Recalls and Alerts: December 13 – 16, 2020

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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Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations? Go to TAINTED to download the first couple of chapters of my new book.

United States

OUTBREAK ALERT (North Carolina): Cabarrus Health Alliance and Harris Teeter are investigating more than 150 reports of gastrointestinal illness linked to consumption of sushi purchased from free-standing AFC Sushi kiosks inside two Harris Teeter stores in Concord, North Carolina, according to a report in Food Safety News. The cause of the illnesses has not yet been determined.

Food Safety Recall: Tesoros Trading Co. recalls Trader Joe’s Lightly Salted Edamame, frozen (16 oz pkg; Lots 22LA102 M, 22LA102 N or 22LA102 P) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall: PetSmart Inc. recalls Authority Savory Blends Turkey Formula Cat Food, Adult Ages 1-7 (3.5 lb & 7 lb bags; UPC 7 37257 83105 & 7 37257 85016 7, respectively; All lot codes; nationwide distribution) due to elevated levels of mycotoxin (Zearalenone). The recall was initiated on November 11, 2020. No public recall notice was released.

Pet Food Safety Recall: PetSmart Inc. recalls Authority Savory Blends Chicken Formula Cat Food, Adult Ages 1-7 (3.5 lb & 7 lb bags; UPC 7 37257 83108 & 7 37257 86107, respectively; All lot codes; Nationwide distribution). due to elevated levels of mycotoxin (Zearalenone). The recall was initiated on November 11, 2020. No public recall notice was released.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Shivani Sales Inc. recalls Shivani brand Bhatura Atta (500g; Best Before APR 2021; UPC 8 46072 02219 5) and Shivani brand Missi Atta (500g; Best Before APR 2021; UPC 8 46072 02220 1) due to undeclared wheat.

Food Safety Recall: Levitts Foods (Canada) Inc. recalls Compliments brand Montreal-Style Smoked Meat (175g; BEST BEFORE 2021JA20; EST 48; UPC 0 68820 13357 5), Levitts brand Corned Beef (150g; BEST BEFORE 2021JA20; EST 48; UPC 8 82756 72084 1) and Levitts brand New York Style Pastrami (150g; BEST BEFORE 2021JA20; EST 48; UPC 8 82756 73084 0) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall: IGA Famille Déziel inc recalls Cheddar fort fumé / Sharp smoked cheddar (8 slices / ~180g; Sold December 1-15, 2020) due to undeclared unpasteurized milk in the cheese.

Food Safety Recall: Hilly Acres Farm recalls specific batch codes of Farmer John Eyking brand shell eggs and Nova Eggs brand shell eggs due to possible Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a list of affected package configurations and batch codes.

Food Safety Recall: Lauri’services recalls Piment dans l’huile / Hot pepper in oil (In glass jars; Sold up to and including 16 December 2020) because the item may be unsafe to consume, due to production and/or packaging conditions.

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Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Industry recalls Danival brand Ketchup (560g; Lot #E087; Expiry date 27/03/2022) due to undeclared mustard.

Allergy Alert (Iceland): Industry recalls Nawras brand Gele Vermicelli (400g; All batch codes; Product of Turkey) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Marks & Spencer recalls Marks & Spencer brand Balanced For You Red Thai Chicken Curry (380g; Use by 14 December 2020 and 15 December 2020) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Tesco recalls Tesco Finest Festive Fruit & Nut Selection (225g; Batch code L0075004; Best before end May 2021) due to undeclared sulphur dioxide and/or sulphites.

Allergy Alert (UK): Tesco recalls Tesco Finest Festive Fruit & Nut Selection (225g; Best before end May 2021) due to undeclared sulphur dioxide and/or sulphites.

Allergy Alert (UK): Marks & Spencer recalls M&S Balanced For You Red Thai Chicken Curry (Use by 14 December 2020 and 15 December 2020) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Colruyt Group recalls Haché de porc bio / Organic ground pork (400g; Use by 18/12/2020) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Colruyt Group recalls Viande pour pita / Meat for pita (±500g; Use by 17/12/2020, 18/12/2020, 19/12/2020, 20/12/2020, 21/12/2020 & 24/12/2020) due to foreign matter (pieces of glass) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Courses U recalls U brand Morceaux de filets de poulet panés / Breaded pieces of chicken breast (200g; Lot #344060; Use by 02/01/2021) due to possible foreign matter contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Colruyt recalls Haché de porc bio / Organic ground pork (400g; Use by 18/12/2020) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Sweden): KLS Ugglarps recalls Ugglarps brand Julskinka, lättrökt, kokt och rimmad / Christmas ham, lightly smoked, cooked and salted (Batch 492; Best before 06.01.2021) because the ham was not cooked.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Lidl GB recalls Red Hen Breaded Chicken Nuggets (450g; Best before end February 2022) and Red Hen Southern Fried Chicken Pops (210g; Best before 05 February 2022) due to Salmonella contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Hong Kong): Alf Retail Hong Kong Limited recalls M&S brandBalanced For You Red Thai Chicken Curry (380g; Use by December 14, 2020; Product of UK) due to undeclared milk.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Aust Aria Pty Ltd recalls Naderi Traditional Cookie (210g; Best Before 16 April 2021) due to undeclared peanut.

Latin America and the Caribbean

OUTBREAK ALERT (Venezuela): Almost 250 people have been affected with an outbreak of salmonellosis in the state of Bolívar, according to a report in Food Safety News. The source of the outbreak has not been determined.

Recalls and Alerts: December 10 – 12, 2020

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations? Go to TAINTED to download the first couple of chapters of my new book.

United States

Food Safety Recall: Cozy Vale Creamery is advising consumers to discontinue consumption of their retail raw milk and cream products with the best by dates of 12-14 through 12-23 after the Washington State Department of Agriculture found shigatoxin-producing E. coli in a sample of retail raw cream dated 12-14. Consumers shouild dispose of or return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Canada

Allergy Alert: L’Hippie-Curienne recalls four varieties of Assaisonnement à tartare / Tartar seasoning (125g; Best before NOV 2022) due to undeclared soy. Please refer to the recall notice for a list of affected varieties.

Food Safety Recall: Au Ciel Café bistro recalls three varieties of soup (1L glass jars; sold up to 11 December 2020) because the products were not held at refrigeration temperature from time of purchase and lacked required labelling instructions to “keep refrigerated.”

Food Safety Recall: Farine et basilic inc. recalls Sauce à la viande / Meat sauce (500 ml glass jars; sold up to 8 December 2020) because the product was not held at refrigeration temperature from time of purchase and lacked required labelling instructions to “keep refrigerated.”

Food Safety Recall: Boucherie L’Amiral inc. recalls two smoked salmon products due to lack of proper storage instructions on the product labels. Please refer to the recall notice for complete details.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Aldi recalls Trader Joe’s brand Mendiants Classic (BIO) (250g; All Best before dates up to 23/05/2021) due to undeclared almonds.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Aldi recalls Pirato brand TORTILLACHIPS – variante sweet chili / Sweet chili tortilla chips (200g; Lots 14 05 21 C 04:02 F11 46 jusqu’à et y compris 14 05 21 D 12:40 F11 46; Best before 14/05/2021) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Finland): Snellmanin Kokkikartano Oy recalls Mr. Panini Gluteeniton kinkkupanini / Mr. Panini My Gluten Free Ham Panini (235g; Expiry dates 17.12.2020, 19.12.2020 & 24.12.2020) and Mr. Panini Gluteeniton kanapanini / Mr. Panini My gluten-free chicken panini (235g; Expiry dates 17.12.2020, 19.12.2020 & 24.12.2020) due to undeclared oats.

Allergy Alert (France): LESIEUR recalls Lesieur brand Sauce Algérienne (940g; Lot #20043G04; Expiry dates 28/02/2021 & 30/06/2021) due to undeclared mustard.

Allergy Alert (Italy): VALSOIA SPA recalls Valsoia brand Preparazione alimentare VEGETALE a base di SOIA FERMENTATA / Vegetable food preparation based on fermented soy (125g; Lot #L3210; Best before 01-03-2021) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (UK): Lakeland recalls Flower & White, Bake On Strong White Bread Flour (1.5 kg; Best before 01 May 2021 & 01 June 2021) due to undeclared gluten (wheat).

Allergy Alert (UK): Picard recalls multiple frozen products because they contain various allergens which are not listed in English on the label. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products and undeclared allergens.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Nakskov Mill Foods A/S recalls X-tra Cornflakes (1 kg; 20.10.2021, 21.10.2021, 02.11.2021, 03.11.2021, 04.11.2021, 11.11.2021, 18.11.2021) and First Price Cornflakes (1 kg; Best before 16.11.2021) due to foreign matter (metal pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Auchan recalls Mère Lalie brand Terrine de lapin au serpolet / rabbit terrine with wild thyme (200g; Lot #J 09 10 2023) due to possible foreign matter (glass particles) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Auchan recalls Maxi Crousti de poulet / Maxi chicken crisps (400g; Lot #344060; Use by 31/12/2020) due to foreign matter contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): La Société LOSFELD DISTRIBUTION recalls Fromagerie des 2 Caps brand Fromage des 2 Caps fromage fermier au lait cru / raw milk cheese (320g; Lot #272; Use by 17/11/2020 & 21/11/2020) due to E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Industry recalls Bonduelle brand Mesclun (145g; Lots #27631345 & 27631363; Best by 12/12/20) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Intermarché recalls Saint Eloi brand Mesclun (125g; Lot #27631329; Use by 10/12/20) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Industry recalls U brand Roquette salad (150g; Lot 27631323 – 27636358; Best by 10/12/20 – 11/12/20) and U brand Mesclun (175g; Lot #27631353; Best by 10/12/2020) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Auchan recalls Mère Lalie brand Terrine de lapin au serpolet / rabbit terrine with wild thyme (200g; Lot #J 09 10 2023) due to possible foreign matter (glass particles) contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Israel): Meiri Beigel Ltd. recalls Classic Grissini Crumbs (200 grams; Batch codes 29420 and 29520; Best before 20.10.2021 and 21.10.2021) due to foreign matter (small plastic chips) contamination.

Food safety takes a back seat at USDA—Again.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is tasked with two mandates that are often in conflict—protecting the agriculture and food industry and protecting US consumers from contaminated and unsafe food. For far too many years, food safety has come in a distant second in USDA’s order of priorities.

Joe Biden’s choice of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture is a clear indicator that nothing is likely to change in the coming years.

I have been advocating for decades for the formation of a single agency—preferably one with a seat at the Cabinet table—to oversee the safety of the US food supply. Other countries have done this successfully.

Until the United States can rationalize its overlapping, conflict-of-interest laden regulatory system, consumers can count on a continuing stream of foodborne disease outbreaks and product recalls.

Phyllis Entis, MSc.

The following opinion piece was written by Dan Flynn, Managing Editor of Food Safety News. It first appeared in Food Safety News on December 10, 2020, and is reposted here with permission.

Letter From The Editor: We wish there was a difference, but there’s not

If you are recently out of office as a popular agricultural state governor and your campaign for president went bust, getting yourself appointed as Secretary of Agriculture is your next logical option. But if you’ve already done that: Why would you do it again?

Tom Vilsack, who served as Secretary of Agriculture for Barack Obama’s entire presidency, is going to take another run at the job, once the Biden Presidency gets up and running. He’ll be giving up a job that most everyone in Washington D.C. really wants — being president and CEO of a national association. He’s been President and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council since 2017.

These are the jobs where seven-figure salaries are possible and the expense accounts are very attractive. Until he took the Export Council job, Vilsack’s salary almost always came from a government pay schedule. Only Vilsack can say why he wants to be Secretary of Agriculture again.

He left food safety at the USDA in a somewhat peculiar state. After Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, who Obama appointed as Under Secretary for Food Safety, left the department in December 2013, the government’s top food safety job was left vacant.

Today, the fresh produce lobby could hardly restrain itself when learning Vilsack’s back. They said it was “under his steady leadership we worked together to further the gains of the industry and broaden access to fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly for children.”

It was Vilsack who was on one end of the deal that led to the murder of the Microbiological Data Program (MDP) that provided the only meaningful harvest time testing of fruits and vegetables in the United States. The industry wanted it killed and Vilsack was a willing co-conspirator. Could the secretary have saved the mere $5 million a year program for testing at land-grant universities? In a heartbeat.

Instead of naming a new Under Secretary for Food Safety, as required by law, Obama let Vilsack name Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Administrator Al Almanza as a Deputy Under Secretary. It put the FSIS boss in a position to provide his own food safety oversight. No Senate confirmation or oversight was required for the post.

Vilsack’s move left the Obama administration without an Under Secretary for Food Safety for longer than it had one. No one in Congress seemed to know or care.

If anyone has proof that Tom Vilsack knows or cares about food safety, it might be a good time for them to come forward.

As governor of Iowa, he was known for the famous Taylor’s Maid-Rite exemption for the Marshalltown, IA, restaurant’s reckless cooking practice for loose meat. Loose meat sandwiches are mostly an Iowa thing, and Taylor’s in Marshalltown made them using a cooker that was ripe for cross-contamination.

While he was governor, Vilsack protected Taylor’s and the few others who risked food safety by winking at cross-contamination.

Vilsack and Trump’s Secretary of Agriculture “Sonny” Perdue are really two peas in a pod. Both are former ag state governors who are plugged into the industry. Just as Vilsack’s loose meat history does not add up to much of a good safety record, Perdue did not exactly run to the scene in his state when he was governor of the 2008 Salmonella outbreak caused by Peanut Corporation of American peanuts and paste either.

No one much cared about that when Perdue’s appointment as ag secretary went through four years ago. But what they care about is that USDA net farm income is projected to total $120 billion for 2020, up to $38 billion over 2019. Direct government farm payments drive that number and Perdue’s name is associated with every dollar that goes out.

And, now we can strike “Sonny’s” name and substitute “Tom Vilsack.” It’s part of a system, but one that we just cannot say has anything to do with food safety, which is always touted as a top USDA priority.