Food Recalls Affect Range of Products

Grocers are checking their shelves, displays and cases for products in the wake of high-profile product recalls. Over the past week, arugula, cookie dough and noodles, among other items, have spurred headlines about potential contaminants and allergens.

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Here’s a recap of some of the latest recalls tied to potential quality and safety issues:

• Florida-grown cucumbers from Fresh Start Produce Sales, sent to retail and foodservice distributors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia should be pulled, according to U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The cucumbers were linked to a positive Salmonella sample but have not been associated with any foodborne illness outbreaks. 
• More than 37,000 cases of S&S Cup Saimin Noodles with Soup and Garnishes made by Sun Noodle were recalled following the discovery of undeclared egg ingredients. The notice affects grocers and distributors in Hawaii, California, Nevada and Utah. 
• 4-oz. packages of fresh baby arugula produced by Green Life Farms in Lake Worth, Fla. were voluntarily recalled, after one sample indicated the presence of Salmonella. The products, under Lot #LW15124, were sent to Publix locations and have a sell-by date of June 15. No illnesses have been tied to these products, according to the FDA.
• Ground black pepper products available under the Baraka brand and sold by Dearborn, Mich.-based UBD Food Distributors have been recalled because of possible Salmonella contamination. The seasoning is sold in 7-oz. plastic containers with the UPC code 8 22514 26626 6 and was distributed to retailers around the country, per the FDA. 
• Rise Baking Company is recalling cookie dough products, including those branded as Costco Chocolate Chunk Frozen Cookie Dough, Member’s Mark Chocolate Chunk, Panera Chocolate Chipper Cookie, Rise Baking Jumbo Chocolate Chunk and Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, due to possible contamination with the Salmonella pathogen. Affected states include California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.
• Two-count packages of Country Road Seafood Crab Cakes were voluntarily pulled because of undeclared egg ingredients. The instant noodles were distributed through May 9 to retailers and distributors in North Carolina and South Carolina. 
• Organic Plant-Rich Meal, Curried Carrots & Beans baby food from Once Upon a Farm, based in Berkeley, Calif., have been recalled due to possible Listeria monocytogenes. The products were sent to stores in Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, New Jersey and Texas.

On World Food Safety Day, observed on June 7, the United Nations noted that more than 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses are reported each year, with more than 420,000 associated deaths around the globe.