Category Archives: National

Ron’s Home Style Foods, Inc. Recalls Tropical Fruit Supreme, Pineapple Nut Delight, and Pistachio Crème

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Houston, TEXAS — Ron’s Home Style Foods, Inc. is recalling Tropical Fruit Supreme, Pineapple Nut Delight, and Pistachio Crème, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, 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 (which may be bloody), 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.

Tropical Fruit Supreme, Pineapple Nut Delight, and Pistachio Crème were distributed in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma to foodservice distributors and retail supermarkets.

Product is packaged in plastic containers with the following information on the label.

Product UPC Size Brand Use By:
Tropical Fruit Supreme 096938842027 5 lb. Ron’s Home Style Foods 12/27/16, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17
Tropical Fruit Supreme 046045022294 5 lb. Golden Harvest 12/27/16, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17
Tropical Fruit Supreme 096938841013 1 lb. Texas Kitchen Salads 12/27/16, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17
Pineapple Nut Delight 096938822029 5 lb. Ron’s Home Style Foods 12/27/16, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17
Pineapple Nut Delight 096938900086 12 oz. Brookshire’s 12/27/16, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17
Pistachio Crème 096938832028 5 lb. Ron’s Home Style Foods 12/27/16, 1/2/17, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17
Pistachio Crème 096938831014 1 lb. Texas Kitchen Salads 12/27/16, 1/2/17, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17
Pistachio Crème 096938900079 12 oz. Brookshire’s 12/27/16, 1/2/17, 1/18/17, and 2/6/17

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall is due to a recall of an ingredient used in manufacturing these products. Valley Milk Products reported that certain lots of dry milk they manufactured have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. While Pistachio Crème does not contain the ingredient, it is made on the same production line as Tropical Fruit Supreme and Pineapple Nut Delight therefore we are recalling it as well.

Consumers who have purchased the above products are urged not to consume the product and to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1.800.856.3131, M-F 8am-4pm CST.

Valley Milk Products Recalls Limited Amount of Milk and Buttermilk Powder Because of Possible Health Risks

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Valley Milk Products is announcing a recall of 50-pound bags of nonfat high heat milk powder and sweet cream buttermilk powder that were produced from December 10, 2015 to July 5, 2016 due to potential Salmonella contamination, which was identified at the manufacturing facility but not in tested finished product.

Salmonella is a bacteria that 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 (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream such as septicemia, arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The products included in the recall can be identified by the following lot numbers which can be found in the lower right front of each bag.

·High Heat Nonfat Dry Milk Powder 50# bags with a shelf life of 18 months with the following Lot numbers # (see picture of the milk powder bag at the end of this notice):
H151210, H151226, H160106, H160126, H160212, H160406, H160422, H160621,
H151216, H151227, H160109, H160129, H160218, H160411, H160425, H160627,
H151217, H151230, H160111, H160201, H160222, H160412, H160502, H160705,
H151219, H151221, H151222, H151224, H151231, H160101, H160103, H160105,
H160112, H160115, H160119, H160125, H160202, H160205, H160208, H160211,
H160223, H160224, H160227, H160323, H160414, H160415, H160419, H160420,
H160504,H160506,H160510,H160608

· Sweet Cream Buttermilk Powder in 50# bags with a shelf life of 12 months with the following lot numbers: (see picture of the buttermilk powder bag at the end of this notice)
B151218, B160107, B160113, B160121, B160127, B160203, B160209,
B160215, B160216, B160225, B160302, B160316, B160326, B160418,
B160421

These products are not sold directly to consumers, but are used as ingredients in a number of foods uch as bakery products and distributed by brokers. None of the recalled finished product tested positive for Salmonella but environmental sampling performed by the FDA was positive for Salmonella. Valley Milk is currently investigating the cause for the positive environmental samples.

Below are some pertinent facts and references to aid food manufacturers in determining the disposition of their affected products.

For companies that used the Valley Milk recalled milk powder or buttermilk powder in a consumer ready-to-eat product and there is no FDA-recognized kill step or inactivation step in their processing system, their supplier should be immediately notified with such details as the product which contained the recalled Valley Milk powder products, the amounts of the products, whether these products are in storage or have already been distributed, where the distributed products are and records or other evidence that the recalled Valley Milk powder was used. Their supplier will in-turn notify Valley Milk.

The FDA is available to help companies review their specific processes and determine if additional action is warranted.

All customers that have received these products have been notified by Valley Milk and instructed to return the suspect powder or document the destruction of the powder, after contacting Valley Milk for specific instructions. In case someone identifies Valley Milk powders with the above lot numbers in their dry storage warehouse and has not been ontacted by a Valley Milk representative, please contact Michael Curtis at 301-512-5053 or mcurtis@mdvamilk.com immediately for instructions.

At Valley Milk Products, we are dedicated to producing dairy products that meet the highest quality and safety standards required by our customers as well as complying with all government food safety requirements. Valley Milk Products has a long history of producing these products from our own dairy farmers in the historic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We will continue to work cooperatively with the FDA and the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide products that meet our customers’ requirements, meet or exceed government food safety standards and provide the nutritious benefits of dairy products to customers throughout the United States.

For additional information, please contact:

Amber Sherian
Director of Corporate Communications
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.
1985 Isaac Newton Square West, Suite 200
Reston, Virginia 20190
703-742-6800, extension 7406
8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET

King Meat Services, Inc. Recalls Beef Products Due To Misbranding

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WASHINGTON — King Meat Services, Inc., a Vernon, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 50,991 pounds of beef products due to misbranding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The beef items were produced on various dates from Nov. 1, 2016 to Dec. 5, 2016. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]

Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONE – IN SHORT RIB CHOICE OR HIGHER,” with product code 991012.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS RIBEYE LIP – ON 13 LBS DOWN,” with product code 991027.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS RIBEYE LIP – ON 13 LBS UP,” with product code 991028.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS RIBEYE LIP – ON 16 LBS UP,” with product code 991031.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB CHOICE OR HIGHER,” with product code 991164.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS PASTRAMI PLATE,” with product code 991166.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB SELECT OR HIGHER,” with product code 991170.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB,” with product code 991171.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONE – IN SHORT RIB SELECT OR HIGHER,” with product code 991176.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF ANGUS BONELESS BRISKET,” with product code 991181.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONE – IN SHORT RIB NO ROLL,” with product code 991182.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS SHORT RIB NO ROLL,” with product code 991183.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB NO ROLL,” with product code 991184.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS LIP – ON RIBEYE HEAVY,” with product code 991187.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “Est. 426” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributors, retail locations and food service locations in California.

The problem was discovered on Dec. 5, 2016, when FSIS inspection personnel observed establishment employees removing the marks of inspection of the original beef suppliers and replacing them with the King Meat Services, Inc. (Est. 426) mark of inspection.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

TreeHouse Foods Announces Voluntary Product Recall Due to Possible Health Risk

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Oak Brook, IL — TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS) today announced a voluntary recall of certain macaroni and cheese cup products containing cheddar cheese seasoning which may be contaminated with Salmonella.

This follows notification from our supplier that the milk powder used in the seasoning has the potential for Salmonella contamination.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Most individuals recover without treatment. In some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Product was distributed nationwide through retail stores. The following products are affected by this recall:

Description UPC Best By Date
Big Win Original Macaroni & Cheese Dinner 001182258403 10/25/2017
Cheese Club Express Mac Macaroni & Cheese
Dinner		 004149817167 11/3/2017
11/4/2017
11/18/2017
11/22/2017
10/20/2017
10/21/2017
10/23/2017
10/29/2017
11/1/2017
11/2/2017
11/11/2017
11/16/2017
11/17/2017
11/22/2017
11/23/2017
11/28/2017
Great Value Macaroni & Cheese Original Cups 007874208249 10/22/2017
10/19/2017
10/27/2017
10/28/2017
11/3/2017
11/7/2017
11/18/2017
11/20/2017
11/21/2017

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Voluntary Class II Recall of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled

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Clif Bar & Company is initiating a voluntary Class II recall of one production run of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bars due to the presence of small plastic pieces found in a limited number of bars sold in the U.S. Clif Bar has not received any reports of injuries as a result of the plastic; however, the company is initiating the voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution.

Only product meeting the following criteria is affected:

  1. Individual bars of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bars with “best by” dates of 10JUN17N4 or 11JUN17N4
  2. 12-count caddies of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bars with “best by” dates of 10JUN17N4 or 11JUN17N4; and

UPC Codes:
a. Bar: 7-22252-26800-6
b. 12-count Caddy: 7-22252-36800-3
c. Case: 00722252-56800-7

No other CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bar products, pack sizes, configurations, or flavors are affected.

The company is asking consumers to return product to the store where purchased to request an exchange or full refund. Affected product should then be discarded and not consumed.

Consumers with questions may contact 1-866-967-9776, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST, Monday-Friday.

When is your sister not your sister?

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Earlier in the evening of November 25, I got an unusual friend request on Facebook. It was from my sister. Which is unusual because I did not know that we were on unfriendly terms. It was a particularly busy afternoon, so—presuming that she accidentally unfriended me and friended me again—I accepted.

“She” started to PM me, which is highly unusual since she has my phone number. No you cannot have it.

The “conversation” started off with how ya doin’, how’s your day kind of messages. Then she told me that the IMF is giving away grants for money that does not have to be paid back. All I would have to do is fill out an application and if approved, pay a delivery fee.

Bingo. The scam.

First of all, the IMF is presumably the International Monetary Fund. That IMF is hardly in the business of giving away money. They are a group of scumbag bankers whose function is to consolidate the wealth of countries—particularly the United States—for use by global elitist who believe it is their job to rule the earth. They are not nice, they are not friendly and they are hardly charitable.

The second point was the “delivery fee.” You are telling me that the IMF is giving away money and cannot pony-up 35-cents for a stamp? I have been contacted by overseas people by phone telling me that Obama was going to send me a million dollars, all I had to do was pay a $250 delivery fee.

I replied as much to my “sister.” I logged off because I had other things to do. When I logged back on, I received a message demanding that it was not a scam because the delivery fee was not much. When I went to look at the message, Facebook had, apparently, caught up with the scam and deleted the profile.

The point of the story is this was obviously not my sister. If you get caught up in a “free money” scam and go to any links attached to them, you might actually go to an official looking “application.” Meanwhile the web site is loading viruses and Trojans into your computer. If you fill out any application, you are giving them your personal information for identification theft.

So here are some Facebook tips.

If you receive a friend request from a friend and you have their phone number, call them and ask them if they “friended” you.

Click on the name of any person wanting to friend you. Check their profile. If they have very few posts or haven’t posted for awhile or if their posts are exactly what you would post and you do not know them, delete the friend request.

The government creates profiles and friends people they want to fry. Those profiles are not deleted by Facebook because they know about them.

So choose your friends wisely.

Hale and Hearty Soups, LLC Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Chili Soup Due To Possible Listeria Contamination

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WASHINGTON — Hale and Hearty Soups, LLC, a Brooklyn, N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 455 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken chili soup product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ready-to-eat chicken chili soup product was produced and packaged on Nov. 9, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:
113-2016-label

6.9-lb. bags containing “CHICKEN CHILI SOUP” with an “Expires:12/09” date.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-34800” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to food service distributors in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS verification testing. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse health effects due to consumption of the products subject to this recall.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

FSIS and the company are concerned that some of this recalled product may be in food service distribution refrigerators.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

H.J. Heinz Co. Recalls Products Incorrectly Labelled As Pork Gravy Due To Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

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gravy111-2016-labels-1WASHINGTON— H.J. Heinz Co., a Muscatine, Iowa, establishment, initiated a recall on Nov. 19, 2016, of approximately 5,022 pounds of bistro au jus gravy product that is incorrectly labeled as pork gravy due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The au jus gravy product contains milk and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on the incorrect labeling for pork gravy.

The au jus gravy labeled incorrectly as pork gravy was produced on June 4, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:

558 cases containing 12 – 12-oz. jars (per case) of “HEINZ HOMESTYLE BISTRO AU JUS GRAVY” that is mislabeled with Homestyle Pork Gravy labels with “Best By 12/28/2017 MU6F04” on the jar cap and “Case Best By 12/28/17 MU6F04” on the cases.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “M2041” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to a distributor and to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered by the company on Nov. 17, 2016, after they were notified by a customer that a jar labeled as “Heinz Homestyle Pork Gravy” looked darker than expected. The company determined the mislabeling incident occurred on June 4, 2016, when a box of labels for the company’s “Heinz Homestyle Pork Gravy” product was brought to the processing line and used during the production and packaging of the au jus gravy. When the company initiated the recall, they contacted all of their customers that may have received the mislabeled gravy product (including more than 1,000 retail stores) informing them to remove the products from their store shelves. The company also provided a press release about the incident and initiation of a voluntary recall of incorrectly labelled products to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FSIS was notified of the issue by a FDA representative on Nov. 21, 2016 and, out an abundance of caution, FSIS is issuing its own press release.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

The Popcorn Shoppe Issues Allergy Alert on three products

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The Popcorn Shoppe in Tiffin, Ohio is voluntarily recalling its Olde Tyme Recipe Popcorn Balls, Edwards Orchard Popcorn Balls and Edwards Orchard West Popcorn Balls (4 individually wrapped 5oz. popcorn balls in a clear plastic bag) due to an undeclared milk and soy allergen. This recall has been initiated due to the ingredient label not stating the milk and soy allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk and soy run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. Individuals exhibiting signs or symptoms of food bourne illness or allergies should contact a physician immediately.

Products were available for sale at retail locations in Illinois and Ohio. An Ohio Department of Agriculture inspector discovered the mislabeling issue during a routine visit. There have been no reports of illness to date involving products addressed in this recall.

Customers with a milk and/or soy allergies or sensitivity who have purchased the affected product should dispose of it or return it to The Popcorn Shoppe for a replacement. Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Melissa Molyet at (567) 207-5432 Monday – Friday 9:00 am. – 5:00 pm. EST.ucm529506ucm529507ucm529510

Naval Academy Students Planning CubeSat with HF Uplink

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usna-logo1ARRL News — Students at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, are planning an Amateur Radio CubeSat — dubbed HFSAT — that would carry an HF transponder as a primary payload as well as 2-meter APRS as a secondary mission when power is available. The 1.5 U CubeSat will have a linear uplink at 21.4 MHz and a downlink at 29.42 MHz.

“HFSAT is a small 1.5 U CubeSat that will demonstrate the viability of HF satellite communications as a back-up communication system using existing ubiquitous HF radios that are often a part of every amateur station,” said USNA Instructor Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, who developed APRS. Bruninga said HFSAT would be similar to the 1990s-era RS-12/13 Russian Amateur Radio satellite.

Bob Bruninga WB4APR

Bob Bruninga WB4APR

“HFSAT will continue the long tradition of small amateur satellites designed by students and hams at the US Naval Academy,” Bruninga told ARRL. The uplink will be at 21.4 MHz and downlink at 29.42 MHz, similar to [earlier] Mode K HF satellites. No launch has yet been identified.” Bruninga said HFSAT would be gravity gradient-stabilized by its full-sized, 10-meter, thin-wire, half-wave dipole.

Other unique features of HFSAT include its APRS telemetry command-and-control capability. “For VHF the students have modified a popular Byonics.com MTT4B all-in-one APRS Tiny-Track4 module for telemetry, command, and control to fit on a single 3.4-inch square card inside the CubeSat, that they will use for this and for future CubeSats,” Bruninga said. The students are working with Bill Ress, N6GHZ, on the HF transponder card, which will provide a bandwidth of 30 kHz, employing an inverting transponder to minimize Doppler. Todd Bruner, WB1HAI, will be the HFSAT control operator.

Bruninga said the HF transponder is a follow-on from the USNA’s existing PSAT 10-meter PSK31 transponder, still operational. HFSAT‘s telemetry downlink will be captured via stations in the worldwide ground-station network. The packet link is a secondary mission compared to the HF transponder on this spacecraft.

Once HFSAT is in space, Bruninga recommended using a vertical HF antenna, because it would match well with the antenna patterns and geometry of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. “When low on the horizon, both the satellite and the user antennas are in their main lobes, providing maximum gain at the distant horizons,” Bruninga said. “At the higher elevations, the satellite is 6 dB to 10 dB closer, significantly making up for the reduced antenna pattern geometry.”

He said hams would be able to use “simple, manual” pass-prediction tools, much as they used the old Oscar Locator in the early years of Amateur Radio satellites.