Author: Phyllis Entis

Guest Blog: It was a Product Pull

The following Guest Blog first appeared on Truth About Pet Food, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of its author, Susan Thixton.

Per Iams it was a Product Pull

The recall notice posted on the Price Chopper website, then promptly removed was “posted erroneously” according to a Iams Customer Service Representative. The notice that three varieties of Iams pet food tested with “elevated aflatoxin levels” wasn’t meant for public notice. It was a product pull, not a recall. Thanks to Price Chopper for doing right by petsumers or we wouldn’t have even known about this.

For those new to this website (and the truth about pet food), there is something you should be aware of. It is known in the industry as a ‘product pull’. We call it a silent recall. A product pull/silent recall is when a pet food manufacturer discovers a problem with a food – which could be serious or could be something insignificant – and in turn the pet food manufacturer alerts retail outlets to ‘pull’ the product from store shelves and return to the manufacturer.

Iams Customer Service told me this was a “product pull”. She stated “a small number of bags did not meet our specifications”. “This was not a consumer recall”. She also stated that Price Chopper “posted erroneously” the Iams notice to remove some pet foods from store shelves.

The same product pull notice “might have been sent to a couple of other stores” – but we don’t know who those other stores are.

But we do know (thanks to Price Chopper) that these three foods tested with “elevated aflatoxin levels”…
Iams Original with Chicken Cat Food
UPC 1901403915
Lot Number 12794177D3
Size 6.8 lbs.

Iams Original with Chicken Cat Food
UPC 1901410504
Lot Number 12794177I5
Size 4 lbs.

Iams Lamb Meal with Rice Dog Food
UPC 1901403735
Lot Number 12794177J4
Size 15 lbs.

Aflatoxin are “commonly found in corn, peanuts, cottonseed, milk, and tree nuts. After ingestion, aflatoxins are absorbed and carried to the liver via the circulatory system. They are then converted by the liver into toxic reactive epoxides which bind covalently to intracellular macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and protein enzymes, resulting in damage to liver cells. In addition to their hepatotoxic properties, aflatoxins are also carcinogenic. Mycotoxin contamination in pet food poses a serious health threat to pets.”
From “Mycotoxins and the pet food industry: Toxicological evidence and risk assessment” by Herman J. Boermans and Maxwell C.K. Leung.

Thank you to Price Choppers for doing the right thing and posting the notice that these pet foods contained elevated aflatoxin levels! You bothered to warn consumers that had already purchased these pet foods. That shows real concern and integrity in my book.

Iams, I would love to hear from you (I’m sure my readers would too) on just exactly what the ‘elevated levels of aflatoxin’ were. I will be glad to share your side of the story with everyone.

Two years ago, thousands of pet owners wrote and called their pet food companies asking to put an end to Silent Recalls. We asked all pet food manufacturers to participate in a program called Pet Food Recall First Alert; which meant the pet food manufacturer would agree to notify customers of any product pull or concern with a pet food. The following companies agreed…

  • Nature’s Logic Pet Food
  • Mulligan Stew Pet Food
  • The Honest Kitchen Pet Food
  • Wysong Pet Food
  • Complete Natural Nutrition
  • Solid Gold Pet Food
  • Dogswell Pet Food
  • Dr. Harvey’s Pet Food
  • Fromm Family Pet Foods
  • Redbarn Premium Pet Products
  • Canine Caviar
  • Kumpi Pet Foods
  • Raw Health Pet Food
  • Champion Pet Foods (Acana and Orijen)

Thank you to the above companies. Petsumers deserve to know if a pet food tests for elevated aflatoxin levels and any other possible health risk.

Silent recalls or product pulls are NOT good for anyone. Please – all pet food manufacturers – just stop for a moment and think about the pets and the families of those pets that might already be eating foods that you quietly remove from store shelves. Don’t those pets and those families deserve to know what is going on?

About the author: Susan Thixton is the publisher of TruthaboutPetFood.com. Dubbed The Caped Crusader for Safe Pet Food, she reports to a world of pet lovers the ‘truth’ behind the pet food label.

And in a final footnote to this story, I queried Price Chopper about the Iams “recall”, and received the following response earlier today:

“Thank you for your recent email.

For the most up to date information on the Iams recall, we would suggest you contact the manufacturer directly at 1-800-675-3849 or through their website at http://www.iams.com.”

If anyone has purchased one of the above Iams pet foods – same lot numbers, same UPC codes – please email Susan or post a comment below.

Recalls and Alerts: November 26, 2011

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: Ocean Spray recalls Original Flavor Craisins® Dried Cranberries (5, 10, & 48-oz pkgs, and bulk sweetened dried cranberries in 10-lb pkgs; various best by dates, followed by the letter “M”), due to the possible presence of very small hair-like metal fragments in the products. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of Best By Dates.The recalled dried cranberries were sold in various retail supermarkets, including Giant Eagle and Sams Club.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Marché Transatlantique Inc. (Montreal, QC) recalls Domaine de l’Oulivie brand Lucque Olives de Pays (340g net wt bottle; Product of France; UPC 3 760121 190437; all codes), because the product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled olives were distributed in Quebec.
  • Food Safety Recall: Matperud Apiary Inc. recalls Liquid Wildflower Honey (500g, 1kg, 2kg, 3kg, 5kg, 20kg; no identifying codes) and Creamed Wildflower Honey (500g, 1kg; no identifying codes), due to the presence of drug residues. The recalled honey was distributed in Ontario.

Europe

  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Eighty guests at a fundraising dinner developed food poisoning – dizziness, fever and vomiting – after consuming chicken paté. The fundraiser was held at Salford Lowry Hotel in Manchester, England. Victims were found to be suffering from Campylobacter infections, according to  a report in the Mail Online. The UK Health Protection Agency is investigating the incident.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): Fourteen students at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines main campus were taken to hospital due to food poisoning last Wednesday (November 23rd), according to an article in Manila Standard Today. The 14 students began vomiting shortly after eating lunch at the school canteen. The students reported dizziness and nausea after eating the fried rice.
  • Food Safety Enforcement (China): Henan Province in Central China has penalized 77 government employees and 36 other individuals following a scandal involving clenbuterol-tainted pork that was reported last March. The punishments range from probation to reprieved death penalties.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Food Safety Alert (St. Maarten): St. Maarten’s Nature Foundation warns the public that nearly half of the local lionfish contain a naturally occuring biotoxin that causes ciguatera poisoning.

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: November 25, 2011

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

  • Pet Food Safety Recall: IAMS recalls IAMS Original With Chicken Cat Food (4 lbs, Lot #12794177I5; 6.8 lbs, Lot #12794177D3) and IAMS Lamb Meal With Rice Dog Food (15 lbs; Lot #12794177J4), due to elevated aflatoxin levels, according to a notice posted by the Price Chopper supermarket chain.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded its earlier public warning not to consume various Woody’s brand alcoholic beverages to include additional product, sizing and UPC information. The beverages, which have been recalled by the various liquor jurisdictions where they were distributed, may contain harmful glass particles. Please read the CFIA recall notice for full details.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: 3903052 Canada Inc. (Boisbriand, QC) has amended its earlier recall notices to identify additional coding and distribution information. The company has recalled a number of cheese products bearing establishment #1874, because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert: Tesco recalls Tesco Finest Banoffee Tart (Frozen), 522g (Display until end June 2012; Best before end September 2012), due to the presence of undeclared egg.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delhaize Belgique recalls two additional production lots of Delhaize brand Tiroler Salami en tranches/Tiroler sliced salami, because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The list of recalled products now includes all 150g packages bearing the Best before dates of 01.01.12, 08.01.12 or 15.01.12.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Bambix recalls Bambix Lait de croissance 1+ (1L brick; Best before 30/04/2012; Lot number range 20:50:00 to 21:07:00), due to development of an off-odor and disagreeable taste, similar to curdled milk. The affected lot was supplied to Colruyt Groupe and was sold only in Colruyt, Spar and Okay stores.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): Cochonnailles du Haut Bois recalls Cochonnailles du Haut Bois Jambonneaux Cuits/cooked hams (250g, 400g, 900g; Lot # 307, 311, 312, 313, 314, 318, 319, 320; Best before dates up to and including 30/11/2011), due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The hams were sold in the Paris region and in the following départements: 27, 28, 35, 41, 44, 45, and 61.
  • Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Colleran Butchers Ltd. (Galway) recalls John E. Colleran Baked Ham Cloves (Batch code 319, use by Dec 3rd 2011; Batch code 321, use by Dec 5th 2011), due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected hams were sold to caterers and retailers (for slicing at deli counters) within Galway County.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Kakshidi Food Imports Ltd recalls Spring Onions (Product of Thailand; 70g transparent plastic package), because the product is contaminated with Campylobacter.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Arla Foods amba recalls Lactose-free Mini Milk, 1L (best before 16 December 2011) and Mathilde Chocolate Milk 0.4%, 1L with screw cap (best before 16 December 2011), because the products have an off-flavor, which may be due to bacterial growth.
  • Food Recall (Denmark): Arla Foods amba recalls SAGA ECO cottage cheese, 4.5% (200g; marked with best before date 11 December 2012), because of an incorrect expiration date. The packages should show a best before date of 11 December 2011.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1690): Campylobacter spp. in fresh rucola salad from Italy; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1691): Mercury in frozen vacuum packed swordfish slices from Spain; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1692): Mercury in chilled pork kidney from Germany; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1693, 1694 & 1695): Methanol in vodka from Germany; distributed to Denmark and Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1698): Butanone in mineral water from Italy; distributed to Switzerland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1699): Salmonella spp. in paan leaves from Bangladesh; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1700): Mercury in chilled swordfish from France; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1701): Ochratoxin A in oat sticks from the United Kingdom, via Sweden; distributed to Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Department of Health has ordered Marching Pharmaceutical Ltd to recall Marsedyl Elixir and Prophenin Elixir because the shelf-life of both products was changed without approval.
  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a confirmed case of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection. The 51-year old patient had no history of travel during the incubation period and his home contacts did not report any symptoms of infection.

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.