Traceability Systems: From Farm to Fork in Under 4 Hours
In 2008, peanut butter tainted with Salmonella killed nine people and sickened more than 700 across 46 states. The Peanut Corporation of America knew its product was contaminated — and shipped it anyway. When investigators and lawyers later tried to trace exactly which lots went where, the company’s records were a shambles. The outbreak cost […]
H-E-B Backyard BBQ Chop Salad Kit Recalled for Undeclared Soy and Tree Nuts (Almonds)
Taylor Farms recalled the H-E-B Backyard BBQ Chop Salad Kit sold in Texas because it may contain undeclared soy and tree nuts (almonds). Check the Best If Used By date of October 30, 2026, and UPC 041220300457.
Haifa Smoked Fish Cold Smoked Sprats Recalled for Potential Clostridium botulinum Contamination
D&M Smoked Fish Inc., doing business as Haifa Smoked Fish, Inc., recalled all lots of its cold smoked sprats on October 27, 2026, after production without required controls for Clostridium botulinum.
Buck Wild Shaft Cocktail Canadian Hard Coffee Recalled for Container Integrity Defects and Spoilage
Buck Wild brand Shaft Cocktail Canadian Hard Coffee, recalled by Artus Bottling Ltd. for container integrity defects and spoilage, CFIA identification number RA-82859.
Imperio Beef Jerky Recalled for Production Without Federal Inspection
By GIFSQ · Published October 28, 2026 Imperio Beef Jerky Recalled for Production Without Federal Inspection What FSIS announced WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2026 – Imperio Distribution LLC, an Elgin, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 946 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) beef jerky products. The products were produced without the benefit of federal inspection and are misbranded […]
Cyclospora in Imported Basil: Agricultural Water Traceback
Background In summer 2026, health departments in four states reported a slow-building outbreak of cyclosporiasis — 87 confirmed cases over ten weeks. Patient interviews kept circling back to fresh basil: pesto, garnish, and caprese salads at restaurants supplied by overlapping distributors. The traceback converged on imported fresh basil from the fictional Valle Verde Farms in […]
Document Control: Taming the Paperwork in Food Safety Systems
Every food safety auditor has a favorite question, and it is this one: “Show me the current version of that procedure.” The pause that follows tells them everything. Somewhere in the plant there is a binder with a procedure from 2019, a supervisor’s desk drawer with a photocopy from 2021, and a shared drive with […]
Glass Fragment in Baby Food Jars: Packaging Line Failure Analysis
Background In mid-2026, consumer complaints began arriving at the fictional Meadowbrook Baby Foods: three separate reports of small, hard, translucent particles in jars of strained vegetable baby food. One parent found a shard embedded in the product; no injuries were reported, but glass in baby food is every manufacturer’s nightmare scenario. The company quarantined the […]
Management Review: Making It More Than a Paper Exercise
Every certified food safety management system requires a management review. And in most companies, it is the most expensive meeting nobody takes seriously — an hour where senior leaders initial a stack of reports they did not read, so the system can check a box before the next audit. ISO 22000 clause 9.3, BRCGS, SQF, […]
Corrective Actions vs Corrections: Getting It Right for Auditors
Walk into any food plant audit and listen carefully. When the auditor asks what happened after a deviation, half the corrective action records you hear about are not corrective actions at all. They are corrections — quick fixes that removed the immediate problem and changed nothing underneath. Auditors know the difference, and confusing the two […]
