Temporary cap that stopped oil gusher removed

(news) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:18:52 -0700

Engineers have removed a temporary cap that stopped oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from BP's blown-out well in mid-July.

More oil is not expected to leak into the sea, but crews are on standby with collection vessels just in case.

The cap was removed Thursday as a prelude to raising the massive piece of equipment underneath that failed to prevent the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

The government wants to replace the failed blowout preventer first to deal with any pressure that is caused when a relief well BP has been drilling intersects the blown-out well.

Once that intersection occurs sometime after Labor Day, BP is expected to use mud and cement to plug the blown-out well for good from the bottom.

The April 20 rig explosion killed 11 workers and led to 206 million gallons of oil spewing from BP's well.

Ferrari forced to recall fiery luxury cars

(news) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:20:00 -0700

The 458 Italia sells for a little over $250,000 so this recall is even more shameful than the rash of problems Toyota has faced with its $20,000 - $30,000 cars.

At issue is apparently the adhesive used in some of the Ferrari's components. It can overheat and melt, which leads to the possibility of an explosion or fire. China, France, and Switzerland, as well as a case in California in the United States, have all reported Ferrari fires.

The problem affects all 458 Italia cars sold before July 2010. Owners are asked to take the car to their nearest Ferrari dealer to have the adhesive replaced with mechanical fasteners.

Investigation Broadens in Egg Recall

(news) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:19:00 -0700

The criminal division of the Food and Drug Administration and the Justice Department have joined the probe of the Iowa farm at the heart of the recent egg recall linked to an outbreak of salmonella, according to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.

"There is a formal investigation going on that extends beyond the FDA inspections that are focused on farm practice," Dr. Hamburg told reporters Wednesday. "It is the case that an investigation is under way. We are pursuing it with our partners in law enforcement."

Dr. Hamburg declined to discuss details or to say whether Federal Bureau of Investigation agents have visited facilities of Wright County Egg, a major egg producer that recalled 380 million eggs in mid-August.

FDA spokeswoman Pat El-Hinnawy said Wednesday that federal agents visited both Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, the second producer involved in the recall, on Tuesday. She referred further questions to the U.S. attorney in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Wright spokeswoman Hinda Mitchell said FDA enforcement agents were at Wright on Tuesday. "Wright County Egg is cooperating fully," she said. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.

Toyota Recalls Corolla Sedans and Matrix Hatchbacks

(news) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:06:51 -0700

The popularity of Toyota took another blow last week as the company announced another in what seems to be a regular series of recalls.

Apparently there have been issues with stalling engines in the 2005 through 2008 Matrix Hatchbacks and Corolla Sedans. This particular recall encompasses over one million cars sold in the United States and Canada.

The repercussions of the ongoing recalls can be clearly seen in the value of the stock for Toyota, and a widespread wave of negative feedback from Toyota owners. Sales of Toyota vehicles have dropped considerably this year on a nationwide level.

If you own one of these models, Toyota has announced that you will be receiving a notification of the recall sometime during the month of September. If you do not receive a notification, visit the dealership that sold you the car for further action.

Egg recall includes four more brands

(news) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:06:24 -0700

Minnesota is one of 10 states included in the latest egg recall, this time from Sparboe Farms, a Litchfield-based egg producer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
In a news release issued Friday, Sparboe said it packaged eggs produced by two Iowa egg companies at the center of a salmonella outbreak, Wright County Eggs and Hillandale Farms. While Sparboe said it believes that any eggs that reached grocery stores have already been "removed and replaced," it still issued a voluntary recall of shell eggs produced by those Iowa companies.

Those large, white, shell eggs were distributed to grocery stores and food-service companies in 10 states, under the brand names Albertson, Sparboe Farms, Shamrock Foods and Glenview Farms.

Consumers should look for the code stamped on the side of the egg carton. The recall covers eggs with the plant number 1167, followed by the numbers 214, 215 or 219. Consumers should not eat those eggs, but throw them away or return them to the store for a full refund.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Cargill Meat Solutions Recalls Ground Beef

(news) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:05:34 -0700

A Pennsylvania company recalled 8500 pounds of ground beef for suspected E. coli contamination. The Washington Post reports that the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service found a link between Cargill Meat Solutions in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, and three cases of the infection in Maine and New York. The meat had been shipped in 14-pound chubs to processing facilities in Connecticut and Maryland before being distributed to BJ's Wholesale Club locations.

Closer to home, Morningland Dairy in Mountain View, Missouri, has recalled all their cheese products made in the first half of 2010. According to the Muleskinner in Warrensburg, Missouri, the dairy produces raw milk cow and goat cheeses that are distributed nationwide. A sample taken in California showed traces of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus . In Missouri, 23 stores sold the cheese.

In celebration of what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday in October, the Lennon Ono Grant for Peace will honor four recipients, two from the food world. ImaginePeace.com, the organization's website, announced honorees this week, which include writer Michael Pollan and Center for Foodborne Illness & Prevention co-founder Barbara Kowalcyk.

Law firm dropped from Ala AG's plans to sue BP

(news) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:02:42 -0700

A prominent Birmingham law firm that Alabama Attorney General Troy King had tapped to sue BP PLC over the Gulf oil spill will not take part in the litigation because of a potential conflict.

A spokesman for King, Chris Bence, said Tuesday the law firm Balch Bingham would not represent the state in the lawsuit because the Mississippi offices of the firm previously represented Transocean Ltd., owner of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. An April 20 explosion on the rig killed 11 workers and left millions of gallons of oil spewing into the Gulf Of Mexico.

Bence said the lawsuit against BP, seeking to recover lost tax revenues, would also name Transocean, well contractor Halliburton Co., and Cameron International, maker of the well's failed blowout preventer.

Bence said King spent much of Tuesday meeting with lawyers from various Alabama law firms discussing the lawsuit. He declined to say which firm or firms might be chosen to replace Balch Bingham as the lead attorneys.

Mazda to recall 500,000 cars for power-steering flaw

(news) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:01:38 -0700

Mazda Motor Corp expects to recall more than half a million vehicles worldwide due to power-steering flaws, a company spokesman said, its largest recall ever as Japanese carmakers come under rising scrutiny for quality problems.

The automaker has filed applications with local authorities to recall 215,000 vehicles in the United States and more than 10,000 in China, and now plans to broaden the net to include major export markets such as Europe and Australia, the spokesman said, confirming a domestic media report.

The recalls, estimated at 514,000 vehicles, target the Axela and the Premacy, known in some markets as the Mazda3 and the Mazda5, manufactured in Japan from 2007 to 2008.

The vehicles could experience a sudden loss of power steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

The spokesman said there had been three accidents reported in the United States in connection with the defect but no deaths or injuries.

The company said rust could break lose from a high-pressure pipe, straining the power steering pump and causing the system to shut down.

Last year it remedied the problem for models in Japan after issuing an advisory.

A supplier in egg recall has history of violations

(news) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:00:45 -0700

Two Iowa farms that together recalled more than half a billion potentially tainted eggs this month share close ties, including suppliers of chickens and feed.

Both farms are linked to businessman Austin "Jack" DeCoster, who has been cited for numerous health, safety and employment violations over the years. DeCoster owns Wright County Egg, the original farm that recalled 380 million eggs Aug. 13 after they were linked to more than 1,000 reported cases of salmonella poisoning.

Another of his companies, Quality Egg, supplies young chickens and feed to both Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, the second farm that recalled another 170 million eggs a week later.

Jewanna Porter, a spokeswoman for the egg industry, said the two companies share other suppliers as well, but she did not name them.

The cause of the outbreaks is so far unknown, as Food and Drug Administration investigators are still on the ground at the farms trying to figure it out. The federal Centers for Disease Control has said the number of illnesses, estimated as high as 1,300, would likely grow.

Egg recall tied to salmonella outbreak grows

(news) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:55:04 -0700

Wright County Eggs, the Iowa manufacturer of 320 million eggs that have been recalled nationwide, on Thursday revealed more brands and identification numbers for packages that may have been contaminated with salmonella.

The recall includes many popular brands sold in California supermarkets.

Hundreds of people around the country have been sickened with salmonella from tainted eggs since May, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Contaminated eggs first were taken off shelves last Friday, but many consumers may have recalled cartons in their refrigerators. Eggs that are part of the recall should not be eaten, and can either be thrown away or returned to the store where they were purchased.