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A Chinese manufactured baby bottle and food warmer appliance marketed under the name Munchkin has been recalled because it may overheat and cause a fire.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission said that that the units could overheat and potentially posed a fire hazard.  The agency reported receiving word of nine such incidents without injury or substantial damage.

The warmers (sample pictured right) were sold from last summer through April 2008 for approximately $20.  Consumers who purchased one of the 5,000 units involved in the recall should immediately stop using the unit and contact the company for a replacement.

How To Tell If Your Baby Bottle Warmer Was Recalled

Take a look at your unit.  If the word “Munchkin” appears with the lot number “TP-1487 on the bottom, you have a recalled unit.

Consumers who have a recalled unit can call Munchkin customer service toll-free at (866) 619-8673 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.  If you prefer to handle the matter online, visit Munchkin’s site for more information on the recall.

Posted under Recalls, Safety

The US Department of Agriculture announced a recall today for poultry and beef. Some media outlets reported that as much of a quarter-million pounds of food were involved, but the official announcement only states that 6,970 pounds are involved. The meat was processed by Gourmet Boutique and is marked as such.

The recalled products bear the production code of “GBD 08058″ on the package. The meat and poultry products were produced on Feb. 26 and 27, 2008, and were sent to retail establishments in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wisconsin, and distribution centers in New York.

This food is in consumer-sized packs and includes USDA approval seals. There is a PDF series of images available at the USDA site. No illnesses have been linked to the meat although a risk of listerios exists.

Posted under Recalls

The company recalled the products earlier this month, and federal officials are encouraging consumers to throw away certain packages of Malt-O-Meal’s Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat cereals.

Malt-O-Meal also produces cereal under supermarket and generic names, including Acme, America’s Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw’s, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality.

Consumers can identify potentially affected food by codes used on the packaging. The cereals have “Best If Used By” dates from April 8, 2008 (coded as “APR0808″) through March 18, 2009 (coded as “MAR1809″).

Posted under Recalls

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