Whole Story » Food Safety

The FDA Changes Its Tune on Bisphenol-A

Joe Dickson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:48:09 +0000

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical used to make plastics and other materials used in many food packaging applications, from can linings to baby bottles (see my last post on BPA for some background). Many of us who have been working on the BPA issue for years were quite surprised, on Friday, to learn that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had changed its position on the chemical, admitting for the first time that they, too, have questions about its safety. For as long as they’ve had a position on BPA, the FDA’s position has been that it’s safe and suitable for food contact. With this announcement, the FDA admits that “on the basis of results from recent studies using novel approaches to test for subtle effects, both the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health and FDA have some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children.”

To translate: There still isn’t conclusive evidence that BPA is harmful, but there are a number of question marks that need to be resolved through research – and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) was just awarded about 30 million dollars to pursue that research. In the meantime, the FDA has announced its interim position and the steps it is taking regarding BPA:

FDA is taking reasonable steps to reduce human exposure to BPA in the food supply. These steps include:
- supporting the industry’s actions to stop producing BPA-containing baby bottles and infant feeding cups for the U.S. market;
- facilitating the development of alternatives to BPA for the linings of infant formula cans; and
- supporting efforts to replace BPA or minimize BPA levels in other food can linings.

FDA is supporting a shift to a more robust regulatory framework for oversight of BPA.
FDA is seeking further public comment and external input on the science surrounding BPA.

— from FDA’s 1/10/10 report

We’re very pleased that the FDA has chosen to take this issue seriously – both by acknowledging that there are legitimate questions and by committing the resources and the money to begin to answer them. As always, we will carefully monitor the issue, provide our comments and perspective to the FDA, and keep our customers informed on any major developments.

What We’ve Been Doing About BPA

The FDA’s recommendations are consistent with the path that we at Whole Foods Market have taken over the past few years. Our position has been that there are enough questions about BPA that, when there are functional alternatives available, it makes sense to avoid the use of BPA. Back in February of 2006, we were the first major retailer in the U.S. to ban baby bottles and child cups made from BPA-containing polycarbonate plastic. More recently, we’ve been working very closely with our canned food suppliers to help them transition away from the use of BPA in food can linings. The FDA’s recent recommendations validate the steps that we’ve already taken and will continue to advance. Here’s a quick overview of what we’ve done on the issue:

We have worked with our suppliers to strongly encourage the transition to non-BPA materials where functional alternatives exist. For example, the majority of the refillable individual water bottles in our stores were once made from polycarbonate plastic. Because of our work to encourage the transition away from BPA, nearly all of those bottles are now made from other materials, and we are working with our buyers and suppliers to finalize the transition away from polycarbonate water bottles completely.
Our Quality Standards Team actively follows academic research and regulatory developments regarding the endocrine activity of substances present in plastics, including BPA. We work with academic experts and alternative plastic suppliers to stay on the leading edge of this issue.
Polycarbonate plastic is still used in certain bottles and in aluminum can linings in our stores; we are currently working with manufacturers to strongly encourage the development of packaging that uses alternative materials. We have asked our major manufacturers of canned goods to present us with their plans for transitioning away from BPA-containing materials.
Frustratingly, there are very few effective BPA-free cans available on the market. A few manufacturers have produced BPA-free cans, but the supply is very limited and they are only effective for a narrow range of foods. BPA-based epoxy lining is the industry standard for the lining of canned foods, with very few exceptions. This lining material works very effectively to protect the integrity of food. We are actively working with experts in the field to find an alternative material that works just as well without the presence of BPA or any other substances of concern.
The manufacturing of cans in the U.S. is dominated by a small number of very large companies. Whole Foods Market represents a very tiny slice of the overall canned good market, so our leverage is limited. Despite the uphill nature of this battle, we are working with a group of like-minded companies and socially responsible investors to continue to push for alternatives. The FDA’s new focus should help us in this effort.
To date, we have done more than any other U.S. retailer to inform our customers and take action on the issue. When appropriate, we have stopped the sale of certain products and/or provided information to our customers about the products.

Complex issues of food safety are seldom simple, and there are almost always trade-offs. BPA epoxy resin is the best lining for cans, in terms of protecting food integrity, extending shelf life, and ensuring the safety the food inside, but as we’ve learned, it may not be as safe as the industry once believed. Our goal is to continue to push for food packaging materials that protect food and keep it safe, without the leaching of BPA or any other toxic or estrogenic materials. We hope the FDA’s new direction on this issue — both in recommending the minimal use of BPA and in committing to researching the questions — will give new energy and momentum to the food industry’s transition away from BPA.

For More Information:

Dept. of Health and Human Services BPA Safety Page

FDA’s BPA Update Page

Pistachio Manufacturer Recall

Paige Brady — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 22:19:18 +0000

Update 4/10/09

As of today, just one more recall has come in from our Florida region.

Nuts about Florida brand pistachios

Update 4/9/09

Some additional items have been added to the pistachio recall list from yesterday. We expect more information to roll in as our suppliers identify if they have used affected pistachios. We thank you all for your patience.

Sahale Snacks Ksar Nut Blends*, 6 – 5 oz [Best By Dates: 10/16/2009, 10/30/2009, 11/20/2009, 11/27/2009 & 12/25/2009]
Sahale Snacks Ksar Nut Blends, 12 – 2 oz [Best By Dates: 10/16/2009, 10/30/2009, 11/20/2009, 11/27/2009 & 12/25/2009]
Lake Champlain Triple Nut Chocolate Bars [Lots: 08275, 08294, 08295, 08354, 09026, 09027, 09063]
Lake Champlain Triple Nut Chocolate Squares [Lots: 08302, 08310, 08337, 09063 & 09083]
Lake Champlain Chocolate Journeys [Lots: 08288, 08287, 08301, 08309, 08326, 09009, 09029 & 09035]

* Includes: Sahale Snacks Ksar Pistachios/Pistaches with Sesame Seeds, Pepitas, Fig + Moroccan Harissa. Avec Graines De Sesame, Graines De Citrouille, Figue + Harissa Marocain (5oz)

Update 4/8/09

As of 6pm EST Wednesday, April 8, the following pistachio products have been recalled/withdrawn:

365 Pistachios dry roasted & salted (In-Shell) 16oz [Lot Codes: 07/08/2009 GL1, 07/08/2009 GL2, & 11/27/2009 GL1 only]
Flavor Tree In Shell Salted Pistachios 16oz [Lot Codes: Best Before dates of 08/12/2009, 07/21/2009 & 10/16/2009]
Various Chukar Cherry Company items: Dried Fruit & Nuts Berry & Pistachio 100% Natural Energy Mix.
Häagen-Dazs Pistachio ice cream (removed as a precautionary measure by Häagen-Dazs)
Whole Foods Market Snack Naturally Pistachios, R/S in shell 11oz
Whole Foods Market Prepack Roasted and salted pistachios in shell, Raw deshelled pistachios, and Chili Lemon Pistachios – Note Whole Foods Market Garlic Onion Pistachios not affected
Whole Foods Market Prepack Raw deshelled pistachios (no Shell)
Bulk Raw Shelled pistachios
Various Bulk and Prepack pistachio items
Various Prepack pistachio items
Various bulk bin items as a precaution

For more information on bulk and prepack items affected by this recall, please contact your local store as these items vary from store to store.

Update 4/7/09

Setton Farms has greatly expanded their recall on a number of their pistachio items. The recall now includes all roasted de-shelled and in-shell pistachios and raw de-shelled pistachios from Setton Farms entire 2008 crop. (See: http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/setton204_09.html)

Our Food Safety team has determined that no additional 365 Private Label or Flavor Tree products are affected. Other manufacturers will also be evaluating their products in the coming days to determine the impact of this expanded recall.

We will keep you updated as new information comes in. Thank you for your patience!

Update 4/6/09

A few updates:

The Chukar Cherry Company has recalled various items, including their Dried Fruit & Nuts Berry & Pistachio 100% Natural Energy Mix sold in our Midwest and Pacific Northwest stores.
Häagen-Dazs Pistachio ice cream (removed as a precautionary measure by Häagen-Dazs)
Our Pacific Northwest Region has received confirmation from all pistachio suppliers for our bulk departments in that region that they are not affected by the recall.

Please read the April 3rd update for information on bulk pistachios in each of our regions.

Update 4/3/09

Thanks for your patience while we are researching the various suppliers of our bulk pistachios to determine if they are affected by the recall from Setton Farms. Due to the empowerment of our stores for local and regional buying, our supply chain is very diverse. We are working with our many different vendors to assess our products and help you know what to do with any pistachios you may have at home. While we don’t have all of the answers yet, we wanted to go ahead and get this information to you. We will update it when we learn more.

(Not sure which region your state falls in? Check here.)

Florida Region	Pre-pack pistachios are on Pull & Hold*
	Bulk pistachios not affected by the Setton recall
North Atlantic Region	Bulk pistachios on Pull & Hold
Northeast Region	Bulk pistachios on Pull & Hold
Northern California Region	Bulk pistachios are not affected by the Setton recall
MidAtlantic Region	Pre-pack pistachios are on Pull & Hold*
	Bulk pistachios not affected by the Setton recall
Midwest Region	Bulk pistachios are not affected by the Setton recall
Rocky Mountain Region	Bulk pistachios are not affected by the Setton recall
Pacific Northwest Region	Bulk pistachios are not affected by the Setton recall
South Region	Bulk pistachios on Pull & Hold
Southern Pacific Region	Bulk pistachios are not affected by the Setton recall
Southwest Region	Bulk pistachios are not affected by the Setton recall

*Some manufacturers may choose to issue a “Pull and Hold” – this means they are asking to have their product pulled off the shelf while they research their ingredients.

Of course, if you have pistachio products from other retailers, you will need to review the information available on the FDA pistachio recall page. We are only reporting in this blog on products that we sell in our stores.

Many vendors who make products that contain pistachios are currently reviewing their sourcing and this may take some time, especially for small or local producers. Please be aware that additional recalls of products may continue to occur in the next few weeks. If you have any concerns about a product containing pistachios, please return it to our stores.

Please read the 4/1/09 update for information about the Flavor Tree and 365 Pistachios that were recalled.

——————————

Update 4/1/09

Specific lot numbers of these two items that were on “pull and hold” status yesterday have now been recalled. If you have the lots numbers of these products, please return them to our stores for a refund:

Flavor Tree In-Shell Salted Pistachios 16 oz

UPC: 72261-02727
Lots: Best Before dates of 07/21/2009, 08/12/2009 & 10/16/2009 ONLY (other lot codes are not affected)

365 Pistachios dry roasted & salted (In-Shell) 16oz

UPC: 9948240435
Lots: Best Before dates of 07/08/2009 GL1, 07/08/2009 GL2, & 11/27/2009 GL1 (other lot codes are not affected)

Pull and Hold Released

According to Talenti, their Sicilian Pistachio Gelato does not use the recalled Setton Farms pistachios and has been released for sale.

————————————

Posted 3/31/09

You may have heard that Setton Pistachio, a major manufacturer in California, has issued a nationwide recall of some of its pistachio products due to a possible salmonella contamination. An investigation is underway by the FDA and the California Department of Public Health. The FDA recommends that consumers avoid eating pistachio products until more information is available, and they will be updating their pistachio recall page. (This voluntary recall is not in any way related to the recent recalls associated with peanuts or peanut butter.) This is very, very early in the investigative process and we have little solid information to share at this time. But we know you have questions and we want you to know that we are working on getting answers.

We are researching to determine whether any products in our stores may contain the pistachio products recalled. Our Food Safety team is looking at all areas of our business, the FDA is investigating and we will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds. Setton sold pistachios in very large quantities to other manufacturers. They could have been used in a variety of products, from bulk nuts to ice cream and cookies.

While our Food Safety and Regional Buying teams do the leg work required to assess our products, we’ve decided to initially remove 1 lb bags of Flavor Tree Pistachios and our private label 365 Pistachios from our shelves. We do not yet know if these or other products are affected but we will let our customers know immediately, in our stores and on our website, if any of the products we carry are recalled. In the meantime, customers can return any pistachios or products containing pistachios to their local store for a full refund.

In the days and weeks to come, companies that use pistachios as an ingredient will be looking closely at their products to determine if they have used the pistachios that are under investigation. We will alert our customers to developments as we learn more. At this time, we have no list of specific products affected and cannot answer questions about specific products. (Believe me, we know that is the information you want and we’ll get it out there as soon as we hear.)

Some manufacturers may choose to issue a “Pull and Hold” — this means they are asking to have their product pulled off the shelf while they research their ingredients.

Peanut Recall Update 3/10/09

Paige Brady — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:00:37 +0000

Update on 3/10/09

Added a few new items to the recall list.

Update on 3/6/09

Added a few new items to the recall list.

Update on 3/2/09

The FDA has now posted information on their website about PCA’s Texas facility testing positive for the same strain of salmonella as their Georgia facility. Here’s an excerpt from their statement:

Unlike the PCA plant in Blakely, Georgia, which principally manufactured peanut butter and peanut paste, the PCA Texas facility principally blanched, split, granulated and roasted peanuts for distribution to various businesses. The Texas facility’s activities included the production and distribution of peanut meal, a byproduct of the peanut granulation process used to make peanut butter and peanut paste. The Texas DSHS is currently notifying all first-level customers of PCA Texas products from January 1, 2007 forward that all products are subject to recall. FDA will audit 100 percent of those PCA customers to facilitate the removal of product from the marketplace.

This is an ingredient-driven outbreak; that is, potentially contaminated ingredients affected many different products that were distributed through various channels and consumed in various settings. The recalled products made by PCA, such as peanut butter and peanut paste, are common ingredients in cookies, crackers, cereal, candy, ice cream, pet treats, and other foods. Consumers are advised to discard and not eat products that have been recalled. To help consumers identify affected products, FDA has initiated a searchable database of recalled products that is updated daily or as additional recalls are identified. To date, more than 2,100 products in 17 categories have been voluntarily recalled by more than 200 companies, and the list continues to grow.

We will continue to follow this situation and update the list below with recalled products that are sold in our stores.

Update From 2/26/09:

While the FDA has not yet posted information about this on their website, an FDA spokesperson announced (through the Associated Press) that the PCA Plainview, TX facility tested positive for the same strain of Salmonella blamed for sickening hundreds in a national outbreak traced initially to their Blakely, GA plant.

So, what does this mean to you? While it is not entirely clear, here’s what we know at this point.

In January, we pulled products from our shelves that were affected by the initial recalls related to the PCA Blakely, GA facility.

On February 12th, in a precautionary action, we removed peanut and peanut-containing products from our bulk departments that came to us directly from or were identifiable as coming from any of the three PCA facilities (GA, TX and VA) – not just from the Georgia facility as had been ordered by the FDA.

On February 20th, we issued a withdrawal for our Private Label 365 Unsalted Roasted Redskin Peanuts – best by dates 6/12/09 and 6/13/09 only. These two lot codes used peanuts that were stored (but never processed) at the PCA Texas facility. Additionally, upon receipt our supplier specifically tested for salmonella prior to roasting and the results were negative. Customers should return this item to the store for a full refund.

As of February 26th, none of our Private Label 365 products other than the redskin peanuts noted above are affected by the recall.

Based on the finding of salmonella at the Plainview, TX, PCA facility, manufacturers of other peanut-containing products sold in our stores that are affected. A big challenge is that PCA has filed for bankruptcy and is not providing any information about their operations. The FDA has not released a list of the ingredients that were processed at the Plainview facility or a list of their suppliers, which makes it very challenging for manufacturers to determine if ingredients that came to them through a distributor (rather than directly from PCA) were affected. We will be working with our vendors to alert our customers to any product recalls if/when we become aware of them.

As always, if you have any concerns about a product you purchased from us, please feel free to return it to your local store for a full refund.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and share updated information from the FDA’s investigation.

————————————————————

Here are the recalled items carried in our stores as of 3/10/09:

1. Various bulk bin items. Due to the empowerment of our stores for local and regional buying, our supply chain is very diverse. The bulk departments in our stores are supplied by many different vendors. Some peanut-containing products may be recalled from some stores but not from others due to these different vendors. Contacting your local store is the safest way to ensure you get the most accurate information about any products you have purchased.

Contact your local store about recalled bulk products, including:

peanuts, all kinds
fresh grind peanut butters
trail mixes with peanuts
nut mixes with peanuts
candies with peanuts
chocolate with peanuts
energy bars with peanuts

Vendor products:

2. LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie
3. JamFrakas Peanut Butter BlissCrisp snack bars
4. ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
5. ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee bars
6. Multiple Clif bar products:

Clif Crunchy Peanut Butter bars
Clif Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch bars
Clif Pecan Toffee Buzz bars
Clif Mini’s Variety Pack
Clif 24-count Variety Pack
Clif Builder’s Peanut Butter bars
Cliff Builder’s 18-count Variety Pack
Clif Kid ZBaR Peanut butter bars
Clif Kid ZBaR Variety Pack

7. Multiple Luna products:

Luna Nutz Over Chocolate bars
Luna Peanut Butter Cookie bars
Luna Mini’s Variety Pack

8. Multiple MOJO products:

MOJO Honey Roasted Peanut bars
MOJO Mixed Nuts bars
MOJO Mountain Mix bars
MOJO Peanut Butter Pretzel bars
MOJO Dipped Chocolate Peanut bars
MOJO Dipped Peanut Butter & Jelly bars
MOJO Dipped Fruit & Nut bars

9. Health Valley Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars
10. Nature’s Path Optimum Energy Bars Peanut Butter flavor bars
11. ThinkThin Dark Chocolate
12. ThinkThin Chocolate Mudslide
13. Can Do Kid Chocolate Crunch Bars
14. Can Do Kid Cookies & Cream Bars
15. Chunks of Energy Carob/Hawaiian Spirulina
16. Chunks of Energy HIGH COUNTRY GORP
17. Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets (States: California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington)
18. Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies
19. Uncle Eddies Individual Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (Region: SP)
20. Uncle Eddies Individual Organic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (Regions: NA, NE, MA, SO, FL, MW, SW: LA, KY only)
21. SunRidge Chocolate Energy Bar (BULK) (Regions: SP, NC, FL, MA, MW, NA, NE, SO & SW: LA Only)
22. SunRidge Energy Nuggets (NOT BULK) (Regions: SP, NC)
23. Tofu Energee Nuggets (Region: SP)
24. Marin Carob Energee Nuggets
25. Aurora Caribbean Crunch Grail mix (NE and possibly NA)
26. Arico Peanut Butter Cookies
27. Arico Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
28. Multiple Simbree products: (Region: PN)

Simbree Oat Almond Pistash
Simbree Almond Pistachio Energy Bites
Simbree Oat Bites with Peanuts, Almonds and Pistachios

29. Thai Curry with Peanuts Seasoning Mix by Barron Specialty Foods (bulk and individual jars)
30. Ethnic Gourmet Chicken Pad Thai
31. Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Shrimp
32. Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Tofu
33. Gluten Free Café Asian Noodles
34. Bear Naked Appalachian Trail Mix
35. Detour brand products (Regions: SW and RM)

Runner Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
Biker Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
Core Strength Caramel Peanut bars

36. Kashi TLC products:

Chewy Granola Bars Trail Mix
Chewy Granola Bars Honey Almond Flax
Chewy Granola Bars Peanut Peanut Butter
Chewy Granola Bar Shippers
Chewy Granola Bars Club Pack
GoLean Crunch Honey Almond Flax Cereal *not in recall: only the Kashi TLC Chewy Honey Almond Flax Granola Bar sample that was shrink-wrapped to the cereal box is being recalled.
Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookies
Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookie Club Pack
Happy Trail Mix Chewy Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Flax Chewy Cookies
Chewy Cookies display shipper

37. Genisoy Organic Apple Cinnamon Soy Protein Bars
38. Genisoy Soy Protein Bars:

Chocolate Fudge Brownie, 2.2oz
Fudge Cookies & Cream, 2.2oz
Café Mocha Fudge, 2.2oz
Crispy Chocolate Mint, 2.2oz
Chunky Peanut Butter Fudge 2.2oz
Creamy Peanut Yogurt, 2.2oz

39. Thai Coconut Panko Crust by Barron Specialty Foods
40. Glutino Organic Chocolate & Peanuts Bars
41. Chunks of Energy Mixed Berry Blast
42. Chunks of Energy CRANBERRY APRICOT,OG
43. Earth Island Follow Your Heart Deli Thai Peanut Tofu Wrap 10oz (SoPac Only)
44. Pure Butter CRICKLE, Peanut, Green Gift Box 8z (MA & SO)
45. Organic Fiber Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate [Best By Dates of: May 2009 & Aug 2009]
46. Kariba Farms Thai Peanut NutCrusters Coating Mix
47. KA-ME Green Tea Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix (FL)
48. Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies (NA & NE)
49. Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies – Snack Pack (NA & NE)
50. Boston Cookies Peanut Fudge Brownies (NA & NE)
51. Fabes Mini Peanut Butter Cookies (some regions)
52. Erin Baker’s Home-style Granola – Peanut Butter (MA & PNW)
53. SunSpire Organic Dark Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Clusters (some regions)
54. Garden of Life fücoPROTEIN Peanut Butter Crunch bars
55. Golden Temple WHA GURU CHEW Peanut Cashew bars – (MW, PNW & SoPac)
56. Cascadian Farm Peanut Butter Chip Chewy Granola Bars]
57. Cascadian Farm Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts Chewy Granola Bars
58. Cascadian Farm Sweet and Salty Peanut Pretzel Chewy Granola Bars
59. Odwalla Peanut Crunch Bars
60. Chocolate Chip Peanut Odwalla Bars
61. Sweet & Salty Peanut Odwalla Bars
62. Sweet & Salty Trail Mix Odwalla Bars
63. Cougar Mountain Baking Cookie items – (PNW Only)
64. Honey Peanut Balance Bars
65. Heavenly Candy Peanut Bliss – (MW, NorCal, PNW, RM & SW)
66. Theo Brand Peanut Butter Big Daddy bar
67. Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Protein Balls
68. Multiple Erin Baker’s items (MA & PNW)
69. ZonePerfect Chocolate Caramel Cluster bars
70. Bear Naked All Natural Granola – Peanut Butter
71. Bear Naked All Natural Hybrid Granola – Peanut Butter Chocolate TrueNorth Brand Peanut Crisps (FL, MA, MW, NA, NE, SO).
72. TrueNorth Brand Peanut Crisps (FL, MA, MW, NA, NE, SO).
73. Crispy Cat Roasted Peanut candy bars
74. Beneficial Foods/Nature’s Candy :

Nature’s Candy Peanut Butter Krinkles (Bulk) (MW, RM, SW)
Nature’s Candy Karob Krinkles (Bulk) (MW, RM, SW)
Beneficial Foods Omega-3 Uplift Bars (MW, RM, SW)

75. Marich Confectionery items:

Milk Chocolate Peanuts (10lb, BULK) (Some Regions)
Milk Chocolate Peanuts (8oz Bags) (Some Regions)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Toffee – (Unlikely we carry)

76. EB Performance PB &Whey Protein Bites bars (FL Only)

77. Promax Bars :

Promax Double Fudge Brownie bars (SW)
Promax Cookies ‘n Cream bars (SW)

78. Glutenfreeda Peanut Envy Frozen Cookie Dough

79. 365 Everyday Value Unsalted Roasted Redskin Peanuts

80. Nature’s Path items:

Nature’s Path EnviroKidz Rice Bar Peanut Butter Choco Drizzle, 6 pack
Nature’s Path Peanut Butter Granola Bar, 5 pack
Nature’s Path Peanut Choco Granola Bar, 5 pack
Nature’s Path Peanut Butter Granola 11.5oz (Cereal)

81. Just Desserts 6” Peanut Butter Crème cake

82. Potent Foods items (NA Region Only):

Potent Life Bittersweet Cacao Crunch bars
Potent Life Whole Goji Berry bars
Potent Life Himalayan Pink Salty Peanuts bars
Potent Life Cherry Chocolate bars

83.    PaleyBar Jam-n-Peanuts Bars (PNW Only)
84.    Honest Foods Choco Peanut Butter Baked Whole Food Bars
85.    Michaelene’s Gourmet Granola items (MW Only)

We will update this as more information becomes available. Remember that this list includes only products that we sell in our stores. We will not list information on products that we do not sell. That information is available on the FDA searchable database and we encourage you to go to their site.

Please note: Many manufacturers receive their supply of ingredients from multiple vendors. Therefore, not all products listed here are recalled in total, but rather specific lot or batch numbers made on certain dates.

While new research is being conducted, we will not be able to answer questions about specific peanut related products. Additionally, our answers to previous comments and questions about the recall are not necessarily accurate any longer given the expansion.

For our Canadian customers, please note that the CFIA is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to identify and remove all affected products imported into Canada from the U.S. The CFIA is also working with Canadian manufacturers to recall foods containing affected U.S. peanuts. As more products are identified, the CFIA will continue to update its list of recalled products.

Peanut Recall — Update 2/20/09

Paige Brady — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:00:09 +0000

Jump directly to the FDA Product Recall List to search for peanut product recalls, or call CDC-INFO at 1-800-232-4636 for more information.

Updated 2/20/09

Added the following vendor products to the list:

71.    TrueNorth Brand Peanut Crisps (FL, MA, MW, NA, NE, SO).
72.    Crispy Cat Roasted Peanut candy bars
73.    Beneficial Foods/Nature’s Candy :

Nature’s Candy Peanut Butter Krinkles (Bulk) (MW, RM, SW)
Nature’s Candy Karob Krinkles (Bulk) (MW, RM, SW)
Beneficial Foods Omega-3 Uplift Bars (MW, RM, SW)

74. Marich Confectionery items:

Milk Chocolate Peanuts (10lb, BULK) (Some Regions)
Milk Chocolate Peanuts (8oz Bags) (Some Regions)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Toffee – Unlikely we carry

75. EB Performance PB &Whey Protein Bites bars (FL Only)

Updated 2/18/09

The Texas Department of State Health Services ordered Peanut Corporation of America to recall all products ever shipped from its Plainview plant as a result of poor cleaning and pest control practices. (The plant began operations in March of 1995.) No specific list of products produced at this plant has been released.

While information about this plant is reconciled between the FDA and the Texas state agency in the coming days, we are taking the immediate proactive step of removing from our stores ALL whole peanuts and peanut products from ANY PCA facility.

This greatly expands the scope of the recall beyond the original PCA plant in Georgia, and every manufacturer of peanut-containing foods, including us, will need to re-examine their products. We are acting as quickly as possible to determine what products are affected and will update this blog post with recall information as it becomes available for our products and for those of our vendors.

Please note: While new research is being conducted, we will not be able to answer questions about specific peanut related products. Additionally, our answers to previous comments and questions about the recall are not necessarily accurate any longer given the expansion.

Here are the recalled items carried in our stores as of noon on 2/20/09:

Contact your local store about recalled bulk products, including:

peanuts, all kinds
fresh grind peanut butters
trail mixes with peanuts
nut mixes with peanuts
candies with peanuts
chocolate with peanuts
energy bars with peanuts

Vendor products:

2. LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie
3. JamFrakas Peanut Butter BlissCrisp snack bars
4. ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
5. ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee bars
6. Multiple Clif bar products:

Clif Crunchy Peanut Butter bars
Clif Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch bars
Clif Pecan Toffee Buzz bars
Clif Mini’s Variety Pack
Clif 24-count Variety Pack
Clif Builder’s Peanut Butter bars
Cliff Builder’s 18-count Variety Pack
Clif Kid ZBaR Peanut butter bars
Clif Kid ZBaR Variety Pack

7. Multiple Luna products:

Luna Nutz Over Chocolate bars
Luna Peanut Butter Cookie bars
Luna Mini’s Variety Pack

8. Multiple MOJO products:

MOJO Honey Roasted Peanut bars
MOJO Mixed Nuts bars
MOJO Mountain Mix bars
MOJO Peanut Butter Pretzel bars
MOJO Dipped Chocolate Peanut bars
MOJO Dipped Peanut Butter & Jelly bars
MOJO Dipped Fruit & Nut bars

Simbree Oat Almond Pistash
Simbree Almond Pistachio Energy Bites
Simbree Oat Bites with Peanuts, Almonds and Pistachios

Runner Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
Biker Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
Core Strength Caramel Peanut bars

36. Kashi TLC products:

Chewy Granola Bars Trail Mix
Chewy Granola Bars Honey Almond Flax
Chewy Granola Bars Peanut Peanut Butter
Chewy Granola Bar Shippers
Chewy Granola Bars Club Pack
GoLean Crunch Honey Almond Flax Cereal *not in recall: only the Kashi TLC Chewy Honey Almond Flax Granola Bar sample that was shrink-wrapped to the cereal box is being recalled.
Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookies
Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookie Club Pack
Happy Trail Mix Chewy Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Flax Chewy Cookies
Chewy Cookies display shipper

37. Genisoy Organic Apple Cinnamon Soy Protein Bars
38. Genisoy Soy Protein Bars:

Chocolate Fudge Brownie, 2.2oz
Fudge Cookies & Cream, 2.2oz
Café Mocha Fudge, 2.2oz
Crispy Chocolate Mint, 2.2oz
Chunky Peanut Butter Fudge 2.2oz
Creamy Peanut Yogurt, 2.2oz

39. Thai Coconut Panko Crust by Barron Specialty Foods
40. Glutino Organic Chocolate & Peanuts Bars
41. Chunks of Energy Mixed Berry Blast
42. Chunks of Energy CRANBERRY APRICOT,OG
43. Earth Island Follow Your Heart Deli Thai Peanut Tofu Wrap 10oz (SoPac Only)
44. Pure Butter CRICKLE, Peanut, Green Gift Box 8z (MA & SO)
45. Organic Fiber Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate [Best By Dates of: May 2009 & Aug 2009]
46. Kariba Farms Thai Peanut NutCrusters Coating Mix
47. KA-ME Green Tea Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix (FL)
48. Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies (NA & NE)
49. Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies – Snack Pack (NA & NE)
50. Boston Cookies Peanut Fudge Brownies (NA & NE)
51. Fabes Mini Peanut Butter Cookies (some regions)
52. Erin Baker’s Home-style Granola – Peanut Butter (MA & PNW)
53. SunSpire Organic Dark Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Clusters (some regions)
54. Garden of Life fücoPROTEIN Peanut Butter Crunch bars
55. Golden Temple WHA GURU CHEW Peanut Cashew bars – (MW, PNW & SoPac)
56. Cascadian Farm Peanut Butter Chip Chewy Granola Bars]
57. Cascadian Farm Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts Chewy Granola Bars
58. Cascadian Farm Sweet and Salty Peanut Pretzel Chewy Granola Bars
59. Odwalla Peanut Crunch Bars
60. Chocolate Chip Peanut Odwalla Bars
61. Sweet & Salty Peanut Odwalla Bars
62. Sweet & Salty Trail Mix Odwalla Bars
63. Cougar Mountain Baking Cookie items – (PNW Only)
64. Honey Peanut Balance Bars
65. Heavenly Candy Peanut Bliss – (MW, NorCal, PNW, RM & SW)
66. Theo Brand Peanut Butter Big Daddy bar
67.   Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Protein Balls
68.   Multiple Erin Baker’s items (MA & PNW)
69.   ZonePerfect Chocolate Caramel Cluster bars
70.   Bear Naked All Natural Granola – Peanut Butter
71.   Bear Naked All Natural Hybrid Granola – Peanut Butter Chocolate TrueNorth Brand Peanut Crisps (FL, MA, MW, NA, NE, SO).
72. TrueNorth Brand Peanut Crisps (FL, MA, MW, NA, NE, SO).
73. Crispy Cat Roasted Peanut candy bars
74. Beneficial Foods/Nature’s Candy :

Nature’s Candy Peanut Butter Krinkles (Bulk) (MW, RM, SW)
Nature’s Candy Karob Krinkles (Bulk) (MW, RM, SW)
Beneficial Foods Omega-3 Uplift Bars (MW, RM, SW)

75. Marich Confectionery items:

Milk Chocolate Peanuts (10lb, BULK) (Some Regions)
Milk Chocolate Peanuts (8oz Bags) (Some Regions)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Toffee – (Unlikely we carry)

76. EB Performance PB &Whey Protein Bites bars (FL Only)

The following foods, manufactured in Canada, are affected:
see: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/20090203be.shtml

The following foods, manufactured in the United States of America, are affected:
see: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/20090203be.shtml

For the complete list of recalled products, including those listed above; please visit our web site at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/2009typhe.shtml

Peanut Recall – 2/16/09

Paige Brady — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:00:07 +0000

Jump directly to the FDA Product Recall List to search for peanut product recalls, or call CDC-INFO at 1-800-232-4636 for more information.

Updated 2/16/09

Several additions to recall

Erin Baker’s Original Breakfast Cookie – Peanut Butter (3oz)
Erin Baker’s Home-style Granola – Peanut Butter (Several Sizes)
Erin Baker’s Original Breakfast Cookie – Rocky Road (3oz)

Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Protein Balls

Sunridge Farms: Numerous items (not in all stores and many already pulled):

Peanut Butter Stock-Dry Roast-No Salt
Peanuts-Dry Roasted, No Salt
Peanuts-Blanched, Oil Rstd, Salted
Peanuts-Blanched, Oil Rstd, No Salt
Peanuts-Spanish, Whole, Raw
Peanuts-Blanched, Raw, Virginia
Peanuts-Redskins, Oil Rstd, Salted
Peanuts-Redskin Oil Rstd No Salt 38/42
Peanuts-Redskins, Raw, No Salt
Peanut Butter Stock-Roasted, Organic
Peanut Butter Stock-Chocolate Chip Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Carob Celebration Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Chocolate Nut Crunch
Sunridge Snack Mix-Heavenly Cran Crunch
Sunridge Snack Mix-Cocono Deluxe Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Rainbow Carousel Part
Sunridge Snack Mix-Super Deluxe Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Outragin’ Cajun Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Fruit & Nut Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Hit The Trail Mix
Mixed Nuts-Deluxe, W/Peanut Sunridge
Sunridge Snack Mix-Munchalot/Mxd Munchie
Sunridge Snack Mix-Tropical Sunshine,Org
Sunridge Snack Mix-Chocolate Paradise,Org
Sunridge Snack Mix-Oriental Party Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Zen Party Mix
Mixed Nuts-Tamari Nut Mix Sunridge
Sunridge Snack Mix-High Sierra Sun Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Tropical Trail Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Fancy Trail Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Hey!Santa Fe Party Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Bellwether Super Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Zesta Fiesta Party Mix
Sunridge Snacks-Deluxe Trail Mix
Sunridge Snacks-Mountain Trail Mix
Peanuts-Dry Roasted,Chili Lemon Sunridge
Peanuts-Dry Roasted,Garlic Sunridge
Mixed Nuts-Honey W/Macadamias Sunridge
Sunridge Candy Mix-Cherry Pcan Van Dream
Sunridge Candy-Choc Pnut Cluster, Malt
Sunridge Candy-Carob Peanut Clusters
Sunridge Candy-Carob Peanut Cluster,Cane
Sunridge Candy-Choc Pnut Carml,Milk Cane
Sunridge Candy-Choc Peanuts, Milk (Cane)
Sunridge Candy-Energy Nuggets
Sunridge Candy-Choc Peanuts, Milk (Malt)
Peanuts-Dry Roasted,Jalapeno Sunridge
Peanut Butter Stock-Choc Chip Mix, Org
Sunridge Snack Mix-Treasure Trove Mix
Sunridge Candy-Yogurt Peanut Clusters
Sunridge Candy-Yogurt Peanuts
Sunridge Candy-Choc Pnut Clstr,Milk,Cane
Sunridge Candy-Toffee, Butter Peanut,Org
Sunridge Snack Mix-Energy Power Mix
Sunridge Candy Mix-Bridge, Golden
Sunridge Candy Mix-Pebble Dreams
Sunridge Candy Mix-Mocha Marble Crunch
Sunridge Snack Mix-Triple Choc Pecan Mix
Sunridge Candy Mix-Mocha Mrbl Crunch, Fs
Sunridge Snack Mix-Chocolate Nut Crunch
Sunridge Snack Mix-Hit The Trail Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-Zen Party Mix
Sunridge Snack Mix-High Sierra Sun Mix
Sunridge Candy-Cherry Pecan Vanla Dream
Sunridge Candy Mix-Bridge,Choc Milk&Dark
Srf Candy Mix-Over The Edge Cndy Crnch,Org

——————————-

Posted 2/14/09

Here are the added recalls as of this morning (2/14):

Bulk

We have issued a recall for the following bulk peanut products sold before Feb. 1 in our stores in Southern California, Las Vegas, Arizona and Hawaii.
-Self-serve Grinder Peanut Butter – PLU 7121
-Self-serve Grinder Honey Roasted Peanut Butter – PLU 8579
-Self-serve Grinder Chocolate Peanut Butter – PLU 8946
-Bulk Fresh Peanut Butter – PLU 7121
-Bulk Fresh Honey Roasted Peanut Butter – PLU 8579
-Bulk Fresh Chocolate Peanut Butter – PLU 8946

There have been no reported illnesses or adverse effects from these products. Any customers who have these items are encouraged to return them for a full refund.

Vendor Bulk Items

Heavenly Candy Peanut Bliss (Bulk) PLU: 9157

Vendor Products

Honey Peanut Balance Bars – (No other varieties of Balance Bars including Yogurt Honey Peanut Balance Bars are impacted by this recall.)

Cougar Mountain Baking multiple cookie and cookie dough items (Pacific Northwest Region stores)

Odwalla:
Odwalla Peanut Crunch Bars (Best by dates Prior to OCT 10 09)
Chocolate Chip Peanut Odwalla Bars (Best by dates Prior to OCT 10 09)
Sweet & Salty Peanut Odwalla Bars (ALL LOTS)
Sweet & Salty Trail Mix Odwalla Bars (ALL LOTS)

LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie flavor snack bar [Lot: "Best if used by" date codes of 30Jan2010FL, 31Jan2010FL, 02Feb2010FL, 03Feb2010FL & 04Feb2010FL]

Cascadian Farm:
Peanut Butter Chip Chewy Granola Bars [ALL LOTS]
Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts Chewy Granola Bars [ALL LOTS]
Sweet and Salty Peanut Pretzel Chewy Granola Bars [ALL LOTS].

Golden Temple WHA GURU CHEW Peanut Cashew bars [Lots: 040909 & 041509]

Garden of Life fücoPROTEIN Peanut Butter Crunch bars (formerly called
Perfect Weight America Peanut Butter Crunch bars)

Dr. Melina’s Chocolate Peanut flavor Protein Bars

Theo Chocolate Peanut Butter Big Daddy Bar and 12 piece collection box

Previously Recalled Items: (as of 2/15/09)

1. Various bulk bin items. The bulk departments in our stores are supplied by many different vendors. Some peanut-containing products may be recalled from some stores but not from others due to the different vendors. Individual stores have specific information available about the bulk peanut products in their specific store. Interacting with your local store is the safest way to ensure you get the most accurate information about any products you have purchased. Recalled bulk products may include:

Salted redskin peanuts not all stores but from some vendors
Blanched raw peanuts (bulk and pre-pack) not all stores but from some vendors
Dry-roasted salted peanuts (bulk and pre-pack) not all stores but from some vendors
Honey roasted peanuts not all stores but from some vendors
Pre-packed oil roasted salted redskin/skinless Spanish Peanuts not all stores but from some vendors
Raw Spanish Peanuts not all stores but from some vendors
Bulk peanut butter stock not all stores but from some vendors

2.   LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie;
3.   JamFrakas Peanut Butter BlissCrisp snack bars;
4.   ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars;
5.   ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee bars;
6.   Multiple Clif bar products:

Clif Crunchy Peanut Butter bars;
Clif Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch bars;
Clif Pecan Toffee Buzz bars;
Clif Mini’s Variety Pack;
Clif 24-count Variety Pack;
Clif Builder’s Peanut Butter bars;
Cliff Builder’s 18-count Variety Pack;
Clif Kid ZBaR Peanut butter bars;
Clif Kid ZBaR Variety Pack

7. Multiple Luna products:

Luna Nutz Over Chocolate bars;
Luna Peanut Butter Cookie bars;
Luna Mini’s Variety Pack

8. Multiple MOJO products:

MOJO Honey Roasted Peanut bars;
MOJO Mixed Nuts bars;
MOJO Mountain Mix bars;
MOJO Peanut Butter Pretzel bars;
MOJO Dipped Chocolate Peanut bars;
MOJO Dipped Peanut Butter & Jelly bars;
MOJO Dipped Fruit & Nut bars;

9.   Health Valley Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars
10.   Nature’s Path Optimum Energy Bars Peanut Butter flavor bars
11.   ThinkThin Dark Chocolate
12.   ThinkThin Chocolate Mudslide
13.   Can Do Kid Chocolate Crunch Bars
14.   Can Do Kid Cookies & Cream Bars
15.   Chunks of Energy Carob/Hawaiian Spirulina
16.   Chunks of Energy HIGH COUNTRY GORP
17.   Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets (States: California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington)
18.   Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies
19.   Uncle Eddies Individual Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (Region: SP)
20.   Uncle Eddies Individual Organic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (Regions: NA, NE, MA, SO, FL, MW, SW: LA, KY only)
21.   SunRidge Chocolate Energy Bar (BULK) (Regions: SP, NC, FL, MA, MW, NA, NE, SO & SW: LA Only)
22.   SunRidge Energy Nuggets (NOT BULK) (Regions: SP, NC)
23.   Tofu Energee Nuggets (Region: SP)
24.   Marin Carob Energee Nuggets
25.   Aurora Caribbean Crunch Grail mix (NE and possibly NA)
26.   Arico Peanut Butter Cookies
27.   Arico Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
28.   Multiple Simbree products: (Region: PN)

Simbree Oat Almond Pistash
Simbree Almond Pistachio Energy Bites
Simbree Oat Bites with Peanuts, Almonds and Pistachios

29.   Thai Curry with Peanuts Seasoning Mix by Barron Specialty Foods (bulk and individual jars)
30.   Ethnic Gourmet Chicken Pad Thai
31.   Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Shrimp
32.   Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Tofu
33.   Gluten Free Café Asian Noodles
34.   Bear Naked Appalachian Trail Mix
35.   Detour brand products (Regions: SW and RM)

Runner Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
Biker Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
Core Strength Caramel Peanut bars

36. Kashi TLC products:

Chewy Granola Bars Trail Mix
Chewy Granola Bars Honey Almond Flax
Chewy Granola Bars Peanut Peanut Butter
Chewy Granola Bar Shippers
Chewy Granola Bars Club Pack
GoLean Crunch Honey Almond Flax Cereal *not in recall: only the Kashi TLC Chewy Honey Almond Flax Granola Bar sample that was shrink-wrapped to the cereal box is being recalled.
Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookies
Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookie Club Pack
Happy Trail Mix Chewy Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Flax Chewy Cookies
Chewy Cookies display shipper

37. Genisoy Organic Apple Cinnamon Soy Protein Bars
38. Genisoy Soy Protein Bars:

Chocolate Fudge Brownie, 2.2oz
Fudge Cookies & Cream, 2.2oz
Café Mocha Fudge, 2.2oz
Crispy Chocolate Mint, 2.2oz
Chunky Peanut Butter Fudge 2.2oz
Creamy Peanut Yogurt, 2.2oz

39.   Thai Coconut Panko Crust by Barron Specialty Foods
40.   Glutino Organic Chocolate & Peanuts Bars
41.   Chunks of Energy Mixed Berry Blast
42.   Chunks of Energy CRANBERRY APRICOT,OG
43.   Earth Island Follow Your Heart Deli Thai Peanut Tofu Wrap 10oz (SoPac Only)
44.   Pure Butter CRICKLE, Peanut, Green Gift Box 8z (MA & SO)
45.   Organic Fiber Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate [Best By Dates of: May 2009 & Aug 2009]
46.   Kariba Farms Thai Peanut NutCrusters Coating Mix
47.   KA-ME Green Tea Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix (FL)
48.   Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies (NA & NE)
49.   Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies – Snack Pack (NA & NE)
50.   Boston Cookies Peanut Fudge Brownies (NA & NE)
51.   Fabes Mini Peanut Butter Cookies (some regions)
52.   Erin Baker’s Home-style Granola – Peanut Butter (MA & PNW)
53.   SunSpire Organic Dark Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Clusters (some regions)
54.   Garden of Life fücoPROTEIN Peanut Butter Crunch bars
55.   Golden Temple WHA GURU CHEW Peanut Cashew bars – (MW, PNW & SoPac)
56.   Cascadian Farm Peanut Butter Chip Chewy Granola Bars]
57.   Cascadian Farm Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts Chewy Granola Bars
58.   Cascadian Farm Sweet and Salty Peanut Pretzel Chewy Granola Bars
59.   Odwalla Peanut Crunch Bars
60.   Chocolate Chip Peanut Odwalla Bars
61.   Sweet & Salty Peanut Odwalla Bars
62.   Sweet & Salty Trail Mix Odwalla Bars
63.   Cougar Mountain Baking Cookie items – (PNW Only)
64.   Honey Peanut Balance Bars
65.   Heavenly Candy Peanut Bliss – (MW, NorCal, PNW, RM & SW)
66.   Theo Brand Peanut Butter Big Daddy bar
67.   Sunridge Farms Raw Fancy Spanish Peanuts, 10 oz

The following foods, manufactured in Canada, are affected:
see: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/20090203be.shtml

The following foods, manufactured in the United States of America, are affected:
see: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/20090203be.shtml

For the complete list of recalled products, including those listed above; please visit our web site at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/2009typhe.shtml

Peanut Butter Recall — Updated 2/10/09 5pm

Paige Brady — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:15 +0000

******Updated 2/16/09********

Please refer to our latest blog post for updates on the PCA recall.

******* Updated 2/10/09 5pm CST *******

Products added to recall list:

Erin Baker’s Home-style Granola – Peanut Butter flavor
SunSpire Organic Dark Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Clusters

******* Updated 2/6/09 4pm CST *******

Products added to recall list:

Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies
Boston Cookies Peanut Fudge Brownies
Kariba Farms Thai Peanut NutCrusters Coating Mix
KA-ME Green Tea Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix

******Updated 2/4/09 7pm CST******

Products added to recall list:

ReNew Life Formulas Organic Fiber Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate

Bulk:
Caribbean Crunch Grail Mix
Aunt Pattys Trail Mix Org Cascade
Aunt Patty Trail Mix Mt Hood

Lot number expansion for previously recalled items:
Can Do Kid Chocolate Crunch Bars
Can Do Kid Cookies & Cream Bars

The following foods, manufactured in Canada, are affected:
see: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/20090203be.shtml

The following foods, manufactured in the United States of America, are affected:
see: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/20090203be.shtml

For the complete list of recalled products, including those listed above; please visit our web site at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/2009typhe.shtml

*****Updated 2/3/09 5pm CST*****

Items added to recall list:

Earth Island Follow Your Heart Deli Thai Peanut Tofu Wrap
Pure Butter Crickle, Peanut – Green Gift Box

Expanded lots announced on previously recalled products:

Ethnic Gourmet Chicken Pad Thai
ThinkThin Dark Chocolate
ThinkThin Chocolate Mudslide
*****Updated 2/3/09 9am CST*****

Confirming that our Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse Peanut Butter Cookies are not affected by the recall.

Added to recall list:

Chunks of Energy Mixed Berry Blast
Chunks of Energy Cranberry Apricot, Organic

****Updated 2/2/09 6pm CST****

Added to recall list:

Genisoy Organic Apple Cinnamon Soy Protein Bars

Glutino Organic Chocolate & Peanuts Bars

Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Trail Mix
Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Honey Almond Flax
Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Peanut Peanut Butter
Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Club Pack
Kashi™ TLC™ Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookies
Kashi™ TLC™ Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookie Club Pack
Kashi™ TLC™ Happy Trail Mix Chewy Cookies
Kashi™ TLC™ Oatmeal Raisin Flax Chewy Cookies

***Updated 2/2/09 11am CST***

Added to recall list: Detour Bars, several varieties including Runner, Biker and Core Strength. No national distribution.

***Updated 1/31/09 6pm CST***

More products have been added to the recall list. See bottom of this post for the full list.

Packaged items added to recall 1/31/09:

Barron Specialty Foods’ Thai Curry with Peanuts Seasoning Mix
Ethnic Gourmet Chicken Pad Thai
Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Shrimp
Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Tofu
Gluten Free Café Asian Noodles
Bear Naked Appalachian Trail Mix

Bulk items added to recall 1/31/09:
Milk Chocolate Peanuts
Carob Peanuts
Chocolate Bridge Mix
5-Grain Granola
Yogurt Peanuts

Please note: Many manufacturers receive their supply of ingredients from multiple vendors. Therefore, not all products listed below are recalled in total, but rather specific lot or batch numbers made on certain dates. Please link through to our Product Recalls page to get more specifics directly from each manufacturer.

Also, the Clifbar, Luna & Mojo items and the Nature’s Path Optimum Energy Bars listed below have been expanded to include additional lot numbers.

**Updated 1/30/09 5pm CST**

Numerous packaged and bulk products added to recall list at bottom of post.

*Updated 1/30/09 4pm CST*

Our Private Label Products Not Sourced from PCA

Whole Foods Market has determined through the vendors of our private label products that none of these items contain peanuts or peanut butter sourced from the recalled suppliers. You may continue to enjoy:

Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse Peanut Butter Cookies added 2/3/09
365 Organic Peanut Butter Pretzels
Whole Ranch Thai Peanut Marinade
365 Organic Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter
365 Organic Organic No Salt Creamy Peanut Butter
365 Organic Organic Unsweetened Creamy Peanut Butter
365 Organic Organic Creamy Peanut Butter
365 Creamy Peanut Butter
365 Crunchy Peanut Butter
Whole Paws Hip & Joint Formula Dog Biscuits
Whole Paws Healthy Coat Formula Dog Biscuits
365 Organic Organic Honey Roasted Mixed Sesame Bar
365 Organic Organic Honey Roasted Granola Bar
365 Organic Organic Honey Roasted Cranberry Delight Bar
365 Organic Organic Honey Roasted Trail Mix Bar
365 Peanuts Roasted & Salted
365 Peanuts in Shell Salted Ballpark
365 Peanuts in Shell Unsalted Ballpark
365 Roasted & Salted Peanuts
365 Peanuts Salted in Shell
365 Peanuts Unsalted in Shell
365 Peanuts Roasted & Salted
365 Cranberry Trail Mix
Whole Kitchen Cashew Chicken
Whole Kitchen Pad Thai
Whole Catch Pad Thai: Shrimp
365 Organic Organic Peanut Butter Cookies
365 Organic Peanut Butter Cookies
365 Organic Organic Peanut Butter Pows
365 Organic Organic Fruit, Chocolate & Nut Mix
365 Organic Roasted Salted Redskin Peanuts
365 Organic Roasted Unsalted Redskin Peanuts
365 Organic Chocolate Banana & Nut Mix
365 Organic Organic Peanut Sauce

Source ingredients for bulk, bakery and prepared foods items are being investigated.

You are welcome to return any peanut-containing product to our stores for a full refund.

We will provide updates on recalled items from other vendors as we learn of them.

–

Original Post 1/29/09

The Peanut Butter Corporation of American (PCA) has now expanded their recall to include all styles of peanuts and peanut products processed in its Blakely, Georgia, facility since January 1, 2007. The recall now includes products that contain:
* peanut granules
* peanut meal
* dry roasted peanuts
* oil roasted peanuts
* peanut butter
* peanut paste

This greatly expands the scope of this health issue and every manufacturer of peanut-containing foods, including us, will need to re-examine their products.

On their website, the FDA continues to state “Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the PCA recall.”

You are welcome to return any peanut-containing product to our stores for a full refund.

We don’t have many answers at this point but wanted to make our customers aware of the situation. Please refer to the FDA’s website for more specifics.

Please note: While new research is being conducted, we will not be able to answer questions about specific peanut related products. We will provide updates to the situation as they become available. Additionally, our answers to previous comments on our former blog post about the recall are not necessarily accurate any longer given the new developments.

As of Thursday, Jan. 29, the following products that we carry have been recalled:

Recalled Packaged Products

Arico Peanut Butter Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookie Bars added 1/30/09
Aurora Caribbean Crunch Grail mix
Barron Specialty Foods’ Thai Curry with Peanuts Seasoning Mix added 1/31/09
Bear Naked Appalachian Trail Mix added 1/31/09
Boston Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies added 2/6/09
Boston Cookies Peanut Fudge Brownies added 2/6/09
Can Do Kid Chocolate Crunch Bars
Can Do Kid Cookies & Cream Bars
Chunks of Energy Carob/Hawaiian Spirulina
Chunks of Energy High Country Gorp
Chunks of Energy Mixed Berry Blast added 2/3/09
Chunks of Energy Cranberry Apricot, Organic added 2/3/09
Clif 24-count Variety Pack
Clif Builder’s Peanut Butter bars
Clif Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch bars
Clif Crunchy Peanut Butter bars
Clif Kid ZBaR Peanut butter bars
Clif Kid ZBaR Variety Pack
Clif Mini’s Variety Pack
Clif Pecan Toffee Buzz bars
Cliff Builder’s 18-count Variety Pack
Detour Bars, several varieties including Runner, Biker and Core Strength added 2/2/09
Earth Island Follow Your Heart Deli Thai Peanut Tofu Wrap added 2/3/09
Erin Baker’s Home-style Granola – Peanut Butter flavor added 2/10/09
Ethnic Gourmet Chicken Pad Thai added 1/31/09
Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Shrimp added 1/31/09
Ethnic Gourmet Pad Thai with Tofu added 1/31/09
Gluten Free Café Asian Noodles added 1/31/09
Genisoy Organic Apple Cinnamon Soy Protein Bars added 2/2/09
Glutino Organic Chocolate & Peanuts Bars added 2/2/09
Health Valley Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars
JamFrakas Peanut Butter BlissCrisp snack bars
KA-ME Green Tea Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix added 2/6/09
Kariba Farms Thai Peanut NutCrusters Coating Mix added 2/6/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Trail Mix added 2/2/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Honey Almond Flax added 2/2/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Peanut Peanut Butter added 2/2/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Chewy Granola Bars Club Pack added 2/2/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookies added 2/2/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookie Club Pack added 2/2/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Happy Trail Mix Chewy Cookies added 2/2/09
Kashi™ TLC™ Oatmeal Raisin Flax Chewy Cookies added 2/2/09
LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie
Luna Mini’s Variety Pack
Luna Nutz Over Chocolate bars
Luna Peanut Butter Cookie bars
Marin Carob Energee Nuggets
MOJO Dipped Chocolate Peanut bars
MOJO Dipped Fruit & Nut bars
MOJO Dipped Peanut Butter & Jelly bars
MOJO Honey Roasted Peanut bars
MOJO Mixed Nuts bars
MOJO Mountain Mix bars
MOJO Peanut Butter Pretzel bars
Nature’s Path Optimum Energy Bars Peanut Butter flavor bars
Pure Butter Crickle, Peanut – Green Gift Box added 2/3/09
ReNew Life Formulas Organic Fiber Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate added 2/4/09
Simbree® Oat Almond Pistash added 1/30/09
Simbree® Almond Pistachio Energy Bites added 1/30/09
Simbree® Oat Bites with Peanuts, Almonds and Pistachios added 1/30/09
SunRidge Chocolate Energy Bar (BULK)
SunRidge Energy Nuggets
SunSpire Organic Dark Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Clusters added 2/10/09
ThinkThin Chocolate Mudslide
ThinkThin Dark Chocolate
Tofu Energee Nuggets
Uncle Eddies Individual Organic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Uncle Eddies Individual Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies
Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets
ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee bars

Recalled Bulk Products added 1/30/09

5-Grain Granola added 1/31/09
Aunt Pattys Trail Mix Org Cascade added 2/4/09
Aunt Patty Trail Mix Mt Hood added 2/4/09
Athlete’s Mix
Baja Fiesta Mix
Cajun Hots
California Supreme Mix
Carob Peanuts added 1/31/09
Caribbean Crunch Grail Mix added 2/4/09
Cascade Trail Mix
Chocolate Bridge Mix added 1/31/09
Choco Cranberry Crunch Mix
Chocolate Cherry Munch Mix
Chocolate Peanuts added 1/31/09
Goji Berry Bliss Mix
Gourmet Trail Mix
Master Zen Party Mix
Mixed Nuts, Extra Fancy, Jr Mam, Halves, Raw from assorted vendors
Mocha Madness Mix
Natural Gourmet Trail Mix
Nuts Over Peanut
On The Trail Mix
Paradise Mix
Peanut Butterstock
Peanuts Blanched OR/NS from assorted vendors
Peanuts Blanched OR/S from assorted vendors
Peanuts Raw Blanched from assorted vendors
Peanuts, Blanched Virginia from assorted vendors
Peanuts, Honey Roasted from assorted vendors
Peanuts, Spanish OR/S
Pocket of Chocolate Mix
Rainbow’s End
Shelled Peanuts from assorted vendors
Sunglow Snack Mix
Sweet Ragin Fire Mix
Wasabi Party Mix
Wasabi Peanuts
Yogurt Passion Mix
Yogurt Peanuts added 1/31/09

Peanut Butter Recalls – Major Expansion

Paige Brady — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:00:03 +0000

******Updated 2/16/09********

Please refer to our latest blog post for updates on the PCA recall.

******Updated 1-29-09*******

The Peanut Butter Corporation of American (PCA) has now expanded their recall to include all types of peanuts and peanut products processed in its Blakely, Georgia, facility since January 1, 2007. This greatly expands the scope of this health issue and every manufacturer of peanut-containing foods, including us, will need to re-examine their products.

Please note: While new research is being conducted, we will not be able to answer questions about specific peanut related products. Please refer to our new blog post for updates to the situation as they become available. Additionally, our answers to previous comments on this blog post about the recall are not necessarily accurate any longer given the new developments.

*****Updated 1/28/09 a.m.*****

Added the following products to the recall list:

Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies
Uncle Eddies Individual Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Uncle Eddies Individual Organic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
SunRidge Chocolate Energy Bar (sold in bulk)
SunRidge Energy Nuggets
****Updated 1/24/09 a.m.****

Last night we announced a recall of our Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets in four states (California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No illnesses have been reported to date, but our product supplier, Marin Foods, notified us of the potential for contamination of Salmonella. The product comes in a nine-ounce, clear plastic package with a label reading “Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets” and bears a UPC of 999482-000274. All lot codes are being recalled. If you purchased Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets, please return them to the store for a full refund.

***Updated 1/23/09 a.m.***

Added additional products to recall list:

Dancing Stars’ Chunks of Energy Carob/Hawaiian Spirulina and High Country Gorp

Can Do Kid Chocolate Crunch and Cookies & Cream Bars

**Updated 1/22/09 p.m.**

Clarification: Many manufacturers receive their supply of ingredients from multiple vendors. Therefore, not all products listed below are recalled in total, but rather specific lot or batch numbers made on certain dates. Please link through to our Product Recalls page to get more specifics directly from each manufacturer.

*Updated 1/22/09 a.m.*

Added additional products to recall list: ThinkThin Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Mudslide Bars

You’ve probably heard by now that due to cases involving salmonella poisoning, the FDA has warned U.S. consumers “to postpone eating commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter-containing products and institutionally-served peanut butter until further information becomes available about which products may be affected.”

Before we get into exactly what this means and what Whole Foods Market is doing about it, we wanted to share the latest safety recall information on products sold in our stores.

Recalled products we sell:

*Note: Many manufacturers receive their supply of ingredients from multiple vendors. Therefore, not all products listed below are recalled in total, but rather specific lot or batch numbers made on certain dates. Please link through to our Product Recalls page to get more specifics directly from each manufacturer.

Can Do Kid Chocolate Crunch and Cookies & Cream Bars *** added 1/23/09
Clif Bars: Crunchy Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch, Peanut Toffee Buzz and Variety Pack
Clif Builder’s Bar: Peanut Butter and Variety Pack
Clif Kid ZBaR: Peanut Butter and Variety Pack
Dancing Stars’ Chunks of Energy Carob/Hawaiian Spirulina and High Country Gorp *** added 1/23/09
Health Valley Organic Peanut Crunch Chewy Granola Bars
JamFrakas Peanut Butter BlissCrisp snack bars
LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie
Luna Bars: Nutz Over Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookie and Mini’s Variety pack
MOJO Bar: Honey Roasted Peanut, Mixed Nuts, Mountain Mix, and Peanut Butter Pretzel
MOJO Dipped: Chocolate Peanut, Peanut Butter & Jelly, and Fruit & Nut
Nature’s Path Optimum Energy Bars, Peanut Butter Flavor
SunRidge Chocolate Energy Bar (sold in bulk) *** Added 1/28/09
SunRidge Energy Nuggets *** Added 1/28/09
ThinkThin Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Mudslide Bars *** Added 1/22/09
Uncle Eddies Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chip Cookies *** Added 1/28/09
Uncle Eddies Individual Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies *** Added 1/28/09
Uncle Eddies Individual Organic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies *** Added 1/28/09
Whole Foods Carob Energee Nuggets *** Added 1/23/09
ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars
ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee bars

We will update this list as more information becomes available. Customers may return these products to their local Whole Foods Market store for a full refund. Please note there are other products being recalled that are not listed here because we do not carry them in our stores. The FDA has a searchable database of all recalled peanut butter products.

While the FDA is a United States regulatory body, the individual companies issuing recalls may be recalling their products from Canada as well. Please refer to each company directly for their specific recall information.

We asked our food safety support senior coordinator, John Burns, to help share helpful information about this whole situation. It is quite involved and still unfolding, but here are the basics. The Peanut Butter Corporation of America (PCA) has recalled peanut butter and peanut paste that was produced in its Blakely, Georgia plant because of potential Salmonella contamination. These peanut products were distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in many commercially produced products including cakes, cookies, crackers, candies, cereal and ice cream. The product being recalled is sold by PCA in bulk packaging in containers ranging in size from 5 to 1700 pounds. The peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container. These products are not sold directly to consumers. PCA has stopped all production at its Blakely plant as the FDA continues its investigation into the source of the Salmonella contamination.

Companies that use peanut butter as an ingredient are looking closely at their products to determine if they have used the peanut butter that is under investigation and subsequently a number of companies have pulled products from circulation that they feel are at risk. The only ones recalled thus far that are sold in our stores are listed above.

The FDA investigation is still in its early stages, so we will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and keep you updated about anything that affects the products we sell. You can learn more from the PCA recall notice (pdf) and the FDA website section on the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak.

Polycarbonate Plastics and Bisphenol A

Joe Dickson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:16:57 +0000

We encourage you to join in the forum discussion instead of posting a comment on this blog entry.

Studies about Bisphenol-A (BPA), the plastic monomer used to make polycarbonate plastic, have been getting a ton of media attention lately, and our customers have had quite a few questions about it. While we certainly don’t have all the answers, we wanted to share with you what the research currently shows and what we, as a company, are doing to address the issue.

Over the past 20 years or so, polycarbonate plastic has become ubiquitous in the U.S. It’s very hard, as clear as glass – yet virtually unbreakable, lightweight and inexpensive. Because of these unique properties, it is used widely to make water bottles, aluminum can linings, and many other food containers. But in the past few years, a growing body of research has raised some difficult questions about polycarbonate plastic, and Bisphenol-A (BPA), the monomer out of which the plastic is made.

Dozens of studies have been published on the subject in the last few years, and they show that in certain quantities, Bisphenol-A can act as an endocrine disruptor. The human body essentially mistakes these substances for its own natural endocrine hormones, which can impact a number of systems in our bodies.

Some studies have also suggested that BPA can leach from polycarbonate plastic, although it has not been clearly established whether the amount of BPA that might leach from food containers causes harm. However, the research that has been done definitely raises some important questions, and we believe that much more work needs to be done to answer these questions and help consumers, businesses and the government understand the safety of this substance.

So, what are we doing on the issue? First, we’re closely following the research as it emerges and keeping our shoppers and team members informed. You can read more about our policies and some of the most recent research on our website. A quick overview of some of the steps we’ve taken to date:

In 2006, we were the first major U.S. retailer to completely ban the use of polycarbonate plastic in baby bottles and child drinking cups. Even though scientific consensus has not established that these products are harmful, we took this precautionary measure because of the emerging evidence of their risk.
We are also actively supporting the transition away from polycarbonate plastic where alternative materials are available. About 2 ½ years ago, most of the individual reusable water bottles in our stores were made from polycarbonate; today this material represents just a small number of the bottles we sell. We’re also working with manufacturers in other areas (aluminum cans, for example) to encourage the development of alternative packaging.
Our Quality Standards team is carefully following the research on this topic, and we’re working with some of the leading researchers in this field to understand their findings.

Our goal is to offer our shoppers alternatives to suspected endocrine-active packaging materials where they exist. Changing packaging is quite an involved process, and we promise that we will continue to closely examine the packaging materials used in our stores and search for the safest and most functional options.

I said, the research is ongoing into this issue and we want to know what you think about all of this. To that end, we’ve set up a discussion on Bisphenol-A in our online forum – please join us! This is a place for you to make a comment, share your concerns, alert us to research or anything else you want to share on the topic of BPA. We’ll keep you posted on the latest developments as we learn about them. We certainly don’t have all the answers but we are planning to stay on the leading edge of this issue and understand the questions.

We encourage you to join in the forum discussion instead of posting a comment on this blog entry.

The Safety of Meat at Whole Foods Market

Edmund LaMacchia — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:57:14 +0000

Edmund LaMacchia is our Global Vice President of Procurement.

We know our customers put a great deal of trust in us and because of this recent beef recall; we feel we have let you down. But first I’d like to tell you that no one is more disappointed than I am. Our own trust in our beef supplier was misplaced in this instance. We have worked for the last 28 years to establish second-to-none quality and safety standards. With our excellent track record of providing the very best beef products over the years, we have never had a confirmed case of Coli 0157:H7 in our meat departments.

As soon as we learned of the possibility that a small amount of ground beef from our stores in two states could be related to nine people who became sick, we reacted quickly. While we searched for any direct link between the illnesses and meat from our stores – all tests of our beef have so far come back negative for E. coli – we determined it was important for the health of our customers to issue a voluntary recall of ground beef from multiple states that was purchased between June 2 and August 6, 2008.

So, how did this happen? In our investigations since this began, we’ve found out that one of our suppliers, Coleman Natural Beef, for a short time, used an unauthorized processing plant, Nebraska Beef, to process some of the natural beef products it shipped to us this summer. While Coleman’s quality standards have always been high, they were recently bought by another company, and ensuing changes apparently lead to confusion about which plants were approved to send products to Whole Foods Market.

While we don’t like to be part of any recall, it is important to note that most of the meat in question went to other retailers. Almost 12 hours after we issued our voluntary recall, Nebraska Beef announced a recall of its own, targeting the same beef. Of the 1.2 million pounds in the Nebraska Beef recall, only about 4 percent of that was destined for Whole Foods Market stores. That means the VAST MAJORITY of the beef in question went to other retailers.

Because our voluntary announcement and the Nebraska Beef Class 1 recall were announced during the same 24-hour period, the media has gotten details of the story wrong on many accounts. It’s really important that our customers know that we absolutely do have our own processes in place for quality and safety, and we have worked very hard to create the highest standards for meat in the grocery business. Even so, we are taking a really close look at them now, investigating any possible areas of vulnerability. We know that we need to earn your trust back and I’d like to start that process by detailing some of the steps we have in place now and explain our initial plans for strengthening them.

Evaluating the suppliers: Every beef supplier who wants to sell to Whole Foods Market must provide us with extensive information, detailing their practices around food safety and the humane treatment of their animals. We ask about raising practices, transportation of animals, slaughterhouse procedures, and conditions at the meat processing plants. This is about as far as most grocery stores go in vetting meat suppliers. We don’t stop there — Whole Foods Market visits farms and ranches and sends independent, third-party professional auditors to the facilities involved to check that the conditions described by the supplier are accurate. Once we’ve confirmed that a supplier meets our quality and safety standards, we continue to monitor each supplier with annual audits.

Evaluating the facilities: Likewise, all suppliers must have the slaughterhouses and meat processing plants they use approved under the same Whole Foods Market process listed above. Our food safety audits of these facilities include checking bacteria levels, ensuring that equipment is maintained correctly, that meat is processed through required sanitation baths and that temperature logs are updated. If a supplier changes facilities, they are required to notify us.

Evaluating product: When beef products arrive at our distribution centers and stores, we follow receiving standards such as checking temperatures, and invoices, and double-checking weight to ensure quality and food safety. We have third-party auditors check distribution centers and stores for their food safety processes and cleanliness, and grade their performance on these issues with regularity.

So what changes can we make to this process to ensure further safety for our customers? The first thing we’ve done is implement an audit of the chain of custody of every shipment of meat before it is sent to our distribution centers. And our Team Members must be able to determine upon arrival to our distribution centers if a product is from an approved processing plant, or they will not accept the shipment.

Also, we will be requesting additional E. coli tests onsite at approved processing plants, and we’ll conduct further random testing via third-party visits.

Whole Foods Market is committed to finding new ways of doing business and addressing challenges head-on. While a problem like this is never pleasant to deal with, we know that we can grow, learn and come out stronger on the other side. I hope that you will continue to shop with us and I give you my promise that we have smart, dedicated people working diligently to ensure that safety issues that can be avoided don’t come up again.

If you have specific questions about our meat safety processes, please send a comment and I’ll try to address them.

Voluntary Ground Beef Recall

Paige Brady — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:12:37 +0000

Edited from an August 8, 2008 Press Release

In response to state and federal investigations into an E. coli outbreak, we’ve announced a voluntary multi-state recall of fresh ground beef sold between June 2 and August 6, 2008 because of a concern that it may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria.

We’ve been informed that the beef in question apparently came from Coleman Natural Beef whose Nebraska Beef processing plant was previously subject to a nationwide recall for E. coli 0157:H7 contamination. At the time of the previous recall, we received assurances from Coleman Natural Beef that no product delivered to our stores was linked to the recall. Those assurances are now in question and we are actively investigating the issue. At this time, no Coleman Natural Beef fresh ground beef products from the Nebraska Beef processing facility are available in any Whole Foods Market stores.

“While Coleman Natural Beef is a relatively small supplier for Whole Foods Market, we are extremely disappointed that we must now question Coleman’s assurances,” said Edmund Lamacchia, global vice president of procurement. Neither Coleman Natural Beef nor Nebraska Beef are owned or operated by Whole Foods Market.

At this time, although the illnesses allegedly linked to Whole Foods Market are in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, we chose to broaden our voluntary recall to the following states out of an abundance of caution: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D. C., Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Canada.

The recalls come as a result of investigations into confirmed cases of E. coli 0157:H7 contamination in Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The investigations include supermarkets Dorothy Lane and Kroger, as well as beef suppliers and processors such as Coleman Natural Beef and Nebraska Beef, and are still ongoing as state and federal agencies work to determine the source of the outbreak. As a precaution, on August 6th, we voluntarily pulled shipments of beef from Coleman from our stores nationwide. No beef associated with the recall is currently on any of our meat counter shelves. Customers can continue to shop our meat departments with confidence.

We are asking customers who may have ground beef purchased between June 2nd and August 6th (check your freezer) to dispose of the product and return to the store with the packaging or receipt for a full refund.

“At Whole Foods Market, one of our top priorities is consumer safety, and we go to great lengths to ensure the safety and quality of our meats,” said Lamacchia. “We are currently cooperating with the USDA, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Montgomery County Health Department in Pennsylvania as part of a routine multi-state investigation into these confirmed cases of E. coli 0157:H7 infection.”

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued warnings about the targeted beef. We will continue to work with state and federal authorities as this investigation progresses, and look forward to providing our customers with the high quality products that they have come to expect.

Whole Story » Food Safety

The FDA Changes Its Tune on Bisphenol-A

Pistachio Manufacturer Recall

Update 4/10/09

Update 4/9/09

Update 4/8/09

Update 4/7/09

Update 4/6/09

Please read the April 3rd update for information on bulk pistachios in each of our regions.

Update 4/3/09

——————————

Update 4/1/09

Pull and Hold Released

————————————

Posted 3/31/09

Peanut Recall Update 3/10/09

**Update on 3/10/09**

**Update on 3/6/09**

**Update on 3/2/09**

Update From 2/26/09:

————————————————————

Here are the recalled items carried in our stores as of 3/10/09:

Contact your local store about recalled bulk products, including:

Peanut Recall — Update 2/20/09

*Updated 2/20/09*

*Updated 2/18/09*

Here are the recalled items carried in our stores as of noon on 2/20/09:

Contact your local store about recalled bulk products, including:

Peanut Recall – 2/16/09

*Updated 2/16/09*

Several additions to recall

*Posted 2/14/09*

Peanut Butter Recall — Updated 2/10/09 5pm

Peanut Butter Recalls – Major Expansion

Polycarbonate Plastics and Bisphenol A

The Safety of Meat at Whole Foods Market

Voluntary Ground Beef Recall

Update on 3/10/09

Update on 3/6/09

Update on 3/2/09

Updated 2/20/09

Updated 2/18/09

Updated 2/16/09

Posted 2/14/09