Rich Products Recall - E.Coli Risk- Farm Rich, Schwann-Retail & Food Service

[MuffyBee]

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_025_2013_Expanded/index.asp
New York Firm Recalls Additional Frozen Mini Meals And Other Snack Products Due To Possible E. Coli O121 Contamination

Recall Release   CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-025-2013   HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Richard J. McIntire

For FDA inquiries, contact:
Patricia El-Hinnawy (301) 796-4763

Editor's Note April 4, 2013: Details of this recall were updated April 4, 2013 to reflect the approximate amounts, additional products and slight changes in health investigation information.

WASHINGTON, Apr. 4, 2013 - Rich Products Corporation, a Buffalo, N.Y. firm, is expanding its recall of various heat treated, not fully cooked frozen mini meals and snack items to more than 10.5 million pounds because they may be contaminated with E. coli O121, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The expanded recall covers all products produced at the company's Waycross, Ga. plant with "Best by" dates ranging from January 1, 2013 to September 29, 2014.

The following FSIS-regulated products are subject to the expanded recall:

Retail products--
21-oz. bags of Farm Rich mini bacon cheeseburgers, UPC code 0 41322 35622 2
1-lb. bags of Schwan's mini meatball sandwiches, UPC code 0 72180 55312 6
18-oz. bags of Farm Rich mini quesadillas, UPC code 0 41322 35611 6, case code 1 00 41322 35631 1
18-oz. bags of Farm Rich mini quesadillas, UPC code 0 41322 35635 2, case code 1 00 41322 35635 9
20-oz. bags of Farm Rich mini quesadillas, UPC code 0 41322 35611 6, case code 1 00 41322 35611 3
21-oz. bags of Farm Rich Philly Cheese Steaks, UPC code 0 41322 35618 5, case code 1 00 41322 35618 2

Foodservice products--
25-lb. cases containing 2.5-lb. foodservice paks of BBQ Chicken Sandwich Melt, UPC code 00041322653024, Product code 65302
25-lb. cases containing 2.5-lb. foodservice paks of Meatball Marinara Sandwich Melt, UPC code 00041322653031, Product 65303
25-lb. cases containing 2.5-lb. foodservice paks of Farm Rich Whole Grain Rich Pepperoni Pizzata, UPC code 10041322652321, Product code 65232
27-lb. cases containing 3-lb. foodservice paks of Farm Rich Turkey Pizzata, UPC code 00041322652348, Product code 65234
24.75-lb. foodservice paks of Pepperoni Pizzata, UPC code 00041322652829 , Product code 65282
25.7-lb. cases of 2.57-lb. foodservice paks of Farm Rich Handheld Stuffed Pepperoni Pleezer, UPC code 10041322652925, Product code 65292

Each product package above contains the establishment number "EST. 27232" or "P-27233" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The following FDA-regulated products are subject to the expanded recall. FSIS is issuing this news release to make the public aware that these products are also considered potentially adulterated and should be properly discarded or destroyed.

Retail products--
44-oz. cartons of Farm Rich in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 0 41322 32521 1
22-oz. bags of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 0 4132237813 2
22-oz. bags of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 0 72180610008 9
22-oz. bags of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 0 4132237443 1
22-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 0 4132280435 5
7-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 0 4132237691 3
2-lb. cartoons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 04132237455 4

Foodservice products--
5-lb. foodservice paks of Farm Rich Better For You Pizza Dipper, UPC code 10041322652338
25-lb. foodservice paks of Farm Rich Stuffed Crust Pizza Dippers, UPC code 10041322652680
2.7-lb. foodservice paks of Farm Rich Stuffed Crust Pizza Dippers, UPC code 10041322652659
2.7-lb. foodservice paks of Farm Rich Better For You Pizza Dipper, UPC code 00041322652782

The following products are subject to the FSIS recall issued March 28:

7.2-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mini pizza slices with cheese pepperoni and sauce in pizza dough, UPC code 041322376909
22-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mini pizza slices with cheese pepperoni and sauce in pizza dough, UPC code 041322356437
18-oz. bags of Farm Rich mini quesadillas with cheese, grilled white meat chicken in a crispy crust, UPC code 041322356352
21-oz. bags of Farm Rich philly cheese steaks with cheese, beef & onions in a crispy crust, UPC code 041322356345

Each product package above contains the establishment number "EST. 27232" or "P-27233" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

In addition, the following products, which fall under FDA jurisdiction, were also recalled March 28. FSIS is issuing this news release to make the public aware that these products are also considered potentially adulterated and should be properly discarded or destroyed.

22-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 041322374431
7-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style crust, UPC code 041322376916
22-oz. bags of Market Day Mozzarella Bites, UPC code 041322804358

The products subject to recall were produced between July 1, 2011 and March 29, 2013 then distributed for retail or restaurant sale nationwide. FSIS and the establishment are concerned that some product may be present in household freezers.

FSIS was notified of a multistate investigation of E. coli O121 illnesses on March 19, 2013. Food samples were collected from an ill individual in New York as part of this investigation, and tested by the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory. At present, the outbreak includes 24 cases in 15 states that led to seven hospitalizations and one case of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. A sample of a Farm Rich frozen chicken mini quesadilla product from a New York case tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli O121. Additionally, a sample of leftover Farm Rich mini pepperoni pizza slices product from a Texas case tested positive for the same strain, confirmed by FSIS lab technicians. Ten cases in Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia report consuming Farm Rich products. FSIS is continuing to work with federal and state public health partners on this investigation, including the New York State Department of Health, New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to ensure that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at:
www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/
Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.

Infection with E. coli O121 can result in dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop HUS. This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. Symptoms of HUS may include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth and decreased urination. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact the company's consumer line at (888) 220-5955 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or visit the company website at www.farmrich.com. Media with questions regarding the recall should contact the company's vice president of communications, Dwight Gram, at (716) 878-8749.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. "Ask Karen" live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/
Problems_With_Food_Products/index.asp

Retail Distribution List Expanded (PDF Only)  http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/RC_025_2013_Retail_List_Expanded.pdf

[MuffyBee]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/08/frozen-food-recall-schools/2065039/
Recalled frozen food may have ended up in schools
April 8, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of pounds of frozen food recalled amid an E. coli scare may have been served in schools, according to the company that manufactured the items.

Buffalo, N.Y.-based Rich Products Corp. has over the past two weeks recalled 10 million pounds of frozen food items after 27 E. coli illnesses in 15 states were linked to their foods. Of that, the company estimates that about 3 million pounds may still be in the marketplace and approximately 300,000 pounds may have ended up in school lunchrooms, a company spokesman said.

Dwight Gram of Rich Products said the main items shipped to schools were labeled as pizza dippers and pepperoni pizzatas.

E. coli infection can cause mild diarrhea or more severe complications, including kidney damage. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 81 percent of the people who fell ill were under the age of 21. Nine people were hospitalized and two have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure that can have lasting effects.

The strain of E. coli linked to the Farm Rich brand products is rare, and some laboratories still can't identify it. Because of that, the CDC said, many illnesses may not have been identified.

Health officials have so far directly linked the outbreak strain to two different Farm Rich brand products — frozen mini pizza slices and frozen chicken quesadillas. Samples of the strain of E. coli were collected from those products in the Texas and New York homes of two people who became ill.

It's not clear yet whether any illnesses are linked to foods shipped to the schools.
 ::snipping2::
At least one school district has already warned parents that food served in its cafeterias was recalled because of possible E. coli contamination.

A spokeswoman for Harford County, Md. schools said last week that Rich Products had notified the district that it had recalled its pepperoni pizzatas. Some of the food had already been served in cafeterias.

Gram, the spokesman for Rich Products, said school foods may be safer than those purchased by individuals because they are more likely to be well cooked. Cooking items thoroughly can kill E. coli.