Month: December 2011

Canada’s 7-Part Cheese Recall

A Canadian dairy company with the compelling name of 3903052 Canada Inc. (Boisbriand, QC) must be trying for the Guinness Book of World Records in the category of most dragged out food recall.

On November 4, 2011 the company recalled a single cheese product – Tifco brand Queso Panela – due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

On December 17th, 3903052 Canada Inc. announced its seventh Listeria monocytogenes recall in less than 1 1/2 months – adding yet more brand names, cheese and dairy varieties, and Best before dates to a long list of recalled products.

3903052 Canada Inc. is a federally inspected cheese and dairy product company, operating under Federal Establishment 1874. The company does NOT appear on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s list of dairy companies that operate under the Food Safety Enhancement Program.

Recalls and Health Hazard Alerts were issued by the company on November 4th, November 11th, November 14th, November 22nd, November 23rd, November 24th, December 13th and December 17th.

As of December 17th, the following is a consolidated list of brands of the recalled cheeses and other dairy products. All Best before dates up to and including the indicated dates are affected by the recall.

Bio-Life

  • Adigeisky Cheese: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 07000 8; Best before 16 DEC 2011
  • Epebah – Fromage Armenian Brinza: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 19000 3; Best before 19 OCT 2011
  • Erevan (Istanbuli): 300 – 400g; Best before 29 OCT 2011
  • Kefir 1%: 1 L; UPC 7 78546 03401 7; Best before 09 DEC 2011
  • Kefir 2.5%: 1 L; UPC 7 78546 03402 4; Best before 09 DEC 2011
  • Kefir 2.5% Probiotic: 1 L; UPC 7 78546 03402 4; Best before 09 DEC 2011
  • Kefir 3.25% Probiotic: 1 L; UPC 7 78546 03403 1; Best before 09 DEC 2011
  • Plain Yogurt: 750g; UPC 7 78546 35753 6; Best before 16 DEC 2011
  • Ryazhenka 2.5%: 1 L; UPC 7 78546 34041 5; Best before 09 DEC 2011
  • Suluguni Cheese: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 11000 1; Best before 04 JAN 2012
  • Toplenoe Maslo: 1 lb (454 g); Manufactured 26 MAR 2011

Clic

  • Ayran: 500 ml; UPC 0 58504 70821 2; Best before 03 JAN 2012
  • Akawi: 300 – 400g; Best before 08 MAR 2012
  • Baladi: 300 – 400g; Best before 08 FEB 2012
  • Desi Butter Ghee: 454g (1 lbs); No UPC code; all lots and dates
  • Desi Butter Ghee: 907g (2 lbs); No UPC code; all lots and dates
  • Halloom: 300 – 400g; Best before 01 MAY 2012
  • Labneh: 500g; UPC 0 58504 70815 1; Best before 27 DEC 2011
  • Moujadalé: 300 – 400g; Best before 11 MAR 2012
  • Nabulsi: 300 – 400g; Best before 01 MAY 2012
  • Riviera: 300 – 400g; Best before 11 FEB 2012
  • Shinglish: 300 – 400g; Best before 07 NOV 2012
  • Tressé: 300 – 400g; Best before 11 NOV 2012
  • Vachekaval: 300 – 400g; Best before 11 MAR 2012

Deschamps

  • Baby Panela: 300 – 400g; Best before 16 DEC 2011
  • Queso Oaxaca: 300 – 400g; Best before 09 DEC 2011
  • Queso Blanco: 300 – 400g; Best before 21 NOV 2011
  • Queso Chipotle Jalapeno: 300 – 400g; Best before 30 DEC 2011
  • Queso Duro Blando: 300 – 400g; Best before 07 APR 2012
  • Queso Feta: 300 – 400g; Best before 07 APR 2012
  • Queso Hebra: 300 – 400g; Best before 30 DEC 2011
  • Queso Inca: 300 – 400g; Best before 01 NOV 2012
  • Queso Parrilla: 300 – 400g; Lot #3 75238; Best before 20 MAR 2012

Fromagerie Marie Kadé

  • Ayran: 500 ml; UPC 7 78546 09500 1; Best before 03 JAN 2012
  • Ayran: 2 L; UPC 7 78546 09002 0; Best before 03 JAN 2012
  • Akawi: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 07000 8; Best before 08 MAR 2012
  • Baladi: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 02000; Best before 3 08 FEB 2012
  • Bâtonnet Riviera: 250 g; UPC 7 78546 14250 7; Best before 15 FEV 2012
  • Bâtonnet Riviera: 1 kg; UPC 7 78546 14001 5; Best before 15 FEV 2012
  • Domiati: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 21000 8; Best before 04 FEB 2012
  • Halloom: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 03000 2; Best before 01 MAY 2012
  • Istanbuli: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 19000 3; Best before 07 APR 2012
  • Labneh: 500g; UPC 7 78546 00500 0; Best before 27 DEC 2011;
  • Moujadalé: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 04000 1; Best before 04 MAY 2012
  • Moumtaza: 350g; Packaged on 11 NOV 11
  • Nabulsi: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 05000 0; Best before 01 MAY 2012
  • Queso Espanol: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 20000 9; Best before 18 NOV 2011
  • Riviera: approx. 2 kg; UPC 7 78546 21000 8; Best before 07 NOV 2011
  • Samneh: 454g; UPC 7 78546 19001 0; all lots and dates
  • Samneh: 908g; UPC 7 78546 19002 7; all lots and dates
  • Santa Maria – Fresh Cheese: 250 – 350g; UPC 7 78546 20000 9; Best before 26 DEC 2011
  • Shinglish: approx. 200g; UPC 7 78546 10000 2; Best before 07 NOV 2012
  • Syrian: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 12000 0; Best before 27 APR 2012
  • Tressé: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 01000 4; Best before 10 NOV 2012
  • Vachekaval: 300 – 400g; UPC 7 78546 11000 1; Best before 10 MAR 2012
  • Yogurt 3.25%: 750g; UPC 7 78546 35753; Best before 16 DEC 2011

Tifco

  • Cotija Queso Duro-Blando: 300 – 400g; Best before 30 DEC 2011
  • Queso Chipotle Jalapeno: 300 – 400g; Best before 04 MAY 2012
  • Queso Fresco: 500g; Best before 04 MAY 2012
  • Queso Oaxaca: 300 – 400g; Best before 04 JAN 2012
  • Queso Panela (Latino Cheese): 420g; UPC 0 64424 05712 5; Lot #102 43; Best before 9 DEC 2011
  • Queso Panela (Latino Cheese): 1.36kg; UPC 0 64424 05713 2; Lot #103 43; Best before 9 DEC 2011

Unbranded

  • Oaxaca: 400 – 500g; Best before 30 NOV 2011

The recalled products were distributed in Québec, Ontario and Alberta, and may also have been sold in other Canadian provinces and territories.

Although a list of retailers has not been released, Whole Foods Market advised its Canadian customers on November 15th that the following cheese was sold in its Canadian stores:

  • Fromagerie Marie Kadé brand Halloom cheese: 325g pkg; UPC 7 78546 03000 2; Lot code 3 75238; Best before MAR 2012

As of the December 17th recall update, one case of Listeria monocytogenes infection has been traced to the recalled cheese. No information has been released regarding the severity of the illness or where the infected person resides.

I will continue to monitor this protracted recall and update the consolidate list of recalled products as additional amendments are released.

Recalls and Alerts: December 18, 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: Ohio Processors, Inc. (London, OH) recalls Instantwhip B/C Topping (1/2 gal containers; Lot codes 060, 080, 124, 143, 145, 167, 179, 188, 193, 244, 256, 300, and 313; Expiration codes 12/16/11, 12/21/11, 12/28/11, 12/30/11, 1/7/12, and 1/12/12), due to the presence of undeclared sodium caseinate, a milk ingredient. The recalled product was sold only to Instantwhip foodservice distributors in Ohio, Maryland, New York,Indiana, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: 3903052 Canada Inc. expands its earlier recall to include additional cheese and dairy products, because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. All of the recalled products bear Establishment #1874; they were distributed in Ontario and Quebec, and possibly in other Canadian provinces and territories. Please refer to the recall notice for additional details. One illness has been reported.

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.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.

Recalls and Alerts: December 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

  • Food Safety Recall: Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. (Dakota City, NE) recalls Chuck Fine Ground Beef 80/20 (10-lb chubs; Best before or freeze by 11/13/11; Est. 245C), because the ground beef products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled 40,948 pounds of ground beef was supplied to institutions and distributors in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
  • Food Safety Recall: B&M Inc. (Mount Vernon, MO) recalls O Organics Organic Celery Seed (1.8-oz glass bottles; Lot No. 1381102A, 2141102A, 2591106A, 2741106A, 2921102A and 3321110A; Best by dates (respectively) May 18, 2013, August 02, 2013, September 16, 2013, October 01, 2013, October 19, 2013 and November 28, 2013), due to potential Salmonella contamination. The recalled Celery Seed was sold from May 25, 2011 through December 16, 2011 at all Safeway-owned stores, including Safeway, Carrs, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Pak ‘N Save, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb and Vons.
  • Food Safety Recall: Swanson Health Products recalls Swanson Organic Celery Seed Whole (1.4-oz plastic bottles; Best by 03JUN2013; Lot #1541102C), after being advised by its supplier, B&M Inc., that the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled Celery Seed was sold at the Swanson Health Products retail store (Fargo, ND), shipped directly to on-line or mail-order customers, or held for pickup at Swanson headquarters.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: The California Department of Food and Agriculture has lifted its quarantine on nearly all Organic Pastures raw milk and dairy products, including raw milk, raw butter, raw cream, and raw Qephor. Only the raw colostrum remains quarantined. The quarantine was imposed after five cases of E. coli O157:H7 illness in four different California counties were linked epidemiologically to Organic Pastures raw milk. Three of the five affected children were hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a sometimes fatal complication of E. coli O157:H7 infections.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Euromax Foods (Brampton, ON) recalls Euromax brand Smoked Mackerel (Best before 28DE 11), Smoked Mackerel Fillets (Best before 21DE 11 and 28DE 11), Smoked Herring (Best before 28DE 11), Smoked Herring Fillets (Best before 28DE 11), Smoked Rainbow Trout (Best before 28DE 11), Smoked White Fish (Best before 21DE 11), and Smoked Halibut (Best before 21DE 11), because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled smoked fish products were sold in variable weights only at Euromax Foods retail store (Brampton, Ontario).

Europe

  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Wards in several north-west London and Bedfordshire hospitals have been closed, and visiting has been severely restricted, in order to contain an outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis in these hospitals. The affected hospitals include Northwick Park Hospital, Bedford Hospital, Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Montagu Hospital, and Warwick Hospital.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): La Société Salaison Polette ZA recalls Môssieur Polette, Nos Regions on du Talent, Cora, Match chez Leclerc, Casino, Monoprix, and Match brand Saucisson Secs / Saucisses Sèches Label Rouge dry sausages (All lots of product sold from 01/10/11 to 15/12/11), due to a strong probability of Salmonella contamination.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Coles Supermarkets Ltd. recalls Coles Chocolate Cake with Icing Cake Mix (470g cardboard box; All best before dates up to and including 16 Dec 12), due to the presence of undeclared sesame. The recalled products were distributed nationwide.

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.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.