Recalls and Bans of Products

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    Chomps Recalls Beef and Turkey Sticks Over ‘Pieces of Metal’ Complaints

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    The snack sticks included in the recall were packaged at a single facility in Idaho from Jan. 16 through Jan. 23, the company said.Nearly 30,000 pounds of ready-to-eat beef sticks were recalled on Thursday after consumers complained that they had found metal fragments in them, food safety and company officials said.The voluntary recall affects Chomps Original Beef Sticks, but the company said in a statement posted online on Thursday and Friday that it was including Original Turkey sticks and additional product lots that were produced at Idaho Smokehouse Partners, based in Shelley, Idaho.The Food Safety and Inspection Service, which is under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said in a statement that the agency was informed of “two consumer complaints reporting that pieces of metal were found in the product.”The products subject to the recall were packaged at a single facility from Jan. 16 through Jan. 23, according to Chomps. The Food Safety and Inspection Service said that the recalled items were shipped to retail locations in California and Illinois.The company said the turkey products added to the recall were not included in the 29,541 pounds of recalled beef sticks reported by federal regulators, but it did not provide a weight for the additional items.There have been no confirmed injuries from consuming the products, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said, adding that anyone who is concerned about an injury should contact a health care provider.Consumers who purchased the recalled items are urged to throw them away or return them to the store.Idaho Smokehouse Partners said in a statement on Saturday that after becoming “aware of the two complaints,” it “worked with regulatory authorities on the best way to protect consumers from this issue.”“We are taking this action because we are committed to the highest food safety standards for the consumers of our products,” the company added.Chomps said in a statement on Saturday that the decision to recall the items was “made following a thorough investigation conducted alongside our manufacturing partner” and under the oversight of the Agriculture Department.The company said it “chose to broaden the scope of the recall beyond what was required, ensuring that all product packaged during that time frame was fully accounted for and removed from the market.”Chomps also said that it had added “further safeguards to prevent this from happening again.” More

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      Food Safety Jeopardized by Onslaught of Funding and Staff Cuts

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      The Trump administration halted some food testing and shut down a committee studying bacteria in infant formula. Earlier funding cutbacks under the Biden administration now threaten state labs and inspectors.In the last few years, foodborne pathogens have had devastating consequences that alarmed the public. Bacteria in infant formula sickened babies. Deli meat ridden with listeria killed 10 people and led to 60 hospitalizations in 19 states. Lead-laden applesauce pouches poisoned young children.In each outbreak, state and federal officials connected the dots from each sick person to a tainted product and ensured the recalled food was pulled off the shelves.Some of those employees and their specific roles in ending outbreaks are now threatened by Trump administration measures to increase government efficiency, which come on top of cuts already being made by the Food and Drug Administration’s chronically underfunded food division.Like the food safety system itself, the cutbacks and new administrative hurdles are spread across an array of federal and state agencies.At the Food and Drug Administration, freezes on government credit card spending ordered by the Trump administration have impeded staff members from buying food to perform routine tests for deadly bacteria. In states, a $34 million cut by the F.D.A. could reduce the number of employees who ensure that tainted products — like tin pouches of lead-laden applesauce sold in 2023 — are tested in labs and taken off store shelves. F.D.A. staff members are also bracing for further Trump administration personnel reductions.And at the Agriculture Department, a committee studying deadly bacteria was recently disbanded, even as it was developing advice on how to better target pathogens that can shut down the kidneys. Committee members were also devising an education plan for new parents on bacteria that can live in powdered infant formula. “Further work on your report and recommendations will be prohibited,” read a Trump administration email to the committee members.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Canned Tuna Sold at Trader Joe’s and Costco Is Recalled Over Botulism Risks

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      Tuna sold in 26 states and in Washington, D.C., was recalled over concerns that it may have been contaminated. The stores affected include Trader Joe’s, Genova, Van Camp’s and H-E-B.Canned tuna sold at grocery stores in 26 states and in Washington, D.C., was recalled because of botulism risks, the Food and Drug Administration and Tri-Union Seafoods said on Friday.The F.D.A. said that Tri-Union Seafoods had voluntarily recalled the tuna “out of an abundance of caution” after being notified of potential issues with the product seal. The “easy open” pull tab on some products, including those sold at Trader Joe’s and Costco, was defective, meaning that the tuna could have been contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.Here’s what to know.Which brands are affected and where?Here’s a list of all products affected.Products include:Trader Joe’s-label canned tuna in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.Genova 7 oz. canned tuna from Costco in Florida and Georgia.Genova 5 oz. canned tuna from Harris Teeter, Publix, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Walmart and independent retailers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas.Genova brand tuna sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas is affected by the recall.John Lamparski/Getty Images for NYCWFFWhat should you do if you have the recalled cans?Throw them out. Even if the product does not look or smell spoiled, you should dispose of it. Contact the store where you purchased the tuna or Tri-Union Seafoods for a coupon for a replacement product at support@thaiunionhelp.zendesk.com or 833-374-0171.The recall does not affect other Tri-Union Seafoods products.Has anyone gotten sick?No. There have not been any illnesses associated with the recalled products.What is botulism?Botulism is an illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves, paralyzes muscles and causes difficulty breathing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can be fatal.Most outbreaks stem from homemade products, rather than from commercially manufactured ones. Improperly home-canned or fermented food can provide the right conditions for spores to grow and make botulinum toxin. If in doubt about whether home-canned food is safe to eat, you should throw it out rather than taste it, the C.D.C. says.Signs of contamination include containers that are leaking or damaged, or that spurt liquid or foam when opened. Other signs of contamination include discoloration, mold or bad odor from the food. The C.D.C. recommends refrigerating canned or pickled foods after opening them.How common are botulism outbreaks?Outbreaks are rare but can be life-threatening. In 2023, a woman in France died and at least a dozen other people became ill with botulism after eating homemade sardine preserves at an organic wine bar in central Bordeaux. In 2019, U.S. health departments reported 21 cases of food-borne botulism to the C.D.C.Jonathan Wolfe More

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      Cucumbers Are Recalled After Salmonella Sickens People in 19 States

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      At least 68 people have fallen ill in the outbreak believed to be linked to cucumbers sold in the United States and Canada, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.At least 68 people, including 18 that needed to be treated at hospitals, have fallen ill across 19 states in a salmonella outbreak that may be linked to cucumbers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.Federal officials announced they were investigating the outbreak believed to be tied to cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico, and sold by SunFed Produce, which is based in Arizona, and other importers. No deaths have been reported.The C.D.C. said it was working with public health and regulatory officials in several states, including the Food and Drug Administration, to investigate the infections.The cucumbers were sold in the United States and Canada, according to the F.D.A.SunFed recalled all sizes of the product described as “whole fresh American cucumbers.”Craig Slate, the president of SunFed, said in a statement that the company “immediately acted to protect consumers.”“We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause,” he said.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Egg Recall by Wisconsin Farm

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      Officials said 65 people in nine states have been infected in the outbreak, which has been traced to an egg farm. No deaths have been reported.A salmonella outbreak that has sickened dozens of people in nine states prompted a recall of certain brands of eggs on Friday after officials said they traced the source of the infections to a farm in Wisconsin.State health officials said that 42 of the 65 people infected were in Wisconsin. Many people reported eating eggs at restaurants in the state before they got sick.Officials were able to trace the source of the eggs to Milo’s Poultry Farms of Bonduel, Wis., where they identified the outbreak strain in a packing facility and a hens egg-laying house, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.All carton sizes and egg types produced at the farm, which either bear the label “Milo’s Poultry Farms” or “Tony’s Fresh Market,” were recalled by the farm, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.The eggs were distributed to retail stores and food service suppliers in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, the F.D.A. said. The recall includes all expiration dates. The exact number of eggs recalled was not immediately available.No deaths have been reported in the outbreak, but 24 people were hospitalized. The first case was reported in late May, but most infections were reported in July and August, according to the C.D.C.The reported number of people infected is likely an undercount because it usually takes weeks to determine if an infection is part of an outbreak and because some people may recover without testing for the bacteria, the C.D.C. said.Aside from Wisconsin, infections were reported in California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Utah and Virginia. Illinois reported the second-highest number of infections with 11, followed by Minnesota, which reported three.The symptoms of the bacterial infection include diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain and usually begin within three days of ingesting the contaminated food, the F.D.A. said.Symptoms usually clear up within a week, but people with weakened immune systems, including young children and older adults, are more susceptible to severe, and sometimes fatal, infections, the F.D.A. said.The egg recall came after a deadly summer outbreak of listeria that prompted the recall of seven million pounds of Boar’s Head deli meat products.That outbreak has resulted in nine deaths and dozens of hospitalizations and the temporary shutdown of a Boar’s Head plant in Virginia, where inspectors had found black mold, water dripping over meat and dead flies. More

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      Samsung Recalls 1 Million Stoves That Started 250 Fires and Killed Pets

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      Thirty models of Samsung stoves were part of the recall over fires started by accidental contact.A recall has been issued for more than one million Samsung stoves after hundreds of reports of them being turned on accidentally, leading to fires that injured dozens and killed at least seven pets, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement on Thursday.Customers who own one of the 30 recalled models of Samsung electric ranges that the company has been selling since 2013 will be able to get a free set of knob locks or covers to minimize the risk of ignition by accidental contact with humans or pets, the company said in a statement announcing its voluntary recall on Thursday.More than 1.1 million electric ranges were included in the recall. The ranges were involved in about 250 fires, which led to about 40 injuries. Eight of the injuries needed medical attention, and there were 18 instances of “extensive property damage,” the commission’s statement said.When asked exactly how many pets died, and why it took 11 years since the company started selling the flawed ranges before the recall was issued, a spokeswoman for the commission declined to comment, referring to Samsung and the commission’s website for questions.Christopher Langlois, a spokesman for Samsung, said consumers should be mindful of the risks of accidental contact with range knobs for any stove. They should keep their stove tops clean and clear, keep children and pets away, and make sure that stoves are turned off after cooking, the company said in a statement.Samsung is asking people who have aone of its ranges to contact the company to see if they are eligible for the free, self-install knob locks or covers that reduce the possibility of accidental ignition.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Boar’s Head Recalls 7 Million More Pounds of Meat Amid Listeria Outbreak

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      The announcement came less than a week after Boar’s Head recalled more than 200,000 pounds of meat during an outbreak that has killed two and sickened more than two dozen.Boar’s Head recalled seven million additional pounds of deli meat on Tuesday, expanding a recall of more than 200,000 pounds after its product was linked on Monday to a listeria outbreak that has left two people dead and sickened nearly three dozen.The expanded recall includes all meats and poultry processed at a Boar’s Head facility in Jarratt, Va. The decision to broaden the recall came after the company learned from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that a sample of its liverwurst from a Maryland store that had tested positive for listeria bacteria had matched the strain in the nationwide outbreak.“Based on this new information, we took steps to ensure we are doing everything possible to protect public health,” Boar’s Head said in a statement on its website on Tuesday. The company added that it had suspended operations involving ready-to-eat meats at the Jarratt facility until further notice.The company announced its initial recall on July 25, calling back all products that had been processed on the same production line and on the same day, June 27, as the contaminated liverwurst. That recall amounted to 207, 528 pounds of meat comprising 10 different products sliced at deli counters and sold in retail stores.Now, the recall covers every item produced at the Virginia facility, a sweeping list of 71 products bearing the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names produced from May 10 through July 29, the U.S.D.A.’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said.The list of products includes multipound loaves of “Strassburger Brand Liverwurst MADE IN VIRGINIA” with sell-by dates ranging from July 25 to Aug. 30 and meats made for slicing at delis with an Aug. 10 sell-by date. Some of those meats include: Virginia ham, Italian Cappy Ham, Extra Hot Italian Cappy Ham, Pork & Beef Bologna, Beef Salami, Beef Bologna and Garlic Bologna.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Kia Recalls Telluride SUV Over Fire Risk; Urging Owners to Park Outside

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      About 460,000 vehicles could be affected by the recall, which stems from a problem with the vehicle’s front power seat motor.The automotive company Kia issued a recall on Friday of certain Telluride SUVs from the years 2020 through 2024 and urged the owners of the vehicles to park outside and away from structures because of a fire risk, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.The issue stems from the front power seat motor, which can overheat “because of a stuck power seat slide knob, potentially resulting in a fire and increasing the risk of injury,” the NHTSA said in a statement.“To fix the issue, dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge,” the statement said.Kia recommended that drivers park outside until repairs were completed.About 460,000 vehicles could be affected by the recall, according to the NHTSA, and notices informing owners of affected Tellurides are expected to be mailed beginning July 30.Kia will also reimburse owners for repair expenses already incurred, according to a Safety Recall Report that the agency posted online.A chronology of the issues with the Telluride Front Power Seats shared by the NHTSA shows that the Kia North America Safety Office saw complaints of smoke and a report of a “driver seat caught on fire while driving.” No injuries were reported from that fire, according to the document, nor have there been any injuries, crashes or fatalities stemming from the problem.James Bell, a spokesman for Kia, called the issue “very rare.”In September 2023, Hyundai and Kia recalled nearly 3.4 million vehicles in the United States because of a fire risk in the engine compartment caused by brake fluid leaks. At the time, the automakers also advised car owners to park their vehicles outside.Hyundai is the parent company of Kia Motors, but the manufacturers operate independently. More

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      Auto Safety Regulator Investigating Tesla Recall of Autopilot

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      The National Highway Safety Administration said it had concerns about how Tesla handled the recall based on recent crashes and testing of cars that had been updated.The federal government’s main auto safety agency said on Friday that it was investigating Tesla’s recall of its Autopilot driver-assistance system because regulators were concerned that the company had not done enough to ensure that drivers remained attentive while using the technology.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website that it was looking into Tesla’s recall in December of two million vehicles, which covered nearly all of the cars the company had manufactured in the United States since 2012. The safety agency said that it had concerns about crashes that took place after the recall and results from preliminary tests of recalled vehicles.The investigation adds to a list of headaches for Tesla, the dominant electric vehicle maker in the United States. The company’s sales fell more than 8 percent in the first three months of the year compared with the same period a year earlier, the first such drop since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.Tesla announced in December that it would recall its autopilot software after an investigation by the auto safety agency found that the carmaker hadn’t put in place enough safeguards to make sure the system, which can accelerate, brake and control cars in other ways, was used safely by drivers who were supposed to be ready at any moment to retake control of their cars using Autopilot.The agency said it had identified at least 13 fatal crashes tied to use of Autopilot. The company is also facing lawsuits from individuals who claim the system is defective, and its design contributed to or is responsible for serious injuries and deaths.The recall, which entails a wireless software update, includes more prominent visual alerts and checks when drivers are using Autopilot to remind them to keep their hands on the wheel and pay attention to the road. The recall covers all five of Tesla’s passenger models — the 3, S, X, Y and Cybertruck.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More