Sewing Needle found in soup can. EGAD!

[alicia-w]

A supermarket chain pulled soup cans from the shelves of its stores after a family reported finding a sewing needle in a sealed can of minestrone, officials said.

The incident was the fourth report of needles or pins found in food purchased from stores in the Bethlehem area in the past two weeks.

The soup was purchased Saturday at a Giant Food Store in Wind Gap. Company spokesman Dennis Hopkins said store personnel pulled cans with similar lot numbers from shelves of all stores as a precaution. He said the chain was also increasing its undercover security until further notice.

Police in Wind Gap, about 60 miles north of Philadelphia, are investigating.

Giant, owned by the Dutch food company Ahold Ltd., operates 255 supermarkets in six states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York and Ohio.

Last week, at another Giant store near Bethlehem, a man reported finding a rusty sewing needle in a loaf of bread. Two other incidents were at a King's Supermarket in Bethlehem, in which customers and employees reported finding pins in an onion, packages of ground beef and a ham.

[gtalum]

Ugh, this kind of thing makes me very careful about inspecting canned food before consuming it.

[Miss Mary]

You know this is intentional. You don't need a sewing needle to manufacture canned soup.

This is awful. You trust that the contents of packaged and canned foods are safe. Well, nutritionists are always saying we need to eat less manufactured foods and more from scratch. Not that I'm going to do my own canning but anymore, I prefer buying about 5 fresh vegetables and steaming them for our dinners. Baking or broiling fresh fish or chicken. It's a start.

Mary

[gtalum]

I agree completely, Mary. Fresh veggies are so much better anyway and betetr for you to boot...

Sometimes, though, you just can't beat the convenience of processed food.

[Miss Mary]

We probably do half and half, or on my good days, 1/3 processed, 2/3 fresh. You almost have to preplan your weekly meals, if you're going to cook all fresh ingredients. And it's so easy to fall into that habit of pulling out premade frozen meals or box pasta mixes. I've done it. A story like this just reinforces that we should be do doing more from scratch meals. My former Home Ec teacher would say so! She used to say if you keep about a dozen baking ingredients on hand, you don't need to buy biscuit, muffin, pancake or cake mixes. Once you begin baking this way, you add more ingredients and before you know you are making and baking your own food. I used to cook/bake like this, years ago.

Mary

[alicia-w]

we dont use any processed stuff. i have to drive by the store everyday anyway, so i buy ingredients for dinner then.

[Pburgh]

I make almost everything from scratch except bread. I'm a horrible bread baker. I do use some canned tomato sauces. There is nothing like homemade soup!!!

This looks like it is directed at one particular chain and that is Giant Eagle. Yikes, there's one right by my house. I'll have to watch what I buy there!!!!

[Miss Mary]

Karan - I found the best tasting oatmeal bread in Midwest or Southern Living a few years ago. I saved the recipe but can't find it right now. If I find it, I'll post it. It's easy! If you know how to use yeast the old fashioned way, it's easy. You certainly don't need a bread machine for this recipe. Everytime I make it, my family raves about it. It contains honey so it's exceptionally good.

Mary

[Pburgh]

Thanks Mary. It's the yeast that I always have a problem with!!!

[Cookiely]

You know this is intentional. You don't need a sewing needle to manufacture canned soup.

This is awful. You trust that the contents of packaged and canned foods are safe. Well, nutritionists are always saying we need to eat less manufactured foods and more from scratch. Not that I'm going to do my own canning but anymore, I prefer buying about 5 fresh vegetables and steaming them for our dinners. Baking or broiling fresh fish or chicken. It's a start.

Mary

This won't stop the nuts from putting the needles in the fresh vegetables.

[alicia-w]

YEASTLESS WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

2 c. buttermilk
2 tbsp. melted butter
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. lightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Don't preheat oven. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Whisk milk and butter in small bowl. Stir dry ingredients in large bowl. Make a well in center; pour in liquid and stir until smooth. Spread evenly in loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. (Place pan in center rack of oven.)

[alicia-w]

i found a yeastless oatmeal bread for you guys......

OATMEAL SODA BREAD

A hearty, fiber-rich, no-yeast bread that's baked in a round casserole! 2 c. quick-cooking oats, uncooked 1/2 10-oz. pkg. dried currants (1 c.) 2 c. all-purpose flour 1/4 c. sugar 1 tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1/3 c. shortening or butter-flavor shortening 2 lg. eggs
About 3 hours before serving or early in day:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2-quart round casserole or ovensafe bowl. In 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, heat buttermilk until very hot but not boiling. Remove form heat; stir in oats and currants; set aside.

In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With pastry blender, or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In cup, beat eggs slightly; remove 1 tablespoon beaten egg and reserve. Stir oatmeal mixture and beaten eggs into flour mixture just until flour is moistened (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough onto well-floured surface; with floured hands, gently knead 8-10 strokes to mix thoroughly. Shape dough into ball; place in casserole. In center of ball, with knife, cut a 4-inch cross about 1/4 inch deep. Brush dough with reserved egg.

Bake bread 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in casserole on wire rack 10 minutes; remove form casserole and finish cooling on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf or 12 servings.

[Miss Mary]

You know this is intentional. You don't need a sewing needle to manufacture canned soup.

This is awful. You trust that the contents of packaged and canned foods are safe. Well, nutritionists are always saying we need to eat less manufactured foods and more from scratch. Not that I'm going to do my own canning but anymore, I prefer buying about 5 fresh vegetables and steaming them for our dinners. Baking or broiling fresh fish or chicken. It's a start.

Mary

This won't stop the nuts from putting the needles in the fresh vegetables.

True, guess we should just grow our own vegetables? Sigh......or check produce carefully. I do wash everything.

Mary

[TexasStooge]