Month: March 2012

Recalls and Alerts: March 11, 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.

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: Publix Super Markets recalls Publix Beef Stew Seasoning Mix (1.45 oz; UPC 41415-03608; Best by DEC 09 13 H), after receiving notification from McCormick & Company, Inc. that the product may be mispacked with brown gravy and may contain undeclared milk. The recalled seasoning mix was distributed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina.
  • Outbreak Alert (New York): Nassau County Department of Health is investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that has affected “hundreds” of students at Barnum Woods Elementary School. Norovirus is suspected.
  • Outbreak Alert (Illinois): Norovirus is the suspected cause of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness at Westfield Community School in Algonquin. About 55% of the elementary school and more than 40% of the middle school students have been kept home from school. Eleven teachers reported symptoms.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Sobey’s Québec inc. recalls Esc Poitrine Poulet Asperge, Roti de Porc Cuit, and Terrine Sanglier Moisson, due to the presence of undeclared soy, wheat and/or fish. The recalled products were sold at certain IGA and IGA Extra grocery stores in variable weight formats and also packaged at the store up to and including March 7, 2012.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (France): Chablis Gourmets recalls Chablis Andouillettes Roulaide Chablisienne (approx. 300g slice; vacuum-packed; Lot #10.06; sold from 15/02/2012 through 09/03/2012), due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was sold in “self-service” departments of warehouse stores in the Bourgogne and Champagne Ardenne regions. Stores in the following cities and towns sold this product: Brienon (Yonne ), Chablis (Yonne) Auxerre (Yonne) Vermenton (Yonne) Joigny (Yonne), Migennes (Yonne), Avallon (Yonne), Villeneuve sur Yonne (yonne), Arc/ Tille (Côte d’or), Perrigny (Côte d’or), Dijon (Côte d’or), Fontaine les Dijon (Côte d’or), Auxonne (Côte d’or), Chalon-sur-Saône (Saône et Loire), Montceau les Mines (Saône et Loire), Torcy (Saône et Loire), Troyes (Aube), et Chaumont (Haute Marne).
  • Food Safety Withdrawal (Poland): Polish health authorities have ordered the withdrawal from the market of more than 230,000 kilograms (500,000 pounds) of pickles, bread and other food suspected of containing industrial salt, according to an Associated Press report.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (France): French authorities announce the recall of Dekang Liquid for Electronic Cigarettes (Pineapple and Desert Ship varieties) and Halo Liquid for Electronic Cigarettes (Tribeca, Coolmist and Prime 15 varieties), due to excessive levels of nicotine.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Friarswood Primary School (Newcastle) remains closed while students and staff are tested for possible E. coli infections, after three cases of E. coli were confirmed this week. An additional 10 possible cases have been identified.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0351): Dead insects in frozen spinach from France, via Italy; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0353): Unauthorized azorubine in nectar pomegranate from Greece, with raw material from Turkey; distributed to Greece.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0355): Escherichia coli in fresh mussels from Tunisia; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0358): Suspicion of fraud in relation to horse meat from Hungary; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0359): Aflatoxins in corn flour from Pakistan; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0363): Undeclared peanut in Lituanica brand marchmallow vanilla from Poland; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0364): Salmonella spp. in meat meal from France; distributed to Italy.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0366): Mercury in cat food with tuna from Thailand; distributed to Italy.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0367): Excessive Enterobacteriaceae in salmon meal from Norway; distributed to Belgium.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0368): Lactoprotein and undeclared lactose in infant formula (non-milk rice porridge) from Turkey; distributed to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0369): Undeclared gluten in cake mixes from Jamaica; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0370): Mercury in defrosted mako from Spain; distributed to Italy.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0371): Allergic reaction caused by, and unauthorized benzoic acid in, rose jam from Syria; distributed to Cyprus.

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.

Stealth Recalls, European Style

I’ve been complaining recently about Stealth Recalls in the USA – those unpublicized recalls undertaken with FDA knowledge, but without informing consumers.

My complaints notwithstanding, I’m the first to admit that most recalls in the USA are publicized by press release and appear on the FDA or USDA recall web page. Often, they are reposted on various State web sites. In fact, recalls and food safety alerts are far better publicized overall in the USA than in Europe.

Several European governments offer fairly detailed food safety recall and alert information over the Internet – the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Denmark are a few of the best examples. Recently – in the aftermath of last summer’s deadly E. coli O104:H4 outbreak – Germany has begun posting detailed food safety recall information.

The performance of Italy – where the art of cuisine was born – is less than stellar, as witness last year’s botulism episode involving Bio Gaudiano’s Olives Stuffed with Almonds. A jar of this company’s olives was responsible for two cases of botulism in Finland. One of the victims – an elderly woman – died; a second victim from the same household survived.

The manufacturer withdrew all production lots of Almond-stuffed olives from the market last October and expanded the product withdrawn in December 2011 to encompass the entire outstanding stock. While Italian consumers were advised of the initial product recall, their Ministry of Health did not bother informing the population of the expanded recall. Italians had to rely on the Irish and Finnish governments for information on the expanded list of recalled products.

France – the birthplace of Appert, Pasteur, and the science of food preservation – is even worse. Even though the Bio Gaudiano Almond-stuffed Olives were distributed to France, the French government site never notified the public of this botulism-related recall. 

France is shockingly lax in its food safety consumer alerts. Last December, I reported on the Salmonella outbreak linked to Label Rouge dried sausage products (manufactured by La Société Salaison Polette ZA). The official recall notice referenced a “strong suspicion” that Salmonella was present in the products. The notification issued to member countries of the European Union (RASFF Notification #2011.1880) referred to a foodborne Salmonella outbreak.

Nor has France turned over a new leaf in the New Year. In February, the French government notified European Union members (RASFF Notification #2012.0265) that a French-manufactured chilled ready-to-eat sausage spread was contaminated with Salmonella. The spread was distributed both in France and in Germany. There was no public notification of the product recall either in France or in Germany, and the manufacturer and brand never were identified.

I have yet to encounter a reasonable justification for withholding this food safety information from the consuming public.

I challenge the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed to reveal brand names and manufacturers of recalled and withdrawn products – especially ready-to-eat products, and foods that are contaminated with pathogenic microbes.

I challenge France and Italy to match their EU partners – the UK, Denmark, Germany, and even Greece – in alerting the public to food safety recalls and alerts.

And I challenge the US government to take the world lead in improving the dissemination of food safety alerts and recall information.

Recalls and Alerts: March 9, 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.

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

  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Cargill Animal Nutrition  recalls Nutrena NatureWise® Goat Pellet 16 (50 lb bags; Lot codes 1MG1365, 3MG2049 and 1MG2056) because the feed contains undeclared Decoquinate, a medicated article for the prevention of coccidiosssis, that not approved for lactating goats.
  • Food Safety Withdrawal: Gerber Products Company withdraws Gerber® Good Start® Gentle Powdered Infant Formula (23.2 oz plastic pkg; Batch GXP1684; Expiry March 5, 2013), because the product might have an off-odor noticeable to some consumers. Some cases of spit-up and other gastrointestinal complaints have been reported.
  • Outbreak Alert (California): Los Arboles Middle School in Marina, CA sent home 110 students who were suffering from gastrointestinal illness. The students were suffering from flushed cheeks, light-headedness, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Whole Foods Market Inc. recalls Spinach Mushroom Quiche (approx 280g; UPC 0275184 316999; Sold March 1 to 5, 2012), because the package actually contains Spinach Pine Nut Quiche. The recalled product was sold only from the Whole Foods Market Cambie Store, 510 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Finland): FK Trube Oy recalls Blueberry-Raspberry Filled Bun (225g pkg; Best before 10/03/2012), because some of the packages contain Apple Filled Buns instead.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): SuperGros A/S recalls First Price Peanuts (250g; All date codes) and Best/SuperBest Peanuts (250g; All date codes), because a foreign object that resembles a piece of jaw from a small animal was found in a bag of the peanuts.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (France): Bristol-Myers Squibb recalls Coumadine, 5mg scored tablets (Lot 1K04; Expiry October 2013), because of a defect in the seal of certain blister packs.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service recalls all Albumex 5 Infusion 12.5g/250ml and Albumex 20 Infusion 10g/50ml, after receiving notification from the Australian manufacturer that some of the products were found contaminated with ethylene glycol.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Singapore): The Health Sciences Authority recalls all supplies of Albumex 20® (20% albumin) manufactured by the Australian bio-pharmaceutical company CSL Biotherapies (CSL) from public hospitals as a precautionary measure following detection by HSA’s laboratories of trace amounts of ethylene glycol in samples of the product.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Almarae Dairy Products recalls Almarae Dairy Products Country Cheese, soft cheese in brine (Glass jar with white lid; Date code 20 May 2012), due to contamination with Listeria and E. coli. The recalled cheese was sold at the Almarae Dairy Products retail store and a convenience store in Punchbowl, NSW.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Australia): CSL Limited recalls all batches manufactured prior to 25 January 2012 of: Albumex 4 (500mL), Albumex 4 (50mL), Albumex 20 (100mL) and Albumex 20 (10mL), because the products may be contaminated with very low levels of ethylene glycol as a consequence of equipment failure.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (Mexico): Distribuidora Jugarás, S.A. de C.V. recalls Súper Luchamanía plastic dolls (Manufactured in Mexico), due to elevated levels of lead in the paint.

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.