Lead, listeria, undeclared allergens among reasons for FDA recalls in August. See the list

We're all busy, and trying to keep track of every recall can be difficult.

While not every recall is dangerous, or includes products sold in Florida, we know people travel, not to mention having friends or family living all over the United States.

But often, those recalls are important and could affect your health. On Aug. 28, the Centers for Disease Control reported nine people have died in 18 states, including Florida, and 57 people have fallen ill from listeria associated with Boar's Head deli meat.

It's the largest listeriosis outbreak since the 2011 outbreak linked to cantaloupe, the CDC said.

A prominent food safety lawyer says more illnesses can be expected and Congress should investigate Boar's Head .

Inspection reports from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service revealed inspectors found insects, mold and mildew at the company's Jarrett, Virginia, plant over 12 months before it was voluntarily shut down because of the outbreak.

FDA issues 19 recalls in August for food, drinks

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued 19 recalls in August for various food and beverages. While not all of them were sold in Florida, here is what you should know.

• Aug. 2 : Bonbon-A Swedish Candy Co. , sea salt chocolate bar. Reason for recall: Undeclared allergen : undeclared almond, wheat and nuts.
• Aug. 2: Metro Produce Distributors Inc., fresh guacamole products. Reason for recall: Potential listeria monocytogenes contamination.
• Aug. 4: Thal Golden Spices Inc., Moong Dal, crunchy green gram. Reason for recall: Potential contamination with salmonella.
• Aug. 6: G.S. Gelato & Desserts, Inc., coconutmilk chocolate almond crunch frozen dessert. Reason for recall: Undeclared cashew allergen.
• Aug. 7: Yummy Foods, Yummy swirly ices, various flavors. Reason for recall: Undeclared milk allergen.
• Aug. 8: Perrigo Co., Premium infant formula with iron milk-based powder. Reason for recall: Product contains levels of Vitamin D above the maximum level permitted.
• Aug. 8: North Fish USA INC , cold smoked capelin. Reason for recall: Potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.
• Aug. 9: Prime Foods Processing LLC, steam buns with egg custard added and steam buns with egg custard and coconut added. Reason for recall: Undeclared sesame .
• Aug. 9: Too Good Gourmet , Dunking cookies chocolate chip. Reason for recall: Undeclared milk.
• Aug. 13: El Chilar HF, LLC., ground cinnamon. Reason for recall: Elevated levels of lead.
• Aug. 19: Gutierrez Distributor, ground cinnamon. Reason for recall: Potentially contaminated with elevated levels of lead.
• Aug. 20: Flagstone Foods, LLC, Emerald kettle glazed walnuts. Reason for recall: Undeclared peanuts, almonds, pecans .
• Aug. 21: Unilever US, Jolly Rancher Green Apple, Blue Raspberry, Grape Frozen Confection Pop. Reason for recall: Undeclared milk .
• Aug. 22: Authentik Fudge, chocolate fudge with nuts. Reason for recall: Potential mold growth contamination.
• Aug. 23: Gutierrez Distributors, ground cinnamon. Reason for recall: Elevated lead.
• Aug. 23: Sri Lakshmi Narasimhar Overseas LLC, butter snacks. Reason for recall: Undeclared allergen-undeclared milk, sesame
• Aug. 26: Sunco & Frenchie, golden raisins. Reason for recall: Undeclared allergen-undeclared sulfites.
• Aug. 29: M&P Food Production , blintzes, pirozhki, and vareniki. Reason for recall: Undeclared wheat and milk .
• Aug. 30: Asli Fine Foods, cinnamon powder. Reason for recall: contains lead.

Not all recalls listed by Food and Drug Administration

The monthly list provided by the FDA provides information gathered from press releases and other public notices about certain recalls of FDA-regulated products.

"FDA works with industry and our state partners to publish press releases and other public notices about recalls that may potentially present a significant or serious risk to the consumer or user of the products," the FDA said.

" Not all recalls have press releases or are posted on this page. "

Find more recalls from Centers for Disease Control

More information about food recalls can be found at a website compiled by the Centers for Disease Control.

Among the recalls listed by the CDC, starting with Boar's Head, which has its company headquarters in Sarasota, Florida, company were:

• July 30: Boar's Head expands recall for ready-to-eat mat and poultry products. Reason for recall: listeria contamination.
• Aug. 16: Perdue recalls frozen, ready-to-eat chicken breast nugget and tender products. Reason for recall: possible foreign matter contamination.
• Aug. 16: Food Safety and Inspection Service issues public health alert for meat and poultry products imported from Myanmar. Reason for alert: Myanmar is a country ineligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States.
• Aug. 30: Hickory Hollow Jerky recalls ready-to-eat jerky products. Reason for recall: products produced without the benefit of federal inspection.

FoodSafety.gov also provides information about food recalls

Another source for food recalls and outbreaks is FoodSafety.gov.

What do you do if you have a recalled product?

FoodSafety.gov o ffers these suggestions if you have a recalled product:

• Don’t panic : Most food recalls are not associated with a foodborne illness outbreak, and many recalls are issued because there is a potential for the food to be contaminated. Often, food manufacturers issue a recall as a precautionary measure.
• Don’t eat the food : Even though the food product may be recalled as a precaution, do not eat it! It’s always better to be safe than sorry. And please don’t give the food to other people (do not donate it to a food bank). Don’t feed it to your pets, either, because pets can get food poisoning, too.
• Don’t open the food : Resist the temptation to open the food and check it. You can’t see, smell, or taste the bacteria or viruses that cause foodborne illnesses. If you do open or handle the product, remember to wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for 20 seconds after handling it.
• Check the recall notice to find out what to do with the food: When a manufacturer recalls a food product, they provide instructions on what to do with the product. Typically, the instructions will indicate that you need to do one of the following:
  • Return the product to the store where you bought it for a refund.
  • Dispose of the product properly so that other people or animals cannot eat it.

You've already prepared a recalled food. Now what should you do?

If you've already prepared a recalled food item in your kitchen or still have it in your refrigerator, it's important to throw out the food and clean your kitchen. Here's what FoodSafety.gov suggests:

• Wash all cookware and utensils (including cutting boards) with hot soapy water.
• Clear off counters and refrigerator drawers and shelves and wash them with hot soapy water.
• Then wipe any surfaces, shelves, or drawers and rinse dishes and cookware with a sanitizing solution and let them air dry. You can use a diluted bleach solution (1 tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water).
• Products recalled due to an undeclared allergen may be a risk for anyone in your household with an allergy to that substance. If the product has never been served, throw it away or return it for a refund. If the product has been served, wash with soap and water any surfaces – plates, pots and pans, utensils, and counters — with which the product may have had contact.

What is a food recall?

"A food recall occurs when a food producer takes a product off the market because there is reason to believe that it may cause consumers to become ill," FoodSafety.gov said.

"In some situations, government agencies may request or require a food recall. Food recalls may happen for many reasons, including but not limited to:

• Discovery of organisms, including bacteria such as salmonella or parasites such as cyclospora .
• Discovery of foreign objects such as broken glass or metal.
• Discovery of a major allergen that does not appear on the product label.

What is an outbreak?

"A foodborne outbreak occurs when two or more people get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink," FoodSafety.gov said.

"When an outbreak is detected, public health and regulatory officials work quickly to collect as much information as possible to find out what is causing it so they can take action to prevent more people from getting sick. This action includes warning the public when there is clear and convincing information linking illness to a contaminated food. Federal, state and local officials may investigate an outbreak, depending on how widespread it is."

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Lead, listeria, undeclared allergens among reasons for FDA recalls in August. See the list