DadTalk

Product Recalls Maclaren Recalls Strollers After Finger Amputations

It’s been a while since there was a major recall, but this one is a doozy: Maclaren is recalling about 1 million umbrella strollers because the side hinge mechanism can cut off a finger, reports msnbc. Or a fat carrot, as the screen grabs show.

There have been reports of 12 finger amputations and three lacerations in the United States, reports the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Although the $100-$360 strollers are being recalled in the United States, warnings apparently suffice in Europe, according to this video report.

From the CPSC website:

This recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers. The word “Maclaren” is printed on the stroller. The affected models included Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.

Side note: Notice if you will in the two video screen grabs, the Google Ads.

Food Recalls There’s Peanut Butter in Jelly Bellys?

While I don’t go after every Food and Drug Administration recall, this one caught my attention: The Jelly Belly Candy Company is warning that they left off peanut butter from one of their package labels.

Who would have though there was real peanut butter in any of the Jelly Belly products? I thought they were 100 percent artificial!

The recall, by the way, is for the 49 Flavors of Jelly Belly jelly beans, which comes in a cylindrical 7.5-ounce package. Details:

The Jelly Belly 49 Flavors cylinder packages were shipped to approximately 200 independent stores nationwide from September 29 to October 30, 2009. Product was packaged in a clear 7.5-ounce acetate cylinder with white label on the bottom of the package with lot codes 090925, 090928, 090929 or 091001. UPC code 07156798939.

As many parents know, peanut allergies can kill kids, so be careful out there.

Food Recalls Boston Parents Sue After Beef Sickens 2 Children

The families of two children sickened by a recent E. Coli outbreak, possibly in meat, are suing, reports The Boston Herald.

So far, two deaths and 28 illnesses have been linked to a recall of 545,699 pounds of Fairbank Farms beef. The recalled ground beef and beef patties were packaged from Sept. 14 to Sept. 16 and had “EST 492” stamped on the packages, reports The New York Times.

The products were sold in Northeastern states at grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s, Giant, Price Chopper, Wild Harvest and Shaw’s. (I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a bit nervous as to the number of times TJ’s shows up in recalls.)

While this meat dates back to September, it could still be in the freezer. For specific recall information, go here.

Food Recalls FDA Seeks to Shut Down Ready-to-Eat Sandwich-Maker

During the drive home from a recent camping trip, which I’ll be posting photos from soon, I thought about buying a pre-made sandwich at a gas station. Even though I was starving, I decided to pass noting the sorry-looking bread and lettuce.

Good thing, too, because I missed the Food and Drug Administration’s unusually strong action to shut down one of the companies that provides ready-to-eat sandwiches, according to the San Francisco Business Times.

What was allegedly wrong with the 44,000 sandwiches made each week by Rel’s? Enough that the FDA asked the U.S. Department of Justice to stop the company from making and selling food products.

Why Do Americans Tolerate Contaminated Meat, Food?

If you want to get a taste of what is wrong with America’s food industry, you need to read Trail of E. Coli Shows Flaws in Inspection of Ground Beef. It’s another look by The New York Times at how the packing industry uses questionable practices that too often result in bacteria contaminated meat.

The whole industry is allowed by its regulators to hide those practices and pass blame to each other until Americans get horribly sick. One package of hamburger meat might come from four or five suppliers. Grinders mix the meats to disguise crappy quality ingredients.

I don’t know about you, but I want to walk into a grocery store knowing that the food I buy is safe. I shouldn’t have to worry that a frozen package of burgers might cause my kids to develop bloody diarrhea or kidney failure. I don’t have sophisticated E. coli testing machines in my kitchen.

As I’ve said in the past, I just don’t get it. Why are Americans forced to put up with criminal corporations and regulators? Why can’t both be held accountable to the American public? Why are so many Americans, who have a much stronger voice than I do, remain silent on such amazingly important issues when our kids’ safety is at risk?

Food Recall Lead Found in Imported Candied, Salt Plums

Not that either of my kids would touch dried plums, but salted and candied versions sold at Asian and Hispanic markets are being recalled because of elevated levels of lead, reports the Food and Drug Administration. While the recall was triggered by a Texas health department, FDA is also working in California and New York to identify the product distributors. The recall does not affect dried plums or prunes produced in the United States.

Go here for products that are being recalled.

Food Recall Dry Milk Products

Food sellers are recalling milk products because of possible salmonella contamination, reports the Food and Drug Administration. The voluntary effort is an extension of an earlier recall, which includes flavored whey proteins, instant nonfat dried milk, fruit stabilizers and thickeners from the Minnesota-based Plainview Milk Products Cooperative.

The recall was sparked after the USDA found salmonella in Dairyshake powder. The FDA subsequently found food equipment at the Plainview plant contaminated with salmonella.

In response to the recalls, Dunkin’ Donuts announced it would stop serving hot chocolate and Dunkaccino drinks because it received the mixes from the Plainview Coop, reports WebMD. Contamination was not found in Dunkin’ Donut prod ducts.

Additional

Companies Recall Products Linked to Milk Processor

Food Safety Let the Eater Beware

Did you know that one big food maker wants you to stop using the microwave for frozen meals and instead use a conventional oven? Why, you ask? Because some big food makers are now relying on customers to make prepared food safe now that they cannot, reports The New York Times.

The concern isn’t about raw meat. Instead, the big food makers can’t guarantee vegetables and seasonings aren’t contaminated with salmonella, E. coli and other pathogens.

Consider ConAgra’s problems with “frozen pot pies that sickened an estimated 15,000 people with salmonella in 2007:”

Food Safety Falls to Us, States That Give a Dang

If it wasn’t for Minnesota, we’d probably still be eating peanuts and lettuce contaminated with salmonella. While I’ve written about the failure of the Food and Drug Administration to keep watch on food growers and manufacturers, it turns out the key to discovering the cause of outbreaks depends on state and county governments, reports The New York Times.

The problem? Only a handful of states take this responsibility seriously, relying on conscientious Minnesota, Florida and Washington to do the hardcore sleuthing and reporting. If you live in states like Kentucky, Nevada, Texas and Arizona, you’d wrongly think that contaminated food didn’t exist.

The key to uncovering the source of a food-borne illness? Speed. Because humans forget what they ate more than a few days ago, it’s crucial for food investigators to question victims ASAP. Many states do not.

Memories of my 20s and 30s brings up a point not covered in the Times story. You see, I used to get stomach ailments on a regular basis, but I never thought to report the problems to anyone, not even my doctor. For whatever reasons, I started to believe getting food illnesses was normal.

While I now know better, I follow some simple safety procedures learned over the years:

Food Recalls CDC Acknowledges Food Safety Stalled

Hey guess what mom and dad? America’s food supply hasn’t improved over the last three years.

What was readily apparently to any parent trying to find something SAFE to feed our kids, is finally official, reports The New York Times. In fact, the entire food system needs a thorough overall, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Wish I could find the darned report.)

About 76 million Americans suffer from foodborne illness every year, the study found. Salmonella accounted for 48,000 cases in 2008.

Below are the most common food-related illnesses in 2008 based on a study of 10 states, according to WebMd:

1. Salmonella: 7,444 cases
2. Campylobacter: 5,825 cases
3. Shigella: 3,029 cases
4. Cryptosporidium: 1,036 cases
5. E. coli 0157: 718 cases
6. Yersinia: 164 cases
7. Listeria: 135 cases
8. Vibrio: 131 cases
9. Cyclospora: 17 cases

Children under 4 are the most vulnerable to food illnesses. “Children can become infected simply by sitting in a shopping cart next to raw meat,” reports The Washington Post. Fortunately, we rarely buy raw meat.

On the other hand, I think I’m going to skip eating today.