Recalls in December 2008

Yet another company has recalled some food products because of possible melamine contamination. This time it's gourmet cocoa products imported from Canada and distributed nationwide to Big Lots and Shopko stores.

On Friday, Dorsey Marketing Inc. (DMI) of Ville St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada, recalled three G&J Gourmet Market cocoa products because they may contain melamine.

One of the potentially tainted products was even marketed as a stocking stuffer.

Specifically, the products involved in this action are:

• G&J Hot Cocoa Stuffer Item 120144 (UPC 061361201444). This product was sold in small green and blue boxes with a backer card, candy cane, and marshmallows;
• G&J French Vanilla Cocoa (UPC 061361201260). This product was sold in a small green bag with a whisk attached;
• G&J Double Chocolate Cocoa (UPC 061361201260). This product was sold in a small pink bag with a whisk attached.

The products were distributed nationwide to Big Lots during the weeks of September 22, 2008 and September 29, 2008 and to Shopko during the week of October 10, 2008, according to the www.fda.gov Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Dorsey Marketing, which manufacturers candy and confectionery products, said it had not received any reports of illnesses linked to the products. The company said only a few samples tested positive for melamine, a chemical used to make plastic and fertilizers.

The FDA, however, said the company recalled the cocoa "in the interest of public health and safety of American consumers."

Consumers who purchased these products should return them to the store for a full refund. For more information, customers can contact Tim Acheson of DMI Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, at 1-888-645-1053 or at recall@dmi-global.com.

This is the second time this week melamine contamination has triggered a recall. Just a few days ago, Interfood Shareholding Company of Vietnam recalled four varieties of Wonderfarm biscuits because they were tainted with melamine.

Melamine is not approved for use in human or animal food marketed in the United States and manufacturers are not allowed to deliberately add it to any food for U.S. consumers.

Concerns about melamine — and its intentional adulteration in imported foods — have repeatedly surfaced in the past year.

In September, Chinese officials discovered melamine in powered infant formula made in that country. Officials learned some dairy plants purposely added the chemical to milk products to make them appear to have higher protein levels.

That contamination is blamed for the deaths of at least six babies in China and the illnesses of thousands of other infants. Doctors say melamine can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure.

China's melamine-tainted milk scandal has since spread from infant formula to dozens of other food products sold around the world, including candy, coffee, and pretzels.

Melamine is also blamed for the deaths and illnesses of thousands of dogs and cats in the United States in 2007.

FDA officials discovered the chemical in imported wheat gluten from China used to make dog and cat food. Those findings triggered the largest pet food recall in U.S. history.

Although melamine is not supposed to be in animal or human food, the FDA recently concluded that levels below 2.5 parts per million (ppm) do not raise health concerns. The only exception is infant formula. The FDA now says melamine levels of 1 ppm in infant formula are safe. That is a reversal of the zero tolerance policy for melamine the agency adopted in October.

At that time, the FDA said it was "unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the recalled biscuits are sold in red metal cans. The specific products involved in this action are:

• Wonderfarm "Successful" Assorted Biscuits (UPC:8935001262091);

• Wonderfarm "Royal Flavour" Assorted Biscuits (UPC:8935001263098);

• Wonderfarm "Lovely Melody" Assorted Biscuits (UPC: 8935001263296);

• Wonderfarm "Daily Life" Assorted Biscuits (UPC: 8935001264200)

Interfood recalled the products after learning that samples of Wonderfarm's "Successful" Assorted biscuits — collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture — tested positive for melamine. The company expanded its recall after the "Royal Flavour," "Lovely Melody," and "Daily Life" biscuits also tested positive for melamine.

Interfood said it distributed the biscuits to several states. Wholesale distributors then sold the products to retail stores.

No reports of illnesses are linked to the tainted biscuits, the company said.

Consumers who purchased these products can return them to the store for a full refund.

For more information about this recall, customers can contact the company at Anthony.ma@jaimporters.com, or call 323-780-3998

Melamine is a chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers. It is not approved for use in human or animal foods marketed in the United States — and manufacturers are not allowed to deliberately add it to any food for U.S. consumers.

Concerns about melamine — and its intentionally adulteration in imported foods — have repeatedly surfaced in the past year.

Just a few months ago, Chinese officials discovered melamine in powered infant formula made in that country. Officials learned some dairy plants purposely added the chemical to milk products to make them appear to have higher protein levels.

That contamination is blamed for the deaths of at least six babies in China and the illnesses of thousands of other infants.

Doctors say melamine can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure.

China's melamine-tainted milk scandal has since spread from infant formula to dozens of other food products sold around the world, including candy, coffee, and pretzels.

Melamine is also blamed for the deaths and illnesses of thousands of dogs and cats in the United States in 2007.

FDA officials discovered the chemical in imported wheat gluten from China used to make dog and cat food. Those findings triggered the largest pet food recall in U.S. history.

Although melamine is not supposed to be in animal or human food, the FDA recently concluded that levels below 2.5 parts per million (ppm) do not raise health concerns. The only exception is infant formula.

The FDA now says melamine levels of 1 ppm in infant formula are safe. That is a reversal of the zero tolerance policy for melamine the agency adopted in October.

At that time, the FDA said it was "unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns."

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will now test certain meat and poultry products — including baby food, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets — for the chemical melamine.

The action by the agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) comes amid concerns that melamine contamination in some imported foods--specifically those that contain milk products imported from China--may have spread to meat and poultry.

"In light of recent disclosures of melamine being found in certain imported food products, FSIS has determined that it is prudent to do a small amount of sampling to see if there is any reason to be concerned about the presence of this chemical in meat and poultry products," the agency wrote.

As ConsumerAffairs.com has reported, Chinese officials in September discovered melamine in the powered infant formula made it that country. Officials later learned that some dairy plants intentionally added the chemical to milk products to make them appear to have higher protein levels.

China's melamine-tainted milk scandal is blamed for the deaths of at least six infants in that country and the illnesses of thousands of other babies.

The tentacles of that contamination spread around the world to such products as candies, yogurt, cookies, and coffees.

FSIS officials say federal investigators will, over the next 12 weeks, collect meat and poultry products that contain such milk-derived ingredients as non-fat dried milk, casein, whey, evaporated milk, and milk powder, and test them for melamine. The agency will collect 45 samples a week from retail stores for these tests.

FSIS officials will test the following products for melamine contamination:

• Baby food (containing a significant amount of meat or poultry products);

• Cooked sausages (including hot dogs or frankfurters with and without cheese products);

• Breaded chicken (bite sized morsels or nuggets with and without cheese products);

• Meatballs;

• Meat and poultry wrapped in dough and pizza (including calzones)

Melamine is used make plastic and fertilizers. Doctors say it can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure.

For years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not allow melamine in any human or pet food.

FDA officials, however, recently reversed that position, saying levels of melamine below 2.5 parts per million (ppm) in food did not pose a health risk.

The only exception to this new standard is infant formula. The FDA said the levels of melamine--or one of its analogues alone-- that did not pose a health concern in infant formula was below 1.0 ppm.

Melamine is blamed for the illnesses and deaths of thousands of dogs and cats in the United States last year.The presence of that chemical in the imported wheat gluten from China triggered the largest pet food recall in U.S. history.

A Massachusetts company that makes low protein and medical specialty foods is recalling three types of its imitation cream cheese products because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

That organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the frail or elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, the company warned.

Cambrooke Foods — which discovered the Listeria contamination during routine testing — is recalling all batches of the following products:

• Cheddar Wizard Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (SKU 10310; 8 oz. jar);

• Herb & Garlic Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (SKU 10308; 8 oz. jar); and

• Plain Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (SKU 10306; 8 oz. jar).

The company is also doing a "market withdrawal" of one batch of its Low Protein Peanot Butter (SKU 10809; 16 oz. jar) because the products were made in the same plant — and on the same machinery — as the affected imitation cream cheese. The Peanot Butter, however, tested negative for Listeria contamination.

"We apologize for the inconvenience and concern that this recall has caused for you and your family and want you to know that your good health and the health of your family is our paramount concern," the company said in a statement on its Web site.

Cambrooke Foods said it discovered the contamination while testing a new batch of imitation cream cheese. This happened before those products were sent to customers, the company said. It has since destroyed all the tainted cream cheese.

Cambrooke Foods said it has not received any reports of illnesses linked to the tainted imitation cream cheese. The company, however, has suspended the manufacturing and distribution of these products pending an investigation.

Those infected with the Listeria organism may have such symptoms as fever, muscle aches, nausea or diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions may occur.

Cambrooke Foods said customers who purchased any of the recalled products since May 2008 should immediately dispose of them.

For more information, consumers can contact Cambrooke Foods at 866-456-9776, ext. 1015, or via email at safetyfirst@cambrookefoods.com.

December 8, 2008
General Motors is recalling 77 Chevrolet Malibus from the 2009 model year to fix a problem with the defroster.

GM said that under certain conditions, the air conditioning and ventilation system might fail, making it impossible to defog the windshield, possibly leading to a crash.

Dealers will reprogram the HVAC control head module when the recall begins on Dec. 17.

Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or at www.gmownercenter.com.

Consumers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or at www.safercar.gov.