Author: Phyllis Entis

Recalls and Alerts: November 5, 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

  • Allergy Alert: Rice-A-Roni recalls Rice-A-Roni Rice Pilaf (10.8-oz family-size boxes; Best before JUL 30 12 B; UPC ending in 43004), because the product contains undeclared milk.
  • Food Safety Recall: Quirch Foods Co. (Miami, FL) recalls Leslie Leger and Sons Ltd. brand Salted Smoked Split Herring (Produced by Leslie Leger and Sons Ltd., Cap Pele, NB, Canada; all lots) after a routine sample collected at a store by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets found the product to be uneviscerated and, therefore, at risk of Clostridium botulinum contamination. The product was supplied to supermarkets and distributors in Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and Nassau BF, and also was sold in New York State.
  • Food Safety Recall: Badia Spices, Inc. recalls approximately 3,800 lbs of Pine Nuts (Imported from Turkey; 1-oz small plastic bags, Lot #84666; 2-oz small PET bottles, Lot #83184 and 85442), because the pine nuts may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The recalled pine nuts were sold between Jone 2011 and October 2011 in retail stores – including Publix supermarkets – in Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey.
  • Food Safety Recall/Alert: FDA warns the public not to consume Turkish Pine Nuts distributed by Sunrise Commodities (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), after FDA tests confirm the presence of Salmonella on the product. Test are underway to determine whether the Salmonella matches the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis that has sickened at least 42 people in 5 states. Sunrise Commodities has recalled four lots of implicated product (Warehouse Lot 27963, ID Code PO#: 50165; Warehouse Lot 29628, ID Code PO#: 50558; Warehouse Lot 27713, ID Code PO#: 49595; and Warehouse Lot 27427, ID Code PO#: 50032). The pine nuts were distributed in bulk to various vendors in Florida, New Jersey, New York and Canada.
  • Food Safety Alert: FDA warns consumers not to eat any Bio Gaudiano brand Organic Olives Stuffed with Almonds. The imported olives, which have been recalled in the USA by Pure Italian LLC (Watertown, MA), were responsible for two cases of botulism in Finland. Some of the olives may have been sold at SoWa farmers market (South End, MA). In addition, Foodies Fresh Market (Boston, MA), Russo’s (Watertown, MA), and Fresh Choice Supermarket (Framingham, MA) may have repackaged and resold the olives in containers that do not carry the Bio Gaudiano name.
  • Food Safety/Outbreak Alert: FDA warns consumers not to eat ASSI brand Individually Quick Frozen Oyster (shucked; 3-lb bags; Better if Used by date 2013.02.232; packed by Central Fisheries Co. Ltd; Shucked date 2011.02.24; Lot #C-110223), after the oysters were found to be contaminated with Norovirus genotypes I and II. Three patrons of a Washington state restaurant became ill with norovirus gastroenteritis after eating the oysters. Korean Farms (Santa Fe Springs, CA) has recalled the frozen oyster meat. The recalled product was shipped to Washington, California, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho and Utah.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: 3903052 Canada Inc. (Boisbriand, QC) recalls Tifco brand Queso Panela Latino Cheese (420g, Lot #102 43, Best before 9 DEC 2011; 1.38kg, Lot #103 43; Best before 9 DEC 2011), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled cheese was distributed in Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: David Roberts Food Corporation (Mississauga, ON) recalls certain Sysco brand, David Roberts brand, and unbranded imported pine nuts (Lot 1323), because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled pine nuts were distributed to food service accounts in Ontario and sold at the David Roberts Food Corporation retail store in Mississauga, ON.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Food Safety Recall: Quirch Foods Co. (Miami, FL) recalls Leslie Leger and Sons Ltd. brand Salted Smoked Split Herring (Produced by Leslie Leger and Sons Ltd., Cap Pele, NB, Canada; all lots) after a routine sample collected at a store by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets found the product to be uneviscerated and, therefore, at risk ofClostridium botulinum contamination. The product was supplied to supermarkets and distributors in Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and Nassau BF, and also was sold in New York State.

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 4, 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: Foremost Foods International, Inc. (Pomona, CA) recalls Pangasinan Roundscad Smoked Galunggong (Product of FITRITE Incorporated, Philippines; 6 oz; UPC 2239257451) and Pangasinan Mackerel Smoked Hasa Hasa (Product of FITRITE Incorporated, Philippines; 6 oz; UPC 2239257470), because the partially eviscerated products have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled products were sold between March 2010 and October 2011 in California, Nevada and Washington, through Seafood City and Manila Seafood. Please refer to the California Department of Public Health for the California retail distribution list.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Missouri health officials report that 24 people have been confirmed to be part of the St. Louis area E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, after two new cases were added to the list, and four other cases previously thought to be part of the outbreak were removed. The state lab is testing specimens from four Boone County cases; three have tested positive for E. coli, and the fourth is pending. At this point, however, the Boone County cases are thought not to be connected to the St. Louis area outbreak. All food samples tested so far in the St. Louis outbreak have been negative for E. coli.
  • Outbreak Alert (Utah): An unnamed man, given the nickname “Mr. Cheese” by the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, has been supplying homemade queso fresco to a Salt Lake City restaurant/deli since 2009. The queso fresco, which was made from raw milk, is blamed for a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 73 people in Salt Lake, Tooele, Davis, Utah, Weber and Morgan counties. Officials believe that hundreds more people were sickened by the contraband cheese, but never reported their illnesses. Officials have ordered the deli – not identified by name – to stop purchasing cheese from illegal sources.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: CFIA advises that Bumble Bar Organic Energy Bar – Chocolate Crisp (45g; All codes; UPC 7 60590 10072 5), is recalled due to the presence of undeclared milk, peanuts and soy. The recalled Energy Bar was distributed through Nationwide Natural Foods (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan), Puresource Inc. (nationwide), Horizon Distributors (Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon), and Corwin Distribution Limited (Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario).
  • Allergy Alert: Grant Chocolatier recalls Grant Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Cups for Liquor in a Box (variable count) and Grant Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Nuggets (variable weight), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled chocolate products were distributed in Quebec.
  • Food Safety Recall: Pâtisserie La Faradole inc. (Sainte-Adèle, QC) recalls Foie gras maison à l’armagnac, Catégorie A, Foie gras nature maison, and Foie gras maison au cognac, Catégorie A, sold in glass Mason jars, because the product labels do not include the instruction “Garder réfrigéré” even though these products must be stored in the refrigerator for safety.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Sweden): Candy King warns that Lösgodiset Halloween Balls may contain undeclared peanuts.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Eurofrugt A/S recalls Sweet Peas (500g; Product of Kenya; Lot #L11278EU), after Camplyobacter is detected in samples.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Lembcke A/S and Total Produce Nordic A/S recalls Blue River brand Mini Corn (125g; Lot #L11411), after Campylobacter is found in a sample.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Rieber & Son Denmark A/S recalls Salad Master Remoulade (Lot 03), Budget Remoulade (Lot L92), Rema1000 Remoulade and REMO Remoulade (Lot L78), due to yeast growth in the product, resulting in gas production and package swelling.
  • Outbreak Alert (Denmark): Datterino tomatoes imported from Italy are blamed for an outbreak of salmonellosis that sickened 40 people in Denmark this fall. The tomatoes were sold mainly in stores belonging to the Rema1000 supermarket chain. The implicated tomatoes are no longer available. The Salmonella outbreak appears to be over.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Spain): Colgate-Palmolive España, S.A. recalls COLGATE PERIOGARD CLORHEXIDINA COLUTORIO BUCAL SIN ALCOHOL (Registration No. 1173-DENT; all production lots), due to contamination with Burkholderia cepacia.
  • Cosmetic Product Safety Recall (Spain): Estelca SLU has been ordered to cease the marketing of, and to recall all outstanding inventory of, seven cosmetic products, as the products were being sold even though they had exceeded their expiration dates.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1547): Campylobacter spp. in sugar snaps from Kenya; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1548): Ochratoxin A in spice mix from Israel; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1549): Unauthorized operator for canned mix of fish and vegetables form Italy; distributed to Belgium and Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1550): Listeria monocytogenes in paté from Belgium; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1551): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked bacon from Poland; distributed to Poland and Sweden.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1553): Aflatoxins in dried figs from Turkey; distributed to France and Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1554): Salmonella spp. in paan leaves from Bangladesh; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.1555): Unauthorized tin, nickel and vanadium in food supplement from the USA, via China; distributed to Cyprus.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1556): Salmonella in dry sausage from Spain; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1557): Unauthorized Sudan 1 and Sudan 4 colors in sumac spice from Germany; distributed to Switzerland.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.1558): Dioxins in molasses sugar beet pellets from Germany; distributed to Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1559): Salmonella in chilled Perilla spp. from Vietnam; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1560): Salmonella in Piper sarmentosum from Vietnam; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1561): Salmonella in Vietnamese coriander from Vietnam; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1562): Salmonella in chilled Malabar spinach from Vietnam; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1563): Salmonella in chilled green mint from Vietnam; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1564): Benzo(a)pyrene in sesame oil from China; distributed to Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1565): Benzo(a)pyrene in canned sprats in oil from Latvia; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1566): Abamectin in corned beef from Brazil; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1567): Salmonella in paan leaves from Thailand; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1568): Unauthorized leucomalachite green in live trouts from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1569): Excessive sorbic acid in dried prunes from France; distributed to Slovakia.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1570): Listeria monocytogenes in chilled tuna loins from Sri Lanka; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1572): Glass fragments in currants in syrup from Germany; distributed to Spain.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): Analysis carried out by the Therapeutic Goods Administration has confirmed the presence of therapeutic quantities of sibutramine and phenolphthalein in capsules of Reduce Weight Fruta Planta, sold over the internet. The package label claims that this product is 100% Natural. Neither sibutramine nor phenolphthalein are currently approved for use in Australia.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): Analysis carried out by the Therapeutic Goods Administration has confirmed the presence of therapeutic quantities of sibutramine in Ying Da Wang tablets, sold over the internet. The package label claims that this product is 100% Natural. Sibutramine is not currently approved for use in Australia.

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.

FDA’s Puppet Master

Anyone trying to figure out who pulls FDA’s strings on retail distribution information policy for Class I recalls need look no farther than the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

Every time a major food safety recall is announced, eFoodAlert receives questions from consumers who are trying to find out whether their favorite supermarket carried the recalled product. This was especially the case during the Jensen Farms cantaloupe recall, as not all of the recalled cantaloupes were individually labeled.

Two weeks ago, Harry Hamil (owner of Black Mountain Farmers Market and a regular eFoodAlert reader) took me to task over my rhetorical question “When is FDA going to wake up, put the health and safety of American consumers ahead of industry interests, and provide us all with timely and complete information?”

My specific complaint was over FDA’s refusal to release retail distribution information for Listeria monocytogenes-contaminated Jensen Farms cantaloupes. Harry challenged me to make three phone calls:

  1. To the White House, asking why USDA releases retail distribution lists while FDA does not;
  2. To the Western Growers Association, asking their position on release of this information; and
  3. To the Produce Marketing Association, asking their position of the release of retail distribution lists.

I followed up on Harry’s challenge by sending email requests to the Western Growers Association, the Produce Marketing Association and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, asking each of them for their position on the release of retail distribution lists for all Class I (highest hazard level) recalls. (I didn’t bother trying to contact the White House. My past efforts to do so have resulted in either no response or a “thank you for your interest” reply.)

The Produce Marketing Association never replied to my email, even though I made two attempts to contact them.

The Western Growers Association‘s Senior Vice President, Hank Giclas, responded that “WG does not have a formal position on the question of identifying retailers who sold recalled product.”

Brian Kennedy, spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) had this to say:

“During a recall consumers should focus their attention on the specifics of the recalled product itself (i.e., name, variety, size, lot code). In a FDA Class I recall, all of this info is made public. Releasing a public list of all the retailers where the recalled products were sold does not make sense from a food safety perspective. Any proposed list could change from week to week or even from day-to-day so if consumers were not constantly monitoring this list for any changes, they could inadvertently purchase the recalled product. Also, even if they were monitoring the list closely, the list might not necessarily be accurate. In addition, some shoppers might not be able to remember exactly where they purchased a particular item.”

This is what FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg had to say about releasing retail distribution information in her introductory statement during a media teleconference on September 28, 2011:

“[C]onsumers can inquire of their retailers where cantaloupe came from, and retailers are prepared to provide that information if they are not already providing it to you in their stores.”

And, in replying to a reporter’s question about releasing retail distribution information, Dr. Hamburg added,

“I think it’s a lot more accurate for the consumer to actually ask their retailer in terms of the ability to get that information out and, of course, when you put stuff on the web site, not everybody accesses it. So I think it is an important message that if people are uncertain to ask their retailer. That’s how they’ll get the most accurate and most direct information.”

Am I crazy, or is FDA allowing the Grocery Manufacturers Association dictate Agency policy on release of retail distribution lists?

I repeat the rhetorical question with which Harry Hamil took exception two weeks ago:

When is FDA going to wake up, put the health and safety of American consumers ahead of industry interests, and provide us all with timely and complete information?