The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Safety Inspection Service recently expanded a Sep. 28 recall for Tip Top Poultry, Inc. products due to a potential Listeria monocytogenes concern.

According to Top Top’s initial press release from Sep. 28, “Today, after extensive testing and in conjunction with the USDA, and out of an abundance of caution for consumers’ health and wellness, we are doing a voluntary recall of all cooked, hot deboned fowl meat produced during the time frame from Jan. 22, 2019 to Sep. 24, 2019.” The most recent update to recall includes an expanded list of products and retailers.

Recalled Product Description: Tip Top Poultry

The recall includes frozen cooked, diced or shredded ready-to-eat chicken products produced between Jan. 21 and Sep. 24, 2019. These include poultry products sold at a variety of retailers across the United States, including Trader Joe’s, Food Lion, Piggly Wiggly, Harris Teeter, IGA, BI-LO, Giant Supermarket, ALDI and others. For a full list of retailers that received or sold the recalled chicken, visit the USDA’s website here.

Why the Chicken Was Recalled

According to Tip Top, in a press release, “In early summer, we received word from the Centers for Disease Control that they were investigating an outbreak of listeriosis. As part of their investigation, the United States of Agriculture and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency were testing consumer products to determine if they could find a source for the illnesses.”

After one out of 10 samples taken from a Manitoba food court tested positive for listeria, Tip Top retained a third-party sanitation firm to make changes in its Rockmart, Georgia ready-to-eat cooking facility. Of the contamination findings, Tip Top noted, “We were shocked, saddened and moved to action when we learned this.”

Following another positive test, on Sep. 25, Tip Top made more changes, “First, we placed all of the products from that cooking line on hold so that no more risk would be introduced into the marketplace. In addition, we conducted a voluntary recall of all items from that production line since Jan. 21 even though only a few days tested positive.” The company also retained an independent operational food safety expert, shut down the affected cooking line and investigated the line for the root cause.

As of now there are no reports of illnesses due to the recalled chicken products.

How to Tell If Your Chicken Was Recalled

The recalled chicken bears the establishment number “Est. P-17453” inside the USDA mark of inspection and product codes from 10000 to 19999 and 70000 to 79999. Visit the USDA’s website here for a full list of recalled products and retailers.

What Consumers Can Do

If you have the recalled chicken do not eat it. Throw the product away or return it the place of purchase. Consumers with questions can visit the Tip Top website here.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Caleb Oquendo via Pexels

 

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Consider Bardwell Farm has recalled Dorest, Slyboro and Experience cheeses sold at Whole Foods locations in seven states for possible listeria contamination. This is a voluntary and precautionary recall and no illnesses have been reported to date.

If you purchased this type of cheese at Whole Foods recently, read on for important recall information.

Recalled Product Description: Dorset Cheese

The recall includes Dorset cheese sold at Whole Foods stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. It also includes Slyboro and Experience cheeses sold at certain Whole Foods locations in New York and Vermont. The cheese is wrapped in plastic with a Whole Foods Market scale label and a sell-by date of October 30.

Why the Cheese Was Recalled

The distributor of the cheese, Consider Bardwell Farm, has recalled the cheese due to the possibility of listeria contamination which was discovered by routine testing of finished products.

How To Tell If Your Cheese Was Recalled

If you purchased Dorset cheese at a Whole Foods location in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York or Rhode Island check the wrapper of the cheese for the sell-by date of October 30.

What Consumers Should Do

Stop use and return the cheese along with a receipt of purchase to Whole Foods for a refund.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a voluntary recall of five-pound bags of General Mills Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour due to E. coli contamination concerns. Representatives from General Mills did not immediately return Red Tricycle’s request for comment.

If you think you have this product in your home, read on for important recall information.

photo: Courtesy of U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Recalled Product Description: Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour

The recall includes five-pound bags of Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour with a “better if used by” date of Sep. 6, 2020. According to a statement made by General Mills, “This recall only affects this one date code of Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour five-pound bags. All other types of Gold Medal Flour are not affected by this recall.”

Why the Flour Was Recalled

General Mills issued the recall following the detection of E. coli O26 during sampling of the five-pound bag product. As of now, there are no reported illnesses or adverse effects due to the potential contamination.

This strain of E. coli is potentially fatal and can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration—especially in the very young, elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system.

How To Tell If Your Flour Was Recalled

Only the five-pound bags of Gold Medal Unbleached All Purpose Flour with the “better if used by” date of Sep. 6, 2020 are part of the recall. Check the use by date to see if your flour was recalled. The date on the packaging will read “06SEP2020KC.” The affected product has the UPC code 000-16000-19610-0.

What Consumers Should Do

If you have the recalled product, don’t use it. Throw the flour away and contact General Mills via the company’s website here or at 1-800-230-8103 with questions or for a replacement coupon.

—Erica Loop

 

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Recall Alert: Tyson Food Chicken Patties

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recently announced a recall for 39,078 pounds of Weaver brand frozen chicken patties made by Tyson Foods Inc. due to potential contamination with “extraneous materials.” Representatives from Tyson did not immediately return Red Tricycle’s request for comment.

If you have this product in your kitchen, read on for more important information on the recall.

Recalled Product Description: Weaver Frozen Chicken Patties

The recalled product includes 26-ounce bags of Weaver Chicken Breast Patties with Rib Meat with a best if used by date of Jan. 31, 2020. The products were produced on Jan. 31, 2019 and bear the establishment number P-13456.

Why the Chicken Patties Were Recalled

The patties were recalled after consumers reported finding extraneous material in the product. According to a press release, “Even though these reports are limited, out of an abundance of caution, Tyson Foods is recalling the product. Tyson Foods has received no reports of injuries or illnesses associated with the potentially affected product.”

How to Tell If Your Chicken Was Recalled

Along with the establishment number (P-13456), look for the lots codes 0319PBF0617, 0319PBF0618, 0319PBF0619, 0319PBF0620, 0319PBF0621, 0319PBF0622, 0319PBF0623, or 0319PBF0600 on the label. The recalled products were shipped to distribution centers in Missouri, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

What Consumers Can Do

If you have the recalled product don’t eat it. Throw the chicken away or return it to the place of purchase. Consumers can call the Tyson Foods’ Consumer Relations hotline at 855-382-3101.

—Erica Loop

Photos: Tyson Foods

 

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recently announced a recall for 712 pounds of raw beef and pork products due to possible contamination. Representatives from US Foods said, in an emailed statement, “We take food safety measures very seriously and issued the recall out of an abundance of caution.”

It’s important to note that the USDA’s recall announcement only includes meat shipped to restaurant locations and not directly to consumers.

Recalled Product Description: US Foods Beef and Pork

The current recall includes 712 pounds of US Foods fresh and frozen raw beef and pork products produced on Jul. 18, 2019. The recalled products bear the establishment number “EST. 21103.” For a full list of recalled products visit the FSIS’s website here.

Why the Beef and Pork Products Were Recalled

The recall was issued after the production facility became aware of a possible contamination issue. According to the USDA’s recall notice, and employee may have cut himself during the production process.

As of now there are no reported injuries or illnesses due to the recalled products.

How To Tell If Your Beef or Pork Was Reaclled

The recalled products bear the establishment number “EST. 21103” in the USDA mark of inspection. The products were shipped to restaurants in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. Visit the FSIS’s website here for a complete list of products.

What Consumers Can Do

If you think you have or may have consumed these products, contact US Foods at 847-720-2392. While the USDA’s FSIS recall list currently includes products sent to restaurant locations only, the recall alert does note that the agency will post retail distribution lists as they become available. Visit the USDA’s FSIS recall website here for future alerts.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Rawpixel via Pexels

 

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Recall Alert: Pita Pal Hummus Recalled by Trader Joe’s & Other Retailers

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently updated a recall for some Pita Pal Foods hummus products. The products, which were sold at Trader Joe’s and other retail stores, were recalled due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Pita Pal Foods, LP did not immediately return Red Tricycle’s request for comment.

As of now the recall includes 87 types of hummus products, according to CNN. If you have the recalled hummus in your fridge, read on for important information.

Recalled Product Description: Pita Pal Hummus

The recall includes select hummus products made between May 30 and Jun. 25, 2019. The initial recall included products sold under the Buccee’s, Fresh Thyme, Harris Teeter and other brand names. Trader Joe’s recently announced its Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Germantown, Tennessee and Texas stores also carry the affected products.

For a full list of affected brands, flavors, sizes and UPC codes, visit the FDA’s website here.

Why the Hummus Was Recalled

The recall was initiated following detection of the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes at a manufacturing facility. The bacteria was not found in the finished products.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause diarrhea, stomach pain, high fever or headaches. It can also cause a serious infection in young children, elderly adults or anyone with a weakened immune system and miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women.

How To Tell If Your Hummus Was Recalled

Visit the FDA’s website here for a full list of recalled products. Check the brand name, product name, size and UPC code to see if your hummus is part of the recall. Trader Joe’s shoppers can check their products on the company’s website here.

What Consumers Can Do

Don’t eat the recalled hummus. Return the product to the place of purchase for a refund. Call 832-803-9295 or email Pita Pal at products@pitapal.com for more information.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Ajale via Pixabay

 

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Recall Alert: Listeria Risk Found in Packaged Vegetables Sold at Trader Joe’s, Food Lion & Other Retailers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a recall for Growers Express packaged fresh butternut squash, zucchini and butternut squash-based veggie bowls sold under the Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, Signature Farms and Trader Joe’s brand names out of a Listeria monocytogenes contamination concern. Representatives from Growers Express did not immediately return Red Tricycle’s request for comment.

While there are no reported illnesses as of now, if you think you may have purchased the affected products, read on for more information on the recall.

Product Description: Growers Express Packaged Vegetables

The current recall includes the packaged varieties of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and butternut squashed based veggie bowls sold under the Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, Signature Farms and Trader Joe’s  names. The products were produced at a facility in Biddeford, Maine and were distributed to multiple states and retailers. Visit the FDA’s website for a complete list of products, states and retailers.

Why the Vegetables Were Recalled

The products were recalled out of a possible bacterial contamination concern. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause headaches, GI symptoms and stiffness. It can also lead to miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women.

Tom Byrne, President of Growers Express, said in a press release, “The safety of our consumers is our first priority.” Bryne also added, “We self-reported the need for this recall to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and stopped production immediately after being notified of a single positive sample by the Massachusetts Department of Health. We are deep sanitizing the entire facility and our line equipment, as well as conducting continued testing on top of our usual battery of sanitation and quality and safety tests before resuming production.”

How to Tell If Your Veggies Were Recalled

According to the FDA’s website, the majority of recalled veggies have a “Best If Used By” date of Jun. 26 through Jun. 29, 2019. Visit the FDA’s website here for a full list of products and UPC numbers.

What Parents Can Do

If you have the affected products, don’t eat or serve them. Throw the products away and visit the Growers Express website here for more information.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Courtesy of Growers Express

 

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Summer means sun, fun, pool days and Cryptosporidium? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infections with the fecal parasite are on the rise—and pool water is a major cause.

So what is Cryptosporidium? Commonly known by its abbreviated name, Crypto, this parasite contaminates pools, playgrounds and other areas where people are in close contact (such as daycare centers). It’s also spread via touching infected cattle.

Crypto can cause seriously severe diarrhea, with an illness lasting up to three weeks. The CDC stats show that 35 percent of Crypto diarrhea outbreaks are attributed to swimming pools.

To reduce the likelihood of Crypto contraction avoid pools with obvious signs of fecal contamination and always wash hands/shower after swimming. Instruct your child to never drink or swallow pool water—which is a major source of infection. If your child has diarrhea, keep them away from the pool and don’t send them to summer camp/child care. Keeping your kiddo home can help to stop the spread of the illness to someone else.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Juan Salamanca via Pexels

 

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Flying with kids isn’t easy. Add on a food allergy and you have a whole other set of problems. And that’s exactly why one mom filed a game-changing complaint with the federal Department of Transportation.

In 2016 a gate agent for American Airlines refused Nicole Mackenzie’s pre-boarding request. According to the New York Times, the mom of a seven-year-old with life-threatening nut and seed allergies, wanted time to properly clean her child’s seating area. When Mackenzie wasn’t allowed to pre-board, she filed a formal complaint with the D.O.T.

photo: Anugrah Lohiya via Pexels 

Nearly three years later the D.O.T. regulators found that American Airlines had violated the Air Carrier Access Act. But luckily for anyone with a life-threatening food allergy, the airline has already made some pretty significant changes!

Following a D.O.T. complaint by food allergy advocacy group FARE in 2017, American Airlines changed its previous pre-boarding policy. As of Dec. 12, 2018 American Airlines began allowing passengers with peanut and tree nut allergies (or the adults traveling with them) to pre-board. Like Mackenzie wanted to do, parents are now free to wipe down seats and tray tables prior to the child getting on the plane. FARE’s CEO, Lisa Gable, told Allergic Living, “Anytime a company takes steps to address the needs of people with food allergies, we are pleased.”

If you’re wondering why pre-boarding policies are so important, consider what life is like for a child with serious food allergies. Leftover peanut, tree nut or other allergen residue can put the child into anaphylaxis. This potentially fatal condition is scary enough as is. But tens of thousands of feet into the air—the reaction may become unmanageable.

Thanks to American Airlines’ pre-boarding policy (other airlines such as Delta and JetBlue also have similar policies), parents can take some comfort in getting the chance to reduce potential contamination before the child ever reaches their seat.

—Erica Loop

 

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It’s a summer full of sun, fun and…recalls? School’s out, the kiddos are clamoring for a treat and we’ve got a list of some of the most recent recalls for parents to take note of.

Before you bake a cake, blend a berry-filled smoothie, have a snack, make a veggie recipe, sauce your spaghetti or feed your kiddo, check out these food-related recalls.

Pillsbury Best Bread Flour

The FDA issued a recall (on Jun. 14) for two lots of Pillsbury Best Bread Flour in five-pound bags over E. coli concerns. Nearly 4,620 cases of the flour was shipped to retailers in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Visit the FDA’s website for specific UPC codes and use by dates.

King Arthur Flour

The flour, sold at Walmart and Target, was recalled on Jun. 13. The Unbleached All-Purpose Flour in five-pound bags was also recalled due to possible E. coli contamination. Click here for the FDA’s full list of recalled products and remedy options.

Private Selection Frozen Berries

Kroger recently announced a recall of the 16 and 48 ounce sizes of Private Selection Frozen Triple Berry Medley and the 16 ounce size of Private Selection Frozen Blackberries. The products, manufactured by Townsend Farms, may have possible Hepatitis A contamination. Visit the FDA’s website for more information here.

Kirkland Three Berry Blend

Townsend Farms’ recall also extends to Kirkland Three Berry Blend products sold at Costco stores in select states. For more information visit the FDA’s recall page.

Lay’s Lightly Salted Barbecue Flavored Potato Chips

The FDA released a recall for Lay’s Lightly Salted Barbecue Flavored Potato Chips on Jun. 14 for an undeclared milk allergen. The products, which are listed on the FDA’s website here, were distributed in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Sprouts Farmers Market Cut Leaf Spinach

This FDA recall, which was issued on Jun. 17, includes Sprouts Farmers Market’s Frozen Cut Leaf Spinach, conventional and organic varieties. The spinach was recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes concerns. Get the FDA’s full recall details here.

Ragu Pasta Sauce

Mizkan America, Inc. recently announced a voluntary recall of select Ragu pasta sauces. While there are no reported injuries, the recalled products may contain fragments of plastic. Visit the recall release here for full information on recalled products and what to do if you have the affected sauce.

Ruiz Bacon Breakfast Wraps

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced this recall on Jun. 14 for 246,514 pounds of frozen, not-ready-to-eat breakfast wraps. The wraps may contain extraneous products, which according to the USDA, are small rocks. Visit the USDA’s website here for more information.

Table 87 Frozen Pork and Beef Pizzas

The USDA’s recall for these frozen pizza products is an expansion of the initial Jun. 6 announcement. The pizzas were produced without federal inspection. Find a full list of products on the USDA’s website.

Peñafiel Unflavored Mineral Spring Water

Keurig Dr Pepper recently recalled Peñafiel unflavored mineral spring water after detecting arsenic levels in violation of the FDA’s bottled water standards. Visit the FDA’s website for a list of recalled products and remedies.

Parent’s Choice Advantage Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron

The FDA recently announced a recall for Parent’s Choice Advantage Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron. The nationwide recall of products, exclusively sold at Walmart, was issued for the potential presence of metal foreign material. The current recall includes products with the Lot Code C26EVFV and a “use by” date of Feb. 26, 2021. Click here for more information on what to do if you have this product.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Kaboompics via Pexels 

 

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