Numerous recall alerts continue to be announced by food companies whose products have been manufactured using potentially Salmonella contaminated ingredients sourced from Plainview Milk. The widespread effect of the Plainview Milk recall is no surprise, considering that a staple ingredient like dried milk is used in such a variety of products. Although we may not be surprised, we can be disappointed when such recalls aren’t issued with speed, as well as concerned for the future of our food supply when massive amounts of food products are exposed to Salmonella and other pathogens that shouldn’t be in our food in the first place.
Below are the press releases of three more product recalls—this time hot chocolate, gravy and sauce mixes, and more nonfat dried milk packets—due to the possible presence of Salmonella.
July 02, 2009 – HATTIESBURG, MS–robertstjohn.com has initiated a voluntary recall of its Rich, Rich, Rich Hot Chocolate Mix, after learning equipment used at a supplier’s facility may have been contaminated with Salmonella. 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.Plainview, Minnesota supplier, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative announced it had voluntarily recalled its instant non-fat dried milk and whey protein because of potential salmonella bacteria contaminations. This milk product was used in the manufacturing of the hot chocolate mix.
The Robert St.John product under recall is packaged in 13 ounce plastic bags with the lot #20494 printed on the bag. The bag is packaged inside a metal tin can. Approximately 560 tin cans of the mix were sold to stores in Mississippi between November 18, 2008 and December 20, 2008. The stores have been notified and the product has been removed from their shelves.
This Robert St. John brand product has not been identified as contaminated or linked to any illness. The removal of product from store shelves is precautionary in nature and has been done to protect safety of the company’s customers.
Consumers who have purchased Rich, Rich, Rich Hot Chocolate Mix should not consume it. They should contact robertstjohn.com for a refund. Consumers with questions may contact robertstjohn.com customer service at 888-315-6774.
July 7, 2009 – The C. F. Sauer Company, of Richmond, VA is taking the precautionary measure of voluntarily recalling brown gravy, brown gravy with mushrooms, brown gravy with onions, turkey gravy, pork gravy, country sausage gravy, country style gravy, Alfredo sauce mix, Cajun gumbo mix, and Hollandaise sauce mix produced under the Sauer’s, Gold Medal, and Piggly Wiggly labels because they contain instant non-fat dry milk manufactured by the Plainview Milk Products Cooperative. Plainview has recently commenced a recall of instant non-fat dry milk and other ingredients that have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.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 (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 serious illnesses such as arterial infections (i. e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.
No illnesses have been associated with this recall.
The products affected by this voluntary recall include foil packets and plastic jars in cartons of 6 to 24 individual containers distributed to retail stores in AL, GA, NC, SC, MS, MI, OH, TN, VA, WV, KY, FL, and PA.
Only the codes listed below are affected by this recall notice. Customers should look on the foil packet for embossed codes along the edge of the package, and on the jars for printed codes located on the jar immediately below the bottom of the cap. Packages of recalled products can be returned to the store where purchased for a full refund, or contact the C. F. Sauer Company at 800-688-5676 between the hours of 8:00 Am and 4:30 Pm Eastern time, or at www.cfsauer.com.
PRODUCT NAME UPC CODE CODE DATES Sauer’s Country Style Gravy Mix 1.31 oz. Pouch 52500 02327 8018R, 8162R Sauer’s Hollandaise Sauce Mix 1.12 oz. Pouch 52500 02340 8029R, 8155R Sauer’s Onion Gravy Mix 1.12 oz. Pouch 52500 02356 8011R, 8084R, 8184R, 9056R Sauer’s Pork Gravy Mix .87 oz. Pouch 52500 02373 8016R, 8087R, 8176R, 8217R, 9078R Sauer’s Turkey Gravy Mix .87 oz. Pouch 52500 02394 7339R, 7347R, 7365R, 8105R, 8106R, 8183R, 8255R, 8282R, 8295R, 8301R, 8325R, 8359R, 9166R Sauer’s Cajun Gumbo Mix 1.25 oz. Pouch 52500 02364 8028R, 8143R Sauer’s Alfredo Sauce Mix 1.60 oz. Pouch 52500 02360 8028R, 8029R, 8107R Sauer’s Country Style Gravy Mix 1.31 oz. Pouch 52500 02331 9119R Sauer’s Brown Gravy Mix .75 oz. Pouch 52500 02312 8008R, 8066R, 8092R, 8093R, 8133R, 8141R, 8142R, 8148R, 8217R, 8273R, 8302R, 8303R, 8344R, 9070R, 9105R, 9120R, 9124R Sauer’s Brown Gravy Mix 4.5 oz Plastic Jar 52500 00691 8007R, 8072R, 8178R, 9008R Sauer’s Brown Gravy 10 oz. Plastic Jar 52500 01507 8178R, 8197R, 8198R, 8288R, 9078R, 9162R, 9166R Sauer’s Brown Gravy Mix 19 oz. Plastic Jar 52500 01776 8115R, 8129R, 8134R, 8136R, 8142R, 8184R, 8192R, 8206R, 8232R, 8252R, 8266R, 8275R, 8287R, 8301R, 8316R, 8339R, 8364R, 9012R, 9036R, 9069R, 9082R, 9105R, 9153R, 9160R Sauer’s Brown Gravy with Onions Mix .75 oz. Pouch 52500 02314 8009R, 8043R, 8093R, 8196R, 8268R, 8358R, 9117R Sauer’s Brown Gravy with Mushrooms Mix .75 oz. Pouch 52500 02313 8011R, 8086R, 8248R, 8289R, 8294R, 9117R Gold Medal Turkey Gravy Mix .87 oz. Pouch 52500 02103 8073R Gold Medal Brown Gravy Mix .75 oz. Pouch 52500 02100 8133R, 8339R, 9056R, 9077R, 9141R Piggly Wiggly Brown Gravy mix .75 oz. Pouch 41290 41229 8262R, 9013R, 9014R, 9154
July 7, 2009 – Traditions Meal Solutions is recalling approximately 104,500 packets of 25 gram non-fat dry milk packets because they have 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.The non-fat dry milk packets are components of Traditions Meal Solutions shelf stable meal kits distributed to food distributors and regional nutrition service providers located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. These meal kits were distributed between January 8, 2008 and June 15, 2009. The meal kits are packaged in small white boxes that have no identifying information and contain single-serve food items. These shelf stable meal kits were not available for individual consumer purchase. The only component of the shelf stable meal kit that represents a potential hazard is the non-fat dried milk. The non-fat dried milk packets are white and are approximately 5” by 4” and labeled with lot numbers from 19047 to 21203.
The packet of non-fat dried milk should not be used or consumed. Consumers who have any of the non-fat dry milk packets are urged to destroy them. Traditions Meal Solutions has not received any notification of consumer illness associated with the consumption of its product.
The recall was initiated when Traditions Meal Solutions was notified by its non-fat dry milk supplier, Blendco, Inc., that the non-fat dried milk packets included in the shelf stable meal kits contained product supplied by Plainview Milk Products Cooperative, which has issued a voluntary recall because the non-fat dried milk has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
Traditions Meal Solutions has isolated all recalled non-fat dried milk packets located in its facility and ceased the distribution of any shelf stable meal kits containing the recalled non-fat dried milk.
Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact Traditions Meal Solutions Quality Assurance Manager, Marcia Guymon at 601-420-8806 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm CST. Media inquiries should be directed to Elmer McInnis, Executive Vice President of Procurement at 601-664-3138.
