Wednesday, August 05, 2020

We are what we eat?

If so, we're in a lot of trouble.  If you doubt it, visit the Food and Drug Administration's website and learn just how bad it can be.  For example, Raspberry Zingers.

That's right, the Hostess treat.  July 21st, the FDA announced  a recall for the dessert:

Hostess Brands, LLC (“Hostess Brands”) is voluntarily recalling certain Hostess® Raspberry Zingers® because the product may develop mold prior to the best by date.




It's not just the sweet stuff.  Maybe you eat packaged salad?  If so, let's hope it wasn't Signature Farms Garden Salad that you were tossing in your shopping cart.  Earlier in July, the FDA announced:


In cooperation with the Fresh Express recall of bagged salads potentially linked to an outbreak of Cyclospora infections in the Midwest.  Jewel-Osco is voluntarily recalling bagged Signature Farms Garden Salad, net wt. 12 oz., sold in its stores in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.

The recalled Signature Farms Garden Salad, UPC code of 21130 98135, was sold in 12-ounce bags in the Produce section.  The recalled products have BEST IF USED BY dates of May 16 through July 4 (5-16-20 through 7-04-20). The BEST IF USED BY date and the product code are printed on the top right corner of the front of the package.  The affected product with the product code is subject to recall.

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a microscopic parasite of humans. This parasite, when it contaminates food or water and is then ingested, can cause an intestinal illness called cyclosporiasis. Most people infected with Cyclospora develop diarrhea. Other common symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Vomiting, body aches, headache, fever, and other flu-like symptoms may be noted. Some people who are infected with Cyclospora do not have any symptoms. If not treated, the illness may last from a few days to a month or longer. Symptoms may seem to go away and then return one or more times.


Of course, in June it was coleslaw:


Fresh Express, out of an abundance of caution, has issued a voluntary recall of branded and private label salad products produced at its Streamwood, IL facility that contain iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and/or carrot ingredients due to a possible health risk from Cyclospora. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 200 illnesses have been reported in connection with a current outbreak of Cyclospora occurring in primarily Midwest states.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the Cyclospora parasite. A person may become infected after ingesting contaminated food or water. Common symptoms include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, body aches and fatigue. The infection is treated with antibiotics and most people respond quickly to treatment.

The Fresh Express recall includes only those salads that are clearly marked with the letter Z at the beginning of the Product Code, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of the front of the package. Products containing the ingredients iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and/or carrots AND displaying the Product Code Z178, or a lower number, are recalled.

Recalled products were distributed to select retail stores between June 6 and June 26 in various states including, for example, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.


And iceberg salad:

Fresh Express, out of an abundance of caution, has issued a recall of a limited quantity of Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad from select stores as a precautionary measure due to a possible health risk from Cyclospora.

The recall affects all product codes of Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad sold in 12- and 24-ounce packages with best-if-used-by-dates of May 19 to July 04 and distributed to select stores between June 1 and June 21 in Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the Cyclospora parasite. A person may become infected after ingesting contaminated food or water. Common symptoms include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, body aches and fatigue. The infection is treated with antibiotics and most people respond quickly to treatment.

Walmart retail stores are removing the recalled product from store shelves and inventories. If customers have the recalled Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad, they should discard it immediately and not consume it.

And yogurt pretzels:

Mount Franklin Foods, LLC dba Azar Nut Company of El Paso, TX is voluntarily recalling its 5-ounce packages of "7-Select Yogurt Pretzels" because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have allergies to peanuts run the risk of serious or life- threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

The recalled 5-ounce packages of "7-Select Yogurt Pretzels" were distributed nationwide in retail 7-Eleven stores.

The product comes in a 5 ounce, printed plastic pouch and is marked with lot number YR20140 Best By May/19/2021 and JT20147 Best By May/26/2021 on the bottom front left of the bag.

 And ice cream:

Beyond Better Foods, LLC, is recalling select pints from a single production run of Enlightened brand Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream pints because they may have been packaged in Dairy-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter containers and thus contain undeclared milk ingredients. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

The affected product was distributed nationwide in grocery stores. Beyond Better Foods is taking immediate steps to recall all affected products.

This recall is the result of mislabeled product. Specifically, one lot of Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream was mistakenly filled in pint sized Enlightened brand Dairy-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter pint containers. These packages have a base container labeled “Dairy-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter” and a lid labeled “Chocolate Peanut Butter” without a “Dairy-Free” callout. All affected products have a “best by” date of November 5, 2021 which is printed on the bottom of the container.

And . . .


It never ends.  Our food isn't safe and the FDA is both underfunded and limited in the scope and use of their powers.  There is no real food safety in the US at this point.  If you've read Margaret Atwood's ORYX AND CRAKE, you have a pretty good idea of how this story ends.