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Health

Cooking the Thanksgiving spread this week? Make sure to check these staple ingredients

A close up of white milk jugs on a store frige shelf, surrounded by other products. The jugs say raw milk and are from raw farm.
Containers of Raw Farm milk are displayed on a shelf at Berkeley Bowl on November 25, 2024 in Berkeley, California.
(
Justin Sullivan
/
Getty Images
)

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If you’re in charge of the Thanksgiving feast this week, you might want to look closely at your ingredients.

Food and drink recalls were issued over the last few weeks due to concerns the supplies were contaminated with E. coli, listeria, or the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

The recalls range from raw milk to tortilla strips. Here’s a full rundown.

Avoid certain raw milks

While it’s legal to sell in California, raw milk is considered a risky drink to consume because the dairy has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria.

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While there aren’t any raw milk-related illnesses reported in L.A. County, the public health department issued a warning on Tuesday against consuming a specific lot number of raw milk after the H5N1 strain of bird flu was detected in a sample.

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The company, Raw Farm, has issued a voluntary recall of its cream top, whole raw milk with lot code 20241109 and a best-by date of Nov. 27. So far, the department has idenfitied 49 retailers that carried the product.

    Check those carrots

    A close up of bundled orange carrots sitting in a wooden grocery store display. The green carrot top is attached and drapes across the carrots.
    Federal health officials say the current E. coli outbreak is linked to organic whole bagged carrots and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms.
    (
    Mychele Daniau
    /
    AFP via Getty Images
    )

    If you’re putting roasted carrots on the table, double and triple-check those bags. Organic carrots have also been under scrutiny.

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    There are at least four FDA recalls, tied to an E. Coli outbreak, for brands connected to Grimmway Farms, a top carrot producer based in Bakersfield. The batches of whole and baby organic carrots were sold as recently as Oct. 23.

    They include major brands like Trader Joe’s, Target’s Good & Gather, and Whole Foods’ 365 products. Whole Foods also recalled a celery and carrot product out of concern.

    Other brands may be added as the outbreak investigation continues. So far, there have been 39 E. coli infections and one death. You can learn more about the affected products and best if used by dates at these links:

    Other California recalls to know about

    Meanwhile, a range of products has been recalled for other issues:

    • The company Yu Shang Food has been tied to a listeria outbreak where 11 people have been infected and one infant died, leading to a recall of its ready-to-eat meat and poultry.
    • Sugar Foods recalled its 3.5-ounce pouch of Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips due to a potential undeclared wheat contamination, which can be an allergen for some people. The affected product has the code 7-87359-17504-6, with a best-by date of June 20.
    • Super Brand cinnamon, which was mostly sold in California retail stores, has been recalled for potentially elevated lead levels. It’s for the 4-ounce bag of Super Dried Cinnamon Powder with the code 610232012476. (The recalled product will show Vitamin A and C on the nutrition facts label.)

    What to do if you have any of these

    Most, if not all, of these products should already be off of store shelves.

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    But if you have them lurking in your pantry or fridge, throw them away and disinfect any surfaces these products have touched.

    The company or retailer you purchased it from may also be willing to refund you.

    If you’re not sure if you have it, then it may be best to throw it out anyway and buy a replacement to avoid ruining your Thanksgiving.

    Updated November 27, 2024 at 5:40 PM PST

    This story was updated to include a map and more stores identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in the Raw Farm recall.

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