As the food supply chain gets longer and harder to control — food companies are basically giving up and placing the responsibility for food safety on you, the consumer. In fact, one food giant, General Mills, has essentially conceded that cooking their food in a microwave isn’t good enough.
conagra
Get Ready For More Supermarket Price Hikes
By 7.23.08
The notorious Grocery Shrink Ray was supposed to help prevent this, or so we were told by apologists for it, but Datamonitor is reporting that Kraft Foods, Kellogg’s, ConAgra, Sara Lee, and Tyson “are all expected to announce a hike in the prices of their products” in the near future. Here are some of the hikes you can expect, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Microwave Popcorn Makers Vow To Remove Diacetyl
By 12.19.07
“We want to assure our consumers they can continue to enjoy their favorite popcorn with complete confidence,” said Stan Jacot, who oversees popcorn marketing for ConAgra.
Although there has been one consumer case of “popcorn lung,” there’s no real danger to consumers who don’t eat microwave popcorn several times a day. The real concern is for those people who work in popcorn plants. Soon, however, you’ll be able to eat your popcorn totally guilt-free. We’d hate to see that nifty “popcorn” button go unused on your microwave.
ConAgra Recalls Pot Pies Because Nobody Uses Their Microwave Properly
By 10.14.07
ConAgra is voluntarily recalling their pot pies while they rewrite vague cooking instructions that led 160 people in 31 states to contract salmonella. ConAgra’s current packaging orders hungry consumers to microwave their pot pies until cooked thoroughly, an instruction most consumers can’t follow.
It is relatively easy to figure out when a hamburger is well done by checking to see that it is no longer pink. But it’s preposterous to expect consumers to know how the cooking power of their microwave compares with others.
Don't Eat Chicken Or Turkey Pot Pies Right Now
By 10.10.07
You can add another item to your special “unsafe food” list for October: chicken and turkey pot pies, including the Banquet brand and generic store brands that have “P-9” stamped on the side, which may contain salmonella. Several cases of salmonella poisoning have now been reported in various states, and ConAgra and the USDA are asking consumers not to eat the product while they investigate.
First Consumer With Popcorn Lung Speaks Out
By 9.7.07
Wayne Watson, the man who loved microwave popcorn so much he ate it twice a day for 10 years is speaking out about his condition for the first time.
First Consumer "Popcorn Lung" Case Found
By 9.5.07
A Denver man who snarfed microwaved popcorn at least twice a day for over a decade has been diagnosed with the first consumer case of “popcorn lung” an asthma-like condition that results from over-exposure to popcorn fumes, NYT reports.
“When he broke open the bags, after the steam came out, he would often inhale the fragrance because he liked it so much,” Dr. Rose said. “That’s heated diacetyl, which we know from the workers’ studies is the highest risk.”
Class Action Filed Against ConAgra For The Great Peanut Butter Recall Of 2007
By 8.12.07
39 individuals who contracted salmonella after consuming Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter have slapped ConAgra with a $5 million class action suit. An additional 2,200 people have expressed interest in joining the action against the agribusiness giant. From the Daily Report:
FDA Knew About Tainted Peanut Butter And Spinach But Was Too Poor To Act
By 4.24.07
Remember that spinach and peanut butter that got recalled? Turns out the FDA knew of the dangers to the food supply for years but, understaffed and underfunded, they only took tiny steps to address the problems.
Leaky Roof Blamed For Salmonella Peanut Butter
By 4.6.07
Childs said the company traced the salmonella outbreak to three problems at its Sylvester, Ga., plant last August.
Recall: Salmonella In Peter Pan Peanut Butter
By 2.15.07
Lids of jars with a product code beginning “2111” can be returned to ConAgra for a refund, the company said.
Dear Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn
By 2.15.07
Tom Bartlett delights in sending cockeyed letters to consumer product divisions. We delight in posting them. If you haven’t seen it, you should probably watch this commercial where they digitally reanimate Orville Redenbacher first before reading his latest.
