I have been watching the recalls year after year due to harmful pathogens in our food supply. Thousands have been sickened and many have died from pathogen introduction and it appears that the FDA is getting better at detecting and tracing the outbreaks within our complex food system. With worldwide populations on the rise and the fact that the USDA reported that approximately 60% of the produce in the U.S. is imported, recalls will become more and more frequent. The FDA and USDA are finding it harder and harder to keep track and enforce Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). The need for increased accountability and food safety has never been more important. No one wants to have a loved one become ill or even worse, die from eating “healthy” fruits and vegetables. 

On May 25th, Jensen Farms filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following a listeria outbreak in Cantaloupe’s. This nationwide outbreak was in 28 states and killed more than 30 people. The bankruptcy filing was in response to the numerous wrongful death lawsuits against Jensen Farms. Is this a sign of the times to come for food companies? Will this filing cause other food company executives to be more vigilant to do everything they can to protect their produce (and company) from unnecessary risk?

Electronic Cold-Pasteurization (ECP) could have been used in combination with GAP to ensure the produce is safe from harmful pathogens without the use of harmful chemicals in post-treatment. ECP uses a highly focused beam of electricity to kill pests, pathogens (such as Listeria), while extending shelf-life in most cases. This technology is approved by the FDA, USDA, etc. and provides a “clean technology” solution. Outbreaks like this should not be occurring in the U.S.

Over 200 people have fallen ill by salmonella in imported black pepper used in the preparation of salami and other kinds of Italian sausage made by Daniele International. This is already the second time I’ve seen salmonella caused by pepper in the past year. White and black pepper sold by Union International Food made people ill last March. Salmonella contaminations were also a concern for Beef Packers Inc. when they recalled their beef products last December.

Salmonella is a bacterial disease that can cause serious and even fatal infections in young children, elderly people and others that have weak immune systems. In rare situations, salmonella can spread to the bloodstream and cause illnesses such as arterial infections and arthritis.

Daniele International said the company will now only use irradiated pepper, which undergoes a process designed to kill bacteria. Electronic cold-pasteurization, which is a form of irradiation technology, can help prevent salmonella contaminations and ensure no one becomes ill.

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Unilever United States, Inc., in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of all Slim-Fast® ready-to-drink (RTD) products in cans, due to the possibility of contamination with Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism, which may cause diarrhea and possibly nausea and/or vomiting. The probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.

Firm Press Release: FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

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Harry and David is voluntarily recalling raw, shelled hazelnut kernels due to concerns of potential Salmonella contamination. The hazelnuts were sold only in our Harry & David Country Village store located in Medford, Oregon.

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Whole Foods Market is recalling organic raw hazelnuts (filberts) sold in bulk through its stores in California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington because the nuts were part of a batch that was contaminated with salmonella. The company is also recalling non-organic dry roasted hazelnuts (filberts) sold in bulk through its stores in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, and non-organic raw hazelnuts (filberts) sold in bulk through its stores in Oregon and Washington.

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HP Hood is recalling select Heluva Good branded 8 oz. plastic cup containers of Cold Pack Cheese Food because they may contain Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness and nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

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FRESNO, Calif. (Dec. 7) — A company based in California is recalling some of its beef products because of concerns about possible salmonella contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says Fresno-based Beef Packers Inc. is pulling about 22,723 pounds of ground beef that may be linked to salmonellosis.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Davis, CA – November 22, 2009 – Timco Worldwide Inc. is recalling a limited number of its Large Seedless Watermelons because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this occurrence.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

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Foods regulated by the FDA have caused numerous national outbreaks and recalls in the past three years.

August-September 2006: E. coli in bagged spinach sickened 204 people in 26 states, killing three

September 2006: salmonella found in tomatoes sickened 183 people on 21 states.

December 2006: Iceberg lettuce contaminated with E. coli at Taco Bell and Taco John restaurants sickened 152 people.

February 2007: Peter Pan peanut butter contaminated with salmonella sickened 425 people in 44 states.

June 2007: Canned chili and meats containing Clostridium botulism were recalled after causing eight illnesses in three states.

April- August 2008: Imported jalapeno and Serrano peppers (and possibly tomatoes) sickened 1,442 people in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

September-October 2008: Dairy products made in China were recalled because of international melamine adulteration that sickened 300,000 babies and caused seven deaths in China.

September 2008-March 2009: Salmonella contaminated peanut products from the Peanut Corporation if America sickened 691 people and caused none deaths in 46 stated and Canada. More than 3,800 products were recalled.

February-April 2009: Salmonella Saintpaul linked to raw alfalfa sprouts sickened 1818 people in 11 states.

March 2009: Setton Pistachio voluntarily recalled more than 2 million pounds of roasted pistachios because of possible Salmonella contamination.

March- April 2009: spice was recalled by Union International Co. because of possible Salmonella contamination that sickened 60 people in four states.

(Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest’s Outbreak Alertwww.cspinet.org/foodsafety/outbreak_report.html)