Recalls and Alerts: January 3, 2013

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: Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. (Chester, IL) recalls Food Club brand Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix (12 x 14.25-oz cartons/case; Best by NOV 28 13 D02; UPC 36800-13486), because the product contains undeclared walnuts. The recalled Brownie Mix was distributed to an Abingdon, VA warehouse on December 5, 2012.

Canada

• Outbreak Alert (New Brunswick): The province’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health is investigating five confirmed cases of E. coli O157, including two reported in the Saint John region and three in the Fredericton region. All five victims were seen in hospital emergency rooms; one person was admitted to hospital. It is not yet known whether all five cases have a common source, or whether they may be linked to several recent cases in neighboring Nova Scotia.
• Outbreak Alert (British Columbia): An outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis prompted the shut-down of an entire floor of Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminister; one ward is expected to reopen today, according to CBC. A ward at Vancouver General Hospital remains “under containment” due to a separate outbreak of norovirus infections.

Europe

• Food Safety Recall (Belgium): The recent recall of Koon Yick Wah Kee brand fermented bean curd products due to contamination with Bacillus cereus has been extended to include all of the following: Tofu in sesame oil (450g glass jar; Best before 30/12/2014, 30/06/2014 and 30/09/2014) and Tofu in sesame oil and peppers (450g glass jar; Best before 30/12/2014, 30/06/2014 and 30/09/2014). The recalled products were sold in Asian specialty stores from August 2012 to December 2012, inclusive.
• Food Safety Recall (Germany): Fromagerie de Jussac (France) recalls an extensive list of cheeses made from cow’s milk, goat milk and sheep milk (packaging includes 200g and 3 x 60g sizes), due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed product list.
• Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2012.1774): Listeria monocytogenes in various Fromagerie de Jussac cheeses from France; distributed to Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2013.0002): Presence of poisonous mushrooms in dried black morels from the Czech Republic; distributed to Germany.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2013.0004): Carbendazim in oranges from South Africa; distributed to France.
• Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2013.0007): Salmonella in dried pet food for dogs from India; distributed to Germany and Luxembourg.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2013.0008): Ethephon in cherry tomatoes from Italy; distributed to Germany.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Chinese Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Hang Lung Trading Co. recalls the Chinese herbal medicine known as Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii (Batch #210035; Imported from Mainland), because it was found to be contaminated by solanaceous alkaloids.
• Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2012.1774): Listeria monocytogenes in various Fromagerie de Jussac cheeses from France; distributed to Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

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 website.