FDA/USDA ~~ April& May Alerts & Safety


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05/07/2016 10:37 AM EDT

4 Frendz, LLC., a Clarkston, Wash. establishment, is recalling approximately 497 pounds of beef jerky products due to under-processing and potential survival of bacterial pathogens in the products.

 05/07/2016 10:23 AM EDT

La Autentica Foods, LLC., a Hialeah, Fla. establishment, is recalling approximately 117,350 pounds of meat tamale products that may be adulterated with Listeria Monocytogenes.

 05/06/2016 04:54 PM EDT

Schulze and Burch Biscuit Co., of Chicago, ILL is voluntarily recalling a variety of Millville Protein Chewy Bars products because they have 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.

05/06/2016 08:00 PM EDT

ConAgra Foods is voluntarily recalling Watts Brothers Farms Organic Mixed Vegetables, Organic Super Sweet Corn (Yellow/Gold), and Organic Peas and Trader Joe’s Organic Super Sweet Corn due to the potential for these products to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This voluntary action is being undertaken because the Watts Brothers and Trader Joe’s recalled products contain vegetables that are part of the recent CRF Frozen Foods recall.

05/07/2016 08:50 AM EDT

Tasty Toppings, Inc. is conducting a voluntary recall of its Dorothy Lynch Home Style Dressing. The product poses no health risks to consumers. Fat Free Dorothy Lynch Dressing is not included in the recall.

05/07/2016 08:47 AM EDT

Stahlbush Island Farms, Inc. (SIFI) of Corvallis, Ore., is voluntarily recalling 10 oz. Stahlbush IQF Green Bean retail packages 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.

05/07/2016 05:44 AM EDT

Pulmuone Foods USA is initiating a voluntary recall across three of its Noodle products because these items may contain milk as an undeclared allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious allergic reaction if they consume these products. No incidences have been reported.

05/07/2016 05:40 AM EDT
As part of the ongoing recall of CRF Frozen Foods vegetables, Twin City Foods, Inc. of Stanwood, Washington is voluntarily recalling items containing organic peas it received from CRF Frozen Foods. These products include Central Market Organic Peas and Mixed Vegetables, HEB Organic Mixed Vegetables, Sweetfrost Mixed Vegetables, and Woodstock Organic Mixed Vegetables due to the potential for these products to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. Recalls Poultry Products Due To Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., a Waco, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 5,176,844 pounds of fully cooked chicken products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials

05/06/2016 02:28 PM EDT

Publix Super Markets Inc. is issuing a voluntary recall for Wheatberry Salad. The product is available in plastic containers available in the Publix Delis. The sunflower kernels used in the salad are involved with the larger nationwide recall due to Listeria monocytogenes.

05/06/2016 02:47 PM EDT

Creative Snacks Co. of Greensboro, North Carolina is recalling specific lot codes of bulk and packaged sunflower seed products due to the potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes. We have been notified by SunOpta, our sunflower seed supplier, that the company has issued a voluntary recall for sunflower seeds that were processed in their Crookston, Minnesota facility between February 1, 2016 and February 19, 2016

Rep. DeLauro Demands Dole Answer for Listeria Outbreak

Rep. DeLauro Demands Dole Answer for Listeria Outbreak

Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) released a statement last week demanding that Dole answer for continuing to distribute contaminated salads to store … Read More >>

Listeria Frozen Vegetable Recall at Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Safeway, Meijer

Listeria Frozen Vegetable Recall at Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Safeway, Meijer

May 4, 2016 By Frozen vegetables under recall after being linked to a Listeria outbreak were sold at Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Safeway, Meijer and other stores, … Read More >>

05/05/2016 09:05 PM EDT

Pita Pal Foods, LP of Houston, Texas is recalling Corn Relish Salad, Texas Caviar Salad, Mediterranean 3 Bean Salad and Chipotle Quinoa Salad 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.

05/06/2016 09:33 AM EDT

ConAgra Foods is voluntarily recalling Watts Brothers Farms Organic Mixed Vegetables, Organic Super Sweet Corn (Yellow/Gold), and Organic Peas and Trader Joe’s Organic Super Sweet Corn due to the potential for these products to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This voluntary action is being undertaken because the Watts Brothers and Trader Joe’s recalled products contain vegetables that are part of the recent CRF Frozen Foods recall.

05/05/2016 07:12 PM EDT

Hickory Harvest Foods, under advice from its sunflower kernel supplier, SunOpta, is recalling a limited number of products that have the potential to be contaminated with Usteria 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.

 

05/03/2016 10:31 AM EDT

As a precaution, CRF Frozen Foods of Pasco, Washington is expanding its voluntary recall of frozen organic and traditional fruits and vegetables. We are performing this voluntary recall in cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because these products have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

05/04/2016 07:31 PM EDT

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) said today it is recalling Kroger Sunflower Salad Toppers, Kroger Sunflower Kernels, and Kroger Cranberry Delight Trail Mix because a supplier indicated sunflower kernels may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which could result in severe illness to those individuals who may consume these products. No customer illnesses have been reported to date

Market District Voluntarily Recalls Bulk Sunflower Seeds05/04/2016 07:16 PM EDT

Giant Eagle supplier SunOpta has informed the company that sunflower seeds sold in the bulk section of its Carmel Market District have been voluntarily recalled due to possible Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) contamination.

Recall of Certain Sunflower Kernel Products Due to Possible Listeria Monocytogenes 

SunOpta is voluntarily recalling a limited number of sunflower kernel products that have 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.

05/04/2016 07:58 PM EDT

Brown & Haley of Tacoma, Washington is taking the precautionary measure of voluntarily recalling certain lots of Mountain Thins “Trail Mix” flavor that may be impacted by sunflower seeds 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.

05/04/2016 07:18 PM EDT

Giant Eagle supplier SunOpta has informed the company that sunflower seeds sold in the bulk section of four Pittsburgh area Market District stores have been voluntarily recalled due to possible Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) contamination. The affected product was sold in the bulk foods sections of the Waterworks, Township of Pine, Shadyside and South Hills Village Market District locations with a PLU of 65167.

A list of retail consignees has been posted for recall 033-2016, Foster Poultry Farms Recalls Poultry Products Due To Possible Foreign Materials Contamination (Apr 29, 2016).
Ghiringhelli Specialty Foods Firm Recalls Trader Joe’s Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad With White Meat Chicken Products Due To Possible Listeria Contamination
Ghiringhelli Specialty Foods, a Vallejo, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 33,610 pounds of Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.
05/03/2016 05:13 PM EDT

On April 15, 2016, Cook Medical initiated a voluntary recall of 4,146,309 catheters with Beacon Tip technology. Catheters with Beacon Tip technology have been found to exhibit polymer degradation of the catheter tip, resulting in tip fracture and/or separation, which have resulted in 30 Medical Device Reports to date.

CDC Informs About Cronobacter in Infant Formula

CDC Informs About Cronobacter in Infant Formula

 the CDC issued a new report informing consumers about the possible presence of Cronobacter, formerly called Enterobacter sakazaki, a … Read More >>

 

04/29/2016 09:59 PM EDT
04/30/2016 09:02 AM EDT

The Republic of Tea is dedicated to the health and wellness of each and every citizen (customer). As such, we are issuing a voluntary recall of our Organic Turmeric Ginger Green Tea in response to a possible health risk.

04/17/2015 07:24 PM EDT

Whole Foods Market is voluntarily recalling packaged raw macadamia nuts due to possible Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. 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 arthritis.

Share This With A Mother In Your Life


By

Wishing Moms Everywhere A Happy Mother’s Day — With Progressive Policies!

It’s a fact of life that none of us would be anywhere without our moms. It’s also a fact of life that the Progress Report loves talking about progressive policies. So it’s natural, then, that on the Friday before Mother’s Day we will take the opportunity to share some of the reasons why our public policies lag behind for women and families — and why America’s mothers deserve better.

Here are five steps we can take right now:

1. Establish paid family and sick leave. Nearly all workers need to take time away from work to deal with a serious personal or family illness, or to care for a new child or aging parent. Access to paid family and medical leave could allow workers to meet those needs without jeopardizing their economic security. The United States is the only developed country that doesn’t guarantee workers the right to earn paid time off in some form; only 12 percent of U.S. workers have access to paid family leave through their employers. We need a national paid family and medical leave insurance program that allows workers to continue to earn at least a portion of their pay while they take time away from work: it’s good for families and its good for the economy, too.

2. Ensure equal pay for equal work. Women are the primary, sole, or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of families, yet they continue to earn less than their male counterparts, with Latinas and African American women experiencing the sharpest pay disparities. Although the law prohibits unequal pay for equal work, there is more we need to do to ensure that both women and men enjoy the fullest protections against discrimination. Unfortunately, despite overwhelming public support, conservatives in Congress continue to be unwilling to move forward concrete action steps that could help uncover discriminatory pay practices, create greater pay transparency, and ensure that the law works fairly for everyone.

3. Raise the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage will help hardworking women better support their families. Women made up approximately two-thirds of all minimum wage workers in 2012. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, which means someone working fulltime earns
$15,080 a year. That is below the poverty rate for a family of three. Progressives are stepping up on this issue: last week new legislation was introduced calling on Congress to raise the wage to $12 per hour and eliminate the sub-minimum tipped wage, a move that would boost earnings for 19.6 million women.

4. Require paid sick days. Everyone gets sick, but not everyone has time to get better. Almost 40 million U.S. employees, or about 40 percent of the nation’s private-sector workforce, do not have access to paid sick days. If employees choose to skip work, the loss of pay can take a toll, particularly on the low- income workers who are least likely to have access to these policies. Allowing employees to earn paid sick days helps keep our economy, families, and communities healthy.

5. Expand access to preventative healthcare. Make no mistake, health care — from affordable insurance coverage to reproductive freedom — is an economic issue. In a 5-4 decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, five conservative male justices on the Supreme Court gave unprecedented power to closely-held, for-profit, secular corporations to make health care decisions for their female employees. That needs to change — along with the minority of U.S. Senators who blocked a bill to overturn that decision. At the same time, conservative officials in some states continue to refuse to close the Medicaid coverage gap for low-income working families. In fact, it turns out Florida Gov. Rick Scott used his mother’s own death as a ruse in his political games to deny hundreds of thousands the right to affordable care.

Do you like what you are reading here? These and other important policy issues are part of a nationwide campaign called the Fair Shot campaign to help women and families get ahead. Check out the website here to learn more, and sign on to become a Fair Shot voter.

BOTTOM LINE: The mothers in our lives deserve the very best from us, and Mother’s Day is one easy way to show we appreciate them. But they also deserve the best from the employers and policymakers that can affect their ability to help their families succeed. Those officials who stand in the way should be more afraid than the child who forgets to call their mom this Sunday.

Stand With the Maasai of Kenya & Tanzania !


Dear friends,

The iconic Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania have been fighting for decades to survive and defend their environment.

Lately, they’re losing the battle: besieged by shady poachers, billionaires who want to buy up their traditional lands for safari lodges, and sketchy government officials.

But now a Maasai community in Kenya has had a killer idea to fight back — pool their own land and form a new kind of reserve, run by them. This will not only ensure they protect their home and the customs of their ancestors, but will create a new wildlife passage — a crucial corridor where elephants, lions, and wildebeest roam free.

This could become a shining example for conservation and for our campaigning. Normally if we want to protect a precious ecosystem, we have to campaign for years to get a government park set up, and then all too often officials fail to protect it. This time, the Maasai could establish their own reserve, and manage it themselves!

But with a number of foreign buyers eager to take their land, the tribe needs funds fast to get the reserve up and running, take down fences, then train and pay young people to become wildlife patrollers.

They’ve turned to our community with an urgent request for help.

Chip in now — let’s throw them a lifeline, then campaign to help the Maasai, and indigenous communities under threat around the globe:

 Avaazpix DONATE to help the Maasai community  keep their land ! the battle and struggle continues … let’s help them end it!
********************************************************
 Avaazpix

Our community has a proud history of working with the Maasai. When the Tanzanian government tried to kick them off their land so hunters could shoot big game out of helicopters, we came together to stop it. Actions by over 2 million of us helped persuade the Tanzanian President to commit to stop the evictions. Now, we can help another Maasai community bring to life their inspiring vision for their land.

With hope and determination,

Alice, Allison, Joseph, Antonia, Spyro, Dalia, Ricken, Emily, Nic, Rosa and the whole Avaaz team

PS: The corridor of land was once home to an ancient elephant nursery — and now we can help bring it back! After only 3 months of work by this community, lions, zebras, giraffes, and elephants are returning in large numbers — even giving birth there!

More information:

Tanzanian land rights victory earns Masaai leader Goldman prize (The Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/apr/18/tanzania-land-rights-victory-earns-masaai-leader-goldman-prize-edward-loure

We have the international momentum: now it is time to act on wildlife crime before it is too late (Independent)
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/campaigns/GiantsClub/we-have-the-international-momentum-now-it-is-time-to-act-on-wildlife-crime-before-it-is-too-late-a7002141.html

The Masai Mara: ‘It will not be long before it’s gone’ (The Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/aug/23/masai-mara-tourism-politics

How people can live next to lions without killing them (The Conversation)
https://theconversation.com/how-people-can-live-next-to-lions-without-killing-them-new-study-56638

Stand with the Maasai (Avaaz)
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_the_maasai_loc/

Public Health Emergency Weekly Report


From the HHS Blog: Addressing the Threat of Zika on the Ground in Puerto Rico

Last week, Secretary Burwell visited Puerto Rico to hear directly from island officials, community members and HHS staff on the ground about what’s working and how we can strengthen our efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to the mosquito-borne virus.  Learn about some of the things that HHS is doing to protect health and work with the Puerto Rican community to fight Zika.  Learn More >>

The team at El Centro Médico, the largest hospital in Puerto Rico, showed the Secretary and the HHS team their work to fight Zika.

Prevent the Spread of Zika: Control Mosquitoes at Home

Mosquitoes are more than just pests.  They can spread diseases, including Zika, and threaten our health.  Protect yourself, your family and your community from mosquitoes by taking a few basic precautions, like eliminating standing water around your home and using screens to keep mosquitoes out.  You can also protect yourself and your loved ones from getting mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered insect repellent.Learn More >>

Applying bug spray

From the ASPR Blog: Public Health Nurses on the Front Line in Flint

Nurses do some fantastic work to help their communities – some that you could probably guess, but some that you might not know about.  Federal nurse case managers in Flint helped families learn to protect themselves from lead, access assistance programs, and find solutions to some pretty daunting health challenges.  Today, we kick off national nurses week by recognizing the vital role that nurses play in keeping people and communities healthy.  Learn More >>

Nurses serving in Flint

$1 Million in HRSA Funding will go to the Genesee Health System

This week, HHS announced that $1 million in funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has been awarded to help the Genesee Health System increase patient capacity and provide high quality primary care services for people in Flint. This funding is just one of many ways that the Federal government is working to help the community in Flint fight the health effects of lead. Learn More >>

Doctor with patient

Preparedness Skill Check:  Protecting Yourself from Wildfire Smoke

As wildfires continue to burn in and around Alberta, take a moment to consider how prepared you are to protect your health in the face of a wildfire if one ever struck your community. Smoke is one of the most serious health hazards associated with wildfires.  Wildfire smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Learn how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke before a disaster strikes.  Learn More >>

wildfire

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