Campaign For Antibiotic-Free Meat Targets Trader Joe's

Over a half a million consumers have signed a petition urging Trader Joe's to stop selling meat raised on antibiotics. Consumers Union delivered the petition during a news conference in New York City on September 27th.

Affordable imported cheeses. Check. Good wines on the cheap. Check. And oh yeah, the Seaweed Salad. Is it really only $2.99?

Trader Joe's has won consumers over with its frugal-gourmet-meets-neighborhood-store feel.

But now, it appears that lots of consumers want something more from TJ's: A commitment to stop selling meat from animals treated with antibiotics.

Over 500,000 people have signed the petition urging Trader Joe's to drop the meat and poultry products it sells that are raised using antibiotics. "The widespread use of antibiotics in food animals contributes to the spread of deadly, antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' in humans. We must preserve our antibiotics, and your leadership could begin to change the priorities for our nation's livestock producers. Thank you," the petition says.

The push is part of a broader Meat Without Drugs campaign that will target other food retailers. So why are they leaning so hard on Trader Joe's?

"We believe it [Trader Joe's] is well positioned to make this commitment," Michael McCauley of Consumers Union tells The Salt in an email.

McCauley points out that TJ's already sells some meat raised without antibiotics. And he says since many of the company's products are private label, TJ's could use its leverage with suppliers to transition to antibiotic free meat exclusively. Also, TJ's has shown leadership on other sustainability issues such as its commitment to carrying only eggs from cage-free hens, at least those sold under its private label.

As we reported back in April, concerns about antibiotic resistance in humans led the Food and Drug Administration to issue voluntary guidelines that recommend limiting the use of antibiotics in livestock animals. And while the food industry maintains that there is no link, recent investigations into the causes of frequent bladder infections in humans have suggested that there is.

So Traders Joe's, what say you?

"We continue to develop new sources to support new product offerings with the antibiotic-free (ABF) attribute" Alison Mochizuki, TJ's public relations director wrote to us in an email.

And she says the company goes to great lengths to make consistently available a whole bunch of antibiotic free options. This includes products labeled as "all natural" or organic, such as Tri-Tip Beef, hot dogs, sliced ham and lamb loin, to name a few.

But is the company considering phasing out meat that comes from animals routinely treated with antibiotic drugs? If it is, it's not talking about it.

Consumers Union requested a meeting with TJ's leadership to discuss the issue. But Trader Joe's VP of Marketing Matt Sloan replied that while he remains open to reviewing important information, a meeting "isn't something we feel is necessary at this time," according to a letter Consumer Reports shared with us.

Stay tuned. The last time consumer advocacy groups put pressure on TJ's -over the issue of fair-pay for tomato farm workers the company ultimately took action.

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Peanut Butter Recall Widens To Other Nut Butters After Salmonella Outbreak

Sunland, Inc., which makes peanut butter for many national labels such as Trader Joe's and Target's Archer Farms, is recalling products suspected of containing Salmonella.

Sunland, Inc., which makes peanut butter for many national labels such as Trader Joe's and Target's Archer Farms, is recalling products suspected of containing Salmonella.

Is it 2008 all over again?

Late Friday, Trader Joe's announced a voluntary recall of its Salted Valencia Peanut Butter because it may have been contaminated with a rare strain of Salmonella that's been making people sick. Twenty-nine people in 18 states across the country so far have reported the illness, known as Salmonella Bredeney PFGE.

Then Monday, Sunland, Inc., the company that makes the Trader Joe's brand peanut butter, said as a "precautionary step" it would expand the recall to other nut-based spreads it makes for several other companies, including Target's Archer Farms and Earth Balance, manufactured between May 1 and September 24, 2012. You can see the full list of products affected in Sunland's press release, and if you have one of them, don't eat it and take it back to the store for a refund.

"There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers, particularly the many families who enjoy our peanut butter everyday," said Jimmie Shearer, President and CEO of Sunland.

The incident brings to mind the 2008 Peanut Corporation of America's recall of peanut butter made in bulk that other companies reprocessed into America's favorite snacks.

Now that one was a whole lot bigger, because its production size was bigger, food safety lawyer Bill Marler tells The Salt. That outbreak sickened more than 700 people and was blamed for nine deaths over the course of several months, according to the CDC. Marler's got more detail on his blog about the history of recent peanut butter recalls.

But these recalls remind us that much of our food chain is dependent on just a handful of suppliers. More consumers are affected when fewer companies supply a larger portion of the market, according to Sandra Eskin, project director of food and consumer product safety programs of the Pew Charitable Trusts, tells The Salt.

The Peanut Corp. recall cascaded into Kellogg recalling millions of dollars worth of its peanut butter snack crackers and cookies under the Austin and Keebler brands, for example.

What needs to happen soon, Eskin says, is that the Obama Administration needs to finalize the standards for preventing outbreaks called for in the food safety law Congress passed last year.

"Peanut butter is the poster child now for [the need for] prevention-based safety standards," Eskin says.

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Trader Joe's Recalls Brand Of Peanut Butter

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September 23, 2012

The grocery store chain Trader Joe's is recalling peanut butter that has been linked to 29 salmonella illnesses in 18 states.

The Food and Drug Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control said Saturday that the store's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter, which is sold nationwide, is the likely source of the outbreak. The agencies are investigating whether any other items sold at the store could be contaminated.

More than three-fourths of those who became ill were children under the age of 18. No deaths have been reported.

The FDA issued a statement Saturday saying that the FDA, the CDC and the state of California briefed Trader Joe's on its investigation showing the link between the peanut butter and the illnesses on Sept. 20. The company then agreed to remove the product from store shelves.

The government did not release which states had reported illnesses, but several states have issued warnings to residents not to eat the peanut butter. According to the individual states' health departments, three cases were in Massachusetts, one was in Rhode Island and one was in North Carolina.

The CDC said people became sick between June 11 and Sept. 2. Information may not be available for those who were sickened after August.

Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. It is most dangerous to children, the elderly and others with weak immune systems.

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