Month: May 2011

Recalls and Alerts: May 27, 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.

Canada

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Denmark): Christiansen & Partners recalls several varieties of Booja Booja Chocolate Truffles, because the products contain undeclared milk.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Anemonerne.dk and Fairfood recall Organic Spanish Cucumbers (Lot No. 11 119 4005 00), after German authorities detect E. coli O104:H4 in the cucumbers.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Mango recalls school cucumbers and ordinary cucumbers sold during May 2011, after German authorities detect E. coli in a cucumber which originated either in the Netherlands or in Denmark.
  • Food Recall (Belgium): Tip Top recalls Tip Top brand Pignon de pin/Pine Nuts (Exp. date: 04-11-2011), because the nuts can leave a bitter taste in the mouths of certain consumers. There is no health risk associated with this recall.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (Philippines): The Food and Drug Administration advises that it is monitoring sports drinks, fruit juices and soft drinks imported from Taiwan, after receiving information that some of these products may be contaminated with the cancer-causing agent DEHP.
  • Food Safety Recall (China): A Shanghai importer is recalling YES brand sports drinks (made in Taiwan), because the beverages may be contaminated with the carcinogen DEHP.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Guam): A recent outbreak of food poisoning that struck 300 students at five southern schools in Guam was due to toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Egg salad sandwiches served during breakfast at the schools were found to contain the bacteria, according to lab analyses reported by the Hawaii Department of Health. All five schools were catered by King’s Restaurant.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia and New Zealand):  Sara Lee Australia Pty Ltd. recalls Sara Lee Beef Lasagne (1 kg, 2 kg & 3 x 200g sizes; Best before 25 NOV 2012), because the product may contain foreign matter, including metal, plastic and/or cloth contamination. The recalled products were distributed nationally to major supermarkets, independent grocery stores and food service outlets, and were exported to New Zealand.
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Mures Fishing Pty Ltd. recalls Atlantic Salmon Terrine, 180g (vacuum sealed plastic package; Use by 31.05.11), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was sold in delicatessens, independent supermarkets and directly from Mures’ outlets in Tasmania.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: May 26, 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: Top Food & Drug advises its customers that Galaxy Desserts Morning Mini Sticky Buns (UPC: 6-40445-00115) have been recalled, because they contain undeclared pecans.
  • Food Safety Recall: Food Depot #24 recalls Ground Beef Products (1-lb through 4-lb tray packs; Sell by 05/20/11), because the meat may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled ground beef was sold at Food Depot, Store #24 in McDonough, GA.
  • Recreational Water Safety Alert (Missouri): Swimming beaches at three Missouri parks are closed due to elevated E. coli levels.
  • Recreational Water Safety Alert (Oregon): Oregon has issued a public health advisory for ocean waters at Indian Beach in Clatsop County, due to higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria.
  • Food Safety Advisory: Taiwan has advised US heath authorities that some bottled drinks imported into the USA from Taiwan may be contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical DEHP.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Nikita Foods & Spices Ltd. recalls Kamal Premium Quality Spice Dumpling – Punjabi Wadi (200g and 400g sizes) due to the presence of undeclared gluten.
  • Food Safety Recall: Les Aliments Edesia Foods Inc. (Saint-Hubert, QC) expands its earlier recall of Listeria monocytogenes-contaminated meat products from Italy to include both of the following products: Fumagalli La Salumeria Seasoned Dry Cured Pork Loin (1.2-1.6kg or sliced at retail; Best before 30.08.2011; Batch 119062) and Fimagalli Pronto e Fresco Spianata Romana Salami (100g; Best before 05.07.2011; Batch 119066). The recalled products were distributed only in Quebec.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Channell’s Norfolk Preserves Ltd. advises that it is relabeling Channell’s Sticky Rib Sauce and Channell’s Barbecue Sauce, because they may contain the undeclared antigens soy, fish, sesame, wheat and/or barley.
  • Food Safety Alert (UK): Taiwan’s Department of Health warns that Bubble Tea ingredients exported to the UK from Taiwan are suspected to be contaminnted by the cancer-causing chemical DEHP.
  • Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Delhaize recalls DelhaizeTrances de Nazareth (180g; all dates), Delhaize Plateau de fromage Belgo-Français (400g; Best before 18/04/2011 and 02/05/2011) Nazareth Fromage Nazareth en Bloc (250g; all dates) and Brugge Kaas Plateau de fromage Brugge (450g; Best before 13/04/2011), because the products may contain Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0695): Mold infestation in chilled white cheese from Germany; distributed to Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany and Italy.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.0696): Unauthorized synephrine in food supplement from Canada; distributed to France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0697): Salmonella Heidelberg in frozen chicken breasts from Brazil; distributed to Denmark.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.0698): Unauthorized idebenone, vinpocetine, vincamine and vinburnine in food supplement from the USA, via Hungary; distributed to Cyprus.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0699): Unsuitable organoleptic characteristics of long grain rice from Poland; distributed to Slovakia.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Germany): Cucumbers imported into Germany from Spain are suspected to be the source of the outbreak of E. coli O104 disease, which has killed four people and sickened several hundred across several states of Germany.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (Multiple countries): The Taiwan Department of Health has informed health authorities in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines that some bottled drinks exported to these countries from Taiwan may be contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical, DEHP. Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety urges the public not to consume Speed Sports Drink (600ml; Expiry February 14, 2013), Speed Sports Drink, Lemon Flavour (600 ml; Expiry February 14, 2013), and Dong Nung 1000 Sports Drink / Yuet’s Sports Drink (Expiry March 21, 2013).
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Singapore): The Health Sciences Authority advises the public that Metabolic Advantage (manufactured by Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. in the USA) has been withdrawn, because it contains the unauthorized substances, thyroid gland and thyroid hormones.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Enrico’s Kitchens recalls a number of Frozen Ready-to-eat pizza and pasta products (best before 25 May 2012), because the products may be contaminated with foreign matter, including metal, plastic and cloth. The recalled products were distributed nationally to major supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths, independent grocery stores and food service outlets such as cafés, hospitals and school canteens.

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.

Evanger’s “Muddy” Duck Story

In the latest twist to the duck tale, Susan Thixton, writing in Truth About Pet Food, reports the following clarification from Genetic ID, the third-party lab that tested Evanger’s Duck dog food:

“Genetic ID NA, Inc., the lab used by Evangers Pet Food, confirms the food tested was Grain Free Duck pet food – appearing to be the same food tested by the FDA.”

Susan adds that, as yet, she has been unable to obtain confirmation from FDA that the lot number of the Duck dog food tested by the agency matches the lot number tested by Genetic ID. Evanger claims that both FDA and Genetic ID tested samples from the same production lot of Grain Free Duck pet food.

Evanger’s web site contains the following update to their initial comments on FDA’s Warning Letter:

It has come to our attention that we used the term, “Super Premium Duck” in our response referencing the product that was tested. The product that was tested by both FDA and Evanger’s was “Grain Free Duck” in a 6 oz can, Lot #2401E02DK2. The term “Super Premium” refers to the Evanger’s line of food that the Grain Free Duck is categorized in. Again, both references refer to Evanger’s brand 6 oz duck can Lot #2401E02DK2.

For anyone who is curious about the lot numbering system used by Evanger, “24” refers to December; the third digit (in this case, “0”) represents the last digit of the year of production, meaning that the product in dispute was manufactured in December 2010 – just as Evanger indicated. “DK” – of course – identifies the product as duck. I have been unable to verify the meaning of the remainder of the lot code; I’m still waiting for an answer from Brett Sher on that. I suspect that the day of the month is identified by the pair of digits that follow the letter E.

Assuming that FDA and Genetic ID ran their analyses on samples from the identical batch, we are still left with a significant mystery; namely, how can two supposedly competent labs arrive at diametrically opposite test results using similar analytical methods on two samples from the same production batch?

Also, if FDA didn’t find any duck in the Grain-Free Duck product, what type of meat did they find instead?

I have been in touch with FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, and I am hoping for an answer to these questions in fairly short order. Please stay tuned.