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Trudeau Corp. Recalls Garlic Press/Slicers

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:03:00 GMT

Trudeau Corporation has issued a voluntary recall of Trudeau Garlic Duo Slicers because the blades can break during use, posing a laceration hazard to users.

To this date, the company has received four reports of slicer blades breaking. However, there are no reported injuries.

The recalled products are a combination garlic press/slicer with one of the following model numbers: 998009, 998010 or 998010CB. The model numbers were printed on the product packing card or UPC label but not on the product.

Consumers should discontinue use of the recalled items and contact Trudeau for directions on how to receive a free replacement and complimentary set of three measuring spoons.

* Do not throw away your Garlic Duo, as you will need to return it for your replacement garlic press.

Consumer Information: Contact Trudeau toll-free at (888) 887 8332 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday to Friday, or visit www.trudeaucorp.com

The recall was issued in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Pet Food Company Pays $3.1 Million In Settlement to Pet Owners For Contaminated Food Manufactured in South Carolina

Amy Rothschild — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:24:52 GMT

Diamond Pet Foods with is based in Meta Missouri, will pay $3.1 million in a settlement with pet owners as a result of contaminated pet food that was manufactured in its South Carolina plant. The contaminated pet food resulted resulted in the illness and death of dozens of dogs nationwide including twenty three states, and the recall of twenty brands of cat and dog food.

The pet food contained a mold called aflatoxin. Aflatoxin, a naturally occurring chemical that comes from a fungus sometimes found on corn and in other crops, can cause severe liver damage. The contaminated product was produced at Diamond Pet Foods' plant in South Carolina. After the Food and Drug Administration released a report showing that the company had no records of test results for the last twelve shipments of corn in 2005, when the grain tainted with the deadly fungus entered the plant, Diamond Pet Foods admitted that it's workers in the South Carolina plant neglected to follow internal testing procedure to insure that its products were safe.

The company will set up a fund to reimburse pet owners for the loss of their dog, veterinarian bills and the cost of any unreturned contaminated food, said the attorney who represented a Knoxville, Tennessee family that sued the company. Despite consenting to the $3.1 million dollar settlement, the company maintains that it did nothing illegal, according to the settlement.

The contaminated pet food was sold in 23 states. Diamond recalled about 20 varieties of dog and cat food when a New York veterinarian said in December 2005 that she had linked a dog's death to the company's food.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild

Missouri Plant That Manufactures Chicken Pot Pies Voluntarily Stops Production After Possible Link to Salmonella

Amy Rothschild — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:46:12 GMT

On October 8, 2007, ConAgra Foods Inc.'s Missouri plant voluntarily stopped production of ts Banquet pot pies after health officials said the pies may be related to 139 cases of salmonella in 30 states. ConAgra officials have stated that its pot pies are safe if they are cooked properly but has advised consumers not to eat them until government and company investigations have been completed.

ConAgra Foods, Inc. is not issuing a recall at this time, but federal officials have asked that consumers refrain from eating the chicken and turkey pot pies until all investigations have been completed. It has been determined that part of the problem may be in the cooking process. When the pies are heated in the microwave, they are not uniformly cooked and heated

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.
In conjunction with ConAgra Foods Inc.'s decision to voluntarily stop production, the United States Department of Agriculture also issued a health alter on October 8, 2007, warning consumers about the link between the pot pies and salmonella cases. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking reports of the salmonella cases since Wednesday. A CDC spokeswoman said the largest numbers of salmonella cases had been reported in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

Salmonella results in the sickness of about 40,000 individuals annually in the United States and results in the death of about 600. Most deaths result in individuals who have weakened immune systems such as the young and elderly. Symptons of salmonella include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting. In most incidents, salmonella poisoning is caused by undercooked eggs and chicken.

Consumers shouldn't throw away or eat the chicken or turkey pot pies until the Food Safety and Inspection Service can determine the source of the salmonella contamination and verify proper cooking instructions. Part of the problem may be the manner in which the pot pies are being cooked. Cooking pot pies in a microwave can be problematic because microwaves heat food unevenly and not all microwaves have the same strength. A good sign that the pot pie is done is when steam rises out of it. Proper cooking will kill any common pathogens routinely found in uncooked products that contain poultry.

Conagra Foods, Inc. is already working on improving the safety instructions for the cooking of the pot pies including how they should be cooked in different microwaves. Currently, the Banquet pot pie package advises consumers to cook the product for 4 minutes in a medium or high wattage microwave or for 6 minutes in a low wattage microwave. But the package doesn't say how to determine what defines a low, medium or high wattage microwave.

The United States Department of Agricutlutre said the Marshall, Missouri plant made Banquet and generic store brand pot pies. All of the pot pies made at the plant in question have "P-9" printed on the side of the box as part of a code above the use-by date. ConAgra is offering consumers refunds, but no recall of pot pies was being planned Tuesday. Purchasers who want a refund for their pot pies should send the side panels of the packages that contains the "P-9" location code to the following address: ConAgra Foods, Dept. BQPP, P.O. Box 3768, Omaha, NE 68103-0768. Consumers with questions can call the company toll free at (866) 484-8671.

Earlier this year, ConAgra had to recall all of its peanut butter because it was linked to a different salmonella outbreak.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild

Mitsubishi Ordered To Pay $11 Million For Death Resulting From Defective Seatbelt

Amy Rothschild — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:16:45 GMT

On February 26, 2008, a jury in Palm Beach County in Florida, ordered Mitsubishi to pay $11 million in damages to the parents whose 25 year old son died after being partially ejected from a sports utility vehicle. Of this amount, $10 million dollars was awarded for their son's pain and suffering and the rest was awarded for funeral expenses and other losses. Scott Laliberte, the deceased, was involved in a rollover accident in 2004 and died four hours after the accident. Even though he was properly belted on the passenger side, he was thrown out of the rear window.

The lawyers for the parents claimed that Mitsubishi marketed and sold its Montero SUV despite having knowledge that its seatbelts had problems. Donna and Peter Laliberte of Maine argued that Mitsubishi put its Montero SUV on the market despite known problems with the seat belt. The family's laywers further argued that Mitsubishi released a new version of the vehicle halfway through the 2000 model year to correct the flaws but never told customers about the defect in the earlier model.

While Mitsubishi's attorney stated that the new model was not redesigned to correct flaws in the seatblet, and rather, focused on the vehicle's front structure, he did acknowledge that the changes were a result of poor crash tests. Mitsubishi has suffered from various accusations and assaults in recent years over defects in some of its vehicles which Mitsubishi first attempted to hide. The scandal first surfaced in 2000, when Mitsubishi admitted it had hidden defects from the public for years. Instead of immediately initiating recalls after dozens of accidents, Mitsubishi secretly repaired the vehicles. Mitsubishi later acknowledged it had hidden defects for decades.

Even though the family and their son were from Maine, the legal action was filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court because the Mitsubishi has business operations in the area.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild

Bausch & Lomb Continues To Be Served With Lawsuits As A Result of Eye Infections Caused by Renu MoisturLoc Contact Lense Solution, Some Of Which Was Manufactured In Greenville, SC Plant

Amy Rothschild — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:33:48 GMT

573 product liability law suits have been brought against Bausch & Lomb Inc, the maker of defective Renu with MoisturLoc Contact Lens Solution, as a result of eye infections caused by the recalled product. Those lawsuits include 550 individual lawsuits and a consolidated federal class action suit. The lawsuits have been filed in both state and federal courts in the United States as well as in other countries.

Bausch & Lomb's legal troubles began in 2006, when Renu with MoistureLoc was linked to Fusarium Keratitis, a rare eye infection that had the potential to cause blindness. The company removed MoistureLoc from Asian markets in February 2006, and did the same in the United States in April 2006, before finally issuing a worldwide recall on May 15, 2006.

As of June 30, 2006, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had confirmed 164 cases of the eye infection. The same report said that those infected were 20 time more likely to have used the MoistureLoc solution. The CDC report determined that bad hygiene habits among users were not to blame for the infections, but that that contact lens solution appeared to have poor disinfectant qualities.

In October of 2006, the FDA issued a warning letter to Bausch & Lomb, criticizing the company for not reporting nearly three dozen infections linked to MoistureLoc that occurred before sales of the product were suspended. The letter also cited the company for numerous violations found during a May inspection of its Greenville, South Carolina manufacturing plant. That warning letter was similar to one issued during a 2002 inspection of that plant, when the FDA discovered paint chips in rooms where containers of eye care products were filled. The 2002 warning letter also raised concerns that Bausch & Lomb did not have adequate procedures in place to test that the contact lens solutions manufactured at the plant contained adequate amounts of preservatives and disinfectants to insure their quality.

Analysts have estimated that Bausch & Lomb could face potential liabilities of as much as $1 billion over lawsuits stemming from the MoistureLoc debacle, although some have predicted that the amount will be much higher.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild

Mattel Recalls Almost One Million Toys, Including Some Dora the Explorer, Elmo and Big Bird Toys Due to High Lead Levels

Amy Rothschild — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 09:51:06 GMT

Toy-maker Mattel which is the parent company of Fisher Price, is recalling almost one million toys because they contain high levels of lead. Some of the products being recalled are among children's favorites including Dora the Explorer, Elmo, Big Bird and others. The toys were all manufactured for Mattel by a Chinese Vendor. Mattel announced that it will work with authorities in China to improve the safety of Mattel's toys being manufactured in China. In the interim, parents should check the toy boxes to insure that their children do not have any one of the eighty-three (83) toys that are being recalled. You can check Mattel's website to see if any of your children's toys are among those that have been recalled. Parents can also check the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission to determine those toys that have been recalled.

http://cpsc.gov/

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild

Salton Electric Toasters Under Voluntary Recall Due to Fire Hazard

Amy Rothschild — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:14:40 GMT

On March 19, 2008, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that along with Salton, Inc., a voluntary recall has been issued for certain toaster oven models sold between 2000 and 2007. While no injuries have been reported, the toaster can turn on without bread in the slots and ignite items placed on top of it, posing a fire hazard. As an aside, QVC, a home shopping channel, recalled 13,000 similar models in December 2007.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild

Grassplot Brand Dried Pachyrhizus Recalled Due to Undeclared Sulfites

Jenny Albano — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:19:34 GMT

Lion Pavilion LTD., in conjunction with the FDA, is recalling 8 ounce packages of Grassplot brand Dried Pachyrhizus due to undeclared sulfites. Consumers who are sensitive to sulfites can run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions and side effects if they consume this product.

The product comes in an uncoded 8 ounce, clear plastic package. The recalled packages of Grassplot brand Dried Pachyrhizus were distributed nationwide.

The problem was discovered after the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors sampled the product and then had it analyzed by the Food Laboratory. After the analysis it was revealed that there were sulfites in the Grassplot Dried pachyrhizus that were not listed as an ingredient on the label.

The consumption of 10 milligrams of sulfites per serving has been reported to elicit severe reactions in some asthmatics. Anaphylactic shock could occur in certain sulfite sensitive individuals upon ingesting 10 milligrams or more of sulfites.

So far the company has not received any reports of illness or allergic reaction. The product was made in China.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

Aqua Dot Toys Recalled Because They Contain "Date Rape" Drug

Amy Rothschild — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:31:38 GMT

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 4.2 million Aqua Dots toys for possibly containing a "date rape" drug. The Aqua Dots craft toys are being recalled because they include a chemical on their beads which, if swallowed, can turn toxic and cause unconsciousness, respiratory depression, or seizures. To date, two children in the United States swallowed the Aqua Dots and became unsconsious. While these children were hospitalized, they have since recovered. Australian officials issued a nation-wide ban on a similar toy after three children were hospitalized.

Consumers are urged to take away the Aqua Dots toys from their children and look for any stray beads that may have fallen out of the craft kits. The toy is distributed in North America by Spin Master, Ltd, a Toronto company, which said it had recalled Aqua Dots from Canadian retail stores as well. Aqua Dots made Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s list of top 12 Christmas toys and have been sold at major U.S. retail stores since April 2007 for between $17.00 and $30.00.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild

Family Sues EvenFlo, Co., Manufacturer of Allegedly Defective Car Seat Which Family Claims Caused Death of Their Infant

Amy Rothschild — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:02:32 GMT

Family members of Isaac Eslinger ares suing Evenflo, Co., the manufacturer of infant and car child seats, in federal court alleging that it's defective car seat resulted Isaac's death two years ago in September of 2005, when Isaac was only seven months old.

Isaac was killed when the car in which he was riding overturned resulting in him being ejected from the vehicle.
Authorities report that Isaac's mother was driving on a North Dakota highway when she swerved into the opposite lane, overcorrected and lost control of the vehicle. The van went into a ditch and overturned. Isaac, who is claimed to have been properly belted and secured in his Evenflo Co., car seat, was ejected from the vehicle and died.

The lawsuit filed by I saac's family states that he was securely belted and that the seat was properly installed in the family's van. The lawsuit alleges that Evenflo Co., neglected to provide a "safe and appropriate child safety seat."

This lawsuit comes on the heels after a two month old jury verdict against Evenflo, Co. where Evenflo, Co. was ordered to pay $10.4 million to the parents of a 4-month-old Montana boy who died of head injuries in a car crash. The award included $3.7 million in punitive damages. That case involved an "On My Way" child seat, while the North Dakota case involves a child seat with the name "Discovery."

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amy Rothschild