That Parent Place » recalls

Recalls due to Listeriosis Outbreak

sirenavs — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:21:27 +0000

If you aren’t Canadian, chances are you won’t be affected by the current recalls to hit the Canadian public but it is still important to take a few minutes to read through this since I will have a few tips on how to keep your family safe from Listeriosis.

As you may know, Maple Leaf foods has had an outbreak of Listeria in one of their plants. This has lead to several deaths, currently we are at 15, although many of the newspapers have different statistics. Most Maple Leaf foods have been recalled and if you are Canadian and haven’t heard about the recalls or you aren’t sure exactly what is recalled, visit this link for a detailed list.

Listeria, if you aren’t sure, is a naturally occurring bacteria that can be found in many foods and in all kinds of environments. It is one of the few bacterias that can continue to grow in the fridge and it is an environmental bacteria that can be found in soil and in water. The biggest problem with Listeria, is that it can cause a disease called Listeriosis, which can lead to death. It is particularly dangerous to women who are pregnant, the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

Despite this outbreak, it can be easy for people to become infected by listeria and it is important to maintain a clean house, especially kitchens to avoid any infections. Below are a few tips that can help in keeping your risk to a minimum:

Avoid cross contamination: I used to follow this simply because I hated having lettuce that tasted like tomatoes and tomatoes that tasted like onions but using different knives and cutting boards between not only vegetables but meats is very important, especially between meats. If you don’t have multiple cutting boards, simply wash the cutting board with soap and water, thoroughly.
Keep your kitchen clean: Wash counters and surfaces with a disinfectant spray or wipe. A wash cloth doesn’t cut it and can actually spread more germs. Also, wash your fridge on a regular basis since listeria can form in a dirty fridge.
Don’t leave food out too long: If you are having a party, keep a two hour limit on your table spread. If it isn’t eaten or wrapped up in the fridge by the time limit, just chuck it. Bacteria builds on food that is left out.
Don’t defrost food on the counter: I’m sure you have done it before, taken a steak out of the freezer, plunked it on the counter and left it on the counter and went off to work. This is the perfect way for bacteria to grow. The best way to defrost something is in the microwave or in the refrigerator.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Recalls

sirenavs — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:35:38 +0000

It seems that every month there are a dozen recalls being issued for toys, foods and countless other products that are on the market. It can be a scary place when you purchase a toy that appears completely harmless, only to find out that the toy is dangerous and may contain toxins such as lead.

These types of recalls are occurring more and more frequently and many people often complain about manufacturing standards in countries that manufacture the products but let’s face it, corporations are looking for the cheapest production costs and things are going to fall through the crack making a recall necessary.

Since we are dealing with so many recalls, parents have to vigilant in keeping abreast of the latest product concerns and recalls. This can be pretty hard if you don’t watch the news every night or read the paper every morning and if your radio listening time consists of the commute to work. You could have several items in your house that has been recalled and not even know it.

So, the Canadian and US governments have stepped up and has provided consumers with a site that lists recalls and concerns. You can visit it here for Canadian recalls and here for US recalls. I would recommend signing up for the newletter that the US Consumer Products Safety Commission offers.

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Health Canada has concerns over Bisphenol A

sirenavs — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:01:40 +0000

I just wanted to give a heads up to another article on Bisphenol A and the recalls that have been occurring this week.

Health Canada has decided that there is cause for concern regarding Bisphenol A, especially relating to infants and young children. They will be putting up controls to limit bisphenol A in products and for the next 60 days there will be a public comment period where people can try to change the governments position in regards to the chemical.

For the time being, Health Canada is urging parents to choose plastics that are bisphenol A free or to use glass bottles.

For more on the news feature, click here.

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Recalls: Plastic Bottles

sirenavs — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:34:13 +0000

This is a recall for Canada but since there is a concern over the chemical used in the manufacturing of plastic bottles, it might be a good idea to look into whether your bottles contain the chemical bisphenol A. Although there is not sufficient data that says bisphenol A is harmful to humans, there is enough evidence to make companies pull the products containing bisphenol A from their shelves.

Lab studies have seen some side effects in rats that were exposed to the chemical bisphenol including precancerous tumours and early puberty.

The products that have been pulled from the shelves are the water bottles and baby bottles that were purchased from The Bay, Zellers, Canadian Tire and Forzani Group Ltd. For more information on these recalls, visit this site.

For more information on bisphenol A, visit here.

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