Consumers have been subjected to numerous recalls lately—and frighteningly, many of them affect the food supply. From ground beef contaminated with E. coli to chicken strips laced with metal, buying groceries has never been more dangerous. Now the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Chicken Pad Thai and Chicken Fried Rice pose an allergen risk to consumers, citing misbranding and failing to list a known allergen, milk, on their labels. The allergen concern prompted the recall of more than 2 million pounds of affected entrees.
At Vladimir Tsirkin & Associates, P.A., we understand how scary it can be to be injured by a faulty product. If you or someone you love has been sickened or injured by a recalled food product or other product, contact our Fort Lauderdale product liability lawyer now to weigh your legal options.
The manufacturer of the foods in the recall, Conagra Brands, Inc., discovered the misbranding during a routine verification check of its labels. The entries in the recall, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA are described as being not shelf-stable, not fully cooked, heat-treated and frozen. They were produced from October 1, 2018, through April 11, 2019. Packages are Best-By-date-labeled with dates running from September 26, 2019, through April 5, 2020. The USDA urges anyone with these entries in their freezers to return them the store of purchase or throw them out.
Like all food allergies, milk allergies can cause significant issues. The worst of these is anaphylaxis, a condition that results in being unable to breathe due to airway constriction. This can be life-threatening. Milk allergy symptoms can crop up within minutes or even hours after consuming milk or products containing it. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, hives and vomiting. Swelling of the tongue, throat or lips or an itchy or tingly feeling around the lips and mouth can also occur.
Food allergies are not uncommon. There are around 32 million Americans who are allergic to the eight top food allergies, of which milk is the third-most common. While there have been no confirmed negative outcomes with the recalled P.F. Chang’s entrees in this recall, it is important that consumers who have allergies have important allergen information available for every product they buy. It is the responsibility of food manufacturers to provide this information; when they don’t, they fail in their duty to keep the consumer safe from harm, and they can be held accountable for any damages that occur as a result.
Vladimir Tsirkin & Associates, P.A. are staunch advocates for our injured clients. Among our founding principles is to force accountability of manufacturers who allow faulty or dangerous items to make it to the market. If you have been injured by recalled food or other dangerous products, reach out to our Fort Lauderdale product liability attorney a call now to discuss the particulars of your case at 954-687-9787.
