Latest news with #Stouffer
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Major Frozen Pasta Recall That Affected Multiple Brands
Pasta seems like a pretty benign food, but it can be surprisingly dangerous. In one tragic incident, a 20-year-old Belgian man died from eating cooked pasta that was kept for too long at room temperature. The proper way to store both pasta and cooked rice -- both of which can be breeding grounds for the deadly Bacillus cereus toxin -- is to refrigerate them within two hours of preparation. You should also keep your cooked pasta in the fridge for no longer than four to five days. So, is the only risk from home-cooked pasta? Unfortunately, this isn't the case, since there have been numerous store-bought pasta recalls that have affected millions. One major recall by the Nestlé company in 2016 affected two different pasta brands: Lean Cuisine spinach artichoke ravioli, ricotta and spinach ravioli, and mushroom mezzaluna were pulled from the market along with Stouffer's chicken and vegetable lasagnas. In addition to the pasta meals, several pizza products (DiGiorno Thin & Crispy spinach and garlic, rising crust spinach and mushroom, thin crust spinach and mushroom, and Tuscan-style chicken and Lean Cuisine's spinach and mushroom) were also recalled, as was Lean Cuisine's spinach, artichoke, and chicken panini and Stouffer's spinach soufflé. The reason for the recall involved the spinach contained in all of these products. This vegetable, which all came from one grower, seemed to have been contaminated with small pieces of glass. Luckily, no injuries were reported, but Nestlé took a hit equivalent to the profit on three million meals. Read more: The Biggest Kirkland Signature Flops In Costco History When Nestlé issued that 2016 recall on pasta and other spinach-containing products, it wasn't the company's first rodeo. In 2014, the company pulled a noodle dish called Lean Cuisine Culinary Collection chicken with peanut sauce because some of the packages instead contained shrimp alfredo, and shrimp is a known allergen. In 2020, it had to recall about 29,002 pounds of Lean Cuisine fettuccini alfredo due to the presence of soy, another allergen that was not disclosed on the packaging. More recently, a March 2025 recall again affected Lean Cuisine and Stouffer's pasta products. The items involved were Lean Cuisine butternut squash ravioli, spinach artichoke ravioli, and Stouffer's party-size chicken lasagna. The rice-based Lean Cuisine lemon garlic shrimp stir fry was also part of the recall. The problem this time around was similar to that of the 2016 incident, only in this case, the foreign matter present in some of the frozen meals was described as being wood-like. In this case, at least one person actually ingested the substance and experienced some choking as a result. To date, however, there have been no reports of other injuries, and we hope this will continue to be the case. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With concerns over economy, state's new Labor Commissioner says the jobs picture is great in GA
A new leader is officially on the job at the Georgia Department of Labor. Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes is the first Latina to hold statewide office in Georgia. Channel 2's Linda Stouffer sat down with Rivera Holmes on Tuesday, where she asked her about people's concerns about the economy. 'What is your sense of the jobs picture right now in Georgia?' Stouffer asked. 'The jobs picture in Georgia looks good,' Rivera Holmes said. 'We have five million jobs in Georgia, which is really significant. We added jobs year over year, month over month, and we're seeing that not just as a healthy statewide picture, but you're seeing in our metros as well.' The Georgia unemployment rate is 3.6%, holding steady from the previous month. That's better than the national average of 4.2%. Gov. Brian Kemp swore in Rivera Holmes on April 4. She told Stouffer that since then, she's been meeting with the state's employers and workers. TRENDING STORIES: Disgruntled customer accused of pointing gun at McDonald's employee Video of fight involving teacher at DeKalb school being used in investigation UPS to cut 20,000 jobs 'You've been listening to a lot of people in those conversations. What are you hearing?' Stouffer asked. 'I'm hearing that Georgians want to know more about how to connect to resources. Folks are wanting to know, what are the hot jobs? What kind of skills do I need?' Rivera Holmes said. 'With the concerns right now about the economy, what's your best advice to someone in Georgia looking for a job or looking for better job?' Stouffer asked Rivera Holmes. 'Certainly, ensure that you are marketable, and look at your resume, is it up to date?' Rivera Holmes said. 'Constantly be looking at what the opportunities are. Ensure that you are connecting and networking. Make sure that you have the credentials that you need for employers to make yourself marketable. And regardless of industries that you're in, there are opportunities within sectors. 'What will you be looking for to see if there's any change?' Stouffer asked Rivera Holmes. 'You know, we're really monitoring the situation, and it's very natural for our businesses and our citizens to have questions about the uncertainty. It is evolving very fast. And what we're advising all of our businesses, and our citizens, is to really look for factual information,' Rivera Holmes said. 'We're still seeing employers invest and create jobs. We're just seeing employers also be mindful about where they're investing, how they're investing.' There have been recent job cuts. Those numbers can take a few months to be reflected in the unemployment system. One thing Rivera Holmes is focused on now is completely updating the state's computer system for the Labor Department, which she said will be a big upgrade to better serve Georgians.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Your Weekly Guide To Recalls: 4 Foods Yanked From Stores March 24-31, 2025
Some pretty big food recalls happened in 2024, when issues related to listeria-contaminated dairy products and E. coli-containing carrots, resulted in products being removed. Based on recent occurrences, this troubling trend seems to be continuing this year. For instance, Lean Cuisine and Stouffer's frozen meals were pulled earlier this month because they may have been tainted by a wood-like material. While it's far too early to tell what 2025 might bring in terms of food safety, Mashed has compiled some of the recalls that occurred in late March to ensure you are fully informed. Recalls can happen for all sorts of reasons, from the presence of inedible objects in food to the inclusion of unnamed allergens, which can cause significant health issues in some people. Undeclared allergens are a factor in three of the recent incidents we've compiled. They involve Tostitos tortilla chips, chicken salad sandwiches, and brioche bread. Additionally, different brands of liquid eggs were found to contain an inedible substance. While the frequency with which food recalls happen is enough to give consumers pause, keep in mind that these actions indicate that food safety inspections are working to identify potentially hazardous items. Read more: The 12 Unhealthiest Salsas You Can Buy The FDA requires food manufacturers to declare allergens such as wheat, shellfish, and milk, on product labels to help consumers make informed decisions. Mislabeling can lead to severe adverse reactions, so manufacturers must act when problems are discovered. That's precisely what happened with a recent batch of Tostitos Cantina Traditional Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips (manufactured by Frito-Lay) after it was found that some chips were flavored with nacho cheese, an ingredient not indicated on the label. As a result, Frito-Lay announced a recall on March 26. It affected 1,300 bags of chips throughout 13 states, including West Virginia, Alabama, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Mississippi. Affected bags feature UPC 2840052848 and a "guaranteed fresh" date of May 20. In the event a consumer with a milk allergy or sensitivity has a recalled product in their home, they can contact Frito-Lay via an online form. You may also be able to return the product to the place of purchase, although no information on refunds or replacements has been provided by Frito-Lay. In the event that you don't have a milk allergy or sensitivity, Frito-Lay says that it's perfectly safe to consume this product. Fortunately, no allergic reactions have yet been linked to the undeclared allergen. Although skyrocketing egg prices have eased somewhat over the last month or so, many people are still relying on substitutes like liquid eggs until retail prices become more reasonable. In this case, consumers are encouraged to check their refrigerators for Bob Evans and Egg Beaters brands, as both have been subject to a recent recall. On March 28, the USDA announced that Cargill Kitchen Solutions, the manufacturer of both brands, was recalling roughly 212,268 pounds of liquid eggs due to possible sodium hypochlorite contamination. These products were distributed to commercial food service providers in Iowa, Arizona, Illinois, California, Florida, and Colorado, and were available for sale to consumers in Texas and Ohio. Recalled liquid eggs were sold in 32-ounce containers in Egg Beaters original, cage-free, liquid, and frozen formats as well as 32-ounce containers of Bob Evans Better'n Eggs Made with Real Egg Whites. Use-by dates include August 9 and 10, 2025, and March 7, 2026, for the frozen Egg Beaters. Affected products are stamped with code G1804 in ink on the top of the carton. Sodium hypochlorite is a common cleaning agent used for bleaching. However, a USDA investigation found that the contaminant only poses a minor risk in this case and was unlikely to seriously impact health. Nevertheless, the USDA and Cargill Kitchen Solutions encourages consumers and businesses to look out for recalled products and discard them if found. You can also return the product to place of purchase to inquire about a refund. As reported by the FDA, Cromer Food Services, Inc. announced that an undeclared milk allergen prompted the recall of its Chicken Salad on White Sandwich. Packages feature UPC codes 31166 and 13172 and were distributed to vending machines and self-service retail markets in South Carolina and Georgia between December 26, 2024, and March 24, 2025. It's not clear how many sandwiches were involved, but Cromer Food Services emphasizes that all products bearing the aforementioned UPC codes are affected. This issue came to light during an inspection conducted by the FDA after it was found that the bread used to make the chicken salad sandwiches contained unlisted milk. Milk allergies can sometimes lead to severe health issues like anaphylaxis, which can cause the airways to become obstructed due to swelling. However, no adverse incidents have been reported. In the event you have questions about the recall, you can contact Cromer Food Services directly by calling 1-800-922-3174. Creating your own buttery brioche takes time and patience, so many consumers look elsewhere when they want to elevate burgers and sandwiches with this delectable bread. For consumers with food allergies and sensitivities in Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, you may want to think twice if you've been craving any brioche products recently. Per an announcement provided by the FDA, The Bakery Group issued a recall on March 25 involving its Dense Brioche Pullman bread loaves and Brioche HB Buns for containing undeclared soy, milk, and yellow FD&C#5, which can cause allergic issues like hives and rashes in some people. These products were distributed to Rodeo Goat Casa Linda, a beer and burger joint located in Dallas, and Ben E. Keith, a distributor of food and beverages in Fort Worth. Overall, 629 cases of bread loaves were recalled along with 104 cases of hamburger buns. Improper product labels were discovered by The State of Texas Health and Human Services, which noted that the labels failed to include all allergens contained within the recipes. Anyone with the recalled brioche can contact Ben E. Keith or The Bakery Group to learn more about a refund. Read the original article on Mashed.
Wall Street Journal
04-04-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
More People Are Bringing Lunch to Work. That's a Bad Economic Indicator.
Inside the office fridge, maybe behind a 'Don't Touch!' Post-it Note, is a telling economic indicator: More employees are eating lunches brought from home than they have in years. Millions of people have been called back to work in offices, but that's not the massive windfall that restaurants, salad bars and sandwich spots had hoped for after the Covid-19 pandemic decimated their midday business. Many workers are finding picking up lunch is too pricey, and more are schlepping in tupperware and brown bags than they did a year ago. Nationwide, the number of lunches bought from restaurants and other establishments fell 3% in 2024 from the year before to 19.5 billion—fewer than were purchased even in 2020—the height of the pandemic work-from-home era, according to consumer-analytics firm Circana. Meanwhile, purchases of food from grocery and other stores that shoppers intend to eat at home or bring to work for lunch climbed 1%. Bethany Kennedy, an attorney near Buffalo, N.Y., says she used to spend $500 a month going out to lunch during the week. Rising costs, including a jump in her property taxes, made her reconsider. Now she limits herself to one lunch out a week—when she's really craving it. She brings in premade meals such as Southwest salads with corn, beans, cheese and tortilla strips or Stouffer's three-cheese rigatoni from her local Aldi the rest of the week. She revels in saving money, but there is a downside, she says: 'I'm starting to get bored.' The shift is a threat to the ecosystem of delis, cafes and other office-area eateries that already went through near-extinction in the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, when thousands closed for good and others struggled serving takeout for months. In downtown Boston, most full-service restaurants haven't resumed lunch service post-Covid, said Michael J. Nichols, president of the Downtown Boston Alliance. 'We're still not back at foot traffic levels that approach 2019,' he said. The alliance is now on alert for how new tariffs and recession fears will affect visits to fast-casual restaurants, he added. Restaurants and city business-development groups have been stepping up their game to woo more lunchtime customers back. High Street Place Food Hall, which opened in downtown Boston in 2022, holds watch parties for events such as March Madness and the Masters to lure more workers in during the day. It has also rolled out an online ordering system so guests can skip the lunch rush lines, said Lauren Johnson, senior marketplace manager. Greater St. Louis, Inc., an economic development organization, has hired buskers to play music, and promoted other events to help drive more foot traffic in the downtown neighborhood. The Downtown SF Partnership in San Francisco—where office occupancy hovers around 43%, according to security-badge swipe data from Kastle Systems—has been promoting performances including live jazz in two downtown public spaces during lunchtime to encourage workers to grab a bite and stay for the entertainment, said Robbie Silver, the partnership's president and CEO. 'Postpandemic, restaurants, especially those who have relied on the nine-to five-work crowd, are still in a very vulnerable state,' he said. While he is optimistic that recent return-to-work mandates will boost lunch businesses, Silver said he's keeping an ear out for feedback that dining traffic might be declining. Lunchtime foot traffic to fast-casual restaurants in the U.S. fell an average of 7.9% year-over-year in the first quarter, according to data from market-research firm Black Box Intelligence. Traffic to fast-food chain outlets and other quick-service restaurants fell an average of 4.2%. Restaurant chains had a rough year last year, with several, such as Red Lobster, the nation's largest seafood restaurant chain, Tex-Mex restaurant Tijuana Flats and Mediterranean eatery Roti, declaring bankruptcy. Many workers say they just can't afford the price of grabbing a quick bite out. Hybrid office workers spent an average of $21.06 on lunch in 2024, up from $16 in 2023, according to a study of 2,000 full-time U.S. workers by Owl Labs, a videoconferencing company. In a recent LinkedIn poll, 71% of about 4,250 respondents said they had made a resolution to bring their lunch to work more often. Yet new habits can be tough to forge. 'I'm not trying to eat this spaghetti three days in a row,' said Valerie Myers, a communications professional in Richmond, Va. She knew that if she brought in last night's leftovers she'd give up out of boredom, so she alternates them and isn't eating for lunch what she had the night before. Robert Johnsen, a mechanical design engineer in southern California, recently got assistance from his wife, who often packed for him the night before leftover pot pies, pizza or pulled pork made by their chef son. Still half asleep in the early morning, though, he often forgot them in the refrigerator. 'My wife is like, I can't believe you missed it. Do I have to put a big note on it?'' he said. Putting a lunch bag by the front door has helped Marce Walter, a registered massage therapist in Edmonton, Alberta, remember to bring her lunch to work. 'I'd get halfway to work and then it's like, dammit, how many granola bars do I have at work?' she said. Then there is the challenge of finding space in crammed office fridges or dealing with waits for the microwave. 'It can be a squeeze,' said Danielle Nathan, who says her employer stocks the office fridge with 'every beverage under the sun you can think of' as well as fruits, yogurts, cheese and other snacks. Nathan, who lives in Manhattan and works in education and program development for a trade association, said: 'If I have something with a stronger smell, like roasted broccoli, I won't heat it all the way to avoid the scent blossoming throughout the office.' Write to Ray A. Smith at
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lean Cuisine and Stouffer's meals recalled for 'wood-like material.' What to know in Wisconsin
Nestlé USA has issued a voluntary recall of a limited quantity of its Lean Cuisine and Stouffer's frozen meals after some consumers complained about finding a "wood-like material" in the products, according to a March 17 recall notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company said it is "actively investigating" the material's source. "We are confident that this is an isolated issue, and we have taken action to address it," it said in the recall notice. Here's what to know: Several Lean Cuisine and Stouffer's products were named in the March 17 recall. Products were distributed to major retailers throughout the U.S. between September 2024 and March 2025. Affected products were sold in Wisconsin, a Nestlé spokesperson confirmed to the Journal Sentinel in an email. No other products from either brand are involved with the recall, per the notice. Here is a list of recalled products and their batch codes: Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli Batch number Best by date 4261595912 October 2025 4283595912 November 2025 4356595912 January 2026 5018595912 February 2026 5038595912 March 2026 Lean Cuisine Spinach Artichoke Ravioli Batch number Best by date 4311595912 December 2025 5002595912 February 2026 5037595912 March 2026 5064595912 April 2026 Lean Cuisine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry Batch number Best by date 4214595511 September 2025 Stouffer's Party Size Chicken Lasagna Batch number Best by date 4262595915 October 2025 4351595915 January 2026 5051595915 March 2026 5052595915 March 2026 One potential choking incident has been reported in association with the recall, the notice said. Customers are urged to not consume the product and return it to point of purchase for a full refund. For questions, you can reach out to Nestlé USA by calling 800-681-1676 between Monday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. More: These snacks sold in Wisconsin are being recalled over undeclared allergens This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What Wisconsin should know about Lean Cuisine, Stouffer's recall
