Recall affects local candy producer

Huckleberry Haven of Kalispell has voluntarily recalled a chocolate-covered peanut candy the firm repackages in novelty "poop" bags.

Ed Springman, one of the owners, said the recall does not involve any of the products manufactured on-site at Huckleberry Haven.

The business has recalled chocolate-covered peanuts that it purchased and repackaged with labels such as Bear Scat, Bear Poop and Moose Droppings.

"A multitude of other companies also repackage this novelty poop," he said.

According to Springman, no one has been confirmed as being sickened by the candy. The recall was a precaution because the peanuts were processed within the last 25 months by Peanut Corporation of America, the firm implicated in the national salmonella outbreak that stemmed from contaminated peanut products.

Huckleberry Haven joined a parade of hundreds of other companies across the country that have recalled peanut products. The list of recalls now tops 1,840 foods.

Springman said officials with the Food and Drug Administration contacted Huckleberry Haven early last week. Two agency officials spent two days helping track down where the products were distributed and working on the language of the voluntary recall announcement.

Huckleberry Haven has contacted nearly all the retailers that received the product and advised them to remove any remaining chocolate-peanut poop bags from their shelves.

"We've been very proactive with it," Springman said. "The majority are ones we sold five or six months ago."

The announcement provides this product description:

"The chocolate-covered peanuts that may have been affected were packaged in red, green, black, white or brown paper bags and contain four ounces of chocolate-covered peanuts. The product label on the front of the package may read: Bear Scat, Bear Poop, Moose Droppings, Buffalo Chips, Deer Droppings, Dino Eggs, Cow Pies, Cow Patties, Fish Eggs, Osprey Poop, Lizard Eggs, Monster Eggs, Chicken Coop Poop, Prairie Dog Pebbles or Crew Rations."

Affected products have a white ingredient label with black lettering for ingredient and allergy information and purple lettering for the company information on the bottom of each package. Future products not involved in the recall will have a white ingredient label and all-black lettering on the bottom of each package.

Huckleberry Haven shipped the affected novelty candy to specialty and resort retail stores throughout Montana and 11 other states. Consumers or businesses who purchased novelty poop products should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

In reality, Springman said most people probably already have consumed the candy purchased during the tourism season. He said that he just received an e-mail from a consumer who bought and ate one of the chocolate peanut poop products and did not get sick.

Springman called working with the FDA a good training experience for himself and the staff. As a former professional sanitarian, Springman said he was gratified by the process he witnessed.

"The system works very well," he said.

As a food-product manufacturer, Huckleberry Haven receives annual inspections from both the FDA and the Flathead City-County Health Department.

Springman said his supplier of the chocolate-covered peanut poop also worked closely with the FDA and has provided reimbursement to his company for the cost of the products and packaging due to the recall.

He has a new shipment of novelty poop on order for next tourist season.

"They sell very well," Springman said.

Huckleberry Haven employs more than 10 people manufacturing and/or packaging a wide variety of berry and other products. Springman said the company started 22 years ago selling huckleberry jam in the Canyon and now manufactures and ships out of a facility on Trumble Creek Road.

The business distributes products through retail stores and sells some items directly from its Web site, www.huckleberryhaven.com. Anyone with questions about the recall may contact the company at (406) 756-5525 or (800) 774-8257.

On the Net:

FDA's salmonella page: http://tinyurl.com/8srctw

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.