It just so happens that "baby food recall" is one of the top queries on Google’s hot trends. That means a lot of people are rushing to find information about it (and with good reason). Making babies sick would be quite disastrous, not just for babies and parents, but for the company as well. Plum Organics did not hesitate to post a statement online, and use Twitter and Facebook to get information out and engage with concerned consumers. Here’s a look at the conversation on Plum Organics’ Facebook page:

While nobody (including the company) is happy about the recall, you can tell the company approached the situation the right way in an effort to maintain a positive reputation. Most of the comments are reasonably positive considering the circumstances. Customers are grateful for the easily accessible information and transparency.

Besides linking to the statement with its Facebook Page, Plum Organics also did so with its Twitter account:

Not only does this help get the information out to a different group of people, it also caters to the spread of this important information, due to the retweeting culture of Twitter:

It certainly helps that no babies have been reported sick as a result of the product in question, but the company’s statement and approach to social media have no doubt made a problem a smaller one than it could have been for the company. It also shows how social media can be used for general good, by possibly saving babies from eating a compromised product.

If you are concerned about the recall, Plum Organics’statement says the following:

Plum Organics immediately investigated the matter and confirmed that a mixing error was to blame which resulted in an improper blend of carrots and apples.

Please accept my deepest apologies for this inconvenience. If you have any further questions, please contact Plum Organics at info@plumorganics.com.

In preparation for your phone interview:

• Familiarize yourself with the job description under Product Development. http://www.google.com/jobs/index.html
• Familiarize yourself with all of Google’s products (you will be asked both technical & business related questions)
• Be prepared to answer Product Design / Analytical questions (be sure to think of the user when answering this question)
• Conduct some searches (Google product manager)
• Research our competitors

How badly do you want to work at Google?

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Take another example.  I just performed a search for “recalls” on Google News, and got 17,338 results (the top story, by the way, is about some high-tech Japanese toilets that have been known to catch fire).  For the term “Yahoo,” I got only 16,908 results.  Something is definitely happening, and Yahoo’s Gordon Hurd has taken note.

“When a well-known product is pulled from the shelves it can cause concern for consumers everywhere,” Hurd wrote on Yahoo’s Buzz Blog.  “[W]e saw new surges inspired by a Listerine recall (1,435%), as well as a recall of a half-million Ford Escapes.”  I should note that those Fords’ brakes can go up in flames . . . but perhaps comparisons between them and bathroom fixtures are best saved for another day.

In any event, consumers need not blindly wonder what unsafe products are lurking out there – Hurd compiled a list of them for everyone’s benefit (or, to be more accurate, a list of Yahoo’s top twenty recall queries).  Of those, exactly ten are pet food-related; the others are a bit scattershot.

Yet as these recalls pass and others crop up, consumers will need to stay up-to-date.  To that end, you can keep an eye on Recalls.gov and the official FDA site.  Alternatively, you can putter around your favorite search engine – while I’m sure its owners regret the implications of all these recalls, they’re not going to turn away the extra traffic.

Apple computers affected include the 12-inch iBook G4, the 12-inch PowerBook G4 and the 15-inch PowerBook G4. These batteries were manufactured by LG Chem Ltd. of South Korea. The numbers on the Apple batteries include:

12-inch iBook G4 – A1061 – HQ441-HQ507

12-inch PowerBook G4 – A1079 – 3X446-3X510

15-inch PowerBook G4 – A1078 – 3X446-3X509

Apple said exchange isn’t a problem. Contact them to verify the information and a battery will be issued. Once received, just send back the defective product. They warned also to check recently purchased replacement batteries for these computers as well as the iBook G3.

HP’s recall seems a little more extensive. Their recalls total about 135,000 worldwide and 85,000 in the U.S. They said they’ve received reports on 16 overheating batteries but no one had been injured. They recommended advice similar to Apple’s. Contact them and they will make arrangements to ship a new battery to the consumer.

The recalled battery packs for HP are labeled with bar codes starting with GC, IA, L0 or L1. There are several models of computer listed including some in the HP Pavillion, HP Compaq, Compaq Presario and Compaq Evo product lines.

The HP batteries were purchased between Mar 2004 and May 2005. The Apple batteries were listed in October 2004 to May 2005. In both cases, computer users should not use the computer with the batteries until the replacement arrives. They said to keep it strictly to the power cord.

This wouldn’t be the first time Apple’s had problems with batteries either. They had problems with iPod batteries several months ago. It took a little effort to get Apple moving but they eventually got it together. Because this particular case is government mandated situation, it’s moving a bit smoother.

John Stith is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.

John Walton lived near the crash site, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He was 58 years old. He was the pilot of the plane, which that carried no passengers, and crashed shortly after take-off.

The cause of the crash has yet to be determined. Walton was pronounced dead at the scene. Besides being the heir to the Wal-Mart company, Walton was a board member.

“He’s the most independent of the bunch and the only one who doesn’t live here in Arkansas, and he’s a tremendous individual,” wrote Sam Walton in his biography, which was published about 13 years ago. Bloomberg News recalls,

In a November 2004 Fortune magazine article, writer Andy Serwer described Walton as a “renaissance man” interested in flying, sailing and technology and also as a venture capitalist.

The article called John “the crusader” of the Walton family for focusing on improving U.S. schools. He led the family foundation to donate at least $700 million to education-related causes between 1998 and 2004, USA Today reported last year. In March, Forbes magazine listed him as the world’s 11th richest person with a net worth of $18.2 billion.

“This is a horrible tragedy. What is so unusual about this is it is the founder’s son,” said a Wal-Mart analyst with Deutsche Bank, Bill Dreher. “Sam Walton was brilliant with estate planning. I don’t know the details with John Walton, but I would expect there would be a smooth transition.”

Walton had a wife and a son. One of his brothers, S. Robson Walton, is the chairman of Wal-Mart’s board. The Walton family owns about 40% of Wal-Mart shares.

Chris is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that Guidant is voluntarily recalling the defibrillators which are now considered to be dangerous.

The defibrillators have flaws that can lead to their malfunction, which can lead to the death of the person who has it implanted inside of them. At least two people with the defibrillators have died so far.

“Patient safety is paramount and our highest priority,” stated Guidant President and CEO Ronald W. Dollens. “As a leading manufacturer of lifesaving technology, Guidant takes seriously its responsibility to create the most reliable products and services, enhance patient outcomes and limit adverse events to patients.”

Doctors are being advised about the safety of three models of defibrillators by Guidant. There have been 45 cases in which the devices have failed.

The defibrillator models being recalled include:

“The purpose of the company’s recent communications is to share information with physicians and patients about problems in a small subset of Guidant devices,” said Dollens. “We will work with physicians as they decide how best to treat their patients.”

Dollens added, “Guidant is committed to establishing industry guidelines and processes to determine when, how and under what circumstances adverse events should be communicated to doctors and patients. Guidant hopes to work with FDA, other regulatory agencies and physicians to convene a panel to assist the medical device industry in establishing clear guidelines.”

Yesterday MarketWatch reported that Guidant shares fell 92 cents, or 1.3%, to $72.74. Guidant is being acquired by Johnson & Johnson, which was up 18 cents to $66.48.

Chris is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.

The defibrillators have flaws that can lead to their malfunction, which can lead to the death of the person who has it implanted inside of them. At least two people with the defibrillators have died so far.

Guidant, which is based in Indianapolis, said that it is advising doctors about the safety of three models of defibrillators. There have been 45 cases in which the devices have failed.

The devices in question include :

“Patient safety is paramount and our highest priority,” stated Guidant President and CEO Ronald W. Dollens. “As a leading manufacturer of lifesaving technology, Guidant takes seriously its responsibility to create the most reliable products and services, enhance patient outcomes and limit adverse events to patients.”

“The purpose of the company’s recent communications is to share information with physicians and patients about problems in a small subset of Guidant devices,” continued Dollens. “We will work with physicians as they decide how best to treat their patients.”

Dollens added, “Guidant is committed to establishing industry guidelines and processes to determine when, how and under what circumstances adverse events should be communicated to doctors and patients. Guidant hopes to work with FDA, other regulatory agencies and physicians to convene a panel to assist the medical device industry in establishing clear guidelines.”

MarketWatch reports that Guidant shares fell 92 cents, or 1.3%, to $72.74 in recent trading. Guidant is being acquired by Johnson & Johnson, which was up18 cents to $66.48 in recent action.

Chris is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.

Among the vehicles involved in the recall are the Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, Landcruiser Prado and 4Runner/Hilux Surf, built between May 2001 and December 2003.

Most of the recalled vehicles are from the U.S. with 789,000 of them being recalled in North America, 23,800 in Japan, 19,000 in Europe, and 12,000 in Australia. As BBC News reports,

The company recently reported a fifth year of record profits on the back of higher sales to the US and China.

Toyota is not the only Japanese vehicle maker that has had to recall vehicles. Profits at Mitsubishi Motors have tumbled and executives are still facing law suits amid allegations that they covered up defects for a number of years.

Only one accident involving one of the vehicles in question has been reported, and that was in Japan. Most of the vehicles being recalled from Japan are Hilux Surf and Landcruiser Prados.

Toyota shares fell 0.78% in morning trading ending at 3,820 yen. The shares went down about 0.8% in Tokyo after the recall announcement was made.

Chris is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.

About 1.5 million of these vehicles are SUVs and pickup trucks.

GM is just not having good luck these days. Last week, the company announced that it had lost $1.1 billion in the first quarter, and now this.

According to an Associated Press article,

Among the vehicles affected, the company was recalling 1.48 million SUVs and pickups from the 2003-2005 model years, including the Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab, Suburban, Tahoe, Avalanche; Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, GMC Sierra Crew Cab, Yukon XL, Yukon, and the Hummer H2s.

GM spokesman Alan Adler said the center safety belt in the second row of the SUVs and pickups, typically used for child seats, was riding high on the occupant’s stomach or abdomen. He said there could be a reduced protection in that portion of the body in the event of a crash.

GM also announced five other recalls on various vehicles. A Reuters article goes into the details on those.

Last year, GM had the most recalls out of any manufacturer in the auto industry.

Chris is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.

Yamaha is supposed to let owners know about the recall this spring.

A Newsday.com article says,“The recall affects XV250, XVS11 and XVS65 motorcycles from the 1988-2005 model years, Yamaha spokesman Brad Banister said. The mounting hardware that connects the seat to the fender can loosen when passengers shift their weight, which eventually can cause the seat to fall off, according to a recall notice sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Banister said the company knows of two minor injuries caused by the defect. Banister said Yamaha decided to recall the vehicles after reviewing quality control reports on the motorcycles in Japan.”

“We constantly monitor this sort of thing because we do care about the safety of our customers,” Banister said.

Dealers will be replacing the seat mounting hardware free of charge.

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