Friday, November 22, 2013

Pop, Pop...... Stop Popping Microwave Packaged Popcorn


There was a time when things were simply delicious while we all waited less than five minutes for popcorn. There's something special about homemade snacks and desserts, they're just tastier and now we may be on to something especially with popping popcorn.We would get a nice size pot, pour in oil to lightly cover the bottom of the pot, add some kernels cover the pot and listen for the popping to begin, at times the cover lifted as the popcorn fluffs it way to an overflow. We would pour it into a large bowl, add salt and enjoy - all within five minutes.

Once the microwave popcorn hit the shelves, the patience for popping popcorn or perhaps the ease of preparation of placing the bag in the microwave became the most convenient way to go.

As reseach studies go, time and observation has determined that this fantastic convenient method of the microwave packaged popcorn is unhealthy, which may cause cancer and other health related illnesses. Thankfully, all is not lost. We can still pop our popcorn within minutes in the microwave as demonstarted in the video below.



And now for the old fashion homemade popping with tips to add your own fancy toppings :-)



Here's to a healthier and tasty treat :-)

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Food and Drug Administration - Important Food & Drug Safety Recalls

Are you on to the latest recalls? Did you know that there are health food products sold in a major health food chain stores? Organic products? Dietarty supplements that may cause liver failure and one that should only be administered by a doctor? Baby Food? and even Pet foods? Your health and wellness depends on you. Be an informed consumer :-)

As of November 13, 2013 the 3 Fellers LLC is voluntarily initiating a product recall of 3 Fellers Chocolate Cream Pies with the UPC# 891796002732 as a precautionary measure. The recall was initiated after it was discovered by the company that the product may contain undeclared almonds. People who are allergic to almonds could have a serious or life-threatening reaction if they consume this product. For consumers who are not allergic to almonds, there is no safety issue with the product. The company has received no reports of illnesses associated with this product.

This recall affects products with BEST BY DATES prior to 5/7/2014 on the bottom of the container. Products that have BEST BY DATES prior to 5/7/2014, but declare the allergen (almonds) on the label, are not included in this recall.

These products were distributed to Southern California, Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and Kentucky.

No other 3 Fellers branded products are affected by this voluntary recall. Only products sold in the geographical area listed above are potentially affected.

Consumers in possession of the recalled product that have an allergy to almonds should not consume it and should discard it. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (804) 556-0671, Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm, EDT.

Whole Foods is one of the most famous health food product stores which is a favorite of many health conscious shoppers.

November 12, 2013 - Whole Foods Market’s Northern California region is recalling ready-to-eat Artichoke Wheatberry Salad and Southwest SooFoo®* Salad in response to a recall issued today by Glass Onion Catering. The salads are being recalled as a preventive measure because they have the potential to be contaminated with E. coli O157:h7, a bacteria that may cause illness.

Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection may include abdominal cramps and diarrhea which is often bloody. Most infected people recover within a week; however, some may develop complications that require hospitalization. Young children and the elderly are at highest risk for a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which includes kidney failure. To date, 26 illnesses have been reported; however, none of the illnesses are linked to products specifically sold at Whole Foods Market.

Customers may have purchased the Artichoke Wheatberry Salad and Southwest SooFoo Salad from the fresh deli case, salad bar and/or in pre-packed pint or half-pint containers in the Prepared Foods department. Both products have been pulled from all venues and carry an expiration date between Nov. 9 and Nov. 13. Four PLUs are associated with these salads:

28563300000- Artichoke Wheatberry Salad
28563400000- Artichoke Wheatberry Salad
28563700000- Southwest SooFoo Salad
28563800000- Southwest SooFoo Salad
The recalled salads were sold in the following 10 of the company’s 40 Northern California stores:

Capitola, 1710 41st Ave, Capitola, CA 95010
Fremont, 3111 Mowry Ave., Fremont, CA 94538
Oakland, 230 Bay Place, Oakland, CA 94612
Lafayette, 3502 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549
Los Gatos, 15980 Los Gatos Blvd, Los Gatos, CA 94032
Napa, 3682 Bel Aire Plaza, Napa, CA 94558
Noe Valley, 3950 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Redwood City, 1250 Jefferson Ave, Redwood City, CA 94062
San Mateo, 1010 Park Pl, San Mateo, CA 94403
Walnut Creek, 1333 Newell Ave, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Customers who have purchased these products should discard them, and may bring in a receipt to any of the above stores for a full refund.

Questions about the recall can be directed to 512-477-5566, ext. 20060, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.


On November 11, 2013 - Palmer Candy Company of Sioux City, IA is recalling 102 cases of HyVee Chocolate Caramel Clusters and 90 cases HyVee Chocolate Covered Caramels because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have an allergy to peanuts run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

The recalled product was distributed throughout the Midwest to HyVee Stores.

The recalled products can be identified by the following:

HyVee Chocolate Caramel Clusters – UPC 7723212515 9 oz plastic tub with the following lot code: Sell By: 04/07/14 F30202 located on the bottom of each tub.
HyVee Chocolate Covered Caramels – UPC 7723212520 12 oz plastic tub with the following lot code: Sell By: 10/07/14 F30202 located on the bottom of each tub.
No illnesses have been reported in connection with either of the products being recalled.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the HyVee Chocolate Caramel Clusters were mispackaged in HyVee Chocolate Covered Caramel labels. The HyVee Chocolate Covered Caramel label does not list peanuts as an ingredient.

Consumers who have purchased HyVee Chocolate Caramel Clusters or HyVee Chocolate Covered Caramels are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Palmer Candy Company (800) 831-0828, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM.


While trying to lose weight, some may turn to supplements to give them a boost. However on November 9, 2013 – USPlabs LLC, Dallas, TX is voluntarily conducting a national recall of all lots and sizes of the OxyElite Pro dietary supplement products listed below. These products contain Aegeline, a synthesized version of a natural extract from the Bael tree.

Epidemiological evidence shows that use of these products has been associated with serious adverse health consequences, namely serious liver damage or acute liver failure, concentrated in Hawaii. Investigations are ongoing into a potential causal relationship. The Company agrees with FDA that a national recall is appropriate as a precautionary measure. Product was distributed nationwide through retail stores, mail orders and direct delivery.

OxyElite Pro Super Thermo capsules
2 count capsules UPC #094922417275
10 count capsules UPC #094922417251
10 count capsules UPC #094922417268
21 count capsules UPC #094922426604
90 count capsules UPC #094922395573
90 count capsules "Pink label" UPC #094922447906
180 count capsules UPC #094922447852

OxyElite Pro Ultra-Intense Thermo capsules
3 count capsules UPC #094922447883
3 count capsules UPC #094922447876
90 count capsules UPC #094922395627
180 count capsules UPC #094922447869

OxyElite Pro Super Thermo Powder
Fruit Punch 0.15 oz UPC #094922417237
Fruit Punch 0.15 oz UPC #094922447517
Fruit Punch 4.6 oz UPC #094922426369
Fruit Punch 5 oz. UPC #094922447487
Blue Raspberry 4.6 oz UPC #094922426376
Grape Bubblegum 4.6 oz UPC #094922447500
Green Apple 4.6 oz. UPC #094922426499

No other products produced by USPlabs are subject to recall. Consumers who have purchased the products should immediately discontinue use of the product and return it to where they purchased it for a refund. Contact your health care professional if you have experienced any adverse effects.

Consumers can contact USPlabs at 1(800) 890-3067 (Monday-Friday, 9 am - 5 pm EST) or info@usplabsdirect.com. Adverse reactions may be reported to the FDA MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/getforms.htm, by regular mail, or by FDA's MedWatch Hotline 1-800-FDA-1088.


November 8, 2013 — Sequel Naturals Inc., dba “Vega,” announced today that it has taken the precautionary measure of voluntarily withdrawing a limited quantity of its Vega One Nutritional Shakes and Sports Performance Protein products due to finding trace amounts of chloramphenicol (CAP), a naturally occurring antibiotic.

Chloramphenicol is a prescription drug commonly used to treat typhoid fever and eye infections around the world. It should only be used under medical supervision. It has been associated with rare cases of aplastic anemia and allergic reactions in some people. A leading expert on CAP says that there have been no known cases of anemia caused by residual amounts found in food. Pregnant or lactating women should avoid this medication.

None of the Vega product formulations include CAP as an ingredient; however, an enzyme that was provided by a third party supplier, which constitutes less than 1% of the product ingredients, was found to contain trace amounts of CAP.

As a precautionary measure, Vega is voluntarily withdrawing all of the listed product from the market and has taken steps to ensure all future products are CAP-free, including using a different source of enzymes to prevent further potential contamination and assure consumers of product purity. These actions complete a voluntary product withdrawal and ingredient resourcing that applied to Canadian products as well.

“We’re doing this out of an overabundance of caution and to ensure that when you go to the shelf, you never have to wonder about the purity of a Vega product,” said Charles Chang, Vega President and Founder.

The Vega products were distributed nationwide in retail stores.

People who have severe sensitivity or allergies to chloramphenicol may run the risk of an allergic reaction if they consume these products. There have been no reported allergic reactions from the listed products. See complete table HERE


Oh baby, baby food on November 8, 2013 – Plum Organics is voluntarily recalling pouch products within its Baby Stage 2, Tots Mish Mash and Kids lines after discovering a manufacturing defect that may cause spoilage in some pouches. Recalled products can be identified by the “Best By” dates ranging from 08/05/14 to 12/08/14 and the letters “AT.” Consumers can find a list of affected products at www.plumorganics.com/Nov13Recall.pdf.

Plum has determined that the potential spoilage may cause some pouches to swell. Out of an abundance of caution, Plum is removing all pouches with affected codes.

Parents should not feed any of these products to their children. Consumers who have purchased affected products should contact the Plum Organics Consumer Hotline at 866-495-3774 or send an email to info@plumorganics.com to request a product replacement voucher.

“As a father of two, I know how it feels to want nothing but the very best for our kids and yours,” said Neil Grimmer, president and co-founder of Plum Organics. “Over the years, Plum has worked hard to earn the trust of parents, and we fully intend on maintaining that trust. We are taking every action to ensure that our highest standards are being met.”


And now we share another recall for an important member of the family. On November 4, 2013 - Bailey's Choice LLC. in Waleska, GA is recalling its 5 oz. packages of chicken treats because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The Bailey's Choice Dog Treats included in this expanded recall are the following five-ounce packages of dog treats:

100% Chicken Treat, lot # "Jun 2 2013" sold in Georgia only
100% Chicken Treat, lot # "Jun 3 2013" sold in Georgia only
100% Chicken Breast Treat, lot # "Jun 4 2013" sold in Georgia only
100% Chicken Treat, lot # "Jun 15 2013" sold in Georgia only
100% Chicken Treat, lot # "Jul 8 2013" sold in Georgia only
100% Chicken Treat, lot # "Jul 11 2013" sold in Georgia only
100% Teriyaki Chicken Treat, lot # 132881 sold in Georgia and North Carolina
The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) revealed the presence of Salmonella in some 5 oz. packages of chicken treats.

Production of the product has been suspended while GDA and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem. The FDA is monitoring the situation.

Consumers who have purchased 5 oz. packages of Bailey's Choice chicken treats are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 770-881-0526 between 9:00AM and 6:00PM EST.

For more recalls - FDA SAFETY RECALLS



Friday, November 8, 2013

♬ A Change Will Do You Good ♬ Bye, Bye, Trans Fats :-)



Hooray to the Food and Drug Administration for improving our health and wellness. The media is all a buzz about the latest move by the FDA to ban trans fats. While arteries rejoice :-)

Dr Thomas Frieden the director of the Center for Disease Control sits with PBS Newshour Judy Woodruff to explain this very important health change. Change is good..........