Yourlawyer.com (Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella News)

Report Says Frozen Food Safety Difficult to Guarantee

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

It seems frozen food manufacturers have started placing the burden for food safety on their customers. An article in the New York Times reports that frozen food makers are doing so because they cannot guarantee the safety of their own products.

According to The New York Times, the 2007 Salmonella outbreak linked to ConAgra Food's frozen pot pies highlighted how difficult it is for food manufacturers to make sure frozen foods are safe. As we reported at the time, ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies sickened nearly 401 people in 41 states.

About three quarters of the people sickened in the outbreak had reported that the pies they consumed were microwaved. These victims may have been sickened because the pies were not heated in a way that would kill off all Salmonella bacteria. In December 2007, ConAgra changed what it called "confusing" microwave cooking instructions on the pot pie packaging. In addition to pot pies, Con Agra modified cooking instructions for its other frozen food lines, including popular Healthy Choice and Kid Cuisine varieties.

Now, The New York Times is reporting that companies like ConAgra have found it difficult to guarantee that frozen foods won't make people sick. In the case of the ConAgra recall, it was never determined what element of the pies was the original source of bacteria. Because the supply chain for the meats, vegetables, and other ingredients needed to make frozen foods is so huge, the Times said that it is pretty much impossible to guarantee that no single ingredient will be tainted.

So now, ConAgra and other food makers have decided that consumers should be responsible for the products they sell. They are doing this by adding more detailed cooking instructions. For example, as the Times pointed out, ConAgra's instructions for its frozen pot pies now read “Internal temperature needs to reach 165° F as measured by a food thermometer in several spots."

But as The New York Times reports, these new detailed instructions are not always helpful. For example, directions for Hungry Man frozen dinners instruct cooking to a temperature that is 11 degrees short of the government threshold for killing pathogens.

What's more, cooking tests the Times conducted on ConAgra pot pies and other frozen foods showed how difficult it can be to reach 165° even when directions on a package are carefully followed. One test of ConAgra pot pies found that spots in the pies heated to only 140°, even after some of the crust was burnt.

In light of all this, some consumer advocates don't agree with the frozen food industry's attempt to shift safety responsibility to consumers.

One expert, Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told the Times that food makers are asking too much. “I do not believe that it is fair to put this responsibility on the back of the consumer, when there is substantial confusion about what it means to prepare that product,” Osterholm said.

Salmonella in ConAgra Pot Pies Sickened 401

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

A salmonella outbreak linked to ConAgra's Banquet Pot Pies sickened 401 people last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). According to a new report on the ConAgra salmonella pot pie outbreak, confusing microwave cooking instructions contributed to many of the illnesses.

In October 2007, ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were linked to dozens of cases of Salmonella poisoning. At that time, ConAgra issued a health alert about the salmonella pot pie outbreak, warning consumers not to eat any of its 7-ounce store brand or Banquet Pot Pies with the codes “P-9” or “Est 1059” on the package. Despite the health alert, ConAgra did not recall the tainted pot pies. On October 11, ConAgra finally did issue a pot pie recall.

Following the ConAgra recall, it was learned that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) had found deficiencies at the Missouri plant that manufactured the pies. Reportedly, these deficiencies included problems with record keeping and with ConAgra’s Hazard Analysis Critical Control plan that spells out what the company does to ensure product safety. The USDA did not elaborate on the nature of those problems, however, the factory was subjected to a 90-day verification by federal inspectors to insure that problems were corrected.

According to an article published in this week's issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report,   the ConAgra pot pies ultimately sickened 401 people in 41 states. Of those, 32 percent were hospitalized.

According to the CDC, roughly 77 percent of those sickened had eaten ConAgra pot pies that had been cooked in the microwave. Because microwaves can heat foods unevenly, the CDC said manufacturers need to provide clearer labeling and cooking instructions on not-ready-to-eat foods. Other frozen, not-ready-to-eat foods, such as pre-browned chicken nuggets and chicken breasts, have been implicated in similar food poisoning outbreaks, the CDC said.

In December 2007, ConAgra admitted the cooking directions on its pot pies were confusing, and announced it would be revamping the instructions before the pot pies were returned to the market.   ConAgra also said it would be updating cooking instructions on hundreds of other frozen foods, including the company’s popular Healthy Choice and Kid Cuisine lines.

The ConAgra pot pie recall was the second time that one of the company's products was implicated in a salmonella outbreak in 2007.   In February of that year, the company recalled its Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after the products were implicated in a salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people in 47 states. The salmonella contamination was blamed on a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at ConAgra’s manufacturing facility in Sylvester, Georgia.

ConAgra Fires Food Safety Exec Hired After Peter Pan Peanut Butter Salmonella Debacle

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

ConAgra Foods has fired the food safety executive that the company brought on board in the wake of last year’s Peter Pan Peanut Butter Salmonella outbreak and recall. The dismissal of Paul A. Hall from his position as ConAgra’s vice president of global food safety is not encouraging news as the company tries to recover from the fallout from not only the Peter Pan Peanut Butter Salmonella recall, but last fall’s Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak and recall as well.

ConAgra maintains that Hall was terminated because he violated one of the food giant’s employment policies, and that the move was not related to food safety. But the news only again underscores the food safety problems ConAgra has faced this year. Hall was hired in April 2007, following the February recall of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butters that where produced at ConAgra’s Sylvester, Georgia plant. Those tainted peanut butters were blamed for an outbreak of Salmonella poisoning that sickened more than 600 people. ConAgra faulted a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at its production facility for causing the Salmonella contamination. The plant in Sylvester, Georgia was closed due to the recall, but reopened last summer.

In August, ConAgra re-launched Peter Pan, once one of the country’s top-selling peanut butters. The product returned to stores with much fanfare, with ConAgra backing Peter Pan with a 100-percent money back guarantee. Prior to the launch, ConAgra mailed out 2 million coupons for free Peter Pan Peanut Butter, as well as $1-off coupons. ConAgra also redesigned the Peter Pan Peanut Butter jar with a “New Look” label.

But ConAgra’s Peter Pan re-launch was quickly overshadowed by the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak. ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were first linked to dozens of cases of Salmonella poisoning throughout the country on October 9. That day, ConAgra issued a health alert about the Salmonella pot pie outbreak, warning consumers not to eat any of its 7-ounce store brand or Banquet Pot Pies with the codes “P-9” or “Est 1059” on the package. Despite the health alert, ConAgra did not recall the tainted Banquet pot pies. Instead, ConAgra tried to deflect blame for the Salmonella pot pies by claiming that consumers caused the outbreak by failing to cook the pies properly. On October 11, ConAgra finally did issue a pot pie recall.

Ultimately, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) traced 272 cases of Salmonella poisoning in 35 states to the tainted ConAgra pot pies. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) investigation into the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak found flaws with record keeping at the Missouri plant that produced the pot pies, as well as deficiencies with ConAgra’s Hazard Analysis Critical Control plan that spells out what the company does to ensure product safety. The ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Recall ended up costing ConAgra around $30 million.

ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Recall Sparks Changes to 'Confusing' Cooking Directions

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

ConAgra Banquet Pot Pies will soon return to store shelves, and when they do, the once-recalled products will bear new and improved cooking instructions. ConAgra is hoping the revamped cooking directions will help it to avoid a repeat of the Banquet Pot Pie salmonella outbreak that left 272 people sick, and prompted the recall of millions of the company’s frozen pot pies in October.

ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were first linked to dozens of cases of Salmonella poisoning throughout the country on October 9. That day, ConAgra issued a health alert about the Salmonella pot pie outbreak, warning consumers not to eat any of its 7-ounce store brand or Banquet Pot Pies with the codes “P-9” or “Est 1059” on the package. Despite the health alert, ConAgra did not recall the tainted Banquet pot pies. Instead, ConAgra tried to deflect blame for the Salmonella pot pies by claiming that consumers caused the outbreak by failing to cook the pies properly. On October 11, ConAgra finally did issue a pot pie recall.

Following the Banquet Pot Pie recall, it was learned that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) had found deficiencies at the Missouri plant that manufactured the pies. Reportedly, these deficiencies included problems with record keeping and with ConAgra’s Hazard Analysis Critical Control plan that spells out what the company does to ensure product safety. The USDA did not elaborate on the nature of those problems, however, the factory was subjected to a 90-day verification by federal inspectors to insure that problems were corrected.

Now it seems as though ConAgra has realized that the cooking instructions on its Banquet Pot Pies made it impossible for customers to cook the pies correctly. The company now says its previous cooking directions were confusing and that all ConAgra pot pies should be cooked to 165 degrees, a temperature high enough to kill bacteria. New Banquet packages also include more explicit instructions for cooking in microwaves of varying wattages. The old Banquet package said on the front: "Ready in 4 minutes. Microwaveable." On the back, in smaller type, the instructions specified four minutes in "medium" or "high" wattage microwaves and six minutes in "low" wattage ones. ConAgra will also be updating cooking instructions on hundreds of other frozen foods, including the company’s popular Healthy Choice and Kid Cuisine lines.

Neither ConAgra nor the USDA has been able to determine the source of Salmonella contamination in the Banquet Pot Pies. However, ConAgra said that it had implemented new testing procedures at the plant and with its ingredient suppliers to prevent further Salmonella contamination. ConAgra resumed manufacturing its Banquet Pot Pies in November, and they are expected back on store shelves in January.

The ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie recall was the second time this year that the company issued a large-scale product recall because of Salmonella dangers. In February, the company recalled its Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after it was blamed for a Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people in 47 states. The Salmonella contamination was blamed on a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at ConAgra’s manufacturing facility in Sylvester, Georgia.

ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie, Peter Pan Peanut Butter Recall Executive to Leave Company

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

The ConAgra executive who was involved in this year’s Banquet Pot Pie and Peter Pan Peanut Butter recalls will be leaving the company next July.   Even though the two separate Salmonella outbreaks linked to the recalled Banquet Pot Pies and Peter Pan Peanut Butter have tarnished ConAgra’s image, the company is insisting that those events had nothing to do with Dean Hollis’ decision to leave.

Dean Hollis was named president and chief operating officer of Consumer Foods in 2005, the ConAgra division responsible for producing Banquet and store brand pot pies and Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter. ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were first linked to dozens of cases of Salmonella poisoning throughout the country on October 9. That day, ConAgra issued a health alert about the Salmonella pot pie outbreak, warning consumers not to eat any of its 7-ounce store brand or Banquet Pot Pies with the codes “P-9” or “Est 1059” on the package. Despite the health alert, ConAgra did not recall the tainted Banquet pot pies. Instead, ConAgra tried to deflect blame for the Salmonella pot pies by claiming that consumers caused the outbreak by failing to cook the pies properly. On October 11, ConAgra finally did issue a pot pie recall.

Ultimately, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) traced 272 cases of Salmonella poisoning in 35 states to the tainted ConAgra pot pies. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) investigation into the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak found flaws with record keeping at the Missouri plant that produced the pot pies, as well as deficiencies with ConAgra’s Hazard Analysis Critical Control plan that spells out what the company does to ensure product safety.   The ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Recall ended up costing ConAgra around $30 million.

The ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie recall came as the company was still reeling from February’s recall of Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butters. Those tainted peanut butters were blamed for another outbreak of Salmonella poisoning that sickened more than 600 people. ConAgra faulted a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at its production facility for causing the Salmonella contamination. The plant in Sylvester, Georgia was closed due to the recall, but reopened earlier this summer.

In August, ConAgra re-launched Peter Pan, once one of the country’s top-selling peanut butters. The product returned to stores with much fanfare, with ConAgra backing Peter Pan with a 100-percent money back guarantee. Prior to the launch, ConAgra mailed out 2 million coupons for free Peter Pan Peanut Butter, as well as $1-off coupons. ConAgra also redesigned the Peter Pan Peanut Butter jar with a “New Look” label.   All of this was an attempt to regain customer loyalty after the February recall, and there is no way of knowing if the later Banquet pot pie salmonella outbreak hurt these efforts.

A spokesperson for ConAgra who talked with the Associated Press praised Hollis for helping improve sales and strengthen ConAgra's portfolio of brands as part of companywide restructuring efforts. The company said Hollis plans to seek "the top leadership position at another consumer business."

ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Recall Plant to Undergo 90-Day Verification Period, USDA Says

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Federal inspectors will be keeping an eye on the ConAgra plant that produced Salmonella tainted Banquet Pot Pies for at least the next three months. The Missouri plant, which reopened last week, had closed in October after the Banquet pot pies that were made there where implicated in a 35-state Salmonella outbreak. The Salmonella outbreak forced ConAgra to recall the Banquet and store brand pot pies made at the Missouri plant.

ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were first linked to dozens of cases of Salmonella poisoning throughout the country on October 9. That day, ConAgra issued a health alert about the Salmonella pot pie outbreak, warning consumers not to eat any of its 7-ounce store brand or Banquet Pot Pies with the codes “P-9” or “Est 1059” on the package. Despite the health alert, ConAgra did not recall the tainted Banquet pot pies. Instead, ConAgra tried to deflect blame for the Salmonella pot pies by claiming that consumers caused the outbreak by failing to cook the pies properly. On October 11, ConAgra finally did issue a pot pie recall.

Prior to the ConAgra Banquet pot pie plant reopening, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) had said it found “flaws” in the facility’s safety plan. The USDA did not elaborate on what those problems where, and said it would only do so if forced by a formal Freedom of Information Act Request. According to the USDA, ConAgra has corrected those deficiencies.

However, ConAgra is going to have to put up with more federal scrutiny at the Missouri plant than it's probably used to. Before the plant reopened, the USDA had asked ConAgra improve record keeping and testing of incoming ingredients, as well as the cooking instructions on its packages. The 90-day verification period is designed to ensure that workers at the ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie plant are maintaining food safety procedures applied after the recall. Neither ConAgra nor the USDA have been able to determine the source of Salmonella contamination in the Banquet Pot Pies.

This is the second time this year that ConAgra has had to issue a large-scale product recall because of Salmonella contamination. In February, the company recalled its Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after it was blamed for a Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people in 47 states. The Salmonella contamination was blamed on a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at ConAgra’s manufacturing facility in Sylvester, Georgia. The company only recently returned Peter Pan Peanut Butter to the market, just weeks prior to the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella scare. ConAgra says Banquet and store brand pot pies should be back on shelves by January.

ConAgra Resumes Making Pot Pies Following Recall, As Problems Reportedly Found at Plant that Made Salmonella Tainted Pies.

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

ConAgra Banquet Pot Pies are rolling off the assembly line again, just a month after they where recalled for causing an outbreak of Salmonella poisoning that sickened nearly 300 people in 35 states. But the same day that ConAgra celebrated this milestone, it was learned that US Department of Agriculture Inspectors (USDA) investigating the ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella recall had found several deficiencies at the Missouri plant that produced the tainted pot pies.

ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were first linked to dozens of cases of Salmonella poisoning throughout the country on October 9. That day, ConAgra issued a health alert about the Salmonella pot pie outbreak, warning consumers not to eat any of its 7-ounce store brand or Banquet Pot Pies with the codes “P-9” or “Est 1059” on the package. Despite the health alert, ConAgra did not recall the tainted Banquet pot pies. Instead, ConAgra tried to deflect blame for the Salmonella pot pies by claiming that consumers caused the outbreak by failing to cook the pies properly.

On October 11, ConAgra finally did issue a pot pie recall. The day prior to the recall announcement, media outlets reported that two state health officials from Minnesota and Oregon had formally requested that ConAgra officially recall the pies, but were rebuffed. Shortly after those reports circulated, ConAgra announced the pot pie recall. Included in the pot pie recall notice were all varieties of Banquet Pot Pies, as well as ConAgra-produced generic brand pot pies under the following labels: Albertson’s, Food Lion, Great Value, Hill Country Fare, Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family. The Salmonella contaminated pot pies were sold in all fifty states, as well as in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands.

Today it was learned that the USDA found flaws with record keeping at the plant, as well as with ConAgra’s Hazard Analysis Critical Control plan that spells out what the company does to ensure product safety. The USDA did not elaborate on what those problems where, and said it would only do so if forced by a formal Freedom of Information Act Request. According to the USDA, ConAgra has corrected those deficiencies, and the government has no problem with ConAgra’s plan to resume pot pie production.

Neither ConAgra nor the USDA have been able to determine the source of Salmonella contamination in the Banquet Pot Pies. However, ConAgra said that it had implemented new testing procedures at the plant and with its ingredient suppliers to prevent further Salmonella contamination.

This is the second time this year that ConAgra has had to issue a large-scale product recall because of Salmonella dangers. In February, the company recalled its Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after it was blamed for a Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people in 47 states. The Salmonella contamination was blamed on a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at ConAgra’s manufacturing facility in Sylvester, Georgia. The company only recently returned Peter Pan Peanut Butter to the market, just weeks prior to the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella scare.

ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella Victims Now Number 272, CDC Says

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak has extended to 35 states, where the tainted pot pies have sickened 272 people.   According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at least 65 victims have been hospitalized, but there have been no deaths connected to the ConAgra pot pie recall.

The number of Salmonella victims has more than doubled since ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were first linked to 139 cases of Salmonella poisoning throughout the country on October 9. That day, ConAgra issued a health alert about the Salmonella pot pie outbreak, warning consumers not to eat any of its 7-ounce store brand or Banquet Pot Pies with the codes “P-9” or “Est 1059” on the package.   Despite the health alert, ConAgra did not recall the tainted Banquet pot pies. Instead, ConAgra tried to deflect blame for the Salmonella pot pies by claiming that consumers caused the outbreak by failing to cook the pies properly.

On October 11, ConAgra finally did issue a pot pie recall. The day prior to the recall announcement, media outlets reported that two state health officials from Minnesota and Oregon had formally requested that ConAgra officially recall the pies, but were rebuffed. Shortly after those reports circulated, ConAgra announced the pot pie recall. Included in the pot pie recall notice were all varieties of Banquet Pot Pies, as well as ConAgra-produced generic brand pot pies under the following labels: Albertson's, Food Lion, Great Value, Hill Country Fare, Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family. The Salmonella contaminated pot pies were sold in all fifty states, as well as in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands.

According to the latest CDC report on the ConAgra pot pie Salmonella outbreak, all 272 victims tested positive for the same strain of the bacteria. The CDC has linked those cases to the consumption of Banquet Pot Pies, and the same Salmonella strain was also found in three ConAgra pot pies purchased by victims.   Washington state has been struck with the highest number of Salmonella cases, with 27.   Wisconsin has had 24, while California, Missouri and Pennsylvania each had 18. The CDC says that the Salmonella outbreak is still ongoing, so consumers are urged to check their freezers for any Banquet or store brand pot pies covered by the recall.

This is the second time this year that ConAgra has had to issue a large-scale product recall because of Salmonella dangers. In February, the company recalled its Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after it was blamed for a Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people in 47 states. Considering how long ConAgra allowed its Salmonella tainted pot pies to stay in circulation, it would not be surprising if this latest outbreak became just as extensive.

ConAgra Banquet Pot Pie Recall Delay Worsened Salmonella Outbreak

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The ConAgra pot pie Salmonella outbreak would not have become so extensive had the company not botched its pot pie recall.   Today, the Salmonella from tainted ConAgra pot pies has spread to 32 states, sickening 174 people. But if ConAgra had not insisted for so long that its pot pies were safe, some of those victims could have been spared. Now, ConAgra’s slow action is raising questions about the effectiveness of a food safety system that puts decisions about recalls in the hands of the very companies responsible for manufacturing contaminated foods.

Last Tuesday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a health alert after ConAgra’s Banquet and store brand pot pies were implicated in 139 cases of Salmonella poisoning around the country. At the time, consumers were warned not to eat turkey and chicken pot pies manufactured by ConAgra.   The alert applied to the company’s Banquet brand pot pies, and to pies sold under the store brands Albertson's, Hill Country Fare, Food Lion, Great Value (sold at Wal-Mart stores), Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family. But that day, no recall was issued and ConAgra insisted that its pot pies were safe. Instead, consumers who failed to cook the pies properly were to blame for the Salmonella outbreak, the company claimed.

It wasn’t until late Thursday that ConAgra decided to recall the Salmonella pot pies.   This came after it was revealed that several state health department officials had asked the company to get the pies off the market.   At the time, ConAgra refused, but the company did a quick about-face once the health officials’ request was made public. But by then, 165 people had become ill. Over the weekend those numbers grew to 174, and of those 33 people are hospitalized with severe Salmonella symptoms.

Critics say that the ConAgra pot pie Salmonella outbreak points to serious weaknesses in the current US food safety apparatus. Specifically, the voluntary recall system can allow outbreaks of food borne illness to become far more extensive than they would if the federal government could order food off the market. But right now, that just isn’t allowed.   While agencies like the USDA and the Food & Drug Administration can ask a company to recall a defective food, the manufacturer gets the final say. And sometimes, as in the case of the ConAgra pot pies, they drag their feet.   Over just a few days, hundreds more people could then be exposed to a contaminated food.

Now, groups like Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America are pushing for changes to the food recall system. First and foremost, they say government regulators should be able to order mandatory recalls when a product has been linked to an outbreak of food poisoning. They also want to see fines levied against companies that don’t report potentially contaminated products immediately.

It could be weeks or months before it is clear how many cases of Salmonella poisoning were the result of ConAgra’s delay of its pot pie recall. But when profits are at stake, a company like ConAgra cannot be expected to do the right thing. And when that happens, government regulators should have the power to step in and protect consumers.

ConAgra Finally Issues Banquet Pot Pie Recall, As Number of Salmonella Victims Reaches 165

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

ConAgra Foods announced late yesterday that it was finally recalling its Salmonella tainted Banquet and store brand pot pies. The announcement came several days after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had linked the ConAgra pot pies to more than 100 cases of Salmonella poisoning around the country.   Earlier in the week, ConAgra had refused to issue a recall, and maintained that the pot pies were safe provided consumers cooked the products properly.

In addition to recalling turkey and chicken varieties of its pot pies, ConAgra is also asking consumers to return beef pot pies manufactured by the company as well.   Included in the ConAgra pot pie recall are all varieties of Banquet Pot Pies, as well as ConAgra-produced generic brand pot pies under the following labels: Albertson's, Food Lion, Great Value, Hill Country Fare, Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family. The pies were sold in 7 oz. single serving packages bearing an establishment number "P-9" or "Est. 1059" printed on the side of the package. The Salmonella contaminated pot pies were sold in all fifty states, as well as in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands.

The ConAgra pot pies are the prime suspects in a Salmonella epidemic that has so far sickened more than 165 people in 31 states.   Salmonella bacteria cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 72 hours of exposure. Children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to complications from Salmonella poisoning.   In rare cases, extreme instances of Salmonella poisoning can lead to a disease called Reiter’s Syndrome, which is associated with chronic arthritis.

The ConAgra pot pie recall follows an October 9 health alert issued by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) linking the pies to a nationwide Salmonella outbreak.   ConAgra warned consumers not to eat its pot pies, and asked stores to pull the tainted product from their shelves.   ConAgra even suspended production at the Missouri plant that manufactured the Banquet and store brand pot pies. But despite the fact that the number of people sickened in the Salmonella outbreak then numbered well over 100, ConAgra refused to recall the pot pies.   The company maintained that the pies were safe, and that the illnesses were the result of consumers undercooking the frozen pot pies. ConAgra also insisted that the health alert only applied to chicken and turkey pot pies, not beef.

Yesterday, news reports said that two state health officials from Minnesota and Oregon and formally requested that ConAgra officially recall the pies, but were rebuffed. Shortly after those reports circulated, ConAgra announced the pot pie recall.   In its press release, the company said it had acted “to ensure the utmost clarity for consumers about the fact that they should not eat these products.”

This is the second time this year that ConAgra has had to issue a large-scale product recall because of Salmonella dangers. In February, the company recalled its Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after it was blamed for a Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people in 47 states. Considering how long ConAgra allowed its Salmonella tainted pot pies to stay in circulation, it would not be surprising if this latest outbreak became just as extensive.

ConAgra Says No to Banquet Pot Pie Recall, as Fallout over Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak Still Reverberates

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

More than 150 people in 31 states have now been sickened by Salmonella tainted Banquet-brand and generic store brand pot pies manufactured by ConAgra Foods, prompting the company to ask retailers across the country to pull the defective products from their shelves.   But ConAgra, yet to recover from this year’s earlier recall of Salmonella infected Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter, is steadfastly refusing to issue an official pot pie recall.

At least 20 people have been hospitalized after eating the contaminated ConAgra pot pies. Disturbed by the sheer size of the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak, health officials from several states held a conference call yesterday with federal authorities.   During the call, two officials from Oregon and Minnesota reported that they pleaded with the ConAgra to remove all of its pot pies from the market. They complained that Salmonella tainted ConAgra pies could still be found in stores, and decried the lack of an unambiguous message about the danger posed by the products. According to those officials, their request for a recall was turned down. For its part, ConAgra continues to insist that the pot pies are only dangerous if consumers fail to cook them properly.

In fact, ConAgra seems to be doing everything it can to downplay the entire Salmonella pot pie incident.    While the company has posted a press release on its website announcing a “health alert” regarding the tainted Banquet and store brand pot pies, there is no official list of pot pies affected by the notice.   ConAgra is simply telling consumers to check pot pies for the code “P-9” marked on the box.   But this could confuse some people who might not realize that a pot pie bearing the name of a local supermarket is actually a ConAgra product.

Even stranger, ConAgra is doing everything that would be required to actually recall the Salmonella tainted pies. The company has asked stores to pull turkey and chicken varieties of its Banquet and private label pies from their shelves, and it is offering consumers refunds if they return pot pies.   The company has also stopped producing pot pies at its Missouri factory until the source of the Salmonella contamination can be determined.   Yet ConAgra stubbornly refuses to issue an official recall, an omission that might lead some people to believe that the bacteria tainted pot pies are not dangerous. Taken in this light, ConAgra’s refusal to issue an actual recall notice is somewhat mystifying.

ConAgra’s refusal to recall its Salmonella tainted pot pies could have origins in its recall of Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter earlier this year. Those tainted peanut butters were blamed for an outbreak of Salmonella poisoning that sickened more than 600 people.   ConAgra faulted a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at its production facility for causing the Salmonella contamination. The plant in Sylvester, Georgia was closed due to the recall, but reopened earlier this summer.

In August, ConAgra re-launched Peter Pan, once one of the country’s top-selling peanut butters. The product returned to stores with much fanfare, with ConAgra backing Peter Pan with a 100-percent money back guarantee. Considering all of the money it has spent to bring back Peter Pan, the last thing ConAgra wants is to remind consumers of the peanut butter fiasco by recalling yet another Salmonella contaminated product.   Immediately following the peanut butter recall, it was alleged that ConAgra may have taken its time responding to the Salmonella outbreak in order to protect its bottom line. Now in the case of its Banquet and store brand pot pies, it appears that ConAgra could once again be putting sales figures ahead of its customers’ well being.

Banquet Pot Pies Blamed For 139 Cases of Salmonella Poisoning

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Banquet Pot Pies and other generic frozen pot pies manufactured by ConAgra Foods have been linked to a massive outbreak of Salmonella poisoning around the country.   At least 139 cases of the food borne illness in 30 states are thought to be related to the tainted ConAgra made Banquet pot pies. This is the second time in less than a year that a ConAgra Foods product has been tied to a widespread epidemic of Salmonella poisoning.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is warning consumers not to eat turkey or chicken varieties of Banquet pot pies or other frozen not-ready-to-eat pot pies marketed by ConAgra Foods. All of the pot pies involved in the USDA health alert are marked with “P-9” printed on the side of the box as part of a code above the “use-by” date. In spite of the USDA warning, ConAgra is not recalling the Salmonella contaminated pot pies. However, consumers can return the product for a refund.

Pending the outcome of the USDA investigation, ConAgra Foods has temporarily halted production at the Missouri plant that produced the contaminated Banquet Pot Pies. The company continues to insist that the Banquet Pot Pies and the other pies produced there are safe, and that the Salmonella epidemic is most likely the result of consumers undercooking the pies.   But one epidemiologist told the Associated Press that the fact that so many people have become ill after eating the Banquet Pot Pies indicates that the cooking instructions on the packages are not adequate. While cooking will usually kill Salmonella bacteria, the pathogen can survive in microwaves because they do not always cook foods evenly.   In its press release, ConAgra said it was working to revise the instructions to more clearly illustrate different cooking times for pot pies related to varying wattages of microwaves.

According to the USDA, the Centers for Disease Control first began investigating the Salmonella outbreak on October 3, and determined that many victims had eaten either a Banquet or store-brand pot pie manufactured by ConAgra prior to becoming ill. Salmonella contamination can lead to a serious illness that causes fever, abdominal pain, nausea, gas and bloody diarrhea.   Salmonella can be particularly dangerous for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. Some victims of Salmonella poisoning will develop a disease called Reiter’s Syndrome, a difficult- to- treat condition that can lead to chronic arthritis. In the past few years, Salmonella outbreaks have been traced to a variety of foods, including snack mix, tomatoes and pet foods.

One of the year’s largest Salmonella epidemics was blamed on yet another ConAgra product. In February, more than 600 cases of Salmonella poisoning were tied to contaminated Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter made by ConAgra.   The Salmonella contamination was blamed on a leaky roof and malfunctioning sprinkler system at ConAgra’s manufacturing facility in Sylvester, Georgia.   The company only recently returned Peter Pan Peanut Butter to the market, just weeks prior to the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella scare.

Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella Lawsuit Lawyer Food Poisoning

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella Outbreak

Banquet Pot Pies tainted with Salmonella have hit store shelves and consumers freezers. On October 9, 2007, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) warned consumers to avoid eating turkey and chicken varieties of Banquet pot pies as well as store brand pot pies manufactured by ConAgra Foods. The Salmonella tainted pot pies are the not-ready-to-eat variety that come frozen and need to be cooked. According to the USDA health alert, both generic and Banquet Pot Pies manufactured by ConAgra had been linked to 139 cases of Salmonella poisoning in 30 states. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that it had been tracking dozens of incidents of Salmonella poisoning around the country since October 3, 2007. It had been determined that one commonality among many of the cases had been the consumption of Banquet and store brand pot pies sold by ConAgra.

Pot Pie Production Halted
All of the affected pot pies were manufactured at a ConAgra Foods facility in Missouri, and production at that plant was halted pending the outcome of the Salmonella outbreak investigation. Despite the health alert, ConAgra said was not recalling any generic or Banquet Pot Pies, but did offer consumers who had purchased the product mail-in refunds and store returns. Both the Banquet and store brand pot pies affected by the health alert were marked with “P-9” printed on the side of the box as part of a code above the “use-by” date.   In a press release, ConAgra said that it was cooperating with the USDA investigation, but stated that it believed that the Salmonella outbreak was the result of consumers undercooking the pot pies. ConAgra said that it was working with the USDA to clarify the cooking instructions on the pot pies.

Banquet & Store Brand Pot Pies Recalled
On October 12, 2007, ConAgra Foods finally recalled all of its Salmonella tainted pot pies.   Included in the pot pie recall were all chicken, turkey and beef pot pies sold under the following brand names: Banquet, Albertson's, Food Lion, Great Value, Hill Country Fare, Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family. The pies were sold in 7 oz. single serving packages bearing an establishment number "P-9" or "Est. 1059" printed on the side of the package. The Salmonella contaminated pot pies were sold in all fifty states, as well as in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. If you or a loved one has eaten a salmonella tainted pot pie and developed salmonella poisoning because of it please contact our food poisoning lawsuit lawyers by calling 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529 4636) or by filling out our free case review form to the right.

Salmonella Pot Pie Recall Delayed
The Banquet Pot Pie recall was announced after news reports circulated that health officials from Minnesota and Oregon had formally asked ConAgra to officially recall all of its contaminated pot pies. Although the company had offered customers refunds for returning pot pies and had requested that stores remove the defective product from their shelves, the company had not issued a formal recall announcement.   The state health officials were concerned that the lack of a recall would lead consumers to believe that the Salmonella tainted pot pies were safe. But ConAgra rebuffed the health officials’ requests, and insisted the pies were safe as long as they were cooked properly. However, several hours after news stories about the requests made by Oregon and Minnesota health officials were publicized, ConAgra relented and announced the recall. According to ConAgra’s press release, the action was taken “to ensure the utmost clarity for consumers about the fact that they should not eat these products.” But by that time, 165 cases of Salmonella poisoning linked to the tainted ConAgra pot pies had already been confirmed in 31 states.

Salmonella Poisoning
According to the CDC, Salmonella sickens more than 40,000 people every year, and kills 600.    Salmonella poisoning is marked by fever, abdominal pain, nausea, gas and bloody diarrhea. Symptoms appear within 36 hours of exposure, and usually last four to seven days. In very severe cases, Salmonella can lead to kidney failure and other complications. Salmonella can be particularly dangerous for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. Some victims of Salmonella will develop a disease called Reiter’s Syndrome, a difficult- to- treat condition that causes severe joint pain, irritation of the eyes, and painful urination. Reiter’s Syndrome can plague its victims for months or years, and can lead to chronic arthritis.

Salmonella Has Been Linked to Pot Pie Maker in The Past
The Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak was the second time in less than a year that a ConAgra product was linked to the food borne bacteria.   In February 2007, ConAgra recalled Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter after they were blamed for a Salmonella epidemic that sickened 628 people in 47 states.   It was determined that unsanitary conditions at ConAgra’s Sylvester, Georgia plant had allowed Salmonella bacteria to contaminate the peanut butter produced there.   Peter Pan Peanut Butter was taken off the market following the recall. But ConAgra re-launched the brand in August 2007, just weeks before the Banquet Pot Pie Salmonella outbreak made news.

Our Pot Pie Lawsuit Lawyers Can Help
If you or a loved one recently ate either a Banquet Pot Pie or a store brand pot pie manufactured by ConAgra Foods and suffered from Salmonella poisoning, you may have valuable legal rights. Please fill out the form at the right for a free evaluation by a qualified food poisoning lawsuit attorney. Alternatively, call our toll-free number: 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636).