Red Onions, Bag Salads Recalled for Possible Listeria

FOOD SAFETY ALERT – LISTERIA

Red Onions, Bag Salads Recalled for Possible Listeria

The Kane County Health Department sent a press release Monday to keep residents up to date on possible contaminations of red onions and bag salads distributed in the area.

Gills Onions, LLC of Oxnard, CA over the weekend initiated a voluntary recall of 2,360 pounds of diced red onions with lot code 51RDA1A2119 and use-by-dates May 14, 15 and 17, 2012 because it may be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. The product is beyond its use-by-date, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall, and no other Gills Onions product is affected by this recall. Anyone who has the recalled product in their possession should discard it.

River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC of Salinas, CA, also announced over the weekend that it is voluntarily recalling retail and foodservice bagged salads because they have the potential of being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Retail salad products under this recall were distributed nationwide under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Farm Stand, Hy-Vee, Marketside, Shurfresh, and The Farmer’s Market. Foodservice salad products under this recall were distributed nationwide, including Illinois, under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Cross Valley, Fresh n Easy, Promark, and Sysco. 

The recalled retail and foodservice salad bags have either “Best By” code dates between 12MAY2012 and 22MAY2012 or Julian dates between 116 and 125. The code date is typically located in the upper right hand corner of the bags. 

There have been NO reported illnesses associated with this recall. Consumers who have purchased this product should not consume it and are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions can contact River Ranch at their 24-hour customer service center at 1-800-762-7708.

The recalled diced red onions were distributed directly from Gills Onions to retailers in Canada and retailers and foodservice distributors in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Arkansas, Ohio, Tennessee, New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida. 

The recalled product was sold at retail and packaged in a 7-ounce clear plastic clamshell, labeled Gills Onions with the May 17, 2012, use-by-date and the lot code 51RDA1A2119 stamped on the UPC label. The UPC number in Canada is 643550 00045 0 and the UPC number in the United States is 643550 00041 2.

However, since this number can also be on other products, you can refer to the lot code in order to identify the recalled product. Product sold to foodservice customers was packaged in 5-pound clear plastic bags, identified as Gills Onions Diced Red Onions, and stamped with an expiration date of May 14 or 15, 2012. The lot code 51RDA1A2119 is also stamped on both the bag and box.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. 

This voluntary recall was initiated as a result of a routine and random test directed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Consumers with questions may contact Gills Onions at 1-800-348-2255. Please visit the website at www.gillsonions.com for updates.

 

SOURCE: Kane County Health Department

Bill & Sheila’s Food Safety – Bacterial Infections – listeria


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Red bulb onions worth P1.4M, imported without permit from India, destroyed

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Red bulb onions worth P1.4M, imported without permit from India, destroyed

By Elias O. Baquero

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Red onions, sometimes called purple onions, are cultivars of the onion with purplish red skin and white flesh tinged with red. These onions tend to be medium to large in size and have a mild to sweet flavor. They are often consumed raw, grilled or lightly cooked with other foods, or added as color to salads. They tend to lose their redness when cooked.

Red onions are available throughout the year. The red color comes from anthocyanidins such as cyanidin. Red onions are high in flavonoids. They can be stored 3 to 4 months at room temperature.

The red onion from Turda (Cluj County, Central Romania) (Romanian: “Ceapa de Turda”) is a local variety of red onion with light sweeter taste and particular aroma. The area of cultivation encompass the lower Arie? valley and the middle Mure? valley. Turda onion bulbs are traditionally intertwined into long strings (1–2 m) for marketing purposes and can be found at the traditional markets all over central Romania. “Turda Red Onion” is usually served fresh, as a salad or part of mixed salads and especially as a compulsory garnish for the traditional bean-and-smoked ham soups. Red onions helps by not getting a heart attack or cancer. They are used as a medicine. They are treatments for colds, diarrhea, intestinal parasites, gallstones, and rheumatism.

The red onion from Tropea, Italy, (Italian: “Cipolla Rossa di Tropea”) is a particular variety of red onion which grows in a small area of Calabria in southern Italy named “Capo Vaticano” near the city of Tropea. This onion has a stronger and sweeter aroma and the inner part is juicier and whiter than other red onions and it is possible to make a marmalade with it. In March 2008, the European Union registered the Protected Designation of Origin mark for the onions produced in this particular area.

Illegal Importation

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu destroyed yesterday P1.4 million worth of red bulb onions from India, which were not covered by a phytosanitary certification from their port of origin.

The shipment of Red Creole onions arrived in Cebu from India last March 3 yet. The BOC said the cargo violated Presidential Decree 1433 or the Plant Quarantine Law of the Philippines.

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In his report to District Collector Ronnie Silvestre, BOC auction and cargo disposal unit officer-in-charge Dante Maranan said the imported onions were placed in a 20-foot container van.

Maranan said the onions were condemned and destroyed at the organic fertilizer division of the Bureau of Plant industry in Mandaue City.

Silvestre ordered the Customs Police Division and the Run After the Smugglers (Rats) team to investigate and file charges against those involved in the shipment of the onions.

Marina Hermoso, head of the Bureau of Plant Service, said the government does not allow the importation of onions. This makes all imported onions for sale in different markets and grocery stores illegal, she added.

Difficult

But she admitted it is difficult to determine whether an onion is imported or not, unless shipment documents are checked.

She said farmers in Luzon and Mindanao also grow Red Creole bulb onions.

Bernadith Bunado of the Plant Quarantine Service said Siquijor also has a seven-hectare Red Creole bulb onion plantation and its produce is sent to Cebu.

Hermoso said shipment contained two tons or 20,000 kilos of onions, valued at P60 to 70 per kilo.

“How we wish we could sell these onions through public auction so that the Port of Cebu will have non-traditional income. However, we cannot sell prohibited importations and we have no other choice but to destroy them,” Maranan said.

The destruction of the onions was witnessed by representatives from the Commission on Audit (COA), Intelligence Officer Rico Mongaya of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and the Bureau of Plant Service.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 24, 2012.


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