Month: April 2011

Recalls and Alerts: April 17, 2011

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

United States

  • Allergy Alert: Organic Food Bar, Inc. (Fullerton, CA) recalls Chocolatey Chocolate Chip RAW Organic Food Bars (Lot #3071210 & 2071210, exp 12 Jul 2011; Lot #02081610 & 01081610, exp. 08/11; Lot #04092710, exp. 27 Sep 2011), because they may contain undeclared peanut proteins. The recalled product was distributed nationally in the United States and Canada through retail stores, mail order and direct delivery.
  • Allergy Alert: La Fiesta Food Products, Inc. recalls all La Fiesta brand and Mi Pueblo brand Dried Shredded Shrimp products, because the products contain undeclared sulfites.
  • Food Safety Recall: B&M, Inc. (Mount Vernon, MO) recalls Archer Farms Ground Turmeric, 2.6 oz. (Lot numbers 1740901A, Best By 6/23/2011; 2180902A, Best By 8/6/11; 2780906A, Best By 10/5/2011; 2920903A, Best By 10/19/11; 3060903A, Best By 11/2/2011; 0071003A, Best By1/7/2012), because the product contains excessive levels of lead. The recalled Ground Turmeric was distributed to Target retails stores nationwide, and was sold from June 2009 to February 2010 in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WI.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Ortho-McNeil Neurologics Division recalls TOPAMAX®, 100mg tablets (Lot #0KG110, Exp 06-2010; and Lot #0LG222, Exp. 09-2012), after receiving consumer complaints of an uncharacteristic odor thought to be caused by trace amounts of TBA (2,4,6 tribromoanisole). The recalled TOPAMAX® tablets were distributed in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
  • Food Safety Advisory (Connecticut): The Department of Public Health releases an updated guide on safely eating fish caught in Connecticut, including in Long Island Sound.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Investigation Update: On Friday, March 25th, the Rhode Island Department of Health issued a recall of all baked goods from DeFusco’s Bakery in Johnston. The recalled products have been implicated in a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 77 residents of Rhode Island and one person in Massachusetts. Forty-six of the cases have been lab-confirmed; 29 people were hospitalized, and two people have died as a result of their infection.
  • Norovirus Outbreak Alert (Hawaii): Cholo’s Homestyle Mexican Restaurant (Haleiwa, HI) closed temporarily after the restaurant was found to be the source of an outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis that has sickened as many as 42 people. The restaurant has since reopened after undertaking a clean-up.
  • Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigation (Indiana): An unspecified number of Indiana State University (ISU) students and employees developed gastroenteritis after consuming food at the April 4th Ethics and Social Responsibility Conference at ISU. Sodexo, the ISU food service provider, has denied that contaminated food is to blame for the illnesses.
  • Food Recall: Food City advises its customers that Bakers Bright Sheen (Gallon bottles) has been recalled.
  • Food Recall: Price Chopper recalls Price Chopper Sour Neon Worms (6 oz., Code date 3103561), because the packages contain another candy, Spearmint Leaves.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Organic Food Bar, Inc. (Fullerton, CA) recalls Chocolatey Chocolate Chip flavour Raw Organic Food Bars, due to the presence of undeclared peanuts. The Allergy Alert first issued by CFIA on March 17th has been expanded to include all of the following lot codes: 01081610, 2071210, 04092710, 3071210, and 02081610. The recalled product is known to have been distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario, and may be distributed nationally.
  • Allergy Alert: Olympic Distributors recalls Sparkle Dried Bean Curd Sheet, 170g, due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was distributed through retailers in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Yukon.
  • Allergy Alert: Diners Express (Senneterre, QC) recalls several sandwiches, subs and snacks, because the products may contain undeclared milk, wheat or soy. The recalled products were sold in a number of retail establishments in Abitibi.
  • Food Safety Recall: Charcuterie La Tour Eiffel recalls Summersweet Fine Foods seafood mousses and dips, because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The following products, which were sold in various sizes at retail locations nationally, have been recalled: Smoked Salmon & Spinach Mousse; Mousse Smoked Salmon & Spinach; Smoked Salmon & Dill Mousse; Dip Crab & Roasted Red Pepper; Dip Lobster & Shrimp; Smoked Salmon & Roasted Artichoke Dip; and Dip Crab & Three Cheese.

Europe

  • Food Safety Alert (Denmark): The Danish Food Authority warns the public that meat and meat products sold from Kappendrupvej 12, 5450 Otterup came from animals that were not subject to control by food authorities either before or after slaughter. Furthermore, the animals from which the meat came were slaughtered without authorization and in dirty and poorly maintained premises. Anyone who purchased meat or meat products from this premises should discard it.
  • Food Safety Alert (Denmark): The Danish Food Authority warns the public that Riz Gluant Noir Perfume, 1kg (Product of Thailand, via France; Best Before 17/2-2012; Lot #100217 122 000 331), contains black dye that has not been approved for use in rice.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Jinghua shop recalls Black Rice, 400g (Schwarzer reis; Product of China, via Germany; Best before 12.2011), because the rice contains the dye Black PN, which is not approved for use in rice.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (Denmark): SCANPAN A/S recalls SCANPAN Black Nylon Palette Knife (Made in China), sold in hardware stores throughout Denmark, because the tools release primary aromatic amines at quantities above the permitted threshold.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Dorset County Hospital has closed two wards to new admissions due to an outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis that has affected more than 20 patients in the Barnes and Day Lewis wards. The public has been asked to avoid any non-essential visits to the hospital.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0500): Undeclared egg in shell pasta from Croatia; distributed to Slovenia.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0501): Mercury in chilled swordfish (Xiphias gladius) loins from Chile; distributed to Belgium, France and Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0502): Unauthorized ivermectin in corned beef from Brazil; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0503): Undeclared milk ingredient in broth of vegetables in grains from Greece; distributed to Cyprus.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0504): Salmonella Mbandaka in sesame seeds from Turkey; distributed to Austria.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0505): Yersinia enterocolitica in radicchio from Italy, via the United Kingdom; distributed to Norway.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0506): Traces of milk ingredient in vegetarian margarine from Greece; distributed to Cyprus.
  • Allergy Alert Notiifcation (EU #2011.0507): Undeclared milk ingredient in chocolate cake mixture from Greece; distributed to Cyprus.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0508): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled anchovy (Engraulis enchrasicholus) from Croatia; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0509): Salmonella Dublin in chilled veal meat from the Netherlands; distributed to Denmark.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Recall (Hong Kong): Actavis (China) Holding Limited recalls Amitriptyline Tablets, 10mg (Imported from the U.K.; Batch No. AA750), due to a printing error in some labels, resulting in incorrect indication of expiry dates.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Ortho-McNeil Neurologics Division recalls TOPAMAX®, 100mg tablets (Lot #0KG110, Exp 06-2010; and Lot #0LG222, Exp. 09-2012), after receiving consumer complaints of an uncharacteristic odor thought to be caused by trace amounts of TBA (2,4,6 tribromoanisole). The recalled TOPAMAX® tablets were distributed in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

Recalls and Alerts: April 14, 2011

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

United States

  • Food Safety Recall: Spice Hunter recalls Spice Hunter Curry Seasoning, 1.8oz (Lots 09 198 and 09 225) and Spice Hunter Ground Turmeric, 2.0oz (Lots 09 196, 09 201 and 09 264) due to the possibility of high levels of lead in the products. The recalled items were sold at Top Food & Drug store locations, and may also have been available elsewhere.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Investigation: On Friday, March 25th, the Rhode Island Department of Health issued a recall of all baked goods from DeFusco’s Bakery in Johnston, RI. As of April 13, 2011, the recalled zeppole and other baked goods have been implicated in 75 cases of Salmonella gastroenteritis (74 in Rhode Island and one in Massachusetts); 46 of the cases have been lab-confirmed; 29 victims were hospitalized (2 remain in hospital), and two people have died.
  • Recreational Water Safety Advisory (Oregon): A Health Advisory has been issued due to higher-than-normal levels of bacteria in ocean waters at Seaside Beach in Clatsop County. Direct contact with the water should be avoided until the advisory is lifted.
  • Cosmetics Product Safety Recall: Redken recalls Redken Guts Volume Foam Mousse (UPC 82214226107), because the aerosal can liner may corrode over time, leading to possible explosion of the can.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: L’Épicerie du Village (Sainte-Sophie) recalls a large number of prepared soups, entrées, pâtés and sauces, due to the presence of undeclared egg, wheat, soy, milk protein and/or sulfite.
  • Outbreak Alert (Saskatchewan): Four residents and six staff members at the Gull Lake Special Care Centre have been identified as suffering from an enteric illness, the cause of which has not been determined. The Cypress Health Region has declared a “Full Outbreak” at the facility. In order to prevent the outbreak from spreading further, visitation to the entire facility is restricted until further notice.
  • Health Advisory (Saskatchewan): The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority and Ministry of Health warn that heightened risk of flooding in many parts of the province this spring may pose a threat to private water wells and cisterns used for drinking water sources. As a safety measure during spring runoff, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority is offering free testing of private wells and cisterns used as sources of drinking water that have been potentially impacted by flooding across the province.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (Singapore): Singapore has lifted its suspension on the import of fruites and vegetables from Japan’s Ehime prefecture.
  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (China): Chinese authorities have detained five people and shut down the Shanghai Shenglu Food Co, a steamed bun manufacturer, after finding that the company’s products had been dyed, were expired, or contained undeclared chemicals.
  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): The Provincial Health Office has warned of an outbreak of typhoid fever in Negros Occidental province. The number of cases reported so far in 2011 is 60% higher than during the same period last year. Three deaths due to typhoid have been recorded this year.
  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): An outbreak of cholera has been declared in Bataraza town in Palawan. At least 430 cases of diarrhea have been reported since March 1st; at least 30 people – mostly children belonging to a tribe – have died.
  • Outbreak Alert (Congo DR): Fifty-one people have died as a result of cholera in eastern Congo (Democratic Republic) since February. Since the onset of the outbreak, 913 people have been hospitalized. It is feared that the onset of heavy rains could worsen the outbreak.
  • Food Poisoning Outbreak Investigation (Mauritius): Eighty-two people were diagnosed with food poisoning by staff of the Flacq Hospital on April 10th. Sixty people were admitted to hospital due to the severity of their symptoms. One death may be linked to the outbreak. All of the victims report having eaten cream pie purchased at the Marday White Mountain bakery on April 7th. The bakery’s manager, who also suffered from the food poisoning incident, has been questioned by police.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert (Colombia): The Ministry of Health reports that 19 confirmed cases of hepatitis A infections have been diagnosed in La Paz within the last month; an additional 10 suspect cases are under investigation. Approximately one-half of the victims are under 14 years of age. The source of the outbreak has not been determined, but contaminated food and/or unsafe drinking water are suspected.
  • Outbreak Update (Haiti): The rainy season is bringing with it a flare-up in the number of reported cases of cholera. In the last two weeks – since the onset of the rainy season – the Partners in Health cholera center in Mirebalais has seen 1,000 new cases. As a whole, Haiti is reporting some 2,000 new cholera cases a week.
  • Health Alert (Mexico): The Ministry of Health reports that 27,476 cases of acute diarrheal disease have been documented in Yucatan so far in 2011 – up 19% over the same period last year. Forty percent of the cases are children under five years of age.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

Recalls and Alerts: April 12, 2011

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

United States

  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Chesapeake Crab Connection Co. (Lancaster, PA) that a December 2010 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Chantel’s Cakes & Pastries (Sterling, VA) that a November 2010 through January 2011 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility revealed insanitary conditions and serious violations of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 110 – Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sam Hak Food Corp. (Flushing, NY) that a January/February 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sanuka Kanzyme Co. (Yurihonjyo-shi, Japan) that a November 2010 inspection of the company’s low-acid canned food facility revealed serious deviations from the low-acid canned food regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Day Boat Seafood, LLC (Lake Park, FL) that a December 2010/January 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: My Michelle (New York, NY) recalls My Michelle girls tops and dresses, because the jewelry and decorative trim attached to the girl’s garments contain high levels of lead. The recalled articles of clothing were manufactured in Vietnam and sold at Burlington Coat Factory, Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, Kohl’s, Army and Air Force Exchange (AAFES), K & G Fashion Superstore and other retail stores nationwide from January 2011 through March 2011 for about $38.
  • Public Health Reminder: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reminds parents that young children should not be permitted to handle young birds, such as chicks and ducklings, as the birds may carry Salmonella.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Bangle Hand Inc. (Toronto, ON) recalls Bangle Hand Pakkoda due to the presence of undeclared wheat. The recalled product was distributed in the Greater Toronto Area.
  • Expanded Health Hazard Alert/Recall: CFIA’s public warning has been expanded to include the following retailers who repackaged and sold raw shelled walnuts and products containing walnuts that were distributed by Amira Enterprises Inc: Asia Food Mart, London, ON (Shelled Walnuts  and Salad Booster containing Walnuts), and Jimmy’s A & A Mediterranean Deli, Calgary, AB (Raw Shelled Walnuts Halves  Pieces). The walnuts were recalled by Amira after they were implicated in an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick.
  • Food Safety Recall (Expanded): Boucherie Atlantique ltée (Montréal) recalls Walnuts (variable weights; sold in plastic containers from January 1 to April 4, 2011), because the walnuts may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
  • Expanded Health Hazard Alert/Recall: Québec’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food warns the public not to consume bulk walnuts and products containing walnuts that were purchased from the following retailers between January 1 and April 5, 2011, because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7:- Produits Eden, Montréal (walnut pieces); Fruiterie St.-Amour, Gatineau (trail mix, and walnut pieces); and Épicerie Européenne, Québec (Shelled walnuts).
  • Cosmetic Product Safety Alert: Health Canada warns the public that eleven additional professional hair smoothing solutions have been found to contain levels of formaldehyde that exceed the permitted limit. Please refer to the Health Canada Information Update for details.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Ireland): Celery DNA has been detected in the parsley ingredient of Organix Goodies Organic Cheese and Herb Puffs, 15 g, (Best Before dates: 30/05/11, 04/07/11, 18/07/11, 25/07/11, 01/08/11, 15/08/11, 22/08/11, 05/09/11 and 26/09/11). This may make the snacks unsafe for consumers who are allergic to celery.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (New Zealand): General Mills New Zealand recalls Frescarini Wholegrain Roasted Vegetables Ravioli (300g; Use by 02.05.11), due to the possible presence of undeclared sesame, egg, milk, soy, wheat, and rye. The recalled product was sold through all major supermarket chains in New Zealand.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.