Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Ready-to-eat chicken salad may be contaminated Six different types of chicken salad are being recalled by Ron’s Home Style Foods because the ready-to-eat products may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. Ron’s Home Style Foods, based in Houston, Texas, announced the recall of 6,912 pounds of chicken salad products on November 14, 2018, after discovering the issue the day before. A routine inspection conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) discovered the potential contamination. The recalled ready-to-eat chicken salad products were produced and packaged on October 22, 2018, and were sold to retail and institutional…

Another cheese recall for possible contamination A second cheese recall has been announced in as many weeks, this time for potential salmonella contamination of Quesillo “Queseria La Milagrosa” and “Alebrije Cheese.” Alebrije Dist Wholesale has voluntarily recalled 100 kilos of Quesillo “Queseria La Milagrosa” because of a confirmed positive finding of salmonella in a sample of the cheese. In addition, the company decided to recall 498 “Alebrije Cheese” pieces that were imported during the same period out of an abundance of caution. The recalled cheese products were distributed between October 23 and October 24, 2018, through retail sale as well as…

Raw turkey salmonella count increases to 164 illnesses The salmonella outbreak that was last reported in July 2018 has now grown to include 164 people in 35 states. There has been one death related to turkey contaminated with salmonella and 64 people have been hospitalized for food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) are continuing to investigate the salmonella contamination found in raw turkey meat. Illnesses in people having consumed turkey have been reported from November 20, 2017, through October 20, 2018. The number of ill may actually be higher, as it always takes some time for…

Sausages recalled in Minnesota for potential health risk Sausages sold in retail stores and at a farmer’s market have been recalled because they may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes and may cause food poisoning in anyone who eats them. Ruck’s Meat Processing, based in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, recalled its sausage products after Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) inspectors discovered the product was processed in a manner that could result in possible listeria contamination. The recall includes Ring Bologna sold from Ruck’s Processing retail store in Belle Plaine, and to Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store in Jordan, Minnesota. Sausage products sold under the brand…

Frozen asparagus spears may have listeria Cases of asparagus spears that were distributed to retail stores across the country are being recalled because they are potentially contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. The Pictsweet Company recalled 1,872 cases of the Pictsweet Farms brand of Steam’ables Asparagus Spears after it was notified by the manufacturer that product suspected of containing listeria monocytogenes was inadvertently shipped to The Pictsweet Company. Potentially contaminated 8-ounce packages of asparagus spears were distributed to stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New…

Sprout Creek Farm announces cheese recall Wheels of cheese distributed throughout New York have been recalled because they are potentially contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. Sprout Creek Farm, based in Poughkeepsie, New York, has recalled 132 wheels of “Margie” cheese due to the possible health risks involved. Margie cheese is made from cow’s milk and has a soft, white rind. It is packaged with a green round label, wrapped in white milk paper and packed in one-pound wheels. The cheese being recalled has a lot number make date of 10-9-18 and a best by date of 12-9-18. The potentially contaminated cheese…

Duncan Hines recalls cake mixes contaminated with salmonella A retail sample of Duncan Hines Classic White cake mix has been found to be positive for salmonella. As a result, Conagra Brands has recalled not only the Classic White but also the Classic Butter Golden, Signature Confetti, and Classic Yellow flavors of cake mix that were produced during the same time. Health officials suspect the salmonella contamination may be linked to another salmonella outbreak being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There have been five reported illnesses related to the…

Roasted and salted in-shell pistachios potential health risk Hundreds of cases of pistachios have been recalled because they are potentially contaminated with salmonella. Barcelona Nut Company initiated the recall after a routine test revealed the presence of salmonella in nuts that were processed in the same production run. Because of the potential for food poisoning among consumers, the nut company, based in Baltimore, Maryland, is recalling 239 cases of roasted and salted in-shell pistachios that were distributed in several states across the country. The following red, white, and blue packages of pistachios have been recalled and the company has ceased…

FDA releases statement on romaine lettuce contamination The e. coli outbreak that caused 210 illnesses, 96 hospitalizations, and 5 deaths among consumers who had eaten romaine lettuce has come to an end. The last illness onset was reported on August 2, 2018. However, now that the growing season is underway again in the Yuma, Arizona, area the potential for future contamination remains an issue for which consumers should stay alert and informed. The commissioner for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement on November 1, 2018, about the cause of the e. coli outbreak and the FDA’s plan…

30 sick in New Mexico from ground beef The most recent count of food poisoning cases related to contaminated raw beef produced and distributed by JBS Tolleson, Inc., according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), is 120 people across 22 states. The CDC has counted one person in New Mexico that has become ill from eating the raw beef products. However, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has announced that a total of 30 people in that state have developed salmonella symptoms. On October 4, 2018, JBS Tolleson recalled almost 7 million pounds of raw beef…