Oil Peak 2014?

Kuwaiti researchers predict world conventional crude oil production will peak in 2014.

Oil peak is the point where oil production, having reached a maximum, declines. “Scientists have developed several models to forecast this point, and some put the date at 2020 or later. One of the most famous forecast models, called the Hubbert model, accurately predicted that oil production would peak in the United States in 1970. The model has since gained in popularity and has been used to forecast oil production worldwide. However, recent studies show that the model is insufficient to account for more complex oil production cycles of some countries. Those cycles can be heavily influenced by technology changes, politics, and other factors, the scientists say.”

The world’s crude oil production, which comes from sources like this oil field, may peak a decade earlier than some scientists had predicted. Crdit : iStock

“The new study describe development of a new version of the Hubbert model that accounts for these individual production trends to provide a more realistic and accurate oil production forecast. Using the new model, the scientists evaluated the oil production trends of 47 major oil-producing countries, which supply most of the world’s conventional crude oil. They estimated that worldwide conventional crude oil production will peak in 2014, years earlier than anticipated. The scientists also showed that the world’s oil reserves are being depleted at a rate of 2.1 percent a year. The new model could help inform energy-related decisions and public policy debate, they suggest.” American Chemical Society Public Release said.

Related Information: Forecasting World Crude Oil Production Using Multicyclic Hubbert Model

6 of One Fuel, Half Dozen of the Other

Needed a sophisticated new analysis to tell you?

More maize ethanol may boost greenhouse gas emissions

New economic analysis confirms that maize-based biofuel is unlikely to reduce global production of carbon dioxide

Ethanol plant in West Burlington, Iowa.

Public release
American Institute of Biological Sciences

In the March issue of BioScience, researchers present a sophisticated new analysis of the effects of boosting use of maize-derived ethanol on greenhouse gas emissions. The study, conducted by Thomas W. Hertel of Purdue University and five co-authors, focuses on how mandated increases in production of the biofuel in the United States will trigger land-use changes domestically and elsewhere. In response to the increased demand for maize, farmers convert additional land to crops, and this conversion can boost carbon dioxide emissions.

The analysis combines ecological data with a global economic commodity and trade model to project the effects of US maize ethanol production on carbon dioxide emissions resulting from land-use changes in 18 regions across the globe. The researchers’ main conclusion is stark: these indirect, market-mediated effects on greenhouse gas emissions “are enough to cancel out the benefits the corn ethanol has on global warming.”

The indirect effects of increasing production of maize ethanol were first addressed in 2008 by Timothy Searchinger and his coauthors, who presented a simpler calculation in Science. Searchinger concluded that burning maize ethanol led to greenhouse gas emissions twice as large as if gasoline had been burned instead. The question assumed global importance because the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act mandates a steep increase in US production of biofuels over the next dozen years, and certifications about life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions are needed for some of this increase. In addition, the California Air Resources Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard requires including estimates of the effects of indirect land-use change on greenhouse gas emissions. The board’s approach is based on the work reported in BioScience.

Hertel and colleagues’ analysis incorporates some effects that could lessen the impact of land-use conversion, but their bottom line, though only one-quarter as large as the earlier estimate of Searchinger and his coauthors, still indicates that the maize ethanol now being produced in the United States will not significantly reduce total greenhouse gas emissions, compared with burning gasoline. The authors acknowledge that some game-changing technical or economic development could render their estimates moot, but sensitivity analyses undertaken in their study suggest that the findings are quite robust.

Salmonella Risk Prompts 4th Massive Food Recall

Recall nos. 37  – 42 since March 5, 2010

1.7 million pounds of RTE Beef and Chicken Products Recalled

Texas Firm Recalls Ready-To-Eat Beef Taquito and Chicken Quesadilla Products due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

CLASS I RECALL
HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Windsor Foods, a firm with operations in Lampasas, Texas, and Oakland, Miss., is recalling approximately 1.7 million pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) beef taquito and chicken quesadilla products that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The packages of beef taquito and chicken quesadilla products contain as an ingredient the specific Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), which was previously recalled, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of the HVP product on March 4, 2010. A recall of the ready-to-eat taquito and quesadilla products containing the HVP was warranted due to the determination that the HVP ingredient was added after Salmonella prevention steps were applied.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact the company at (877) 653-2181.

USDA Recall Classifications: Class I Recall
This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.

Recall # 38. Texas Firm Recalls Ready-To-Eat Beef Product due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

CLASS I RECALL
HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Ruiz Foods, Inc., a Denison, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 115,700 pounds of a ready-to-eat (RTE) beef product that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The packages of beef product contain as an ingredient the specific Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), which was previously recalled, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Due to potential Salmonella contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of the HVP product on March 4, 2010. A recall of the beef product was warranted because the HVP ingredient was added after Salmonella prevention steps were applied.

• 8.4 ounce boxes of “TORNADOS RANCHERO BEEF & CHEESE.”

Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact the company’s Consumer Line at 1-800-SPANISH or 1-800-772-6474 .

Recall # 39. Ohio Firm Recalls Ready-To-Eat Bacon Base Product Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

CLASS I RECALL
HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Nestlé Professional North America, a Cleveland, Ohio establishment, is recalling approximately 6,000 pounds of a ready-to-eat (RTE) bacon base product that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The packages of bacon base contain as an ingredient the specific Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), which was previously recalled, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Due to potential Salmonella contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of the HVP product on March 4, 2010. Although the HVP has already been recalled, as announced by FDA, the bacon base product packages bear the USDA mark of inspection on the outside of the case. A recall of this product was warranted due to the determination that the HVP ingredient was added after Salmonella prevention steps were applied.

• 1-lb. plastic cups of “MINOR’S BACON BASE.”

Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact the company Customer Services at (800) 243-8822.

Recall # 40. Orval Kent Food Company, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Culinary Circle Dips Due to Possible Health Risk

The Orval Kent dips are being recalled because they contain HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein) manufactured, distributed and recalled by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., Las Vegas, NV.

Consumers who have recently purchased the items listed below should not consume this product and should return it the store of purchase for a full refund or replacement.

Consumer Contact Information:
Consumers with questions may contact SUPERVALU Customer Service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 877 932 7948.

Recall # 41. Austinuts Of Dallas, Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall of Honey Mustard Pretzels

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Dallas, Texas – March 10, 2010 – Austinuts of Dallas, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall for

Honey Mustard Pretzels,
Lot number 61150/0280

because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The Austinuts Honey Mustard Pretzels were only distributed at Austinuts’ building sales in Dallas, Texas in 16 ounce clear zipper bags. Consumers having any of these products are urged to destroy them.

NO OTHER AUSTINUTS’ PRODUCTS ARE PART OF THIS RECALL. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection to the above product.

The pretzels were manufactured by National Pretzel Company of Lancaster, PA and were coated with a seasoning mix that included hydrolyzed vegetable protein recalled by Basic Food Flavors, Las Vagas, NV because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Consumers with any other recall questions may contact Austinuts of Dallas, Inc. (214) 739-6887 during normal business hours, Monday through Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Central Time. Consumers with questions or concerns about their health should contact their doctor immediately.

Recall # 42. McCormick Recall Due to Possible Health Risk from HVP Ingredient Expands to Include Additional “Best By” Dates

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC) is expanding a March 5, 2010 recall to include additional “Best By” dates of products manufactured with HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein) supplied by Basic Food Flavors of Las Vegas, Nevada, because the ingredient has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Recalled products were distributed nationwide and sold in retail stores.  Two of the recalled products were also distributed for sale in international markets.

Contact the McCormick Consumer Hotline at 1-800-632-5847 or consumer_affairs@mccormick.com for a replacement or reimbursement.  Live assistance is available on the Hotline from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday and 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST on Saturday and Sunday.

E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

Recall Notification Report
CLASS I RECALL: Wholesale Level

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2010 – Randolph Packing Co. Inc., an Asheboro, N.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 96,000 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall include:

• Combo bin packages of “Randolph Packing Co., Inc. BONELESS BEEF.”
• Combo bin packages of “Randolph Packing Co. Knuckles 90% & 94%.”
• 30 lbs. boxes of “Beef Ribeye Rolls.”

Each package label bears the establishment number “EST. 6590” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The products were produced on February 25, 2010, and were distributed to federal establishments for further processing in Ill., Mo., N.Y., Ohio, and Va. None of these products are available directly to consumers.

The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling.

Related Links:

• Anything Salmonella Free? [March 10]
• More Food Recalls [March 10]
• More Salmonella Food Recalls [March 6]
• Salmonella Infected Additive Prompts Massive Food Recall [March 5]

System 90Q: Mystery or Mys-take?

“90Q: A curious short-lived ‘tropical’ cyclone in the southern Atlantic”

System 90Q, a low pressure system was located near 29.8ºS and 48.2ºW, about 290 km (180 miles) east of Puerto Alegre, off the coast of Brazil, on Wednesday, March 10 at 14:00 UTC, reportedly with maximum sustained winds about 63km/h (39 mph, or 35 knots), about a click weaker than an official tropical storm), NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center reported, acknowledging that south Atlantic waters are typically too cool to spawn tropical cyclones.

GOES-12 captured a visible image of System 90Q at 14:45 UTC on March 11, which appears “as a small circular area of clouds off the Brazilian coast.” GFS said.

The GOES-12 satellite captured this visible image of System 90Q at 14:45 UTC (9:45 a.m. ET) on March 10, 2010. 90Q is the small circular area of clouds (lower left center). Credit: NASA GOES Project

It becomes curiouser if you examine the SST anomalies in the area where “90Q” was allegedly formed.

Weekly SST Departures for the Last Four Weeks

Click image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• El Niño Update [8 March 2010]

Klyuchevskaya Volcano Still Active

Hidden Surprises at Kamchatka Peninsula?

Klyuchevskaya Volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula underwent  explosive ash and lava eruptions earlier this month, including one on two days ago which ejected a plume of smoke and ash to a height of 6,000 meters. Image acquired March 10, 2010. Credit NASA (Instrument: Terra – ASTER). Click images to enlarge.

Earlier images of Klyuchevskaya Volcano

Lava and Snow on Klyuchevskaya Volcano. “According to the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team, Klyuchevskaya Volcano has been displaying a range of volcanic activity over the past week, including gas-steam plumes reaching six kilometers (20,000 feet) above sea level, flowing lava, and Strombolian eruptions reaching 300 meters (1,000 feet) above the summit, ” NASA reported. (date: Feb 13, 2010) Credit NASA.

Lava on Klyuchevskaya Volcano. The dark streams in this satellite image are lava cascading down the southeast flank of Klyuchevskaya volcano. A thin plume of smoke and steam extends due west from the summit. Klyuchevskaya was active throughout most of 2009. (date: Dec 11, 2009) Credit NASA.

Related Links:

• Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity (KVERT)

• Klyuchevskaya, Bezymianny and Sakurajima Erupt
• Satellite Images of Recent Volcanic Activities
• 2010 Year of Super Volcanoes?
• Montserrat Soufrière Hills Resumes Activity
• Montserrat: What Next?
• Shiveluch Release Plumes of Ash
• Earthquake Monitoring Centers and EQ links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links
• Alaska Shaking and Rattling Like a Popcorn Pan
• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun

Eat S***, So Many Canadians Can’t Be Wrong!

Image of the day:

Canada MPs Eat S*** to Defy “ignorant” EU and ROW

“The Europeans simply don’t know what they’re talking about. Since time began human beings have lived with animals and they have culled animals,” said Michael Ignatieff, leader of Canada’s the main opposition Liberal Party.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff gives a thumbs up while eating a seal meat appetizer during an event to mark the first time seal meat is served in the parliamentary restaurant on Parliament Hill in Ottawa March 10, 2010.  Credit: REUTERS/Chris Wattie. Image may be subject to copyright. [Photo edited for the occasion by Fire-Earth.] Click image to enlarge.

“Canadian parliamentarians tucked into a meal of seal meat on Wednesday to defy both animal right activists and the European Union, which has banned imports of seal products.” Reuters reported.

• Full Story

Related Links:

• WhaleWatch
• Whale Meat ‘n Blubber Tastier With PFCs

Earth Unhappiest Planet to Live on: Majority

Flood, Mudslide, Disease: Human Disasters

Earth must be the unhappiest planet to live on for the majority of its animal species [humans included] – but in most places condoms are distributed for free!

UGANDA

A cow that was also swept away by the mudslides. The mudslides buried crops, animals and people.  Credit: Daily Monitor – Uganda. Image may be subject to copyright.

The search for the missing has finally ended more than a week after the mudslides buried three villages in Bududa district, eastern Uganda. “The rescuers have only managed to retrieve only about 89 bodies and they seem to have lost strength and hope. We are thinking about officially stopping the retrieval on Tuesday and then we shall be advised on what next.” A local official said.

Up to 350 had previously been reported missing, which should now be presumed dead.  The Ugandan mudslide disaster is a direct consequence of climate change.

“At least 104 people, mostly children, have been reported to suffer from diarrhea at the Bukalsi Health Center in Bududa.” UN news said.

“Working with the Ugandan Government, which is leading the emergency response, UN officials have said that so far there are no reports of cholera, but warned about the possible health risks of increased malaria, acute malnutrition and psychological disorders.”

NEPAL

Humanitarian agencies [let’s hope they are not embedded by the international aid/charity mafia]  in Nepal say more than 3.4 million vulnerable people across the country are in need of life-saving assistance, especially food aid, in 2010.

“Nearly half of Nepal’s districts are experiencing food shortages and the humanitarian country team estimates that nearly 2.5 million people face extreme food insecurity, mainly in the Midand far-western hill and mountain regions.” OCHA reported.

Nepal is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, especially floods, landslides and earthquakes. “In 2009, some 152,000 people were affected by monsoon floods and landslides. Preparedness activities in water, sanitation and hygiene are also needed following a severe diarrhea outbreak in western districts of Nepal last year.”

“As a country emerging from conflict, Nepal needs sustained international humanitarian support to see it through this fragile period of transition,” said John Holmes, United Nations Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “An estimated 28,000 children die every year from preventable diseases, some of them the consequences of severe malnutrition. Most of these problems can be solved with adequate donor support,” Mr. Holmes said.

At least 70 percent of household budgets, especially in rural areas, goes to buying food, “and dependence on subsistence agriculture remains high. Inadequate funding for agriculture in 2009 is believed to have compounded the effects of the severe winter drought. Sufficient investment in agriculture might have mitigated the current food crisis.”

MOZAMBIQUE

About 130,000 people are being evacuated in Mozambique as  rising waters in the country’s three main rivers prompted the authorities to declare a red alert, which imposes an evacuation order on the area, for the regions along the Zambezi River, Noticias newspaper said, AFP reported.

“At least two people have died in floods in the central Mozambican province of Sofala, reports Monday’s issue of the independent daily O Pais,” All Africa reported.

Mozambique is a flood-prone area. The rainy season in the 2000, 2001 and 2007  triggered deadly floods drove half a million from their homes, and left 700 people dead.

ANGOLA

At least 10,000 people have lost their homes to floods in Angola’s southern province of Cunene,  the state-owned news agency Angop reported.

In 2009 the floods in southern Angola killed at least 20 people .

Meanwhile, All Africa reported that the Angolan Red Cross had distributed 136,828 free condoms between June and December 2009 in the municipalities of Namacunde, Ombadja and Kwanhama, in southern Cunene province.

KENYA

The recently flooded regions of Kenya may be hit by water-borne diseases including  UN health organizations have warned, urging for organized hygiene campaigns. The 2010 rainy season in Kenya, which is expected to last until late June/ early July, has already claimed 18 lives and affected the lives of more than 10,000 others. The worst affected areas are located in the northern, north-eastern and western regions of the country.

In northern Kenya, health authorities have warned about a cholera outbreak because most of the areas affected by floods lack clean drinking water, Kenya’s Daily Nation reported.

“In Mandera, the floods are said to have destroyed buildings and water sources. In Gucha District, most roads are impassable and crops have been destroyed by hailstones. Some 200 pupils of Got Kachola Primary School in Migori District are learning under trees after a storm destroyed their classrooms.” The report said.

Related Links:

• 2010 Disaster Calender [March]
• Global Weather Chaos
• Drought and Deluge: Two Major Mechanisms of Collapse
• 10 Facts on Climate Change
• Australian Coal and the Planet
• Australian fires toll may exceed 200
• The Australian Clean Energy Ruse
• A Living Hell Heated by Australian Coal
• 10 Facts on Climate Change

Anything Salmonella Free?

Another few recalls and there would be no food left on the shelves

The following is a summary of the most recent food recalls due to possible salmonella poisoning health risks. For previous recalls, click on the links:

• More Food Recalls [March 10]
• More Salmonella Food Recalls [March 6]
• Salmonella Infected Additive Prompts Massive Food Recall [March 5]

[NOTE: All the products listed on this page were posted  on the FDA website on March 10/11, 2010]

36.  Thought Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen said only one product …

Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 5, 2010 –  Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc. of Albert Lea, MN has been notified by a supplier that a certain seasoning ingredient it supplied to Mrs. Gerry’s contains hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) that may be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody) and abdominal pain. In rare cases the organism can get into the bloodstream and cause more severe complications including endocarditis, arthritis and arterial infections such as infected aneurysms. For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov¹. As a precautionary measure, Mrs. Gerry’s is voluntarily recalling a limited number of products.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with these products.

Mrs. Gerry’s is recalling the several Spinach Dips sold to retailers and distributors: MN, IA, SD, ND, NE, KS, CO, WI, MI, IL, MO.

These products should not be eaten. Customers may return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Mrs. Gerry’s is notifying the FDA of this voluntary recall. Consumers with questions may contact Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc.’s Customer Service Department between the hours of 7:30am – 4pm CST Monday through Friday at 1-800-642-9662 or see the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov.

35.  They add HVP to Crab Creole Spread?

Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 9, 2010 – ALAMEDA, CA – Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc. of Albert Lea, MN has been notified by a supplier that a certain product it supplies to Mrs. Gerry’s contains hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) that may be contaminated with Salmonella.  As a precautionary measure, Mrs. Gerry’s is voluntarily recalling a limited number of products.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with this product.

Mrs. Gerry’s is recalling its Crab Creole Spread sold to retailers and distributors in these states: MN, IA, SD, ND, NE, KS, CO, WI, MI, IL, MO.

This product should not be eaten. Customers may return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Mrs. Gerry’s is notifying the FDA of this voluntary recall. Consumers with questions may contact Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc.’s Customer Service Department between the hours of 7:30am – 4pm CST Monday through Friday at 1-800-642-9662 or see the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov.

34.  Salmonella in spices?

Olde Westport Spice Announces a Voluntary Recall of Garden Harvest Special Blend Seasoning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 9, 2010 – Olathe, Kan – Olde Westport Spice announced that it is voluntarily recalling 5- and 10-oz. jars and 20-oz. bags of Garden Harvest Special Blend Seasoning because an ingredient used in the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The Special Blend Seasoning was sold online at www.oldwestportspice.com¹, at food and craft shows in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Colorado and at limited specialty gift shops located in Kansas and Missouri.

The Olde Westport Special Blend does not have any codes on the packaging to identify the product affected by the recall. Therefore, if Garden Harvest Special Blend Seasoning was purchased from November 1, 2009 thru February 28, 2010, it is to be recalled.

There have been no reports of illnesses associated with the identified products and no other Olde Westport products are affected by this recall.

Olde Westport Spice was notified by its supplier, Basic Food Flavors, Inc., of the recall of an ingredient used in this product due to potential Salmonella contamination. Because the safety of consumers is a top priority, Olde Westport Spice has voluntarily recalled its Special Blend. Olde Westport Spice is working closely with Food and Drug Administration to conduct this voluntary recall.

Consumers who have purchased the Garden Harvest Special Blend Seasoning are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Ann Myers at 913-915-0936 or at annmyers@oldewestportspice.com.

33. Never mind the salmonella, watch them calories!

Quaker Snack Mix Baked Cheddar Voluntarily Recalled Due to Possible Health Risk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 10, 2010 – PLANO, TX – Quaker Snack Mix Baked Cheddar is being voluntary recalled after Basic Food Flavors, Inc. of Las Vegas, Nevada initiated a recall of their hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) due to potential Salmonella contamination. HVP is a very minor ingredient in the seasoning for this product. Although every seasoning lot tested negative for Salmonella, and there are no reports of Salmonella–related illness related to this product, the product is voluntarily being recalled out of an abundance of caution.

Consumers with any product of the date and package size noted above should return it to the place of purchase for a replacement or a refund. Consumers with any additional questions can contact Consumer Affairs at 1-800-352-4477, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.

32. Salmonella Soups and Dips?

Ventura Foods, LLC Voluntarily Recalls Seven Varieties of Its Dean’s® Dip Products As A Precautionary Measure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 05, 2010 – Brea, Calif – Ventura Foods, LLC is voluntarily recalling seven of its Dean’s® Dip products, with specific production dates, because a flavor enhancer may be contaminated with salmonella.

The flavor enhancer is made by an ingredient supplier, Basic Food Flavors, Inc., in Las Vegas. This is the same ingredient linked to the Food & Drug Administration’s recall announcement Thursday.

“There have been absolutely no reports of illness associated with any Dean’s Dip products, and we intend to keep it that way,” said Chris Furman, President & CEO of Ventura Foods. “We decided to issue our own recall purely as a precautionary measure because consumer safety is our No. 1 priority.”

Ventura Foods is advising consumers not to eat any of the recalled Dean’s Dip products. Consumers should dispose of or return the recalled products to the store where they bought them for a full refund. Consumers can call (800) 339-1957 for more information about the recall, or visit www.fda.gov or www.deansdip.com.

Dean’s Dip is a registered mark used by Ventura Foods and licensed from Dean Intellectual Property Services, a subsidiary of Dean Foods Company. This recall only affects Dean’s Dip products which are manufactured by Ventura Foods. It does not affect any Dean Foods products, including dairy products carrying the Dean’s® brand.

The voluntary recall involves a flavor enhancer called hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), which is used to make Dean’s Creamy Taco Dip. The other six Dean’s Dip products were manufactured on the same equipment, at about the same time, so they’re being recalled as well. There is no evidence of salmonella in any Dean’s Dip product or in any other Ventura Foods products.

Ventura Foods is working closely with the FDA, as well as with state and local authorities and retailers, to administer the recall.

The Dean’s Dip recall impacts only the products listed below with the specific UPC code and “Sell By” dates. This recall does not affect any other Dean’s Dip products or other Ventura Foods Brands.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain).

31. Potentially Poisoning Mixes

Publix Issues Voluntary Recall on Four Seasoning Mixes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 8, 2010 – LAKELAND, Fla – Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for four (4) varieties of seasoning mixes. The products have been manufactured with HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein) supplied by Basic Food Flavors of Las Vegas, Nevada. The HVP may be contaminated with Salmonella. Consumption of products containing Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly persons and others with weakened immune systems. List of the recalled products available on the company website.

“As part of our commitment to food safety, potentially impacted product has been removed from all store shelves,” said Maria Brous, Publix media and community relations director. “To date, there have been no reported cases of illness. Consumers who have purchased the products in question may return the product to their local store for a full refund. Publix customers with additional questions may call our Consumer Relations department at 1-800-242-1227 or by visiting our website at www.publix.com.”

30. More processed Soups & Dip Mixes – Time you changed the old diet?

Kroger Recalls Two Onion Soup & Dip Mixes Due to Possible Health Risk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –  February 27, 2010  [posted on FDA website on March 11, 2010] – CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling Kroger Onion Soup & Dip Mix and Kroger Beefy Onion Soup & Dip Mix sold in some of its retail stores because the Company has been made aware by a supplier that an ingredient in the product may have been contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled items were sold in Kroger stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia; Dillons and Gerbes stores in Kansas and Missouri; Fry’s stores in Arizona; King Soopers and City Market stores in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming; Smith’s stores in Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming; Baker’s stores in Nebraska; and Food 4 Less, Hilander, Jay C, Owen’s, Pay Less and Scott’s stores in Illinois and Indiana.

Customers who have purchased the above products should not consume them and should return them to a store for a full refund or replacement.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in young children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain. For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov.

Consumers who have questions about this recall may contact Kroger toll-free at (800) 6326900. For more information, please visit www.kroger.com/recalls.

29. Proctor and Gambling with their products?

P&G Joins Industry Ingredient Recall by Voluntarily Recalling Two Flavors of Pringles® in the United States in Response to FDA Industry Guidance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 08, 2010 – CINCINNATI – PRNewswire/ – The Procter & Gamble Company, in response to a recommendation from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to the food industry, announced today that it is voluntarily recalling Pringles Restaurant Cravers Cheeseburger potato crisps and Pringles Family Faves Taco Night potato crisps as part of an industry ingredient recall to protect consumers from potential Salmonella exposure. There have been no reports of Salmonella-related illness in relation to these products.

P&G was notified by one of its suppliers that a seasoning used in these two products contains hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., who has voluntarily recalled several lots of this ingredient because of potential salmonella exposure. As a result, the FDA has recommended that food manufacturers recall certain types of products containing HVP manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, and P&G is complying with this guidance.

Salmonella is a common food borne pathogen that can cause severe illnesses, including fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. While most individuals recover without medical intervention, the infection can be life-threatening in some cases such as young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. There have been no reports of Salmonella-related illness to date in relation to these products.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled products should discard the product and call P&G for a replacement coupon or refund at 1-877-876-7881 (Hours of operation: Monday – Friday, 9AM – 6PM US ET).

###

28. Who needs Cream of Mushroom Soup?

Nutritional Resources Announces a Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Healthwise Cream of Mushroom Soup Due to Possible Health Risk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 09, 2010 – GROVETOWN, GA – As a precautionary measure, Nutritional Resources, Inc announced, it is voluntarily recalling one production code of Healthwise Cream of Mushroom Soup because an ingredient used in the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is a common food borne pathogen that can cause severe illnesses, including fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. While most individuals recover in three to five days without medical intervention, the infection can be life-threatening to young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Consumers with any of these symptoms should call their physician. For more information on Salmonella, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Website at http://www.cdc.gov.

The product subject to this recall was distributed nationwide in foil lined pouches identified as Mushroom Soup marked with the Lot number 22267 on the front of the pouch. The product is sold in physician’s offices and on the internet.

There have been no reports of illnesses associated with the identified product, and no other varieties or types of flavors of products made by Nutritional Resources, Inc. are affected by this recall.

The mushroom soup product was made using Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), recalled by Basic Food Flavors Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada because it may be contaminated with salmonella

Nutritional Resources, Inc is working closely with the FDA to conduct this recall.

Consumers who have purchased the above affected products are urged return them to their place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (706) 869-1222 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST. Monday through Friday.

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NOTE: Unnecessary details have been omitted to prevent food companies advertising on this blog!

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