Don't Eat that Banquet Pot Pie!

I don't understand this.

Banquet Pot Pies are suspected to be the cause of a salmonella outbreak in Wisconsin and nationwide, but officials aren't certain.

The possibly tainted pies are still being sold, because at this point, the recall is voluntary.

MILWAUKEE -- At least 19 people in Wisconsin are sick from salmonella poisoning. At least 6 of those people ate Banquet Pot Pies. So why are some supermarkets still selling them?

More than 100 have gotten sick nationwide, and health officials say the numbers could grow.

...TODAY’S TMJ4’s Michael George checked [Sentry] store shelves Wednesday and they have pulled all their pot pie products, but they didn’t have to. Despite all the illnesses, there is no nationwide recall.

...The company responsible for the Banquet Pot Pies, ConAgra, has stopped production. They are asking stores to pull the products, but right now, it's a voluntary recall, so you might still see them at the grocery store.

Since the company has stopped production and has requested that the product be pulled off shelves, it seems terribly irresponsible for stores to continue to sell the pot pies.

More here.

Check your freezer for Banquet or generic store-brand turkey or chicken not-ready-to-eat pot pies with "P-9" printed on the side of the package.

If you have any those pot pie products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says to throw them out or don't eat them as health officials investigate a multi-state salmonella outbreak.

Here's the news release from ConAgra Foods.

ConAgra Foods today announced that it was contacted by state health officials regarding Banquet Turkey and Chicken Pot Pies. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ConAgra Foods is advising consumers to not eat these products while the USDA and ConAgra Foods look into these concerns. This advisory pertains to Banquet brand frozen chicken or turkey pot pie products or generic store brand not-ready-to-eat pot pie products bearing the number "P-9" printed on the side of the package. The company believes the issue is likely related to consumer undercooking of the product.

If they wish, consumers may return these products to ConAgra Foods for a refund by sending the side panel of the package that contains the code "P-9" to ConAgra Foods, Dept. BQPP, P.O. Box 3768, Omaha, NE 68103-0768. If consumers prefer, they may return the product to the store from which it was purchased for a refund; consumers should discard the product prior to returning the entire package to their retail store.

The generic store brand not-ready-to-eat pot pie products bearing the number “P-9” printed on the side of the package are sold under the generic store brand names as shown below:

Hill Country Fare (sold at HEB);
Food Lion (sold at Food Lion);
Great Value (sold at Wal-Mart);
Kirkwood (sold at Aldi);
Kroger (sold at Kroger); and,
Meijer (sold at Meijer).

It's not just pot pies that bear the Banquet name that are at issue. Generic brands are also part of the recall.

A voluntary recall isn't much of a recall.

Not all consumers know about the possible risks. Continuing to sell the pies at this point is a mistake.

Of course, people are responsible for preparing the product properly, cooking it thoroughly. However, in the interest of public health, the recall should be mandatory.

It's the responsible thing to do and smart in terms of consumer relations.

It's far better to recall a product then it is to risk making people sick.

A widespread salmonella outbreak is far more damaging to the company than the bad PR from issuing a mandatory recall.

Isn't it best to err on the side of caution?