THIS SECTION IS FOR NEWS AND INTERESTING STORIES RELATED TO FOOD, NUTRITION AND FOOD PROCESSING. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO KOSHER BUT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE KOSHER CONSUMER, MANUFACTURER OR MASHGIACH.
November 23, 2022 from the CPSC
Green Sprouts Stainless Steel Straw Bottles, Sippy Cups and Sip & Straw Cups have been recalled because the recalled stainless-steel bottles and cups bottom base can break off, exposing a solder dot that contains lead, posing a lead poisoning hazard to the child. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children, and can cause adverse health effects.
Consumer Contact: Green Sprouts at 800-876-1574 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at ContactUs@GreenSprouts.com or online at https://greensproutsbaby.com/pages/swssbrecall or at www.GreenSprouts.com and click on the ”Safety” link at the bottom of the home page for more information.
This recall involves 6 oz and 8 oz Green Sprouts Stainless Steel cups and bottles with tracking numbers 29218V06985, 35719V06985, and 33020V06985, which can be found on the bottom of the base. The recalled double-walled stainless steel bottles were sold in aqua, pink, green, and navy colors with one of three closure options: (1) a silicone sippy spout with a colored plastic lid, collar and handle (2) a silicone sippy spout and a straw spout with colored plastic lid, collar and handle, or (3) a silicone straw with plastic screw-on flip cap. The tracking number is printed on the bottom base. The bottles were sold in one of two sizes as indicated:
|
Size |
Description |
Tracking Number(s) |
|
6 oz |
Stainless Steel Sippy Cup |
29218V06985 or 35719V06985 |
|
6 oz |
Stainless Steel Sip & Straw Cup |
33020V06985 |
|
8 oz |
Stainless Steel Straw Bottle |
29218V06985 or 35719V06985 |
Consumers should immediately take the recalled stainless steel bottles and cups away from children and discard the bottles and cups. Contact Green Sprouts for a full refund in the form of store credit or your money back. Green Sprouts is contacting all known purchasers directly.
Sold At: Buy Buy Baby and Whole Foods stores nationwide and online at amazon.com, www.buybuybaby.com and www.bedbathandbeyond.com from January 2020 through September 2022 for between $14 and $19.
November 27, 2022 - from NPR:
"About 1.8 million more chickens must be killed in Nebraska to prevent the spread of a highly pathogenic bird flu virus, state officials said, as the U.S. sees its worst outbreak of the disease in seven years.
"The state's latest spate of bird flu was found on an egg-laying farm in northeast Nebraska's Dixon County.
"Nebraska, where 6.8 million birds have been affected by the outbreak, is the second worst-hit state behind Iowa, where 15.5 million birds have been culled.
"This year, more than 50 million birds in 46 states have already died — mostly from being slaughtered to control the spread, but some from the deadly virus itself. It's the largest outbreak since 2015, when 50 million birds died.
"The bird flu outbreak has also contributed to the rise in consumer prices for eggs and poultry meat, on top of hiked-up costs from inflation.
"Unlike the 2015 outbreak, this spread appears far more difficult to contain because it appears to easily spread among wild birds. Waterfowl — and the raptors that eat their carcasses — can carry the flu virus long distances and have the ability to pass the virus on to poultry."
October 25, 2022 from the CPSC in conjunction with Healthy Canadians
Indigo branded Papa Bear and Mama Bear Mugs have been recalled because the recalled mugs can crack or break when filled with hot liquid, posing burn and laceration hazards.
Consumer Contact: Indigo toll-free at 833-463-4461 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday, by email at service@indigo.ca or online at www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/product-recalls or www.indigo.ca and click on “Recall.”
This recall involves Indigo branded Papa Bear and Mama Bear mugs with batch numbers 1220, 0621, 1021or 0920. Indigo and the batch number are printed on the bottom of the mugs. The UPC number 882709402770 or 882709402763 is printed on a white price sticker on the bottom of the mugs. The mugs are made of ceramic and have a white exterior with either a “PAPA BEAR” or “MAMA BEAR” decal and white animal ears on the rim. The interior of the Papa Bear mug is blue and the interior of the Mama Bear mug is aqua. Indigo is printed on the bottom of the mugs.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Papa Bear and Mama Bear mugs and return them to the Indigo store for a full refund.
Sold At: Exclusively at the Indigo store in Short Hills, New Jersey from December 2020 through May 2022 for about $12.
Number sold: About 270 (In addition, about 29,232 were sold in Canada)
November 18, 2022 from The Food Dive:
"Wilk, formerly known as BioMilk, grows mammary cells from cows and humans. When those cells have matured, Wilk has a patented process to get those cultivated cells to produce milk. It then separates the milk from the cells.
"This is a completely different process than precision fermentation used by Perfect Day and other companies. They create dairy proteins by fermenting yeast with modified DNA. Milk produced by cultured cells has a wider array of nutrients.
"But once Wilk makes progress on volume, it may have a leg up on distribution. Coca-Cola Israel signed a strategic agreement with Wilk in 2021. The soft drink giant’s arm will invest a total of $2 million in Wilk and work with them to develop products from cell-cultured milk."
November 18, 2022 - from Ynet.com:
"Roladin, a popular Israeli bakery and café chain known for selling doughnuts, has announced that the price on doughnuts will rise in the coming Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
"The chain reported that the price of a strawberry jelly filled doughnut will rise from a price of NIS 6 to 7, a price hike of 17%.
"Four other kinds of doughnuts with fillings of salted bagel, vanilla raspberry, toffee caramel and chocolate with sprinkles – which used to cost NIS 10 in Hanukkah 2021, will be sold at NIS 12, increasing their price by 20%.
"The only doughnut to remain with the same price is the one with a dulce de leche which will remain NIS 7. Prices in Roladin have grown over the years, with a jelly filled doughnuts selling for NIS 5, and specialty doughnuts selling for NIS 9.5 in 2012.
"Jelly filled doughnuts make up 25% of the chain’s total sales during Hanukkah, another 15% of the sales come from the dulce de leche doughnuts, and the rest from the specialty doughnuts.
"According to Roladin, price has increased due to the higher cost of ingredients, mainly butter, which rose in price from NIS 18 to 28 per kg. Flour is another ingredient which the chain says rose in price three times during the last year. According to the chain, a lack of workers and increased in employment cost have also caused the rise in prices.
November 5, 2022 - from the FDA:
"Adam’s Polishes, LLC is voluntarily recalling lot 133475 of Adam’s Polishes Hand Sanitizer to the consumer level. FDA testing has found this lot to contain undeclared methanol. Adam’s Polishes is recalling 19 other lots in an abundance of caution.
"This product is used as a hand sanitizer marketed to help decrease bacteria on the skin when soap and water are not available. Adam’s Polishes Hand Sanitizer is packaged in 4oz., 8oz. 16oz., and one gallon bottles. These bottles are spray bottles for the 4oz, 8oz and 16oz and jugs for the gallon bottles. Please visit https://adamspolishes.com/pages/hs-voluntary-recall, This is the Adam’s Polishes web site to check if your product’s lot number is included in this recall and, if so, how to request a credit. The hand sanitizer was distributed nationwide in the USA to internet customers between June 2020 and March 2022.
| 133470 | 133471 | 133472 | 133473 | 133474 |
| 133475 | 133476 | 133477 | 133478 | 133479 |
| 133480 | 133481 | 133482 | 133483 | 137731 |
| 137732 | 137733 | 137734 | 139322 | 143327 |
Adam’s Polishes is notifying its customers by email. Consumers who have any recalled Adam’s Polishes Hand Sanitizer products should immediately stop using the product and dispose of it in accordance with local regulations. Consumers can email Adam’s Polishes with a request for a credit at hs@adamspolishes.com. You will need to include a picture of the bottle including the lot number.
Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Adam’s Polishes at e-mail address hs@adamspolishes.com . Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to using this drug product.
Office hours and telephone number 9 am – 4pm mst 720-812-3460
November 15, 2022 - from VinNews:
"Romanian authorities adopted a law that recognizes and gives specific protection to shechitah, or kosher ritual slaughter of animals, the Conference of European Rabbis said in a statement, hailing the move as a “landmark” example for other countries in Europe.
"The new legislation, which the Romanian parliament passed Thursday, comes roughly a year after the Court of the European Union upheld the bans of both the Muslim and Jewish traditional methods slaughter of animals for food in two Belgian states.
"Jewish leaders and organizations decried the ruling, which the Israeli ambassador in Belgium called “catastrophic and a blow to Jewish life in Europe.
"Many European countries ban the slaughter of animals without stunning them first, a move that animal-rights activists say is more humane but which is not permitted under Jewish law. Many countries grant exceptions for shechitah, according to the Conference of European Rabbis, and Romania had previously allowed such an exception. But the new law enshrines the right to shechitah more formally.
"Animal rights activists historically were most vehement advocates of the bans, but in recent years, European anti-immigration right-wing parties have joined the campaigns against ritual slaughter, mostly due to their opposition to Muslim immigrants.
"In the rest of the EU, ritual slaughter is illegal in countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Slovenia and parts of Belgium. The Netherlands and Poland joined the list years ago but later reversed the bans."
November 1, 2022 - from the Food Safety News:
"There are just 10 more days to comment before USDA can finalize the Organic Livestock and Poultry rule for the National Organic Program. If enacted, new animal welfare standards would apply to animals raised under the USDA Organic label.
"If it all sounds familiar it should. The rule is similar to one that was withdrawn during the Trump Administration. Annually, USDA’s National Organic Program oversees the handling of more than 186 million farm animals.
"Animal rights groups, such as the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) are at the forefront of the lobby pushing for the rule.
"It is anticipated that USDA will give existing organic farmers up to 15 years to comply with the new outdoor space requirements. That is intended to give them time to finance and build the infrastructure that is supposed to be more to the liking of the affected farm animals.
"Oral Comments: Oral comment registration is closed. The deadline to register for an oral comment slot is 11:59 p.m. EDT on Nov. 10. The deadline has been extended 30 days from the initial date of Oct. 11. This extension was made to ensure that all stakeholders and individuals have adequate time to formulate their comments and suggestions about the proposed rule.
"Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting written comments. The deadline to submit written comments is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Nov. 10. The deadline has been extended 30 days from the initial date of Oct. 11. This extension was made to ensure that all stakeholders and individuals have adequate time to formulate their comments and suggestions about the proposed rule.
"Mail: AMS strongly prefers comments be submitted electronically. However, written comments may be submitted (i.e., postmarked) via mail to Erin Healy, MPH., Director Standards Division, National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, Room 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-0268. Mailed comments must be postmarked by Nov. 10.
"For access to the docket, including background documents and comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov (search for docket “AMS-NOP-21-0073”)."
August 8, 2022 - from the Food Safety News:
"Celebrating the USDA’s move on Aug. 5 to reinstate organic animal welfare standards, organic advocates are hailing this as a “resounding victory” for organic farmers, their livestock, and organic consumers.
"As such, it reverses the withdrawal by the Trump Administration in 2018 of the 2017 Organic Livestock and Poultry rule.
"The 2017 rule, which took 10 years to develop, governed the living conditions, transport and slaughter of organic livestock.
"The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend the organic livestock and poultry production requirements by adding new provisions for livestock handling and transport for slaughter and avian living conditions; and expanding and clarifying existing requirements covering livestock care and production practices and mammalian living conditions.
"The proposed rule:
"The proposed rule would update the USDA organic regulations for livestock production. The proposed changes would address a range of topics related to the care of organic livestock, including:
"A listening session: USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host a virtual listening session on Aug. 19 from noon to approximately 2 p.m. EDT to hear comments regarding this proposed rule. The deadline to register for oral comment is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Aug. 15. Access information will be published on the AMS website prior to the listening session at https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/listening-session-organic-livestock-and-poultry-standards."
Nobember 2, 2022: from Healthy Canadians
This recall involves the instructions for the Thermomix TM6 measuring cup supplied with the Thermomix TM6 appliance and which can also be used with the Thermomix TM5 appliance. Thermomix is a multi-purpose kitchen appliance with functions that include weighing, mixing, chopping, milling, kneading, blending, steaming, cooking, beating, precise heating, stirring and emulsifying.
In rare cases, when the TM6 measuring cup is inserted into the Thermomix TM5 or TM6 and the cooking temperature is set to exceed 95˚C / 200˚F, excess pressure can build in the mixing bowl causing the sudden spillage of hot food; leading to increased risk of burns. This risk is increased when the recommended fill level (as set out in the instructions and indicated on the inside of the mixing bowl) is exceeded.
As of October 12, 2022, the company has received no reports of incidents in Canada. There have been 36 incidents reported to the company worldwide.
Consumers should immediately stop using the Thermomix TM6 measuring cup instructions and contact Vorverk to obtain updated product instructions. Once the updated product instructions have been reviewed, consumers may continue to use the TM6 Measuring Cup in accordance with the updated instructions. Customers do not need to return the product. C
ustomers were informed directly via email by Vorwerk. Vorwerk has initiated a Global Information Campaign to reduce risk of user error with respect to the use of the TM6 measuring cup. Consumers can find information in relation to proper use and preventative measures at the following websites: www.thermomix.ca/thermomix-safety-instructions/ or https://service.thermomix.ca/hc/en-us/articles/8749490659091-Thermomix-Measuring-Cup-Safety-Announcement-August-2022.
For more information, consumers can contact Vorwerk by telephone at +1-855-867-9904, by email at service@thermomix.ca or visit the company website www.thermomix.ca.
October 27, 2022 from SUN News:
"A federal court has found Birdsboro Kosher Farms Corp. in contempt for failing to pay $162,359 in penalties after an OSHA inspection found numerous safety hazards, including willful, serious, and repeat violations.
"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Oct. 19, 2022 decision is the latest legal action spurred by two separate 2016 safety and health inspections at the Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, poultry processing facility.
"The inspections led OSHA to issue citations for violations related to federal lockout/tagout, hearing conservation, and personal protective equipment standards.
"The company contested the citations with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Following a full hearing on the citations’ merits, an administrative law judge affirmed the initial citations in a Sept. 23, 2019, decision that became the commission’s final order on Oct. 22, 2019.
"Birdsboro Kosher Farms petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for review, and the Secretary of Labor filed a cross-application for enforcement.
"In December 2020, the Court of Appeals denied Birdsboro’s petition for review and granted the Secretary’s cross-application for enforcement. The court ordered Birdsboro Kosher Farms to abate any unabated violations from the citations, submit abatement documentation to OSHA, and pay the remaining penalties.
"Birdsboro ignored the court’s order, failing to pay the penalties or provide abatement certification
"A subsequent OSHA inspection revealed violations of some of the same standards underlying the court’s 2020 order and enforcement decree.
"In response, the Secretary of Labor filed a petition on March 18, 2022, for judgment of civil contempt.
"The court granted the petition and ordered Birdsboro to pay the outstanding penalties of $162,369 plus interest and fees or agree to a payment plan, and certify abatement of the violations, all within 20 days.
"Failure to comply will subject Birdsboro to sanctions the court deems necessary to compel compliance with its judgment." Share this:
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