Health officials in two Indiana counties are reporting their first deaths from the swine flu.

Hamilton and Allen counties in Indiana have reported both had one swine flu death. Hamilton County Health Department confirmed a pregnant woman in her 20s died from the H1N1 virus. Allen County reported a middle-aged woman died in the northeastern Indiana county from the illness. At time of reporting, Indiana had recorded 10 swine-flu related deaths.

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Kellogg Company today announced it has taken the precautionary measure of putting a hold on Austin® and Keebler® branded Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Crackers, Cheese and Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, and Peanut Butter-Chocolate Sandwich Crackers.

FDA and other regulatory agencies have indicated that Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) is the focus of their investigation concerning a recent Salmonella outbreak thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter. PCA is one of several peanut paste suppliers that the company uses in its Austin® and Keebler® branded peanut butter sandwich crackers.

Kellogg Company’s investigation has not indicated any concerns, nor has the Company received any consumer illness complaints about these products.

Nonetheless, Kellogg Company is taking precautionary measures including putting a hold on any inventory in its control, removing product from retail store shelves, and encouraging customers and consumers to hold and not eat these products until regulatory officials complete their investigation of PCA and Kellogg provides further information as to the resolution of this issue.

“Consumer health and safety is our top priority,” said David Mackay, president and CEO, Kellogg Company. “We are taking these voluntary actions out of an abundance of caution.”

While no additional consumer action is necessary at this time, consumers with questions or who would like a product refund can call the Kellogg Consumer Response Center at 888-314-2060.

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Tags: Kellogg recall, peanutbutter recall, Austin, Keebler®, Salmonella outbreak

A Wisconsin shipper is recalling nearly 50,000 pounds of sliced apples and has temporarily stopped production after listeria was discovered in the company’s packing shed through in-house testing.

Richland Center-based Richland Hills stopped shipping and began recalling 49,450 pounds of sliced-apple packs from retail and foodservice customers in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa and Louisiana the week of Jan. 5, said Tom Henderson, the company’s quality assurance manager.

No illnesses have been reported as a result of the contamination, Henderson said Jan. 14.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail and elderly people and people with weakened immune systems.

Production will be halted while the Food and Drug Administration and the company investigate, Henderson said.

Recalled product includes 4-ounce packs of Richland Hills-brand Apple Dippers, 6-ounce Richland Hills Organic Sliced Apples, 6-ounce Crunch Pak Organic Sliced Apples and 2-ounce Richland Hills Apple Nibblers with use-by dates ranging from Jan. 26-30.

Richland Hills is a co-packer for Crunch Pak, Cashmere, Wash. Tony Freytag, Crunch Pak’s marketing director, said the company received notice of the recall Jan. 11. The recall only affected one of Crunch Pak’s customers, Freytag said. Crunch Pak provides Crunch Pak-labeled film to Richland Hills, which then packs and ships its own apples under the Crunch Pak brand.

Richland Hills’ Apple Dippers brand is not related to the Apple Dippers served at McDonald’s restaurants. Richland Hills is not a McDonald’s supplier, said Danya Proud, senior manager of U.S. media relations for Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald‘s.

Other recalled product includes a variety of sizes of Pearson Foods fruit trays that contain apples and are dated Jan. 19 or before and a variety of sizes of Richland Hills sliced, diced, quartered and half-apple foodservice packs dated Jan. 26-30.

Sourcewww.foodhaccp.com/1news/011509h.html

Tags: Apple recall, food recalls, Mcdonalds apples, Apple supplier

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with J.C. Penney Corporation, Plano, TX, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately.

Name of Product: Arizona® Newborn and Infant Denim Pants

Units: About 24,000

Importer: JCPenney Co., of Plano, Texas

Hazard: The metal snap at the waist can detach posing a choking hazard to infants.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves Arizona® brand newborn and infant girl’s and boy’s denim pants. They were sold in sizes 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-9 months. Only those pants made in Bangladesh are affected; pants made in China are not included in the recall. The country of origin is located on a label sewn into the waistband.

Sold Exclusively at: JCPenney stores nationwide and at www.jcp.com from July 2008 through October 2008 for about $15.

Manufactured in: Bangladesh

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled pants and return them to any JCPenney store for a full refund. Pants purchased through the firm’s Web site may be returned to the Catalog Desk at any JCPenney store.

Boys denim pants Girls denim pants

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact JCPenney toll-free at (888) 333-6063 anytime or visit JCPenney’s Web site at www.jcp.com

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC’s web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

source:www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09056.html

Tags: J C Penney recalls, denim pants recall, safety recall, choking hazards

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Best Friends Yin Yang Necklaces Sets

Units: About 67,000

Importer: Claire’s Boutiques Inc., of Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Hazard: The recalled necklaces contain high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves a set of two necklaces that have a silver-colored metal bead type chain and a lobster-claw clasp. One of the necklaces has a single, metal pendant with the word “Best” attached to a black, yin metal pendant. The other necklace has the word “Friends” attached to a white, yang metal pendant.

Sold at: Claire’s stores nationwide from April 2007 through August 2008 for about $8.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take these recalled products away from children and return them to any Claire’s store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Claire’s at (866) 859-9281 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web sites at www.claires.com

Note: CPSC was alerted to this hazard by the Illinois Attorney General.

Tags: claires boutique, lead recall, necklace recall, safety recall