2011

Currently unregulated “gluten-free” labels may soon be subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, according to recent news sources. Gluten is the substance that makes bread rise, keeps it doughy, and provides texture and flavor. Many people have sensitivity to this product, especially those with Celiac disease, a disease that can lead to… read more

Prolab Nutrition Inc. is issuing a recall for several of their protein supplement products due to an undeclared allergen, according to recent news sources. The products may contain wheat or gluten and people with sensitivities to Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, eggs, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, tree nuts, sulfites and walnuts, or gluten allergens may… read more

Pepperidge Farm, Inc., in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has announced a recall of some of the company’s Baked Naturals Sesame Sticks product after reports suggested small pieces of wire may be present, according to recent news sources. The Food and Drug Administration has heard from a few customers who received minor… read more

Researchers have developed a simple test to determine the safety of heparin, a blood thinner, according to news sources. In 2008, several people died and many more were seriously injured after receiving dosages of heparin that had been altered with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS), a synthetic dietary supplement that can be taken to treat osteoarthritis…. read more

Professional Disposables International Inc. has issued a recall for five different products of their non-sterile alcohol prep pads due to a bacteria contamination, according to news reports. The company shares a supplier with another wipe-maker whose products tested positive for Bacillus cereus bacteria. That company was shut down and is currently facing at least eight… read more

Fonterra is conducting a recall of their Mainland cheese after a metal fragment appeared among the contents of one package, according to news reports. Although no one has been injured, Fonterra is issuing a recall as a precaution. Consumers are advised not to consume the products, but to return them to the store they purchased… read more

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stepped up an investigation involving the Chrysler Jeep Liberty after receiving more reports of rear lower control arm failures, according to news sources. The investigation began last April and the NHTSA has received 13 total complaints about the defective lower control arm. Three of the drivers reported losing… read more

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced an investigation of Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans after reports that several tire jacks had collapsed, posing a safety hazard, according to news reports. About 206,000 total vehicles are involved in the investigation from the 2004-2005 model years. The NHTSA has received five total complaints from… read more

The FDA has stopped a company from distributing amino acid products that they marketed as treatment for neurotransmitter diseases such as Parkinson’s And Alzheimer’s, according to news sources. West Duluth Distribution subsidiaries CHK Nutrition and NeuroResearch Clinics were found to be selling products making unapproved claims in July 2010. Besides Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s the products… read more

Strong America, Ltd NY has issued a recall for its Huipu Chinese Wolfberry products because they contain undeclared sulfites, according to news reports. The product comes in a clear plastic package and is 5.28 ounces. It was distributed in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Albany. The presence of sulfites was discovered during routine inspection by the… read more

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is preparing a campaign that will educate toy makers about new rules regarding the safety of toys, according to news sources. The new regulations were passed July 20 and will go into effect December 31, 2011. The rules require toy makers to certify their products were tested by a third-party… read more

Contaminated cantaloupe has been identified as the cause of a listeria outbreak that has sickened 12 and killed one, according to new sources. The outbreak thus far is limited to Colorado, Texas, and Nebraska, with the majority of illness taking place in Colorado, including the instance of death. Listeriosis is caused by an organism that… read more