A California-based company is recalling some of its whey protein products due to a risk that they may be contaminated with Salmonella. This most recent recall comes after two other recalls of whey powder in the past two weeks from companies in Georgia and New Jersey.
Nutrition Express, a dietary supplements company, has issued a voluntary recall of all whey protein powders produced by one of its suppliers, a dairy in Minnesota, after the dairy itself requested a recall of the ingredient.
Products containing the whey protein were sold between Dec. 1, 2010 and Feb. 17, 2011. Two health stores in Los Angeles County, CA: Lindberg Nutrition of Torrance and Lindberg Nutrition of Manhattan Beach sold 450 of the bottled products during this time. Both stores immediately posted notices of the recall.
The product was also shipped directly to consumers via Federal Express and the U.S. Post Office. These buyers were mailed letters informing them of the recall.
So far, samples of the whey protein powder have tested negative for Salmonella. An independent laboratory also tested one of each of the finished products containing the powder, and results for all 20 products were negative.
Nonetheless, consumers are urged to return the product in question, and will receive a refund or replacement (the powder has been replaced with one from a different dairy).
The products were produced in white plastic bottles with black lids and colored labels, and came in 4 quantities: 5 oz, 2 lbs, 3 lbs and 5 lbs. Their names and lot numbers are as follows:
- Protein Blend Vanilla: 5 oz. and 5 lb. bottles, Lot #’s 55335, 55336, 55337 and 55890
- MuscleFit Vanilla: 5 lb. bottle, Lot # 55419
- MuscleFit Chocolate: 5 lb. bottle, Lot #’s 55423 and 55424
- MuscleFit Strawberry: 5 lb. bottle, Lot # 55427
- NutraFit Chocolate: 3 lb. bottle, Lot # 55348
- NutrFit Strawberry: 3 lb. bottle, Lot # 55346
- WheyFit Protein Vanilla: 5 lb. bottle, Lot # 55609
- WheyFit Protein Chocolate: 5 lb. bottle, Lot #’s 55407 and 55408
- WheyFit Protein Strawberry: 5lb. bottle, Lot #’s 55397 and 55398
- WheyFit Protein Natural Vanilla: 5 lb. bottle, Lot # 55399
- WheyFit Protein Natural Chocolate 2 lb. and 5 lb. bottles, Lot # 55393
- WheyFit Isolate Vanilla: 2 lb. bottles, Lot # 55349
- WheyFit Isolate Chocolate: 2 lb. and 5 lb. bottles, Lot #’s 55302 and 54911
- WheyFit Isolate Strawberry: 5 lb. bottles, Lot # 55350
The number of suspected Salmonella infections associated with pastries made by a Rhode Island bakery is up to 47, the state’s health department reported Wednesday.
Health officials said 23 of the cases have been lab-confirmed and 24 people have been hospitalized. Two people who went to emergency rooms were not admitted for further treatment.
Of the 47 suspected Salmonella cases, 42 are Rhode Island residents, one person was from Massachusetts, and four case patients’ residences are unknown.
On Tuesday, health officials said a man who tested positive with the outbreak strain of Salmonella died on March 23. Health officials still haven’t confirmed whether the man had eaten any of the implicated pastries.
Most of those who have been sickened reported eating zeppole made by DeFusco’s Bakery and sold or served at multiple locations. Zeppole are traditional Italian pastries associated with the celebration of St. Joseph’s Day, March 19.
All pastries made by DeFusco’s Bakery were recalled and the bakery has been shuttered until further notice. An inspection of the Johnston-based bakery by the Rhode Island Department of Health Office of Food Protection on March 25 found multiple violations, including:
– the person in charge did not assure compliance with critical food-code requirements
– no designated hand-washing sink and no soap or paper towels near a three-bay sink used by staff to wash their hands
– the bathroom sink did not have running water (hot or cold)
– baked pastry shells for zeppole, eclairs and cream puffs were stored in boxed used previously for raw shell eggs
– staff failed to sanitize equipment and utensils after washing and rinsing them
– the dough mixer paddle, knives, pastry bag tips, trays and other equipment were covered with accumulated food and debris
– pastry cream prepared at 10 a.m. was put into 5-gallon buckets to cool on the floor. By the 4 p.m. inspection, the light cream was 125 degrees F and the chocolate cream was 119 degrees F
– calzones made with cooked meat, deli meats, vegetables and cheese were on display for sale at 70-72 degrees F, rather than the required 41 degrees F
– floors and walls in the kitchen had an accumulation of soil residue and food debris
As March draws to a close we look back at a month of news with impressive images from across the industry, from omega-3-rich Alaskan salmon, to the scientific stars at a carotenoids conference, and GNC’s new Beyond Raw range.
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Use of the Whole Grain Stamp has increased 25 percent in nine months, and it now appears on more than 5,000 products, according to Oldways and the Whole Grains Council (WGC).
