Food Roundup: Cookie Dough Recall, Slim Jim to Reopen, and More

Nestle recalls Toll House cookie dough products — Several dozen cases of E. coli have been linked to Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products, and Nestle today issued a voluntarily recall. The company says the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control are investigating the issue. About 300,000 cases of different products are affected. [Source: AP]

ConAgra to reopen Slim Jim plant — ConAgra says it will resume limited operations in August at the North Carolina factory that was torn apart last week by an explosion. The packaging part of the plant was destroyed, but the production parts are salvageable. The company also said that its long-term profits will not be significantly affected by the blast. [Sources: Food Production Daily, MarketWatch]

Darden to post calories on menus — The owner and operator of Red Lobster, Olive Garden and other chains announced it will start posting calories on its menus nationwide rather than waiting for regulations to spread across the country. Several cities have set their own labeling laws, and the restaurant industry recently announced its support for a federal law that would replace these local regulations with uniform national standards. [Sources: Orlando Sentinel, BNET Food]

Johns Hopkins investigating farms — Researchers at the university are investigating farms as a potential source of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. The move could give credibility to the growing criticism of factory farms, specifically the practice of giving antibiotics to healthy animals as a preventative measure. Industry groups say such practices are necessary to protect animal health and control costs. [Source: Johns Hopkins Magazine, h/t Cornucopia Institute]

KFC sued over Oprah debacle — Two consumers are seeking class-action status to sue the chicken chain for false advertising, fraud and unfair business practices. Celebrity superstar Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement of a recent promotion inspired so many people to download free online coupons that the restaurants could not keep up with the demand and had to issue a raincheck. The complaint says that customers who went to KFC on false pretenses should be reimbursed for transportation costs and other expenses. [Source: L.A. Times]