Recalls and Alerts: December 24, 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.

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United States

Allergy Alert: Maribel Sweet’s Inc. of New York recalls New York Handbag Collection Gourmet Chocolate Candies (various packages sizes; distributed between November 1, 2011 and December 23, 2011), due to the presence of undeclared peanuts and pistachios. The recalled chocolates were distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders.
Allergy Alert: Eillien’s Candies, Inc. recalls Yogurt Raisins (Royal Snacks, Nutty Bros., Eillien’s, Piggly Wiggly, Blain’s Farm & Fleet, and Mills Fleet Farm brands; Sell by prior to December 22, 2012), Granola Mix containing Yogurt Raisins (Eillien’s and Mills Fleet Farm brands; Sell by prior to December 22, 2012) and Cinnamon Granola Mix contain Yogurt Raisins (Eillien’s and Mills Fleet Farm brands; Sell by prior to December 22, 2012), because they may have been mixed with undeclared Yogurt Covered Peanuts. The recalled products were distributed throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado.
Food Safety Recall: Avon Heights Mushrooms, Inc. recalls Krisp Pak Spinach (10-oz bags; Best if used by DEC 16; Code DP 340 and T691), Better Brand Spinach (10-oz bags; Best if used by DEC 16; Code DP 340 and T691), and Avon Heights Spinach (4 x 2.5-lb bags; Best if used by DEC 16; Code DP 340 and T691), after one package of Better Brand Spinach tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. No retail distribution information has been provided in the recall notice.

Europe

Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1893): Glass fragment in caramel pudding with salted butter from France; distributed to Belgium and France.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1894): Suspicion of fraudulent health certificate for eggs from Latvia; distributed to Sweden.
Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.1895): Undeclared shellfish in chicken biryani steamer from Belgium; distributed to the United Kingdom.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1896): Aflatoxins in dried figs from Turkey; distributed to Malta.
Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.1898): Undeclared sulphite in frozen edible crabs from the United Kingdom; distributed to Italy.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1900): Acephate and omethoate in long aubergines from Malaysia; distributed to the United Kingdom.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1901): Insect excrement and insect larvae in dried dates from Tunisia; distributed to Italy.
Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.1903): Excessive sulphite in dried raisins from Chile, via the Netherlands; distributed to the Czech Republic.
Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.1905): Unauthorized tadalafil in food supplement from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and the Isle of Man.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1906): Metal piece (10 x 7mm) in salami beer sausage from Austria; distributed to Germany.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1908): Staphylococcus aureus, adulteration, and high aerobic plate count in frozen whole mackerel from Morocco; distributed to Romania.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1910): Carbendazim in taro from Costa Rica; distributed to Italy.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1912): Listeria monocytogenes in herring in oil from Latvia; distributed to Italy.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1913): Mercury in chilled swordfish from Spain; distributed to Italy.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1915): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon from Poland; distributed to Italy.
Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1916): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon trout from Denmark; distributed to the Netherlands.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Cosmetics Products Safety Alert (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority warns the public that the country’s cosmetics monitoring program found three samples of facial makeup that are contaminated with a high level of lead. Please refer to the Saudi FDA web site for details of the lead-contaminated products.

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.