Health

If you have a pizza from DiGiorno or California Pizza Kitchen in your freezer, you should check to see if it’s one of those that have been recalled.

The manufacturer’s parent company has announced a small recall natiionwide because it’s possible the pizzas could have small plastic bits in them.

Here are the details on which pizzas are affected and what to do if you have one.

By Debbie Townsend

The state Department of Health is reminding people to carefully handle and cook chicken after an outbreak of Salmonella has been linked to Foster Farms plants in Washington and California.

Since June 2012, at least 56 people in Washington state have fallen ill due to a specific strain of Salmonella Heidelberg.  Of those people, 15 were hospitalized. No deaths have been linked to the outbreak.

Though this outbreak was linked to a brand, Salmonella can be present in any brand sold. It’s important to handle chicken properly and to cook it thoroughly to avoid illness.

Here’s the related news release, which includes tips on how to handle chicken.

Update:
Within an hour of this post, the Foster Farms people sent me an email emphasizing their efforts on safety and quality, and they correctly noted there is no recall of the company’s chicken. I thought I was clear that proper handling and cooking can prevent illness; this is the same point Foster Farms makes.

Here’s the company’s statement to consumers in the Pacific Northwest.

By Debbie Townsend

Varieties of Annie’s Homegrown Frozen Pizza are being recalled due to the possible presence of fragments of flexible metal mesh caused by a faulty screen at a third-party flour mill.

Affected products are distributed at grocery, mass and natural food stores throughout the United States. All varieties of Annie’s rising crust frozen pizza with a best by date including and between Jan. 9 and Sept. 14, 2013, are affected.

The recalled varieties are:

• Organic Four Cheese Pizza, 23.5 oz UPC 013562 200016
• Organic Pepperoni Pizza, 23.6 oz UPC 013562 200009
• Organic Supreme Pizza, 25.4 oz UPC 013562 200023
• Organic Spinach and Mushroom Pizza, 25.0 oz UPC 013562 200054
• Four Cheese Pizza, 22.5 oz UPC 013562 200078
• Pepperoni Pizza, 22.6 oz UPC 013562 200061
• BBQ Recipe Chicken Pizza, 23.1 oz UPC 013562 200092

The company announced the recall after learning a fine metal mesh screen failed at a third-party flour mill and fragments of flexible metal mesh were found in the flour and pizza dough. All Annie’s manufacturers have metal control programs that include magnets and metal detection devices. Pieces of the fine wire were too small to be detected and could have found their way into the finished product. While no metal has been found in Annie’s finished product, as a precaution, Annie’s initiated this voluntary recall. There have been no consumer complaints, illnesses or injuries reported to date.

Consumers  should return recalled pizzas to where they purchased them for for a full refund. Consumers with questions may call Annie’s pizza recall hotline at 1-888-825-6720 or visit www.annies.com/pizzarecall for more information.

When it comes to Halloween candy, the best — at least when it comes to fat and calories — is Dum Dums.

And the worst?

Find out by reading this article from “Men’s Fitness.”

Did you know that zombies can help you raise the dead?

Check out the video below to see how.

Click here to read the story behind the video.

Before you eat another spoonful of bite-size Kellogg’s Frosted (or unfrosted) Mini-Wheats, read the recall notice below. Some boxes contain metal bits – probably not the nutrition you’re looking for in breakfast.

Here’s the recall information from the Food and Drug Administration:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 18, 2012 – We have initiated a voluntary recall due to the possible presence of fragments of flexible metal mesh from a faulty manufacturing part. Recalled products include only Frosted Mini-Wheats Bite Size Original and Mini-Wheats Unfrosted Bite Size with the letters KB, AP or FK before or after the Best If Used Before date. Products impacted are:

Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats Bite Size Original cereal

• UPC 3800031829 – 18-ounce carton with Better if Used Before Dates between APR 01 2013 KB – SEP 21 2013 KB
• UPC 3800073444 – 18-ounce carton with Better if Used Before Dates between APR 01 2013 KB – SEP 21 2013 KB
• UPC 3800031834 – 24-ounce carton with Better if Used Before Dates between APR 01 2013 KB – SEP 21 2013 KB
• UPC 3800046954 – 30-ounce carton with Better if Used Before Dates between APR 01 2013 KB – SEP 21 2013 KB
• UPC 3800031921 – 70-ounce club store carton with Better if Used Before Dates APR 01 2013 KB – JUL 29 2013 KB
• UPC 3800004961 – single-serve bowl with Better if Used Before Dates between 04013 KB – 09213 KB
• UPC 3800021993 – single-serve carton with Better if Used Before Dates between AP 04013 – AP 09213 or FK 04013 – FK 09213

Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats Unfrosted Bite Size cereal

• UPC 3800021983 – single serve carton with Better if Used Before Dates between FK 04013 – FK 09213
• UPC 3800035982 -18-ounce carton with Better if Used Before Dates between APR 01 2013 KB – SEP 21 2013 KB

Consumers with affected product or who have questions should contact us using the Contact Us feature on Kelloggs.com or call 800-962-1413 from 8 am to 6 pm Eastern Time, Monday – Friday.

By Kie Relyea

Public health officials are urging people to get their seasonal flu shots, which are available in many places in Whatcom County.

This season’s vaccine protects against three different strains of the virus, according to the Washington state Department of Health.

But it doesn’t protect against the newer H3N2 variant that has shown up in other parts of the country.

Most of those cases occurred because of direct contact with pigs at county fairs. None of those reported cases were in Washington state.

Public health officials said everyone six months and older should get vaccinated to protect against the flu, which usually peaks in January.

For a list of community clinics, click here.

By Kie Relyea

Sunland Inc. of New Mexico has expanded its recall of peanut and almond butter because of concerns over salmonella to include cashew butter, tahini, and roasted blanched peanut products.

Click here for the latest information on the expanded recall, including a list of recalled items.

The company made the products for itself and for other brands  between May 1 and Monday, Sept. 24, and the recall was for items manufactured on those dates.

Sunland is the  maker of the Trader Joe’s peanut butter that was originally linked to a salmonella outbreak that has grown to 30 people in 19 states — including two illnesses in Washington state.

Trader Joe’s has pulled those brands.

By Kie Relyea

A New Mexico maker of Trader Joe’s peanut butter that was originally linked to a salmonella outbreak in 18 states — including two illnesses in Washington state — has  recalled 76 almond butter and peanut butter products distributed under its name and other brands.

Sunland Inc. announced  Monday, Sept. 24, that it was issuing the recall in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state health departments, are investigating the 29  illnesses that have so far been linked to the salmonella bredeney strain.

“There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers, particularly the many families who enjoy our peanut butter every day.  While FDA, CDC and state health agencies investigate to confirm the cause of illnesses reported, as a precautionary step, we have decided to voluntarily recall our almond  butter and peanut butter products manufactured between May 1, 2012, and September 24, 2012,”  Jimmie Shearer, president and CEO of Sunland, said in a news release.

Four people have been hospitalized, according to the CDC, but no deaths have been reported.

In Washington state, two illnesses have been reported — one was a teen boy in Spokane County and the other was a boy 12 years  or younger  in Thurston County.

Both were sick about six weeks ago and one was briefly hospitalized, said Donn Moyer, spokesman for the Washington state Department of Health.

On Monday, Sunland said the  peanut and almond butters being recalled were sold under the Sunland brand as well as Archer Farms, Earth Balance, fresh & easy, heinen’s, Joseph’s, Natural Value, Naturally More, Open Nature, Peanut Power, Serious Food Silly Prices, Snaclite, Sprouts Farmers Market, Sprout’s, and Trader Joe’s.

(Click here for the complete list.)

The products have “best-if-used-by” dates of between May 1, 2013, and Sept. 24, 2013. (They are stamped on the side of the jar’s label below the lid of the jar.)

The initial recall notice issued on Saturday, Sept. 22, focused solely on Trader Joe’s creamy salted Valencia peanut butter made with sea salt as the likely source of the outbreak.

Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.

The illness usually lasts four to seven  days, and most people recover without treatment, although serious bloodstream infections can occur, particularly in the very young or elderly.

Consumers who bought the recalled products should throw them away, or return them to the supermarket where they bought them for a full refund.