Flickr/byJoeLodge

Frozen berries

Updated, June 12, 11:22 a.m.: The outbreak of hepatitis A linked to a frozen berry mix sold at Costco has grown to 99 people with illnesses in eight states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak has also spawned more lawsuits, including cases filed against food processor Townsend Farms in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho and Washington state, according to Seattle-based food safety lawyer Bill Marler. The class-action lawsuits ask for compensation for medical treatment and reimbursement for vaccines for as many as 75,000 people who were potentially exposed to the virus. In addition, Marler is representing 33 people who were sickened. "There are some pretty significantly injured people," Marler says, including a man who was recovering from triple bypass surgery who nearly required a liver transplant after contracting hepatitis A. "People don't understand how difficult hepatitis A can be," he adds. "Some people who get sick, even in a 'mild' case, can be ill for six to eight weeks."

The outbreak "shows the risk of a long manufacturing tail," Marler says. "The longer the manufacturing tail, the more likely a mistake can get made. Once a bacteria or virus enters into a food item that's not meant to be cooked, you have a really big problem, especially when you are talking mass production. One mistake and you don't sicken a family, you sicken thousands of people. It just shows how vulnerable the food supply is to one viral agent in one component part." Marler says he expects the number of infections to reach about 300.

The Food and Drug Administration is continuing to investigate the cause of the outbreak.

Previously published, June 6, 1:48 p.m.: A 51-year-old Lakewood woman has sued Costco and Townsend Farms after she contracted hepatitis A after eating an organic berry mix.

So far 61 people in seven states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah) have been sickened by the berry blend. Eleven of them, including Lynda Brackenridge, who is suing, have landed in the hospital. Sixty-six percent of those infected are women. Ages range from 2 to 71 years old.

"It's very scary that this could happen to anyone," she told KABC from her quarantined room at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, where she really doesn't look so good.

More »

Flickr/byJoeLodge

A frozen berry blend

The package says "organic" and "antioxidant," so you think you're doing something positive for your health. Unfortunately, missing from the label is "with hepatitis and God knows what else added."

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating an outbreak of hepatitis A linked to a frozen organic berry mix, the Associated Press reports. The fruit blend was sold by an Oregon company to such outlets as your local Costco.

As of last Friday, 30 illnesses had been linked to Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend, including infections in California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico. The first illnesses were reported at the end of April, and victims range in age from 25 to 71 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

More »

Nestle Inc.

Nestle USA's Pizza Division is recalling four different frozen pizzas because they may contain clear plastic fragments. The extra-crunchy pizzas are:

• California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) Crispy Thin Crust White®, UPC 71921 98745; production codes are 3062525951, 3062525952 and 3063525951.
• California Pizza Kitchen® Limited Edition Grilled Chicken with Cabernet Sauce, UPC 71921 00781; production code is 3059525952.
• DiGiorno® Crispy Flatbread Pizza Tuscan Style Chicken, UPC 71921 02663; production codes are 3057525922 and 3058525921.
• DiGiorno® pizzeria!™ Bianca/White Pizza, UPC 71921 91484; production code is 3068525951.

Nestle says it has traced the source of the plastic bits to a spinach supplier. That's what you get for trying to eat "healthy" pizza.

More »

Wikimedia Commons

insect food stall: or, a much better use for edible insects

We know that male, uh, issues are a tough topic. And over the centuries, men have turned to some pretty bizarre remedies. But for those of you who have resorted to pricey capsules containing black ants, well you're going to have to stop that right now, because they are being recalled.

Black ant is apparently no Spanish fly. Rather than containing a miracle insect cure, the black ant capsules allegedly have been doctored with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, according to testing by the Food and Drug Administration. The manufacturer, American Lifestyle, is voluntarily recalling the capsules, which go for $19 for a box of four. (You guys realize that Viagra is covered by most prescription drug plans, right?) The product is distributed worldwide by online sales and retail and is promoted as increasing desire and sexual performance. (The company is also recalling its Vicerex capsules, which contain undeclared tadalafil, another ED drug.)

More »

IKEA Sweden

moose lasagna

This past weekend Swedes woke up to news of a pork contamination in the moose lasagna previously sold at their local IKEA stores -- in addition to 18 other European countries. Reuters reported that a little over 17,000 packs of the frozen entrees were quietly pulled from shelves after they were found to contain pork.

According to the Associated Press, it wasn't until Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet brought attention to the almost three-week-old discovery that the furniture super-retailer acknowledged the matter. Depending on the source, there was 1.4 to 1.6 percent pork found in the lasagna. Retailing at 19 Kronor (about $2.96) each, it was available for purchase roughly a month before it was recalled.

More »

Farm Rich

One of the recalled products

Ten million pounds of frozen pizza and other snacks have been recalled due to contamination with a rare strain of E. coli, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Buffalo, N.Y.-based Rich Products Corp. is recalling all items produced by at its Waycross, Ga. plant with "Best By" dates ranging from Jan. 1, 2013 to Sept. 29, 2014. The recalled products, which were distributed nationwide, include the brands Farm Rich, Schwan's and Market Day, and food items such as Stuffed Crust Pizza Dippers, Mozzarella Bites, Philly Cheese Steaks, Mini Quesadillas, Mini Meatball Sandwiches and Mini Bacon Cheeseburgers. (Many of these products are popular with kids, who are particularly vulnerable to E. coli infection.) Click here for the full list.

So far the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported 24 cases of E. coli 0121-related illnesses in 15 states related to the recall. Seven people have been hospitalized.

More »

Malcolm Bedell/From Away

A tuna sub

Updated March 8, 2013, 10:03 a.m. The Bumble Bee tuna recall has expanded to over 3 million cans and now includes Chicken of the Sea products as well, USA Today reports. The 659,784 recalled cans of Chicken of the Sea tuna were canned at Bumble Bee's California plant. The Chicken of the Sea recall includes 5-ounce cans of chunk light tuna in oil sold January 23 to Wednesday, with a best-by date of Jan. 15, 2017. It also includes chunk light tuna in water sold Feb. 4-27, with a best-by date of Jan. 18, 2017. Some of the specific code numbers are listed here.

The Bumble Bee recall now includes 2.4 million cans of tuna, shipped in 51,000 cases, up from the 22,500 cases reported Thursday.

Posted March 7, 2013, 6 a.m. Bumble Bee Foods has issued a voluntary recall of 5-ounce Chunk White Albacore and Chunk Light Tuna because of loose seals on the cans, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

"Loose seals or seams could result in product contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens and lead to illness if consumed," the FDA says. No illnesses have been reported, but the nasty possibilities are alarming.

More »

King Arthur

A vintage flour label

King Arthur Flour has initiated a voluntary recall of flour sold between mid-December and early February, according to an email sent to the company's "Baking Friends." The recall also was announced on the King Arthur website. King Arthur is the third largest seller of flour in the country.

The issue? Little bright blue polyurethane balls (measuring 7 mm to 9 mm, about the size of a pearl on a typical strand) "were dropped into a very limited number of bags during the sifting stage of the milling process." The balls are "food-safe" and have "no jagged edges." Which is fine if you don't mind bright-blue bread and muffins.

More »

Flickr/jetalone

Special K Red Berries

Special K comes in flavors including blueberries, red berries, "chocolatey delight," "chocolately strawberry," cinnamon pecan, fruit & yogurt, oats & honey, and vanilla almond. And now you can add a new ingredient to the mix -- glass fragments.

Coming right on the heels of Nestle's recall last week of Lean Cuisine due to glass in the ravioli, Kellogg's is recalling its Special K Red Berries cereal, saying some boxes might contain glass pieces, KTLA reports.

More »

Nestle

Lean Cuisine ravioli

Lean Cuisine is recalling ravioli dinners because of glass fragments found in the pasta, the Food and Drug Administration reports.

The voluntary recall of Lean Cuisine Culinary Collection Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli comes after three consumers reported they "found small fragments of glass in the ravioli portion of the entree," parent company Nestle said in a news release. The company added that no injuries were reported by consumers.

More »