Stay strong, Americans in southern states: it might be almost the end of summer, but your frozen dessert salvation may be soon at hand. The Blue Bell ice cream plant in Sylacauga, Alabama, which was never officially linked to any cases of listeriosis, began producing test batches in July and gained approval to distribute their products last week. [More]
recalls
Blue Bell’s Alabama Plant Gets State Approval To Distribute Ice Cream
By 8.5.15
Blue Bell ice cream has been off the shelves for some months now due to an outbreak of listeriosis that hospitalized ten people and killed three. Now there’s hope for desperate Blue Bell fans: the company’s production facility in Alabama, which didn’t cause any known illnesses, has been making test batches of ice cream and will now be allowed to distribute them. [More]
Jeep Cherokee Owners File Lawsuit Against Fiat Chrysler, Harman After Hackers Wirelessly Hijack Vehicle
By 8.5.15
It was inevitable: A few weeks after hackers showed that a Jeep Cherokee could be hijacked remotely, three car owners have filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status against Fiat Chrylser Automobiles and Harman International, the maker of the Uconnect onboard infotainment system. [More]
Kraft Recalling 36,000 Cases Of Cheese Due To Packaging Choking Hazard
By 8.3.15
True story: I had a friend in college who often wanted a snack while we were out and about on weekend nights guzzling Milwaukee’s Best Light. To curb her cravings, she’d often stick a few Kraft singles cheese slices in her purse, conveniently wrapped in plastic for individual snacking opportunities. Alas, that same convenient packaging is at the heart of a new voluntary recall from Kraft, over concerns that people could choke on the plastic wrapping. [More]
Regulators Deny Request For Investigation Into 5 Million Fiat Chrysler Vehicles
By 7.30.15
Following a probe into 23 safety recalls and 11 million cars – which resulted in a record-setting $105 million fine – it appears that Fiat Chrysler is getting a little bit of good news from federal regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has decided to not open an investigation into nearly five million other vehicles over power system failures. [More]
July Recall Roundup: Of Course Kids Are Going To Chew On Their Strollers
By 7.30.15
In this month’s recall roundup, a stroller wasn’t designed to be chewed on, a fish tank heater might cook your fish instead of keeping them comfortable, and a lawn mower may fling grass clippings at the person operating the vehicle. It’s a dangerous world out there, apparently. [More]
Kroger Recalls Garlic Powder, Cinnamon, Pepper & Fake Bacon Over Salmonella Risk
By 7.28.15
If you’ve bought any Kroger-brand seasonings (and/or fake bacon bits) recently, listen up: The nation’s second-largest supermarket chain has issued a recall affecting four different products that may be tainted with salmonella. [More]
Bill Would Create Program To Notify Drivers Of Safety Recalls When Applying For Registration
By 7.22.15
Earlier this year, legislators introduced a bill that would require consumers to fix any outstanding safety recall on their vehicle before a registration renewal would be granted. While that measure has gone nowhere since March, a newly introduced highway reauthorization bill includes a provision that would create a pilot program for a similar plan. [More]
After Two Reported Deaths, IKEA Offering Free Wall Anchoring Kit For 27M Dressers & Chests That May Tip Over
By 7.22.15
When kids are around furniture, there’s no guarantee that they’ll treat chairs, tables and dressers as such, and instead, might see them as fun things to climb. But scaling furniture that isn’t meant to be scaled could cause it to tip over and crush a young person — especially if it isn’t anchored to the wall. That danger is leading IKEA to offer a free wall anchoring kit for a total of about 27 million chests and dressers, after two deaths were reported from furniture that fell and crushed children underneath. [More]
Senate Committee Votes Down Several Auto Safety Reforms
By 7.20.15
Since automakers began recalling vehicles in force last year – punctuated by the millions of models covered by General Motors’ massive ignition switch defect and Takata’s explosive airbags – lawmakers have been trying to push through reforms that would make it more difficult to keep potentially deadly automobiles on the roadways. But proposed laws such as those that would impose fines on owners of vehicles who don’t follow-through with recall repairs or barring used car dealers from selling vehicles with unrepaired recalls likely won’t see the light of day after being voted down by a Senate committee last week. [More]
2 Million More Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recalled For Possible Salmonella
By 7.16.15
Hey, remember that recall of 1.7 million frozen stuffed chicken breasts and other chicken products for potential Salmonella contamination earlier this week? Hope you’re ready to check your freezer again, chicken fans! Another company that sells similar products has recalled 1,978,680 (let’s round that up to 2 million) pounds of its prepared chicken products. That is not a total of 2 million including the last recall: this is a separate recall for similar products. [More]
Texas Billionaire Makes “Significant” Investment To Help Bring Back Blue Bell Ice Cream
By 7.14.15
Fans of Blue Bell ice cream who have been living without the stuff after the company was forced to shut down production will surely be pleased to hear that dessert salvation could be nigh: Blue Bell Creameries says a Texas billionaire has made a “significant” investment in the company, something that could help it get its products back on freezer shelves. [More]
Food Companies Could Face Federal Criminal Charges Over Tainted Products
By 7.13.15
Between ice cream, smoothies, hummus, more ice cream, spinach, spinach ravioli, spinach lasagna, and caramel apples, we’ve seen a lot of recalls in recent months for tainted food — and that’s just listeria, one of many pathogens that could make you ill after eating. Now the U.S. Dept. of Justice is letting food producers know that poisoning consumers could result in more than just having to issue a few recalls. [More]
Legislation Would Allow Some Rental Car Companies To Rent Vehicles Under Recall If They Give Notice
By 7.10.15
In 2014, auto manufacturers recalled nearly 60 million vehicles, including millions that are handed from one customer to another by rental companies. While the major rental car companies promised back in 2012 that they would stop renting and leasing recalled vehicles, new legislation would allow some to send potentially dangerous cars back on the road. [More]
Wish-Bone Recalling Some Bottles Of Ranch Dressing Because They’re Full Of Blue Cheese
By 6.24.15
One of the worst tricks you could pull on a ranch dressing devotee? Filling a bottle labeled as such with blue cheese instead. It could also be quite the problem for anyone allergic to eggs, as that known allergen isn’t declared on bottles of Wish-Bone Ranch Dressing, some of which were accidentally filled with blue cheese dressing instead. Pinnacle Foods has issued a voluntary recall of the mixed up bottles, after a consumer noticed the mistake. Yet another reminder why it’s good to speak up. [via FDA.gov] [More]
NHTSA Considering Options To Speed Up Takata Airbag Replacement, Seeks Updated Recall Details
By 6.23.15
Now that automakers have identified all 33.8 million vehicles equipped with potential shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags, federal regulators are looking for ways to speed up the repair process. [More]
Another Report Finds NHTSA Failed To Hold Automakers Responsible For Defects, Other Issues
By 6.22.15
The hits keep on coming for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Less than a month after internal reports determined the agency failed to adequately address the General Motors ignition switch defect that has been linked to more than 100 deaths, an audit from the U.S. Department of Transportation identified a plethora of shortcomings within the auto-safety regulator’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that prevent it from properly protecting consumers from vehicle defects. [More]
Niagara Bottled Water Recalls Products Under Several Brand Names Due To E. Coli Concerns
By 6.22.15
If you’ve got bottled water in the fridge or pantry, you might want to check if it’s included in a recent recall of several brands under the Niagara umbrella, after the company issued a voluntary recall for all spring water products produced from its Pennsylvania manufacturing facilities between June 10-18. [More]
