Food safety is no joke and neither are food recalls. We try our best at ConsumerBell to keep you in-the-know on the food recalls affecting you and your family.

In line with that, we’re collaborating with an awesome Safety Team to host a food safety webinar, just for you.

The 411 on Food Safety: How to Protect Your Family’s Plate

We’ve got Susan Reef from U.S. Food Safety, Mareya Ibrahim of Grow Green Industries, Helena Bottemiller from Food Safety News and Derek Lactaoen from ConsumerBell all together to talk about food safety in today’s consumer climate.

Join us! Ask us questions. Get involved in what you and your family are eating. Register for the webinar.

The webinar is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST on Tuesday, May 22.

Register here. Spots are limited.

We can’t wait for you to join us on our webinar! Do you have questions about food safety? Let us know in the comments and we’ll be sure to address them during the webinar.

Worries of mold and spoilage prompt a recall for sweet tea and protein shakes.

Two popular consumer drinks, Gold Peak Sweet Tea and Mix 1 Protein Shakes, were recalled for spoilage reasons.

First, mold and yeast prompted the recall of Mix 1 natural protein shakes. The recall affects more than 18,000 12-packs in blueberry-vanilla, strawberry-banana, mixed berry, mango, and peach flavors in specific lot codes.

Calls to Mix 1 were not returned. It is unclear whether or not this recall is consumer- or retail-level. See the specifics of this recall here.

Secondly, Coca-Cola recalled Gold Peak Sweet Tea after consumers complained of “foreign matter” in the drink.

Susan Stribling, of Coca-Cola’s public affairs and communications, said the tea spoiled prematurely. Coca-Cola stopped shipment, pulled the product from shelves and made a return available to affected customers. Stribling said the recall is now complete.

“Our goal is that all product attributes are at optimal levels through shelf life of the product and this product may not have met those expectations,” said Abdul’Ahad in an email.

This isn’t the first instance of mold in drinks. We’ve received reports of mold growth in Capri Sun. We even ran an experiment to see how it could grow. There was no recall associated with that product.

See recall details for both products in our Recalls Without Press Releases page.

Are you affected by the recall? Have a question? Give us a shout in the comments.

(Photos  by Pen Waggener and brianna.lehman)

What’s in your oven for dinner tonight?

Stouffer’s Lasagna Italiano is being recalled nationwide by Nestlé Prepared Foods because the boxes may actually contain stuffed peppers.

Two consumer complaints tipped off Nestlé to the problem. The company thinks the mix-up might have occurred when the lasagna packaging boxes remained in the packaging machinery when the company began packaging stuffed pepper entrées.

While the packaging error might be frustrating for consumers, the recall also stems from undeclared allergens. The stuffed peppers contain Worcestershire sauce made with anchovies, a fish allergen not declared on the lasagna label.

The recall affects more than 16,500 pounds of food.

See full recall details including contact information for Nestlé  in our marketplace.

(Photo via weheartit)

Before your crack open that happy hour brew, check to make sure your beer bottle hasn’t been recalled.

Heineken USA is recalling bottles that contain varieties of Carta Blanca and Dos Equis Ambar beer.

“Small grains or particles of glass can separate from the inside lip of the bottle and fall into the liquid. While the likelihood of a possible injury to a consumer is very low, the defect could pose a health risk and we would urge consumers not to consume beer from any affected bottles,” said Stacey Tank, Chief Corporate Relations Officer for Heineken USA, in a video statement.

The bottles affected are the following:

• Carta Blanca 12-ounce brown bottles in 6-packs and 12-packs

• Dos Equis Ambar 12-ounce brown bottles in 6-packs and 12-packs

• “Best of Mexico” 12-pack variety package (which contains the impacted Dos Equis Ambar brown bottle and Indio 12-ounce bottles; this pack is sold only in Texas)

• “Beers of Mexico” 12-pack and 24-pack variety packages (which contains the impacted Dos Equis Ambar brown bottle

Bottles affected have the following production codes on the neck of the bottle. The numbers listed are the first nine of the 13-digit code.

1. 2068484AC
2. 2069484AC
3. 2070484AC
4. 2071484AC
5. 2072484AC
6. 2073484AC
7. 2074484AC
8. 2075484AC
9. 2076484AC
10.2077484AC
11.2078484AC
12.2079484AC
13.2080484AC
14.2081484AC
15.2082484AC
16.2083484AC
17.2084484AC
18.2085484AC
19.2086484AC
20.2087484AC
21.2088484AC
22.2089484AC
23.2090484AC
24.2091484AC
25.2092484AC
26.2093484AC
27.2094484AC
28.2095484AC
29.2096484AC
30.2097484AC
31.2098484AC
32.2099484AC
33.2100484AC
34.2068484FE
35.2069484FE
36.2070484FE
37.2071484FE
38.2072484FE
39.2073484FE
40.2074484FE
41.2075484FE
42.2076484FE
43.2077484FE
44.2078484FE
45.2079484FE
46.2080484FE
47.2081484FE
48.2082484FE
49.2083484FE
50.2084484FE
51.2085484FE
52.2086484FE
53.2087484FE
54.2088484FE
55.2089484FE
56.2090484FE
57.2091484FE
58.2092484FE
59.2093484FE
60.2094484FE
61.2095484FE
62.2096484FE
63.2097484FE
64.2098484FE
65.2099484FE
66.2100484FE
67.2086484FE
68.2086484FE

READ: Now That’s a Strong Drink: Stella Artois Receives Reports of Exploding Bottles

“We deeply regret this incident and are doing everything possible to resolve it quickly so that our consumers can continue to enjoy these products. We want every experience with one of our products to be flawless,” said Dolf van den Brink, President and CEO of Heineken USA in a statement.

The bottles were produced by a third party supplier.

To see if you’re eligible for a refund, see our marketplace for complete details.

What do you think about this recall? Sound off in the comments.

(Photo by Ana_93)

Odwalla is recalling two sizes of its Chocolate Monster Protein drink. Are you allergic to what might be inside it?

After four reports of allergic reactions, Odwalla announced a recall of its Chocolate Monster Protein drink.

The recall affects certain batches of the 16- and 32-ounce sizes of the drink, distributed and sold nationwide since late February.

You can see those product details in our marketplace.

The consumers who reported their reactions to Odwalla have known allergies to tree nuts and/or peanuts, but none to milk and soy, the products the drink contains.

Recalls for allergy risks are a trend this week. Odwalla’s announcement makes this recall the sixth in the past seven days for allergy risks. See the other five here.

Consumers allergic to tree nuts or peanuts can return the drink to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Will you be returning your Odwalla? Let us know in the comments.

(Photo by scottfeldstein)

The wonderful Brianna Storch is a writer, mom, and raiser of chickens.

In the face of prevalent use of antibiotics and hormones in quite a few of the foods you see in grocery stores across the country, many consumers have turned to different means to avoid these chemicals. In addition, the rising cost of food is unavoidable no matter where you shop. For those reasons, my family has joined a growing number of people who have decided to take matters into their own hands and raise chickens.

Unlike larger livestock like cows or goats, chickens are surprisingly simple to care for and have distinct personalities, they can be a delight for everyone involved.

If you want to start the process from the newly-hatched chick stage, they can be purchased and shipped safely from a reputable website or can be chosen from your local feed store. It is important to first check your city’s ordinances to find out if there are any limits to the number you can have and how they should be kept.

There are many online resources available to those wanting to start raising from chicks, and a favorite website of mine is Backyard Chickens. Through sites like these I was able to get more information about coops, the best food available for my growing chicks, and voice some additional questions on the website’s forum.

Having these tools that were not available in generations past made my chances of a healthy flock even better, since I was not raised around chickens. If you are not able to start with chicks, ask people at your local farmers’ market to connect you with someone who sells hens mature enough to have started laying.

Even though it can take upward of six months for a hen to begin laying for the first time, it is well worth the wait. Every day we have fresh eggs from chickens who are very content in their living conditions and the proof, as they say, is “in the pudding” only this time it’s in the yolk.

Click through to page 2 to see more about these cute chickies!

]]> http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/04/04/consumer-recall-news-guest-post-raise-your-own-chickens-for-wholesome-free-fair-eggs/feed/ 0 http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/04/02/consumer-recall-news-pink-slime-and-consumer-manipulation-what-do-you-believe/ http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/04/02/consumer-recall-news-pink-slime-and-consumer-manipulation-what-do-you-believe/#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:10:02 +0000 Derek http://blog.consumerbell.com/?p=7276

Pink Slime: A Timeline of Consumer and Industry Events

 

LFTB sits in its processed form awaiting shipment. Via Edweek.

If you’ve turned on the TV, read a newspaper, or even walked outside of the house in the past month, you know about Pink Slime.

Pink Slime, or lean finely textured beef (LFTB), was declared safe by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agency that regulates meat, poultry, and eggs, but the outpour of consumer concern and backlash is making many question the food’s role in the lives of Americans. Is something still “safe” if most consumers are afraid of the item or how it’s processed? How do we decide what is “safe”?

BIRTH OF PINK SLIME

Gerald Zirnstein coined the term “Pink Slime” on accident back in 2002 when he was a micorbiologist with the USDA. Zirnstein called LFTB “Pink Slime” in an internal email to colleagues after the agency approved the beef industry’s process for separating and cleaning the meat trimmings. The email was released to the New York Times as part of a Freedom of Information Act request as part of an investigative piece on food safety.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver did a piece on Pink Slime last year reviving the movement:

Butcher a cow.Oliver did shine light onto the basic process for its creation in a way that resonated with consumers, even if not technically accurate about the LFTB manufacturing process, which goes something like this:

1. Take and sell the “good cuts.”

2. Heat and spin the leftovers to separate the meat from the fat.

3. Treat the meat with ammonium hydroxide to clean it of E. coli and other pathogens.

4. Incorporate that into existing ground beef.

5. Sell.

Use the interactive timeline below by clicking the + signs to see how the “Pink Slime campaign” unfolded:

THE “FACTS”

Opponents of Pink Slime point to the fact that, left untreated, the beef trimmings are used in dog food and cooking oil and not fit for human consumption. But with treatment, LFTB is sprayed with ammonium hydroxide to kill E. coli and other pathogens, and then packaged and sent to grocery stores.

USDA stands by its earlier statements that LFTB, even treated with ammonium hydroxide, is safe. So does American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle.

 

Click through to page 2 to continue reading.

]]> http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/04/02/consumer-recall-news-pink-slime-and-consumer-manipulation-what-do-you-believe/feed/ 0 http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/30/consumer-recall-news-four-bread-products-recalled-for-containing-foreign-material/ http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/30/consumer-recall-news-four-bread-products-recalled-for-containing-foreign-material/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:31:49 +0000 Derek http://blog.consumerbell.com/?p=7266

 

Harris Baking of Arkansas is recalling bread products that could contain foreign materials. Did you buy any?

 

Harris Baking of Arkansas is recalling french bread and other bread products.

One recall announced this week might leave you a little uneasy about your baking plans this weekend.

French and sourdough bread by Harris Baking Company of Rogers, Arkansas, is being recalled because the bread might contain foreign material.

The recall was announced through an FDA Enforcement Report, not a traditional press release, which you can see here.

Our #SafetyTeam friend Marie Roker Jones @RaisingGreatMen said the recall was “scary” and @Protect24App said it was “concerning” to not know what exactly the material was.

The bread was distributed nationwide and the recall affects more than 31,000 of the following:

• French Bread

• Bimbo Sourdough French Bread

• Ozark Hearth Sourdough Bread

• Sourdough French Bread

Harris Baking notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the issue on Feb. 10. The recall appeared in FDA’s March 28 report. You can see this recall and more on our Recalls Without Press Releases Page.

Have any questions about this recall? Do you think you might have been affected? Let us know in the comments.

 

(Photos by jeffreyw and Adam Pieniazek)

]]> http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/30/consumer-recall-news-four-bread-products-recalled-for-containing-foreign-material/feed/ 0 http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/26/canada-ground-beef-recall-now-affects-u-s/ http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/26/canada-ground-beef-recall-now-affects-u-s/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:00:06 +0000 Derek http://blog.consumerbell.com/?p=7186

Canadians have been dealing with the ground beef recall for more than a month, but consumers in the U.S. now have the recall on their plate.

New Food Classics recalled ground beef products made at its Saskatoon, Saskatchewan facility last month after one case of E. coli was linked to the establishment. Phyllis Entis at eFoodAlert reports that New Food Classics filed for bankruptcy back in January and now has to handle this recall which affects 135 separate products under different brand names.

Now, here in the U.S., Sysco Seattle is recalling ground beef products manufactured by New Food Classics that were distributed to restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Washington.

Sysco began working to recall the 16,800 pounds of ground beef products on March 20, but the USDA Food Safety Inspec tion Service only learned of the recall on March 24.

Any establishment still in possession of the “Prime Rib Beef Patties” should contact Sysco Seattle. You can see contact information in our marketplace.

What do you think about this recall? Sound off in the comments.

(Photo by timomcd and Andres Rueda)

]]> http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/26/canada-ground-beef-recall-now-affects-u-s/feed/ 0 http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/09/consumer-recall-news-gerber-recalls-single-lot-of-baby-formula/ http://blog.consumerbell.com/2012/03/09/consumer-recall-news-gerber-recalls-single-lot-of-baby-formula/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:54:17 +0000 Derek http://blog.consumerbell.com/?p=6935

Gerber announced a recall for a single lot of Good Start infant formula.

The formula could have a bad odor that consumers might notice. Gerber’s press release said that the infant formula poses no health risks, though there were some reports of spit-up and gastrointestinal issues linked to the formula.

The recall affects lot GXP1684 with expiration date of March 5, 2013.

For contact information for Gerber and details on this recall, visit our Marketplace.

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