Recalls and Alerts: December 27 – 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: J&J Distributing recalls approximately 136 pounds of ready-to-eat salad products that contain meat due to undeclared pine nuts. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert: Dianne’s Fine Desserts recalls Sienna Turtle Brownie (Lot code 19198; Item #8495241115) due to undeclared peanuts.

Food Safety Recall: Veggie Noodle Co., LLC recalls Cece’s® Veggie Co. brand Fresh Veggie Ramen with Chicken Broth (11.5 oz; All expiration dates; UPC 5228700653) because the separately packaged egg (branded Peckish) that is included in the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Food Safety Recall: Meijer recalls Diced Eggs, Frozen (5 lb; UPC 79379900993; Sold at salad bars between Oct. 25, 2019 and Dec. 23, 2019 at two stores in Grand Rapids, MI) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

OUTBREAK ALERT / Food Safety Recall: Sprouts Unlimited recalls Clover Sprouts (4-oz pkgs; 7 32684 00013 6) after the sprouts were linked to a cluster of E. coli O103 illnesses in Iowa.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Farm Boy Inc. recalls Farm Boy White Bean & Smoked Chorizo Soup (680 mL; Product code DEDEC24; UPC 8 08912 01791 4) due to undeclared clam.

Allergy Alert: Farm Boy Inc. recalls Farm Boy Coconut Curry Lentil Soup (946 mL; Product code 20JA04; UPC 8 08912 00563 8) and Farm Boy Leek & Potato Soup (946 mL; Product code 20JA03; UPC 8 08912 00261 3) due to undeclared milk and wheat, respectively.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Imperial Meat Products recalls Aoste Bistro Patron dry sausage (230g; Lot #541076; Best before 16/03/2020) due to undeclared nuts.

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Amanda Seafood A / S recalls Bornholm Lobster Soup (375g; Best before 21 / 6-2022, 2 / 10-2022, 3 / 10-2022, 7 / 10-2022, 26 / 11-2022, 27 / 11-2022 and 28 / 11-2022) due to undeclared lobster and milk.

Allergy Alert (France): Industry recalls PÈRE DODU brand Canette semi-désossée farce forestière / partly deboned stuffed duckling (1.5kg; Lots 35291620 & 35391620; Best before 29/12/2019, 30/12/2019, 31/12/2019) due to undeclared wheat, milk and egg).

Food Safety Recall (Austria): Sprossenparadies GmbH recalls various organic sprouts due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Lidl Danmark K/S recalls Milbona French white mold cheese (100g; Lot #L29 513; Best before 19.01.2020 & 20.01.2020; Manufactured by JERMI KÄSEWERK GmbH) due to shigatoxin-producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Casino recalls Casino brand Terrine de Campagne – Mousse de Canard (2 x 50g; Lot #354; Best before 24/01/2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Auchan recalls Madrange brand Mousse de canard au Porto (2 x 50g; Lot #354; Best before 26 JAN) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Industry recalls FRANPRIX brand Capsules café expresso (16 capsules; 104g; Best before 23/07/2021 to 07/11/2021) and FRANPRIX Capsules café Lungo (16 capsules; 112g; Best before 23/07/2021 to 07/11/2021) due to foreign matter (plastic pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): La Société Compagnie Madrange recalls Auchan brand Mousse de canard au Porto (2x50g; Lot 352; Best before 22 – 01 – 20) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Jermi Käsewerk GmbH recalls Meine Käserei Brie de Nangis (100g; Lots L29 513 & L29 514; Best before 19.01.2020 and 20.01.2020) due to shigatoxin-producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Sprossenparadies GmbH recalls various organic sprouts due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): SALUMIFICIO BERTOLETTI SRL recalls SALAME PRIMA QUALITA’ (Lot #251019; Best before 20/04/2020) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Jermi Käsewerk GmbH recalls Milbona Selection Brie de Nangis raw milk cheese ((100g; Lots L29 513 & L29 514; Best before 19.01.2020 and 20.01.2020) due to shigatoxin-producing E. coli contamination.

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Goodman Fielder (NZ) Limited recalls Quality Baker brand Muffin Splits Cheese 6 Pack (Best before 03 Jan) due to foreign matter (plastic and metal) contamination.

Raw pet food producer hit with FDA Warning Letter

G & C Raw, LLC (G & C) needs to clean up its act according to a December 12, 2019 Warning Letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

G & C is a manufacturer of raw pet food and is based in Versailles, Ohio.

FDA inspected the G & C manufacturing facility in April and May 2019, and found several instances of insanitary practices, potential for cross-contamination, inappropriate and uncontrolled thawing conditions for frozen ingredients, and inadequate preventative controls.

Some of the practices and deficiencies highlighted in the Warning Letter include:
1. Frozen beef hearts were set out at room temperature to thaw on April 22nd, and remained at room temperature until April 24th, when they were used in the manufacture of raw Beef Veggie and Fruit Dog Food. This extended exposure to room temperature would have allowed bacteria to proliferate in the raw beef hearts.
2. An employee wearing gloves lifted a barrelG that had been resting on the floor, grabbing the bottom of the barrel with one gloved hand. Without changing to a fresh pair of gloves, that employee then used both hands to handle the raw meat ingredients, potentially transfering contaminants from the floor to the ingredients
3. An employee was observed using a cell phone while weighing open containers of raw Beef Veggie and Fruit Dog Food. The employee continued to handle the raw dog food without changing to a fresh pair of gloves.
4. An employee used a hose connected to a processing area sink to wash down a van in the parking lot, then returned the hose to the processing area for inside use.
5. Two finished product samples collected during the inspection were found to contain Listeria monocytogenes, a human and animal pathogen. One environmental sample contained Listeria grayi and Listeria innocua, non-pathogenic species that are indicators of insanitary conditions.

In addition to the problems identified during the 2019 inspection, the Warning Letter also noted that G & C pet foods analyzed in 2018 by the Ohio Department of Agriculture were found to contain Listeria monocytogenes in one instance, and Salmonella in another.

While the contaminated products were recalled by the company, FDA considered this an indication of an ongoing problem.

The FoodBugLady weighs in

Some pet food bloggers, and many consumers, are inclined to give raw pet food manufacturers the benefit of the doubt whenever a product recall is announced or an enforcement action is undertaken against such a company by FDA.

“FDA is discriminating against raw pet food,” and “FDA is discriminating against small companies who can’t fight back,” are two rallying cries I have seen in recent years.

In my opinion and experience, this is nonsense.

Conditions such as those described in the Warning Letter issued to G & C would not be tolerated in the manufacture of human food, regardless of the size of the company. Equally, they should not be tolerated in the manufacture of pet food, regardless of whether the finished product is raw, canned, or kibble.

Insanitary practices are insanitary practices, no matter where they occur or by whom they are perpetrated. There is no excuse for sloppy handling, poor supervision of employees, or unsafe holding temperatures.

Anyone who undertakes to produce a commercial food for human or for animal use must bear full responsibility for the safety of the finished products.

Consumers should – and must – demand no less.

Recalls and Alerts: December 22 – 26, 2019

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United States

Food Safety Recall: Almark Foods expands its earlier product recall to include all hard-boiled eggs manufactured at the firm’s Gainesville, Georgia facility, including all retail, pillow pack, pouch pack, frozen diced, and protein kit products, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Food Safety Recall: Bakkavor Foods USA, Inc. recalls Trader Joe’s Egg Salad (6 oz; All Use By date codes up to and including 12/27/19; UPC 0066 6695) and Trader Joe’s Old Fashioned Potato Salad (20 oz; All Use By date codes up to and including 12/27/19; UPC 0032 1747) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Dierbergs Markets recalls various products containing hard-boiled eggs supplied by Almark Foods due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Reichel Foods Inc. recalls Pro2Snax To The Max Granny Apples /Hard Boiled Egg/Cheddar/Cashew & Craisin (UPC 649632001490) and Pro2Snax To The Max Gala Apples/Hard Boiled Egg/White Cheddar/Almond & Craisin (UPC 649632001483) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Great American Deli recalls GAD #114 Egg Salad Sandwich (4.8 oz; UPC 7-41431-00114-2) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Alert (Update): FDA warns that yellowfin tuna from Truong Phu Xanh Co., LTD with a production date in 2019 should not be consumed because it may have the potential to cause scombrotoxin fish poisoning. Tuna from this supplier could have been sold thawed or frozen; and could have been sold as ground tuna meat, poke cubes, steaks, or loins; this product could still be within its shelf life. Anyone who received tuna from this supplier should not sell, serve, or consume it and should discard it.

FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns G & C Raw, LLC, a producer of raw pet food, that an inspection of the company’s facilities revealed numerous instances of improper handling of raw ingredients and finished products as well as insanitary conditions during the production and packaging of the company’s raw pet food products. As of the date of the Warning Letter, the company has not responded adequately to FDA’s concerns.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Tosuta International Sales Ltd. recalls three varieties of Lander’s Australia Shortbread Cookies due to undeclared gluten, wheat and milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: D. Tyers Foods International Inc. recalls Casa Madaio brand Burrata cheese (250g; Lot #19337; Use by 12/20/2019) due to generic E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Cyril Chocolat recalls Cyril Chocolat brand Choco Black and White (250g; Best before 30/05/2020) due to undeclared hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Jumbo Belgique recalls Jumbo Mini Burgers-Nuggets (140g; Lot #201494; Best before 16/01/2020) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Revi Food recalls Bouillon de Poisson “à l’Ostendaise” (700g; Expiry date 09/01/2020) due to undeclared celery.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Industry recalls SoFine and ProTerra brands Chicken Sticks and Vegan Nuggets due to undeclared mustard. Please refer to the recall notice for additional details on the recalled products.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Aldi recalls Cucina Green Pesto (190g; all lot codes) and Cucina Red Pesto (190g; all lot codes) due to undeclared peanut.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Jumbo recalls Jumbo Wholemeal Bread Rolls (4-pack; Best before December 29, 2019, January 12, 2020, February 9, 2020, March 8, 2020) due to undeclared mustard.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Jumbo recalls Jumbo Mini Burgers-Nuggets (140g; Lot #201494; Best before 16/01/2020) due to undeclared soy.

Food Safety Recall (Austria): Broger Bregenzerwälder Fleischwaren GmbH & Co KG recalls Rosenspeck (all best before dates from 19.01.2020) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Fresh Concept recalls Saucisson au persil / parsley sausage (150g; various lot codes and Best Before dates) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected lot codes.

Food Safety Recall (France): SAPRESTI TRAITEUR recalls SAPRESTI TRAITEUR brand Tourbillon de bloc de foie gras de canard et figues (135g; sold between 20/12/2019 and 23/12/2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany) Märsch Importhandels-GmbH recalls Ja! Mandeln gehackt / chopped almonds (100g; Best before 25.06.20) due to foreign matter (metal) contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Singapore): Cold Storage Singapore (1983) Pte Ltd. recalls Waitrose Basil Pesto Green (190g) and Waitrose Pesto Tomato (190g) due to undeclared peanut.

Allergy Alert (Israel): Ruledin food importers Ltd. recalls chocolate flavored cream coated sweet waffle (40 x 18g; Expiry dates 21/8/20, 22/8/20, 23/8/20; Product of Turkey) due to undeclared milk.

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (Australia): Daly Potato Company recalls Daly Potato Company Bacon and Dijon Gourmet Potato Salad (Use By 08/01/2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.