Recalls and Alerts: March 3, 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: Jelly Belly Candy Co. (Fairfield, CA) recalls Peter Rabbit Deluxe Easter Mix “Gluten Free” candies (2.7 oz bags; UPC 071567992794; Lot codes 111111, 111215, and 120120; Best before January 11, 2013, February 15, 2013 and March 20, 2013 respectively), because gluten is present in the collection of candies. The recalled products were distributed nationwide, including in California.
• Animal Feed Safety Recall: Western Feed, LLC recalls Payback Kountry Buffet 14% Feed (50-lb bags; Lot #M718430 and M720280; Distributed December 2, 2011 through December 15, 2011), because the feed may contain monensin sodium (Rumensin) at a level that is potentially harmful to horses. Monensin sodium is approved for use in some livestock and poultry species, but can be fatal to horses if fed a sufficiently high levels. The recalled feed was distributed to retailers in Nebraska and Wyoming. The company has received a report of some horses that died as a result of consuming the feed.
• Food Safety Recall: Pasou Foods (Syracuse, IN) recalls Pizza Stix frozen, fully cooked, ready-to-eat pizza stick products (boxes of 100 sticks; Produced Feb 2nd and Feb 29th, 2012), because a meat ingredient used in the pizza sticks may have been produced without the benefit of federal inspection. The recalled pizza stick products were sold to a food distributor for further distribution to a caterer and other institutions in Indiana.
• Food Recall/Withdrawal: Food City advises its customers about the recall of several varieties of Food Club Tomato Juice, Food Club Vegetable Juice, and Full Circle Organic Vegetable Juice, sold in 46 oz and 64 oz plastic bottles.
• Food Recall: Lowes Foods recalls Lowes Foods Tomato Juice (46-oz; UPC 74164303058) and Full Circle Vegetable Juice (46-oz; UPC 3680014611), because the product does not meet quality standards.
• Outbreak Alert (Hawaii): The Hawaii Department of Health reports a flare-up of norovirus outbreaks on Maui. Victims include residents of small elderly care homes, as well as preschool and early elementary school-aged children. The number of cases and outbreaks is roughly double the numbers seen last year.
• Outbreak Alert (Ohio): The Columbus Public Health Department is investigating more than 300 cases of norovirus reported in central Ohio, according to a report on 10TV.
• Outbreak Alert (New York): Onondaga County’s health department is investigating what is suspected to be a norovirus outbreak among 15-20 people who patronized the Twin Trees Too restaurant (1029 Milton Ave., Syracuse) last weekend. None of the victims were hospitalized.
• Pet Treat Recall Debunked: On February 27, 2012, The Daily Puppy carried a recall notice for Jerky Treats Beef Flavor Dog Snacks, sold at Costco in the USA and Canada, purported to have been updated by FDA on 1/12/2012. According to Laura Alvey, a spokeswoman for FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, FDA has no information on this recall. The treats are manufactured by Del Monte Pet Products, which responded to eFoodAlert’s inquiry with the following statement: “There is no recall for any Del Monte products.“

Canada

• Outbreak Alert (British Columbia): The Vancouver Island Health Authority alerts the public to active outbreaks of suspected or confirmed norovirus illnesses at five healthcare facilities in Victoria and Saanichton. Affected facilities include Beacon Hill Villa, Mount Edwards Court, Sunrise of Victoria and Saanich Peninsula Hospital (Acute Care unit and Extended Care Unit 2 unit). The Extended Care Unit at Saanich Peninsula Hospital has been closed for admissions.
• Outbreak Alerts (Ontario): Toronto Public Health reports increased Salmonella activity in Toronto this year, with 114 cases report since the beginning of 2012. Included in the case count are: a large catered event on February 11th that resulted in a cluster of Salmonella typhimurium illnesses among attendees; an outbreak of Salmonella heidelberg across the Greater Toronto Area that is under investigation by Public Health Ontario; and an increase in Salmonella enteritidis associated with recent travel to Cuba.

Europe

• Food Safety Alert (Denmark): Denmark’s Food Administration warns that it has received a report that several Polish retailers have been selling salt not intended for human consumption. The Food & Drug Administration is monitoring the situation closely.
• Outbreak Alert (Russia): Authorities are investigating an outbreak of acute intestinal infection among 19 students (aged 10 to 14 years) of the Choreographic College in the Krasnoyarsk region.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Outbreak Alert (Pakistan): Eight staff nurses and 47 student nurses have been hospitalized with acute food poisoning at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (Rawalpindi) after eating food at the nursing hostel.

Latin America and the Caribbean

• Outbreak Alert (Mexico): At least 45 cases of acute diarrhea were reported in the community of Providence, Naples (Guanajuato). The outbreak is thought to be due to contamination of drinking water with sewage.

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.