Welcome to the latest installment of the Recall Roundup. In this edition we'll take a closer look a recent food-industry recalls involving cheese, chicken salad, beef products and pork products.
As noted in an Associated Press story published to the Food Manufacturing website on Wednesday, Whole Foods announced it was recalling cheese sold in stores in Florida and New York due to potential listeria contamination. According to a news release about the recall published to the Food and Drug Administration website:
No illnesses have been reported to date.
The recalled cheese was cut and packaged in clear plastic wrap with scale labels beginning with PLU code 294239 and "sell by" dates of 3/3/16 through 3/8/16 in the Bowery, NYC store. In West Palm Beach, FL the recalled cheese was sold with scale labels beginning with PLU code 290107 and "sell by" dates of 2/29/16 through 3/8/16. The recalled cheese was pulled from store shelves and destroyed on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016.
A sampling of the products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes during a routine inspection conducted by the supplier.
Pennsylvania-based Winter Gardens Quality Foods, Inc., on Tuesday announced that is was recalling 3,710 pounds of chicken salad that may be contaminated with foreign matter, according to a news release posted to the website of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
According to the USDA FSIS news release:
The chicken salad items were produced on various dates between January 28 and February 11, 2016. The following product is subject to recall:
•10-lb. bulk plastic tubs containing “SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD” with “USE BY” dates “2/18/16,” “2/19/16,” “2/23/16,” “2/25/16,” “2/26/16,” and “3/3/16.”
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-9815” inside the USDA mark of inspection and case code “2444.” These items were shipped to a distributor in Pennsylvania for further processing and distribution.
The problem was discovered when the establishment was notified by its oil supplier of a packaging defect that could lead to potential plastic contamination where plastic pieces may flake or break off in the soybean salad oil used in the chicken salad.
Last weekend Canada-based Canyon Creek Soup Co. announced it was recalling more than 7,000 pounds of meatball soup products that were produced without the benefit of import inspection, according to a USDA FSIS news release.
According to the USDA FSIS news release:
The soup kit containing broth with meatballs, rice noodles, sriracha packets, and hoisin packets were imported on Jan. 29, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:
•291 Cases - containing ten 2.56 lb. plastic soup package kits labeled “Vietnamese inspired Pho Bo Vein” containing broth with meatballs, rice noodles, sriracha packets, and hoisin packets bearing package code 16AL20 or 16AL24.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 422” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail outlets in California.
The problem was discovered when a Customs and Border Protection official notified FSIS personnel that the items had been shipped without inspection.
On February 12, Illinois-based McCain Foods announced it was recalling 25,215 pounds of pork products because they may be contaminated with plastic materials, according to a USDA FSIS news release.
According to the USDA FSIS news release:
The potato, egg, cheese, and bacon fritters were produced on Nov. 11, 2015. The following products are subject to recall:
•1,681 cases bearing a batch code 1001487402 containing four 3.75-lb. plastic vacuum-packed packages containing “McCain EARLY RISERS Potato, Egg, Cheese & Bacon Fritters.”
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 18846” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to food service distributors in Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, Tennessee, and Utah.
The problem was discovered after the firm received a consumer complaint and subsequently notified an in-plant FSIS inspector.