Foodservice Industry News

FDA Confirms E. Coli 0157:H7 in Prepackaged Nestlé Toll House Refrigerated Cookie Dough

June 29, 2009 — FDA press release

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has found E. coli O157:H7 (a bacterium that can cause serious food borne illness) in a sample of prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough currently under recall by the manufacturer and marketer, Nestlé USA. The contaminated sample was collected at Nestlé’s facility in Danville, Va. on June 25, 2009.

On June 19, the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The warning was based on an epidemiological study conducted by the CDC and several state and local health departments. As of Thursday, June 25, the CDC reports that 69 persons from 29 states have been infected with the outbreak strain. Thirty-four persons have been hospitalized, nine with a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome. No one has died.

Further laboratory testing is needed to conclusively link the E. coli strain found in the product to the same strain that is causing the outbreak.

Nestlé USA has fully cooperated with the FDA and CDC investigation and has recalled all of its prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products.

For answers to consumer questions about this recall and warning, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm168346.htm.

For more information about E. coli, visit the CDC Web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/.

Consumers who have additional questions about these products should contact Nestlé USA consumer services at 1-800-559-5025 and/or visit its Web site at www.verybestbaking.com.

For a complete listing of Nestlé USA recalled products go to:
http://www.Nestleusa.com.

Pistachio Product Recalls: Salmonella

April 9, 2009 — FDA press release

The FDA and the California Department of Public Health continue to investigate Salmonella contamination in pistachios and pistachio products. Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., Terra Bella, Calif., is voluntarily expanding its recall of roasted pistachios to include all lots of roasted in-shell pistachios and roasted shelled pistachios that were produced from nuts harvested in 2008. The firm is also recalling those raw shelled pistachios from the 2008 crop that are not subsequently roasted prior to retail sale. The pistachios may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Initially, the firm’s recall was limited to certain lots of roasted pistachios. Information from the joint FDA and California Department of Public Health inspection indicates the presence of Salmonella in critical areas of the facility and the potential for cross-contamination between raw and roasted products. After this information was shared with Setton, the firm decided to expand its recall.

Because the pistachios were used as ingredients in a variety of foods, this expanded recall will affect many products and is expected to result in other recalls. The FDA has created a searchable database of recalled products at http://www.fda.gov/pistachios/ and will continue to update the public as its investigation progresses. Consumers should not eat pistachios or food products containing them (such as pistachio bakery goods and pistachio ice cream) until they can determine that the products do not contain pistachios recalled by Setton.

The FDA is advising wholesalers, retailers, and operators of restaurants and food service establishments not to sell or serve any pistachios or pistachio-containing products until the source of the pistachios can be determined. Firms should check with their suppliers to determine whether the source of the pistachios is Setton. If the source is Setton and the products are subject to this recall, then the pistachios and pistachio products should not be sold.

The FDA is helping the pistachio industry address the public health risks associated with Salmonella and to understand appropriate control procedures to prevent contamination. As part of this effort, on April 3, 2009, the FDA issued a letter to pistachio processors in the United States reminding them of their legal responsibility to ensure that the products they are providing are safe for consumption. The FDA intends to examine current pistachio industry practices and issue guidance to the industry that provides additional information on measures to be taken to prevent Salmonella contamination.

CAL-PURE co-op of California pistachio growers and the Western Pistachio Association have established a Web site that lists firms that have informed the web site sponsors that their products do not contain pistachios from Setton. Information on this Web site has not been verified by the FDA, and the Agency is not responsible for its contents: www.pistachiorecall.org.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Salmonella Update

February 4, 2009: See the press release from the FDA >>

January 29, 2009:  A combination of epidemiological analysis and laboratory testing by state officials in Minnesota and Connecticut, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enabled FDA to confirm that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant....

Read more: www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html