Canadian Food Inspection Agency
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This archive of previously issued food recalls and allergy alerts is provided for reference and research purposes.
Users should note that the products listed in the archive have been subject to removal from the marketplace or appropriate corrective action. Food recalls or allergy alerts are not an indication of the food safety status of products produced at a later date.
The following information was transmitted by NewStar Fresh Foods LLC, Salinas, CA on July 31th, 2008 as a follow-up to their press release on July 30th, 2008.
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Fresh Cilantro Recall by NewStar Fresh Foods Proves
Unnecessary
MI Department of Agriculture Cites Likely Cross-Contamination in
Lab
Related Alerts: 2008-07-30 | 2008-08-01
July 31, 2008, Salinas, CA – NewStar Fresh Foods has been notified by the Michigan Department of Agriculture that a test result previously thought to be positive for Salmonella in a sample of fresh Cilantro was today found not to be a likely indicator of the presence of the pathogen, rendering unnecessary the national recall conducted by NewStar on July 30th.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) immediately notified its California regional office, the California State Department of Health and Human Services and the Canadian Food Safety Agency.
Although official confirmation will not be received until next week, Jerry Wojtala, Deputy Director, Food and Dairy Division, Michigan Department of Agriculture, said the agency learned of the situation earlier this afternoon and immediately notified federal regulatory officials as well as NewStar.
Mark Drever, NewStar President said that the faulty test result was an unfortunate mistake and stressed that all parties involved have the safety and well-being of consumers as their first and foremost priority. "We will work closely with all regulatory agencies involved to improve testing protocols and to ensure that the lines of communication remain open in order to continue to protect the public health." Mr. Drever also thanked NewStar employees, customers and suppliers for their fast action and thorough response in conducting the recall.
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For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.
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Media enquiries:
Office of Food Safety and Recall
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
613-755-2890
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Food Recall and Emergency Response
613-760-4112
