Salmonella Spinach Recall by Salinas Grower
A company from Salinas, California, has recalled more than 1,715 cartons of bunched spinach after routine random tests by the Michigan Department of Agriculture found Salmonella contamination.
The Salmonella spinach recall by Ippolito International LP mostly applies to Queen Victoria brand bunched spinach, but it also covers 200 cartons of bunched spinach under the Tubby brand that was distributed in California and New York. In all, the recall affects consumers in 10 additional states and three Canadian provinces — British Columbia, Ontario and Manitoba. The 10 states are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey.
The company said in a press release distributed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that no illnesses have been reported in connection with the positive Salmonella test, which was obtained under the USDA’s Microbial Data Program. The potentially contaminated spinach was grown September 1-3 and Ippolito contacted known distributors of the spinach to tell them to destroy any unsold bunches.
This is certainly not the first time that fresh spinach has been associated with a recall based on findings of Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7. As a leafy green vegetable, spinach has come under special scrutiny along with lettuce and other vegetables prone to contamination in the field or processing facilities. The most notable event was the Dole baby spinach E. coli outbreak of 2006. More than 200 people were sickened, 31 were hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, and five of those people died.
Salmonella, too, has the potential to kill people who are young, old or immune-compromised. Healthy people who get sick from Salmonella may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. If the bacteria gets into a person’s blood stream, it can lead to greater problems, including arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.
One of the scary food poisoning lawsuit lessons learned in the 2006 spinach outbreak was that pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 can’t just rest on the surface of leafy green vegetables, but they can harbor within the plants themselves — making them resistant to washing.
For reasons of prevention, we repeat more information here about Ippolito’s recall: The 12 and 24-count spinach bunches were bound with a twist tie which says “Queen Victoria Spinach Produce of USA PLU 4090 UPC 33383 65200.”
The “Tubby” product was packed in cardboard cartons with “Tubby” printed on the side panel. The cartons were coded with date stickers. They read as follows: 10522441 5 205 (Harvested September 1, 2009); 105222451 5 205 (Harvested September 2, 2009; 10522461 5 205 (Harvested September 3, 2009).
Salmonella Parsley Recall Affects 10 States
Ten states received bunched parsley that has been recalled by a California farm after sample tests found Salmonella contamination.
The Salmonella parsley recall covers 1005 cases of 60-count bunched parsley from Muranaka Farm Inc. of Moorpark, California. The company said it is working on the problem with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the press release said no illnesses have been associated with the potentially contaminated parsley.
The product, stamped with lot code 0023909, was shipped in brown wax cartons under the Muranka label to the following states: Arizona (30 cases), California (574 cases), Colorado (35 cases), Florida (60 cases), Iowa (3 cases), Illinois (1 case), Missouri (7 cases, Tennessee (5 cases), Texas (278 cases) and Wisconsin (12 cases). The cases were distributed within retail and foodservice outlets.
By the time the recall was announced Friday, two weeks had passed since it was shipped and the product was past its useful shelf life. But the company said its trace recall program was able to immediately identify which stores and foodservice accounts received the parlsey in question.
The company said it could pinpoint which field the parsley came from and what crew harvested it.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and others who have weakened immune systems. One of the risks posed by Salmonella poisoning is arterial infection that can lead to endocarditis and Reiter’s Syndrome.
Fresh produce contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogens is an old food safety problem that the government has been trying to address by setting anti-microbial standards to keep feces-contaminated water and manure out of fields. The standards also cover worker hygiene, sanitation in packing facilities, traceback controls and transportation guidance, but more work must be done in all these areas to elevate food safety to a higher plateau.
Second West Coast Shipper Has Onion Salmonella Recall
The second recall announcement in a week relating to Salmonella and iceless green onions has been made by Steinbeck Country Produce of Salinas, California.
Steinbeck joins Ocean Mist Farms of Castroville, California, in recalling green onions that were supplied by Circle Produce of Calexico, Mexico. The onions were sourced from a farm in Mexicali, Mexico, and a sample was found to be contaminated with Salmonella in a routine test late last month by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Steinbeck is recalling product with lot code numbers 96CPG007 and 9CPO937 shipped between August 4 and August 22, 2009. Vendors were notified August 27 and the company’s press release on the recall was circulated Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The recall affects 3,360 cartons of the green onions.
Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning, particularly diarrhea, appear six to 72 hours after initial contact. The illness can last up to seven days and most of the time doesn’t require medical treatment. But young children, the elderly and people who have weakened immune systems can become seriously ill and die.
Late last year and early this year, for instance, a multi-state Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut products made by Peanut Corp. of America killed nine people. Our firm, Pritzker Olsen attorneys, represents the families of three of those victims and has filed a Salmonella lawsuit against the company.
For years, federal regulators have been working with our produce industry to prevent dangerous pathogens from entering the supply of leafy green vegetables, cantaloupe, and other crops. A key to this prevention is keeping animal feces out of the fields and out of surface water and irrigation water that could possibly come in contact with food we harvest. But the process also extends to worker health and hygiene, packing facility sanitation and transportation.
Both government and industry have adopted standard practices and responsible growers, packers and consumers should be able to reasonably expect companies within the supply chain to constantly audit themselves to help prevent the threat of foodborne illness.
Iceless Green Onions Recalled After Salmonella Test
Salmonella concerns have prompted California-based Ocean Mist Farms to recall 1,746 cases of iceless green onions, a product packed in 5.5-ounce Cello bags.
The recall followed a positive test for Salmonella by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in iceless green onions grown by Circle Produce. Ocean Mist is one of several shippers to receive the product, the company’s press release said.
Ocean Mist first published its recall notice August 28, but it was redistributed electronically Tuesday by the FDA. Ocean Mist said it is possible that some of the onions already have been consumed. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall.
The iceless green onions come in 4-by-12 count cases and 2-by-24 count cases. The cases are 24-count, 36-count or 40-count and the Trace Back Code is 95ONCP7G. The following production dates are part of the recall: 80309; 80709; 80809; 81109; 81209; 81309.
Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning, particularly diarrhea, appear six to 72 hours after initial contact. The illness can last up to seven days and most of the time doesn’t require medical treatment. But young children, the elderly and people who have weakened immune systems can become seriously ill and die.
Late last year and early this year, for instance, a multi-state Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut products made by Peanut Corp. of America killed nine people. Our firm represents the families of three of those victims and has filed a Salmonella lawsuit against the company.
Texjoy Red Pepper Recalled Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination
The Texas Coffee Company, Inc. of Beaumont, Texas, has recalled 3 ounce and 8 oz. packages of Texjoy red pepper because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
The product comes in a clear plastic package marked with lot # A29A07A2012, A28A07A2012 & A30A07A2012.
The recalled pepper was distributed in retail stores Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.
The potential for contamination was noted after a supplier of the product to the Texas Coffee Company revealed the presence of Salmonella in some of the red pepper they had shipped to Texas Coffee Company.
Salmonella is a foodborne bacterial pathogen that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. 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 reactive arthritis, also known as Reiter’s syndrome.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.
Earlier this year, another manufacturer, Union International Food of Union City, California, recalled spices, including white and red pepper, due to possible Salmonella contamination. The Union International Food pepper recall was prompted by a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella associated with white and black pepper made by Union International Food Co., under the “Uncle Chen” and “Lian How” labels and microbiologically linked to “Uncle Chen” white ground pepper. Our law firm is representing people sickened in this outbreak and has filed a lawsuit against Union International Food.
Fred Pritzker On Newsmakers
