Recalls and Alerts: July 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.

United States

• Allergy Alert: Runoland USA, Inc. (Ridgewood, NY) recalls Dried Fruit Owoce Suszone (300g/10.58 oz clear plastic bags; no date or production codes; UPC 5 905660 001082), because the product contains undeclared sulfites. The recalled product was distributed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida and Pennsylvania.
• Allergy Alert Update: Frozen desserts recalled by Arctic Zero Inc. (Escondido, CA) due to the presence of undeclared milk allergen were sold nationwide at Whole Foods, Publix, Sprouts, Winn Dixie, and independent Natural and Grocery Stores, including King Soopers, City Market and Giant Food Stores.
• Outbreak Alert Update (Ohio): WHIO TV reports that the total number of food poisoning victims who participated at a customer appreciation picnic on July 3rd at Neff’s Lawn Care has risen to 55. Ten people have been hospitalized, but none of the illnesses are life-threatening. Five of the victims are confirmed to be infected with E. coli O157:H7.

Europe

• Allergy Alert (UK): W.G. Buchanan’s & Sons Ltd. withdraws Buchanan’s Desiccated Coconut (170g; Best before June 2013), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites/sulphur dioxide. The affected product was distributed initially only in Northern Ireland; however, the Food Standards Agency has issued a UK-wide Allergy Alert.
• Allergy Alert (UK): Sainsbury’s recalls Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pumpkin Quadrotti (250g; Use by 17 July 2012), because the pasta is filled with prawns instead of pumpkin. Individuals who are allergic to or intolerant of shellfish should not eat this product.
• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Danish Crown recalls Minced Beef, 9-15% fat (675g net wt; Package date 8/7-2012; Best before 15/7-2012), because pieces of blue plastic were found in a few trays of the ground beef. The recalled product was sold in grocery stores and supermarkets across Denmark.
• Food Safety Withdrawal (Ireland): Cromane Mussels, trading as Skellig Seafoods, withdraws Fresh Mussels (Batch code KY6242 and FBW wk26), due to a possible association with human illness. The nature of the illness was not reported.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0962): Salmonella typhimurium in chilled sausages from Germany; distributed to the Netherlands.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0964): Salmonella spp. in chilled hamburgers from Sweden; distributed to Sweden.
• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0965): Salmonella Putten in rapeseed cake from Germany; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0967): Salmonella spp. in paan leaves from Bangladesh; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0968): Hepatitis A Virus in individually frozen green mussels from New Zealand; distributed to Italy.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0969): Dithiocarbamates in Chinese cabbages from China; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0971): Salmonella Mbandaka in spicy chicken skewers from France; distributed to France and Germany.
• Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0973): Undeclared crustaceans in and incorrect labelling on pasta from Italy; distributed to the United Kingdom.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Philippines): Pfizer Consumer Healthcare recalls Robitussin DM containing Dextromethorphan HBr 15mg and Guaifenesin 100mg per 5 mL, due to a labeling error that resulted in incorrect dosage instructions.
• Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Philippines): Cathay Drug Company, Inc. recalls Profurex 750mg Sterile Powder for Injection (IM/IV) product (Manufactured by Biolab Co., Ltd, Thailand; Lot P116069), because a broken glass was found inside a vial of the product.
• Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Philippines): Novartis Healthcare Philippines, Inc. recalls Varemoid Forte 200 mg product (SCT Batch 1201), due to presumed contamination with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia.
• Pharmaceutical Product Recall (Philippines): GlaxoSmithKline Philippines, Inc. recalls Valda Lemon Pastilles (Batch 220212M and 220212L; Manufactured 22 February 2012; Product of Malaysia), because the products were incorrectly packaged with a Valda Menthol tin base instead of a Valda Lemon tin lid.
• Outbreak Alert (Thailand): The Bangkok Post reports that 460 students at Chiang Mai Welfare School were infected with Salmonella as a result of consuming three-day-old boiled eggs. The eggs were donated to the school and were not reheated before being consumed.
• Outbreak Alert (Samoa): The Ministry of Health has received more than 100 reports of typhoid fever in Samoa since April 2012.
• Outbreak Alert (Sahel Region, Africa): More than 60 people have died of cholera in the region so far this year, and 2,800 have been infected. Sahel Region encompasses Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and the norther regions of Cameroon and Nigeria. UNICEF warns that malnourished children are especially at risk.

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Recall (Australia): Empower Foods recalls Empower Power Wraps (245g flexible plastic packaging; Best before 14 JAN 2013) and Tony Ferguson High Fibre Wraps (175g flexible plastic packaging; Best before 14 12 12), due to possible foreign matter contamination (small metal pieces). The recalled products were sold at health food stores, online, and in chemists selling Tony Ferguson products in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

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.