After several months of absence from store shelves due to a much-publicized salmonella problem, Peter Pan brand peanut butter is back, this time with a “100% satisfaction guarantee” and a redesigned container. The new batches are coming from a different production facility than the one that led to 625 Peter Pan-related salmonella infections in February of this year. So how does ConAgra Foods protect their brand and spin the product re-launch without reminding consumers why there needs to be a re-launch in the first place?
Quality & Safety
FDA Ban Fails To Catch 1 Million Pounds Of Chinese Seafood
By 8.8.07
1 million pounds of shrimp, eel, and catfish somehow slipped past the FDA’s ban on Chinese seafood. All seafood covered by the ban arrives at U.S. ports under an import alert, which ostensibly prevents the fish from leaving until private testing proves the absence of banned antibiotics and drugs. Chinese importers, resorting to tricks possibly gleaned from Wile E. Coyote, evade the FDA by shipping their contraband under the names and addresses of companies unaffected by the import alert. From the AP:
Lead-Tainted Charms From China Very Unlucky
By 8.7.07
The poisonous lead story continues this week with news that 20% of trinkets and charms sold in the United States still contain dangerous levels of lead. In a surprise to no one, “of the 17.9 million pieces of jewelry items pulled from the market since the start of 2005, 95 percent were made in China.” Here’s a good scare quote to drive home the danger:
Jewelry is perhaps the most dangerous place for lead because children can swallow an entire ring or pendant, causing acute poisoning, which can cause respiratory failure, seizures and even death, whereas neurological damage and learning deficiencies are often associated with exposure to lead paint. Many children also tend to suck on jewelry or put it in their mouths, allowing lead to be absorbed into their bloodstream.
Fisher-Price Being Investigated By CPSC Due To Shoddy Track Record Reporting Defects
By 8.7.07
Fisher-Price has a shoddy track record when it comes to reporting defects and “injuries from defects” to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Recall Aftershock: Consumer Safety Commission Brought Back From Near Death For Six Months
By 8.6.07
Congress just put your wiretapping dollars to work, by amending a homeland security bill to allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission to regain “its full authority to oversee the safety of thousands of household products,” says the Washington Post. The reprieve only lasts for six months, but during that time it allows the commission–which has been hobbling along in an inactive state since January because of an ongoing member vacancy–to meet and take action on matters of consumer safety with only two members present.
Stephen Colbert Weighs In On Botulism, Chinese Poison Train, Subprime Lending
By 8.6.07
Who’s reading us now? Stephen Colbert weighs in on a bunch of Consumerist topics with more gravitas than we can muster ourselves. Sorry we missed the whole “dentist puts boar tusks in your mouth while you’re anesthetized” story. We’ll try to do better next time.
Chili's Awesome Blossom Menu Picture Vs Reality
By 8.5.07
The Chili’s in Tuscaloosa, AL served Mike an “Awesome Blossom” that looks like it was run over by a truck. Mike didn’t complain to his waiter or the manager, but he did write to us:
By 8.5.07
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Plan 9 LEDs (fire hazard,) Sherwin-Williams Aerosol Coating Cans (explosion,) Raleigh America Bicycles (injury,) Orvis Company Toys With Sleeping Bags (choking,) Springs Window Fashions Blinds (strangulation,) Rehvac Manufacturing Safety Relief Plugs (injury.)
Most Contact Lens Wearers Don't Know About AMO's MoisturePlus Recall
By 8.4.07
Hey, contact lens wearers, according to a CDC survey, more than half of you have no clue that Advanced Medical Optics recalled their Complete MoisturePlus lens cleaner. The multipurpose solution fails to protect users from an amoeba that can cause acanthamoeba keratitis. Over 25% of users who contracted the infection required a corneal transplant, and if that doesn’t scare you, consider this quote from the CDC:
“This is just as serious as the fusarium outbreak,” said Lola Russell, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, referring to an outbreak of fungal eye infections last year that was linked to Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu with MoistureLoc lens cleaners.
Anyone with the tainted solution should immediately throw it out, along with their contact lenses and their lens’ storage case. If you have friends with contact lenses, do them a favor and mention the recall.
Ford Recalls 3.6 Million Vehicles
By 8.3.07
Ford has issued a recall of 3.6 million vehicles because of a defective “speed control deactivation switch system.” Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealers will perform the repair free of charge to all affected vehicles.
Children, Lead Paint and Toys Are A Bad Combination
By 8.3.07
So what are the risks for a child who had one of the toys that was recalled?
Walmart Sells Can Included In Botulism Recall
By 8.3.07
An article from the Hattiesburg American claims a Mississippi women bought a recalled can of hot dog chili sauce (the same product that has sickened 4 people with botulism) at a Walmart after the recall had been announced on July 19th, but before it had been widely publicized in the newspapers.
FDA Announces Nationwide Recall Of 15,000 Cases of French Cut Green Beans
By 8.3.07
Hi there, green bean lovers! It looks like it’s not just Albertson’s that’s having green bean issues this morning. The FDA has announced a nationwide recall of 15,000 cases of green beans manufactured by Lakeside foods of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Senate Committee Votes To Give FDA Power To Regulate Tobacco
By 8.3.07
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted 13-8 to empower the FDA to regulate tobacco products. States and municipalities have spent years shoving cigarettes out of the public domain, but the FDA would be able to control cigarette advertising, mandate bigger, European-style warning labels, and regulate nicotine content. Only Congress has the power to ban cigarettes outright. From the Boston Globe:
Yesterday’s slim majority however, came as Republican-sponsored amendments loom that could gut the bill’s main intent.
Albertson's Jumps On The Recall Bandwagon, Pulls Green Beans From Shelves
By 8.3.07
Is nothing safe, not even house brand canned vegetables? Reuters reports that on Thursday, supermarket chain Albertson’s announced a recall of its private label French style green beans because of fears they may be contaminated with botulism.
More Coverage Of The Fisher Price Recall
By 8.2.07
The clip has a sound bite from the CPSC, as well as your typical concerned Mom interviews and a round-up of recent Chinese Poison Train stories.
Toxic Lead Paint Prompts Recall of 967,000 Fisher-Price Toys
By 8.2.07
Sorry kids, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fisher-Price are recalling Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and 83 other types of fun toys that happen to be covered with toxic lead paint from China.
Hey, Let's Not Die Of Botulism From Eating Recalled Food
By 8.1.07
A reader who works at a health department has asked Consumerist to remind everyone to search their cabinets, their friend’s cabinets, the cabinets at their church and the cabinets of any kitchens at work for products included in the botulism recall.
