A new government review of some of the most serious food recalls in recent years slammed the nation’s top food safety agency for not effectively protecting the U.S. food supply.

The scathing review by the Department of Health and Human Services found that the safety of the nation’s food supplies was compromised because FDA did not always follow its own guidelines to properly handle recall.

HHS also said FDA didn’t conduct comprehensive reviews of companies’ recalls and didn’t supervise how companies disposed of their recalled products.

HHS reviewed 17 Class 1 recalls of imported food items for Salmonella, Listeria and Botulism contamination from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008 and were overseen by its Food and Drug Administration division.

Food recalls are classified as  Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3. Class 1 recalls are issued for products that could kill you or cause irreversible medical harm if consumed.

“We focused our review only on the most serious recalls in recent years, something you could drop dead from if you ate it,” said George Nedder, with HHS’ Office of Inspector General.

To read the full story: CNN Money

Ford bowed to pressure from regulators on Thursday and widened a recall of America’s top-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup, because its air bags can deploy at the wrong time.

The recall now covers nearly 1.2 million F-150s built for the 2004 and 2005 model years and some built for 2006. An electrical short can cause the air bags to inflate without a crash and could injure drivers.

Ford Motor Co. in February said it would fix the problem in 150,000 trucks but had resisted the government’s wishes to expand the recall.

The widened recall shows how regulators have become more aggressive since being criticized last year for a slow response to unintended acceleration problems in Toyota vehicles. It’s also a sign that it will be harder for Ford and other automakers to limit the size of future recalls.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates car safety, knows of 269 cases in which the air bags have deployed inadvertently, resulting in 98 injuries, some serious.

When Ford resisted NHTSA’s request to expand the recall over the winter, the safety agency said it could hold a rare public hearing. “The potential for loss of vehicular control poses an unreasonable risk to safety,” NHTSA told the company.

Before Toyota’s spate of unintended acceleration recalls last year, NHTSA probably wouldn’t have made Ford expand the recall, said Joan Claybrook, a former administrator at the agency who previously led consumer group Public Citizen.

But the agency has become more aggressive since being criticized over Toyota’s problems, she said.

She said NHTSA could end up fining Ford for not recalling all the vehicles back in February. Toyota paid the government a record $48.8 million in fines for its handling of three recalls.

Ford, like most automakers, will delay recalls to limit their size and cost, Claybrook said.

Ford said it will tell owners next month to take their trucks to a dealer to replace an air bag wire in the steering wheel. The wire can become chafed, causing a short circuit that can lead to the air bag inflating unexpectedly. The repair takes less than a half day, the company said.

The problem was fixed at Ford’s factories in January 2006, so trucks made after that date are not susceptible to it.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said the company didn’t recall the trucks five years ago because it didn’t think there was a safety risk. Also, Ford officials didn’t think a large recall was necessary because the electrical short would first set off a dashboard light warning of an air bag problem.

“We thought the air bag warning lamp was sufficient notice to customers that the vehicle needed service well before air bag deployment, and most owners would then get it serviced,” he said.

Ford also determined that most of the trucks with the problem were made at a now-closed factory in Norfolk, Va., and those were included in the February recall, he said.

The F-150 traditionally is the top-selling vehicle in America and makes up about 18 percent of Ford’s sales. It has been a profit center for the company. Well-equipped trucks sell for over $40,000.

Thursday’s expanded recall also includes 16,000 Lincoln LT pickups from the 2006 model year.

Claybrook contends that Ford didn’t recall all the trucks at once in order to save money, an allegation that Ford denied.

A Barclay’s analyst estimated Thursday that the recall would cost Ford about $180 million, or $150 per truck. Claybrook said the per-vehicle cost is expensive compared with other recalls.

Air bags have saved thousands of lives and reduced injuries. But they can hurt people because they inflate quickly. Most injuries are scrapes from contact with the bag and burns from the gasses that inflate them.

Ford told NHTSA that F-150 drivers reported burns, bruises, neck and back pain and minor cuts. Two customers reported broken or chipped teeth, and two reported a broken elbow or arm. Ford said it knows of no crashes caused by the air bag problem.

Drivers are less likely to be hurt by air bags that inflate randomly than by bags that go off during a crash, said Matthew Reed, an auto safety expert with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute who has studied air bag injuries for 22 years.

To read the full story: Yahoo! Finance

Ford Motor is recalling nearly 32,000 recent-vintage pickup trucks and crossover vehicles in two separate actions to fix fuel leaks and electrical shorts that may lead to fires, according to a notice posted Wednesday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.

The largest of the twin recalls involves 23,688 Ford Ranger compact pickups from the 2010 model year. A cover that protects the vehicles’ fuel line near the throttle body shield may not been installed correctly, causing the fuel line to chafe and leading to a possible fuel leak and fire, Ford said in its filing.

The automaker said it wasn’t aware of any fires related to the problem. The Ranger pickups were manufactured in Ford’s Twin Cities Assembly plant in Minnesota from October 2009 through May 2010.

To read the full story: DailyFinance

Toyota Motor Corp. agreed to recall an additional 2.17 million U.S. vehicles due to floor-mat problems. Regulators said the action ends a U.S. probe of the issue.

Thursday’s recall of certain vehicles dating back to the 2003 model year is aimed at addressing flaws that could lead to a floor mat interfering with the accelerator pedal.

The recall expands on already-known floor-mat issues by adding new models and new causes to pedal interference, while effectively closing the case on the issue one year after the auto maker faced a skewering from U.S. legislators that led to a 10-month government investigation conducted in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

“We amended the recall based on our continued constructive dialogue” with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman. “While our actions up to now have led to a substantial reduction in reports of acceleration concerns, we mutually agreed that Toyota would take these additional steps to help ensure that acceleration concerns are further reduced.”

A California state trooper and three of his passengers were killed in August 2009 in an accident in which a slipping floor mat is believed to have entrapped the accelerator pedal, sending their Lexus speeding out of control.

That accident led to a recall of 3.5 million vehicles in the U.S. to fix the floor-mat problems. Later, Toyota recalled millions of vehicles for sticking accelerator pedals. Globally, more than eight million vehicles had been recalled for various reasons prior to Thursday’s recall.

To read the full story: The Wall Street Journal

Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that it would recall 144,000 F-150 pickup trucks because front-seat airbags could inflate without the vehicle being involved in a collision.

The recall involves trucks built at Ford’s now-closed Norfolk, Va., factory from November 2004 to June 2005 and sold in the 2005 and 2006 model years. The automaker said it was aware of 238 incidents of inadvertent airbag deployment in the trucks, causing 77 injuries but no deaths.

“That includes cases that were confirmed to be related to the defect and other cases that were ambiguous and could not be ruled out being related to the issue,” said Wesley Sherwood III, a Ford spokesman.

Federal safety regulators are reviewing Ford’s recall plans and looking into whether it will fix enough vehicles with the potential for unexpected airbag deployment.

The F-Series is the bestselling truck in America and last year was the nation’s top-selling vehicle of any type.

Ford said the inadvertent deployments that had been reported were preceded by the illumination of a dashboard warning lamp indicating that the restraint system should be serviced.

Ford said that in most instances the airbag went off within the first few seconds after the engine was started. However, there were some reports that indicated that the vehicle was on a public roadway when the deployment occurred, and Ford said it knew of one customer who jumped from the vehicle after an unexpected deployment that occurred in a driveway.

The automaker said most of the trucks that have the problem were built during the first shift of Norfolk production from November 2004 through June 2005. Trucks built at factories in Dearborn, Mich., and in Kansas City, Mo., had much smaller rates of unexpected airbag deployment.

To read the full story: LA Times

Ford Motor (F) is recalling about 360,000 of its popular F-150 pickup trucks in North America to repair faulty interior door handles that may allow the doors to pop open during a crash.

The recall involves F-150 pickups from the 2009-10 model years equipped with chrome interior door handles. Of the total, 280,946 were sold in the U.S., 68,000 in Canada and 14,000 in Mexico, The Detroit News reported.

A defective spring may prevent the interior door handle from fully returning to its stowed position and allow the doors to pop open during a side-impact crash, Ford said in documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and posted at the agency’s website. The handle may be loose, causing a rattle or other noise.

The car company has been reviewing the issue since late August, when it became aware of an increase in the number of warranty claims for loose or noisy door handles. As of Jan. 21, Ford said there were no reports of accidents or injuries related to the defect.

The recalled vehicles were built at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly plant and its Dearborn Truck plant from Jan. 18, 2008 through Nov. 30, 2009, the company said. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified beginning Feb. 14. Repairs are expected to begin in April, when parts become available, according to the News.

To read the full story: DailyFinance

Following notification from its supplier, State Garden, Giant Foods has announced a voluntary recall of several Nature’s Promise organic bagged salad items due to the potential for listeria contamination.

Affected products contain a use-by date of Jan. 15. The following products are affected:

• Nature’s Promise Organic Baby Arugula, 7 oz., UPC 688267049439
• Nature’s Promise Organic Baby Romaine, 7 oz., UPC 688267039072
• Nature’s Promise Organic Baby Spinach, 7 oz., UPC 688267039065
• Nature’s Promise Organic Baby Spinach, 16 oz., UPC 688267088957
• Nature’s Promise Organic Baby Spinach & Spring Mix, 7 oz., UPC 688267086410
• Nature’s Promise Organic Spring Mix, 16 oz., UPC 688267088964
• Nature’s Promise Organic Spring Mix w/ Herbs, 7 oz., UPC 688267104237
• Nature’s Promise Organic Sweet Baby Lettuce, 7 oz., UPC 688267086403
• Nature’s Promise Baby Spinach w/ Ranch Dressing & Fork, 3.5 oz. UPC 688267123559
• Nature’s Promise Organic Caesar Salad w/ Caesar Supreme Dressing & Fork, 5.75 oz. UPC 688267123566
• Nature’s Promise Organic Spring Mix w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressings & Fork, 3 oz. UPC 688267123542

Giant has received no reports of illnesses. Listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea, which can arise up to several weeks after consumption.

Customers who have these products should discard them and bring their purchase receipt to any Giant store for a full refund. Information: 877-846-9949 or 888-841-6191.

To read the full story: The Patriot News

For those who thought Toyota Motor’s (TM) massive recalls were so last year, think again. The world’s largest automaker announced late Tuesday that it’s recalling 1.7 million cars worldwide to fix defective parts, including leaky fuel systems.

Most of the vehicles involved in the recall are Japanese. In the U.S., the recall involves 245,000 luxury Lexus vehicles, including the 2007 Lexus GS300 and GS350, 2006-09 Lexus IS250 and 2006-08 Lexus IS350, the automaker said in a statement.

The problem — in the case of the U.S. recall — is insufficient tightening of a fuel-pressure sensor connected to a specific type of fuel-delivery pipe, which could cause the sensor to loosen over time and leak fuel, Toyota says. The company doesn’t suspect that the defects caused any accidents, The Associated Press reports.

Toyota is recalling an additional 176,000 cars in Canada, Europe and other markets for the same issue, Dow Jones Newswires reported. The fix involves inspecting for fuel leaks and tightening the fuel-pressure sensor, if necessary, Toyota says. As with nearly all vehicle recalls, dealerships will do the work free of charge for vehicle owners.

Notification Is In the Mail

Toyota said it would begin notifying owners by first-class mail once repair parts become available, but didn’t specify a date. Customers with questions about the recall can call Toyota at 800-255-3987 or go to www.lexus.com/recall.

To read the full story: Daily Finance

Dorel Juvenile Group Inc. is recalling more than 200,000 play yards sold under the Disney-Safety 1st and Eddie Bauer brands due to a risk of suffocation, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.

The metal bars supporting the bassinet floor can come out of the fabric sleeves, making the sleeping surface uneven posing the risk of suffocation or positional asphyxiation for infants. No injuries or incidents have been reported.

These Chinese-made portable play yards came with a bassinet attachment and a built-in changing station. The following models are being recalled: 05025, 05026, 05037, 05088 and 05350. The model number can be found on one of the legs beneath the play yard.

The Safety 1st Disney Care Center Play Yard and Eddie Bauer Complete Care Play Yard were sold for $100-$130 at Babies R Us, Kmart, Sears, Target and Walmart between January 2007 and October 2009.

Those who have these play yards are asked to stop using the bassinet attachment and order a repair kit that includes new fabric for the bassinet as well as new support bars. The rest of the play yard, including the changing station, may be used, the company said.

For more information, call Dorel Juvenile Group 866-762-2166 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, except on Friday when calls will be taken until 4:30 p.m. Consumers may also visit Dorel’s web site, or click here to order a repair kit

http://cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10097.html

Johnson & Johnson is expanding a voluntary recall of Tylenol Arthritis Caplets due to consumer reports of a moldy smell that can cause nausea and stomach pain.

According to a statement on the Food and Drug Administration Web site, the New Brunswick, N.J., company is now recalling all product lots of the Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles with the red EZ-Open Cap.

Johnson & Johnson had recalled five lots of the product last month.

The health care company says the odor results from trace amounts of a chemical called 2,4,6-tribromoanisole. That chemical is believed to result from the breakdown of another chemical used to treat wooden pallets that transport and store packaging materials.

To date, the side effects, which also include vomiting and diarrhea, have been “temporary and non-serious,” although the health effects of the compound have not been studied.

The recall only affects the specific lots cited. All other Tylenol Arthritis pain products remain available.

The company will reintroduce Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplets 100 count by January after moving production to a new facility.

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