Hartz has recalled some cat vitamins due to possible contamination with salmonella…
SECAUCUS, NJ (November 2, 2007) - The Hartz Mountain Corporation is voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats due to concerns that one or more bottles within the lot may have been potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall.
Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, all of whom are at particular risk from exposure and should avoid handling these products.
Salmonella symptoms may include fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea in both cats and humans. Anyone experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek immediate medical attention. Owners of cats exhibiting these symptoms should also seek veterinary assistance.
The product involved is 3600 bottles of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats, lot code SZ-16371, UPC number 32700-97701, which was manufactured by a third party manufacturer, UFAC (USA), Inc., in Baconton, Georgia. While normal testing conducted by Hartz and UFAC has not revealed the presence of Salmonella in any Hartz products, sampling conducted by the FDA did detect the presence of Salmonella. Hartz is aggressively investigating the source of the problem.
Although the company has not received any reports of animals or humans becoming ill as a result of coming into contact with this product, Hartz is taking immediate steps to remove the product from all retail stores and distribution centers. Cat owners should check the lot code on their bottles, and, if the code is not visible, or if the bottle has lot code SZ-16371 imprinted thereon, they should immediately discontinue use of the product and discard it in a proper manner.
Consumers can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 with any questions they may have and to obtain reimbursement for purchased product.
The release can be found on the Hartz Mountain website.*********************
Cargill Meat recalling ground beef due to E. coli - from their website:
WICHITA, Kan. Cargill Meat Solutions said it is voluntarily recalling approximately 1,084,384 pounds of ground beef produced at its Wyalusing, Pa., Cargill Regional Beef facility because of the possible presence of E. coli O157:H7. The ground beef products subject to recall were produced at the Wyalusing plant between Oct. 8 and 11, 2007, and were distributed to retailers nationwide.
Cargill learned of the possibility of contamination after the U.S. Department of Agriculture returned a confirmed positive on a sample of product produced Oct. 8, 2007.
“No illnesses have been associated with this product,” said John Keating, president, Cargill Regional Beef. “We are working closely with the USDA to remove the product from the marketplace.”
Products subject to recall are:
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 80/20 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 3.0-pound packages of “Century Farm 80/20 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1- pound packages of “Century Farm 80/20 Ground Beef.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007.
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 85/15 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 3-pound packages of “Century Farm 90/10 Ground Beef.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007.
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 90/10 Ground Beef Patties.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 90/10 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 93/7 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Century Farm 96/4 Extra Lean Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007 & 10/31/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Century Farm 85/15 Ground Beef Patties.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 93/7 Ground Beef Patties.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 80/20 Chuck Ground Beef Patties.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm 80/20 Chuck Ground Beef for Chili.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Century Farm Meatloaf Mix, Beef, Pork and Veal with Natural Flavors.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007, 10/22/2007, 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007
• 1.25- pound packages of “Giant 75/25 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 3.0- pound packages of “Giant 75/25 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007.
• 1.25-pound packages of “Giant 80/20 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 3.0-pound packages of “Giant 80/20 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007.
• 1.3-pound packages of “Giant Eagle Ground Chuck Beef Patties 80/20.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007 &10/22/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Giant Eagle Ground Beef Patties 92/8.” Use by/freeze by 10/22/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Giant Eagle Ground Beef Patties 85/15 – Certified Angus Beef Brand.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007 & 10/22/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Giant Eagle Ground Round Beef Patties 85/15.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007 & 10/22/2007
• 3.0-pound packages of “Shop Rite, 80% Lean 20% Fat, Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007
• 1.3 and 3.0-pound packages of “Shop Rite, 85% Lean 15% Fat, Ground Beef.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007 or 11/03/2007.
• 1.3-pound packages of “Shop Rite, 93% Lean 7% Fat, Ground Beef Patties.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Shop Rite, 93% Lean 7% Fat, Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Shop Rite, 96% Lean 4% Fat, Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1.25- pound packages of “Stop & Shop 75/25 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007
• 5.0- pound packages of “Stop & Shop 75/25 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.25-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 80/20 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007
• 1.25-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 85/15 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1.2-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 87/13 Ground Beef Sirloin, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1.3 and 2.6 - pound packages of “Stop & Shop 90/10 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007.
• 2.5-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 85/15 Ground Beef Patties, All Natural.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 11/03/2007.
• 1.3-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 80/20 Ground Beef Patties, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 2.6-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 80/20 Ground Beef Patties, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 90/10 Ground Beef Patties, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007
• 2.5-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 90/10 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007.
• 2.5-pound packages of “Stop & Shop 93/7 Ground Beef, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Wegmans 80/20 Ground Beef Patties.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Wegmans 90/10 Ground Beef Patties.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007 & 10/22/2007
• 3-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats, 73/27 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats, 80/20 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 3-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats, 80/20 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats 85/15 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 2.0 and 3.0 -pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats 85/15 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 2-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats 93/7 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats 93/7 Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats 96/4 Ground Beef Extra Lean.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats 90/10 Ground Beef Sirloin Patties.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats Meatloaf Mix, Beef, Pork and Veal with Natural Flavors.” Use by/freeze by10/31/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Weis Premium Meats 80/20 Ground Beef for Chili.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Meat Loaf Mix, Made with Beef, Pork, Veal, with Natural Flavors.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007 & 10/22/2007
• 1.25-pound packages of “Meatloaf Mix, A Blend of Fresh Ground Beef, Pork & Veal, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• Various weight packages of “85/15 Coarse Ground Beef for Chili Meat, All Natural.” Use by/freeze by 10/31/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Ground Beef Chuck for Chili 80/20.” Use by/freeze by 10/19/2007 & 10/22/2007
• 1.3-pound packages of “Price Rite 85% Lean, 15% Fat Ground Beef.” Use by/freeze by 11/03/2007
• 1.3 and 3.0- pound packages of “Price Rite 80% Lean, 20% Fat Ground Beef.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/2007 & 11/03/2007.
• 1.3 - pound packages of “Shop Rite Meat loaf mix Beef, Veal, & Pork with Natural Flavors.” Each package bears a Use by/freeze by date of 10/31/207 or 11/03/2007.
Each package or label bears the establishment number “Est. 9400” inside the USDA mark of inspection. As the use/freeze-by dates for products subject to this recall have expired, consumers are urged to look in their freezers for these products and return or discard them if found.
States impacted by the recall are: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
In addition to the above listed products, there are various weights and varieties of ground beef, ground chuck, and ground sirloin product that were distributed for further processing and repackaging and will not bear the same establishment number on the package.
Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the company’s food safety line at 1-877-455-1034. Media with questions should contact the company’s media representative, Lori Fligge, at 952-742-2275.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. Food safety experts recommend cooking any ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F., or until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Also, avoid contaminating other foods with any E. coli bacteria that may be present in meat by:
Washing hands, utensils and cutting boards after they have been in contact with raw meat before they touch other food.
Putting cooked meat on a clean platter, rather than on the other one that was used to hold raw meat.
The information can be found on the Cargill website.
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