FOOD SAFETY ALERT***
January 5, 2012

After Inspection, Department of Agriculture Halts Meat Processing at Lafayette County Business

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Program has temporarily halted all cooked-meat processing for retail and wholesale at Kleoppel Meats d.b.a Alma Meats in Alma, Mo. due to violations identified during an inspection today, Jan. 4, 2012. Members of the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Program uncovered records indicating that the business operated by Terry Kleoppel sold meat to consumers that had been improperly handled and was not inspected.  The Missouri Department of Agriculture is coordinating with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and local health officials on this matter.

As a result, the Lafayette County meat processor is recalling approximately 320 pounds of meat, including summer sausage, snack sticks, beef jerky and roast pork.

Recalled items include:
“Snack Sticks Pepper Jack Cheese & Jalapeno”- 18.14 pounds
Lot # 2091311 / Produced 11/15/2011
“Snack Sticks Pepper Jack Cheese” – 18.76 pounds
Lot #’s 2091311 and 2002311 / Produced 11/15/2011 and 11/16/2011
“Snack Sticks” -25.97 pounds
Lot # 2002311 / Produced 11/16/2011
“Summer Sausage” – 40.27 pounds
Lot # 2081311 / Produced 11/14/2011
“Summer Sausage Pepper Jack Cheese” – 21.62 pounds
Lot # 2081311 / Produced 11/14/2011
“Summer Sausage Pepper Jack Cheese & Jalapenos” – 25.14 pounds
Lot # 2081311 / Produced 11/14/2011
“Spicy Beef Jerky Ground and Formed “
Lot # 2162311 / Produced 11/21/2011 and 11/22/2011
“Bold Beef Jerky Ground and Formed”
Lot # 2152311 / Produced 11/21/2011 and 11/22/2011
“Honey Beef Jerky Ground and Formed”
Lot # 2152311 / Produced 11/21/2011 and 11/22/2011
“Roasted Whole Hog Meat” – 70.74 pounds
Lot # 1008211 / Produced 11/23/2011

Records also indicate that some of the products above, prepared between Nov. 14, 2011 and Nov. 23, 2011, were sold to Trinity Lutheran School in Alma.

As a result of the violations identified Jan. 4, the business’ inspection status for cooked meat products has been temporarily suspended, meaning that meat cannot be processed for retail sale.  The investigation by the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is ongoing.

Individuals who have conducted business with Alma Meats as well as those who purchased Alma Farm Fresh Meats-labeled products should carefully examine all items processed by the facility.  Individuals who purchased products prepared between Nov. 14 and Nov. 23, 2011 should return any unused portion to the business at 100 North County Road in Alma.

Anyone concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.

For more information regarding the Missouri Department of Agriculture, visit http://mda.mo.gov.

I try to repurpose and recycle as often as I can.  I try to produce as much waste in this house and on this farm as possible.  I know I can do more but there always seems to be a reason why I don’t … not enough time, not enough support (trying to get my boys to help is like pulling teeth), any myriad of excuses.

After reading the story of this couple, however, I KNOW I can do more.  No more excuses.  But it will take a lot of effort.

The curious stares begin in the parking lot for Zach Noland and Meghan Sundermeier. Plenty of after-work shoppers head into Whole Foods at 91st Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park with reusable sacks draped on their arms; it’s part of the health-food-store uniform. But nobody else needs a double-decker shopping cart to transport the containers they are taking into the store. One by one, Noland and Sundermeier place glass-lidded  jars, cotton bags, canvas totes and a chrome compost pail (there’s a collection barrel in the store) into the cart and rattle it across the asphalt.

Inside the store, more inquisitive glances as Sundermeier holds a cotton sack up to catch a stream of lentils from the mouth of the bulk dispenser. From her purse, the waifish communications specialist for Kansas City Public Schools extracts a paper-wrapped twist tie she has saved from previous visits.
Read more …

***FOOD SAFETY ALERT***
Front Row Produce Recalls Grape Tomatoes Because Of Possible Health Risk

Front Row Produce of St. Louis MO is recalling its 10oz pint and 10lb bulk grape tomatoes supplied by Rio Queen Citrus, Mission TX, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The recalled 10oz pint and 10lb bulk grape tomatoes were distributed throughout Missouri and Illinois to foodservice distributors and retail stores. The product for retail sale is packaged in a 10-ounce, clear plastic package marked with a Front Row Produce “Grape Tomatoes” label on the top of the package. Currently, the lot number does not appear on the clear plastic package but it does appear on the case label. The lot numbers on the cases containing the 10-oz. packages are 2310802, 2310405, or 2510401. The 10lb bulk grape tomatoes are packaged for wholesale in a plain brown cardboard box labeled only with lot # 2310801.

As of 12/1/2011, all shipments of Front Row Produce Grape Tomatoes packaged in clear 10-oz. plastic packages sold in retail stores will now have a green lot number sticker placed on the bottom side of each package. The lot number will consist of a 7-digit number used to aid in identifying specific shipments of product. Any packages that do not contain this green sticker should be considered suspect and under recall.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The contamination was noted after random testing by Rio Queen Citrus, Mission TX, revealed the presence of Salmonella in some 20lb bulk containers.

Production of the product has been suspended while FDA and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem.

Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of Front Row Produce “Grape Tomatoes” or other customers who have purchased the 10-lb. bulk cases of grape tomatoes are urged to discard the product. Consumers with questions may contact Front Row Produce at (314) 241-4700, Monday- Friday from 7am-4pm, Saturday- Sunday from 7am-12pm.