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Bush’s Baked Beans Recalled Over Defective Cans

In a massive recall of three of its baked beans brands, Bush Brothers and Company report that defective seams were discovered on the cans, and they are recalling them as a safety measure, according to Fox News. The affected products are stamped “best by” June 2019. No illnesses have been reported, and the issue has since been corrected.

Food recalls are always distressing, particularly when it involves something like cans that are factory-sealed and, therefore, presumably completely safe. Even more concerning are fresh-food recalls, which often involve meats, such as chicken and pork from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and fresh fruits and vegetables. With CAFOs, the large-scale factory-type slaughterhouse magnifies the risk to the end user, as infection in a single animal can spread rapidly in confined conditions, and can contaminate large batches of meat during processing.

Salmonella is a huge concern with these products, and it tops the ranking for the 15 most expensive foodborne illnesses responsible for 95 percent of the illnesses and deaths related to food in the U.S.

Data gathered by the CDC showed chicken, pork and seeded vegetables had the highest rate of salmonella contamination, with this contaminant responsible for 13,360 illnesses, 1,062 hospitalizations, 16 deaths and 14 food recalls in 2013 alone. The USDA estimates $3.7 billion are spent annually on medical costs for individuals poisoned with salmonella.

This is one reason I urge you to choose REAL food over packaged, processed and factory-farmed foods. You’ll find dramatic differences in food safety and even land conservation practices by shifting to smaller farms which serve local communities. You can start today by purchasing fresh produce, pastured eggs, raw organic dairy and grass fed meats from your local farm or farmers market.