Recalls and Alerts: July 19, 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: Gills Onions, LLC (Oxnard, CA) recalls Gill’s Onions brand Diced Yellow Onions (7 oz; UPC 643550000405; Lot code 22YAA1A2184; Use by 07/20/12), Diced Red Onions (7 oz; UPC 643550000412; Lot code 22RAA1A2184; Use by 07/20/12), Slivered Yellow Sweet Onions (5 oz; UPC 643550000092; Lot code 22YAA1A2184; Use by 07/20/12), Slivered Red Onions (5 oz; UPC 643550000009; Lot code 22RAA1A2184; Use by 07/20/12), Diced Celery and Onion (7 oz; UPC 643550000429; Lot code 22YAA1A2184; Use by 07/20/12), and Diced Celery and Onion (19 oz; UPC 643550000351; Lot code 22YAA1A2184; Use by 07/20/12), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were shipped between July 2-4, 2012 directly to retailers – including Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Food4Less, FoodsCo, QFC, Top Food and Drug, and Albertsons  in California, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and Washington.
• Food Safety Recall: Wegmans recalls Cherrystone Clams (Item #64681), because they were harvested from Long Island Shellfish Area NS-2, which was temporarily closed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation due to documented Vibrio parahaemolyticus illnesses in three people who ate raw or undercooked oysters harvested from this area. The recalled clams were sold on July 15th through July 17th in Wegmans stores in Virginia (Sterling, Fairfax, Gainesville, Woodbridge), Maryland (Hunt Valley, Columbia, Bel Air, Frederick), New Jersey (Princeton), Pennsylvania (State College), and New York (Rochester area, Syracuse area, Southern Tier area, Buffalo area).

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Gills Onions (Oxnard, CA) recalls Gill Onions Fresh Diced Yellow Onions (198g; Product of USA; UPC 6 43550 00044 3; Lot code 22YAA1A2184; Best before 07/18/12, 07/19/12, 07/20/12), Gills Onions Fresh Diced Red Onions (198g; Product of USA; UPC 6 43550 00045 0; Lot code 22RAA1A2184; Best before 07/18/12, 07/19/12, 07/20/12) and Gills Onions Fresh Diced Celery & Onions (198g; Product of USA; UPC 6 43550 00046 7; Lot code 22YAA1A2184; Best before 07/18/12, 07/19/12, 07/20/12), due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products may have been distributed nationally. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is working with importers, distributors and retailers to ensure the removal of the recalled products from the marketplace.
• Natural Health Product Safety Recall: Health Canada announces the recall of Vine Essence, an unauthorized natural health product distributed by United Wings Enterprise Inc (Richmond Hill, ON), after testing identified the presence in the product of low levels of undeclared acetaminophen and a quantity of lead that exceeds acceptable limits.

Europe

• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): SuperGros recalls First Price Mayonnaise (400g bottles; Package date 06.05.12; Best before 03.09.12), due to mold growth in the product. The recalled mayonnaise was sold in Super Best, EURO SPAR, SUPER SPAR, SPAR, KWIK SAVE, GO ON, KIWI Mini Price, Nærkøb, Letkøb and Shell, other gas stations and drugstores and independent stores.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1016): Salmonella Mbandaka in beef burgers from Ireland; distributed to France.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1017): Mercury in swordfish slices from France; distributed to Italy.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1019): Monocrotophos in okra from India; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1020): Carbendazim in durian from Thailand; distributed to the Netherlands.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1021): Listeria monocytogenes in meat spread from Poland; distributed to Poland and the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1023): Aflatoxins in instant cereals from Nigeria; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1024): Unauthorized formic acid in white sour cabbage from Poland; distributed to Slovakia.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1026): Anisakis infestation in frozen mackerel from Norway; distributed to Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): PrizeMart Limited recalls TwoBebes Growing Up Milk 3 – for children aged above 12 months (Product of The Netherlands; 900g; All batches). The manufacturer recalled this product after Dutch authorities detected Salmonella in a dietary fibre (galacto-oligosaccharide) produced in Korea that was used as an ingredient in the powdered formula.

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.