Recalls and Alerts: March 5, 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

• Food Safety Recall: R&R Importers (Montclair, CA) and Shah Distributors, Inc. (Gardena, CA) recall Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy (7-oz semi-round clear plastic container; Imported from Pakistan) and Shah’s Deer brand Revdi Sesame Candy and Revdi (Gud) Sesame Candy (14-oz clear plastic bags; Imported from India), because the candies contain lead in excess of permitted levels.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Au Petit Bedon inc. (Québec, QC) recalls Boeuf en conserve and Boeuf aux légumes (packed in glass Mason jars; sold on or before March 1, 2012), because these perishable products may not have been held continuously at refrigeration temperatures following their purchase. The product labels lack the direction “Garder réfrigéré” (Keep refrigerated).

Europe

• Allergy Alert (UK): Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc recalls Morrisons Carvery Cooked Ham (250g; Use by 13.3.12), because the product contains undeclared mustard.
• Food Safety Withdrawal (Denmark): Summerbird A/S withdraws various Summerbird chocolate Easter eggs, including gift box collections and individual Easter eggs (approx. 30g net wt; All dates), because of a high concentration of yeast in the marzipan used in the filling of the eggs.
• Food Alert (Belgium): La société Lorre NV advises consumers that Pignons de pin Marque Bingonuts (200g and 1kg bags; Product of China; Lot 5590; Best before 15/07/2012) contains traces of the Armandii type of pine nuts, which can produce a bitter aftertaste in some people.
• Cosmetic Product Safety Recall (France): French authorities have ordered the recall of Rio Keratin “Grape Extract” Brazilian Keratin Treatment, Step 2 (118 ml and 946 ml plastic bottles; Lot #2549031), because the product contains excessive formaldehyde.
• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0323): Salmonella spp. and excessive Enterobacteriaceae in fish meal from Germany; distributed to Belgium.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0324): Dead insects in dried figs from Turkey, via Slovakia; distributed to the Czech Republic.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0325): Salmonella spp. in frozen mechanically separated chicken meat from Poland; distributed to Lithuania.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0327): Mercury in mako shark defrosted from Spain; distributed to Italy.
• Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0328): Salmonella in dog chews from Brazil; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0329): Metal fragments (threads) in hazelnuts from Azerbaijan, via Germany and via Poland; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0330): Imazalil in fresh pears from the Netherlands; distributed to Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0331): Carbendazim in pumpkin from France; distributed to the Netherlands.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Outbreak Alert (India): More than 150 attendees at a wedding feast in Taufapur village fell ill after partaking in the feast. Food samples have been submitted for testing by health authorities.

Australia and New Zealand

• Outbreak Alert Update (New Zealand): At least 31 cases of hepatitis A have been confirmed in the Auckland region, according to an online report by The New Zealand Herald. Students at as many as nine Auckland schools have been infected. The youngest victim is a 1-year-old baby; the oldest is 19. The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is investigating.

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.