6 Million Eggs May Be Tainted By Salmonella: Recall Roundup

Federal agencies that issue health and safety recalls for food, cars and trucks, and an array of consumer products are, for the most part, continuing their work during the government shutdown.

For example, since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, the Food and Drug Administration has announced recalls and issued safety alerts for a handful of products that may be contaminated with deadly listeria bacteria.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said a popular home exercise machine may catch fire, and

The National Highway Traffic Safety Commission said one of the top U.S. automakers has recalled about 350,000 vehicles in two separate recalls due to under-the-hood fire risks and rearview camera failures.

Below are recalls consumers need to know about:

Listeria Warning: This In Your Freezer?

Frozen spinach sold in retail stores nationwide has been recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria moncytogenes, a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The recall by Caledonia, Minnesota-based Sno Pac Foods concerns certain lots of Del Mar 35-pound Bulk Organic Frozen Spinach and Sno Pac 10-ounce Organic Frozen Cut Spinach.

No listeria illnesses have been reported, and consumers who have the spinach in their freezers should dispose of it or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund, the FDA said.

Sno Pac Foods recalled the spinach after a bulk case from its supplier tested positive for listeria. The company said it has suspended production of the spinach as it further investigates the source of the problem. More information is found on the FDA website.

Listeria Concerns Expand For Pasta Salads

Sprouts Farmers Market has recalled select lots of its Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad sold in two dozen states because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the FDA.

The product has been added to a growing list of pasta salads containing ingredients manufactured by Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California, that tested positive for listeria contamination.

The salads were sold from the deli service counter or Grab & Go section of Sprouts stores from Aug. 31 through Oct. 7. Sprouts stores in California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia are among those that sold the pasta salads.

The FDA urged consumers who bought the pasta salads to throw them away or return them to the store for a full refund. More information is found on the FDA website.

6M Eggs May Be Tainted By Salmonella

The FDA issued a Class I recall for more than 6 million eggs with expiration dates extending to Oct. 31 that may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

Salmonella infections can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

The FDA’s original recall of certain Black Sheep Egg Co. Free Range Large Grade A eggs was posted in September was updated on Oct. 14. A Class I recall is issued when it’s reasonable to assume that eating the eggs “will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

The eggs were recalled after an FDA inspection of the Walnut Ridge, Arkansas-based egg company’s processing facility turned up 40 environmental samples of seven different salmonella strains.

The eggs were distributed to companies in Arkansas and Missouri, but they may have been repackaged and sold under different labels, according to the FDA. The agency said more information on product labeling and distribution will be provided as it becomes available.

Both 12- and 18-count cartons UPC codes 860010568507 and 860010568538 are included in the recall. More information is found on the FDA website.

Rocks May Have Been Harvested With This Rice

Ben’s Original is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of rice products that may contain stones gathered from the rice farm during harvest, according to the FDA.

The small stones in certain packages of Ben’s Original Long Grain White, Whole Grain Brown, and Long Grain & Wild Ready Rice products pose a risk of oral or digestive tract injury if consumed, the agency said.

The recalled rice products were distributed by Associated Grocers, C&S, and Dot Foods from August through September to certain H-E-B, Target, Amazon, Piggly Wiggly and United Markets, the FDA said.

No injuries have been reported. A full list of the products is found on the FDA website.

This Rowing Machine May Literally Melt Down

About 44,800 Nordic Track Model NTRW19147 Rowing Machines have been recalled because the screen console can overheat and ignite, posing a fire hazard, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The manufacturer, iFIT, has taken eight reports of screen overheating, including two reports of fire and six reports of smoking or melting. No injuries have been reported, but he malfunctions have caused about $6,000 in property damage.

The fitness machines were sold both in-store and online at Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Nebraska Furniture and ABT stores nationwide and online at nordictrack.com and Amazon.com from November 2018 through April 2022 for about $1,700.

Consumers should immediately stop using and unplug the machines, and contact iFIT to arrange for an authorized technician to replace the screen console at no charge. More information on the recall is found on the CPSC website.

Ford Recalls 60K Vehicles Due To Fire Hazard

Ford Motor Co. is recalling about 60,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles due to a fire risk, USA Today reported.

In a letter sent to dealerships on Oct. 15, the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker detailed a potential issue with the engine block heater. The heater may crack, leading to a coolant leak. When plugged in, this leak could cause a short circuit, increasing the risk of an under-hood fire.

Certain vehicles from the following models and model years are included in the recall are:

• 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC
• 2016-2018, 2020-2023 Ford Explorer
• 2019-2020 Ford Fusion
• 2019-2024 Ford Ranger
• 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair
• 2020-2022 Ford Escape
• 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport
• 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles

Ford said it is not aware of any injuries connected to the defect. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is advising customers not to plug in their block heaters until the problem is resolved.

Dealers will replace the block heater free of charge to customers. Owners should expect notification letters by mail around Oct. 24, with additional letters to follow when the final repair is available. That may not be until early 2026.

Separately, Ford recalled another 290,000 vehicles with faulty rearview camera systems that may not properly display images in certain lighting conditions, increasing the risk of a crash, ABC News reported.

Recalled vehicles include certain model years 2020-2022 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles.

According to NHTSA’s safety recall report, Ford discovered the problem while reviewing customer complaint data and warranty information. The automaker is aware of at least 10 instances of the system failing since the first complaint on Jan. 20, 2022, but is not aware of any accidents or injuries as a result.

Dealerships will provide a free software update to fix the problem. Letters are expected to go out on Oct. 20, with an update in March 2026 when a final fix is available.

Golf Carts Recalled Over Various Issues

Thousands of golf carts and personal transportation vehicles have been recalled over a range of issues, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Here’s a rundown:

• 90,000 Textron E-Z-GO Personal Transportation Vehicles that may leak fuel, posing a risk of serious injury and fire. Read more on the CPSC website.
• 19,300 model year 2021-2025 Yamaha Golf Car Vehicles that don’t have stop lights, posing a risk of serious injury or death due to a crash hazard. Read more on the CPSC website.
• 4,300 mode year 2017-2024 Yamaha Golf Car Vehicles because they can fail to brake, posing a risk of serious injury or death due to a crash hazard. Read more on the CPSC website.

Also On Patch

Recalled Radioactive Shrimp Could Still End Up On Your Table: In addition to the presence of cesium-137 contamination, there’s another problem with the cheap, farmed imports drowning the U.S. shrimping industry. It’s a loophole called the “re-export option.”