GJ Food Inc

The FDA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc, Calif. The company has stopped all distribution of processed pistachios and will issue a voluntary recall involving approximately 1 million pounds of its products. Because the pistachios were used as ingredients in a variety of foods, it is likely this recall will impact many products. In addition, the investigation at the company is ongoing and may lead to additional pistachio product recalls.

 

The contamination involves multiple strains of Salmonella. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Thus far, several illnesses have been reported by consumers that may be associated with the pistachios. It is not yet known whether any of the Salmonella strains found in the pistachio products are linked to an outbreak. The FDA is conducting genetic testing of the samples to pursue all links. FDA is working closely with the pistachio industry and recommends that consumers avoid eating pistachio products until further information is available about the scope of affected products. 

 

The only products that G&J stocks that contain pistachios is the Planters Dry Roasted Pistachios/16oz.  The vendor for this item has notified us that the product was recalled by Planters this afternoon, Tuesday, March 31, 2009.  If you have purchased this item and it has an expiration date between 08.27.2009 and 03.20.2010, please return to G&J.  The vendor informed us that Planters is recalling products containing pistachio nuts that have the potential to be contaminated with the Salmonella organism.  This possible contamination is not connected with the recent outbreak associated with peanuts.  There have not been any cases of Salmonella reported to date in connection with the Planters Dry Roasted Pistachios product.  Planters is issuing this recall as a precaution.

 

Furthermore, G&J will not buy out any products that contain pistachios until the FDA’s investigation is concluded. 

 

G&J will keep you update as soon as any new information regarding this investigation is available.  If you have any further questions, please phone your customer service representative.

 

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW01982.html

The combination of epidemiological analysis and laboratory testing by state officials in Minnesota and Connecticut, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enabled FDA to confirm that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant.  Peanut butter is sold by PCA in bulk containers ranging in size from five (5) to 1,700 pounds.  The peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container.  Neither of these products is sold directly to consumers. 

 

However, through its investigation, FDA has determined that PCA distributed potentially contaminated product to more than 70 consignee firms, for use as an ingredient in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream.  Companies all over the country that received product from PCA have issued voluntary recalls of their products.  FDA has created a searchable database for these products, which can be found at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm, Identification of products subject to recall is continuing and this list is updated frequently.

 

At this point, G&J does not distribute any products listed on the website cited above.  G&J will monitor this list as well as be in close contact with our vendors on a daily basis to determine if any products we distribute may be impacted.

 

G&J will keep you update as soon as any new information regarding this investigation is available.  Feel free to phone me if you have any questions.

 

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html

At this time, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have traced sources of Salmonella Typhimurium  contamination to a plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) located in Georgia.  PCA does not sell peanut butter directly to consumers.  PCA only sells peanut butter and peanut pastes to institutions and food manufacturers.  These food manufactures use the peanut butter and peanut pastes as an ingredient in many commercially produced products including cakes, cookies, crackers, candies, cereal and ice cream to name a few.

 

The FDA has developed a searchable list of products and brands associated with the expanded PCA recall.  This list is available on the FDA website at: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm and will be updated on a regular basis as additional sub recalls occur and information is received by the FDA from the industry. 

 

At this point, G&J does not distribute any products listed on the website cited above.  G&J will monitor this list as well as be in close contact with our vendors on a daily basis to determine if any products we distribute may be impacted.

 

G&J will keep you update as soon as any new information regarding this investigation is available.  Feel free to phone me if you have any questions.

 

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html

Best Wishes for Peace and Joy this Holiday Season
and a New Year of
Health, Happiness and Prosperity!


From all of us at
G&J Land & Marine Food Distributors, Inc.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers that jalapeño and Serrano peppers grown in the United States are not connected with the current Salmonella St. Paul outbreak and consumers may feel free to eat them without concern of contamination.  The FDA's advisory to avoid eating raw jalapeño and raw serrano peppers, and foods that contain them, applies only to these types of peppers grown, harvested or packed in Mexico.

 

The vendor G&J receives its peppers from has recently verified that there Jalapenos are grown, harvested and packed in the U.S.  The Jalapenos are safe from consumption.  G&J will resume shipping out the peppers on Wednesday (August 19^th).  You may resume ordering Jalapenos from us.

 

Feel free to phone me if you have any questions. 

 

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

As of today (07.21.08), FDA officials believe that consumers may enjoy all types of fresh tomatoes available on the domestic market, without concern of becoming infected with Salmonella Saintpaul. The agency is removing the warning that has been in place since June 7, which states that consumers should avoid certain types of fresh tomatoes due to a potential connection to the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak.

 

While the FDA is changing its consumer guidance about tomatoes, the agency reiterates its guidance to consumers that those in vulnerable populations (infants, the elderly, and immune-compromised people) should avoid eating jalapeño and serrano peppers as the investigation continues.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that many, but not all, of the people who have become ill during the outbreak also reported eating jalapeño or serrano peppers.

 

The FDA has not issued any mandatory recall of jalapeno and serrano peppers at this time nor have they cleared any states or countries that harvest or grow raw jalapeno and serrano peppers.  The investigation into the jalapeno and serrano peppers is still in its infancy stages.  While the preliminary investigation is underway, G&J WILL NOT ship out jalapeno peppers (we do not stock serrano peppers) unless you specifically request us to do so.

 

Feel free to phone us if you have any questions. 

 

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

G&J recently made several improvements to our facility.  The exterior of our buildings was foam insulated in order to air condition 20,000 square feet of warehouse space. This will make G&J a more comfortable place to work for our employees during the hot summer months! 

The FDA confirmed on 07.09.08 that they have implicated raw jalapeno and serrano peppers in the Salmonella outbreak.  The FDA has not issued any mandatory recall of jalapeno and serrano peppers at this time.  However, the FDA is advising people in high risk populations such as elderly persons, infants and people with impaired immune systems to avoid eating raw jalapeno and serrano peppers.

 

The FDA has not cleared any states or countries that harvest or grow raw jalapeno and serrano peppers.  The investigation into the jalapeno and serrano peppers is in its infancy stages.  While the preliminary investigation is underway, G&J WILL NOT ship out jalapeno peppers (we do not stock serrano peppers) unless you specifically request us to do so.

 

In addition, the FDA continues to advise consumers to avoid eating raw red plum, red Roma, or red round tomatoes except for those grown in the areas listed on the FDA’s website (see below). 

 

As mentioned in our previous update on the Salmonella scare, the vendors (Guidry’s Produce and Caro) that supply our tomatoes have been cleared by the FDA.  The tomatoes Guidry’s Produce supplies G&J are organically grown in greenhouses and are not subject to Salmonella contamination such as tomatoes that are traditionally grown and harvested.  (The greenhouse uses a filtered well water system with no use of fertilizers or pesticides.)  The tomatoes Caro Foods currently supplies us are traditionally grown and harvested in South Carolina and Arkansas.  The FDA placed tomatoes grown on these states on the safe list several weeks ago. 

 

Feel free to phone us if you have any questions. 

 

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

Thanks,

G&J Management

As of this morning, the FDA has still not determined the grower/shipper location of the tainted tomatoes. G&J quality control managers have been in close contact with our tomato vendors. G&J receives tomatoes from two vendors, Guidry's Produce and Caro Foods. They have assured us that their tomatoes are safe.

The tomatoes Guidry's Produce supplies G&J are organically grown in greenhouses and are not subject to Salmonella contamination such as tomatoes that are traditionally grown and harvested. (The greenhouse uses a filtered well water system with no use of fertilizers or pesticides.) The tomatoes Caro Foods supplies us are traditionally grown and harvested in Florida. The FDA placed Florida-grown tomatoes on the safe list late Tuesday afternoon (06.10.08).

G&J will inform you as soon as the FDA concludes their investigation into the specific type and source of the tomato linked to the Salmonella outbreak. Please let us know if you have a preference in one of our Tomato sources (Greenhouse or Florida) while the investigation is underway. Feel free to phone me if you have any questions.

Thanks,

G&J Management

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