Recalls That Should Be on Your Radar—Week of June 16, 2019

We’ve compiled a list of recalls issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) from this past week:

Ruiz Foods Products Inc. Issues Recall for Bacon Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

Ruiz Foods Products Inc., a Denison, Texas, establishment, is recalling approximately 246,514 pounds of frozen, not ready-to-eat (NRTE) breakfast wrap products containing bacon that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically small rocks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The frozen egg, potato, bacon and cheese wrap items were produced on Jan. 17, 2019 and Jan. 18, 2019. The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 17523A” on the back of the package. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered on June 14, 2019, when Ruiz Foods advised FSIS of three consumer complaints regarding foreign material in the wrap products. The firm continues to investigate the source of the foreign material.

Read more about this recall here.

C&S Wholesale Grocers Issues Recall due to Possible Temperature Abuse

C&S Wholesale Grocers, located in Westfield, Mass. is recalling an undetermined amount of ready-to-eat and not-ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to temperature abuse during transport, which may have resulted in the growth of spoilage organisms or pathogens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. Temperature abuse may result in the growth of the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus, Shiga-toxin producing E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella.

The ready-to-eat and not-ready-to-eat meat and poultry products were sold on June 17, 2019, at two Target retail stores in New York. The Target stores are located at 98 Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack, New York and 160 North Research Place in Central Islip, New York.

Read more about this recall here.

Hometown Food Company Issues Recall for Select Pillsbury Flour Due to E coli Risk

Hometown Food Company, in cooperation with ADM Milling Co., today initiated a voluntary recall of two specific lot codes of its Pillsbury® Best 5 lb. Bread Flour due to a potential presence of pathogenic E. coli. The product was manufactured by ADM Milling Co., at the company’s mill in Buffalo, NY.

The severity of E. coli infections vary among people and often include several symptoms, including severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. People usually develop symptoms and get sick 3-4 days after ingesting the germ, and most recover within a week. In some cases, individuals may develop a serious illness called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS, which can result in kidney failure, stroke, and even death). Young children, elderly individuals, pregnant women and those who are immunocompromised are more susceptible to foodborne illness. If you feel ill or are at all concerned about an illness, please contact your physician.

Approximately 4,620 cases of impacted Pillsbury® Best 5 lb. Bread Flour were distributed to a limited number of retailers and distributors across the following 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Read more about this recall here.

WinCo Foods Issues Recall for Frozen Red Raspberries Due to Norovirus Risk

WinCo Foods, LLC. Of Boise, ID is recalling Frozen Red Raspberries, 12 ounce bag, manufactured by Rader Farms of Bellingham, WA, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Norovirus. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus. Typical symptoms of norovirus infection are acute onset of vomiting, watery, non-bloody diarrhea with abdominal cramps, and nausea. Systemic manifestations include, fever, myalgia and malaise, anorexia, and headache. Although most symptoms end within 48 hours, the elderly, young children and immunocompromised persons may develop prolonged, or more severe symptoms.

WinCo Foods has removed the potentially affected product from store shelves.

Product was distributed to WinCo Foods stores in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, Texas, and Utah.

Read more about this recall here.

Sprouts Farmers Market Issues Recall for Spinach Products Due to Listeria Risk

Sprouts Farmers Market of Phoenix, AZ is recalling Frozen Cut Leaf Spinach conventional and organic 16oz bags, manufactured by National Frozen Foods of Oregon, because it has the potential to be contaminated with 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, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Product was distributed to retail locations in AZ, CA, NV, UT, NM, CO, TX, KS, OK, MO, TN, AL, GA, FL, SC, NC, PA, MD, and VA.

No illnesses have been reported in connection to this product to date.

The recall is due to random sampling which revealed the finished products contained the bacteria. Sprouts Farmers Market has removed all affected product from its retail stores. In addition, Sprouts is conducting an internal investigation with National Frozen Foods to ensure all food safety standards and being met and enforced.

Read more about this recall here.

GE Healthcare Issues Recall for Giraffe and Panda iRes Warmers

GE Healthcare has issued a Recall for all Giraffe Warmers and Panda iRes Warmers, used by hospitals and clinicians. This voluntary field corrective action is being initiated after GE Healthcare became aware that the bedside panels and latch areas on the beds may crack, break or become damaged if the unit is not properly used, by using the bedside panels to move the warmer instead of using the front handle or the rear maneuvering handle.

In March 2019, GE Healthcare notified all hospital customers of this issue through an Urgent Medical Device Correction notice and is now issuing a supplemental notice to all customers with additional clarifications. These notification letters:

• Instruct users to stop use of any warmer if any portion of the bedside panels or latches is cracked, broken or damaged;
• Provide users with new caution labels showing how to properly move the warmer, labels instructing users to make sure bedside panels are latched and secure after each use of the bedside panels, and instructional posters that include pictures of broken and unbroken latches showing how to check the walls for any damage; and
• Equip users with a manual addendum that provides additional clarity on the proper use of the front handle to move the warmer.

Read more about this recall here.

UNFI Recalls Woodstock Frozen Organic Grilled Peppers Due to Listeria Risk

Out of an abundance of caution, UNFI is voluntarily recalling its 10 ounce packages of Woodstock frozen Organic Grilled Red Peppers because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes . Listeria monocytogenes is 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, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infections can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The product comes in a 10 ounce plastic package marked with UPC code 4256301714, lot #60B, and an expiration date of April 2020 stamped on the back of the package and was distributed nationally to retail stores.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

Read more about this recall here.

Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods Issues Recall for Select Avocado Chunks due to Listeria Risk

NATURE’S TOUCH FROZEN FOODS (WEST) INC. (“Nature’s Touch”) is voluntary recalling Signature Select Avocado Chunks, with a best before date of Oct 11, 20, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes (the “Product”).

Nature’s Touch is issuing this voluntary recall based on strict precautionary measures after the company was informed by the FDA that a routine sampling program found a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in one sample bag of the Product.

Listeria monocytogenes is 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, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

To date, there have been no reported illnesses associated with the product that is the subject of this precautionary recall.

Read more about this recall here.

Infusion Options Inc. Issues Recall of Sterile Products Due to Lack of Assurance of Sterility

Infusion Options Inc. is voluntarily recalling all lots of all sterile products within expiry to the hospital level. These products are being recalled due to a lack of assurance of sterility.

Administration of a non-sterile product intended to be sterile may result in serious and potentially life threatening infections or death. To date, Infusion Options Inc. has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.

Products were distributed in Brooklyn, N.Y. to a hospital. Infusion Options Inc. is notifying its customers by letter and email and is arranging for return of all recalled products.

Consumers that have products from Infusion Options Inc within expiry should stop using and return to Infusion Options Inc. for destruction.

Read more about this recall here.

Alma Pak Issues Recall of Frozen Berries Due to Potential Risk of Norovirus

Alma Pak of Alma, Georgia is recalling specific lots of product containing frozen blackberries (noted below) due to the potential of being contaminated with Norovirus. FDA testing of frozen blackberries was reported to have tested positive for Norovirus.

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus. Consumption of product contaminated with Norovirus may cause acute onset of symptoms of gastroenteritis including severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Less common symptoms are low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. Although most symptoms end within 48 hours, the elderly, young children and immunocompromised persons may develop prolonged, or more severe symptoms.

Read more about this recall here.