Author: Phyllis Entis

Recalls and Alerts: October 18, 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: Price Chopper/CMC Bakery recalls CMC Cake in a Cup, CMC Coffee Cakes, Creme Cakes and Crumb Cakes (Lot #RC11243BH003), because the recalled products may contain chocolate.
  • Food Safety Recall: Price Chopper advises its customers that Polaner Sugar Free W/Fiber Grape Jam (13.5 oz; Lot R11439; Best by 3/9/2013) has been recalled because a piece of glass was found in one jar.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Nordimex, LLC (San Diego, CA) that a May 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed serious violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements (CGMP) regulations for Dietary Supplements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Hong Kong Food Company (Los Angeles, CA) that an August/September 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns ECRS, LLC dba Big Chef (Hollywood, FL) that a July/August 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Marché Marie-Lynn (Longueuil, QC) recalls Grape Danish, Raspberry Danish and Almond Creme Croissant, because the pastry products contain undeclared egg.
  • Food Safety Recall (Expanded): Shellfish processors have expanded their original recall of raw mussels to include raw in-shell oysters and shucked oysters, because the shellfish products may contain paralytic shellfish toxins. The recalled oysters were harvested between October 2 and 14, 2011 from sub area 15-4, Okeover Inlet, British Columbia and were distributed – primarily to wholesalers, restaurants and other institutional clients – in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, and possibly to other provinces and territories. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of affected processors and shellfish.
  • Food Safety Recall: Loblaw Companies Ltd. recalls President’s Choice Milk Chocolate and Almond Caramel Clusters (195g; All lot codes), because the product may be contaminated with glass particles.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: October 17, 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 Recall: Price Chopper recalls Price Chopper Light Brown Sugar (UPC 41735-06277), because the bags contain dark brown sugar.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Aquatec Seafoods Ltd. (Comox, BC) recalls Mussels (10-lb & 20-lb bags; Lot #453, harvested October 3/11 & Lot #466, harvested October 10/11) and Taylor Shellfish Canada dba Fanny Bay Oysters (Union Bay, BC) recalls Farmed Salish Mussels (10-lb & 20-lb bags; Lot 6206 , harvested Oct 02/11 & Lot 6233, harvested Oct 9/11), because the raw mussels may contain paralytic shellfish toxins. The recalled mussels were sold mainly to wholesalers, institutions and restaurants in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, but may also have been sold at some retail seafood counters and in other provinces and territories.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Kivan Food A/S recalls vacuum-packed Smoked Venison (1-kg pkg; Produced 21/9-2011; Expiry 21/10-2011), because Listeria was found in a sample of the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Italy): Salumificio Manuelli S.r.L. recalls Salametto Milano (Lot 3425; Sold beginning 22/09/2011), after an unsatisfactory microbiological analysis is reported. The recalled Salametto Milano was sold in Gros Cidac stores.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Tri Ceffyl Bach Nursery in Amlwch was closed as a precaution after three cases of E. coli O157 were found in children attending the nursery.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ireland):  A Limerick child care center was asked to close by public health officials after an outbreak of E. coli O26 was confirmed in some children.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1434): Salmonella spp. in salami from Italy; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1435): Aflatoxins in pistachio nuts from Iran, via Germany; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1439): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon from Denmark; distributed to Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis among 20 children at a kindergarten in Tseung Kwan O.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Bundaberg Brewed Drinks Pty Ltd. recalls Bundaberg Burgundee Creaming Soda (340ml glass bottle; Best before 20 NOV 12), due to fermentation that increased the risk of product shattering. The recalled beverage was sold in IGA Supermarkets, takeaway outlets, corner stores, service stations and cafes in NSW and QLD only.
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Maleny Dairies Pty. Ltd. recalls several flavors of cows milk and goats milk, due to the possible presence of chemical contamination. The recalled product was sold in restaurants, cafes, specialty Coffee Shops, Schools, IGA supermarkets, Coles, Woolworths, petrol Stations and other independent retail outlets in South East Queensland. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of affected products and date codes.

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.

Contaminated Cantaloupes Gone – Consequences Linger On

It has been more than one month since Jensen Farms recalled its cantaloupes from the marketplace. By now, any melon that was not eaten, discarded or returned to the store should be “spoiled” beyond edibility. But this doesn’t mean that the public – and public health officials – can let down their guard.

CDC routinely updates the illness and death toll racked up by Listeria monocytogenes – 116 ill, 23 dead, one stillborn, as of October 12th. After a while, however, the numbers lose their ability to shock. It’s the individual tragedies that catch our attention.

Missy had this to say last week:

My granddaughter was stillborn this past Sunday (Oct 9th) in Ohio. Cultures showed mass amounts of Listeria in the placenta. Walmart is saying their cantaloupes did not come from this farm. Any chance that isn’t true? Trying to figure out what happened!

As of last Friday (October 14th), the mother of this stillborn baby girl was still in hospital on IV antibiotics.

The suffering that goes hand in glove with an outbreak of listeriosis has not let up – and it will continue for some time to come. Missy is not the only one who is trying to figure out what happened.

While consumers ask repeatedly in which stores the recalled cantaloupes were sold, the FDA, Jensen Farms, Walmart and Whole Foods Market remain silent.

While pregnant women wonder whether they were served Jensen Farms cantaloupe at their favorite restaurant or salad bar, the FDA and Jensen Farms remain silent.

While cantaloupe growers in Arizona and California watch the demand for their melons shrivel, the FDA continues its “root cause” investigation into Jensen Farms’ practices – and hasn’t released any new information since September 30th.

I have said this again and again. Consumers should not have to play detective in order to find out whether or not they have been exposed to the risk of infection from a recalled food. They should not have to rely on blogs like eFoodAlert for information on where a recalled food was sold.

Let me spell this out one more time.

  • USDA publishes retail distribution lists for all Class I (highest risk category) recalls within seven days of the recall.
  • California – a state that is struggling with huge budget deficits – publishes retail distribution lists, including for restaurants.
  • FDA, when asked directly where the recalled Jensen Farms cantaloupes were sold, replied that consumers should “ask their retailer.”

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?