Month: July 2018

Three popular foods recalled because of risk of Salmonella

Consumers may want to pay attention to three recent recalls of food items.

Today, four varieties of Goldfish Crackers by Pepperidge Farms were recalled voluntarily because of the potential of Salmonella, according to a company announcement.

That is added to a recent recall of certain types of Ritz Bits and Ritz Cracker Sandwiches, and a spring pasta salad, also potentially for Salmonella, according to information from the Food and Drug Administration.

Four types of Goldfish Crackers that are being recalled include: Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar, Flavor Blasted Sour Cream & Onion, Goldfish Baked with Whole Grain Xtra Cheddar and Goldfish Mix Xtra Cheddar + Pretzel.

Only those products with certain code numbers are being recalled. To check the code numbers, visit https://www.pepperidgefarm.com/GoldfishUpdate/. The company’s news release advised customers who have purchased the products not to eat them, and customers may return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Mondelēz Global LLC has announced the voluntary recall in the United States of certain Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Bits product. These products contain whey powder as an ingredient, which the whey powder supplier has recalled due to the potential presence of Salmonella.

The products include 3-ounce Ritz Bits Cheese Big Bag, 1-ounce Ritz Bits Cheese, 12-pack carton Ritz Bits Cheese, 30-pack carton Ritz Bits Cheese, 1.5-ounce Ritz Bitz Cheese, 3-ounce go packs of Ritz Bits Cheese, 10.8-ounce Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches; 1.35-ounce Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, 10.8-ounce Ritz Bacon Cracker Sandwiches with Cheese, 1.35 ounce Ritz Bacon Sandwiches with Cheese, 10.8-ounce Ritz Whole Cracker Sandwiches with Cheddar Cheese, 1.35-ounce Ritz Whole Wheat Cracker Sandwiches with Cream Cheese, 1.35-ounce Ritz Everything Cracker Sandwiches with Cream Cheese; 20-pack Mixed Cookie Cracker Variety, and 40-pack Mixed Cookie Cracker Variety.

Product numbers and dates of each of these recalled products can be found at https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm614253.htm.

The company had received no complaints of illnesses in connect with Ritz products; the recall was conducted as a precaution, based on the ingredient supplier’s recall.

The Spring Pasta Salad sold at Hy-Vee stores in Johnson County also has been voluntarily recalled for a possible Salmonella contamination.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Sandiego infections. Spring Pasta Salad purchased at Hy-Vee grocery stores is a likely source of the outbreak, according to the KDHE.

As of July 17, the CDC reported 21 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Sandiego from five states. On July 20, KDHE and JCDHE identified one infected person, an adult resident of Johnson County.

“Any individuals who have this in their refrigerator should return the recalled Spring Pasta Salad to the store for a refund or throw it away,” said KDHE Chief Medical Officer Dr. Greg Lakin. “Even if some of it was eaten and no one got sick, do not eat it. If you stored recalled pasta salad in another container, throw the pasta salad away. Thoroughly wash the container with warm, soapy water before using it again, to remove harmful germs that could contaminate other food,” Lakin said.

Hy-Vee removed the product from its shelves on July 16.

The Spring Pasta Salad includes shell pasta, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green pepper, onion and mayonnaise. It was sold in one-pound (16 oz.) and three-pound (48 oz.) plastic containers or may have been scooped at the deli counter into clear plastic containers. The expiration dates for the recalled pasta salad range from June 22, 2018, to Aug. 3, 2018.

Those who think they got sick from eating the product should contact a health care provider. For more information, see https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm613777.htm.

Commissioner takes UG to task over approved project that sat dormant several years

Commissioner Ann Brandau-Murguia took the Unified Government to task at the last budget meeting, July 19, over a sidewalks and curbs project.

She told the commission and staff that she had asked for the project near the Edison elementary school area on the south side almost a decade ago, it was funded, but then nothing was ever done.

“Where is the $400,000 that was supposed to be spent in 2017? Where is it?” she asked.

She and residents went door-to-door to get signatures on a petition for this project, she said. It required the residents of the area to match part of the costs.

“The woman who worked the hardest for me moved to Rosedale from Johnson County, because she liked the atmosphere,” Murguia told the commission. “All she wanted to do is take her stroller out and walk in the sidewalk. That baby’s 8 years old and not in a stroller any more. They moved.”

She said she saw a lot of other projects that were not on the list move ahead of this one.

The public works staff replied that they spent $50,000 on a consultant in 2016, and received a report with four options in 2017. They are currently looking at options, and it could cost each resident in the project area $200 to $600. Costs went up about 25 percent.

Mayor David Alvey pointed out the UG could not proceed with the benefit district, as they have to get the consent of the residents again.

“I don’t care how it’s done, it just needs to happen,” Murguia said. “If the UG has to bear the entire cost, maybe we won’t do this ridiculous runaround (again).”

Commissioner Mike Kane said he felt the same way about the Piper fire station, which was pushed back.

The public works department will put together more information on it and give a ballpark estimate this month, according to staff members.

The UG meeting can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siZ7517LY2E.

The UG Commission plans another budget meeting after the Public Works and Safety Committee meeting tonight. The committee meeting is at 5 p.m. Monday, July 23, in the fifth floor, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Possible topics of discussion at the July 23 budget meeting are a capital maintenance improvement program update, including street preservation program, K-7 and Parallel, western fire station timeline, dedicated sales tax projects, Public Building Commission debt project with the juvenile project; as well as building security and the Kaw River levee.