Recalls and Alerts: January 30, 2012

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

• Allergy Alert: Walgreen Co. recalls Walgreens Chocolate-Covered Raisins (13-oz; Best by date of Oct 42012A1; UPC 04902245661), because the packages may contain Walgreens Bridge Mix, and thus may contain undeclared peanut, almond and soy ingredients. The recalled product, which was manufactured for Walgreen Co. by GKI Foods, Inc. (Brighton, MI), was distributed through Walgreen Co. idstribution centers in Arizona, Connecticut and California, and to Walgreens retail stores in the Northeastern and Western USA.
• Food Safety Recall Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for Julienne Salad Products that were recalled by 18th Street Deli Inc. due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
• Personal Care Product Safety Recall: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. recalls AVEENO® Baby Calming Comfort® Lotion (UPC 38137-0036456; Lot #0161LK), after FDA lab tests found that the lot exceeded specifications for “common bacteria.” The company has recalled the product from retailers in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. This is not a consumer level recall.
• Animal Health Product Safety Alert: Novartis Animal Health has warned veterinarians that foreign tablets may be found in certain bottles of Clomicalm (climipramine hydrochloride) tablets. The company has issued a “Dear Doctor” letter.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Kraft Canada Inc. recalls Kraft Dinner Smart Vegetables 3 Cheese (150g; Code 12AL11 M2) and Kraft Dinner Smart Vegetables (150g; Codes 12AL11 M2 and 12AL12 M2), due to the presence of undeclared tartrazine.
• Food Safety Recall: Drogheria Fine Épicerie (Montreal, QC) recalls Ragu Di Carne de Veau/Veal Stew (1-litre glass jars; All jars sold up to and including January 26, 2012), because the manner of preparation was not adequate to ensure microbiological safety.

Europe

• Cosmetic Product Safety Recall: French authorities have ordered the recall of L’Abidjanaise Gel pour la Peau “Gel Fort” (60g metal tube; Lot #31), due to the presence of betamethasone dipropionate, a prohibited ingredient in cosmetics in France.
• Cosmetic Product Safety Recall: French authorities have ordered the recall of Ambi Special Crème pour la Peau “Skin Toning Cream” (45g), due to the presence of hydroquinone, a prohibited ingredient in cosmetics in France.
• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0142): Salmonella Agona in soy bean meal from Italy, via Slovenia; distributed to Austria.
• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0143): Salmonella Agona and Salmonella spp. in soybean meal from Italy; distributed to Austria.
• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU# 2012.0144): Lead in mineral feed from an unnamed country and the Netherlands; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0145): Salmonella typhimurium in smoked bacon from France; distributed to Italy.
• Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0146): Arsenic in feed for cats from Thailand; distributed to Italy.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0147): Foreign body (glass) in red peppers filled with cheese from Greece; distributed to Switzerland.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0148): Fumonisins in whole maize flour from Italy; distributed to Italy and the United Kingdom.
• Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0149 & 2012.0151): Unauthorized sibutramine in green coffee from the United States, via Hong Kong; distributed to Slovenia.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0150): Salmonella enteritidis in frozen whole chicken from Brazil; distributed to Greece.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0153): Histamine in pouched tuna chunks in brine from India; distributed to the United Kingdom.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (South Africa): Novartis Consumer Health, in collaboration with the Medicines Control Council of South Africa, has recalled Excedrin tablets, according to media reports.
• Outbreak Alert (Zimbabwe): Associated Press reports that the number of cases in Zimbabwe’s latest typhoid outbreak has risen to 800.

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.