindeer Food, and Bunny Food holiday snack mixes Because of Possible Health Risk

Best Maid Cookie Company, Inc: Expired Peanut-containing Cookie Products from 2007 Affected by Peanut Recall

Western Trade Group, Inc. Recalls Roasted Peanuts Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Deluxe Ice Cream Co., A Subsidary Of Mattehorn Group Inc., Recalls All Labels Of Tin Roof Sundae, Goo Goo Cluster, Candy Bar Half Gallon Packaged Ice Cream Product, Because Of Possible Health Risk

February 9, 2009

Trader Joe’s Expands Its Voluntary Recall To Include Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies (Midwest, Georgia and Nashville, TN Stores Only) Vegan Trail Mix Cookies (Southern Cal, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada Stores Only) and Trader Joe’s Frozen Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

Kings Super Markets Issues a Voluntary Recall of Kings Branded and Bulk Peanut Products

Pic-A-Nut Company Announces a Voluntary Michigan Recall of Peanut Products because of Possible Risk to Health

Cheryl and Co. Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Peanut Butter/Peanut Cookie and Dough Products Containing Peanuts Supplied by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) as Part of the PCA Expanded Recall

Nestlé HealthCare Nutrition Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of OPTIFAST® Honey Nut ‘n Oat Nutritional Bars Due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Contamination and Potential Health Risk

February 8, 2009

Kerry Ingredients & Flavours Announces Voluntary Recall of Jana’s Peanut Butter Cookie Following Expanded FDA Investigation of Peanut Corporation of America

Peanut Corporation of America Provides Additional Information about Expanded Nationwide Recall of Peanut Products

February 7, 2009

Nassau Candy Conducts Nationwide Recall of Chocolate Peanuts Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Crown Pacific Fine Foods Recalls Sugar Free Milk Chocolate Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

February 6, 2009

Stop & Shop Issues a Voluntary Recall of Simply Enjoy Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts

Hialeah Products, Inc. d/b/a New Urban Farms Conducts Nationwide Recall of Various Snack Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Krispak Recalls Two Gordon Food Service and Spartan Stores Candies With Peanuts Because of Possible Health Ris

Shapiro Produce Recalls of J.J. Kelly Snacks Because of Possible Health Risk

Belfonte Ice Cream and Dairy Foods Co. Announces Voluntary Recall of Ice Cream Due to Possible Health Risk

House of Spices (India) Inc. Recalls Laxmi Hot & Spicy Peanuts Because Of Possible Health Risk

PANOS Brands, LLC Recalls #00112 KA-ME Green Tea Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix

Mountain Man Nut and Fruit Co. Recalls Paddlewheel Trail Mix, Sweet Explosion Snack Mix, Honey Roast Peanuts, Special Mixed Nuts

Mister Snacks, Inc. Expands Natiowide Recall Of Various Snack Products Because Of Possible Health Risk

The Popcorn Factory, Inc. Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Select Popcorn Products Containing Peanut Seasonings

Christie Cookie Recalls Certain Lots of Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Due to Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America

Valley Services, Inc. Recalls Emergency Shelf Stable Meals Because of Possible Health Risk

Cookie Machine Announces a Voluntary Recall of their peanut butter cookie dough due to Potential Health Risk

Coblentz Chocolate Company Recalls Items Because of Possible Health Risk

Coblentz Chocolate Company Recalls Chocolate Fancy Fruit and Nut Mix Because of Possible Health Risk

Charlie’s Specialties Announces a Voluntary Recall of Peanut Containing Items Due To a Possible Health Risk

Stop and Shop Issues a Voluntary Recall of Simply Enjoy Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts

Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods Recalls Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies, Rocky Road Breakfast Cookies and Peanut Butter Home-style Granola Because of Possible Health Risk

Rite Aid Announces Voluntary Recall Of Peanut Products

Hawk’s Lair Inc. Announces a Nationwide Recall of Tins Filled with Candies That Contain Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

A. L. Schutzman Announces Recall of Dry Roasted Peanut and Nut Topping Products due to Recall By Peanut Corporation of America

February 5, 2009

Cuisine Innovations, LLC. Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Assorted Frozen Mini Cheesecake Desserts Following Expanded Peanut Corporation of America Peanut Product Recall

H-E-B Issues Precautionary and Voluntary Recall for Creamy Creations Peanut Brittle Ice Cream

Promedis Announces Voluntary Nationwide U.S. Recall Of Nutrition Bars Because of Possible Health Risk

Omaha Steaks Announces Voluntary Recall of Bridge Mix with Chocolate Covered Peanuts due to Possible Health Risk

Midwest Ice Cream Announces Recall of 56 Ounce Squares and Half Gallons of Meijer’s Candy Bar Swirl Ice Cream Due to Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America

Huckleberry Haven, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls the Following Chocolate Covered Peanut Products Due To Expanded Recall By Peanut Corporation Of America And Because Of Possible Health Risk

Madelaine Chocolate Novelties, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls All Panned Chocolate Items Containing Whole Peanuts Because Of Possible Health Risk

Fannie May Confections, Inc. announces voluntary recall of Bridge Mix and No Sugar Added Milk Chocolate Covered Peanuts produced by Madelaine Chocolate

Ladon W. Abercrombie Recalls Honey Roasted And Fresh Roasted Peanuts Because Of Possible Health Risk

Boston Cookies Announces Recall of Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies and Brownies

Palmer Candy Company Announces A Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Peanut Clusters and Bridge Mix Because of Possible Health Risk

Nature’s Original Announces Recall of Snack Mixes/Snack Nuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Star Kay White Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall of Peanut Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Kmart Announces Voluntary Recall of Certain Items Containing Peanuts Sold at Super Kmart Bakery Locations

Whole Foods Market Recalls Bulk Items Because they May Contain Peanuts Contaminated with Salmonella

February 4, 2009

Premier Nutrition Expands Its Voluntary Nationwide Recall of selected TWISTED and TITAN Branded Bars Containing Peanut Butter Due to Possible Health Risk

Palmer Candy Company Announces A Voluntary Recall of Trail Mix and Snack Mix Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Hershey Creamery Announces Voluntary Recall of Goo Goo Peanut Butter Ice Cream Because of Possible Health Risk

Country Life Natural Foods Conducts Nationwide Recall Of Peanut-Containing Candies Because Of Possible Health Risk

Broughton Foods Recalls 56 Ounce Scrounds of Premium Peanut Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Due to Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America

Meadow Gold Dairy Recalls 56 Ounce Scrounds and Round Pints of Herd of Laughter Tin Can Alley Ice Cream Due to Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America

Purity Dairies Recalls Half Gallon Squares of Nutty Caramel Ice Cream Due to Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America

Fieldbrook Foods Corporation Adds Four Products to Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Select Ice Cream Novelty Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Rich Products Corporation announces nationwide voluntary recall of Peanut Butter Blast Pie and Red Robin 10″ DD Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake due to possible health risk

Unilever United States, Inc. Conducts Nationwide Voluntary Recall Of Breyers Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream Products with Peanuts Due to Possible Health Risk

WinCo Foods Recalls Bulk Candy Items Containing Peanuts Because Of A Possible Health Risk

Mister Snacks, Inc. Conducts Natiowide Recall of Various Snack Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Weaver Popcorn Company Issues a Nationwide Precautionary Voluntary Recall of 9.5 oz. Trail’s End Caramel Corn with Peanuts

Labrada Nutrition Voluntarily Recalls Rockin’ Roll Brand Nutty Peanut Flavor Bars Due to Possible Health Risk

Hiland Dairy Foods Company, LLC Announces Recall of Ice Cream Because of Possible Health Risk

Casey’s General Stores, Inc. Announces a Nationwide Voluntary Recall Because of Possible Health Risk

George J. Howe Co. Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of French Burnt Peanut Products

Amway Global Announces Nationwide Recall Of Xs Energy Bar Chocolate Nut Roll And Expansion Of Nutrilite Energy Bars Recall Because of Possible Health Risk

Harry and David Recalls Nut Clusters and Pretzel Rods Due to Expanded Recall By Peanut Corporation of America

Marlow Candy and Nut Company Announces a Voluntary Recall for its Salted Peanuts, Honey Roasted Peanuts and Hot and Spicy Peanuts Because of a Possible Health Risk

Nutsco Recalls Peanut Products Because Of Possible Health Risk

Summerdale Peanut Co., LLC Recalls 10 Oz Bags of Baldwin County Fried Peanuts Because Of Possible Health Risk

Odwalla: Expired Peanut-containing Bars from 2007 Affected by Peanut Recall — If Any Remain, Consumers Should Destroy

Southwest Specialty Foods Recalls Products Supplied by Peanut Corporation of America

Can Do Kid Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of two flavors of CAN DO KID Bars Containing Peanut Butter Due to Possible Health Risk

Whole Foods Market Recalls Bulk Peanut Products Due To Possible Health Risk

Rich Ice Cream Company, Inc. Issues Multi-State Voluntary Recall of Rich’s Nutty Sundae Cone Because of Possible Health Risk

The Father’s Table, LLC Initiates Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Item code 26000 Gourmet Brownie Variety

Country Home Bakers Recalls Frozen Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

February 3, 2009

Marin Food Specialties, Inc. Recalls Various Snacks and Trail Mixes Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

Trauth Dairy Recalls 8 Ounce Cups and One Half Gallon Squares of Deluxe Peanut Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Due to Expanded Recall by Peanut Corporation of America

Austinuts Wholesale, Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall Of Honey Roasted Peanuts And Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix

ISS Research® Announces Voluntary Recall of OhYeah!® Bars Due To Potential Health Risk

GloryBee Foods, Inc. announces nationwide recall of Honey Roasted Peanut Splits, Whole Raw Blanched Peanuts, Organic Dry Roasted (No Salt) Peanut Splits, Conventional Dry Roasted (No Salt) Peanut Splits, Dry Roasted Granulated Medium Peanuts, Whole Honey Peanuts, Aunt Patty’s Cascade Trail Mix (bulk), and Aunt Patty’s Mt. Hood Trail Mix (also known as Aunt Patty’s Banana Split Trail Mix) (Bulk) Because Of Possible Health Risk

Thrift Products Recalls Thrifty Nut Brand Honey Roasted and Dry Roasted Peanuts Sold in Michigan And Indiana Because of Possible Risk To Health

Stewart’s Shops Recalls Caramel Candy Bar Dip Ice Cream Because Of Possible Health Risk

Nut Bar Company Recalls Candy Shoppe Double Dip Peanuts Sold At Meijer Stores In Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan And Ohio Because Of Possible Health Risk

Georgia Peanut Commission Recalls 11 oz. and 4 lb. Cans of Skinless and Honey Roasted Peanut Product Because of Possible Health Risk

Allegro Fine Foods, Inc. Recalls Wow Thai Peanut Wing Sauce & Dressing Because of Possible Health Risk

Grand Rapids Popcorn Recalls PCA’s 30# Cases of Medium Chop Granulated Peanuts Sold in Michigan and Florida Because of Possible Health Risk

GKI Foods Inc. Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut-Containing Candies Because of Possible Health Risk

CVS/pharmacy Announces Voluntary Recall of Gold Emblem Brand Candy Containing Peanuts

Natural Organics, Inc. Issues Precautionary Nationwide Voluntary Recall on Several Lots of Nature’s Plus Nutritional Bars

Dutch Valley Food Development, Inc. Announces a Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Peanut Products made with Recalled Peanuts

T F Processors Inc. Recalls Double Fudge Peanut Butter Brownies Because of Possible Health Risk

Blue Ribbon Products Inc., Announces Voluntary Recall of Ultimate Gourmet Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Due to Possible Health Risk

Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Stores Announces Voluntary Recall of its Premium Ice Cream Flavor “Peanut Butter Pretzel” Following Expanded FDA Investigation of Peanut Corporation of America

JL Manufacturing Announces Recall Of Candies Containing Peanuts Because Of Possible Health Risk

US Nutrition, Inc. Conducts Nationwide Recall of Karma Organic Double Chocolate Bars and Karma Organic Orange Cranberry Almond Bars Due to Possible Health Risk

ETHEX Corporation Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall

IFS Announces a Nationwide Recall of Snacks Containing Peanuts Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Marathon Ventures, Inc. announces recall of dry, roasted peanuts (foodservice pack) and Bridge Mix due to possible health risk

Turner Holdings Recalls Peanut Butter Bars Because of Possible Health Risk

Wonder Ice Cream Company Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Candy Blast 10oz Cups Because of Possible Health Risk

Kariba Farms Announces Nationwide Recall of NutCrusters™ Thai Peanut

Annie B’s Confections Announces a Voluntary Nationwide Withdrawal of Peanut Containing Desserts Due to Possible Health Risk

Cherrydale Manufacturing LLC Recalls Target Archer Farm and Target Market Pantry Products That Contain Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Dillon Candy Company Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Peanut Rolls Due to Possible Health Risk

Dingman’s Dairy Announces Recall of Soft Dk.Peanut Splits Because of Possible Health Risk

Dingman’s Dairy Announces Recall of Med. Granulated Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Chef Jay’s Food Products Expands Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Products Containing Peanut Butter Due to Possible Health Risk

Torn Ranch Inc., Announces a Voluntary Nationwide Recall of All Products That Contain Dry Roasted and Honey Roasted Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Farley’s and Sathers Candy Company, Inc. Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Select Peanut Items

February 2, 2009

Gel Spice Co. Recalls Small Chop Granules Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Palmer Candy Company Announces A Nationwide Voluntary Recall of French Burnt Peanut and Boston Baked Bean Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Palmer Candy Company Announces Voluntary Recall of Blanched Salted Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Hershey Import Company Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall on Certain Snacks

Aurora Products Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall of Products Containing Roasted Peanuts Produced Under Aurora Natural Brand Due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Contamination and Potential Health Risk

Kerry Ingredients and Flavours Announces Voluntary Recall of Choco Fudge Peanut Ingredient Following Expanded FDA Investigation of Peanut Corporation of America

GKI Foods Inc. Initiates Nationwide Recall of Peanut-Containing Candies Because of Possible Health Risk

Kellogg Company Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Select Keebler® Soft Batch Cookies and Special K Protein™ Meal Bar Honey Almond Flavor and Expansion of the 01/16/09 Recall of Various Crackers and Cookies

Landies Candies Co. Inc Expands Voluntary Recall to Include Select Organic Peanut Clusters Due to Possible Health Risk

Tropical Nut And Fruit Recalls “Granulated Peanuts” Because of Possible Health Risk

Kashi Initiates Nationwide Recall of Select Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bar Flavors And Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Cookie Flavors

Ocean Spray Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of 1.75 oz and 48 oz Fruit and Nut Trail Mix Products

Prairie Farms Dairy Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall Because of Possible Health Risk

Hudsonville Ice Cream Announces a Recall of Candy Bar Whirl Ice Cream Distributed in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio Because of Possible Risk to Health

Crown Pacific Fine Foods Recalls Roasted Honey Peanuts, Virginia Roasted/Salted Peanuts, Virginia Roasted No Salt Peanuts, Roasted/Salted Peanuts, Roasted/Unsalted Peanuts Because of Health Risk Because of Possible Health Risk

Umpqua Dairy issues Voluntary Recall on its Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream products Due to Expanded Peanut Recall by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA)

Earth Island Announces Voluntary Recall on Select Follow Your Heart Deli Products That Contain Peanut Butter Because of Possible Health Risk

Walgreens Recalls Café W Brand Trail Mix Containing Peanuts

Hain Celestial Voluntarily Issues Nationwide Expanded Recall of Certain Ethnic Gourmet® Chicken Pad Thai Because of Possible Health Risk

Cherrydale Manufacturing LLC Recalls Bartons, Cherrydale Farms And Haddington Farms Products That Contain Peanuts Because Of Possible Health Risk

Bindi North America Announces Nationwide Recalls of Peanut Butter Gelato, Dream Bomba, and Peanut Butter Cheesecakes Because of Possible Health Risk

Pecan Deluxe Candy Company Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Certain Peanut Containing Products (Updated Information)

Bear Stewart Corporation Announces Recall of Bear’s Peanut Butter and Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies in All Sizes

Savoy Extraordinary Snacks Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Certain Peanut Containing Products

High’s Recalls Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream

Bucks Ice Cream Recalls Ice Cream Nut Roll Because of Possible Health Risk

House of Flavors Expands Voluntary Recall of Ice Cream Due to Possible Health Risk

Shamrock Foods Company Issues Voluntary Recall on Nutty Sundae Cones

Koppers Chocolate Recalls Peanut Products

Tropical Nut and Fruit of Orlando Recalls Peanut Corporation of America Granulated Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Great Skott Foods Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Snack Mixes

Garden of Life, Inc. Issues a Voluntary Recall of fücoPROTEIN Peanut Butter Crunch Dietary Supplement Bars (Formerly Called Perfect Weight America Peanut Butter Crunch Dietary Supplement Bars)

Hines Nut Company Announces Recall of Honey Roasted Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

February 1, 2009

Genisoy Food Company Announces Voluntary Recall of Genisoy Organic Apple Cinnamon Soy Protein Bars Due to Potential Health Risk

Walgreens Recalls Walgreens Brand Candy Containing Peanuts Sold From Jan. 1, 2007 To Jan. 29, 2009

Pecan Deluxe Candy Company Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Certain Peanut Containing Products

January 31, 2009

Ice Cream Specialties Announces Nationwide Recall of Ice Cream Novelties Because of Possible Health Risk

Bear Naked Announces Recall of Appalachian Trail Mixes Due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America Contamination and Potential Health Risk

Nature’s Path Announces an Expanded Recall of Peanut Butter Optimum Energy Bars Nationwide Due to Possible Health Risk

East Side Entrees Voluntarily Recalls Peanut Butter & Jelly Meal Breaks Because of Possible Health Risk

Zachary Confections, Inc. Announces a Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Market Pantry Chocolate Covered Peanuts

Zachary Confections, Inc. Announces Nationwide Recall of Double Dipped Peanuts, Chocolate Peanuts, Bridge Mix, Caramel Nut Clusters, and Peanut Clusters due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Contamination and Possible Health Risk

Schwan Voluntarily Recalls Ice Cream Citing Possible Health Risk

Standard Candy announces Voluntary Recall of Goo Goo Cluster and Goo Goo Peanut Butter because of possible Health Risk

Hain Celestial Voluntarily Issues Nationwide Recall of Certain Ethnic Gourmet® Pad Thai And Kung Pao Frozen Food Products, And Certain Gluten Free™ Café Asian Curry Products, Because of Possible Health Risk

Bass Pro Shops® Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Uncle Bucks® Burnt Peanut Candy, No Sugar Added Chocolate Peanuts And No Sugar Added Peanut Clusters Due to Possible Health Risk

Kroger Recalls Peanut Butter Bakery Cookies and Select Cakes Due to Possible Health Risk

Rucker’s Candy Announces Voluntary Recall for Customer Private Labeled Products Including The Family Choice Labeled Brand

Werner Gourmet Meat Snacks Inc. Recalls Trail Mixes and Peanut Items Because of Possible Health Risk

Multiple Brands of Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream Recalled as Part of Nationwide Peanut Corporation of America Recall

Nutrition Research Group/Advanced Nutrient Science Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Triple Delicious™, All Natural Mega Protein™ and Oh Soo Good™ Bars

Atkins™ Nutritionals Participates In Voluntary Peanut Recall

January 30, 2009

Giant Food Issues A Voluntary Recall of Simply Enjoy Milk and Dark Chocolate Bridge Mix and Simply Enjoy Milk Chocolate Peanuts

Stop & Shop Issues A Voluntary Recall of Simply Enjoy Milk and Dark Chocolate Bridge Mix and Simply Enjoy Milk Chocolate Peanuts

Meijer Announces Voluntary Recall for Some Meijer Brand Peanuts and Ice Cream Novelties Citing Possible Health Risk

Rain Creek Baking Corporation Announces An Expanded Voluntary Withdrawal of Peanut Butter Turtles, Peanut Butter Baskets and Peanut Butter Princesses Due to Possible Health Risk

Galliker Dairy Announces Voluntary Recall of Rocky Road Ice Cream and Sundae Nut Cones Because of Possible Health Risk

Simbree Energy Foods RECALLS Simbree® Oat Almond Pistash, Simbree® Almond Pistachio Energy Bites and Simbree® Oat Bites with Peanuts, Almonds and Pistachios/ Bouchées d’avoine aux arachides, amandes et pistaches Because of Possible Health Risk

Voluntary Recall Alert: Chef Pierre Chocolate Peanut Butter Silk Pie

Turkey Hill Dairy Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Ice Cream Flavors Following Expanded FDA Investigation of Peanut Corporation of America

NutriSystem Expands Voluntary United States Recall of Peanut Butter Granola Breakfast Bar to Include Canada Due to Possible Peanut Corporation Of America (PCA) Contamination and Potential Health Risk

House of Flavors Issues Voluntary Recall in Eastern United States Due to Possible Health Risk

Wells’ Dairy Expands Voluntary Recall of Select Blue Bunny® Products

Lesserevil Brand Snack Co. Issues a Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Lesserevil Brand Peanut Butter and Choco Kettle Corn

Clif Bar & Company Expands Its Voluntary Nationwide Recall Of CLIF® and LUNA® Branded Bars Containing Peanut Butter

Kroger Recalls Nut Topping Due to Possible Health Risk

Perry’s Ice Cream Company Adds Products to Voluntary Recall of Select Peanut Butter Ice Cream Products as a result of PCA Expanded Recall

Weis Markets Announces Voluntary Recall of Seven Ice Cream Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Salix, LLC Recalls 6″ Peanut Butter Filled Shank Bone Because Of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Publix Issues Voluntary Recall on Produce Snacks

Kemps LLC Recalls Ice Cream Products

Pierre’s Ice Cream Company Issues Voluntary Recall on its Pierre’s Brand Sundae-Cone Style Products Due to Expanded Peanut Recall by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA)

HP Hood LLC Recalls Ice Cream Products

Mountain Man Nut & Fruit Co.® Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Select Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Best Brands Corp. Expands Voluntary Recall of Peanut Butter Frozen Cookie Dough

Velvet Ice Cream Pulling Cone Products

Eillien’s Candies, Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Select Peanut Candy Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Caribou Coffee® Participates in Voluntary Nationwide Peanut Product Recall

Cherrydale Manufacturing LLC Recalls Bartons, Cherrydale Farms and Haddington Farms Products That Contain Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Forward Foods LLC Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of DETOUR® Branded Bars Containing Roasted Peanuts Due to Possible Health Risk

Falcon Trading Company/SunRidge Farms AnnouncesPrecautionary Voluntary Shelf Withdrawal of Several Peanut Products

Safeway Recalls Selected Peanut Products Sold at 66 Stores with Nut Kiosks

Giambri’s Quality Sweets Recalls Peanut Butter Easter Eggs Because Of Possible Health Risk

Super Store Industries Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Ice Cream Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets Inc. Fresh Ground Peanut Citing Possible Health Risk

Eillien’s Candies, Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Select Jars of Dry Roasted Peanuts Due to Possible Health Risk

Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. Recalls Four Atkins Products That Contain Granulated Peanuts or Peanut Pieces Sourced from the Peanut Corporatin of America

January 29, 2009

Wells’ Dairy Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Blue Bunny Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Recalls Three Bakery Products with Peanuts

Fieldbrook Foods Corp. Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Select Ice Cream Novelty Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Hy-Vee Inc. Recalls Two Bakery Products with Peanuts Distributed in Seven States Due to Possible Health Risk

Country Maid Expands Upon Previous Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Classic Breaks Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Due to Possible Health Risk

Orchard Valley Harvest Announces Urgent Nationwide Voluntary Recall for Peanuts Because of Possible Health Risk

Arico Natural Foods Company Announces US and Canadian Recall of Arico Peanut Butter Cookies and Cookie Bars Because of Possible Health Risk

Harry and David Recalls Olympia Delight Trail Mix Because of Possible Health Risk

Publix Issues Voluntary Recall on Round Top Sundae Cones

January 28, 2009

Ther-Rx Corporation Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Products

ETHEX Corporation Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Products

House of Flavors Issues Allergy Alert for Undeclared Walnuts in Hanniford Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sold at Sweetbay Supermarkets in Florida

Peanut Corporation of America Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut Products

Uncle Eddies Vegan Cookies Announces Recall of Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies Because of Possible Health Risk

January 27, 2009

FDA Warns Consumers Against Dietary Supplement Containing Undeclared Drug

SOPAKCO, Inc. Announces a Nationwide Recall of Certain SURE-PAK 12 Meals Containing Peanut Butter Products

Carolina Prime Pet Announces Nationwide Recall of Dog Treats

Jenny Craig Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Jenny’s Cuisine® Anytime Peanut Butter Flavor Nutritional Bars Due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Contamination and Potential Health Risk

Isagenix Announces Voluntary Recall of Chocolate Dipped Honey Peanut IsaLean® Bar Due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Contamination and Potential Health Risk

January 26, 2009

Cropwell Bishop Creamery Limited Recalls Cheese Products Because of Possible Health Risk

January 24, 2009

Voluntary Recall Issued for ShopRite Peanut Butter on Toasty Crackers and ShopRite Peanut Butter and Cheese Cracker Snacks Because of Possible Health Risk

January 23, 2009

Marin Food Specialties, Inc. Recalls Nationwide Various Nuggets and Peanut Butter Cookies Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

Salix Voluntarily Recalls Dog Treat Due to Possible Health Risk

Brent and Sam’s Announces Nationwide Recall of Two Varieties of Archer Farms Brand Cookies

Brent and Sam’s Announces a Nationwide Recall of One Variety of Sam’s Choice Brand Cookies

Amway Global Initiates Nationwide Recall of NUTRILITE Energy Bars Because of Possible Health Risk

Whole Foods Market Recalls “Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets”

Stonewall Kitchen Voluntarily Recalls Seven Dessert Sauces

Supreme Protein Voluntarily Recalls Supreme Protein® brand Peanut Butter Crunch Bars and Caramel Nut Bars

Trader Joe’s Expands Its Voluntary Recall To Include Trader Joe’s Sliced Green Apples With All Natural Peanut Butter

Falcon Trading Company/SunRidge Farms Withdraws Naturally Preferred Honey Nut Nuggets

Falcon Trading Company/SunRidge Farms Withdraws Certain Lots of SunRidge Tropical Golden Nugget, SunRidge Chocolate Energy Bar and SunRidge Energy Nuggets

ALDI Statement Regarding Peanut Butter Products Recall

Happy Tails And Shoppers Valu Brand Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits Recalled As Part Of Nationwide Peanut Corporation Of America Recall

Dough-to-Go, Inc. recalls Dough-To-Go, Jane Dough and Auntie Ono Cookie Dough with peanut butter products due to possible health risk

January 22, 2009

Aspen Hills, Inc. Announces Voluntary Product Recall of Certain Cookie Dough Products

Nash Finch Recalls Bakery Products With Peanut Butter Distributed in Seven States Due to Possible Health Risk

South Bend Chocolate Company Extends Nationwide Recall of Candy Containing Peanut Butter Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

Rain Creek Baking Corporation Announces Voluntary Withdrawal of Peanut Butter Turtles, Peanut Butter Baskets and Peanut Butter Princesses Due to Possible Health Risk

Chef Jay’s Food Products Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Products Containing Peanut Butter Due to Possible Health Risk

General Nutrition Centers, Inc. Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Certain Lots of GNC Triflex Peanut Butter Soft Chews

Perry’s Ice Cream Company Adds Two Products to Voluntary Recall of Select Peanut Butter Ice Cream Products

Jimmy’s Cookies Issues Nationwide Recall of Various Peanut Butter Cookies Due to Possible Health Risk

Arbonne International Voluntarily Recalls Figure 8 Peanut Butter Chews Due To Possible Health Risk

Parker Products, Inc. Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Certain Peanut Butter Products

Trader Joe’s Announces Voluntary Recall of Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars, Nutty Chocolate Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars and Sutter’s Formula Cookies Due to Possible Health Risk

January 21, 2009

NutriSystem Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Peanut Butter Granola Bar Due to Possible Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Contamination and Potential Health Risk

Blanton’s Candies Recalls Peanut Butter Sticks Because of Possible Health Risk

Landies Candies Co. Inc Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Peanut Butter Filled Chocolates Due to Possible Health Risk

Lovin Oven, LLC Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Certain Health Valley Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars

Best Brands Corp. Announces Voluntary Recall of Peanut Butter Frozen Cookie Dough

Creative Energy Foods, Inc. Recalls Nutrition Bars Due To Possible Health Risk

January 20, 2009

Country Maid Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Classic Breaks® Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Due to Possible Health Risk

Nature’s Path Recalls Peanut Butter Optimum Energy Bars Nationwide Because of Possible Health Risk

PetSmart Voluntarily Recalls Grreat Choice® Dog Biscuits

Ready Pac Foods, Inc Announces Voluntary Product Recall

Premier Nutrition Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of selected TWISTED and TITAN Branded Bars Containing Peanut Butter Due to Possible Health Risk

Boca Grande Foods Announces a Nationwide Recall of POCO PAC®, and GRANDE GOURMET™ Peanut Butter Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Dinners Ready Meridian Recalls November & December Asian Marinated Flank Steak, Indonesian Chicken and Chicken Satay Prepared Meals Because of Possible Health Risk

Weis Markets Announces Voluntary Recall of Weis Quality (WQ) Cheese Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers and WQ Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers Due to Possible Health Risk

Kroger Recalls Additional Select Ice Cream Product Due to Possible Health Risk

Cub Foods™ Brand Peanut Butter Cookies Recalled As Part of Nationwide Peanut Corporation of America Recall

January 19, 2009

Meijer Announces Voluntary Recall for Some Meijer Brand Peanut Butter Crackers and Ice Cream Because of Possible Health Risk

Abbott Nutrition Announces Voluntary Recall of ZonePerfect® Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, ZonePerfect® Peanut Toffee Bars and NutriPals™ Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars in U.S., Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore

Kroger Recalls Select Ice Cream Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Clif Bar & Company Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of CLIF® and LUNA® Branded Bars Containing Peanut Butter Due to Possible Health Risk

Evening Rise Bread Co. Recalls Peanut Butter Cookies and Bars Because of Possible Health Risk

General Mills Issues Voluntary Recall of LÄRABAR and JamFrakas Peanut Butter Snack Bars

January 18, 2009

McKee Foods Corporation Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Little Debbie® Peanut Butter Toasty and Peanut Butter Cheese Sandwich Crackers Because of Possible Health Risk

South Bend Chocolate Company Recalls Various Candys Containing Peanut Butter Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products Recalls Wal-Mart Bakery Brand Peanut Butter Cookies Because Of Possible Health Risk

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products Recalls Lofthouse Peanut Butter Cookies, Chuck’s Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies And Pastries Plus Gourmet Cookies Nationwide Because Of Possible Health Risk

Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products Recalls Food Lion Bake Shop Peanut Butter Cookies Nationwide Because Of Possible Health Risk

Peanut Corporation of America Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter

January 17, 2009

Hy-Vee Inc. Recalls Bakery Products With Peanut Butter Distributed in Seven States Due to Possible Health Risk

Perry’s Ice Cream Company Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Peanut Butter Ice Cream Products Due to Possible Health Risk

H-E-B Recalls H-E-Buddy Snack Packs With a Peanut Butter Dip

January 16, 2009

Salmonella-Tainted Peanut Butter Found in Connecticut

Kellogg Company Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Austin® and Keebler® Branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers and Select Snack-Size Packs of Famous Amos® and Keebler® Soft Batch Peanut Butter Cookies Because of Possible Health Risk

Peanut Corporation of America Expands Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter

January 14, 2009

Kellogg Company Announces Precautionary Hold on Austin and Keebler Branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers

January 13, 2009

Peanut Corporation of America Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Peanut Butter

January 12, 2009

Salmonella recovered from King Nut peanut butter by MDA lab found to be a genetic match to cases in national Salmonella outbreak

January 10, 2009

King Nut Issues Peanut Butter Recall

 

The U.S. health officials were the first to be alerted to the current peanut-based salmonella outbreak through a special government computer network called PulseNet.

The only problem with the system is that it relies on doctors testing patients and it takes interviews with patients to identify the food source. Here is an explanation of how this system works:

Q: What is PulseNet?

A: It’s a national network of public health labs coordinated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When state and local health officials get lab results of people sick with food poisoning, they post information about cases on the WebBoard, the PulseNet listserv. State and national health officials use this information to look for patterns.

PulseNet gets its name from a lab technology called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, which enables investigators to do DNA “fingerprinting” of the infection bacteria and its strain subtype.

It’s somewhat like an FBI database that can compare fingerprints from an arrest record in California to fingerprints at the scene of a crime in Florida and determine if it’s the same crook. It takes about two days to run a genetic fingerprint on a sample. Each year, PulseNet identifies more than 300 clusters of patients infected with salmonella, E. coli, shigella and listeria.

Q: How comprehensive is it?

A: This network can’t catalog every case in an outbreak. Only some people who get sick go to doctors, and not all doctors run tests to confirm what infection the patient has. Health officials estimate that the actual number of illnesses in an outbreak may be 10 times higher than the lab network reports.

But by detecting an outbreak while it’s still going on and then identifying the food that’s spreading it, health officials believe they can prevent countless illnesses and some deaths.

Other countries have similar systems. The CDC routinely shares data with Canada, but not with other countries.

Q: How long does it take to identify a foodborne germ?

A: It generally takes two to four weeks from the time the first person in a cluster gets ill until the cluster is detected by PulseNet. In the case of the peanut butter outbreak, CDC first detected a national pattern in November, the month after substantial numbers of lab-tested illnesses first emerged.

CDC officials did not disclose the outbreak until January. They said it took more than a month for health officials to interview sick patients to determine that peanut butter was the food they all had in common. Then, a test from a peanut butter container in Minnesota found the outbreak strain of salmonella.

Q: Can’t this process be sped up?

A: The PulseNet system itself is relatively rapid. But investigation timelines are driven by what patients and doctors do about illnesses, and how quickly health officials in individual states react.

“The PulseNet system is a great system. The problem is it’s a 22nd century system resting on pillars of epidemiologic research that go back to the 1800s,” said Bill Marler, a Seattle plaintiff’s attorney who specializes in national food poisoning cases.

Such limitations may explain why Florida has had no lab-confirmed cases in the current salmonella outbreak. Unlike some other states, Florida does not require doctors and hospitals to send salmonella samples to a state lab for analysis and does not budget to handle such a workload. At least 270 samples that may be the outbreak strain have been collected, but only 25 were sent to a state lab for genetic fingerprinting.

Q: How long has this network been in place?

A: PulseNet was launched in 1996, but didn’t have the participation of all states until 2002. The cost is shared by the CDC and states. CDC says it spends about $5.6 million annually, but has no figure for what states spend.

The origin of the system lies with a 1993 outbreak of E. coli food poisoning in the western United States. CDC successfully used DNA fingerprinting to nail the strain of E. coli O157:H7 that sickened hundreds and killed four children; it was traced to hamburger patties served at Jack in the Box restaurants. That’s when the idea of a collaborative system among the states and federal government began to take shape.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/pulsenet/

I just hope we see more technical people in senior levels – safety should be in the same light as profits.

Listeria appears again – but this time in sandwiches wwhere it was sold to 20 people at Middlemore Hospital in New Zealand.

These pre-packaged Thai chicken sandwiches were sold on Monday at the hospital’s Aviary Cafe, which is mainly used by staff.

The contamination was detected in routine listeria testing where the results were given to the hospital yesterday.

It was not known last night whether other sandwich varieties at the cafe were infected, or if other products from the sandwiches’ supplier, Naturezone, were infected with listeria and had been distributed to other outlets.

The bacterium can be fatal to people with low immune systems and can cause miscarriages or stillbirths if it infects pregnant women.

A spokeswoman for Spotless Services, the company that runs the cafe, said it was not yet known how many of its outlets had been stocked with the sandwiches. Naturezone could not be reached for comment last night.

Auckland Regional Public Health Service spokesman Dr Greg Simmons said last night that greatly improved methods of testing were bringing the listeria cases to the surface.

All positive tests in the past three weeks had come from the same testing facility.

“We are conducting a thorough site inspection at the company and we will ensure extensive product and environmental testing to identify the source,” Dr Simmons said

Despite the relatively low risk, he said, it was a serious situation.

“We are concerned that a whole lot of ready-to-eat products look like they are being contaminated. We would be silly not to be concerned.”

The bacterium usually produces fever, diarrhoea and general unwellness within three weeks of infection, although it can take as long as 10 weeks for symptoms to show.

Public health officials in the U.S. are investigating a major outbreak of listeria and have found up to 16 samples with the listeria bacteria at a milk processing plant.

The outbreak has resulted in the deaths of 3 elderly men who have died since June after drinking pasteurized milk that was contaminated with the bacteria.

The same strain of listeria also sickened a pregnant woman, who then miscarried and a second woman also was sickened after drinking milk from the plant.

The dairy processing plant in Shrewsbury is 35 miles west of Boston in Massachusetts, and is owned by Whittier Farms.

While officials have yet to determine exactly how the milk was contaminated, one environmental swab, one skim milk sample and seven flavored milk samples tested positive for the same strain of listeria that is now being blamed for the outbreak that sickened people.

The milk appears to have been contaminated during the production process and could have been lurking somewhere within the machinery. Experienced microbiologists are currently on site to determine the cause of the outbreak and to find potential reservoirs of the deadly micro-organisms.

So far, no further cases have been reported and health officials maintain that the health risk to the public is low.

The processing plant distributes milk under various brand names to stores across central Massachusetts and also operates a 500-acre farm in the town of Sutton.

Officials say the plant has been closed since December and will remain so while investigations continue and the bacterium is completely eradicated.

Here’s what they say on their site:

“Whittier Farms Inc. was notified today by the Department of Public Health that a press release would be issued today informing the public that Whittier Farms Inc. is being linked to cases involving listeria. Whittier Farms is fully cooperating with this investigation and will continue to do so.”

Listeriosis is a type of food poisoning that can be particularly dangerous to the elderly, infants, pregnant women and people with low immune system such as those chronic medical conditions; the symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps, headache, stiffness, nausea and diarrhea.

Here is a load of crap, pajamas that is designed to protect against MRSA by incorporating silver into its fabric at a level of 2%.

They claim that by having 2% silver woven into its fabric, it can protect against the hospital super bug MRSA. It has already gone on sale UK with M&S the first British retailer to stock the £45 Sleep Safe pajamas and is trialing them at 100 stores.

Silver is known for its infection-fighting properties and silver-laced nightwear has already been tested in a handful of hospitals.

But campaigners called the pajamas a gimmick and said the only way to tackle MRSA was by making hospitals cleaner.

MRSA

MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a bacterium that can live completely harmlessly on the skin of healthy people but can lead to serious infection.

MRSA infections can cause a broad range of symptoms depending on the part of the body that is infected. These may include surgical wounds, burns, catheter sites, eye, skin and blood.

Dr Mark Enright, a microbiologist at Imperial College London, said that the pajamas would reduce the risk of a patient getting a skin infection that enters a wound.

The problem lies within the hospitals. They are dirty and it should not be up to the public to safeguard themselves

Tony Kitchen of MRSA Support

A spokesman for M&S said: “The fabric that the pajamas are made of has been clinically proven to reduce the risk of MRSA by killing bacteria that come into contact with the fabric.

“Clinical trials are currently ongoing and are three quarters of the way through. The interim results were positive.”

They are only available for men at present and are produced using a fabric which 2% silver has woven into it.

Katherine Murphy, from the Patients’ Association, said: “We welcome the fact these are going on sale, but it shows how desperate the public is.”

However, Tony Kitchen of MRSA Support said: “It sounds like a gimmick – it cannot be a super suit and probably doesn’t make a jot of difference.

“The problem lies within the hospitals. They are dirty and it should not be up to the public to safeguard themselves, it’s the ethos of the hospital that needs to change.”

A spokesman added that if the pajamas did prove effective then they ought to be provided by the health service. rather than paid for by the patient.

The EU and US positions at a Codex meeting to set international standards on food safety foreshadow future legislation that would affect hygiene control measures in manufacturing plants, and the manufacture of powdered formulae, ready-to-eat foods, and pasteurised liquid eggs.

In the six day meeting which ended on the 4 November in New Delhi, India, national representatives to Codex’s food hygiene committee also decided to start work on drafting safety guidelines setting standards to control Campylobacter and Salmonella specie in broiler chicken meat.

At the New Delhi meeting they discussed various positions, including those relating to proposed standards for pasteurized liquid whole eggs, hygienic practice for processing powdered formulae for infants and children, pathogen control measures for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods & guidelines for evaluating manufacturing control measures.

Codex is a multilateral body set up to develop food safety and other standards that would apply to all member countries.

It operates under the aegis of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation.

The standards are recognised as international benchmarks by one of the multilateral agreements of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and aim to eliminate many of what the UN calls “unjustified technical barriers” to food imports set up by some countries.

The standards also serve to harmonise food safety laws globally, aiding multinational processors in following the law no matter where they trade.

The standards on each particular topic and food type can undergo a huge revision process at various levels of Codex decision making bodies, over a number of years. Member countries must then transcribe the standards into their national laws.

The proposed standard setting what pathogen controls for Listeria monocytogenes ready-to-eat food processors must put in place is based in the main on US risk assessments, according to Codex documents.

Based on the risk assessments, a working group led by Germany concluded that a zero tolerance standard for L. monocytogenes have a proportional reduction in the rates of illness from foods contaminated with the pathogen.

A study commissioned by the food hygiene committee showed that the application of microbiological criteria at a given point of the production chain is only one of the measures that need to be applied, to bring down contamination rates.

The committee proposes to exclude from the criteria foods that are processing in such a way to ensure the killing of L. monocytogenes and for which recontamination is not possible.

The foods must also be processed and handled under systems adhering to good hygienic practice (GHP), a separate international standard.

Such foods include those given a listericidal treatment in the package and those that are produced through aseptic processing and packaging.

The group includes dehydrated products such as powdered milk, dehydrated soup mixes, herbs and spices, fresh, uncut and unprocessed vegetables and fruits, soft drinks, beer and spirits.

At the meeting the EU delegation also proposed that the standard should specifically include ready-to-eat foods for infants and those with medical conditions.

The EU supports a 100 colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) limit on the pathogen for ready-to-eat foods, if the food manufacturer is able to demonstrate the maximum would not be exceeded throughout the shelf-life.

The EU delegation also noted that setting a zero tolerance standard, where a negative reading is set at 25g = 0.04 colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) “might cause misunderstandings”.

The EU also wants clarification on foods not covered by the testing standard, pointing out that previous discussions had also discussed products for which Listeria monocytogenes is “very unlikely” to be detected.

Clarification is also needed about the proposed exclusion of foods for which there is less than ’1 log’ growth during 1.3 times the expected shelf life, the EU stated in its submission. Various definitions of ‘shelf-life’ might confuse the issue.

At the meeting the Codex committee also set its priorities for proposed standards, with those for egg products topping the list.

Other priorities in order are standards for infant and children foods; combining two codes of practice for various nuts into one; setting a single hygienic code for fruits, vegetable and products made from them; quick frozen foods, spices and aromatic plants; low-acid and acidified low-acid canned foods and aseptically processed and packaged low-acid canned foods, natural mineral waters, frog legs, catering, and street-vended foods.

The WTO’s Codex Alimentarius Commission is the body set up to harmonise food safety and other export requirements around the world.

Member countries’ representatives meet regularly to debate a common position or standard on every aspect of such requirements, from the holding temperatures in frozen meat should be kept at, to processing requirements for specific types of cheeses.

Agreements forged at Codex meetings could eventually affect the way processors operate worldwide as they become incorporated into national laws in various countries around the world.

Source

According to Itar-Tass (Moscow), a total of 444 construction workers has been infected with food poisoning and remains in hospitals within the Moscow region.

A total of 444 workers employed at Sheremetyevo (3 terminal in Moscow), the IKEA – Khimki Business Park construction sites had been hospitalized since June 20 with symptoms of food poisoning, a representative of the Ministry for Emergency Situations said.

The workers – citizens of Russia, the CIS and Turkey, lived at the Iskorka and Morozovka recreation compounds in the village of Myshetskoye of the Solnechnogorsk district. Poor quality food was is a presumed cause of food poisoning, a source of the infection is being established, the same source said.

Managers of the ENKA Company have been questioned within the framework of an investigation into mass food poisoning of construction workers employed at Terminal 3 at Sheremetyevo airport.

Almost all of the workers arrived in Russia from Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan to work on construction sites in Moscow. They lived on the premises of Ozero Krugloye recreation center in the Solnechnogorsk district.

According to preliminary data, all the victims have been infected with the salmonella bacteria and the source of the food for the workers were brought from Moscow.

The ENKA company might be stripped of the right to employ foreign workforce, the regional branch of the Federal Migration Service told Tass. “Since the company failed to fulfill its guarantees to the workers, which entailed grave consequences – mass food poisoning, and failed to ensure proper living conditions for the workers we are raising the issue of recalling the company’s license for the use of foreign workforce,” the Federal Migration Service said.

An operational headquarters for prevention of emergency situations in the Moscow region that is working round the clock has been following the situation. Healthcare Minister of the Moscow region Vladimir Semyonov said the workers’ condition was assessed as “medium seriousness”. Luckily, none of the sick people is in serious condition now, Semyonov said.

Deputy chairman of the government of the Moscow region Sergei Koshman said that the workers lived under conditions that did not meet the norm. Having obtained the license to accommodate 500 people, the employers invited 800 instead, Koshman said.

Source

On the morning during August, several students from Northern Lehigh High School showed symptoms of staphylococcus infections or possibly respiratory “walking pneumonia.”

Later in the day, Principal Aileen Yadush wrote a letter to parents and had it posted on the school district’s Web site under a bold red link reading, “Alert!: Staphylococcus Infection Letter.”

The letter mentions the source of the infections was unclear but they narrowed it down to the school’s field house weight room.

The field house was closed and a professional cleaning crew was hired to scrub every surface and every piece of equipment.

The letter explained what type of bacteria it is – staphylococcus aureus, how to look for symptoms and what to do in case something unusual is found on students’ bodies.

The letter also assured parents and students “we will take every possible precaution in maintaining their safety and health.” which is a bold statement.

In a recent environmental survey conducted by University of Arizona researchers, surfaces in teachers’ classrooms came in as the Number 1 workplace for germs which is nearly 20 times higher than those found in lawyers’ offices, and seven times higher than doctors’ offices.

With over 2,000 parents questioned in the survey, 14 percent said they send their children to school despite running a fever higher than 100 degrees.

Educating children on proper hand washing and taking basic sanitation measures could hold down the germ level.

Bethlehem Health Bureau Director Judy Maloney says the bureau and local schools work clean-hand in clean-hand using a program called Germ City: Clean Hands, Healthy People.

The bureau also mailed a letter to principals at elementary and middle schools.

That letter urges schools to contact parents and let them know how important it is to keep sick children home.

Dr. Bonnie Coyle, director of St. Luke’s Hospital’s Community Health Department in Fountain Hill, says direct education programs are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to corral germs.

“If there is a child that has a disease that is a community health threat,” she says, “we get involved.”

In New Jersey, Mary Van Horn, supervisor of the Warren County Board of Health in Washington, says, “My department focuses on flu and pneumonia immunization, but good hand washing is so important.”

Coyle ventures one reason why.

“I think we’re seeing more emerging infectious disease threats,” Coyle says. “As the world becomes smaller through international travel, we’re seeing more drug-resistant tuberculosis. Then there are the things that have always been there (flu, staphylococcus, meningitis and other infectious diseases.)”

Coyle also says that since the 9/11 terrorism attacks, bioterrorism is becoming an issue.

“It’s certainly not a crisis,” she soothes, “but it’s something schools need to keep in mind.”

Source

While America’s food supply is the safest in the world, food poisoning is responsible for approximately 76 million illnesses in the United States each year. In fact, it is estimated that 60% or more of the raw poultry sold today probably has disease-causing bacteria. Anyone eating food contaminated by certain bacteria, parasites, or viruses can get food poisoning. Certain factors such as age and physical condition can make certain people more susceptible to food poisoning than others. Infants, pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk.

For most people in good condition, food poisoning is usually neither long lasting nor life-threatening. However, to less healthy individuals it can become a serious health threat, accounting for approximately 5,000 deaths each year.

The good news is that by taking simple precautionary steps while purchasing, handling, and preparing food you can prevent most cases of food poisoning in the home.

What causes food poisoning? Food poisoning is most commonly caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses that may be present in the food that you have eaten. You may have heard the names of many of these organisms. They include Escherichia coli (E coli), Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium botulinum, Shigella, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Trichinella, and Hepatitis A virus, just to name a few. They can be present in a wide range of food including red meat, poultry, milk and other dairy products, eggs, unpasteurized vegetable juices and ciders, spices, chocolate, seafood, and even water.

These organisms may be present on your food when it is bought or can get into the food, including cooked food, if the food comes into contact with raw meat juices on dirty utensils, cutting boards, or countertops used to prepare contaminated food. That’s why it is important not only to thoroughly cook your food, but to wash your hands, utensils, and countertops, before and after you handle raw foods.

What are the symptoms? Symptoms will vary depending on the type and amount of contaminants eaten. Some people may get ill after ingesting only a small amount of harmful bacteria, while others may remain free of symptoms after eating larger quantities. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain (cramps), fever, headache, and fatigue. Symptoms may develop as soon as 30 minutes after eating tainted food, but more commonly do not develop for several days or weeks. Symptoms of viral or parasitic food poisoning may not appear for several weeks, while some toxins in fish may take only a few minutes to cause symptoms.

If you have botulism, you probably will not have a fever and the symptoms may include blurred vision, fatigue, dry mouth and throat.

How food poisoning is diagnosed Food poisoning is often suspected when several people become ill after eating the same meal. To diagnose the cause of the illness, your doctor will need to know the symptoms and what was eaten right before the illness occurred. The doctor may need samples of the food, bowel movements, or vomit. These samples can be tested in a laboratory to determine if the food was contaminated and identify the organism causing the illness.

How is it treated? If the symptoms are severe, the victim should see a doctor or get emergency care. Treatment depends on the severity and cause of the food poisoning. Generally, for mild cases of food poisoning, the doctor will recommend for you to rest, drink fluids to prevent dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhea, and to follow a specific diet. It usually only takes about 1 to 5 days to recover from food poisoning.

If you have botulism, your doctor will prescribe an antitoxin. Other types of food poisoning have no antidote. Antibiotics are usually not helpful in treating food poisoning. Medicine to stop vomiting and stomach cramping may be given.

Prevention is the best approach to avoid food poisoning Most cases of food poisoning can be prevented. Below is a list of a few simple Do’s and Don’ts to help you avoid food-borne illness in the home.

● Do wash your hands, utensils, cutting boards, and countertops between different foods ● Do hrefrigerate or freeze perishables right away (Refrigerator temperature should be 41Ëš F and freezer 0ËšF) ● Do thoroughly cook foods. Cook beef, lamb, and pork to an internal temperature of 160ËšF; whole poultry and thighs to 180ËšF; poultry breasts to 170ËšF, ground chicken or turkey to 165ËšF ● Do hrefrigerate leftover foods as soon as possible; leftovers shouldn’t remain unrefrigerated longer than 2 hours. ● While food shopping, do select frozen foods and perishables such as meat, poultry, and fish last- before checking out ● Do use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or plastic that are free of cracks and crevices ● Do store raw meats in leak-proof containers or on the bottom of the hrefrigerator to prevent juices from dripping on other foods ● Don’t allow uncooked meats, meat juices, or unwashed fruits and vegetables to come in contact with either cooked or washed foods ● Don’t buy frozen seafood if the packages are open, torn, or crushed on the edges ● Don’t buy food in cans that are bulging or dented, or in jars that are cracked ● Don’t ever buy outdated food. Check the “use by” or “sell by” dates ● Don’t buy unpasteurized milk or dairy products ● Do not buy hrefrigerated or frozen products that are not displayed at the proper temperature ● Do not let small children put foods away unsupervised

More information about this important health subject can be obtained from the following sources: Gateway to Government Food Safety Information www.foodsafety.gov U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/wh-food.html Food Safety and Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/consumerpubs.htm

Supported as an educational service by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. This information is not intended for use as medical advice. You should discuss this information with your doctor.

Avaraham Henoch, MD 564 West 160th Street New York, NY 10032 Phone: (212) 740-6400