Four Recent Recalls: Ice Cream, Macaroni and Cheese, Walnuts, and Products Containing Powdered Garlic

UPDATES: Here are links to some recalls related to the products listed in the article below:

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Expands Recall on Organic Garlic Powder Due to Possible Health Risk

First Source LLC Recalls Wegmans Organic Food You Feel Good About Walnut Halves & Pieces 6oz tubs Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Aurora Products, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Certain Aurora Natural Brand and Certain Private Label Brand Walnuts and Trail Mixes Due to Possible Health Risk

Aurora Products, Inc. Expands Voluntary Product Recall to Include Certain Private Label Branded Walnut and Trail Mix Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Hannaford  Announces Recall of Two Mixed Nut Items

Texas Star Nut and Food Co. Inc. Natural Macadamia Nuts Are Being Voluntarily Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination

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Important warning!  Check your kitchen cabinets, fridge (if that's where you keep fresh garlic), and freezer to see if you have any of the following recalled products:

1) Blue Bell Creameries ice cream

2) Kraft macaroni and cheese boxes

3) Trader Joe's raw walnuts

4) Products made with Frontier Co-op organic powdered garlic

Blue Bell Creameries ice cream:

Updated March 23:

Blue Bell Ice Cream Recalls 3 oz. Institutional/Food Service Ice Cream Cups – Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla (Tab Lid) – Because of  Possible Health Risk

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm439533.htm

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local officials are investigating an outbreak of listeriosis potentially linked to certain Blue Bell Creameries single-serving ice cream products.

According to the CDC and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, five patients who were treated in a single hospital in Kansas were infected with one of four rare strains of Listeria monocytogenes. Three of these strains have also been found in products manufactured at the Blue Bell Creameries production facility in Brenham, Texas.

FDA was notified that these three strains and four other rare strains of Listeria monocytogenes were found in samples of Blue Bell Creameries single-serving Chocolate Chip Country Cookie Sandwich and the Great Divide Bar ice cream products collected by the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control during routine product sampling at a South Carolina distribution center on February 12, 2015.

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, hospital records available for four patients show that all were served ice cream from Blue Bell Creameries’ prepackaged, single-serving products. All five patients were adults; three of them died.

Blue Bell Creameries reports that it has removed the affected ice cream products from the market.

More information about this recall and illness caused by listeria can be found at this link:

Product Removal/Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigation Advisory

 Kraft macaroni and cheese:

Kraft Foods Group has voluntarily recalled about 242,000 cases of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinners because they may contain small pieces of metal.  The recalled product have “Best When Used By” dates of September 18, 2015 through October 11, 2015 with “C2” directly below the date.

Recalled products were shipped to customers in the U.S. and several other countries, excluding Canada. The affected dates of this product were sold only in these four configurations:

• 7.25 oz. box, Original flavor
• 3-pack box of those 7.25 oz. boxes, Original flavor
• 4-pack shrink-wrap of those 7.25 oz. boxes, Original flavor
• 5-pack shrink-wrap of those 7.25 oz. boxes, Original flavor

For more information about the specific products involved in this recall, go to this link:

Recall -- Firm Press Release

Trader Joe's raw walnuts:

Trader Joe’s Company has recalled its raw walnuts because these products have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

The recalled Trader Joe’s raw walnuts were distributed to Trader Joe’s stores nationwide.

The products are packaged in clear plastic bags with the UPC codes printed on the back. For the Raw California Walnut products, the “BEST BY” dates and Lot Numbers can be found printed on the back of the packages. For the Organic Raw Walnut products, the “BEST BY” dates can be found printed on the front of the packages. For more specific information (including lot numbers and "best-by" dates) to identify the recalled packages, go to this link:

 Trader Joe's Recalls Raw Walnuts Because of Possible Health Risk.

Products containing Frontier Co-op garlic:

Frontier Co-op has recalled many of its products manufactured with organic garlic powder that were sold under its Frontier and Simply Organic brands, and one product sold under the Whole Foods Market brand due to potential salmonella contamination. To date, no illnesses have been associated with these products. 

Frontier's recalled products were sold in all 50 states and some parts of Canada. Foods involved in this recall include powdered garlic, black bean mix, broth powder, onion soup, taco seasoning, spaghetti sauce mix, and many others. For further information about this recall, go to this link:

Recall -- Firm Press Release