Author: Phyllis Entis

Recalls and Alerts: March 31-April 1, 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

Allergy Alert: Giant Eagle, Inc. recalls Happy Face Cookies (Pack of 4; sell by dates through 04/01/22) due to undeclared milk. The recalled cookies were sold in two Ohio Giant Eagle supermarkets in Geneva and Ashtabula.

Food Safety Alert: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is advising consumers to avoid purchasing or eating Ocean Mist Farms brand Romaine Hearts / Coeurs de laitue Romaine (22oz; Lot 22RHDM2L; Harvest date MAR 10; grown in Coachella, CA; sourced from Ocean Mist Farms of Castroville, CA) due to Cyclospora contamination.

Canada

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION: The Public Health Agency of Canada is investigating an outbreak of 279 cases of norovirus and gastrointestinal illness linked to the consumption of oysters from British Columbia. Cases have been reported in B.C. (262), Alberta (1), Saskatchewan (1), and Ontario (15). This investigation has led to multiple recalls of oysters. See the most recent recall notice, below.

Food Safety Recall: Daily Fresh Shellfish Inc. recalls certain Daily Fresh Shellfish Inc. brand Oysters due to possible Norovirus contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products. These oysters may be linked to an outbreak of foodborne disease.

Food Safety Recall: Gastronomia Roberto recalls ARRABIATA SAUCE TOMATE PIQUANTE / Spicy tomato sauce (1 L; Sold up to 31 March 2022) due to potential food safety hazard.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Carrefour recalls Carrefour brand SAUCE AMERICAINE (300 ml; Lot DE 22 BNP; Best before 14/02/2023) due to undeclared celery.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Tayaba group / AYAM FOOD recalls AL Hussein brand Boulgour fin rouge / Fine red bulgur (800g carton; Best before 31/10/2020) due to undeclared wheat.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): AFSCA orders recall of Xoai Say Deo – Dried Mango (Lot TO8D21; Best before 30/11/2022) due to undeclared sulphites.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): GELATERIA JOHN JOHN recalls John John brand Glace Cookies / Cookie ice cream (480 ml; All lot and date codes) due to undeclared eggs and hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (Germany): WSF Fischfeinkost GmbH recalls NADLER Garnelen Salat mit Cocktail-Creme / Shrimp salad with cocktail cream (125g; Lot #L443; Best before 22.04.2022) due to undeclared shrimp, cream, sodium metabisulphite, fish, soy, celery, sesame and gluten.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): FSAI reports that Xoài Sấy Dẻo Dried Mango (75g; Batch code TO8D21; Best before 30/11/2022) contains undeclared sulphites.

Allergy Alert (Italy): Laboratoire PYC SAS recalls TISANOREICA GIANLUCA MECH brand Preparato alimentare tipo zuppa al gusto verdure / Vegetable flavoured soup (4 x 34g; Lot 21S3-03388; Best before 01/2024) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Italy): Laboratoire PYC SAS recalls TISANOREICA GIANLUCA MECH brand  KIT INTENSIVA, Contenete Preparato alimentare tipo zuppa al gusto verdure / Vegetable flavoured soup kit (4 x 34g; Lot 220207; Best before 06/2023) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Italy): Laboratoire PYC SAS recalls TISANOREICA GIANLUCA MECH brand  KIT INTENSIVA, Contenete Preparato alimentare tipo zuppa al gusto verdure / Vegetable flavoured soup kit (4 x 34g; Lot 220214, 220221; Best before 10/2023) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Albert Heijn recalls AH Excellent paastartelettes / Easter Tartlettes (Best before 07-04-2022) due to undeclared almonds and pistachios.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): La Ferme Champignol recalls three dairy products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): TADAL recalls Kerem brand Figues séchées / Dried figs (250g; Lot 21003123; Best before 25/11/2022) due to ochratoxin contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Products and Brands Group recalls Organix Cheese & Onion Dragon Claws Chips (60g / 4 x 15g; Lot L1403; Best before 06/06/2022) due to possible mycotoxin contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Fa. Kosebate GmbH recalls Alburj – Halva mit extra Pistazien / Halvah with extra pistachios and Alburj – Halva mit Pistazien / Halvah with pistachios (400g & 800g; Production dates 01.01.2021-31.03.2022) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Centra recalls Centra Hot Smoked BBQ Salmon (200g; Use by 01/04/2022; Product of Norway) because the packages contain raw salmon darnes, which require cooking.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Products and Brands Group recalls Organix Cheese & Onion Dragon Claws Chips (60g / 4 x 15g; Lot L1403; Best before 06/06/2022) due to possible mycotoxin contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Skopos recalls AB (Alfa-Beta) brand Manouri Grecque AOP Cheese (200g; Best before 03/06/2022) due to shigatoxin producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Spain): Manufacturer recalls Vicente Lopez PIG’S HEAD I – COOKED AND FRIED PORK MEAT (200g; Batch nos. 22501 and 22502; Expiry date April 15, 2022) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Village Quality Products recalls Al Burj Halwa Pistachio (400g & 800g; Production date 07 February 2021) due to Salmonella contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert Update (Israel): Holy Cocoa expands earlier recall to include additional products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): George Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd recalls Ploughmans Bakery brand Country Grains Bread (750g; Best before 02APR22 and 03APR22) due to foreign matter contamination (plastic).

Multiple Cronobacter strains in Abbott plant

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified five different strains of Cronobacter sakazakii in environmental samples collected during an inspection of Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan production plant.

In a March 31, 2022, update to its outbreak investigation report, the FDA stated that four of the strains were recovered from samples taken by the agency’s team of inspectors. The fifth strain was from a sample collected by the firm.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has completed a whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the Cronobacter sakazakii cultures obtained from two of the four infected infants.

Neither of the clinical cultures matched any of the five strains found in Abbott’s production environment.

Outbreak and recall

The FDA’s investigation of Abbott’s manufacturing facility was triggered by four reports of infants who had become infected with Cronobacter sakazakii after having been fed a powdered infant formula manufactured by Abbott Nutrition.

The first report was received by the FDA on September 6, 2021. The most recent illness began on January 4, 2022.

Two of the four infected infants have died.

According to the FDA, Cronobacter sakazakii infection “may have contributed” to their deaths.

Abbott Nutriton initiated a product recall on February 12, 2022. The recall was expanded on February 28, 2022.

Cronobacter sakazakii is a cause of necrotizing enterocolitis and meningitis in newborns, and is often fatal. In older babies, children and adults, this opportunistic pathogen can cause respiratory infections and sepsis.

Symptoms in newborns include fever, rapid heart rate, seizures and other neurological abnormalities.

The investigation

The FDA’s in-depth inspection of the Abbott’s manufacturing plant began on January 31, 2022 and was completed on March 18th.

The Inspectional Observations report (FDA Form 483) issued at the end of the inspection listed eight pages of infractions and deficiencies.

One of the most serious observations related to the maintenance of the company’s spray-drying equipment.

On reviewing the company’s own documentation, the FDA inspection team noted “a history of internal deterioration [of the dryers] dating back to September 2018.“

According to the records of the most recent dryer inspections, carried out in August 2021, two different dryers showed six instances each of cracks, pits, and/or damage in the main chamber.

A further example of improper maintenance was documented by three separate work orders during the course of a year for repair of a “water event” at the same inlet to a spray-dryer. The work orders were issued on February 1, 2021, November 4, 2021, and January 21, 2022.

History repeats

A parallel can be drawn between the dryer maintenance issues at Abbott and a similar situation in Australia in the 1970s.

In 1977, powdered infant formula manufactured by three different companies was determined to be the source of a number of Salmonella Bredeney infections in the state of Victoria, Australia.

All three companies obtained their powdered milk from the same manufacturer.

When inspectors visited the powdered milk supplier’s manufacturing plant, they discovered that the interior of the cone-shaped base of the spray dryer had developed several cracks.

The company tried to repair the cracks by welding them shut. When the welds failed, the company continued to use the spray dryer, but simply discarded the powder that collected in the base of the drying chamber.

Environmental samples from the interior of the spray-dryer determined that its fiberglass insulation material had become saturated with Salmonella.

Abbott responds

In an update posted on the company’s website, Abbott responded to the FDA’s report by reassuring consumers of its cooperation with the FDA, while at the same time emphasizing that the strains of Cronobacter sakazakii found in the production environment did not match those recovered from the infected infants.

Abbott has “already begun implementing corrective actions and enhancements at the facility, leveraging new technology and strengthening our processes, to give parents and customers renewed confidence in the quality of manufacturing at our Sturgis plant when we restart operations there,” according to the company’s statement.

Who to contact for more information

If you want to check if your powdered formula is part of the recall, you can enter the product lot code on the bottom of your package on the company’s website.

If you have questions for the FDA or need information about the recall, you can Submit Questions/Get Assistance. 

If your infant is experiencing symptoms related to Cronobacter infection, such as poor feeding, irritability, temperature changes, jaundice, grunting breaths, or abnormal body movements, contact your health care provider to report their symptoms and receive immediate care.

To report an illness or adverse event, you can

Learn more about the history of Cronobacter sakazakii and other foodborne disease microbes in TAINTED. From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate, Fifty Years of Food Safety Failures.

TAINTED is available in digital and audiobook editions from all major on-line retailers or in print edition from Amazon.

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

Recalls and Alerts: March 26-30, 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: FDA announces an investigation into “unconfirmed adverse event reports received from January 2021 to March 2022 that may be associated with an FDA-regulated food product.” No further details were offered.

Allergy Alert: Wilton Industries, Inc. recalls Ready to Build Chocolate Cookie Bunny Hutch Kit (Lots 22005, 22006 and 22007; UPC 0070896117274) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall: Liberty Fruit Company, Inc. recalls Liberty Fruit Company, Inc. and Carol’s Cuts brand Fruit Medley, Fruit Tray, Fruit Salad, Cantaloupe Chunks, Hawaiian Blend, and Melon Medley fruit trays containing cantaloupe (Expiration dates from 3/21/2022 to 3/26/2022; multiple UPCs) due to possible Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected package sizes and UPCs.

Food Safety Recall: Skippy Foods, LLC recalls four Skippy Peanut Butter varieties due to possible foreign matter contamination ( small fragment of stainless steel from a piece of manufacturing equipment). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation recalls Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corp brand Oysters due to possible Norovirus contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, and Ontario and may have been distributed in other provinces and territories. There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Food Safety Recall: Taylor Shellfish Canada ULC dba Fanny Bay Oysters recalls certain Taylor Shellfish Canada ULC brand Oysters due to possible Norovirus contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were sold in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec and may have been distributed in other provinces and territories. There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Food Safety Recall: Le Marchand Traiteur (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC) recalls several products that may present a health hazard when consumed. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Europe

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION UPDATE (France): Santé Publique France is investigating 75 reports of severe haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) due to infection with a shigatoxin-producing E. coli, an increase of 14 cases since the last report. The illnesses are associated with consumption of Buitoni brand Fraîch’Up frozen pizzas. Please refer to the investigation update for additional details about the outbreak and the related product recall.

Allergy Alert (France): TANG FRERES recalls HANAMI brand Craquelins saveur crevettes / Shrimp-flavoured crackers (15g & 60g; All lots and date codes) due to undeclared crustaceans, soy, wheat, milk and shellfish.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Naproz B.V. recalls Boerjan Lekker Zoet / Tasty Sweet (150g; Batch code PO-21-302; Expiry date 01-09-2023) due to undeclared gluten.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Skopos SA recalls AB brand MANOURI GRECQUE AOP cheese (200g; Best before 03/06/2022) due to shigatoxin-producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Spar Colruyt Group recalls Spar brand pistaches décortiquées / shelled pistachios (150g; Best before dates between 3/7/2022 and 30/8/2022) due to aflatoxin contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Finland): Lidl recalls Bergmann naudan minuuttisuikale / Beef strips (300g; Batch #9068062103322113 32; Expiry 21.3.2022) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): CORA BELFORT recalls Jambon cuit fumé / Cooked smoked ham (Sold between 09/03/2022 and 28/03/2022) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): SOUCHON D’AUVERGNE ALLIANCE OCEANE & CHARCUTIERE recalls Saint Agaûne Aux Cèpes édition limitée dried meat (120g; Multiple lot codes and Best before dates) due to foreign matter contamination (pebbles).

Food Safety Recall (France): GAEC du Maupas recalls various GAEC du Maupas La vache Brennouse products made with cows’ milk due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (France): FROMACOEUR recalls FROMACOEUR brand Billes de chèvre cœur de figue / Goat cheese balls with fig centres (90g; Multiple lot codes and Use by dates) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Delhaize recalls three Delhaize nut products containing pistachios due to aflatoxin contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Scratch Meals Ltd recalls Scratch Chicken & Veggie Tikka Masala with spiced brown rice (380g; Use by 27 March 2022, 28 March 2022, 29 March 2022, 30 March 2022, 31 March 2022, 1 April 2022 and 2 April 2022) due to undeclared niacin and zinc.

Food Safety Alert (UK): The Food Standards Agency warns the public not to buy or eat counterfeit ‘Wonka Bars’, which are being sold in shops and online across the country. The bars may be unsafe to eat, and may contain undeclared allergens. Any Wonka-branded chocolate which does not feature the official ‘Ferrero’ or ‘Ferrara Candy Company’ trademarks on the label is likely to be a counterfeit product, according to the FSA.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Israel): Holy Cocoa Chocolate Ltd. recalls Hazelnuts coated in excellent dark chocolate 70% (100g; Best before 1/6/22, 2/6/22) due to undeclared milk.