Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer - Salmonella

New Peanut Product Recalls

Paul Kiesel — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:36:53 GMT

From the AP:

The following recalls have been announced because the products could be contaminated with salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems:

- Bad Byron's Specialty Food Products Inc. is recalling its barbecue seasoned roasted peanuts. The company said it has not received any reports of illness. The recall involves Bad Byron's Butt Rub Roasted Peanuts, packaged in 12-ounce tins with the UPC 4492358599. The recalled products were produced before Oct. 10, 2007, and distributed before Feb. 11, 2008. The product had limited distribution nationwide and in Canada. Details: by phone at 850-267-3661.

- Junior's Cheesecake & Desserts is recalling its 8-inch Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake. No illnesses have been reported, according to the company. The recall involves Junior's 8-inch Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake (QVC item No. M18011), UPC code 748924608604, Batch 0278 and Batch 0218. The products were sold to consumers through QVC.

- Bear Naked is recalling 12-ounce packages of Bear Naked All-Natural Peanut Butter Granola and Bear Naked All-Natural Peanut Butter Granola with Heavenly Chocolate with a "Better If Used Before" date before Feb. 1, 2010. No illnesses have been reported, according to the company. The recalled products have these UPC bar codes on the package: 8-5641600100 and 8-5641600185. Details: by phone at 877-392-1660.

- Theo Chocolate Inc. is recalling Peanut Butter Big Daddy and Peanut Confections. No known illnesses have been reported, according to the company. The products were sold through retailers nationwide, direct to consumers from the company's Web site and at the Theo Chocolate Factory store in Seattle. Details: by phone at 206-632-5100 ext. 1001. The recall includes:

- Theo Brand PEANUT BUTTER BIG DADDY; UPC code: 8-74492-00023-3; BEST BY dates are 8/15/2008 to 2/28/2009.

- Theo Brand COLLECTION BOX, which contains peanut confections with peanut sprinkles, or individual, loose peanut confections purchased from the Theo retail store or Web site in 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 or 32 piece brown cardboard box packaging and no UPC codes. BEST BY dates are 8/15/2008 to 12/15/2008.

- Durey Libby Edible Nuts Inc. is recalling select nut products. No illness has been reported. The recalled snacks have lot codes of 7001 through 9029 and expiration dates of 01/01/07 through 07/01/09. Details: by phone at 201-939-2775.

This recall includes the following products:

- Durey Libby honey roasted peanuts; 30 pounds; no UPC

- Durey Libby honey roasted peanuts; 10 pounds; no UPC

- Snack Shack peanuts honey roasted; 10 ounces; UPC 081641251464

- Snack Shack peanuts honey roasted; 14 ounces; UPC 081641151467

- Snack Shack peanuts honey roasted; 1 pound; UPC 081641351461

- Amsterdam Gourmet honey roasted peanuts; 10 ounces; UPC 081641251464

- West Bank Gourmet honey roasted peanuts; 10 ounces; UPC 081641251464

- Isagenix International LLC is expanding its earlier recall of select bars. This recall now includes all lots of Isagenix brand chocolate dipped honey peanut IsaLean bars since January 2007 and most lots of the IsaLean peanut crunch bar before January 2009, except for two: lots 12390208 and 12390708. The chocolate dipped honey peanut bars have a UPC of 602410 and the peanut crunch bars have a UPC of 602421. The bars were sold nationwide through a network of direct sales distributors. Details: by phone at 877-877-8111.

Slim-Fast is extending a recall of Slim-Fast optima caramel crispy peanut MEAL on-the-go bars. The company recently recalled the 6-bars-per box product. The recall also now includes the 12-bars-per-box product with the UPC code 0834613690 and bars sold individually with the UPC code 0834603690. The products were distributed nationwide. Details: by phone at 877-270-7393.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Kiesel

Bankrupt: Peanut Corp. to Liquidate All Assets

Paul Kiesel — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:59:17 GMT

From the Associated Press:

ATLANTA (AP) — The peanut processing company at the heart of a national salmonella outbreak is going out of business. The Lynchburg, Va.-based Peanut Corp. of America filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Virginia Friday, the latest bad news for the company that has been accused of producing tainted peanut products that may have reached everyone from poor school children to disaster victims.

"It's regrettable, but it's inevitable with the events of last month," said Andrew S. Goldstein, a bankruptcy lawyer in Roanoke, Va., who filed the petition.

The salmonella outbreak was traced to the company's plant in Blakely, Ga., where inspectors found roaches, mold and a leaking roof. A second plant in Plainview, Texas was shuttered this week after preliminary tests came back positive for possible salmonella contamination. So far, the outbreak has been suspected of sickening more than 630 people and may have caused nine deaths. It also has led to more than 2,000 product recalls, one of the largest recalls in U.S. history.

Companies file Chapter 7 to liquidate their assets and distribute the proceeds to creditors. A trustee is automatically appointed to oversee the wind down, as opposed to a Chapter 11 filing that gives a company breathing room while it tries to reduce its debts and continue in business. The company said in the filing that its debt and assets both ranged between $1 million and $10 million.

The board had considered a Chapter 11 bankruptcy but decided on an outright liquidation. It said in a court filing that the recalls had been "extremely devastating" to the company's financial condition.

"We kicked the tires on trying to reorganize, but the fact of the matter is they've absolutely closed down," Goldstein said. "They're prevented from carrying on business. There didn't seem like there would be any prospects."

The company's problems have multiplied since the link to its Georgia plant.

Article continues here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Kiesel

One of the Largest Food Recalls Ever Just Got Bigger: Peanut Corp. Texas Closed

Paul Kiesel — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:31:32 GMT

From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — The Peanut Corporation of America closed its processing plant in Plainview, Tex., on Monday night after a laboratory test indicated possible salmonella contamination, a development that threatens to widen one of the largest food recalls ever and raises more questions about why the government allowed the plant to operate.

The company’s plant in Blakely, Ga., was identified a month ago as the source of a nationwide salmonella outbreak. And even though investigators soon determined that the company may have deliberately shipped contaminated products to some of the nation’s largest food makers, officials allowed the company’s plant in Texas to continue supplying customers.

Former workers at the Texas plant said in interviews with The New York Times that the facility was “disgusting” and shared many of the problems found in the plant in Georgia. But state and federal health officials said they did not have enough evidence to close the Texas plant.

The company also has a plant in Suffolk, Va. The Food and Drug Administration said it conducted a comprehensive inspection of the plant in late January and found no evidence of problems.

The Texas Department of State Health Services released a statement on Tuesday saying that “it does not appear that any of the implicated products — peanut meal, granulated peanuts and dry roasted peanuts — have reached consumers.” But a top official at the food and drug agency was far less reassuring, saying the investigation in Texas was continuing.

“I can’t speculate where this might lead us and whether another or expanded recall would be initiated” based on conditions at the Texas plant, said Michael Rogers, director of the F.D.A.’s division of field investigation.

Meanwhile, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and criminal investigators from the food agency descended on the Peanut Corporation’s plant in Georgia on Monday and hauled away “a whole bunch of stuff,” said George Straitt, a food and drug agency spokesman.

The Peanut Corporation released a statement saying it was cooperating with the investigations and had voluntarily closed its Texas plant.

The contamination scare has been associated with 8 deaths and more than 500 illnesses and has led to one of the largest food recalls in the nation’s history, with more than 1,800 separate recalls of peanut butter, cookies, crackers and other foods. Peanut butter sales have plunged.

The scandal has also focused attention on weaknesses in the nation’s oversight of food safety, leading the Obama administration to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the food agency’s procedures and spurring multiple legislative proposals on Capitol Hill to overhaul food regulations. On Wednesday, the investigations subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is to hold the second Congressional hearing on the scare, with more likely.

The Texas facility, which once housed a Jimmy Dean sausage plant, “had a blanching and roasting operation but did not make peanut butter,” Mr. Rogers said, based on a food agency inspection in late January.

Rest of the article is here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Kiesel

PCA Georgia Plant Owner on Tainted Peanut Products: Turn Them Loose!

Paul Kiesel — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:16:12 GMT

From MSNBC:

WASHINGTON - See the jar, the congressman challenged Stewart Parnell, holding up a container of the peanut seller's products and asking if he'd dare eat them. Parnell pleaded the Fifth.

The owner of the peanut company at the heart of the massive salmonella recall refused to answer the lawmaker's questions — or any others — Wednesday about the bacteria-tainted products he defiantly told employees to ship to some 50 manufacturers of cookies, crackers and ice cream.

"Turn them loose," Parnell had told his plant manager in an internal e-mail disclosed at the House hearing. The e-mail referred to products that once were deemed contaminated but were cleared in a second test last year.

Summoned by congressional subpoena, the owner of Peanut Corp. of America repeatedly invoked his right not to incriminate himself at the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on the salmonella outbreak that has sickened some 600 people, may be linked to nine deaths — the latest reported in Ohio on Wednesday — and resulted in one of the largest product recalls of more than 1,900 items.

"Did you or any officials ever place food products into inner state commerce you knew to be contaminated with salmonella?" asked Rep. Bart Stupak, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

"Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on advice of my counsel, I respectively decline to answer your questions based on the protections afforded me under the U.S. Constitution," said Parnell.

Moments later, as Parnell sat stiffly, his hands folded in his lap at the witness table, as Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., held up a clear jar of his company's products wrapped in crime-scene tape and asked if he would eat them.

Again, Parnell invoked the Fifth Amendment.

After he repeated the statement several times, lawmakers dismissed him from the hearing.

‘Total systemic breakdown’
Shortly after Parnell's appearance, a lab tester told the panel that the company discovered salmonella at its Blakely, Ga., plant as far back as 2006. Food and Drug Administration officials told lawmakers more federal inspections could have helped prevent the outbreak.

"We appear to have a total systemic breakdown," said Stupak, D-Mich.

Cookies, candy, crackers, granola bars and other products made with contaminated peanuts have been shipped to schools, stores and nursing homes, prompting the massive recall. The government raided the company's Georgia plant on Monday, and Peanut Corp. closed its Plainview, Texas, facility.

A federal criminal investigation is under way.

The House panel released e-mails obtained by its investigators showing Parnell ordered products identified with salmonella to be shipped and quoting his complaints that tests discovering the contaminated food were "costing us huge $$$$$."

For the rest of the article, click here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Kiesel

More Peanut Butter Products Affected by Recall

Paul Kiesel — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:04:36 GMT

Peanut product recalls

By The Associated Press – 1 day ago

The following recalls have been announced:

_ Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods is recalling select breakfast products, because they could be contaminated with salmonella. No illness has been reported. The recalled products were sold nationwide through mail order and at grocery and other retail stores. Details: by phone at 360-714-9585; on the Web at http://www.bbcookies.com.

This recall includes the following products:

_ Erin Baker's original breakfast cookies — peanut butter; individually packaged; 3 ounces; UPC 708875 90003; best by 05/18/08 to 08/31/08.

_ Erin Baker's original breakfast cookies — rocky road; individually packaged; 3 ounces; UPC 708875 90023; best by 05/26/08 to 06/22/08.

_ Erin Baker's homestyle granola — peanut butter; 1.5-ounce individual snack pas, 12-ounce bags; UPC 708875 00503 or 708875 00512; 10- and 25-pound bulk; no UPC for bulk items; best before 11/10/08 to 02/22/09.

___

Cuisine Innovations LLC is recalling select mini cheesecakes because they could be contaminated with salmonella. No illness has been reported. The recalled desserts were distributed to retail stores and food service outlets nationwide. Details: by phone at 732-730-9310 ext 121.

This recall includes the following products:

_ Casino Chef assorted cheesecakes; item number 54472-113; UPC 30499-08053; prod codes 0037BON0101, 2227BON0101, 0638BON0101, 3288BON, 0057BON0101, 2327BON0101, 0648BON0101, 3298BON, 1077BON0101, 2337BON0101, 0728BON0101, 3308BON, 1087BON0101, 2347BON0101, 0738BON0101, 3318BON, 1097BON0101, 2357BON0101, 1078BON0101, 3368BON, 1137BON0101, 2367BON0101, 1088BON0101, 3378BON, 1417BON0101, 2447BON0101, 1198BON0101, 3648BON, 1427BON0101, 2487BON0101, 1618BON0101, 3658BON, 1437BON0101, 2607BON0101, 1628BON0101, 0059BON, 1447BON0101, 2617BON0101, 1638BON0101, 01209BON, 1457BON0101, 2627BON0101, 1648BON0101, 01309BON, 1497BON0101, 2637BON0101, 1688BON0101, 01409BON, 1507BON0101, 2647BON0101, 2048BON0101, 01509BON, 1527BON0101, 2907BON0101, 2058BON0101, 1647BON0101, 2917BON0101, 2068BON0101, 1797BON0101, 2927BON0101, 2108BON0101, 1907BON0101, 3037BON0101, 2118BON0101, 1917BON0101, 3047BON0101, 2818BON, 1927BON0101, 3057BON0101, 2828BON, 1937BON0101, 3447BON0101, 2838BON, 2017BON0101, 3457BON0101, 2878BON, 2047BON0101, 3467BON0101, 3088BON, 2187BON0101, 3477BON0101, 3098BON, 2197BON0101, 3487BON0101, 3108BON, 2207BON0101, 0528BON0101, 3118BON, 2217BON0101, 0568BON0101 and 3258BON.

_ Cuisine Innovations assorted cheesecakes; item number 50431-708; UPC 30499-35006; prod codes 0167BON0101, 0458BON0101, 0177BON0101, 0468BON0101, 0187BON0101, 1088BON0101, 0197BON0101, 2497BON0101, 0247BON0101, 2507BON0101, 0257BON0101, 2808BON, 0297BON0101, 2897BON0101, 0307BON0101, 3248BON and 3688BON.

_ Presentations assorted cheesecake; item number 50041-951; UPC 58108-22892; prod codes 0657BON0101, 0667BON0101, 0677BON0101, 2887BON0101, 2897BON0101 and 3037BON0101.

___

Pic-A-Nut Co. is recalling select peanut products, because they could be contaminated with salmonella. No illness has been reported. The recalled products were sold to distributors and retail stores in Michigan.

This recall includes the following products:

_ Pic-A-Nut hot nuts, hot and spicy peanuts; 4.25 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020702388; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut nut topping; 4.25 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020702309; all lots with expiration dates from 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut dry roasted peanuts; 4.25 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020702312; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut honey roasted peanuts; 4 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020702304; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut 3-alarm fire mix; 4 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020705522; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut trail snackers dieters delight; 6 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020703640; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut trail snackers raisin nut mix; 8 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020701745; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut trail snackers chocolate trail mix; 6 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020709034; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut trail snackers grand deluxe mix; 6 ounces; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; UPC 7020703699; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut grand deluxe mix; 25 pounds; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; item 90020; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut energy mix; 25 pounds; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; item 90000; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut dieters choice; 25 pounds; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; item 90018; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

_ Pic-A-Nut fitness mix; 25 pounds; Variety Foods Inc. of Warren, Mich.; item 90002; all lots with expiration dates through 12/30/09.

___

A. L. Schutzman Co. is recalling select peanut products because they could be contaminated with salmonella. No illness has been reported. The products were distributed to grocery stores in about 25 central states, as well as some Albertsons stores in the South and Southwest. All the recalled products have best-by dates of 1/26/10 or earlier. Details: by phone at 262-832-8200.

This recall includes the following products:

_ Always Save dry roasted peanuts; 16-ounce jars; UPC 70038-30375.

_ Best Choice dry roasted peanuts; 16-ounce jars; UPC 70038-30381.

_ Best Choice dry roasted peanuts; 8-ounce jars, UPC 70038-30380.

_ Best Choice dry roasted peanuts, lightly salted; 16-ounce jars; UPC 70038-59661.

_ Best Choice dry roasted peanuts, unsalted; 16-ounce jars; UPC 70038-22546.

_ Best Choice honey roasted peanuts; 16-ounce jars; UPC 70038-30383.

_ Best Choice nut topping; 2-ounce bags; UPC 70038-59821.

_ Kitty Clover dry roasted peanuts; 16-ounce jars; UPC 699430-21664.

This recall also includes the following products that were distributed to independent grocery stores in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana:

_ Centrella dry roasted peanuts; 16-ounce jars, UPC 70980-22545.

_ Centrella dry roasted peanuts, no salt; 16-ounce jars; UPC 70980-22546.

___

Mister Snacks Inc. is expanding its recall of select snack items because they could be contaminated with salmonella. No illnesses have been reported. The recalled snacks were distributed throughout the United States and Canada through retail stores, mail order and direct delivery. Details: by phone at 800-333-6393.

This expanded recall includes the following products:

_ Roasted and salted cocktail peanuts; 16 ounces; item code SS04001; UPC 082321040019.

_ Long trail mix; 5 ounces; item code LT00081; UPC 719256000817.

___

Atkins Nutritionals Inc. is recalling four products because they could be contaminated with salmonella. Details: by phone at 800-628-5467; on the Web at http://www.atkins.com.

This recall includes the following products:

_ Advantage chocolate peanut butter; manufactured after April 2008.

_ Advantage peanut fudge granola.

_ Day break peanut butter fudge crisp.

_ Endulge peanut caramel cluster.

___

_Tropical Nut and Fruit of Orlando, Fla., is recalling 5-, 10- and 30-pound packages of granulated peanuts because they were manufactured by Peanut Corp. of America at its Blakely, Ga., plant and could be contaminated with salmonella. The products were sold to distributors and retailers in the Southeast. For details: by phone 800-749-8869.

The granulated peanuts were sold in 30-pound cases, Tropical item number 13060, that came from Peanut Corp. with the manufacturer's lot numbers beginning with 7, 8 or 9.

The granulated peanuts were also sold in white cases labeled with following item numbers and lot numbers:

_Item #13060-10; 10-pound case; UPC 10015196130605; lots 010908, 041608, 041708, 042408, 042508, 061708, 070208, 070308, 070808, 071008, 071408, 072108, 072208, 080408, 080708.

_Item #13060-5; 5-pound case; UPC 20015196130602; lots122807, 012508, 042508, 051308, 061608, 063008, 071408, 072808, 082508, 091508.

_Item #83928; 4/2.5-pound bags; UPC 10015196838287; lots 011608, 081108, 091508.

_Item # 99PRD012087 13060-10; 10 pounds; UPC 10015196130605; lots 042408, 042508, 070308, 070808.

___

Kings Super Markets is recalling select peanut products available at stores in New York and New Jersey because they could be contaminated with salmonella. No illness has been reported. Details: by phone at 800-325-4647.

This recall includes the following products:

_ Kings naturally mixed nuts NS; 9-ounce deli cups; UPC 7386640055; purchased before Feb. 1, 2009.

_ Kings naturally mixed nuts salted; 9-ounce deli cups; UPC 7386640054; purchased before Feb. 1, 2009.

_ Kings cranberry mix; 20-ounces deli cups; UPC 71930390282; label codes 3089 and 0095.

_ Kings Oriental mix; 16-ounce deli cups; UPC 71930390277; label codes 3089 and 0095.

_ Kings Far East spicy mix; 6.5-ounce deli cup; UPC 71930390525; label codes 3082 and 3484.

_ Kings trail mix; 9.5-ounce deli cups; UPC 71930390560; label codes 3082 and 0095.

This recall also includes the following bulk items sold by the pound from self-service bins between July 2008 and Jan. 30, 2009, in New Jersey stores in Morristown, Verona, Bernardsville, Short Hills, West Caldwell, Berkeley Heights and Whitehouse Station:

_ Gourmet mix; PLU 7253.

_ Pack a snack mix; PLU 7256.

_ Oriental mix; PLU 7255.

_ Pot of gold; PLU 7257.

_ Bridge mix; PLU 7210.

_ Dark/milk chocolate mixed nuts; PLU 7228.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Kiesel

Trader Joe's Expands Its Peanut Butter Recall

Paul Kiesel — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:02:29 GMT

The Associated Press has released a new list of companies that are expanding their peanut butter (and applicable products) recall efforts.

Southern California residents who purchased Vegan Trail Mix Cookies, SKU 22442, from any Trader Joe's store need to be aware that the product could contain the Salmonella virus seen in other peanut products affected by the recall.

Trader Joe's is expanding its recall of select private label products because they COULD be contaminated with salmonella. No illness has been reported. Details: by phone at 626-599-3817.

Below is the rest of Trader Joe's expanded peanut butter recall:

_ Peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies; sold in the Midwest, Georgia and Nashville, Tenn.; 12 ounces; SKU 80871.

_ Vegan trail mix cookies; sold in Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada; 12 ounces; SKU 22442.

_ Frozen gluten-free peanut butter cookie dough; sold nationwide; 15.3 ounces; SKU 91167.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Kiesel