Consumer News: Guess what draws the most complaints from new car owners

The recalled supplements were sold directly to consumers and through Amazon and Chewy

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Fi is recalling two dietary supplements for dogs because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

• The affected products include Fi Calming Supplement for Dogs and Fi 8-in-1 Formula Supplement for Dogs, both sold in 180-gram containers.

• The supplements were sold directly to consumers and through Amazon and Chewy; consumers should stop using affected lots and throw them away.

Dog owners are being urged to check their pet supplements after Fi announced a recall of two products because of possible Salmonella contamination.

The recall involves Fi Calming Supplement for Dogs and Fi 8-in-1 Formula Supplement for Dogs. According to an announcement posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the potential contamination is linked to an ingredient supplied to Fi's manufacturer. Production has been suspended while the manufacturer investigates.

The products were distributed directly to consumers and were also available through Amazon and Chewy.com.

Risk isn't limited to dogs

Salmonella contamination in pet products can pose a health threat to both animals and people.

Dogs infected with Salmonella may become lethargic and develop diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea, fever or vomiting. Some animals may experience decreased appetite and abdominal pain.

Even dogs that appear healthy can carry the bacteria and potentially spread it to people or other animals. Owners whose dogs consumed one of the recalled supplements and are showing symptoms should contact a veterinarian.

People can become infected by handling contaminated supplements, touching surfaces exposed to the products or coming into contact with waste from an infected animal.

Symptoms in people may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. In rare cases, Salmonella infections can lead to more serious complications.

What consumers should do

Consumers should check the lot number on any Fi Calming or Fi 8-in-1 Formula supplements they have at home.

If the product is included in the recall, Fi says owners should stop using it, tightly seal the container and dispose of it in the trash. Consumers should also wash their hands thoroughly after handling potentially contaminated products or cleaning up after their pets.

Consumers with questions can contact Fi at 1-888-434-3647, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, or email support@tryfi.com.

De Todito snack products were distributed in New Jersey and Utah

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• El Eden Import Distributor Corp. is recalling about 264 pounds of snack products containing pork cracklings imported from Colombia.

• USDA says Colombia is not eligible to export meat products to the United States, and the recalled products do not have required import marks.

• No illnesses or injuries have been reported, but consumers should not eat the products and should throw them away or return them to the store.

A New York importer is recalling hundreds of pounds of popular Colombian snack products because they contain pork that was imported from a country that is not currently eligible to ship meat products to the United States.

El Eden Import Distributor Corp., based in Long Island City, N.Y., is recalling approximately 264 pounds of potato chip products containing chicharrn, or pork cracklings, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Sept. 9.

The products were imported on July 28, 2026, from Colombia. USDA says Colombia is not eligible to export meat or poultry products to the United States.

Products being recalled

The recall covers 45-gram foil bags of two De Todito varieties:

• De Todito NATURAL mixed chips containing "CHICHARRN AMERICANO JACKS," "Margarita" and "NATU CHIPS."

• De Todito BBQ mixed chips containing "CHICHARRN AMERICANO JACKS," "Margarita" and "NatuChips."

Unlike many meat recalls, consumers won't find a USDA establishment or import inspection mark to help identify the affected packages. FSIS says the recalled products do not bear any import marks on their labels.

The products were sent to a distributor in New Jersey and to retail locations in New Jersey and Utah.

Consumer complaint led to discovery

According to FSIS, the problem surfaced after the agency received a consumer complaint involving De Todito snack products containing dried plantains, potato chips and chicharrn imported from Colombia.

The issue isn't that USDA has identified contamination with a pathogen such as Salmonella or Listeria. Rather, the pork entered from a country that is not eligible to export meat products to the U.S., meaning the products did not enter through the required federal import inspection system.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury associated with the recalled products.

What to do

FSIS is concerned that some of the snacks may still be sitting in consumers' pantries. Anyone who has one of the recalled products should not eat it. USDA recommends throwing it away or returning it to the place of purchase.

Consumers who are concerned about an illness or injury after eating the product should contact a healthcare provider.

Questions about meat and poultry recalls can also be directed to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.

Five other high-quality vehicles miss the cut

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The 2027 Kia Telluride and 2026-27 Tesla Model Y have earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safetys highest safety designation, Top Safety Pick+.

• Both vehicles received good ratings in the major crash tests as well as pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention evaluations.

• Five other recently tested vehicles, including models from BMW, GMC, Lexus and Toyota, fell short of qualifying for either IIHS safety award.

Consumers shopping for a new SUV have two more models to consider if crash protection is high on their priority list.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded its highest safety honor, Top Safety Pick+, to the redesigned 2027 Kia Telluride and 2026-27 Tesla Model Y. Both vehicles turned in strong performances under the organization's increasingly demanding testing standards.

To earn an IIHS safety award for 2026, vehicles must receive good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front and side crash tests. Headlights offered on every trim level must be rated either acceptable or good.

The requirements are even tougher for Top Safety Pick+. Vehicles must receive a good rating for pedestrian front crash prevention and at least an acceptable rating in IIHS's updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test. The qualifying crash-avoidance technology also must be standard equipment.

Telluride improvements make a difference

Kia redesigned the Telluride for the 2027 model year, and IIHS said vehicles manufactured after June 2026 qualify for the award.

The production date matters. Tellurides built after June are equipped with headlights that earned a good rating. Earlier versions had headlights rated only marginal, preventing those vehicles from qualifying.

The newer Telluride earned good ratings in all three major crash tests, its headlights and both of the front crash prevention evaluations. Its seat belt reminder system also received a good rating.

Model Y scores well across the board

Tesla's Model Y, redesigned for the 2026 model year, also earned good ratings across all the tests that determine eligibility for the Top Safety Pick+ designation.

One potential consideration for buyers is the Model Y's seat belt reminder system, which IIHS rated marginal. However, seat belt reminder ratings are not currently part of the criteria used to determine Top Safety Pick awards.

Five vehicles fall short

IIHS also released results for five other recently tested 2026 vehicles, but none qualified for either Top Safety Pick designation.

The BMW 3 Series earned good ratings in the small overlap and side tests but was rated acceptable in the moderate overlap test and marginal for vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention. The BMW i4 had a poor rating for its standard vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention system, while its available headlights ranged from marginal to poor.

The GMC Canyon crew cab received a marginal rating in the moderate overlap test and a poor rating for vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention. The Lexus IS received a marginal moderate-overlap rating and an acceptable side-crash rating.

The Toyota Crown Signia came close in several areas, earning good ratings for its side crash protection, headlights and both crash-prevention systems. But its marginal rating in the moderate overlap front test kept it from earning an award.

For car shoppers, the results illustrate why it can pay to look beyond a vehicle's overall reputation for safety. IIHS ratings can vary by model year and, in some cases such as the Telluride, even by when a vehicle was manufactured.

A new study suggests taking a simple at-home screening test could make a meaningful difference in colorectal cancer survival

• People who participated in colorectal cancer screening had a 43% lower risk of dying from the disease.

• Researchers followed more than 376,000 people in Sweden for up to 14 years.

• The findings highlight the potential lifesaving benefits of actually completing a screening test when one is offered.

Colorectal cancer screening may be more powerful than some people realize. New research from researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Ume University in Sweden suggests that people who participate in screening could have a substantially lower risk of dying from colorectal cancer.

The study looked at Swedens StockholmGotland screening program, where adults ages 60 to 74 are offered screening every two years. The process is relatively simple: People receive a kit at home, collect a stool sample, and send it in to be checked for small amounts of blood that aren't visible to the naked eye. If blood is detected, additional testing, usually a colonoscopy, is offered.

A previous evaluation of the programme showed that those who received an invitation to screening had a 14 per cent lower risk of dying from the disease, researcher Johannes Blom said in a news release. We have now been able to show that the mortality is significantly lower than that among those who actually take part in the screening.

How researchers studied screening

Researchers examined people who were invited to participate in the StockholmGotland screening program between 2008 and 2012. They compared this group with a control group made up of people who were either invited to screening later or weren't invited during the study period.

Because not everyone who receives an invitation actually completes the test, the researchers used statistical methods to account for factors that could affect the comparison. This included accounting for people in the control group who were eventually offered screening and people who received an invitation but chose not to participate.

The study ultimately included 376,511 people, and researchers tracked participants for as long as 14 years. During that time, 1,668 colorectal cancer deaths were recorded.

The results could encourage more people to get screened

The researchers found that simply being invited to screening was associated with a 26% lower risk of dying from colorectal cancer. But the difference was even larger among people who actually participated: Their risk of dying from the disease was 43% lower.

That distinction is important because roughly one-third of people offered screening in the program did not submit a sample.

Although screening is offered free of charge and the test is simple to carry out, around a third of people do not submit a sample, Blom said. Our study highlights the importance of taking part in colorectal cancer screening, and shows that it can actually save lives.

The researchers note that their findings rely on statistical adjustments, so some uncertainty remains. Still, the results suggest that participating in colorectal cancer screening could make a meaningful difference in the risk of dying from the disease.

For consumers, the takeaway is fairly straightforward: If you're offered a colorectal cancer screening test, completing it may be an important step toward detecting potential problems and reducing the risk of dying from colorectal cancer.