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.
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United States
- Allergy Alert: Vaqueria Tres Monjitas Inc. recalls juice beverage with pineapple-guava (guava-piña) flavor (8-, 14-, 32-, 64- & 128-oz sizes; All lots), because the product may contain undeclared sodium caseinate, a milk derivative.
- Food Safety Recall Update: Minnesota Department of Agriculture releases retail distribution list covering Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin for cilantro that was recalled by Fresco Green Farms (Winchester, CA) due to possible Salmonella contamination. The cilantro also was distributed in California, and was supplied to US Foods for redistribution; however no retail distribution list has been released for California.
- Outbreak Alert (Washington State): King County Public Health has ordered the closure of the Bella Bottega Sushi Land restaurant after receiving complaints of foodborne illness and finding multiple food safety violations at the restaurant, according to a report in the Redmond Patch.
- Outbreak Alert (Idaho): The Central District Health Department has logged 21 cases of Cryptosporidium illnesses in since the beginning of August (compared to an average of 10 cases per year in normal years). The Department has advised area swimming pool operators of the situation, and urges the public to take precautions to prevent spread of the disease.
- Outbreak Alert (Cruise): CDC reports that 205 of 3652 passengers and 3 crew members on board the Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Glory developed symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea during an August 6-11, 2012 cruise. The causative agent has not yet been determined.
Canada
- Allergy Alert: Lennie Ciglen Distribution Inc. recalls Organic Pine Nuts – Repacked by individual retailers (5 kg, shipped between March 13, 2012 and July 31, 2012 inclusive; 12.5 kg, shipped between February 13, 2012 and July 17, 2012 inclusive) and Organic Pine Nuts – sold in bulk bins at retail (5 kg, shipped between February 21, 2012 and July 31, 2012 inclusive; 12.5 kg, shipped between February 2, 2012 and May 16, 2012 inclusive), due to the presence of undeclared peanuts. The recalled pine nuts were sold in Ontario.
- Food Safety Recall: The Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food warns the public not to consume products containing basil that was recalled by Shah Trading Co. Ltd., because the basil may be contaminated with Salmonella. Please click on the Basil Recall Menu Tab for details.
Europe
- Food Safety Alert (UK): The Food Standards Agency reminds consumers, especially pregnant women, about the dangers of ingesting clay, clay-based ‘detox’ drinks and supplements. The advice is being reissued after high levels of lead and arsenic were discovered in products being distributed by online retailers.
- Outbreak Alert (Scotland): BBC reports that an eight-year-old girl from Dairymple (East Ayrshire) has died at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children after contracting E. coli O157. The incident is not believed to be part of an outbreak, and a source of the infection has not been identified.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1107): Cadmium in uncleaned cuttle fish from India; distributed to Cyprus.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1110): Anisakis infestation of chilled mackerel from Norway, via Denmark; distributed to Italy.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1111): Omethoate and dimethoate in fresh mangoes from Brazil; distributed to Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands and Poland.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1112): Ethephon in baby pineapple from South Africa, via the Netherlands; distributed to Austria.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1113): Salmonella in white pepper from Sri Lanka; distributed to Sweden.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1114): Salmonella in chilled marinated pork meat from Denmark; distributed to Sweden.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1118): Sulfathiazole in honey from Mexico; distributed to Germany.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1119): Salmonella in chilled pork meat from Germany; distributed to Sweden.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1120): Histamine in fresh tuna fillet from Spain; distributed to Italy.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1121): Undeclared peanut in cocoa wafers from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1122): Arsenic in frozen whole round squid from Vietnam, via Greece; distributed to Cyprus.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1123): Nematodes in chilled monkfish from France; distributed to Italy and Slovenia.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1126): Listeria monocytogenes in fresh cut vegetables from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and Luxembourg.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1127): Arsenic in frozen octopus from Greece; distributed to Cyprus.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1129): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon from Spain; distributed to Italy.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1133): Thermotolerant Campylobacter in chicken breast fillet from France; distributed to Denmark.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1135): Arsenic in frozen squid rings from China; distributed to Cyprus.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #20112.1136): Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mineral water from Greece; distributed to Cyprus.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1140): Histamine in chilled tuna loins from Spain; distributed to Italy.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1143): Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk cheese from France; distributed to France.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1145): Undeclared celery in crushed basil from Egypt, via Greece; distributed to Cyprus.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1146): Undeclared peanut in cocoa cream wafers from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1149): Metal pieces in chilled rabbit pie with green pepper from France; distributed to Austria.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1150): Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in soybean sprouts from Italy; distributed to Austria.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1151): Listeria monocytogenes in vacuum packed smoked salmon from Poland; distributed to Italy.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1152): Aflatoxins in whole nutmegs from Indonesia; distributed to France.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1158): Undeclared peanut in wafer chocolate rolls from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1162): Mercury in chilled swordfish tartare from Spain; distributed to Italy.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1163): Undeclared peanut in cookies from the Czech Republic; distributed to the Czech Republic and Poland.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1164): Mercury in swordfish carpaccio from Spain; distributed to Italy.
Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
- Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety has ordered the recall of four additional Japanese infant formulae, due to low iodine content. The affected products are Meiji HP for 0 to 36 months old (850g; Manufactured by Meiji Co. Ltd, Japan; Use by date May 14, 2013 10:34/16A), Wakodo for 0 to 9 months old (13 grams x 10 packets; Manufactured by Wakodo Co. Ltd, Japan; Use by date November 16, 2013; Lot 2E17), Morinaga for 0 to 12 months old (13 grams x 10 packets; Manufactured by Morinaga & Co. Ltd, Japan; Use by date May 5, 2013; Lot 1K05/B39C) and Morinaga for 0 to 12 months old (820 g; Manufactured by Morinaga & Co. Ltd, Japan; Use by date December 25, 2012; Lot 1F25/F14). The Department of Health has been offering thyroid function tests to infants aged one to eight months who were fed the recalled formulae. Ninety-eight of the 99 infants who were tested so far displayed normal thyroid function.
Australia and New Zealand
- Food Safety Alert (New Zealand): The Bay of Plenty Medical Officer of Health is warning the public to avoid all bi-valve shellfish, including mussels, pipi, tuatua, cockles, oysters, scallops, catseyes and kina, from the Bay of Plenty, due to detection of high levels ofparalytic shellfish poison along the coast. Paua, crayfish and crabs can still be eaten, but the gut should be removed before cooking.
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.
- A&P
- Big Y® World Class Market®
- BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc.
- Bloom
- Brookshire’s
- Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
- Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
- EDEKA (Germany)
- Food City
- Food Lion
- Giant Food LLC
- Gros Cidac (Italy)
- Hannaford Brothers Co.
- Harris Teeter
- H-E-B
- The Kroger Company*
- Lucky Supermarkets
- Price Chopper
- Publix
- Raley’s
- Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.
- Safeway**
- Sainsbury’s
- ShopRite
- Stop & Shop
- Sweetbay Supermarkets
- Target
- Top Food & Drug
- Tops Friendly Markets
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Wegmans
- Whole Foods Market
- WinCo Foods
- Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.