Recent Pathogen Related Fresh Produce Recalls
To see a comprehensive, up-to-date list of all mandatory and voluntary recalls visit the FDA's website
10/21/11
Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Inc. is recalling 12 oz bagged washed spinach with the "enjoy by" date of October 16 sold under the f&e label due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
10/20/11 – Los Angeles, CA
Church Brothers, LLC is voluntarily recalling 560 bags of clipped spinach as a precautionary measure after one bag tested positive for Salmonella during a random USDA Microbiological Data Program sampling.
10/19/11 - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Puerto Rico
Taylor Farms Retail Inc. is initiating a voluntary, precautionary recall of 3,265 cases of various salad blends with the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella following a random test conducted on a finished package of spinach by the State of Washington Department of Agriculture.
10/13/11 - Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania
River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC out of Salinas, CA is initiating a voluntary recall of 2,154 cases of various bagged salad products due to the potential of being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
10/1/11 - Louisville, KY
Thorntons, Inc. is recalling 6 oz Garden Salads and 5.6 oz Chef Salads because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
9/29/11 - Oregon, Washington, and Idaho
True Leaf Farms is voluntarily recalling 90 cartons of chopped romaine because of the potential of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
9/29/11 - Indiana, Louisiana, and Wisconsin
Jensen Farms of Holly, CO is including whole cantaloupes shipped to the states of Indiana, Louisiana and Wisconsin in its September 14th recall notification recalling items due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Legislation
S.510-FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
Title 1 - Improving Capacity to Prevent Food Safety Problems
- Would allow the inspection of records of manufacturers, processors, packagers, distributers, retailers, or importers (Farms with annual sales less than $500,000 exempt).
- Requires scientific-based minimum standards be established for safe harvest and processing of fresh produce.
- Requires the creation of a National Agriculture and Food Defense Strategy.
Title 2 - Improving Capacity to Detect and Respond to Food Safety Problems
- Requires improved tracking of fruits and vegetables for outbreak retracing.
- Requires CDC to enhance foodborne illness surveillance systems.
- Authorizes the orders to cease distribution and recall if necessary.
Title 3 - Improving the Safety of Imported Food
- Requires importers to perform risk-based foreign supplier verification activities.
- Authorizes that, in order to grant admission of article into the States, certification must be presented.
- Secretary can determine whether or not a country can provide processes up to code.
- U.S. must enter arrangements to facilitate the inspection of registered foreign facilities.
11/30/10 - the United States Senate has passed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.
For more infomartion on this bill visit the Open Congress Bill Status.