Recalls and Alerts: July 30, 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: Clif Bar & Company recalls Coconut Chocolate Chip CLIF® Bars (6-packs; Best by 16MAY13G1; UPC 7-22252-66030-5) and Coconut Chocolate Chip CLIF Bars mislabeled in White Chocolate Macadamia CLIF Bar individual wrappers found in the above Coconut Chocolate Chip CLIF Bar 6-pack box with the same “Best By” date 16MAY13G1, due to the presence of undeclared coconut. The recalled bars were distributed to limited Target and Walmart stores.
• Food Safety Recall: Huxtable’s Kitchen recalls Trader Joe’s Roasted Butternet Squash, Red Quinoa and Wheatberry Salad (9.5 oz container; Use by 7/28/2012 and 7/30/2012), because the onions used as an ingredient may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was distributed from 7/23/12 to 7/26/12 to Trader Joe’s stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington.
• Food Safety Recall: Burch Equipment LLC recalls whole Athena cantaloupes (Red label reading Burch Farms and referencing PLU #4319; shipped July 15th), after a random sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled cantaloupes were distributed to retail stores (including Hannaford) in the northeastern United States.
• Food Safety Recall: Garden Fresh Foods (Milwaukee, WI) recalls the following Spartan Brand Prepackaged Deli Salads that may contain onions recalled by Gills Onions LLC due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination: American Potato Salad (16 oz & 3 lb; Sell by 8/9 through 8/14/12 & 8/9 through 8/20/12, respectively), Creamy Cole Slaw (16 oz & 3 lb; Sell by 8/7 through 8/20/12 & 8/9 through 8/20/12, respectively), Macaroni Salad (16 oz & 3 lb; Sell by 8/7 through 8/14/12 & 8/7 through 8/20/12, respectively), and Mustard Potato Salad (16 oz & 3 lb; Sell by 8/7 through 8/14/12 & 8/9 through 8/20/12, respectively. The recalled deli salads were sold in D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare Supermarkets, Glen’s Markets, Glen’s Fresh Market, Spartan, VG’s, VG’s Fresh Market, and Valu Land stores.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1090): Aflatoxins in chestnut flour from Italy; distributed to Australia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA.

Canada

• Outbreak Alert (Ontario): One elderly person has died and 11 patients have been diagnosed with hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile at St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Charlton campus, according to CBC.  The infected patients have been placed in isolation rooms.

Europe

• Allergy Alert: Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc recalls Morrisons Takeaway Chicken Piri Piri (350g; Use by 2 August 2012), because of a packaging error. The product may contain chicken korma, which includes nuts that are not listed in the allergy information box on the Piri Piri packaging.
• Food Safety Recall (Sweden): Axfood recalls Marinated loin of pork (400g approx; Best before 2012-07-30, 2012-07-31, 2012-08-01, 2012-08-02), Sliced pork loin (1.25 kg; Best before 2012-07-31 and 2012-08-01), Blandfärs import loaf (1kg & 2.2kg; Best before 2012-07-31), Grilled Pork Chop (800g; Best before 2012-08-08), Pork Loin Grilled (800g; Best before 2012-08-08, 2012-08-09, 2012-08-10), and Grillbricka mini pork sirloin (600g approx; Best before 2012-07-30, 2012-07-31), because Salmonella was detected in a sample during routine examination. The recalled pork products were imported from Denmark and sold in Willys, Hemköp, Prisextra and Tempobutiker stores.
• Outbreak Alert: The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is warning of an outbreak of Salmonella Stanley in Hungary (32 cases), Belgium (20 cases) and Germany (8 cases), all due to a single outbreak strain. Investigations are ongoing, and ECDC expects that more cases will be identified. The outbreak does not appear to be related to international travel.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1083): Aflatoxins in organic ground chili from Sri Lanka; distributed to Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1084): Carbendazim in longan from Thailand; distributed to France.
• Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.1085): Arsenic and lead in food supplement from the USA; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.1086): Unauthorized dimethylsildenafil in food supplement from Cyprus; distributed to Poland.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1087): Metal wires in dextrose from France; distributed to the Netherlands.
• Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1088): Undeclared egg in salsa brava from Belgium; distributed to Spain.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1089): Campylobacter spp. in chilled chicken breast fillets from France; distributed to Denmark.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1090): Aflatoxins in chestnut flour from Italy; distributed to Australia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1091): Foreign body (pieces of asbestos-containing material) in wheat from Germany; distributed to the Netherlands.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1092): Cadmium in tuna flakes in oil and brine from Ecuador; distributed to Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Food Safety Recall (Israel): Strausbhlk (שטראוסבחלק) recalls Strausbhlk Cake Products Rich Chocolate Brownies (UPC 7290100853689; Expiry date 09/08/2012), after mold was discovered in the product.
• Food Safety Recall (Israel): Israel Beer Breweries Company recalls Prigat Grape, Prigat Grapefruit, and Prigat Oranges soft drinks (330 ml bottles; Expiration dates 01/17/13, 20/01/13, 01/19/13 and 18/1/13), due to possible contamination with glass shards in some bottles.
• Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a case of shigatoxin-producing E. coli involving a 2-year old boy who was hospitalized for treatment of abdominal pain and vomiting. The patient had no recent travel history, and has since been discharged.
• Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating an outbreak of acute gastroenterities at two seniors’ homes in Sheung Shui. Twenty-three residents and four staff members are involved in the outbreaks. Five of the outbreak victims were hospitalized; one tested positive for Norovirus. Both homes share staff and kitchen facilities.

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1090): Aflatoxins in chestnut flour from Italy; distributed to Australia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA.

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.