Recalls and Alerts: April 4, 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

• Outbreak Alert Final Update: CDC has released its final report on the E. coli O26 outbreak that was linked to the consumption of raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants. Twenty-nine people were infected by the outbreak strain. Cases were reported from eleven states, including Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Iowa (5), Kansas (2), Michigan (10), Missouri (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), Washington (1), Wisconsin (1), and West Virginia (1). Seven people were hospitalized. None of the victims developed hemolytic uremic syndrome and there were no deaths.
• Pharmaceutical Product Fraud Alert: FDA is warning doctors that a second counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin has been found in the USA, packaged as the Turkish brand of the medication, according to an Associated Press report.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Le Grand Marché Col-Fax inc. (Laval, QC) various cakes and pastries, due to the presence of undeclared soy and sulfites. 
• Food Safety Alert: The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control is warning the public not to consume Tomme d’Or cheese (all lots), after sampling revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The cheese is manufactured by Moonstruck Organic Cheese (Saltspring Island, BC). None of the other types of cheese manufactured by Moonstruck is affected by this alert. The contaminated product was sold at various retailers throughout British Columbia.
• Food Safety Recall: Yotta DC inc. (Boucherville, QC) recalls Soupe aux tomates (1 litre glass jars) Soupe au poireau et au chou-fleur (1 liter glass jars) and Moussaka (250 ml glass jars). Because the recalled products were displayed without refrigeration up to an including March 28, 2012, their microbiological safety cannot be assured.

Europe

• Allergy Alert (UK): TWI Foods recalls TWI brand Pistachio Cookies (200g and 400g), Almond Cookies (200g and 400g), Coconut Cookies (200g and 400g), and Almond Cake Rusk (750g), due to the presence of undeclared milk.
• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): DK Trading ApS recalls Fresh Chicken Breast Fillets (2.5 kg vacuum packs; Product of Poland; Lot 1207901; Expiry 1/4-2012) and several products manufactured from the imported chicken breasts, because Salmonella Newport was found in samples of the fresh chicken meat. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of recalled products.
• Food Safety Recall Update (Greece): Greece’s Food Safety Agency (EFET) announces that the destruction of frozen minced beef and spicy frozen meatballs (Product of Germany) – recalled by Lidl Hellas due to contamination with E. coli O157 – has been completed.
• Food Safety Recall (Italy): Caseificio Valdostano recalls Frozen Blue Shark (Lot 260112; Expiry 28/02/2014), due to excessive mercury contamination.
• Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0480): Unauthorized sibutramine in slimming capsules from China; distributed to Bulgaria.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0485): Mercury in salted chicken breasts from Brazil; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0486): Cadmium and lead in dried celery leaves from Germany, via Belgium; distributed to Belgium and France.
• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0487): Salmonella in extracted soybean meal from Germany; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0488): Suspected fraud and incorrect expiry date of egg powder from Poland; distributed to Lithuania.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0490): Folpet in lettuce of unknown origin; distributed to France.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0494): Mercury in greater amberjack from Greece; distributed to Italy.

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.