Cargill is Back Producing Ground Turkey

This post may interest those consumers who want to know more about what happens after a large food product recall in the U.S.

If the inspectors find contamination in the processing plant, and large amounts of product have to be recalled, it can mean the end of a small company. Larger ones can usually weather the storm - and the expense and negative publicity involved. Part of that expense is cleanup of the plant, as required by government regulators. Production of the recalled product, and sometimes of others as well, will have to be stopped until food safety is improved.

Cargill (Cargill Meat Solutions Corp.) provides an example. In August and September of this year (end of the summer, 2011) this huge company had a large ground turkey recall because of Salmonella contamination. The turkey had been processed at their Springdale, Arkansas facility. Several brands were affected: including Honeysuckle White, Shady Brook Farms, Riverside, Aldi Fit & Active, Giant Eagle, HEB, Kroger and Safeway.

After discovery of Salmonella at the plant, ground turkey production was suspended (another one in Virginia kept making it). Over the next few months, the company undertook a thorough cleanup and set up new and better quality and testing standards, including:

• Addition of more bacteria reduction steps, including before the turkey is ground.
• Improvement of the process control monitoring system
• Increase of the number and frequency of tests for Salmonella.
• Establishment of high pressure processing, to further reduce numbers of Salmonella.
• Training of workers in the new procedures.

Cargill now says that their new safety measures at the Springdale plant are the best in the industry. Cargill food safety specialists and USDA inspectors are also reportedly present for each and every shift at the plant.

So why didn't they have these measures before the outbreak which would have avoided a lot of misery to consumers - and, to the company? You know the answer: they cost money.

Cargill expects their turkey to be back in the stores soon. And, my guess is that at least part of the cost of increased safety will be passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices.

To your good health,

TSF

CONTAMINATED LETTUCE RECALL EXPANDS

This had not been a good couple of weeks for lettuce lovers in the U.S. And that just about covers everyone except me (I prefer arugula). What is more, the lettuce safety issue is becoming downright confusing. And, I am sure we haven't seen the end of it yet.

On October 1, I blogged the finding of Listeria monocytogenes in chopped romaine lettuce, produced by True Leaf Farms of Salinas, California, which issued a recall of its suspect products. Now there is another ready-to-use lettuce recall announced by Giant Eagle Farmer's Market, which is the largest supermarket in Western Pennsylvania. Giant Eagle is recalling eight ounce packages of Shredded Iceberg Lettuce as well as a number of deli products which used lettuce from the same lot, all with a use by date of October 14,2011.

Of course, they didn't grow the lettuce themselves. It came from a Salinas, California processor called River Ranch Fresh Foods, which, by the way, prides itself on its safety. The reason is the same as in the earlier (True Leaf Farms) recall - Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in the lettuce. But it's a different kind of lettuce. This company has not issued a recall of its lettuce, although it says it is co-operating with investigators.*

Now let's get to the broader issue. It seems that the problem is centered on lettuce from the Salinas area of California, with different kinds of lettuce involved. The question is: was the lettuce contaminated on the farm, or, at the processor's? It could be either. If Listeria got in at the farm level, that means it is probably in the growing environment, and could also affect other farms nearby. If it got in during washing, shredding or cutting at River Ranch, it could mean that this company has a contamination problem, and this could also affect lettuce from other farms that it is processing with the same contaminated equipment.

Either way, it is a bad situation. Listeria monocytogenes bacteria which can be deadly, especially to vulnerable people (such as pregnant women, newborns, those with weakened immune systems). And, remember that it can take as long as two months, and occasionally, even longer, for symptoms to appear.

So what are we to do? On my part, I have decided to avoid all California-grown leafy greens for a while until we find out more about where the contamination occured. And that applies to both ready-to-eat and whole (most would come from the Salinas area). I'll give up arugula too for good measure. Listeriosis is not something I want.

To your good health,
TSF

UPDATE: River Ranch has finally had to issue a recall of its Farmers Market and Hy-Vee brand iceberg, romaine and blended lettuce products. These salad products were distributed in Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania and sold in retail supermarkets.