Refrigerated cookie dough may carry E. coli

From ConsumerAffairs.com

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7, a dangerous bacterium that causes food borne illness.

The agencies said consumers should:
• Throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products you may have in your home.
• Do not cook the dough because you might get the bacteria on your hands and on other cooking surfaces.
• Contact your health care professional immediately if you or your family have recently eaten the dough and have had stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea, with or without bloody stools.
• If you have additional questions about the recalled products, contact Nestle consumer services at 800-559-5025 or visit the company’s Web site.

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~Sandy G.

Test results provided to company; no response so far

By Lisa Wade McCormick, ConsumerAffairs.com

Lab results on a sample of the recalled NUTRO cat food reveal the product contains “concerning” and “sky high” levels of zinc that could cause gastrointestinal problems and liver and kidney damage in felines, according to a veterinary toxicologist.

The non-profit Pet Food Products Safety Alliance (PFPSA) hired Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to test a sample of the recently recalled NUTRO Max Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor cat food.

Those test results reveal the food contains an excessive amount of zinc — 2100 parts per million (ppm).

“The concentration of zinc identified in this report of 2100 ppm is very high,” said Dr. Stephen Hansen, a veterinary toxicologist and senior vice-president of Animal Health for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). “That zinc level jumps off the page. It is awfully high and does concern us. It’s certainly gotten our attention.”

Do those high levels of zinc pose health problems for cats?

“The problem in this case is that we believe no one actually knows (or at least has published) the effects of 2100 ppm dietary zinc long-term in cats,” Dr. Hansen said. “Typically, cats are more tolerant of high zinc than other species, including dogs and humans.

“But it’s certainly possible that those levels of zinc would likely cause health problems in cats that could involve significant intestinal upset and liver and kidney damage.”

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~Sandy G.

Obama expected to sign auto stimulus package quickly

By Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com

The cash-for-clunkers bill passed the Senate 91-5 today and is on its way to President Obama for his signature. It will offer cash vouches worth as much as $4,500 to consumers who trade in their old cars for new, more fuel-efficient models.

The bill sailed through Congress after Democratic backers attached it to a bill that provides funding for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s intended to boost U.S. auto sales, reduce dependence on foreign oil and improve air quality, although critics say it’s unlikely to achieve any of those goals.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will result in the sale of 150,000 new cars.

“This program will provide a much-needed boost to the struggling auto industry, including manufacturers, dealers, suppliers and other related industries,” Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

Supporters include not just domestic automakers. The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) was also a cheerleader for the measure.

“We expect the ‘cash for clunkers’ program to help stimulate the economy and drive an increase in industry sales. Such a program will also radiate economic benefits out to suppliers, dealers and small businesses all around the country,” said AIAM CEO Michael J. Stanton.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.