Coffee Recall Update as FDA Sets Concern Level

Stock photo of someone handling a cup of coffee. A batch of TriyBrewed Coffee Concentrate (6oz/177ml) has been recalled.

A company has voluntarily recalled a batch of its coffee concentrate because there may be "no ingredient statement and no nutrition label."

TryBrewed Coffee Concentrate (6oz/177ml), in six amber glass bottles to a case, was pulled off shelves by the Texas-based firm Waco Bottling LLC on Monday. Newsweek has contacted Waco Bottling LLC via email for comment.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed the recall's risk classification on Thursday, giving it a Class III. This is given in "a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences."

Class II is when the "use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote."

The most severe category, Class I, is issued in "a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."

In total, 321 cases of 3,852 bottles, distributed throughout the U.S. via Amazon, have been recalled. The FDA issues recalls for products with no ingredient information because this can pose risks to consumers who need to know what is in an item. This could be the case for people with allergies, dietary restrictions and those counting calories.

The regulatory organization says: "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for assuring that foods sold in the United States are safe, wholesome and properly labeled.

"This applies to foods produced domestically, as well as foods from foreign countries. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act are the Federal laws governing food products under FDA's jurisdiction."

Common reasons for a product getting distributed without an ingredient statement or label include human error, when labels are accidentally left off during the packaging process, and label shortages, when products are shipped without them because there is a lack of preprinted labels.

The FDA has launched an investigation into 68 people being hospitalized with salmonella infections after a suspected outbreak in contaminated cucumbers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wrote in a statement: "The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses.

"This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for salmonella.

"In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak."

The CDC has issued the following advice:

• "Do not eat any recalled cucumbers. If you recently purchased cucumbers and have them at home, you can check with the store where you purchased them to see if they were part of the recall. If you can't tell, do not eat them."
• "Wash items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled cucumbers using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
• "Call your health care provider if you have any... severe salmonella symptoms."

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