Recalls and Alerts: July 28, 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.

United States

• Food Safety Recall: Tri State Beef (Cincinnati, OH) recalls Tri-State Beef Co., Inc. Boneless Beef (Combo bins; Est. 1750; Produced between July 19, 2011 and July 22, 2011), because the beef may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled beef was sold to federally inspected establishments for further processing and distribution in Illinois (Chicago), Ohio (Columbus and Cincinnati), Iowa and Virginia.
• Food Safety Recall: GHSW, LLC (Houston, TX) recalls Garden Highway Island Medley, Central Market Island Medley, Central Market Papaya Spears, Central Market Tropical Medley, and Central Market Tropical Salsa fresh cut fruit products containing papaya (Best if used by 7/30/11), because the products contain papayas covered by the Agromod Produce, Inc. recall, and may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled fresh cut fruit products were supplied to retail establishments and distribution centers in Texas.
• Food Safety Recall: Northwestern Meat, Inc. (Miami, FL) recalls C&D brand bulk-packed boneless beef (Imported from Honduras; Lot. N60 146-11 A and N60 146-11 B; Processing date of 26.05.11), because the meat may contain Ivermectin (a broad spectrum anti-parasitic chemical used as a de-worming agent in live animals). The recalled products were produced on May 26, 2011 and shipped to further processors in Florida and Illinois.
• Food Safety Recall: Flying Food Group (Lawrenceville, GA) recalls all USDA and FDA-regulated sandwiches, parfaits, wraps, plates and salads, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This expanded recall includes products made for Core-mark Atlanta Division (Alabama, Georgia and Florida), Race Trac (Georgia), and Starbucks (Alabama and Georgia). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of recalled products and their distribution.
• Outbreak Alert Update: The Arizona Department of Health Services reports that 24 cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome have now been confirmed in an area straddling the Arizona-Mexico border. Seventeen of the cases were diagnosed in Mexico (San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora), and the others in Yuma County (western Arizona). Arizona first signaled the investigation of this trans-border illness cluster on July 18th.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Dorgel Ltd. (Woodbridge, ON) recalls M&M Meat Shops brand Limbo Lemon Sorbet and Mango Fandango Sorbet (700 mL containers; All lot codes), because the products may contain undeclared milk.
• Allergy Alert: Seng Fung Distribution & Marketing recalls Trung Nguyen Coffee 3 in 1 (320g; Codes NSX: 10.05.2010 24 and HSD: 10.05.2012 T2) due to the presence of undeclared milk.
• Allergy Alert: Walmart Canada Corp. recalls Great Value Mini Debreizine Sausages (500g; Best before 11SE02), due to the presence of undeclared milk.

Europe

• Allergy Alert (UK): Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd. withdraws Sainsbury’s freefrom Stem Ginger Cookies, 150g (Best before 23 December 2011) due to a packaging error, because the product has been incorrectly packed with Chocolate Chip Cookies that contain soya.
• Food Safety Recall (France): Blédina recalls Blédi’Fruit Pommes Fruits Rouges (100% Fruits; For children 8 months or older; Best before 28/12/2011), after a consumer discovers a piece of glass in one container.
• Food Safety Recall (Greece): Greece reports the recall of Keim Saat Bockshornlkee seeds for sprouting due to possible contamination with E. coli O104:H4.
• Outbreak Alert (France): At least 125 people, including 52 children, have been sickened with what may be norovirus gastroenteritis at a holiday resort in the Haute Savoie region. The outbreak appears to be spread person-to-person rather than via food contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): Sogo Department Store, Apita and City’Super recall fresh Matsutake, fresh Catathelasma ventricosum, fresh Pseudohydum gelatinosum, fresh Termitomyces albuminosus, fresh Red Porcini and fresh Yellow Porcini mushrooms, that may be adulterated with toxic mushrooms. The recalled mushrooms are thought to be linked to six cases of food poisoning.
• Outbreak Alert (Turkey): Ninety-eight Russian tourists required medical attention after suffering food poisoning while staying at the Club Gunes Garden Hotel in the Turkish resort city of Alanya. Eight tourists remain in hospital.
• Food Safety Enforcement (Abu Dhabi): Four food shops were fined and warnings were issued to 15 others after inspectors from the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority visited 50 bakeries and sweet shops in the capital.

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Recall (Australia and New Zealand): Kellogg recalls Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Clusters (450g and 540g cardboard cereal boxes; Produced in Australia; Best before 21/03/2012, 22/03/2012 and 01/06/2012) because the cereal may contain small pieces of plastic. The recalled products were sold nationally in Australia in Coles, Woolworths, Safeway, Franklins, and IGA supermarkets and in SPAR independent grocery stores, and were exported to New Zealand.
• Food Safety Recall (Australia): Woolworths Limited recalls Woolworths Australian Mince Beef Premium (Random weights; Polystyrene tray with cling wrap covering; Use by 29.07.2011) due to contamination with soft plastic pieces. The recalled mince beef was sold in a single Woolworths Supermarket in Deception Bay, Queensland.
• Medical Device Safety Recall (Australia): Medical Industries Australia Pty Ltd. recalls TRIAD Sterile Lubricating Jelly (3g sachet; Catalogue No. LG1002; Batch Numbers beginning 7, 8, 9, & 0) because the product may not have been sterilized properly.

Latin America and the Caribbean

• Outbreak Alert (Chile): Chile has confirmed one case of cholera (Vibrio cholerae O:1 Ogawa) and is investigating three additional suspected cases, all of whom are individuals who traveled to the Dominican Republic between July 7th and 16th. These are the first reported cases of cholera in Chile since a 23-case outbreak that took place in late 1997/early 1998.

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.