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According to the FDA, Five Crowns Marketing (based in Brawley, California) has announced a voluntary and precautionary recall of select cantaloupes packed under the Majesty label.

The cantaloupes affected by the precautionary recall were packed in various sizes with and without individual “Majesty” stickers. All cartons carry the label "Majesty," and are further identified with lot numbers 198 2 or 198 3, and pack dates of Nov 4, Nov 6, and Nov 10. Additionally, the cantaloupes in the identified lots were harvested and shipped to wholesalers, retailers, and food service operators in the states of Alabama, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Click on the following link to view the FDA Recall Release.

Five Crowns Marketing announced the recall immediately after learning that routine testing on a lot of cantaloupes packed on November 4, 2009 confirmed positive for Salmonella. In turn, the company announced, in an abundance of caution, a recall of all cantaloupe from the same lot.

It is also important to note that, to date, there have been no reports of illness associated with the consumption of these products. According to the company, most of the cantaloupes have likely already passed through the distribution chain. Nevertheless, the company continues to work with its customers to ensure that all of the potentially affected cantaloupes have been accounted for.

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According to the California Department of Public Health, Ippolito International (based in Salinas) has announced a voluntary and precautionary recall of select “Queen Victoria” and “Tubby” bunched spinach.

The spinach affected by the precautionary recall was packed in 12-count and 24-count spinach bunches in cardboard boxes with “Spinach” printed on the side panel, in wire bound crates or reusable plastic containers. The cartons of recalled spinach were also labeled with the following Code Date Stickers which can be located on the outside edge panel of the carton:

• 10522441 5 205 (harvested September 1, 2009);

• 10522451 5 205 (harvested September 2, 2009);

• 10522461 5 205 (harvested September 3, 2009).

The Tubby label was packed only on Code Date 10522451 5 205.

In turn, the individual 12-count and 24-count spinach bunches were bound with a twist tie which says “PLU 4090 UPC 33383-65200.” The twist tie associated with the “Queen Victoria” label has the Queen Victoria logo on it. The twist tie for the Tubby label has a generic spinach band on it.

Of the 1,715 cartons of bunched spinach recalled, a total of 1,515 cartons were packed under the “Queen Victoria” label and distributed to California, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and to British Columbia, Ontario, and Manitoba in Canada. The remaining 200 cartons were packed under the “Tubby” label and distributed in California and New York. The recalled spinach was distributed to retail, food service and wholesale buyers.

Ippolito International immediately announced the precautionary recall following the discovery of Salmonella during routine product testing. It is also important to note that, to date, there have been no illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. Nevertheless, consumers who purchased these products should discard them or return to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions, or who need additional information on where the recalled products were sold, are also invited to contact Ippolito International at 1-831-772-9991.

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The USDA has published new rules for a proposed program, under which select State-inspected establishments (with 25 or fewer employees) will be eligible to ship meat and poultry products in interstate commerce. Click on the following link to view the Proposed Rule.

The new program was created as part of the 2008 Farm Bill to supplement the existing Federal-State cooperative inspection program to allow State-inspected plants with 25 or fewer employees to ship products across State lines. This announcement is part of the USDA's new Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative, which seeks to better connect consumers with local producers to help develop local and regional food systems to spur economic opportunity.

"This new cooperative interstate shipment program will provide new economic opportunities for many small and very small meat and poultry establishments, whose markets are currently limited," said USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Jerold Mande. "We can provide new markets for these establishments, while maintaining the integrity of the Federal mark of inspection."

Currently, 27 states operate State Inspection Programs for meat and poultry, and FSIS verifies that the State programs are implementing requirements that are "at least equal to" those imposed under the Federal meat and poultry products inspection acts. Click on the following link to view the Current List of Qualifying States. For these programs, FSIS provides up to 50 percent of the State's operating funds and provides oversight and enforcement of the program.

Under the proposed rule, selected establishments will receive inspection services from federally trained and/or supervised State inspection personnel who will verify that the establishments meet all Federal food safety requirements. Meat and poultry products produced under the voluntary cooperative program will bear an official USDA mark of inspection, thereby enabling interstate shipment of the products.

State-inspected establishments that are not selected for the voluntary cooperative program, including state-inspected establishments with more than 25 employees, are only eligible to sell and ship their products within their State.

Comments must be received on or before Monday, November 16, 2009, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov, by mail to: FSIS Docket Room, USDA, FSIS, OPPD, Docket Clearance Unit, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Stop 5272, Beltsville, MD 20705.

All comments must identify FSIS and the docket number FSIS-2008-0039. Once received and published, interested parties will be able to View All Comments Online.

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According to the FDA, the Plainview Milk Products Cooperative has announced a voluntary recall of various milk products following the discovery of potential Salmonella contamination. The recall includes all instant nonfat dried milk, whey protein, fruit stabilizers, and gums (thickening agents) produced by the company during the past two years at its facility in Plainview, Minnesota. Click on the following link to view a copy of the FDA News Release.

The investigation which led to the recall is an interesting example of the ways in which the governmental agencies, which oversee the food industry, can and do work together to identify any potential problems which may arise. The investigation began when the USDA found Salmonella in 100-gram pouches of Dairyshake powder that were not for retail sale. The USDA then alerted the FDA, who later discovered salmonella on some of the processing equipment used in the Plainview plant. The FDA conducted the investigation in collaboration with USDA, CDC, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and various state and local health departments.

The products which were voluntarily recalled have not been linked to any illnesses, nor did they reach consumers directly. Rather, they were sold to other downstream companies, which then used the ingredients to process other foods.

We will, of course, continue to report on continuing developments.

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On June 24, 2009, the JBS Swift Beef Company announced a voluntary recall of approximately 41,280 pounds of beef products. After consultation with the FSIS, and following a thorough review of its own records, the company has voluntarily expanded its initial recall to include an additional 380,000 pounds of select intact beef primal products. Click on the following link to view the FSIS Recall Release.

According to FSIS, the expanded recall was initiated voluntarily by JBS Swift, in an abundance of caution, as a result of an ongoing investigation by the CDC of numerous E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in multiple states. According to the company, the FSIS had indicated that some of these illnesses could potentially be associated with ground beef products further processed (by JBS Swift’s customers) from whole intact cuts. Click on the following link to view the JBS Release.

The beef products affected by the expanded recall were produced in Greeley, Colorado on April 21, 2009, and were distributed both nationally and internationally. Click on the following link to view a list of those products subject to the expanded recall.

Each box of recalled product bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, an identifying package date of "042109," and a time stamp ranging from "0618" to "1130." The recalled products include intact cuts of beef, such as primals, sub-primals, or boxed beef typically used for steaks and roasts (rather than for ground beef). As noted, however, because some of these products may have been further processed by downstream customers into ground beef, the final packaging may not bear the establishment number "EST. 969." As a result, FSIS is advising customers with concerns to contact their point of purchase.

FSIS also reminds consumers that, whether beef products are ground or intact, cooking beef products to 160 degrees will destroy any pathogens that may be present, and will render the products safe.

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The JBS Swift Beef Company has announced a voluntary recall of approximately 41,280 pounds of beef products, following the discovery of E. coli O157:H7 during FSIS microbiological sampling, and an investigation involving the distribution of all potentially affected products.

The products affected by the recall were produced by JBS Swift (in Greeley, Colorado) on April 21 and 22, 2009, and were distributed to distributors and retail establishments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

The specific products subject to recall include:

• Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "21852."

• Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "21853."

• Boxes of "Swift, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "31852."

• Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "31853."

• Boxes of "Swift, USDA SELECT, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "33852."

• Boxes of "USDA SELECT, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "33853."

• Boxes of "BLACK ANGUS, Swift Premium, BEEF, USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "41853."

• Boxes of "BLACK ANGUS, Swift Premium, BEEF, USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "41853."

• Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, an identifying package date of "042109" and a case code of "79852."

• Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, an identifying package date of "042109" and a case code of "79853."

• Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "90853."

All raw meat products carry federally-mandated safe-handling labels.  In turn, FSIS reminds consumers that thoroughly cooking raw beef products will destroy any pathogens that may be present, and will render the products safe.

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Working closely with the FDA, KLEEN-PAK FOODS refined its spinach recall, originally announced yesterday, to include spinach products distributed to Minnesota. The precautionary recall was announced following the discovery of Salmonella in limited product samples during routine testing.

The precautionary recall involves 10 ounce and 1 pound packages of fresh spinach distributed in retail stores and food wholesalers in Wisconsin, the Chicago area, and Minnesota. The products are marked with a use by date of 4/29, 4/30, and 5/01.

No illnesses have been reported, and KLEEN-PAK is continuing to work closely with the FDA to determine the original source of the potential contamination.

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