Author: Phyllis Entis

Recalls and Alerts: October 9, 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.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert Update:  CFIA and Canadian importers of the following products alert people with allergies to fish, shrimp and sesame not to consume Chongga Mat Kimchi (1.2kg), or any of the following kimchi products manufactured by Daesang FNF Corporation, all of which contain undeclared fish, shrimp or sesame: Old Fermented Kimchi (1 kg), Poggi Kimchi (1 kg), Mat Kimchi (2.5 kg), Poggi Kimchi (3 kg) and Yeolmu Kimchi (500g). The above-named products, which were imported from Korea and distributed across Canada, have been recalled by the Canadian importers.
  • Allergy Alert: Baxters Canada Inc. recalls Primo brand Hearty Chicken Soup (525 ml cans; Lot code EST 142 2356 9 230), because the affected cans contain Minestrone soup, which has milk ingredients that do not appear on the Hearty Chicken Soup list of ingredients.
  • Allergy Alert: Summer Star Trading recalls Maple Smell Dried Sweet Potato (400g; Code #4.01.032.00.6), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites.
  • Allergy Alert: Loblaw Companies Ltd. recalls Butcher’s Choice Uncooked Breaded Pork Leg Inside Cutlet (variable kg; Best before 2011OC10) due to the presence of undeclared wheat.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Medical Device Safety Alert (Saudi Arabia): Saudi FDA warns the public about an “imitated” inhaler device marketed under the name “Air O Chamber”, meant to imitate the AeroChamber inhaler. Saudi FDA advises consumers not to use this product, which may not deliver the correct prescribed dose of medication, and has taken action to ban entry of the product into the Kingdom and to remove it from local markets.

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 7, 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: Prolab Nutrition Inc. recalls some Prolab® Pure Whey, Prolab® Advanced Pure Whey Protein, and Prolab® Whey Isolate Protein (various flavors and sizes), because the protein items may contain undeclared milk, wheat and gluten. The recalled products were distributed by retail stores, mail order and direct delivery in the following states, provinces and countries: Alabama; California; Connecticut; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Montana; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wyoming; Ontario, Canada; Australia; Malaysia; and Russia.
  • Food Safety Recall: Farmers All Natural Creamery (Wellman, IA) recalls Whole Milk (Plant #19888; Sell by October 22, 2011), because the milk may not have been properly pasteurized. The recalled milk was sold to four distributors: UNFI (Aurora, CO), UNFI (Lancaster, TX), Calma Optimal (Franklin Park, IL) and Natural Brands (Wood Dale, IL).

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: La Maison de Campagne 6600 inc. (Saint-Jean-Baptiste, QC) recalls Pesto & Cie brand Pesto citronnelle/Lemon grass pesto (212 mL glass jars; all lots purchased before September 24, 2011), because the product was held without refrigeration before sale, and may present a health hazard.
  • Food Safety Alert/Recall: Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health warns the public not to consume the following recalled smoked salmon products, because they might be contaminated with Listeria and Salmonella: Strubs Danish Style Smoked Grav-Lox Atlantic Salmon (300g; Product code 09262011), Strubs Norwegian Style Steelhead Salmon, Sliced Smoked (200g packages; Product code 09192011) and Strubs Deli Choice Smoked Salmon Bits (300g; Product codes 09192011 and 09262011). The recalled smoked salmon products were processed in Toronto, but may have been distributed elsewhere in Ontario.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Allergy Alert (Malaysia): Prolab Nutrition Inc. recalls some Prolab® Pure Whey, Prolab® Advanced Pure Whey Protein, and Prolab® Whey Isolate Protein (various flavors and sizes), because the protein items may contain undeclared milk, wheat and gluten. The recalled products were manufactured in the USA and distributed by retail stores, mail order and direct delivery in Malaysia.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Prolab Nutrition Inc. recalls some Prolab® Pure Whey, Prolab® Advanced Pure Whey Protein, and Prolab® Whey Isolate Protein (various flavors and sizes), because the protein items may contain undeclared milk, wheat and gluten. The recalled products were manufactured in the USA and distributed by retail stores, mail order and direct delivery in Australia.
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Davies Bakery Pty Ltd. recalls Bakers Life Multigrain Sandwich Sliced Bread (650g; Best before 12 OCT 2011), because the product may contain bits of plastic. The recalled bread was sold in Aldi stores in Victoria only.

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.

More Deaths In Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak

Twenty-one people are dead, one woman has lost her baby, and 109 illnesses are confirmed by CDC to be the result of Listeria monocytogenes – contracted by eating contaminated cantaloupes. Illnesses relating to this outbreak now have been confirmed in 23 states.

And now, this outbreak has claimed the life of an unborn child in Iowa.

What was the source of the contamination – the “root cause” that FDA is investigating? One month after Jensen recalled its cantaloupes, the agency still doesn’t know – or isn’t saying.

Which supermarkets, grocery stores, and restaurants were supplied with the recalled cantaloupes? One month after the recall, all FDA can say is “ask your grocer.”

That’s not good enough!

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.

In the interests of consumer safety, FDA MUST release the results of its trace-back investigations to the public. When public health is concerned, commercial confidentiality be damned! USDA manages to release a retail distribution list within a week of every Class I (highest risk)  food safety recall, and updates the information as more retailers are identified. Why can’t FDA do the same?

Listeria monocytogenes has a relatively long incubation period, and most – or all – of the illnesses reported so far likely were contracted before Jensen Farms’ September 14th recall. But that is on the verge of changing. We are rapidly approaching the cross-over point where infections could have been prevented if consumers were given prompt information on where the recalled cantaloupes were sold. From now on, newly developing illnesses should rest very heavily on the collective conscience of policy-makers in FDA – the “powers-that-be” who tell consumers to ask their grocers.

It’s all very well for FDA to complain that the agency is underfunded. It’s all very well for the Commissioner to complain that funding has not been appropriated for the Food Safety Modernization Act. But underfunding does not excuse FDA’s refusal to release information that could prevent more consumers from developing a potentially deadly illness.

When this outbreak was first reported, it was limited to 15 people in four states.

Outbreak status on September 14th

Now, it has spread to 109 people in 23 states, and has claimed 22 innocent lives.

Outbreak status on October 7th

Listeria monocytogenes has an incubation period that can be as long as 70 days.

How many more people are nervously noting every little symptom and twinge, wondering whether the cantaloupe they purchased from a local grocer or enjoyed at their favorite restaurant was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes?

How many more people have to suffer before FDA recognizes its responsibility to the citizens of this country?

And how many more will die?