THIS SECTION IS FOR NEWS AND INTERESTING STORIES RELATED TO FOOD, NUTRITION AND FOOD PROCESSING. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO KOSHER BUT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE KOSHER CONSUMER, MANUFACTURER OR MASHGIACH.
March 7, 2025 from YNet:
"Israeli egg importers face skyrocketing prices in Europe and the US, while local production struggles post-war; Agriculture Ministry insists there will be enough eggs for the holiday, but distributors warn of significant shortages
"Although 90% of the eggs sold in Israel are produced locally, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry has opened a quota for importing 105 million eggs to meet the increased demand during Passover, a holiday rich in egg-based dishes. “The price control on eggs keeps their cost in Israel relatively low compared to Western countries,” the Agriculture Ministry told Ynet.
"“Today, there’s no doubt eggs in Israel are among the cheapest in the world.” According to egg distributors, who are also importers, the low consumer price in Israel, which is dictated by price-control regulations, creates challenges for importing eggs, as prices in Europe have risen sharply.
"The steep price increase in the U.S. is attributed to a 12% shortage caused by avian flu outbreaks and unchecked price hikes by suppliers in a country without price controls. The chaos in the U.S. egg market has also affected Europe, which has been grappling with avian flu for years.
"Their prices have risen more moderately than in the U.S., not only due to the disease but also because of reforms requiring more spacious poultry coops and increased exports to the U.S., which have driven up costs for Israeli distributors purchasing from European suppliers.
"Israel's Poultry Council head Shmuel Levit, added: 'I believe there will be enough eggs for Passover, as distributors won’t risk failing to supply retailers. However, importation has been unprofitable for months, and it has gotten worse over the past two months.'"
February 28, 2025 from Food Processing:
"The original Ben and Jerry -- Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who founded their eponymous ice cream company in a garage in 1976 -- reportedly are in talks to buy back the business they sold to Unilever in 2000.
"All of Unilever’s ice cream business is scheduled for a spinoff from the company sometime this year. There were unconfirmed reports that the European conglomerate tried shopping the business around but couldn’t find a buyer.
"Ben & Jerry’s has had a rocky relationship lately with its parent, suing Unilever over sales in the West Bank/Occupied Palestinian Territories (Ben & Jerry’s tried to halt sales in protest of Israeli settlements there) and, this January, over Unilever deleting a social media post on abortion, climate change, minimum wages and universal healthcare “because it specifically mentioned Donald Trump,” according to several media reports.
"As Bloomberg said, they may need to partner with socially minded investors in any transaction because the Ben & Jerry’s business could be valued at several billion dollars in a sale, which means the founders would need deep-pocketed financial backers to make it happen."
February 27, 2025 from CPSC :
Babyjoy High Chairs have been recalled because the recalled high chairs pose a fatal suffocation risk because they were marketed, intended, or designed for infant sleep, and they have an incline angle greater than 10 degrees in violation of the federal Safe Sleep for Babies Act. In addition, the high chair poses a deadly entrapment hazard because the opening between the seat and tray is large enough that a child can become entrapped in it, which is a violation of the federal regulations for high chairs.
Consumer Contact: Costway toll-free at 844-242-1885 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email at recall@costway.com, or online at https://www.costway.com/recall-high-chair or www.costway.com and click on recall for more information.
Description: This recall involves all Costway’s Babyjoy high chairs. The collapsible high chairs were sold in pink (model BB5656PI), beige (model BB5656BE) and gray (model BB5656GR), and have a footrest, a detachable tray, pink or gray or beige seat cushion with stars, and four static wheels with locks. The high chair can be adjusted for different heights and recline positions. “Babyjoy” is printed on the front of the detachable tray. “Goplus Corp.” is printed on a label located on the back of the high chair’s seat. The model number appears on the product packaging.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled high chairs and contact Costway for a full refund and instructions on how to return or dispose of the high chairs. Consumers can return the product by receiving a prepaid shipping label or provide photos of the destroyed product to recall@costway.com. Upon receipt of the returned product or photos of the destroyed product, Costway will issue the refund. Costway is contacting all known purchasers directly.
Sold Online At: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Costway.com and Shein.com from November 2022 through November 2024 for b
February 27, 2025 from CPSC :
Babimoni Multifunctional High Chairs have been recalled because the high chairs pose a risk of serious injury or death to babies due to the fall hazard because they can tip over, the restraint system is not attached to the product, the tray can disengage, and the locks or latches can fail violating either the Federal booster seat or high chair regulations. In addition, the high chairs pose a fatal entrapment hazard because the opening between the tray and the seat is large enough to allow a baby to become entrapped violating the high chair regulation.
Consumer Action: CPSC urges consumers to stop using the high chairs immediately and dispose of them. Do not sell or give away these hazardous products.
The CPSC issued a Notice of Violation to the manufacturer, Ningbo Yibai Children Products Co. Ltd., of China, but the firm has not agreed to an acceptable recall.
About 350 high chairs were sold on Amazon.com from March 2024 through July 2024. The high chairs may have also been sold by other third-party sellers and on other websites.
February 24, 2025 from cbs2iowa.com:
"A nonprofit environmental group has filed a federal lawsuit against Agri Star Meat & Poultry, alleging the Iowa meatpacking plant has repeatedly violated the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into Hecker Creek and the Yellow River.
"Driftless Water Defenders, represented by Public Justice, FarmSTAND, and Larew Law Office, filed the lawsuit Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The legal action follows a 60-day notice period during which the group warned of its intent to sue, citing years of self-reported permit violations and a lack of enforcement from state regulators.
"According to the complaint, Agri Star’s Postville facility has "discharged and continues to discharge pollutants" beyond legal limits, including ammonia nitrogen, total suspended solids, chloride, oil and grease, and biochemical oxygen demand. The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, financial penalties of up to $68,445 per day per violation, and court-ordered compliance measures.
"he lawsuit claims Agri Star has continued polluting Hecker Creek, a tributary of the Yellow River, despite holding a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, which contracts the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to carry out enforcement. The complaint alleges Iowa DNR has failed to carry out appropriate enforcement and that the meatpacking company has not only exceeded permitted pollutant levels, but also failed to conduct required water quality sampling and report results for additional contaminants."
February 20, 2025 from National Chicken Council:
"In light of the pressure the current highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or “bird flu”) outbreak is putting on the nation’s egg supply, and resulting record egg prices, the National Chicken Council (NCC) today petitioned the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to reverse or modify an Obama-era regulation that forces the broiler industry (chickens raised for meat) to discard perfectly nutritious and safe eggs.
"According to an NCC press release, due to fluctuating market conditions, broiler hatcheries in some instances have more eggs on hand than they want to hatch. These are known as “surplus” hatching eggs. Prior to 2009 when FDA implemented new rules, broiler producers were able to sell these surplus eggs to egg processors, known as “breakers,” to be pasteurized (cooked) and used in egg products.
"When eggs are delivered from a breeding farm to a broiler hatchery, they are stored in a room kept at 65°F before they are placed in incubators to be hatched. Research has shown this is the most ideal temperature to store these eggs prior to incubation – warmer temperatures would induce the incubation process too soon and colder temperatures comprise the viability of an eventual hatch. But the 2009 FDA rule, which was focused on the safety of “table eggs,” or the eggs you buy in your grocery store, stated that all eggs intended to be sent to breaking facilities for eventual pasteurization must be kept at 45°F within 36 hours after being laid.
"As a direct result of the 2009 FDA rule, broiler producers stopped selling surplus hatching eggs to egg breakers and instead are forced to render or throw these eggs away, often at an additional cost.
"More than 58 million birds have been culled since HPAI was first detected in 2022, with the majority of them being egg-laying chickens, contributing to price spikes and supply disruptions that put tremendous strain on the shell and egg products industries. The impact has already begun to trickle down and impose hardships on restaurants, food manufacturers and consumers.
Granting NCC’s request would release almost 400 million safe and nutritious surplus eggs into the egg breaking supply each year, helping to ease costs and inflationary pressures.
"The full petition can be read by clicking here."
February 20, 2025 from CPSC :
Rebecca’s Toys & Prizes Bowling Pin Sipper Cups have been recaled because the red tape on the bowling pin sipper cups contains levels of lead that exceed the federal lead content ban. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues.
Consumer Contact: Nazzaro toll-free at 800-777-2235 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, email at service@rebeccas.com, or online at https://www.rebeccas.com/recall.html or www.rebeccas.com and click “Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information.
Description: This recall involves Rebecca’s Toys & Prizes bowling pin sipper cups. The cups are white with red tape on the neck and a red plastic cap. The words “ITEM NO. PG1045”, the brand name and the firm’s address are printed on a white label located on the side of the sipper cup.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled cups away from children and stop using them. Contact Nazzaro for a full refund. Nazzaro is contacting all known purchasers directly.
Sold At: Bowling alleys nationwide from January 2018 through July 2019 for about $5.
February 20, 2025 from CPSC :
Uomeod Mini Steamers have been recalled because they pose a risk of burn injury from hot water.
Hazard: They pose a risk of burn injury from hot water.
Consumer Action: CPSC urges consumers immediately to stop using the Uomeod Mini Steamers, cut the cord and dispose of the products. Do not sell or give away these hazardous steamers.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers immediately to stop using Uomeod Mini Steamers because they pose a risk of burn injury from hot water. CPSC has received 49 reports of hot water ejecting, spilling or leaking from the steamers, resulting in nine burn injuries, including one second-degree burn from hot water splashing onto a consumer’s thigh in November 2023.
Uomeod and Dongguan Esino Manufacturing Service have not agreed to offer an acceptable recall remedy to consumers.
The Uomeod steamers heat water and release steam through the product’s nozzle to press textiles such as clothing, drapery and upholstery. CPSC’s evaluation found that the Uomeod Mini Steamers can eject hot water from the nozzle when overfilled. The product instructions and warnings do not inform users how to avoid hot water ejections and do not adequately inform consumers of the burn hazard.
The Uomeod Mini Steamers are manufactured by Dongguan Esino Manufacturing Service Co. Ltd., of China, and sold online at Amazon.com by Uomeod-LZ001, of China. The steamers were sold in rose gold (pink), white and black. “Uomeod” is printed on the side of the product beneath the water reservoir window. “Uomeod,” “Mini Steamer,” and “Model: ZL-001” are printed on a label on the bottom of the product. The steamers were sold online on Amazon.com for between $14 and $31 from December 2019 through July 2024.
CPSC urges consumers immediately to stop using the Uomeod Mini Steamers, cut the cord and dispose of the products. Do not sell or give away these hazardous steamers.
February 13, 2025 from CPSC :
Spritz Taper Resin Hanukkah Dino Menorahs have been recazlled because the recalled resin menorahs can burn or catch fire when holding lit candles, posing a fire hazard.
Consumer Contact: Target toll-free at 800-440-0680 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday for in-store purchases, or toll-free at 800-591-3869 from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. CT Monday through Sunday for digital purchases, or online at https://help.target.com/help/recalls or https://www.target.com/ and click on “Recalls” on the bottom of the page for more information.
This recall involves the Spritz Taper Resin Hanukkah Dino Menorah. The menorahs are blue, made of polymer resin and measure 6 inches high x 13 inches long. They can hold up to nine tapered candles in the metal candle cups located on the dinosaur’s back. The model number “240-14-1380” is printed on the product’s hang tag located on the dinosaur’s neck.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled menorahs and return them to any Target store for a full refund in the form of a Target gift card or refund in the original form of payment. Consumers may also contact Target to receive a prepaid return label to return the menorah by mail.
Incidents/Injuries: Target has received 58 reports of the menorahs scorching, charring, melting or catching on fire. No injuries have been reported.
Sold At: Target stores nationwide and online at Target.com from October 2024 through January 2025 for about $15.
February 13, 2025 from CPSC in Conjunction with the Government of Canada:
Igloo 90 Qt. Flip & Tow Rolling Coolers have been recalled because the tow handle can pinch consumers’ fingertips against the cooler, posing fingertip amputation and crushing hazards.
Consumer Contact: Igloo toll-free at 888-943-5182 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at igloo90qt@sedgwick.com, or online at www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com or http://www.igloocoolers.com and click on “Recall Information” at the top of the page for more information.
This recall involves Igloo 90 Qt. Flip & Tow Rolling Coolers manufactured prior to January 2024. The date of manufacture is imprinted on the bottom of the cooler in a circular pattern with an arrow pointing to the month of manufacture and the last two digits of the year of manufacture inside the circle.
The recalled coolers have a tow handle. “IGLOO” is printed on the side of the coolers. The coolers were sold in multiple body and lid color combinations, some of which are pictured above. The following cooler models with tow handles are included in the recall. The model number is located on labels affixed to the bottom of the cooler.
A list of recalled products can be found here
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled coolers and contact Igloo for a free replacement handle.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 12 reports of fingertip injuries, including fingertip amputations, bone fractures, and lacerations.
Sold At: Costco, Target, Academy, Dick’s and other stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com, Igloocoolers.com, and other websites from January 2019 through January 2025 for between $80 and $140.
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