Recalls and Alerts: November 27, 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.

• Food Safety Recall: Capital City Fruit, Inc. (Norwalk, IA) recalls Capital brand Cherry Tomatoes (1 pt clamshell pkg; Supplied by Rio Queen Citrus, Inc.; Case Lot Nos. P96290001, P96330002, P96477001, P96368001, P96500001, P96313001, P96330007, P96290006, P96500006; Clamshell Date codes 4604, 4605, 4606, 4605, 4701, 4604, 4605, 4604, 4701), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was sold in retail stores in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
• Outbreak Alert: The Illinois Dept. of Public Health and the McLean County Health Department are investigating a cluster of instances of Salmonella Stanley infections among individuals who reported eating at a variety of restaurants in Central Illinois from October 18th through November 11th. Transmission appears to be due to human contact, and the cases may be connected to a McDonalds franchise on South Main Street, Bloomington. The franchise owners have temporarily closed this McDonalds location, and employees of the location are being tested for Salmonella carriage.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns The Santa Barbara Smokehouse, Inc. (Santa Barbara, CA) that an April-May 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Jroll L.L.C. dba Sushi On The Roll (Medina, OH) that a September-October 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Derek and Constance Lee Corporation d.b.a. Great River Food (City of Industry, CA) that a September 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Shinhan F&B Co. Ltd (Republic of Korea) that a May 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Soloway Hot Dog Factory Inc. (Toronto, ON) recalls Halal Beef Hot Dogs, prepared for Corsetti Meat Packers Ltd. (Ontario Plant #6472; vacuum packages contain 10 pieces; sold at CMP Meats retail store) due to the presence of undeclared mustard.
• Allergy Alert: Purity Factories Ltd. recalls Lees’ brand 6 Snowballs (125g; Codes 01 FEB 13 B23 and 10 MAY 13 DB38; UPC 0 57858 08012 8), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was sold in retail stores in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.

Europe

• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Thai Supermarket recalls Thai Veggi Springløg (Product of Thailand; Lot #TH BEBBBC), Thai Veggi Lemongrass (Product of Thailand; Lot #TH BEBBBC) and Celery Can Tay (100g; Product of Vietnam), after Salmonella is detected in the products.
• Food Safety Recall (Germany): Penny-Markt GmbH recalls Golden Valley Turkish Dried Figs (250g; Batch #L T0078-476; Best before end June 2013), because the aflatoxin concentration exceeds the maximum permitted level.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1644): Salmonella in ground hazelnut kernels from Turkey and Italy; distributed to France, Germany and Italy.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1645): Aflatoxins in raw milk in bulk from Hungary; distributed to Italy.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1646): Acetamiprid in eggplants from the Dominican Republic; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1647): Undeclared milk ingredient in chicken soup with rice from Bulgaria; distributed to Cyprus.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1648): Salmonella in boneless meat from the Netherlands; distributed to Sweden.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1649): Aflatoxins in chopped pistachio nuts from Iran, via Germany; distributed to Austria.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating two suspected food poisoning cases involving a total of eight persons, all of whom ate at the same restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui on November 18th and November 23rd.
• Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health warns members of the public not to buy or consume the slimming product known as Aulura Energy Balance Dietary Supplement, as it may contain the undeclared and banned Western drugs sibutramine and phenolphthalein.

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.