Recalls and Alerts: November 9, 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: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship recalls and impounds dairy products from Meinders Farm Fresh Dairy (Buffalo Center, IA), due to concerns that some of the products did not meet regulatory requirements. The products were sold at retailers under the Meinders Farm Fresh Dairy label.
• Food Recall: Price Chopper recalls Price Chopper Single Cup Original Donut Blend Coffee (12-pack; UPC 4173506881), because the product does not meet Price Chopper’s quality standards.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Berchicci Importing Ltd. recalls Cilento Burrata Fresh Pulled Cheese (200g; Best before 11/09/2012; Lot #770; UPC 0 60085 31416 4), due to E. coli contamination. The recalled product was sold in Ontario and Quebec.
• Food Safety Recall: Tree Brewing Co. Ltd. recalls Duke’s Dry Apple Cider (355 mL; Best before dates from 20/01/13 to 30/01/13; UPC 6 24524 20231 5), due to microbiological spoilage. The recalled product was sold in Alberta and British Columbia.

Europe

• Allergy Alert (UK): Harrods recalls Harrods Rose Prince Mincemeat (400g; Best before March 2013) due to the presence of undeclared wheat (gluten) and nuts, and Harrods Rose Prince Mince Pies (270g; Best before end 3 November 2012 and 12 November 2012), due to the presence of undeclared egg, wheat (gluten) and nuts.
• Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Het Dischhof recalls all cheeses from the market, including Keiems Bloempje, Keiemse Witte, Keiemnaer, Keiemnaer 20+, and Keiemtaler, after Listeria monocytogenes was detected in several production batches of cheese. The company has suspended production for a week in order to undertake extensive cleaning and disinfection, and has destroyed potentially contaminated cheeses.
• Food Safety Recall (Germany): Vallée-Verte recalls Keiems Bioempje met kruiden and Keiems Bioempje natur cheeses (Product of Belgium), due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1546): Salmonella in paan leaves from Bangladesh; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1547): Aflatoxins in figs from Turkey; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1548): Excessive sulphite in pickled garlic from Thailand, via the Netherlands; distributed to Finland.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1549): Salmonella enteritidis in frozen cooked chicken from China; distributed to Ireland and the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1550): Salmonella enteritidis in frozen whole chicken from the Netherlands; distributed to Finland.
• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.1551): Salmonella in soybean meal from the United States; distributed to Poland.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1553): Salmonella in bovine meat from Italy; distributed to Italy, Malta and Portugal.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1554): Worm in canned tomatoes from Italy; distributed to Denmark.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1555): Benzalkonium chloride and DDAC in organic oregano with raw material from the Netherlands; distributed to Belgium and Germany.
• Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1556): Undeclared milk or nuts on milk chocolate from Italy; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1557): Aflatoxins in white maize from Nigeria; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1558): Poor hygienic state of canned vegetable preserves from Italy; distributed to Belgium, France and Italy.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1559): Aflatoxins in dried figs from Turkey; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1560): Mercury in chilled hake from South Africa, via Germany; distributed to Spain.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Proprietary Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Wah Shun Medicine Limited recalls Shi Hu Ye Guang Wan (Batch #8011 WP 1), a proprietary Chinese medicine,  because the indicated batch was found to contain about 1.3 times the permitted limit of lead.
• Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating suspected food poisoning outbreaks involving a total of nine persons, all of whom dined at the same restaurant in Admiralty on the evening of November 6th.

Australia and New Zealand

• Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises consumers to avoid using Majestic Slimming Capsules, because the product contains undeclared sibutramine (a prescription-only medicine) and phenolphthalein. The supply of Majestic Slimming Capsules is illegal in 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.