Food safety recommendations for those who may be impacted by Hurricane Michael.

USDA Offers Food Safety Tips for Areas Affected by Hurricane Michael

USDA Office of Communications
Press (202) 720-9113
Consumer Inquiries (888) 674-6854
 

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2018 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing food safety recommendations for those who may be impacted by Hurricane Michael.

The National Hurricane Center expects storm surge and hurricane force winds in portions of Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Michael could produce flash flooding from the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region into portions of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and southeast Virginia.

Hurricanes present the possibility of power outages and flooding that can compromise the safety of stored food. Residents in the path of this storm should pay close attention to the forecast. FSIS recommends that consumers take the following steps to reduce food waste and the risk of foodborne illness during this and other severe weather events.

Steps to follow in advance of losing power:

• Keep appliance thermometers in both the refrigerator and the freezer to ensure temperatures remain food safe during a power outage. Safe temperatures are 40°F or lower in the refrigerator, 0°F or lower in the freezer.
• Freeze water in one-quart plastic storage bags or small containers prior to a storm. These containers are small enough to fit around the food in the refrigerator and freezer to help keep food cold. Remember, water expands when it freezes, so don’t overfill the containers.
• Freeze refrigerated items, such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately—this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
• Know where you can get dry ice or block ice.
• Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than four hours.
• Group foods together in the freezer—this ‘igloo’ effect helps the food stay cold longer.
• Keep a few days’ worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or cooling. 

Steps to follow if the power goes out:

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if the door is kept closed. A full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full).
• Place meat and poultry to one side of the freezer or on a tray to prevent cross contamination of thawing juices.
• Use dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible during an extended power outage. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep a fully-stocked 18-cubic-feet freezer cold for two days. 

Food safety after a flood:

• Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water—this would include raw fruits and vegetables, cartons of milk or eggs.
• Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Food containers that are not waterproof include those packaged in plastic wrap or cardboard, or those with screw‐caps, snap lids, pull tops and crimped caps. Flood waters can enter into any of these containers and contaminate the food inside. Also, discard cardboard juice/milk/baby formula boxes and home-canned foods if they have come in contact with flood water, because they cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitized.
• Inspect canned foods and discard any food in damaged cans. Can damage is shown by swelling, leakage, punctures, holes, fractures, extensive deep rusting or crushing/denting severe enough to prevent normal stacking or opening with a manual, wheel‐type can opener. 

Steps to follow after a weather emergency:

• Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.
• Check each item separately. Throw out any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture or feels warm to the touch.
• Check frozen food for ice crystals. The food in your freezer that partially or completely thawed may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is 40°F or below.
• Never taste a food to decide if it’s safe.
• When in doubt, throw it out.

FSIS’ YouTube video “Food Safety During Power Outages” has instructions for keeping frozen and refrigerated food safe. The publication “A Consumer’s Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes” can be downloaded and printed for reference during a power outage. Infographics on FSIS’ Flickr page outline steps you can take before, during and after severe weather, power outages and flooding. FSIS provides relevant food safety information during disasters on Twitter @USDAFoodSafety and Facebook.

If you have questions about food safety during severe weather, or any other food safety topics, call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline at 1-888MPHotline or chat live with a food safety specialist at AskKaren.gov. These services are available in English and Spanish from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Answers to frequently asked question can also be found 24/7 at AskKaren.gov.

Malone’s Fine Sausage Inc., a Milwaukee, Wis. establishment, is recalling approximately 26,323 pounds of ready-to-eat pork head cheese product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes

Malone's Fine Sausage, Inc. Recalls Pork Head Cheese Products due to Possible Listeria Contamination
Class I Recall 088-2018
Health Risk: High Oct 10, 2018


Congressional and Public Affairs
Veronika Pfaeffle
(202) 720-9113
Press@fsis.usda.gov


WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2018 – 

Malone’s Fine Sausage Inc., a Milwaukee, Wis. establishment, is recalling approximately 26,323 pounds of ready-to-eat pork head cheese product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ready-to-eat pork head cheese items were produced on various dates from Aug. 27, 2018 through Oct. 5, 2018. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels here (PDF only)]

• Various weights of vacuum-sealed packages containing “Glorious Malone’s Fine Sausage, INC. GOURMET PORK DELICACY HOT SEASONED HEADCHEESE” with a “Sell By” dates from 10/26/2018 through 12/5/2018 and lot codes 3524 through 3540.
• Various weights of vacuum-sealed packages containing “Glorious Malone’s Fine Sausage, INC. GOURMET PORK DELICACY MILD SEASONED HEADCHEESE” with a “Sell By” dates from 10/26/2018 through 12/5/2018 and lot codes 3524 through 3540.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 15702” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin and were also sold via internet catalog sales.

The problem was discovered on Oct. 9, 2018 by FSIS inspection program personnel while verifying the disposition of product that FSIS tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Daphne Jones, president at Malone’s Fine Sausage, at (414) 732-1820.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.

USDA Recall Classifications
Class I	This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.
Class II	This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.
Class III	This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.