Author: Phyllis Entis

Foodbuglady Takes A Break

I’ll be taking a short holiday for the next week. While I’m recharging my batteries, I am following my usual practice of reviving some of my favorite posts. This time, I’ve decided to focus on a series of posts that resulted from a 2009 visit to San Francisco – one of my favorite cities.

Please join me on a food tour of San Francisco, including the Farmers’ Market, held every Saturday at the Ferry Terminal, located at the foot of Market Street.

Regular eFoodAlert posts will resume on August 10, 2012.

Recalls and Alerts: August 1, 2012

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: Interior Alaska Fish Processors, Inc. (Fairbanks, AK) recalls Santa’s Smokehouse Gourmet Smoked Salmon (Batch #408 through #457; All batches processed since December 2011 with labels indicating that the products can be kept under refrigeration), due to possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled products were distributed in and around the Fairbanks area, and sold online through the company web site.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: Albertsons advises its customers that products recalled by GH Foods because they contain yellow onions that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes were sold at Albertsons stores in California and Nevada.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: FDA posts detailed list of products recalled by Garden-Fresh Foods because they contain onions from Gills Onions that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. California Department of Public Health reports that products recalled by Garden-Fresh Foods were sold in Target stores across California.
  • Food Safety Recall: San Miguel Produce, Inc. (Oxnard, CA) recalls Cut ‘N Clean, Comfort (Cooking) Greens Kits (24-oz clamshell container; UPC 028764000616; run number-best used by dates of 20260-07/25/12, 20260-07/26/12, 20340-07/27/12, 20437-07/30/12, 20546-08/02/12, 20651-08/03/12, 20756-08/06/12, and 20756-08/07/12), because the products contain onions from Gills Onions, which has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled Kits were distributed July 13, 2012 through July 17, 2012 to retail stores in Arizona, California, Iowa and Nevada.
  • Food Safety Recall: Garden Fresh Foods (Milwaukee, WI) recalls various meat and poultry salad products, because the salads contain diced onions recalled by Gill Onions due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the USDA recall notice for a detailed list of impacted products.
  • OTC Drug Safety Recall: DUKAL Corporation recalls selected lots of Zee Antiseptic Swabs, Med 2 ply (50/box, 36 boxes/case; Item #0204), Zee Antiseptic Swab, Med 2 ply (100/box, 20 bx/cs; Item #0271), Dukal BZK Swab, Med 2 ply NS (1/pch, 200/box, 20 bx/cs; Item #854), Zee Antiseptic Swab, Med 2 ply (50/box, 36 bx/cs; Item #02040), Zee Antiseptic Swab, Med 2 ply (10/bx, 10bx/bdl, 6 bdl/cs: Item #2633) and Dukal BZK Swab Med 2 ply NS (1/pch, 1000/bx, 4 bx/cs; Item #854-1000), because the swabs may be contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia. The recalled benzalkonium chloride antiseptic swabs and wipes were manufactured for DUKAL by Jianerkang Medical Dressing Co. Please refer to the recall notice for a list of affected lot codes.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Healthcare Food Services Inc.  recalls HFS Carrot Minced, bulk (5 x 1.0 kg; Daycode 2171-1; Expiry date 3170; UPC 1 0062373 61000 9), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled product was distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutions in Ontario and Quebec.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a suspected food poisoning outbreak involving 10 persons who developed diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain about 10 to 25 hours after dining at a restaurant in Tsuen Wan on July 24th.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert (New South Wales, Australia): Patrons of Sumo Salad (Westpac Place, Kent St., Sydney) who ate food bought between Wednesday July 11th and Thursday July 26th may have been exposed to hepatitis A. A food handler who prepared salad at Sumo Salad has been diagnosed with the Hepatitis A virus. A free vaccine clinic will be held at Sydney Hospital for people who ate salad or sandwiches from Sumo Salad, Westpac Place between Thursday 19 July and Thursday 26 July. Individuals who purchased food from Sumo Salad between July 11th and July 18th should see their doctor if they develop symptoms; it is too late for the hepatitis A vaccine to be effective in these individuals. Please refer to the NSW Hepatitis A Alert for additional details.

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 web site.

*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: July 31, 2012

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: Ken’s Foods, Inc. recalls Ken’s Tartar Sauce (4/1-gal containers; MFG 09/JUL/12), Ken’s Tartar Sauce (100/1.5oz cups; EXP 011313), Dickey’s BBQ Bean (10/48oz pouches; USE BY 11MAR13), Golden Corral Tartar (4/1-gal containers; MFT 17/JUL/12), Lee’s Cole Slaw (14/40oz pouches; MFT 23JUL12) and Fatz Tartar Sauce (4/1-gal containers; MFT 23/JUL/12), because these items contain onions from Gills Onions, which may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were supplied to distribution centers, private label customers and brokers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
  • Food Safety Recall: Garden-Fresh Foods recalls various ready-to-eat salads, slaw, salsa, bean and dip products sold under various brands and code dates, because the products may contain onions from Gills Onions, which may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were sold in various size containers (8oz to 8 pound packages) and were distributed to retail stores and food services in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona and California. Affected brands include Acme, Chef’s Kitchen, Copperwood Kitchens, Dairy Fresh, Finest Traditions, GArden-Fresh, Grandpas, Marsh’s, Archer Farms, Market Pantry, Our Own, Rogges, Roundy’s, Spartan, Spoon River and Weis.
  • Food Safety Recall: Roundy’s Supermarkets Inc. withdraws Fresh Sour Cream Dill Dip and Fresh Salsa (Code dates 8/19 to 9/3, 2012), due to a “health risk.” The products were sold in the Deli Department in Copps, Mariano’s Fresh Market, Metro Market, Pick ‘n Save, and Rainbow stores.
  • Food Safety Recall: Schnucks Markets, Inc. recalls the following salads and sandwich wedges (sold from the Delis, Food Bars and Chef’s Express departments at Schnucks, Logli and Hilander stores), because they contain onions from Gills Onions that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes: Italian Pasta Salad (Sell by dates between 8/17/2012 and 8/20/2012), Greek Pasta Salad (Sell by dates between 8/13/2012 and 8/17/2012), Taco Pasta Salad (Sell by dates between 8/14/2012 and 8/20/2012), Tomato Mozzarella Salad (Sell by dates between 8/14/2012 and 8/20/2012), Egg Salad (Sell by dates between 8/8/2012 and 8/15/2012), Egg Salad Sandwich Wedge – White Bread (Sell by dates between 8/8/2012 and 8/15/2012) and Egg Salad Sandwich Wedge – Wheat Bread (Sell by dates between 8/8/2012 and 8/15/2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Schnucks Markets, Inc. recalls the following salads (2-lb tubs; Expiration date 8/15/12; sold from the Meat Department at Schnucks, Logli and Hilander stores), because they contain onions from Gills Onions that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes: Potato Salad (UPC 1159624200), Mustard Potato Salad (UPC 1159624215), Cole Slaw (UPC 1159624203) and Macaroni Salad (UPC 1159624210).
  • Food Withdrawal: Reser’s Fine Foods and Spartan Stores, Inc. withdraw Spartan Brand Macaroni & Cheese side dish (6oz and 20oz; All lot codes), because the product has incorrect nutritional values listed on the back of the sleeve as well as an incorrect claim of “made with real cheddar cheese”. There is no cheddar cheese in the recipe.
  • Food Recall: Food City reports a recall of Eat Smart Snap Pea (8 oz). No reason is given.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns United Nutrition Labs, Inc. (Reedsville, PA) that a December 2011/January 2012 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement manufacturing facility revealed a failure to comply with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for Dietary Supplements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns H&L Jerch Sales, Inc., dba Bell Lifestyle Products, Inc. (South Haven, MI) that a February/March 2012 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement labeling and distribution facility found significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for dietary supplements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Vienna Beauty Products (Dayton, OH) that an October-December 2011 inspection of the company’s cosmetic manufacturing facility found insanitary conditions. In addition, an analysis of a sample of Triple Lanolin Aloe Vera Foot Scrub collected during the inspection revealed significant microbial contamination, namely a high Aerpbic Plate Count, and the presence of the bacterial pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia multivorans/B. cepacia group.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: CDC reports that the Salmonella Montevideo outbreak that is linked to live baby poultry from Estes Hatchery in Springfield, Missouri has grown to 76 confirmed case-patients in 22 states. Seventeen people have been hospitalized. One of the 76 patients died, but the Salmonella infection was not considered to be a contributing factor in the person’s death.

Canada

  • Outbreak Alert (Ontario): CBC News reports a second Clostridium difficile outbreak at a Hamilton hospital. Four confirmed cases of C. difficile have been reported from the surgical trauma unit of Hamilton General. This outbreak is thought to be unrelated to the outbreak at St. Joseph’s Hospital (Charlton campus).

Europe

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 web site.

*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.