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Food Safety and Recall Information
CDC FOOD RECALLS: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/
FDA Investigation of Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches due to Lead Contamination
The FDA is advising parents and caregivers not to buy or feed 3 different brands of apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches to children because the product may contain elevated levels of lead. For more information about the advisory click here. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-elevated-lead-levels-applesauce-pouches-november-2023
Children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure. Lead in children can harm their brain, kidneys, and nervous system, slow growth and development, make it hard to learn, damage hearing and speech and cause behavior problems. A blood lead test is the only way to know if a child has been exposed to lead. Concerned parents or caregivers should speak to their doctor about testing their child.
Click here to review Wanabana’s recall notice and list of affected batches. WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches are sold nationally in the U.S. and are available through multiple retailers including Sam’s Club, Amazon, and Dollar Tree. https://wanabana.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Press-release-Wanabana-Apple-Cinnamon-Fruit-Puree-Recall-Oct-29-2023.pdf
Two of the three products are not sold in Massachusetts. FDA has confirmed that there were no direct MA retailers for the Wanabana product; however, Wanabana pouches may have been further distributed to Dollar Tree stores as cited in the FDA alert. Concerned health departments can use the attached Recall Effectiveness Checklist when contacting food retailers in their city or town to determine if the recalled product was or is still available for sale.
FOOD SAFETY POLICIES
Food Safety Efforts
- Ensure that all of the food establishments (food service and retail) in the Town of Cohasset are properly permitted
- Inspect all of the food establishments at least twice each calendar year, in accordance with Massachusetts State Sanitary Code requirements
- Develop and implement an action plan for compliance with additional program standards with the Federal Drug Administration Voluntary National Food Safety Program Standards
- Update Departmental Food borne Illness reporting, investigation and follow up procedures
- Establish a "Food Safety Forum" for business to meet with regulators and the public in an open forum
- Establish electronic monitoring system for food safety inspection results and trends
- Streamline the Food Establishment Plan Review process
Food Regulations
- Issue permits for all food service establishments, including restaurants, retail food establishments, caterers, farmers' market, temporary events, bakeries, recreational camps for children, places of assembly, schools, hotels, mobile food service operations, residential kitchens, frozen desert facilities, and seasonal establishments
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Enforce Chapter X of the State Sanitary Code: Minimum standards of food establishments (105 CMR 410.5900)
- Inspections
- Issuing orders
- Suspending or revoking permits where necessary
- Issuing embargoes and seizure of food
- Issuing permits for plants which can break and can eggs
- License milk pasteurization plants
- Issuing milk permits
- Assigning a milk inspector
- Issue permits for plants that bottled water and carbonated drinks
- Inspecting cold storage and refrigerated warehouses
- Enforcing M.G.L C. 130 s. 81, which prohibits importation of shellfish which have not been certified by U.S. or foreign shellfish regulating agency
- Enforcing statutes and regulations relative to adulteration and misbranding of food
- Enforcing statutes and regulations relative to chokesaver training
- Investigate all food borne illness complaints
- Follow up of all relevant food recalls affecting establishments in the Town
- Adopting and enforcing regulations relative to the keeping and exposure of food for sale
- Adopt and enforce regulations for bakeries