Month: June 2012

Recalls and Alerts: June 21, 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

  • Food Safety Recall: Leasa Industries Co., Inc. (Miami, FL) recalls LEASA Living Alfalfa Sprouts (6-oz containers; Use by date 7/2/12; UPC 75465-55912), after routine customer sample testing detected Salmonella in the product. The recalled product was sold at Publix stores in the Atlanta Division and Miami Division, and may also have been distributed to other grocery stores, retailers and food service clients.
  • Food Safety Recall: Square-H Brands, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) recalls Coarse Ground Smoked Bacon Ends and Pieces (25-lb cases; Packaged April 25, 2012; Est 748; Case code 1410070), because the product may contain pieces of cardboard and plastic. The recalled product was distributed to a separate federally inspected establishment in Hawaii for further distribution and use in other products.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: CDC reports that a total of 390 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Bareilly (376 persons) or Salmonella Nchanga (14 persons) have been reported from 27 states and the District of Columbia; 47 people hospitalized. The outbreak was linked in April to the consumption of a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product known as Nakaochi Scrape, supplied by Moon Marine USA Corporation. The implicated product was recalled by the importer.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Walmart Canada Corp. recalls Smithfield Pork Back Ribs (1.354 kg; Best before 2012 JN 14 and 2012 JN 15; UPC 6 28915 00804 3). No reason was given for the recalled. The product was sold in Ontario.
  • Food Recall: Pepsico Beverages Canada recalls Tropicana Essentials Orange Juice with Added Calcium & Vitamin D – No Pulp (2.63 L; Code JL 09 12; UPC 0 48500 01847 4), giving “Nutrition” as the reason for the recall. The recalled product was sold nationally.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Health Canada reports that Natural Vigor Maximum (Manufactured in Canada by Professional Botanicals Inc.; Distributed by Magic Health Food Corporation) has been removed from sale in Ontario after testing by Health Canada identified the presence of undisclosed dimethylhomosildenafil, an ingredient that may pose serious risks to health. The product was sold at Magic Health (Toronto), Herb Vitamin (Mississauga) and Smart Natural Health Products Inc. (Markham), as well as through the Magic Health Food Corporation website, and may also have been distributed elsewhere in Canada.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Lituanica UK Ltd. recalls Pasaka Vermisellai Pasta (400g; All date codes up to and including 16 March 2014), because the product, which was labeled as egg-free, has been found to contain traces of egg.
  • Allergy Alert (Denmark): Dr. Oetker Denmark A/S recalls Dr. Oetker Mousse au Chocolat (190g; Best before 21.05.2013 and 22.09.2013), because the product contains undeclared soy.
  • Food Safety Alert (Netherlands): Dille & Kamille warns that some bottles of Breckland Orchard Pear & Elder Flower and Breckland Orchard Blackcurrant & Raspberry soft drinks probably are excessively pressurized, which might cause the bottle cap to explode off the bottle spontaneously.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (France): Novartis Pharma S.A.S. recalls Trileptal (oxcarbazepine), 600 mg coated tablets (Lots #T1047, T1062, T1069, T1085 and T1091) due to an error in the braille dosage imprint.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ireland): Four Longford children have been hospitalized after an outbreak of E. coli in two Co. Longford creches, according to a report in the Longford Leader.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating yet another confirmed case of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, this time in a 77-year old woman with a history of chronic illness. The patient had no recent travel history, and her home contacts were asymptomatic.
  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating two fatal cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections – both of them fatal. One of the two patients had consumed raw mantis shrimp. The home contacts of both victims were asymptomatic.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: June 20, 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

  • Food Safety Recall: Euphoria Fancy Food Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) recalls Dried Bream (Product of Russia; 7.5-oz vacuum-packed plastic bag; No code; UPC 7 930042 250954), because the product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled Dried Bream was sold nationwide.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Scholtens Inc. recalls Granny Appleton Flavoured Pineapple Wedges (225g; All codes; UPC 6 79079 64330 4), due to the presence of sulphites. The recalled product was sold in Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: Loblaw Companies Ltd. recalls Kettle Cheddar & Sour Cream Krinkle Cut Potato Chips (220g; Code 2012 NO 15; UPC 0 84114 11902 5), due to contamination with harmful extraneous material (metal). The recalled product was sold nationwide.
  • Food Safety Recall: Itwal Ltd. recalls Popchips Sea Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips (85g; 13MA08; UPC 0 82666 71240 4), due to contamination with harmful extraneous material (metal). The recalled product was sold in British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.
  • Food Recall: Shah Trading Co. recalls Suraj Light Red Kidney Beans (2kg; All codes; UPC 0 57197 33133 2), due to contamination with “non-harmful” extraneous material (insects) and microbes. The recalled product was sold nationwide.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (France): La société Chevallier recalls Chevallier brand Neufchâtel cheese (All lots available for sale since 17/05/12 in départements 27, 60, 62, 76 and 80), due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Please refer to the recall notice for a list of stores where the recalled cheese was sold.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Kattegat Seafood A/S recalls Capella smoked mackerel fillet with pepper (100g; Production date 08.06.2012; Best before 06.07.2012), due to mold growth on some of the smoked fish.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0845): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of fresh hake from Denmark; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0846): Dioxins in organic eggs from Germany; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0847): Monoethylene glycol in wine from Italy; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0848): Unauthorized dichlorvos in fresh mint from Israel; distributed to Belgium.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0849): Excessive sulphite in sun dried tomatoes from Turkey; distributed to Greece.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0850): Salmonella Tennessee in rape seed meal from Germany; distributed to Finland and Switzerland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0851): Undeclared citric acid in frozen pangasius fillets from Vietnam; distributed to Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (India): An outbreak of Hepatitis E has killed at least 12 people and sickened 4089 others in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, according to a BBC report. The outbreak is blamed on contaminated water from the Panchganga River.
  • Outbreak Alert (India): Sixty tribal students at the Chayanpur primary school in West Bengal fell ill after eating their mid-day meal, according to The Times of India. The meal was provided by the school.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Australia): Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd. recalls Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) 1.5 mg powder for injection; multidose vial with diluent vial (Lot C3787AA/Expiry Aug 2012; Lot C3787AC/Expiry Dec 2012; Lot C3787AE/Expiry Feb 2013; Lot C3787AG/Expiry Feb 2013), because the product’s sterility cannot be assured due to an environmental monitoring excursion during the manufacturing process.

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.

From The Mailbag: Botulism and Vacuum-Packed Fish

I received an email a couple of weeks ago from Pamela in Canada, who asked the following question:

“I live in Canada, in Toronto, and I’ve noticed that there have been two or maybe even three separate and apparently unrelated incidents here involving botulism in vacuum-packed fish in gourmet grocery stores. I think that at least in some cases, this is fish from other suppliers that the stores have simply repackaged. From my limited knowledge I also understand that botulism can flourish in an anaerobic environment – like that of a vacuum bag?? Which leads me to wonder….. Are vacuum bags safe? What’s going on here?”

I was reminded of Pamela’s question yesterday, courtesy of the latest food safety alert from FDA. Euphoria Fancy Food Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) is recalling Dried Bream (7.5-oz vacuum packed plastic bags; Product of Russia; No batch or date codes; UPC 7 930042 250954), which was found by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets to not have been properly eviscerated prior to processing.

Several US states – including New York – have banned the sale of uneviscerated preserved fish, because the spores of Clostridium botulinum are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than in any other part of the fish. New York State monitors for this hazard on a routine basis and issues an alert whenever it finds that uneviscerated or incompletely eviscerated fish are offered for sale. The state has posted three such alerts so far this year.

The hazard is not just academic. In April 2012, three people in the Greater Toronto (Ontario, Canada) area developed botulism after eating a traditional uneviscerated, salted and cured fish (fesikh) at a catered event. The fesikh was supplied by Lotus Catering and Fine Food in Toronto.

Fesikh is a traditional dish served as part of Egypt’s spring celebration, according to an article in the Egypt Independent. “The best fesikh,” the owner of a fish shop in Old Cairo told the reporter, “is made of grey mullet fish from either Bardawil Lake, or from Kafr al-Sheikh Governorate, and then left out in containers until distended. When it is sufficiently putrefied, salt is added and the fish are left to pickle for at least 40 days.”

Not all dried, smoked or preserved foods are encouraged to putrefy as part of their recipe. But, allowing the contents of the intestinal tract to remain inside the fish during its drying, salting, smoking or pickling steps is not a safe practice, even without the putrefaction step.

In addition to the fesikh health hazard alert, there have been two recalls of vacuum packaged fish in Canada in 2012 – both in Toronto. McEwan Gourmet Grocery Store recalled two brands of Smoked Salmon in April, and Pusateri’s Fine Foods recalled several different products in June. Unfortunately, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency did not explain why it thought that these products were potentially contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.

Pamela is correct – Clostridium botulinum loves a vacuum. Manufacturers who use vacuum-packaging as a means of extending the shelf life of a product must pay special attention to the processing and to the ingredients used to prevent this pathogen from growing. Nevertheless, the risk of contracting botulism from a correctly preserved and processed vacuum-packaged food is extremely low. Nor must a food be vacuum-packed in order to be the source of a botulism incident.

In 1978, a Colorado restaurant wrapped potatoes in foil, baked them, and allowed them to cool – still foil-wrapped – overnight without refrigeration. The next day, the potatoes were cut up to make potato salad. Twelve people developed botulism symptoms; seven of them were hospitalized. The temperature/time combination used to bake the potatoes was not enough to kill the Clostridium botulinum spores, and the ambient temperature cooling period allowed the microbe to germinate, grow, and produce its toxin in the tightly wrapped potatoes.

The bottom line is that food must be processed, stored and handled in a safe manner regardless of whether or not it is vacuum-packed. Or, as I recently told Food Safety News

Food safety is a farm-to-table responsibility, whether the table is in a family’s kitchen, a seniors’ residence dining hall, a school cafeteria or a five-star restaurant.