Whether from foreign objects or deadly bacteria, food contamination is a dangerous occurrence that pops up in headlines now and then, especially if the result is consumer injury or death. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case for two food manufacturers recently when machinery failure resulted in possible defective products that were recalled in order to protect the public. No cases of injury were reported but this type of mistake could have easily taken a different turn.
Metal fragments from manufacturing equipment were found in two bagel packages distributed by BBU Inc., the parent company of Bimbo Bakers USA. Georgia is one of eight states that received this particular batch of baked goods with “best by” dates between Jan. 18 and Jan. 27. These packages are believed to have been manufactured at the same time the equipment failed and contaminated the two packages. Another food manufacturing company, Annie’s, recently recalled a batch of frozen pizza products when pieces of fine mesh from a screen were found in pizza flour and dough.
Companies face serious product liability cases when someone is injured as a result of a dangerous product. Two more recent incidents of foreign objects in food products — a metal blade in meat products from Italy, and glass fragments in black olives from Spain — show that this isn’t an uncommon occurrence.
Whether anyone from Georgia or the other states that received the bagels will encounter metal fragments in their food still remains to be seen. Consumers who suffer illness or an injury from consuming contaminated products may be eligible for compensation.
Source: Food Quality News, “Faulty machinery blamed for metal contamination in two US recalls,” Joe Whitworth, Jan. 23, 2013
