In the news

Seneca Snack Company (Washington State) announced a recall of Seneca Cinnamon Apple Chips and Clancy’s Cinnamon Apple Chips due to possible Salmonella contamination. The recall only affects Clancy’s product sold by ALDI and Seneca products sold nationwide through Amazon and Gemline; no other retailers are affected. No illnesses were reported due to this product. An ingredient supplier notified Seneca that it shipped one lot of ingredients containing cinnamon that can be contaminated with Salmonella. In response to that notification, Seneca is now retrieving Cinnamon Apple Chips from its distribution system. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/seneca-recalls-cinnamon-apple-chips-because-possible-health-risk

Country Fresh initiated a recall of watermelon chunks from select stores as a precautionary measure due to Listeria monocytogenes detected on equipment used in packing this product. FDA made these findings during a recent inspection. The recalled products were shipped directly to Walmart and RaceTrac’s retail distribution centers stores in select stores located in Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas. The product was packaged in various clamshell containers with best-if-used by dates of October 2, 3, and 4, 2020. No illnesses have been reported. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/country-fresh-voluntary-product-recall?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The CFIA is preparing a draft regulation requiring importers of romaine from California’s Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito and Monterey counties to provide a certificate of analysis for each shipment to demonstrate that the product does not contain detectable levels of E. coli O157:H7. The CFIA draft regulation said the measure will be in effect from Oct. 5 to Dec. 31. The announcement caught the industry by surprise. The measures are new temporary and preventative in nature and not in response to any current E. coli contamination.“While we recognize and share government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Canada’s food supply, these measures were developed without consultation, are not achievable in the timeframe provided, and are resulting in significant impacts on Canadian industry and consumers and, of course, on the entire romaine growing community in the affected U.S. counties,” Proctor (VP of policy and issue management at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association) said. Many organization related to the produce industry have major concerns related to the regulation, especially about publishing it 8 days before it goes into effect. @ https://www.thepacker.com/article/surprise-canadian-plan-romaine-import-requirements-raises-alarm

Rhode Island consumers are urged to avoid consuming any juices, smoothies, or sea moss gel bought from Health is Wealth Nutrition Center in Cranston, RI. Inappropriate processing and storage control of the products could lead to the presence of Botulism in the products. Defective processing could allow Clostridium botulinum to survive. The following products are under investigation: Health is Wealth Sea Moss drink: Sold in 12 and 16oz containers in a variety of flavors including blackberry, fruit punch, soursop guanabana, strawberry, passion fruit, pineapple, mango, guava guayaba, and tamarind. 

Health is Wealth Sea Moss smoothie: Sold in 12 and 16oz containers. Flavors include pina coloda, peanut punch, soursop/guanabana, cinnamon vanilla, and mango. Health is Wealth Sea Moss gel: Sold in 16oz containers in flavors such as sea moss bladderwrack aloe vera gel, sea moss bladderwrack gel, and sea moss gel. Health is Wealth Sea Moss protein shakes: Sold in 12 and 16 oz sizes in flavors including peanut and cinnamon.@ https://patch.com/rhode-island/cranston/cranston-nutrition-drinks-recalled-over-botulism-concerns