Recalls and Alerts: August 29 – 31, 2019

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: Hiland Dairy recalls Hiland Dairy Lemonade (1/2 gallon; Plant code 4024; Sell by October 25, 2019; UPC 72060-00519-6) and Hiland Dairy Lemonade (pint; Plant code 4024; Sell by October 20, 2019; UPC 72060-00524-0) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert: Heatherfield Foods, Inc. recalls HAWAIIAN SAUSAGE COMPANY Sweet Filipino Longanisa ˙NO PRESERVATIVES ˙GLUTEN FREE ˙NO MSG pork sausage product (1-lb trays; Lot codes 09067, 09081, 09088, 09113, 09130, 09148, 09156, 09163, 09170, 09179, 09193 and 09212) due to undeclared gluten.

Food Safety Recall: Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods, LLC recalls The Milk Lady’s Tea (2 oz; LOT # ML6271950; Best by 7/2021; UPC 7 99632 05658 4), Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea (2 oz; LOT # PB781950; Best by 7/2021; UPC 7 99632 05656 0) and Diges-Teas Herbal Tea (2 oz; LOT # DT7619100; Best by 7/2021; UPC 7 99632 05665 2) due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Makzemo LLC recalls Balquis Yemeni spice (230 gram and 454 gram clear plastic containers, and clear 5 lb plastic bags) due to potential for lead contamination.

Food Safety Recall: American Beef Packers, Inc. recalls approximately 24,428 pounds of raw beef products that are deemed unfit for human consumption. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Pet Food Safety Alert: FDA alerts pet owners not to feed Aunt Jeni’s Home Made brand Turkey Dinner Dog Food (5 lb / 2.3kg; Lot 175199 JUL2020) and Aunt Jeni’s Home Made brand Chicken Dinner Dog Food (5 lb / 2.3kg; Lot 1152013 JUL2020) due to Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall: Brutus & Barnaby recalls Pig Ears 100% Natural Treats for Dogs (All package sizes) due to Salmonella contamination.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Easy Home Chef recalls Easy Home Chef brand meat products due to undeclared wheat. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (Update): TLW Trading Ltd. recalls QQ Fish brand Fish Balls, Fish Cakes, and Seafood Balls due to undeclared egg. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert: Dovetale Collections recalls Delmonico’s Restaurant brand Signature Caesar Salad Dressing (354 ml; All lot codes; UPC 8 52524 00203 5) and Delmonico’s Restaurant brand Peppermill Ranch Salad Dressing (354 ml; All lot codes; UPC 8 52524 00204 2) due to undeclared mustard.

Food Safety Recall: Les Spécialités Prodal (1975) Ltée recalls certain The Deli-Shop brand Pâtés due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Maître Saladier Inc. recalls St-Hubert Chicken Breast Nuggets (680g; Product codes B29084 12 39J, B29084 13 39J, B29084 14 39J, B29084 15 39J, B29084 24 39J; UPC 0 66701 00504 1) due to presence of bone fragments.

Food Safety Recall: Saucisses et Salami Mondial recalls PROCHETTA TRADITIONNELLE (150g, sliced; sold up to 29 August 2019) and JAMBON À L’ÉRABLE (150g, sliced; sold up to 29 August 2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Ferment Passion recalls various Tempeh products due to Bacillus cereus contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Europe

OUTBREAK ALERT/ Food Safety Recall (Spain): The Spanish Agency Food Safety and Nutrition warns of a botulism outbreak involving 4 people who consumed a home-made salad that contained canned tuna. Frinsa del Noroeste S.A recalls DIA brand Tuna canned in sunflower oil (Lot 19/154 023 02587; Best before 12/31/2022).

Allergy Alert (Finland): Lidl Suomi Ky recalls Grill Master brand BBQ Pasta Salad (Best before September 14, 2019) due to undeclared sulphites.

Allergy Alert (FInland): Atria Suomi Oyj recalls Atria Vegan Pasanda (350g; Best before 2.9.2019) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Germany): Beste Feinkost recalls Creme der Genussmenschen brand Curry-Ingwer / Ginger curry (Best before 01.09) due to undeclared mustard and celery.

Allergy Alert (Iceland): Industry recalls Naturli’ brand Organic Vegan spreadable (Best before 30.08.19 to 27.11.19) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Italy): NARDONE PRODUZIONI DOLCIARIE SRL recalls various products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the individual recall notices posted here for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Sunburst Snacks Ltd recalls Sunburst Snacks Chilli Cashew & Peanut Mix (45g & 1kg; Best before January 2020, February 2020, March 2020, April 2020, May 2020 & February 2020, March 2020, respectively) due to undeclared celery and mustard.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Amazing Oriental recalls VitaMax brand Instant Pumpkin Cereal (Expiration date 23-12-2020) due to undeclared wheat.

Allergy Alert (UK): Flames Foods recalls various types of frozen products due to undeclared almonds. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (UK – England specific): Sunburst Snacks Ltd recalls Sunburst Snacks brand Spicy Cashews (Pack sizes 45g, 65g, 150g, 160g, 170g; Best before January 2020, February 2020, March 2020, April 2020, May 2020) due to undeclared mustard and celery.

Allergy Alert Update (UK): Thomas Tucker Ltd recalls several popcorn products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Agrafresh bvba recalls Quick brand salade de crudités / Side Salad (100g; Best before 29/08/19) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Aldi recalls Broccoli Salad Kit (Best before 27/08/2019, 28/08/2019, 29/08/2019, 30/08/2019, 31/08/2019) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Michel & Augustin recalls Michel & Augustin brand Vache à boire Mangue Passion due to absence of a Best Before date.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Gustoland GmbH recalls Butcher fresh liver sausage balls fine (200 g; Lots GUS 9176411224, GUS 9176411225, GUS 9176412224; Best before 13.09.2019, 14.09.2019, 15.09.2019) due to foreign matter (blue plastic pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Lucrom SNC recalls Lucrom brand zenzero polvere / ginger powder (60g; Lot #2275; Best before 31-12-2021) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Buona Compagnia Gourmet recalls TUO CHEF brand Cima Vecchia Savona (2.3 kg; Lots 1633 & 1733; Best before 30/09/2019 and 01/10/2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Buona Compagnia Gourmet recalls TUO CHEF brand Cima Antica Genova (2.3 kg; Lots 1633 & 1733; Best before 30/09/2019 and 01/10/2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Buona Compagnia Gourmet recalls Buona Compagnia Gourmet brand Cima Antica Genova (2.3 kg; Lots 1934 & 2034; Best before 03/10/2019 and 04/10/2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Alert (Netherlands): The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority warns consumers not to eat eggs bearing the stamp 3-ES-4624944A (Product of Spain) due to Salmonella contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall (UK – England and Wales specific): Raw Treat Pet Food Ltd recalls several batches of frozen raw beef pet foods due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

FDA finds pathogens in Aunt Jeni’s dog foods. Warns pet owners

FDA is warning consumers to avoid feeding certain lots of two Aunt Jeni’s raw, frozen dog foods to their pets, due to possible contamination with Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes.

The warning comes after the agency detected the pathogens in samples of the dog food analyzed as part of a routine inspection of the company’s production facility.

The recalled products

Aunt Jeni’s Home Made, Turkey Dinner Dog Food (5 lb / 2.3kg; lot 175199 JUL2020)
Aunt Jeni’s Home Made, Chicken Dinner Dog Food (5 lb / 2.3kg; lot 1152013 JUL2020)

The Turkey Dinner sample tested positive for Salmonella Infantis. The Chicken Dinner sample tested positive for both Salmonella Infantis and Listeria monocytogenes.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture issued a stop sale for these products on August 20, 2019, preventing their further distribution.

Aunt Jeni’s Home Made products are sold frozen, and are available on-line and through retail locations. The company is based in Temple Mount, Maryland.

The health implications

Salmonella can cause gastrointestinal illness in both people and their pets. In many cases, dogs may become infected and may shed Salmonella in their feces without showing any outward symptoms.

Common symptoms of Salmonella in people include diarrhea, low-grade fever, and abdominal cramps lasting several days. Dogs may experience vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), loss of appetite, and/or decreased activity.

Although many Salmonella infections are relatively mild and self-limiting, children and the elderly are especially susceptible to the effects of dehydration resulting from diarrhea.

Listeria monocytogenes does not often cause illness in dogs, but occasionally can do so. Typical symptoms may include mild to severe diarrhea; anorexia; fever; nervous, muscular and respiratory signs; abortion; depression; shock; and death.

Dogs that are infected but asymptomatic are still able to pass their infection along to human handlers.

Children, the elderly, pregnant woman, and individuals with weakened immune systems are especially susceptible to severe symptoms as a result of a Listeria monocytogenes infection.

What consumers should do

If you have any of the affected product, stop feeding it to your pets and throw it away in a secure container where other animals, including wildlife, cannot access it. If you have had this product in your home, you should clean refrigerators/freezers where the product was stored and clean and disinfect all bowls, utensils, food prep surfaces, pet bedding, toys, floors, and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have had contact with.
If you think you have symptoms of Salmonella or L. monocytogenes infection, consult your health care provider.
People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonella may do so through the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella.
FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal. This information helps FDA further protect human and animal health.

Pig ear treats from Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia implicated in four-year long Salmonella outbreak

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 143 reports of Salmonella infections linked to contact with contaminated pig ear dog treats from South America.

The Salmonella outbreak, which has been underway since 2015, is responsible for 33 hospitalizations. Twenty-six of the outbreak victims are children under the age of five.

Outbreak details

Outbreak cases have been reported from 35 states, including: Alabama (1), Arizona (1), California (1), Colorado (3), Connecticut (1), Florida (3), Georgia (3), Hawaii (1), Illinois (10), Indiana (5), Iowa (23), Kansas (3), Kentucky (6), Louisiana (1), Maine (1), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (4), Michigan (14), Minnesota (1), Missouri (7), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (3), New Mexico (1), New York (16), North Carolina (2), North Dakota (1), Ohio (8), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (7), South Carolina (2), Texas (2), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), Wisconsin (4).

Several different strains of Salmonella have been recovered from patients and from pig ear dog treats from Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. Both bulk and packaged treats may be contaminated with one or more of the outbreak strains.

Implicated products include both non-irradiated and irradiated treats. Irradiation, if carried out correctly, should kill Salmonella.

It is possible either that irradiated treats may have been commingled with non-irradiated treats, or that effective product irradiation may not have occurred for bulk products and for packaged or individually wrapped products, according to the US Food and Drug administration (FDA).

Salmonella serotypes I 4,[5],12:i:-, Cerro, Derby, Infantis, London, Newport, and Rissen have been recovered from outbreak patients, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. In addition, Salmonella serotypes Anatum, Brandenburg, Give, Livingstone, Panama, Seftenberg, Typhimurium, Uganda, and Worthington have been recovered from pig ear dog treat samples.

CDC is reviewing its database to determine whether any of these additional strains may also have been responsible for illnesses.

Recalls and Alerts

Investigations carried out by FDA and various state agencies have resulted product recalls by several companies, including: Lennox Intl Inc, Pet Supplies Plus, Dog Goods USA LLC, and Brutus & Barnaby LLC.

The recalls announced so far do not account for all of the 143 illnesses, according to CDC.

Twenty years ago, FDA initiated Import Alert 72-03 (Detention Without Physical Examination and Intensified Coverage of Pig Ears And Other Pet Treats Due To The Presence Of Salmonella) in response to an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis illnesses linked to pig ear dog treats from Canada.

The list of companies included under Import Alert 72-03 has expanded in the years since to include pig ears and other pet treats manufactured by one or more companies based in Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Kyrgystan, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

As a result of its most recent investigations, FDA has added three companies to the Import Alert list: Custom Pet S.A.S. (Colombia), Suarko, SRL (Argentina) and Anabe Industria e Comercio de Proteinas (Brazil), and has intensified its sampling of imported pig ear dog treats.

Impact on animals

In addition to the human illnesses, eFoodAlert has learned that FDA is investigating 12 reports of animal illnesses. Pig ears from recalled product collected from homes with ill pets have been positive, but the connection with the outbreak strains has not been confirmed.

There are two reported possible human illnesses from cases where dogs were also ill, according to a spokesperson for FDA. However, there have not been any strain matches between human and pet isolates in the same household.

Situation in Canada

At the moment, there is no active outbreak investigation in Canada linked to pig ear dog treats, according to a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Canada has very specific requirements for the importation of pet chews from third companies. These products must be subjected to a heat treatment sufficient to destroy microbial and/or pathogenic organisms, including Salmonella.

Every shipment must be accompanied by a zoosanitary export certificate issued by the veterinary competent authority to attest the sanitary requirements as well as a certificate of analysis issued by an independent accredited laboratory from the country of origin, indicating test results for Salmonella and Enterobacteriaceae, according to a spokesperson for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

What should consumers do?

The FDA and CDC recommend that people avoid purchasing or feeding any pig ear pet treats at this time. This recommendation may change as more information becomes available.
If you think you have symptoms of Salmonella infection, consult your health care provider.
People who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonellamay do so through the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN Network) if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella.
FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal. This information helps FDA further protect human and animal health.