In the news

General Mills announced today a voluntary national recall of five-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached Flour with a better if used by date of April 20, 2020. The recall is being issued due to the potential presence of Salmonella which was discovered during sampling of the product. This recall only affects this one date code of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour five-pound bags. All other types of Gold Medal Flour are not affected by this recall. “Food safety is our top priority, and though we have not had any confirmed illnesses, we are voluntarily recalling this specific lot of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour to prevent potential illnesses,” said Jim Murphy, President of General Mills Meals and Baking Division. “This recall does not involve any other flour products, and we are continuing to educate consumers that flour is not a ‘ready to eat’ ingredient. Anything you make with flour must be cooked or baked before eating.” @ https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm629754.htm

Eleven people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from eight states (Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming). One person has been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. Epidemiological and laboratory evidence indicates that contact with pet hedgehogs is the likely source of this outbreak. The outbreak strain making people sick was identified in samples collected from three hedgehogs in two ill patients’ homes in Minnesota. “Hedgehogs can carry Salmonella germs in their droppings while appearing healthy and clean,” the CDC explains. “These germs can easily spread to their bodies, habitats, toys, bedding, and anything in the area where they live. People become sick after they touch hedgehogs or anything in their habitats.” @ https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium-01-19/index.html

The U.S. FDA is cautioning pet owners not to feed Hare Today Gone Tomorrow Ground Chicken/Bones/Organs because the product collected by the FDA tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. The product is identified as “Ground Chicken” on the product labeling and as “Ground Chicken/Bones/Organs” on the firm’s website. The FDA collected this sample while following up on a consumer complaint in which a kitten became sick with Salmonella after eating the recalled product. The FDA collected samples from lot 12.04.2018, which tested positive for both Salmonella and L. monocytogenes. Although the Salmonella isolated from the feces of the sick kitten did not match the strain found in the product sample, Federal law requires that all pet food not be contaminated with pathogens, including Salmonella and L. monocytogenes, because of the potential impact on human and animal health. @ https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm629711.htm?utm_campaign=1-23-2019-HareToday&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elqTrackId=FECD96F5CBBDC8B11C89600AEAA9B445&elq=b74c8f5e202547ea841b0b9c4b243238&elqaid=6522&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=5328

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that Canada Herb recalled Hello Fresh Canada Herb brand Red Chili from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. This product may have also been sold in bulk or in smaller packages with or without a label and may not bear the brand or product name described. Products recalled include Red Chili Ingredient included in certain Hello Fresh brand and Chefs Plate brand Meal Kits. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. The products were sold Canada/Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Labrador. The product might have been included as a spice in home-delivered meal kits. The agency did not report how the Salmonella was discovered. The red peppers are originally a product of Vietnam. @ http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2019-01-20/eng/1548038033402/1548038035281