What’s in your chicken?

Recently, the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) proposed new performance standards for salmonella and campylobacter in chicken and turkey slaughterhouses. Both those bacteria can cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and fever in humans. They can be deadly to the very young and very old, and to those with compromised immune systems.

This is a huge step forward; FSIS not only lowered the acceptable level of salmonella, but also established its first standards for campylobacter. The agency estimates that after two years 39,000 illnesses will be avoided each year under the new campylobacter standards, and 26,000 under the revised salmonella standards.

Until now, salmonella contamination prevalence of up to 20 percent was allowed in chicken slaughterhouses. The new standards require prevalence of less than 7.5 percent. Much better, but can they go further? Yes. It is possible to achieve a much lower rate; Consumer Reports tests on store-brand organic chicken found no salmonella contamination at all.

In order to achieve that level of cleanliness at slaughterhouses, Michael Hansen, senior staff scientist at Consumers Union, recommends that the FSIS tighten the standards every two years.

The campylobacter standard limits the prevalence to less than 46.7 percent. While it’s good that we finally have a proposed standard for those bacteria, we believe that FSIS should work to—somewhat more gradually—tighten this standard too.

Slaughter establishments will now fall into one of three categories, depending on whether they fail to meet, somewhat exceed, or greatly exceed the performance standards for both salmonella and campylobacter. Currently, the categories are in use for salmonella only. Names of establishments in the latter two are made publicly available, but the names of facilities in the middle category aren’t always published. Consumers Union believes that’s a lost opportunity. Publishing the names of facilities that just somewhat exceed the standard would provide an incentive for those slaughterhouses to clean up theiract and aim for the highest performance possible. We think all facilities in latter two categories should always be published and that this system be used for campylobacter as well.

Read Consumers Union’s public statement on the issues here (PDF).

-Jason Harary

Safety on the Go

We recently wrote about our School Safety Alert program, which was designed to get recalled and unsafe products out of the homes where children live. We’ve just added a new feature that will help tell you about recalls on products and foods that could hurt your kids. A new site, www.clickcheckandprotect.org, gives almost daily updates on recalled products, and gives you the option of receiving alerts on a mobile phone. Just another way we’re working to get the word about recalls out to consumers. To sign up, text SAFE to 76666 (Message and data rates may apply).

Infant death prompts recall of Nap Nanny baby recliner

Some 30,000 Nap Nanny portable baby recliners have been recalled after a four-month-old baby fell over the side, became entrapped, and died. The recliner had been placed inside a crib, which goes against the instructions. In its recall announcement, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the manufacturers, Baby Matters LLC, of Berwyn, Pa., say they’ve received 22 reports of young infants–mostly younger than five months–hanging or falling over the side of the recliner, even though they were harnessed in.

Baby Matters emphasizes in the recall notice (and in the instructions that come with the product) that Nap Nanny is not supposed to be used inside a crib, play yard, or other confined space, since the baby could become trapped and suffocate. And the company warns against using the Nap Nanny on top of any surface from which the baby could fall. Instead, it should be used only on the floor.

The recalled Nap Nannys were sold at toy and children's retail stores nationwide and online from January 2009 through July 2010 for about $130. First generation Nap Nanny models bought before August 15, 2009 didn’t have D-rings for the harness. If you own one of those, stop using it immediately and contact the firm to receive an $80 coupon towards the purchase of a new Nap Nanny. If you have the newer version with the D-rings, stop using the product and log on to the firm's website to obtain new product instructions and warnings. You can also watch a video that shows how to properly fasten the harness. Contact the firm at (888) 240-4282 or www.napnanny.com/recall to receive free copies by mail.

Safety Snippets

This week’s round up of safety news that’s important to you.

Slash and burn. 324,000 Atico bamboo torches recalled for laceration hazard.

Vialipro, a dietary supplement for ED, was recalled because it could actually contain a real prescription-only drug.

Joyful Slim Herb Supplement recalled because it contains an undeclared appetite suppressant.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is donating a number of “Vince and Larry” crash-test dummy costumes and related auto safety items to the Smithsonian Institution.

Could high use of household cleaning products contribute to breast cancer?

The proposed motor vehicle safety act will enhance safety.

New York gets tough on drunk drivers.  Interlock devices to be required for DUI offenders.

Hot cars and babies don’t mix. Read our tips for beating the heat when babies and kids are in the car.

Power equipment and kids don’t belong together.  Read our tips on safe use of yard equipment.

Watch out for mosquitoes on your tropical vacation: dengue fever outbreak. 

1.3 million Smith + Noble roman and roller shades recalled

The latest in a series of window-covering recalls involves 1.3 million roman and roller shades from Smith + Noble. Both types have cords that can wrap around a child’s neck and lead  to strangulation. The company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have received one report of a five-year-old boy who became entangled; no medical treatment was needed.

The recall involves all roller shades that do not have a tension device attached to the continuous loop cord and all custom, made-to-order Roman shades. Brand names include Smith+Noble, Christopher Lowell by Smith+Noble, Jessitt Gold, Shop Blinds and Window Elements. The window coverings were sold from 1998 through April 2010.

If you have the Roman shades, contact the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) for a free repair kit at (800) 506-4636 anytime or visit www.windowcoverings.org.

If you have the  roller shades, check them to make sure the tension device provided is attached to the continuous loop cord and installed into the wall. If you don’t have the tension device, stop using the roller shades and contact WCSC to receive a free replacement.

For additional information, contact Smith + Noble.

In June, safety agencies in Canada, Europe, and the U.S. agreed on the immediate need for safety standards for window coverings. In the U.S. alone, at least 120 children have been strangled and 113 more injured by the cords of blinds and shades. The Window Covering Manufacturers Association, the industry’s trade group, has spent years trying to  develop an effective voluntary standard, but it has clearly failed.  An appropriate standard must now come from safety agencies.

For more on this issue, click here.

Can reusable grocery bags make you sick, or is that just baloney?

An old saw in the news business is “consider the source” – in other words, take into account not just what you’re hearing, but where it comes from. Which is why we’re not so swayed by a recent report about reusable grocery bags and their potential to make you sick.

The report came out of the University of Arizona, Tucson and Loma Linda University in California. Smack on page one is this note: “The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the American Chemistry Council for providing funding to support this study.”

The American Chemistry Council is the trade group that advocates on behalf of plastic-bag manufacturers. Now why would the folks who make plastic grocery bags want to cast doubts on the safety of reusable grocery bags? Oh, right.

And it worked, sort of. The way it played in the media was that reusable grocery bags may be good for the environment, but you’re taking your health in your hands every time you, you know, reuse one, because the bags can harbor e coli and other bacteria.

That soundbite was based on the report’s analysis of 84 reusable grocery bags collected in California and Arizona. Yup, just 84. We have a colleague who grew up with 10 sisters and brothers. A single weekly shopping trip for his family could easily net 20 bags of groceries, so 84 doesn’t really seem like an adequate sample size for a scientific study.

The researchers tested for pathogenic bacteria Salmonella and Listeria, but didn’t find any, nor did they find strains of E. coli that could make one sick. They only found bacteria that don’t normally cause disease, but do cause disease in people with weakened immune systems.

Our food-safety experts were underwhelmed as well. “A person eating an average bag of salad greens gets more exposure to these bacteria than if they had licked the insides of the dirtiest bag from this study,” says Michael Hansen, senior staff scientist at Consumers Union. “These bacteria can be found lots of places, so no need to go overboard.”

But Hansen notes that there are some reminders to take away from the study. It’s easy to spread bacteria from meat, fish, or poultry to other foods – in your kitchen or in your grocery bags. So we do think it’s wise to carry those items in disposable bags. Reusable bags are fine for most everything else, but it’s a good idea to wash them occasionally.

Baby Pacifiers recalled

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of 44,900 Karino Baby Pacifiers because they fail to meet federal safety standards. The nipple can separate from the base easily, the handle is too long, the mouth guard is too small, and there are no ventilation holes in the mouth guard, which present a choking and aspiration hazard to young children.

The pacifiers, whose nipples are filled with corn syrup, were manufactured in Mexico and sold at independent grocery stores in California and Texas from October 2009 through March 2010.

Read more about what to do in the full Babies and Kids blog, and learn more about pacifier safety here.

Looking to beef up your website? CDC has a widget for that.

If you’re like us, you’re constantly on the lookout for credible, up-to-date content for you website. So may we direct you to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Widget and Gadget” Web page?

With a couple of mouse clicks, you can copy a “widget” for a whole host of health and safety topics and simply drop in into a web page. There it will reside as a neat little graphic box that readers can click to find the CDC’s latest take on everything from pet health and safety to peanut butter recalls.

The agency says, “You can embed content in personalized home pages, blogs, and other sites. Once you've added the widget, there's no technical maintenance.” The CDC quietly updates the information on a regular basis, and almost continuously on rapidly developing issues such as the H1N1 (swine) flu.

The “Gadget” part covers the same topics, but they’re formatted so they can be easily dropping into any iGoogle web page.

Chicken nuggets sold at Walmart recalled

Perdue Farms is recalling almost 92,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets because they may contain “foreign objects,” in this case small pieces of plastic. The bags of fully cooked nuggets were sold under the Great Value label exclusively at Walmart.

But you wouldn’t know that from the USDA’s press release. It cryptically says that the chicken nuggets “were shipped to a single retail store chain nationwide.” We’ve long taken issue with the fact that the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration are so opaque about the retailers involved in recalls, making it harder for consumers to get adequate information. Several years ago, the USDA agreed to put on its website the names and locations of retailers involved in meat and poultry recalls. However, the data generally aren't posted until some time after the recall is announced. 

The 1 lb., 13 oz bags are labeled with the establishment number P-33944 as well as a case code 89008 A0160 and a “best if used by” date of June 9, 2011. The company discovered small pieces of blue plastic after receiving consumer complaints.

Calling the number listed for Perdue on the recall notice—(877) 727-3447—gets you the additional information that the bags can be returned to Walmart for a full refund. That important nugget of information is missing from the recall notices issued by USDA and Walmart. 

Great Value nuggets rated a "Good" in our recent test of chicken nuggets (See our Ratings, available to subscribers), just about in the middle of the 14 we tested for taste. Three brands rated "Very Good."

Got this? Get rid of it. Discovery Kids lamps

We’re past the summer solstice, daytime is a tiny bit shorter, and you’re turning the lights on in the kids’ bedrooms just a few minutes earlier. A reminder: torching the house is a bad idea any time of the year. So if you’re still using one of the 360,000 recalled marine- and safari-themed animated lamps from Discovery Kids, get rid of it. 

The lamps were recalled in February after the importer, Inovage LLC, received nine reports of electrical problems; seven involved fires. Apparently a defect in the lamp’s printed circuit board can cause an electrical short.

Safety Snippets

 A toddler’s death spurs movement for safer cribs and better recalls

Car seats keep children safe—except when those seats aren't in the car

Just in time for summer, and after only 2,200 fuel leaks, Toro recalls snow blowers

Wacky warning labels win awards

Carnival rides are fun, but are they safe?

New law restricts formaldehyde emissions form composite woods

Brakes weren’t applied in runaway Toyotas, Government says.

Child safety gates prevent falls down stairs.  See our safety video.

Is Avandia safe for diabetics despite heart attack risk?

A bad week for burritos. Chile peppers and avocados recalled.

Fresh Express lettuce recall

 Just in case your fridge is anything like ours, with slightly past-its-prime produce hiding in the drawers, check for bags of Fresh Express Romaine lettuce salad products with use-by dates of July 8 through July 12 and “S” in the product code. 

The company is voluntarily recalling the product after one sample tested positive for E. coli 0157:H7. No illnesses have been reported. Consumers who still have the bagged salads should throw them away. The bacterium can cause severe illness including abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever.

The Food and Drug Administration says the recall “is being issued out of an abundance of caution” after a third-party lab test of random samples turned up the E coli. We applaud the FDA for its fast action in recalling the lettuce. 

Playard tents plus cabana recalled for strangulation hazard

The death of a two-year-old boy in 2008 has prompted the recall of some 20,000 Cozy Indoor Outdoor Portable Playard Tents Plus Cabana Kits. Clips that attach the tent to the play yard can break or be removed by a child, who can then become entrapped between the frame and the tent and strangle.

The tents, from Tots in Mind, Inc., were sold Walmart, Amazon.com, and baby and children’s stores across the country. There have been three other reports of children who removed the clips and placed their necks between the tent and the play yard.

 If you have one of these dome-shaped, white mesh tents, immediately stop using it and contact Tots in Mind (800-626-0339) to get free replacement clips. Note, however, that the clips won’t be available until late August or early September. 

Pottery Barn Kids recalls drop-side cribs

More drop-side cribs were recalled today, this time by Pottery Barn Kids.  The recall includes 82,000 drop-side cribs sold at Pottery Barn Kids retail stores over the past 10 years.  (The model pictured here is just one of the versions being recalled.) The drop-sides on theses cribs can detach when hardware breaks, creating a space into which a young child can become entrapped and potentially suffocate.  Children can also fall out of the crib. 

 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Pottery Barn Kids have received 36 reports of drop sides that have malfunctioned or detached, resulting in seven minor injuries.  One child became entrapped between the drop-side and the crib mattress, but was freed without injury. 

 

Read more and comment

 

Blister packs of blood thinner Coumadin recalled

Bristol-Myers Squibb is recalling eight lots of its anti-clotting drug Coumadin because the amount of the active ingredient in the drug could change. The company said the recall involves 144,762 units and is precautionary. To date, no adverse events have been reported.

According to a press release from Bristol-Myers Squibb, the amount of isopropanol in the tablets used to keep the active ingredient in the drug in a crystalline state could change over time and affect the therapeutic levels of the active ingredient.

 

The recall includes 1 mg tablets packaged in blister packs and distributed in the U.S. as physician’s sample packs and hospital unit doses.  The lot numbers in the recall are:

9A48931A

9A48931B

9A48931C

8F34006B

8K44272A

8K46168A

9F44437A

9K58012B

 

Consumers who have the recalled Coumadin can call Bristol-Myers Squibb at 1-800-332-2056 (option 1, then 4), though BMS recommends customers talk to their physicians about any concerns. (Check the recall notice from the Food and Drug Administration.)

 

Justice jewelry recalled by Tween Brands due to cadmium

 About 137,000 metal necklaces, bracelets and earrings were recalled today by Tween Brands Inc, the owner of the popular Justice brand. The metal jewelry, intended for children, has high levels of cadmium, which is toxic if ingested. 

 

The recall includes 19 different styles of jewelry including hearts, butterflies, cupcakes, peace signs, and crowns.  Some bear the initials “BFF”.  The jewelry was sold at Justice and Limited Too stores and online at www.shopjustice.com from November 2008 to February 2010. 

 

Consumers who own this jewelry should stop using it immediately, take it away from their children, and return it to a Justice or Limited Too store for a full refund.

 

Our take: Children often mouth jewelry, which can expose them to potentially harmful levels of cadmium or other toxic metals.  This is just one more reason to not buy inexpensive metal jewelry for your children.  

Got this scarf? Get rid of it!

It’s been hot and steamy here in the northeast the past week or so—over 100 on several days—and a lot of the country isn’t much more comfortable. So we’re guessing you won’t miss your winter scarf if you get rid of it now. If it’s a Therma Scarf, you should. The polyester scarves have pockets on each end with microwaveable heat packs composed of flax seeds. As we advised earlier, just pop it in the microwave ... and call 911.

When the wraps were recalled in March, the maker, Telebrands, had received seven reports of the scarves or packs overheating, including five fires, three of which resulted in property damage to the microwave.

While the concept of winter is all but unfathomable, hightail it to the mall and return this little gem for a full refund which you could spend on something that doesn’t burn you. Like a pool toy.

Electrocutions unplugged: Don't become toast fixing your toaster

The next time you try to fix your toaster, unplug it. Seems commonsensical enough but one of the most common scenarios for electrocutions involves folks getting electrocuted while attempting to repair an appliance. Big and small appliances, and power tools account for the most non-work-related electrocutions. And, perhaps because they are more likely to be fixing things or using power tools, men are victims of electrocution seven times more often than women, according to a new study from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
 
The report looked at the number of electrocutions associated with the use of consumer products in 2005 and 2006 and considered related statistics dating back to 2002. The incidents covered in the study were associated with a consumer product, but not necessarily caused by the product. For example, the most common cause of electrocutions involving power tools was the equipment coming in contact with electrical wires.

Household wiring also accounted for a number of deaths as did holiday lighting, extension cords, pools and hot tubs, and lawn and garden equipment. One death was attributed to an amusement park ride. To be safe, the Electrical Safety Foundation International offers these tips:

• Make certain all small appliances and tools are approved by an independent testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), ETL-SEMKO (ETL) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
• Unplug all small electrical appliances, including hair dryers, shavers, curling irons, clothes irons, and toasters, when not in use.
• Be sure you have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection anywhere electricity and water are within six feet of each other, such as your kitchen, bathroom and outdoors, to protect against electric shock.
• Take any damaged electrical appliance or tool to an authorized repair center, or cut the cord, safely dispose of the item, and purchase a new one.
• Never reach into water to get an appliance that has fallen in without checking that the appliance is unplugged or the circuit is shut off.

That last one sounds like a scene from a B movie -- as in B safe.

Lots of Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl recalled but how much is a lot?

A headline in today’s New York Times, “Pill maker declines to specify size of recall” is just the latest in a series of bad news from Johnson & Johnson. The company has made a number of recalls of over-the-counter drugs this year. The latest includes 21 lots of Motrin, children’s Tylenol and Benadryl because a chemical used in shipping gives the medications a musty or moldy odor. But how much is in a lot?

The recall notice from the Food and Drug Administration lists 21 different types of medication but after so many recalls this year, it’s hard to keep track. You can try by visiting the McNeil website (a subsidiary of J&J).

Johnson & Johnson became a business school case study for its deft handling of a crisis after seven deaths were attributed to poisoned Tylenol in 1982. Its management of recent recalls stands in stark contrast with the company failing to divulge how much tainted medicine is on the market.
 
“We have never given that out for any of the recalls,” Bonnie Jacobs, a spokeswoman for McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the Johnson & Johnson unit, told the New York Times.
 
That’s too bad because the larger the recall, the more attention it gets and the more apt consumers are to search their homes and medicine cabinets for the recalled items. We implore you to search yours anyway.

Don’t miss this Daily Show recall rant

“It seems that everything is being recalled these days.” So said Lewis Black on the Daily Show Tuesday as he ranted about “government regulation vs. the free market.”
 
“Personally, I don’t want the government butting in,” he bellowed as images of recent recalls scrolled by. “When companies find a problem they fix it themselves.”
 
Commenting on the recall of cadmium-painted Shrek-themed glasses from McDonald’s:
“Cadmium is the healthiest thing they serve at McDonald’s.”
 
And on the recall of under-processed SpaghettiO’s with Meatballs:
“Now, what will I eat when I've hit rock bottom.”
 
Watch the video to see what he said about recalls of Kellogg's cereal, Toyotas, Tylenol and Marie Callender’s frozen dinners: “If you didn't know any better, you'd think companies selling us broken cars and poisoned medicines were just in it for the money.”

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