Friday, February 3, 2023

Conagra Brands recalls nearly 2.6 million pounds of canned meat and poultry CBS News SIMRIN SINGH February 1, 2023, 9:34 PM

Conagra Brands recalls nearly 2.6 million pounds of canned meat and poultry

Conagra Brands has recalled almost 2.6 million pounds of canned meat and poultry products because of a packaging defect that may have caused the food to get contaminated, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says.

The meat and poultry products recalled were produced between Dec. 12, 2022, and Jan. 13, 2023, the agency said. The full list of products that are affected is listed here. The recalled products, which were shipped to retail locations nationwide, also have the code "P4247" written on the cans.

Conagra has recalled some canned meat products due to possible contamination / Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture

The potential contamination was discovered when Conagra Brands notified the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service "after observing spoiled and/or leaking cans from multiple production dates" at its warehouse, the agency said.

Conagra determined that this damage could have contaminated the meat inside.

"The cans subject to recall may have been damaged in a manner that is not readily apparent to consumers, which may allow foodborne pathogens to enter the cans," the release said.

So far, no consumers have reported any illnesses. However, the Food Safety and Inspection Service is urging consumers to avoid these products, and return or throw away any cans they may already have.

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Gas stove debate reignites as Energy Department proposes new standards NBC Universal ZOË RICHARDS February 1, 2023, 10:04 PM

Gas stove debate reignites as Energy Department proposes new standards

The Energy Department put the gas stove debate on the front burner again Wednesday by proposing new efficiency standards for consumer cooking appliances.

The proposal comes just weeks after a consumer safety official at another agency sparked backlash from Republicans, as well as some Democrats, by floating the possibility that new gas stoves could be banned.

The proposed standards, which focus on energy consumption, would require that both gas and electric stoves meet certain efficiency thresholds. The proposal also suggests new standards for gas and electric ovens.

“As required by Congress, the Department of Energy is proposing efficiency standards for gas and electric cooktops — we are not proposing bans on either,” a department spokesperson said in a statement. “The proposed standards would not go into effect until 2027 and cumulatively save the nation up to $1.7 billion. Every major manufacturer has products that meet or exceed the requirements proposed today.”

The department said in the proposal that it had “tentatively concluded” the proposed standards represented meaningful gains and that they were "technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy.”

It also said the proposed changes would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions tied to the cooking appliances.

The standards would be a shift from existing rules, which prohibit constant burning pilot lights in gas stoves but do not put limits on energy consumption.

Richard Trumka Jr., a member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, drew the ire of Republican lawmakers last month when he suggested in an interview with Bloomberg News that gas stoves, which he said pose a “hidden hazard” in U.S. homes, could be banned. A spokesperson for the commission later clarified that there was no official proposal.

GOP lawmakers quickly seized on the remarks by Trumka, a Biden nominee, and argued that the Biden administration and government bureaucrats were coming for Americans’ stoves. In response to the uproar, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden does not support banning gas stoves.

The Energy Department said the proposed conservation standards overall would save a "significant amount" of energy, most likely resulting in estimated national savings that are "the equivalent of the electricity use of 19 million residential homes in one year."

If they are adopted, the standards would apply to products manufactured or imported to the U.S. three years after the publication of any new rules.

Iron sword, almost 9 feet long, unearthed at 1,700-year-old burial mound in Japan Miami Herald ASPEN PFLUGHOEFT February 1, 2023, 6:36 PM

Iron sword, almost 9 feet long, unearthed at 1,700-year-old burial mound in Japan

The iron sword found at the burial mound.

Buried under the clay soil, two metal shapes accompanied a wooden coffin: one long and skinny, colored orange with rust, the other short and blunt, tinged whitish-tan with age.

Archaeologists in Nara City, Japan, were excavating a 1,700-year-old burial mound, according to a news release from Nara City Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The site, known as the Tomio Maruyama burial mound, is the largest circular burial mound, measuring almost 360 feet across.

The structure is asymmetrical, partially collapsed on one side, and composed of three tiers, officials said. While excavating an upper portion of the mound, archaeologists found a grave pit dug into the mound from the side, a seemingly unplanned addition to the mound.

The copper mirror found at the burial mound.

Inside the tomb, researchers found a wooden coffin made of a Japanese pine tree, according to the release. Nestled alongside, they uncovered a shield-shaped copper mirror.

About 2.5 feet long, the mirror had intricate carved patterns and a knob in the center. Photos shared by the Nara City Board of Education Cultural Property Division on Jan. 27 show the artifact.

Nearby, archaeologists unearthed another metallic object: an iron sword. The sword was almost 9 feet long and had a meandering blade, officials said. Meandering blades are not entirely straight but designed to be slightly wavelike, photos from education officials show.

The copper mirror after it was excavated.

The weapon is the longest iron sword and the oldest meandering sword ever found in Japan, city officials said.

Excavations also uncovered numerous cups and a portion of the mound believed to be used as a ritual space, researchers said in the release. The remains of clay drain structures indicated the ritual space might have been fed by a spring.

Two other tombs were identified at the mound. One tomb had a stone chamber dating back to the sixth century. The age of the other tomb remains unknown.

Part of the burial mound excavation site.

The most recent excavations of the Tomio Maruyama burial mound began in October and are ongoing, city officials said in the release.

Nara City is about 300 miles southwest of Tokyo and about 20 miles east of Osaka.

Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Nara City Hall and Nara City Board of Education Cultural Property Division.

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Friday, February 3, 2023