What’s in Your Kitchen? Last Week in Recalls

Posted in Food Allergens,Outbreaks & Recalls on June 1, 2018

MakeFoodSafe.com would like to help you keep your family safe from recalled and unsafe foods.  So, each week we gather a list of the current recalls issued by companies, the FDA, and the USDA.  Check back each week and evaluate your fridge, pantry, and shopping list to make sure you can identify which foods to avoid.

Eddy Packing Co.  Recalls Smoked Sausage Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

Eddy Packing Co., Inc of Yoakum, Texas issued a recall on May 4, 2018 for approximately 49,558 pounds of smoked sausage products due to potential contamination with a hard, plastic material.

The issue was discovered after complaints originating from a restaurant indicating pieces of white, hard plastic were discovered embedded in the sausage during slicing.

The recalled smoked sausage products were originally processed on April 5, 2018 and include packaging dates of April 5, 2018 and April 6, 2018.  Affected products bear an establishment number “EST 4800”.  Items were shipped to retail and food service location in the states of California, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.  See chart below for specific lots.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury resulting from this recall at this time. Food Safety Investigation Services (FSIS), a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organization, suggests anyone concerned about an injury or illness to contact a healthcare provider. The greater concern is that some products could remain frozen in consumer freezers that may not be aware of the issue.  Consumers who have purchased the affected products should not consume them and either throw them away or return to the place of purchase.

Surgarfina, Inc. Issues Recall on Sugar Cookie Products Due to Undeclared Eggs on Allergen Labeling

Sugarfina, Inc. issued a recall on May 11, 2018 due to labeling that does not declare the potential allergen, egg, on the label.  Those with a severe sensitivity or allergy to eggs risk serious or life threatening allergic reaction if the product is consumed.

The recall was initiated after an internal review of the company’s product labels.  It was discovered the potential allergen was not listed on the packaging.  The product is otherwise safe to consume.

The affected product is sold in Sugarfina, Inc. retail stores throughout the United States as well as select Nordstrom department stores in the states of Arizona, California, Illinois, Oregon, Texas, and Washington and other boutique retail stores. These cookies are small, white-chocolate coated and commonly sold in clear lucite cubes containing about 3.5 ounces. The product is also sold in a clear plastic bag containing about 0.8oz or a blue plastic bag containing about 2.5 lbs. See chart below for specific UPC information.

No illness or adverse reactions has been reported in connection with this recall.

Blount Fine Foods Recalls Chicken Tortilla Soup Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergen

Blount Fine Foods of Fall River, Massachusetts issued a recall for about 720 pounds of Chicken Tortilla Soup products due to misbranding and undeclared allergen.  The product contains the known allergen, wheat, that is not declared on the label.  Those with a severe sensitivity or allergy to wheat may experience serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if the product is consumed.

The recall was initiated because some of the product labeled as “Chicken Tortilla Soup” may actually contain “Southwest Style Corn Chowder” instead.  The latter product contains wheat.  A customer reported a complaint that the container labeled as “Chicken Tortilla Soup” contained a different product.  There have been no confirmed cases of adverse reaction in connection with this recalled product.

The product was produced on April 25, 2018 and bears an establishment number P-19449A on the case label.   The affected items were shipped to distribution centers and then on to the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.  See chart below for specific lot information.

Kent Quality Foods, Inc. Recalls Hot Dog and Sausage Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergen 

Kent Quality Foods, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan issued a recall on May 16, 2018 for about 308,430 pounds of ready-to-eat hot dog and sausage products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen, soy.  Those who are severely sensitive or have an allergy to soy may experience serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if the product is consumed.

The product was produced on various dates from September 9, 2017 through April 29, 2018 and bears an establishment number EST. 5694.  A full list of recalled product information can be obtained here.

The issue was discovered on May 12, 2018 when the company observed the label for the spice mixture used on the Beef Polish sausage contained hydrolyzed soy protein.  The label for the Beef Polish Sausage does not indicate soy as a product ingredient. While the Beef Polish Sausage is the only product that uses this ingredient, a wider recall was issue due to the potential for cross contamination with shared equipment used during both raw and ready-to-eat processing steps with other products.

No reports of illness or adverse reaction have been reported in connection with this recall.  The greater concern is that the product may still be stored in consumer refrigerators or freezers.

Questions may be directed to Stephen Soet at 616-459-4595.

List of Featured Recalled Products:

By: Heather Van Tassell, Contributing Writer (Non-Lawyer)