Complaint resolution service publishes case studies, recall information and consumer news.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers that foods containing peanut butter like candy, cakes, and pies shoud be avoided until the agency can determine the cause of a salmonella outbreak that has afflicted five hundred people.  Six deaths are attributed to the outbreak.

Peanut butter is made from a paste created by roasting cured peanuts.  Experts believe that the paste was tainted which would taint the end product.  Kellogg reacted quickly before the government made any recommendations and pulled Austin and Keebler branded peanut butter crackers from store shelves.

We contacted Lance, Inc (NASDAQ:LNCE) after Kellogg reacted so quickly.  Days before the U.S. government said to avoid products with peanut butter, Lance denied any problem with their product.  Lance told Consumer Help Web,

“We produce our own peanut butter and are not connected with the recent peanut butter recall.  We can assure you our products are safe to eat.”

Maybe so.  But for now we are sticking with federal recommendations about peanut butter products.  Those recommendations say, in part, “Because identification of products subject to recall is continuing, the FDA urges consumers to postpone eating commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter-containing products and institutionally-served peanut butter until further information becomes available about which products may be affected.”

Passing on a Reese’s Cup or peanut butter crackers sounds like good food advice for this week.

Posted under Products, Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about a scam to purchase drugs from an international location.  The callers claim to be FDA “special agents” and apparently target  consumers who use mail order pharmacies or similar services.

After an order is placed, the agency says the consumer receives a call several days later demanding money for a “fine” because of the order.  Consumers are threatened during the call and even told they can be jailed.

If you have been contacted or know someone who has, please call the FDA toll-free at (800) 521-5783.

Posted under Health, Privacy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers that tainted baby formula traced to China is likely not being sold in mainstream stores within the U.S.

Baby formula from China reportedly includes a substance called melamine, the same substance found in tained pet food last year. More than 10,000 infants in Asia have become sick from contaminated formula, and officials report at least one case in Hong Kong.

The FDA, meanwhile, is urging U.S. residents who shop in Chinese or Asian markets to not purchase baby formula there.  The governement agency reported that inspections in 1,000 U.S. retail stores failed to detect a single case of tainted baby formula.

Posted under Health, Recalls, Safety

Perhaps the most frustrating issue of any food recall is that consumers may not know if the food was used as an ingredient in another type of food.  This happened earlier this year with beef recalls and is a major issue now with a salmonella threat looming over certain tomatoes.

In a signal to food suppliers and buyers, the Food and Drug administration issued multiple statements indicating which tomato crops were deemed safe.    The agency falls woefully short, however, on consumer advice, suggesting that consumers ask restaurant servers or other food personnel about the tomato’s origin.

That is a nice thought, but more than a little naive.  Note to restaurant owners:  you can stop laughing now, but make sure your staff doesn’t give false information.  When they don’t know, the correct answer is “I don’t know” or “I’ll find out”.

Meanwhile, nearly 400 consumers have now been confirmed to have contracted salmonella from tainted tomatoes.  Of that group, more than 10% have required hospitalization.

The fast food chains performed admirably, pulling the fruit-not-a-vegetable from their shelves.  With guidance, the chains have now added the tomato back on their burgers and gone back to spooning up salsa.

Until a better rationale is found, however, I’m all for “hold the tomato” at home and when dining out.

Posted under Recalls, Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning this weekend that cantaloupe from Honduras may be linked to salmonella.

The Honduran company, Agropecuaria Montelibano, is reportedly linked to dozens of illnesses throughout the US. The FDA is specific on action: if you’ve recently bought cantaloupe, check with the retailer to see if they can identify the company supplying the fruit. If they can’t, throw the fruit away.

Symptoms of foodborne Salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor health or weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections. Individuals who have recently eaten cantaloupe and experienced any of these symptoms should contact their health care professional.

Posted under Safety

FDA is advising pet owners that recalled pet food may still be on the shelves in some retail establishments. FDA urges retailers across the country to be vigilant in removing all products associated with the pet food recall, which began on March 16, 2007.

To verify the effectiveness of the recall, FDA has conducted approximately 400 checks of retail stores across the country. Based on the checks, FDA believes most companies have removed the recalled product; however, some have not. FDA will continue to monitor retailers’ efforts to remove these items from the shelves.

“FDA’s priority is to make sure that cats and dogs have safe food to eat, said Stephen Sundlof, D.V.M., director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.” Many of us are pet owners and animal lovers, and we want pet owners to feel assured that we are doing everything we can to make sure that all contaminated food is off the shelves.”

In related news, Menu Foods, Inc., a private label manufacturer based in Streetsville, Ontario, Canada, expanded its recall on Tuesday, April 10, to cat food not previously subject to the recall. The varieties of cat food in the United States and Canada now being recalled are included in the list below. A complete list of Menu Foods’ recalled products, including the new items, can be reviewed at www.menufoods.com.

The company acted after receiving information from FDA, which had confirmed test results it received from a laboratory at University of California, Davis. The UC-Davis lab found that canned cat food which had not been included in Menu Food’s earlier recalls tested positive for melamine, a chemical used as a fertilizer and in the manufacture of cutlery and kitchenware.

The company informed FDA that it had shipped wheat gluten purchased from China and contaminated with melamine from its Emporia, Kansas plant to its plant in Streetsville. Some of the products produced with the contaminated wheat gluten also were shipped to the United States. FDA investigators and officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency were in the Ontario facility on April 11.

Since March 16, recalls of pet food products, including certain varieties of dog food, have been conducted by Menu Foods, Inc., Hill’s Pet Nutrition, P&G Pet Care, Nestle Purina PetCare Company, Del Monte Pet Products, and Sunshine Mills, Inc. Extensive information about the current pet food situation can be found at the FDA Web site, www.fda.gov. There is now a single list of all recalled pet food located at http://www.fda.gov/ora/fed_state/recalls/Recall.xls which will be updated with any new recall information when announced.

LIST OF NEWLY RECALLED PRODUCTS:

Posted under Recalls

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting the public to counterfeit blood glucose test strips being sold in the United States for use with various models of LifeScan, Inc., One Touch Brand Blood Glucose Monitors used by people with diabetes to measure their blood glucose.

The counterfeit test strips potentially could give incorrect blood glucose values–either too high or too low–which might result in a patient taking either too much or too little insulin and lead to serious injury or death. No injuries have been reported to FDA to date.

The counterfeit test strips are:

* One Touch Basic®/Profile® (lot #272894A, 2619932 or 2606340) test strips; and,
* One Touch Ultra® (lot #2691191) test strips.

Consumers who have the counterfeit test strips should stop using them, replace them immediately and contact their physician. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-866-621-4855.

The counterfeit test strips were distributed to pharmacies and stores nationwide–but primarily in Ohio, New York, Florida, Maryland and Missouri–by Medical Plastic Devices, Inc., Quebec, Canada and Champion Sales, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.

The counterfeit test strips can be identified by the following characteristics:

Counterfeit One Touch Basic/Profile Test Strips

* Lot Numbers 272894A, 2619932 or 2606340
* Multiple Languages- English, Greek and Portuguese text on the outer carton
* Limited to 50-Count One Touch (Basic/Profile) Test Strip packages

Counterfeit One Touch Ultra Test Strips

* Lot Number 2691191
* Multiple Languages- English and French text on the outer carton
* Limited to 50-Count One Touch Ultra Test Strip packages

LifeScan alerted FDA of the counterfeit test strips. The agency is investigating the matter.

LifeScan is alerting the public via a press release and is notifying pharmacists, distributors, and wholesalers through a letter. In its letter, the company is advising customers to contact their original source of supply for restitution. For more information, visit: www.GenuineOneTouch.com.

FDA is alerting its Counterfeit Alert Network partners, a coalition of healthcare professional, consumer and trade associations, who have agreed to further disseminate this important information in a timely and effective manner.

Any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product, and/or quality problems should also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852-9787, or through the MedWatch Web site at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Posted under Customer Service, Products

Update

To date, 175 cases of illness due to E. coli O157:H7 infection have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including 28 cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), 93 hospitalizations and one death.

FDA is working closely with CDC and the state of California. FDA has determined that the spinach implicated in the outbreak was grown in three counties: Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara in California. Spinach grown in the rest of the United States has not been implicated in the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. The public can be confident that spinach grown in the non-implicated areas can be consumed.

Consumers are advised not to purchase or consume fresh spinach if they cannot verify that it was grown in areas other than the three California counties implicated in the outbreak.

Other produce grown in these counties is not implicated in this outbreak. Processed spinach (e.g., frozen and canned spinach) is also not implicated in this outbreak.

Industry is working to get spinach from areas not implicated in the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak back on the market.

Investigators from FDA, CDC and the state of California are working to narrow the area implicated in the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak even further.

States Affected

The 25 affected states are: Arizona (7), California (1), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3) Idaho (4), Illinois (1), Indiana (9), Kentucky (8), Maine (3), Maryland (3), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (9), Nevada (1), New Mexico (5), New York (11), Ohio (20), Oregon (6), Pennsylvania (8), Tennessee (1), Utah (18), Virginia (2), Washington (3), Wisconsin (44), and Wyoming (1).

Laboratory Findings

The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Salt Lake Valley Health Department (SLVHD) have confirmed that E. coli O157:H7, the same strain as that associated with the outbreak, has been found in a bag of Dole baby spinach purchased in Utah with a use by date of August 30, 2006. Laboratory tests were conducted by the Utah Public Health Laboratory (UPHL).

The New Mexico Department of Health announced on September 20, 2006, that it had linked a sample from a package of spinach with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7. The spinach was eaten by one of New Mexico’s patients before becoming sick. DNA fingerprinting tests determined that the strain from the spinach matches the strain from patients in the outbreak. The package of spinach that tested positive was “Dole Baby Spinach, Best if Used by August 30.”

Five (5) Recalls

On September 22, 2006, Pacific Coast Fruit Company of Portland, Oregon initiated a voluntary recall of products that may include spinach supplied by Natural Selections Foods. Pacific Coast Fruit Company stopped making all products with spinach supplied from California on September 14, 2006. The recalled products are:

Baby Spring Mix Salad Kit (4.6 lbs), Chef on the Run- Bacon Spinach Salad (9 oz. plus 2 fl. oz. dressing), Chef on the Run - Spring Greens Salad (5 oz. plus 2 fl. oz. dressing), Chef on the Run - Willamette Valley Salad (10 oz. plus 2 fl. oz. dressing),Trader Joe’s - Baby Spinach and Greens with Bleu Cheese, Candied Pecans and Cranberries with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing (10 oz.), Trader Joe’s - Baby Greens and Spinach Salad with Wild Maine Blueberry Dressing (10 oz.), Mediterranean Veggie Blend Kit - 15 lbs, and My Brothers Pizza Spinach and Garlic - 15 oz. and 36 oz.

Most of the salad products can be identified by the labels Trader Joe’s, My Brothers Pizza or Chef on the Run and are in clam shell containers. Pizza products are in round cardboard bottoms with a plastic over wrap. All salad products will have a “USE BY DATE” on or before Sept 20, 2006. Pizza products will have a “USE BY DATE” on or before September 23, 2006.

The products were distributed through various retail outlets in Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. There is no international distribution.

On September 22, 2006,Triple B Corporation, doing business as S.T. Produce, of Seattle, Washington, initiated a voluntary recall of its fresh spinach salad products with a “Use By” date of 8/22/2006 thru 9/20/2006. Spinach used in these products may have been supplied from Natural Selections Foods of California. The recalled products were distributed in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana to retail stores and delis and sold in a hard plastic clamshell container.

The products recalled by S.T. Produce are: NWG Spinach Salad (5 oz.),Spinach Salad, QFC (5 oz.), Charlie’s Spinach Salad (5 oz.), Charlie’s Tabouli & Goat Cheese Salad (10 oz.), NWG Tabouli & Goat Cheese Salad (10 oz.),Tabouli & Goat Cheese Salad, QFC (10 oz.), T/H Spring Mix Salad (5.5 oz.), T/H Mozzarella Spring Mix Salad (5.5 oz.), T/H Baby Spinach Salad (5.5 oz.), Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad w/ Grilled Chicken Breast (6.5 oz.), Larry’s Market Tabouli & Goat Cheese Salad (10 oz.), Charlie’s Seasonal Greens Salad (2.5 oz.), Charlie’s Seasonal Greens Salad (4 oz.), Charlie’s Baby Spinach Salad (6 oz.), Charlie’s Baby Spinach Salad (5 oz.) and Caesar Bowtie Noodle Salad Kit with Grilled Chicken Breast (6.9 lbs).

On September 19, 2006, RLB Food Distributors, L.P., West Caldwell, NJ, initiated a voluntary recall of certain salad products that may contain spinach with an ‘Enjoy Thru’ date of 9/20/06. See: http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/rlb09_06.html. The products recalled by RLB are: Balducci’s Mesclun Mix 5 oz., Balducci’s Organic Baby Spinach 5 oz., Balducci’s Mixed Greens 5 oz., FreshPro Mesclun Mix 5 oz., FreshPro Organic Baby Spinach 5 oz., FreshPro Mixed Greens 5 oz., FreshPro Salad Mix with Italian Dressing 4.75 oz., and FreshPro Salad Mix with Ranch Dressing 5.25 oz.

On September 17, 2006, River Ranch, of Salinas, California, announced a voluntary recall of packages of spring mix containing spinach. River Ranch obtained bulk spring mix containing spinach from Natural Selections. The following brands are involved: Fresh N’ Easy Spring Mix and Hy-Vee Spring mix containing baby spinach, distributed to retailers in Texas, Iowa, New Mexico, Georgia and Ohio. Product was packed in 5 oz. bags and 5 oz. plastic trays. Products that do not contain spinach are not part of this recall.

On September 15, 2006, Natural Selection Foods, LLC, of San Juan Bautista, California, announced a voluntary recall of all products containing spinach in all brands they pack with “Best if Used by Dates” of August 17, 2006 through October 1, 2006. These products include spinach and any salad with spinach in a blend, both retail and food service products. Products that do not contain spinach are not part of this recall.

Natural Selection Foods, LLC brands include: Natural Selection Foods, Pride of San Juan, Earthbound Farm, Bellissima, Dole, Rave Spinach, Emeril, Sysco, O Organic, Fresh Point, River Ranch, Superior, Nature’s Basket, Pro-Mark, Compliments, Trader Joe’s, Ready Pac, Jansal Valley, Cheney Brothers, D’Arrigo Brothers, Green Harvest, Mann, Mills Family Farm, Premium Fresh, Snoboy, The Farmer’s Market, Tanimura & Antle, President’s Choice, Cross Valley, and Riverside Farms.

The affected products were also distributed to Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Iceland. No illnesses have been reported from these countries. FDA continues to investigate whether other companies and brands are involved.

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 Illness

E. coli O157:H7 causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called HUS. HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

Lettuce Safety Initiative

The FDA developed the Lettuce Safety Initiative www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/lettsafe.html in response to recurring outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 in lettuce. As a result of this outbreak, the initiative has been expanded to cover spinach. The primary goals of the initiative are to reduce public health risks by focusing on the product, agents and areas of greatest concern and to alert consumers early and respond rapidly in the event of an outbreak. This initiative is based on the 2004 Produce Safety Action Plan, intended to minimize the incidence of food borne illness associated with the consumption of fresh produce.

FDA continues to work closely with the CDC and state and local agencies to determine the cause and scope of the E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak in spinach. Please check www.fda.gov for updates.

Posted under Health

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers of the vital importance of keeping carrot juice—including pasteurized carrot juice—refrigerated. There are three cases of botulism in the state of Georgia associated with pasteurized carrot juice that may have been due to the product not being properly refrigerated.

FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and health authorities in Georgia have been closely monitoring and continue to investigate these three cases of foodborne botulism.

On September 15, 2006, Georgia health authorities issued a press statement, which in part stated the following: “…At this time we believe that these three cases are an isolated incident…. During the investigation, other community members have been identified as having purchased and consumed the same product from the same vendor within the past three weeks. These persons have not become ill or developed any symptoms. The fact that additional cases have not been identified suggests that the toxin was not present before the sale of the product…”

“Because botulism is such a potentially serious illness, we want to remind consumers that it is critical to refrigerate carrot juice for safety. Consumers should not keep carrot juice unrefrigerated,” said Dr. Robert Brackett, Director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). Inadequate refrigeration of carrot juice allows botulinum spores to multiply to the level at which they can cause illness.

Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by botulinum toxin, a nerve poison that under certain conditions is produced by Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium commonly found in soil. Botulism can be fatal and is considered a medical emergency. Foodborne botulism is not common in the United States; an average of 24 cases are reported each year. Botulinum poisoning can result in the following symptoms: double-vision, droopy eyelids and altered voice or trouble with speaking or swallowing, and paralysis on both sides of the body that progresses from the neck down, possibly followed by difficulty in breathing. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

Adequate refrigeration is one of the keys to food safety. Cold temperatures keep most harmful pathogens from growing and multiplying. Refrigerator temperatures should be no higher than 40°F and freezers no higher then 0°F. Consumers should check the temperatures occasionally with an appliance thermometer.

Consumers should look for the words “Keep Refrigerated” or “Refrigerate After Opening” on juice labels to know whether the product should be refrigerated. FDA is looking into whether the industry is providing clear labeling on refrigeration of juice products during storage.

Guidance on labeling of foods that need refrigeration by consumers, particularly for safety, is available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr970224.html.

Consumers with questions about juice safety also may call 1-800-SAFEFOOD.

Posted under Health

Americans woke up Friday to hearing someone reputable telling them that they did not have to eat their spinach — Uncle Sam. The Food and Drug Administration says “multiple” cases of a bad strain of E.coli are being reported through multiple states. Fifty cases have been reported to the CDC, including one death.

E. coli O157:H7 causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

Although the government recommendation is voluntary, a national recall of bagged, fresh spinach is within the government’s scope of authority. “Given the severity of this illness and the seriousness of the outbreak, FDA believes that a warning to consumers is needed. We are working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local agencies to determine the cause and scope of the problem,” said Dr. Robert Brackett, Director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).

So for now, you’ve got a pass for skipping the leafy green stuff.

Posted under Health