Month: July 2022

Recalls and Alerts: July 14-16, 2022

TAINTED formats 3

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.

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? Click on the TAINTED menu at the top of the page to read or listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Listen to an excerpt of the new audiobook edition right here

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

United States

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION UPDATE: The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs reports that lab analyses recovered Listeria monocytogenes from almost all of the environmental and ice cream product samples taken from the Big Olaf Creamery production plant located in Sarasota, Florida. According to the CDC, 23 illnesses, 22 hospitalizations, one death and one fetal loss have been linked to consumption of ice cream products from this manufacturing location.

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION UPDATE: The FDA is investigating ~277 Adverse Event Reports that may be linked to consumption of Daily Harvest French Lentil & Leek Crumbles frozen product. Ninety-six people have been hospitalized with gastrointestinal illness and/or abnormal liver function. Reports have been received from consumers in 34 US states. The manufacturer initiated a product recall on June 23rd, and the investigation is ongoing.

Allergy Alert and Food Safety Recall: Ready Dough Pizza Inc. recalls PIZZA CUBANA CUBAN STYLE PEPPERONI PIZZA (14 oz box; produced from Jan. 12, 2022, through July 13, 2022) because the products were produced without the benefit of federal inspection and also contain undeclared milk, wheat, and soybeans.

Food Safety Recall: BrandStorm Inc. recalls Organic Freeze-Dried Blueberry (1.2 oz pouches; Lots 2021363-1 & 2022026-1; Best by 12/2024 & 01/2025, respectively; UPC 812907011160) due to the potential presence of lead above the FDA’s recommended limits.

Canada

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION UPDATE: The Public Health Agency of Canada is now investigating 155 cases of non-travel related Cyclospora infections in British Columbia (2), Ontario (139) and Québec (14). Eight people have been hospitalized. No specific source of the infections has been identified.

Allergy Alert: Xinpangao International Trade Corporation recalls Stuffed Fish Ball (340g; Expiry 07/02/2024; UPC 6 920732 127896) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert: Big Venture Sales Ltd. recalls Crave Stevia brand chocolate products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Marché Senneterre inc. (Senneterre, QC) recalls Alasko brand framboises entières surgelées / Frozen raspberries (1 kg; Lot SY21278; Best before 2023-OC-04; Product of China) due to Norovirus contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Fromage Warwick inc. (Warwick, QC) recalls multiple dairy products including cheeses and fresh milk (Sold up to 13 July 2022) due to a food safety hazard.

Food Safety Recall: Florimeault Les Sucres (Saint-Aubert, QC) recalls VINAIGRETTE À L’ÉRABLE / Maple vinaigrette (250 ml; Sold up to 14 July 2022) due to a food safety hazard.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Barilla Belgium recalls Barilla brand  Lasagne Collezione n189 (500g; Lots  I12414282 & I12424292; Best before 20/09/2023 & 21/09/2023, respectively) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Jumbo recalls Jumbo multigrain reduced salt bread (400g; Sold from 18-06-22 to 14-07-22) due to undeclared lupine.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Odin recalls Bioverde brand fresh tortellini with ricotta & spinach (Best before  06-09-2022) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (Norway): Normal i Norge recalls Lu Prince Biscuit Creme Goût Chocolate / Chocolate flavoured creme biscuit (130g; Lot 105; Best before 05.04.2023) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Austria): GoodMills Österreich GmbH recalls Finis Feinstes Roggen-Vollkornmehl / Whole grain rye flour (1000g; Batch Februar2023/L19D) due to potentially harmful levels of ochratoxin A.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): FUMAGALLI INDUSTRIA ALIMENTARI S.p.A. recalls Fumagalli brand SALAME PIC NIC / Salami (~200g; Lot 229137) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Luxembourg recalls TRS brand Hot Madras Curry Powder (100g; Lot 20215183885; Best before 30/06/2023) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Albert Heijn recalls AH houdbare halfvolle melk / Long-life part-skimmed milk (6 x 200 ml; Lot 513867 E; Best before 27-11-2022) due to Bacillus cereus contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Aldi recalls Primula Spicy Cheese N Jalapeno (150g; All dates up to and including 07 February 2023) due to a temperature control issue that could potentially spoil the product, which may be unsafe to eat.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Powered by Plants Pty Ltd recalls Cleanfit​ Plant Protein Bar Chocolate Brownie (50g; Best before BB170623) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Australia): Aldi recalls Reese’s Dipped Pretzels (120g; All batch codes and Best Before dates) due to undeclared peanuts.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Pak’n Save Rangiora recalls in-store Double Pepperoni and BBQ Chicken & Bacon Pizzas (Best before 14.07.22) due to foreign matter contamination (plastic).

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Norish Ltd recalls Norish brand Flourishing Cauliflower & Corn and Growing Greens Baby Purée Powder (All batches and date codes) due to high iodine levels.

Food Safety Administration: A too-modest proposal

Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) have proposed bicameral legislation to split the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) into two separate entities: the Food Safety Administration (FSA) and the Federal Drug Administration.

The new Food Safety Administration would remain a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services and would be led by a food safety expert whose appointment would require Senate confirmation.

The proposed restructuring of the FDA came in response to agency shortcomings revealed during the recent Abbott Nutrition infant formula recalls and investigations.

Divide and conquer

While the intentions of Senator Durbin and Congresswoman DeLauro are to be lauded, I believe their proposed solution does not address a major underlying flaw in the US food safety regulatory system.

I am referring to the divided and overlapping jurisdictions of the current FDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

As now constituted, the FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of approximately 80% of the US food supply. The FSIS oversees most of the balance, including meat, poultry, eggs and siluriformes (catfish and other related species).

This split jurisdiction has led to some strange and arbitrary divisions of authority. For example, the USDA oversees inspection of open-faced sandwiches containing meat or poultry, while the FDA is responsible for all other open-faced sandwiches as well as for all closed-face sandwiches, regardless of the filling.

Pizzas containing more than 2% meat are regulated by the FSIS; other pizzas come under the purview of the FDA.

As I wrote in TAINTED. From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate, Fifty Years of Food Safety Failures, “[a] fragmented inspection system is expensive, inefficient and unfair to the industry it regulates.”

In addition to the jurisdictional jigsaw puzzle, the FSIS is in a potential conflict of interest vis-à-vis other agencies within the USDA that are responsible for marketing US food commodities domestically and around the world.

Show me the money

The combined discretionary food safety budget allocated to FSIS and the current FDA for 2022 is $2.766 billion.

The FDA’s share of this budget is $1.6 billion, or ~58% of the total amount.

Yet, the FDA is responsible for regulating ~80% of the food supply. The Durbin/DeLauro proposal does nothing to address the funding imbalance between the two principal federal food safety agencies.

In 1998, a joint committee of food safety experts within the US Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council recommended that the US consolidate food safety into a “single, unified agency headed by a single administrator.“

Several US trading partners have done just that.

Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark, to name just a few, have successfully consolidated their food safety programs. In doing so, these countries have reduced duplication of efforts, streamlined jurisdictions, and removed the appearance of a conflict of interest between agricultural marketing and food safety.

The solution

The United States should have taken the advice of its own experts decades ago.

Representative DeLauro and Senator Durbin, the US food safety system is badly broken. What you are proposing is to apply a Band-Aid when what is needed is an organ transplant.

Instead of splitting the current FDA into two separate components, you should be proposing a single, unified, stronger Food Safety Administration. One with enough muscle to claim a seat at the cabinet table.

It’s time to “go big or go home.”

Learn more about a variety of food safety issues in TAINTED. From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate, Fifty Years of Food Safety Failures, now available in digital, print and audiobook editions.

TAINTED formats 3
“Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News

Recalls and Alerts: July 11-13, 2022

TAINTED formats 3

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.

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? Click on the TAINTED menu at the top of the page to read or listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Listen to an excerpt of the new audiobook edition right here

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

United States

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION: CDC reports 23 Listeria monocytogenes illnesses in 10 states. Twenty-two people have been hospitalized and one person has died. In addition, one pregnant woman lost her unborn baby due to the illness. The outbreak has been linked to Big Olaf ice cream products. The company recently announced a product recall (see below).

Allergy Alert: FSIS issues public health alert for TRADER JOE’S CAESAR SALAD WITH WHITE CHICKEN MEAT and Creamy Caesar Dressing (9 oz. plastic clamshell containers; Lot code GHNW 186-06; Best by 07/11/22 and 07/12/22) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert: Tovala recalls Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowl and Gochujang-Glazed Salmon Bowl (Enjoy By dates between 7/11/22 through 7/14/22) due to undeclared peanuts.

Food Safety Recall: Belfonte Dairy recalls “Chocolate to Die For” Premium Ice Cream (1.5 quarts; Plant code 25-050; Use by 05/18/24) due to undeclared peanuts.

Food Safety Recall: Big Olaf Creamery recalls Big Olaf brand ice cream products (All flavors, lots, codes, and all expiration dates through 6/30/2022) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The product was sold at Big Olaf retailers in Florida as well as to consumers in restaurants and senior homes, and one location in Fredericksburg, Ohio.

Food Safety Recall: Enjoy Life Natural Brands LLC recalls multiple baked snack products due to foreign material contamination (hard plastic pieces). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Pet Treat Safety Recall: Stormberg Foods recalls Beg & Barker Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, Billo’s Best Friend Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, and Green Coast Pets Chicken Crisps Dog Treat products (Various sizes; All batch codes; Expiry dates from 06/06/23 to 06/23/23) due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Canada

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION: The Public Health Agency of Canada is investigating a non-travel related outbreak of Cyclospora in British Columbia (1 case), Ontario (75 cases) and Quebec (8 cases). Four people have been hospitalized. The source of the outbreak is undetermined at this time.

Allergy Alert: UNFI Canada Inc. recalls That’s It. brand Dark Chocolate Fig Truffles (100g; Batch code 12 14 23; UPC 8 50013 71693 7) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall: Covic International Trading Inc. recalls Enoki Mushrooms (200g; Batch code AF009D; Date code 25 07 2022; UPC 8 807076 001496) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Jumbo Supermarkten recalls Jumbo Aardappelsalade met ei / Potato salad with egg (400g; Lot 712722; Best before  27/07/2022) due to undeclared mustard.

Allergy Alert (France): Barilla France SAS recalls Barilla brand LASAGNE n.189 COLLEZIONE / Lasagna dry pasta (500g; Lots I12414282 & I12414292; Best before 20/09/2023 & 21/09/2023, respectively) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (France): BOLTON FOOD recalls Saupiquet brand Les Saladières – Taboulé – Salade végétarienne / Vegetarian taboula salad (220g; Lot L-21-063-E; Best before 04/03/2024) due to undeclared fish.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): FSAI warns consumers that Dunnes Stores White Sub Rolls (290g; Best before 17/07/2022) contains undeclared milk and eggs.

Allergy Alert (Italy): REVOLUTION S.r.l. recalls REVOLUTION brand GRISSONCELLI ALL’ OLIO (12 pieces; Lot 190522; Best before 19/11/22) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert (Italy): REVOLUTION S.r.l. recalls REVOLUTION brand RUSTICHELLI (12 pieces; Lot 130522; Best before 13/11/22) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert (Italy): REVOLUTION S.r.l. recalls REVOLUTION brand MIX SFOGLIA / Bulk mix (12500g bag; Lots 050422 & 270422; Best before 05/04/23 & 27/04/23) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Jumbo recalls Jumbo Aardappelsalade met ei / Potato salad with egg (400g; Lot 712722; Best before  27/07/2022) due to undeclared mustard.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delhaize recalls Delhaize brand COQARDENNE Chipolata de poulet / chicken sausage (Lots 485394, 485862 & 485598; Expiration dates 12/07/2022, 13/07/2022 & 14/07/2022, respectively) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Albert Heijn recalls AH houdbare halfvolle melk / Shelf-stable, part-skimmed milk (6x200ml; Lot 513867 E; Best before 27-11-2022) due to Bacillus cereus contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): METRO FRANCE recalls METRO CHEF brand Gnocchi de pommes de terre / Potato gnocchi (1 kg; Lot 1442; Use by 23/07/2022) due to possible Bacillus cereus contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): AUCHAN recalls STEAK HACHE DE BOEUF / Ground beef steak (Sold between 01/07/2022 and 13/07/2022) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): FRANSAL recalls CRAYON CHORIZO / Mini dry sausages (500g; Lot 0640202191; Best before dates between 11/09/2022 and 13/10/2022) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): SILVE INTERMARCHE recalls ADELIE COLOSSE FACON GRANOLA / Ice cream on a stick, with granola (4-pack; Lots 040 22, 104 22 & 167 22; Best before 07/08/2024, 10/10/2024 & 12/12/2024, respectively) due to potential foreign matter contamination (wood splinters).

Food Safety Recall (France): SOCIETE NOUVELLE GAST recalls Gast brand TETE ROULEE PISTACHEE / Head cheese with pistachios (2 slices/pkg; Lot 22178; Multiple Use-by dates) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France) Aldi recalls PAYS GOURMAND brand VIANDE HACHEE PUR BOEUF, 5% / Pure ground beef, 5% fat (300g; Lots 22333351 & 22333366; Use by 21/06/2022) due to possible shigatoxin-producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): EDEKA ZENTRALE Stiftung & Co. KG recalls EDEKA Bio MY VEGGIE Salatmayonnaise / Organic salad mayonnaise (250 ml; Best before 14.11.2022) due to possible foreign matter contamination (pieces of glass).

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Kaadan Alshalati, Ahmad Feras recalls Sesame Tahini Algota (800g; Lot 1066; Best before 01/2023) due to Salmonella spp. and Salmonella Mbankada contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Iceland): Lagsmaður ehf / Fiska.is recalls TRS Hot Madras Curry (100g; Product of India) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Romania): Mega Image recalls H VAN WIJNEN SOMON CARPACCIO / Salmon Carpaccio (120g; Lot 86BK/221405; Expiration dates 07.06.2022 & 10.06.20220) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Israel): AG Gilro recalls Waffle Crunch filled with walnut flavored cream (150g; Expiration date 05.07.2023) due to undeclared walnut traces.

Allergy Alert (Israel): A. Biscotti Ltd. recalls Chocolate Cookies (240g; Use by 06/08/2022) due to undeclared walnut.