This page last updated Sunday, June 21, 2009 4:35 PM
This page may include public health alerts of any nature, including environmental concerns, illnesses, food and other product recalls. This list is by no means exhaustive, and focuses primarily on products / food items that may have been distributed in the tri-state area. Just click on the item(s) listed below, and you will be taken tomore detailed information about the product and the associated concern. Where available, photos of the item are also included, as well as necessary phone numbers for consumers to call for more information. For complete recall information, consumers are encouraged to visit www.FDA.gov
Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Cookie Dough -- E.Coli suspect - June 20, 2009
The FDA has warned consumers against eating pre-packaged, refrigerated cookie dough, due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7. Read details here.
HYDROXYCUT PRODUCTS RECALLED - May 4, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. Some Hydroxycut products are associated with a number of serious liver injuries. Iovate has agreed to recall Hydroxycut products from the market.
The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures: cardiovascular disorders: and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.
Liver injury, although rare, was reported by patients at the doses of Hydroxycut recommended on the bottle. Symptoms of liver injury include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) and brown urine. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching, and loss of appetite.
"The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk. Adverse events are rare, but exist. Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they are experiencing symptoms possibly associated with these products," said Linda Katz, M.D., interim chief medical officer of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight-loss, as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names. The list of products being recalled by Iovate currently includes:
Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural
Although the FDA has not received reports of serious liver-related adverse reactions for all Hydroxycut products, Iovate has agreed to recall all the products listed above. Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia products are not affected by the recall. Consumers who have any of the products involved in the recall are advised to stop using them and to return them to the place of purchase. The agency has not yet determined which ingredients, dosages, or other health-related factors may be associated with risks related to these Hydroxycut products. The products contain a variety of ingredients and herbal extracts.
Health care professionals and consumers are encouraged to report serious adverse events (side effects) or product quality problems with the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online, by regular mail, fax or phone.
-Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm
-Regular Mail: Use FDA postage paid form 3500 found at: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm and mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787
-Fax: 800-FDA-0178
-Phone: 800-FDA-1088
The FDA continues to investigate the potential relationship between Hydroxycut dietary supplements and liver injury or other potentially serious side effects.
For more information:
Hydroxycut Products - http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/hydroxycut/
Dietary Supplements -- Overview - http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html
FDA 101: Dietary Supplements - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/supplements080408.html
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements - http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/
Alfalfa Sprouts linked to Salmonella 4-09
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today recommended that consumers not eat raw alfalfa sprouts, including sprout blends containing alfalfa sprouts, until further notice because the product has been linked to Salmonella serotype Saintpaul contamination. Other types of sprouts have not been implicated at this time.
The investigation indicates that the problem may be linked to contamination of seeds for alfalfa sprouts. Because suspect lots of seeds may be sold around the country and may account for a large proportion of the alfalfa seeds currently being used by sprout growers, and cases of illness are spread across multiple states, FDA and CDC are issuing this general advisory.
For persons who continue to eat sprouts, visit (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002 consumer advisory, available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/tpsprout.html).
Pistachio Recall - 4-09
The FDA and the California Department of Public Health continue to investigate Salmonella contamination in pistachios and pistachio products. Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., Terra Bella, Calif., is voluntarily expanding its recall of roasted pistachios to include all lots of roasted in-shell pistachios and roasted shelled pistachios that were produced from nuts harvested in 2008. The firm is also recalling those raw shelled pistachios from the 2008 crop that are not subsequently roasted prior to retail sale. The pistachios may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Initially, the firm's recall was limited to certain lots of roasted pistachios. Information from the joint FDA and California Department of Public Health inspection indicates the presence of Salmonella in critical areas of the facility and the potential for cross-contamination between raw and roasted products. After this information was shared with Setton, the firm decided to expand its recall.
Visit http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/pistachiorecall/index.cfm to search for pistachio product recalls for more information.
SPECIAL PEANUT BUTTER / SALMONELLA ALERT 1-09 -- EXPANDED
Due to contamination with salmonella , the list of peanut-containing products is expanding daily. As of 9PM EDT, Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 529 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 43 states. with 23 cases in New Jersey. Residents are encouraged to Visit the FDA website daily for the most current listing of recalled products and other important information.
