Author: Phyllis Entis

Recalls and Alerts: January 25, 2013

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.

United States

  • Allergy Alert Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for Applegate® Naturals Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets (8-oz cartons), recalled by King’s Delight due to undeclared wheat.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Stallings Head Cheese Co., Inc. recalls Richard’s Hog Head Cheese (10-oz pkg; Est #2257; Use by 2 1 2013 or 3 20 2013; Produced November 1, 2012 and December 19, 2012 respectively), after hog head cheese from this establishment were linked to a recent cluster of six Salmonella Uganda illnesses in Louisiana. Illness onset dates ranged from october 16, 2012 to November 10, 2012; four patients confirmed having eaten this brand of head cheese. Four of nine retail samples from different production dates have tested positive for Salmonella; however, tests to determine whether the outbreak strain of Salmonella Uganda was recovered from the retail samples are not yet complete. The recalled products were shipped to a distribution center for retail distribution in Louisiana and Southeastern Texas, and were sold at Brookshire’s food and pharmacy and Super1Foods & Discount Pharmacy . USDA has not yet released a retail distribution list for this recall.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Jouni Meats, Inc. (Sterling Heights, MI) recalls various size packages of ground beef (Produced between Dec 4, 2012 and Dec 9, 2012), after consumption of ground beef from Joumi Meats and Gab Halal Foods was linked to an outbreak of  16 Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses in Arizona (1), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (9) and Wisconsin (3). Illness onset dates ranged from December 9, 2012 to January 7, 2013. Seven of the outbreak victims reported having eaten a raw ground beef dish at the same restaurant before becoming ill. The restaurant had acquired the raw beef from Joumi Meats and Gab Halal Foods.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Gab Halal Foods (Troy, MI) recalls various size packages of ground beef (Produced between Dec 4, 2012 and Dec 9, 2012), after consumption of ground beef from Joumi Meats and Gab Halal Foods was linked to an outbreak of  16 Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses in Arizona (1), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (9) and Wisconsin (3). Illness onset dates ranged from December 9, 2012 to January 7, 2013. Seven of the outbreak victims reported having eaten a raw ground beef dish at the same restaurant before becoming ill. The restaurant had acquired the raw beef from Joumi Meats and Gab Halal Foods.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: The California Department of Public Health releases a state-wide list of retailers that were supplied with Hunt’s Tomato Sauce (Regular and No Salt Added), recalled by ConAgra Foods due to a defective inner can lining.
  • Personal Care Product Recall: The Procter & Gamble Company recalls Crest 3D White Arctic Fresh Rinse (946 ml; Lot 22155395RF; UPC 37000-84023), due to a cloudy appearance, according to information posted by Haggen Northwest Fresh and TOP Food and Drug.
  • Food Safety Enforcement Action: FDA and Jonlly Fruits, Inc. (Puerto Rico) enter into consent decree of permanent injunction prohibiting distribution of fruit and juice products sold under Jonlly’s own label, as well as “Natural Tropic,” “Selectos,” and several other private-label brands. Under the decree, Jonlly agrees to cease all operations until they comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including Current Good Manufacturing Practices and the juice HACCP regulations.
  • Pet Treat Safety Withdrawal: The Hartz Mountain Corporation withdraws Hartz® Chicken Chews™ and Hartz® Oinkies® Pig Skin Twists wrapped with Chicken, because the dog treats contain trace amounts of an unapproved antibiotic residue.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: King’s Processing Ltd. recalls a variety of Subs, Wraps and Sandwiches sold under the Savoury Express and Sub Delicious brands, in addition to an unbranded 5-pack Value Sub (various package sizes and Best before dates), due to undeclared mustard. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of affected products. The recalled products were supplied to retailers in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Ireland): The Health Store recalls various products sold from The Health Store shops and other health food stores, due to undeclared milk and/or sulphites. Please refer to the Food Allergen Alert for a complete list of affected products and Best before dates.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Hainich Konserven GmbH recalls Hainich Cherry Preserves (370 mL; Best before 17.07.2015), after receiving a consumer complaint regarding glass fragments.
  • Food Safety Recall (Switzerland): Migros Zurich recalls Gorgonzola Cremoso oro (approx. 250g; Article No. 2125.838.220.00), Gorgonzola Cremoso oro (approx. 250g; Article No. 2125.848.260.00), Gorgonzola Mascarpone Cremoso oro (approx. 250g; Article No. 2125.820.000.00) Gorgonzola Dolce, sold at cheese stalls (Article No. 2125.840.065.00) Gorgonzola Piccante, sold at cheese stalls (Article No. 2125.839.065), and Gorgonzola Mascarpone, sold at cheese stalls (Article No. 2125.818.025), after Listeria was found in two types of gorgonzola. The recalled cheeses were sold at Migros Zurich: Zurich canton, Glaris canton, and several points of sale in Saint-Gall canton.
  • Contact Lens Safety Recall (Spain): Johnson & Johnson Medical Iberia recalls 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST® contact lenses (Lot 2054895620) and ACUVUE® ADVANCE® WITH HYDRACLEAR contact lenses (Lot B00DJPQ), due to the possibility of an incomplete seal, which could compromise the sterility of the contact lenses.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Australia): Three additional cases of listeriosis have been reported in New South Wales among people who consumed soft cheeses recalled by Jindi Cheese Company. The new cases bring the total number of cases to 21, nationwide. A woman in New South Wales miscarried after contracting listeriosis, and two deaths have been reported in other states among those affected by the outbreak.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall website.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.

Recalls and Alerts: January 24, 2013

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.

United States

  • Food Safety Recall: ConAgra Foods (Omaha, NE) recalls Hunt’s Tomato Sauce (8-oz cans; Best by JUL 23 2014, JUL 24 2014, AUG 29 2014, AUG 30 2014, and OCT 08 2014) and Hunt’s Tomato Sauce No Salt Added (8-0z cans; Best by JUL 23 2014, AUG 29 2014, OCT 07 2014, and OCT 08 2014) that were packaged in cans containing a defect in the inner lining. The can defect may cause the can to swell and the product to spurt out when opened. The recalled product was supplied to retail food stores and distributors in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
  • Food Safety Update: Missouri has reinstated the plant license for Homestead Creamery (Jamesport, MO) following a reinspection carried out by the State Milk Board.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Food Processing Development Centre recalls the following foods, prepared for Siwin Foods Ltd., due to undeclared soy, wheat, and/or crustacean/shellfish: Pork, vegetable and chives dumplings (2 kg; Lot B011), Korean Kim Chi pork dumplings (2 kg; Lot B047), Japanese style pork and beef dumplings (2 kg; Lot B138), Vegetable and chicken dumplings (2 kg; Lot B172), Chicken and vegetable potstickers (2 kg; Lot B143), Pork and chives potstickers (2 kg; Lot B208), Pork and vegetable potstickers (2 kg; Lot B118), Beef and celery potstickers (2 kg; Lot B039), Pork and mushroom potstickers (2 kg; Lot B209), and Pork and vegetable dumplings (2 kg; Lot B011). The recalled products were supplied to retailers in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Prestige Brands recalls Infants’ Little Remedies for Fevers (Lot 3742), because some bottles may contain less than the claimed amount of acetaminophen. The recalled product was supplied to retailers across Canada, including Walmart and Shoppers Drug Mart.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong/Thailand): The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection is investigating two suspected food poisoning clusters involving 13 persons who ate at a Bangkok, Thailand restaurant. The first ground includes four males and five females who lunched at the restaurant on January 17th; the second group – one man and three women – ate at the same restaurant on January 20th. All of the outbreak victims complained of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, malaise, chills and dizziness about six to 28 hours after eating at the Bangkok restaurant.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): The Ministry for Primary Industries announces a recall of the following ‘Jindi’ brand cheeses, imported from Australia, due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination: Jindi Blue (2 kg wheel; Batch code WW22110; Best before 04.01.2013), Jindi Deluxe Blue (120g; Batch code VW191010; Best before 25.12.2012), Jindi Camembert (200g; Batch code 70111; Best before 18.01.2013), Jindi Classic Camembert (1 kg wheel; Batch code 140111; Best before 21.01.2013), Old Telegraph Road Fire Engine Red (1 kg wheel; Batch code 131610; Best before 28.12.2012), Jindi Brie (3 kg wheel; Batch code 243110; Best before 18.01.2013) and Jindi Triple Cream Brie (1.5 kg log; Batch code 40511; Best before 24.01.2013). Jindi cheeses have been implicated in an outbreak of listeriosis in Australia. The recalled cheeses were sold under the Jindi, Old Telegraph Road and Top Paddock brands between December 2012 and January 2013 at Kosher Co-op (Wellington Jewish Community Centre), New World (Wellington City), Farro Fresh Foods (Constellation Drive and Grey Lynn stores, Auckland) and On-Trays Ltd (Petone, Wellington).

Latin America and the Caribbean

Food Safety Recall

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall website.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.

Profiling Yersinia enterocolitica

Yersinia enterocolitica can grow at temperatures as low as 32º to 36ºF (0º to 2ºC).

Some history

Yersinia enterocolitica was first discovered to be a human pathogen in 1939; however, it was only recognized as a cause of food-borne disease in the 1970’s.

What is Yersinia enterocolitica, and where is its natural habitat?

Yersinia enterocolitica is cold-tolerant and can grow slowly in refrigerated food. It has been detected in many kinds of animals, and in surface waters. The serotypes that most frequently cause human disease are most likely to be found in the mouth and intestinal tract of healthy pigs, although the microbe has been detected in a variety of meats, milk, other dairy products, seafood and environmental waters.

How is Yersinia enterocolitica transmitted? What is the incubation period of the infection?

The disease is transmitted when an individual consumes food or water contaminated by one of the pathogenic strains of the bacterium. Two past outbreaks involved children who ate raw chitterlings (raw pork intestines), a traditional winter holiday dish among members of the African-American community. The incubation period can range from one day to 11 days.

What is yersiniosis? How long does it take to develop?

Yersinia enterocolitica infections in younger children usually result in enterocolitis – diarrhea, low-grade fever and abdominal pain. In older children and young adults, the infection may produce symptoms that resemble appendicitis. Symptoms typically require from one to 11 days to develop.

What are the symptoms of Yersinia enterocolitica infections?

Symptoms may include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and vomiting. The severity of the symptoms depends upon the age of the victim and the size of the dose. The disease symptoms last from one to three weeks in most cases.

What is the prognosis of a Yersinia enterocolitica infection?

Most infections are self-limiting; however, complications and secondary illnesses can include appendicitis, arthritis, erythema nodosum, bacteremia, or extraintestinal infections. Among individuals who develop bacteremia (infection of the bloodstream), the fatality rate is 34-50%.

What foods carry Yersinia enterocolitica?

Yersinia enterocolitica has been found in meats (beef, poultry, lamb and, especially pork), milk and other dairy products, and seafood. Many – but not all – of the strains found in food are not pathogenic to humans.

How can people protect themselves from Yersinia enterocolitica infections?

Yersinia enterocolitica is killed during pasteurization of milk and by normal cooking procedures. Ways to minimize the risk of contracting an infection include:

  • Always cook pork, beef, lamb and poultry thoroughly, to an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC)
  • Take care to avoid contact between raw meat juices and foods that are ready-to-eat, including cooked meats, side dishes, salads and desserts
  • Wash and sanitize hands, utensils and work surfaces after working with any raw meat
  • Avoid consuming raw milk and dairy products made using unpasteurized milk
  • Avoid drinking untreated water
  • Always wash hands after touching a pet or barnyard animal
  • Do not allow toddlers and young children to play with pets or barnyard animals unsupervised.

For more information on Yersinia enterocolitica and other food-borne pathogens, visit the CDC website or read Food Safety: Old Habits, New Perspectives.