Author: Phyllis Entis

Recalls and Alerts: September 11, 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: BUI Natural Tofu (Portland, OR) recalls BUI Shrimp Salad Roll (Expiration dates from 9/2 through 9/13) and BUI Vegetarian Salad Roll (Expiration dates from 9/2 through 9/13), because the products contain undeclared soy and wheat. The recalled Salad Rolls were distributed to retail stores in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area.
  • Food Safety Recall: Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation (Springdale, AR) recalls 185,000 pounds of ground turkey products (Est. #P-963; Produced on August 23, 24, 30 and 31, 2011), because the turkey meat may be contaminated with an antibiotic-resistant strain of Salmonella Heidelberg that was responsible for an outbreak of salmonellosis earlier this year.
  • Food Safety Alert: FDA warns consumers not to eat tapenade or spreadable dried tomato paste manufactured by the French company La Ruche and sold under the brand names Les délices de Marie-Claire, Terre de Mistral, and Les secrets d’Anaïs, because these products may contain botulinum toxin. Eight cases of botulism have been confirmed in France to be linked to the consumption of one of these products, and lab analyses have confirmed the presence of Clostridium botulinum and/or its toxin in several samples. French authorities have ordered the company to cease production and recall all outstanding products. While FDA has no indication that La Ruche products were imported into the USA, returning tourists may have purchased them in France as souvenirs or gifts.
  • Outbreak Alert: A multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections – including one death – in Colorado (9 cases), Texas (2 cases) and Nebraska (1 case) has been linked – based on preliminary results – to the consumption of cantaloupe. All nine of the Colorado victims report having eaten cantaloupe. The source of the cantaloupe has not yet been identified. Confirmed Colorado cases are in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties. The victims range in age from the 30s to the 90s. The average age is 84. The majority are female.
  • Outbreak Alert (California): Monterey County health officials advise the public not to consume raw or undercooked oysters, after receiving several reports of Vibrio parahaemolyticus illnesses in individuals who consumed raw oysters served or purchased in Monterey County.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Tulipa Crossanteria & Salao de Cha recalls its Strawberry Pie (700g), Apple Pie (700g), Lemon Pie (700g), Rosquilhas Portuguese Biscuits (224g) and Macaroon Coconut (400g), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The Macaroon Coconut also contains undeclared sulphites. The recalled products were sold in Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: Johnvince Foods (Downsview, ON) expands its earlier recall and alert to include additional walnut products that were repackaged by retailers using bulk walnuts imported from the USA by Johnvince in 25-lb cardboard cases bearing Lot code W1866 and the name Anderson and Sons Shelling, Vina, California. These raw walnut products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Please navigate to the CFIA notice for a list of the additional recalled products, all of which were sold in Ontario.

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.

Europe-Wide Botulism Alert

From Greece and Italy in the South of Europe, to Finland, Sweden and Norway in the North, national food safety agencies are warning consumers that La Ruche artisanal spreads, dips and preserves may be tainted with botulinum toxin.

On September 6th, France issued a Health Alert, advising that eight people were hospitalized due to botulism – five in Vaucluse, and three in Somme. The eight victims reported consuming a tapenade manufactured by the artisanal food processor La Ruche (Cavaillon, France), and sold under the brand name Les délices de Marie Claire. Analyses carried out by l’Institut Pasteur found botulinum toxin in the implicated tapenade.

Investigators of this outbreak determined that La Ruche never registered with the Prefecture in which it operated. The company’s operations, as a result, were never inspected. To make matters worse, the couple who own and operate La Ruche did not carry out appropriate control procedures, did not seek technical assistance, and did not have the proper equipment in place to sterilize their product effectively.

Clostridium botulinum or its potentially lethal neurotoxin have now been found in several different La Ruche products. French health authorities have ordered a recall of the entire output of the company’s food production facility, including products sold under the brand names Les délices de Marie-Claire, Terre de Mistral, and Le secret d’Anaïs.

The recalled products were sold in stores and markets in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France, and over the internet through the websites  http://www.chocolatprovence.com and http://www.epicerie-terroirprovence.com.

Although the recalled products were not exported from France, health authorities across Europe are concerned that people who traveled to the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur may have purchased these products and brought them back as souvenirs or gifts. Health Alerts have been issued by a number of European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. So far, there have been no cases of botulism linked to these products except for the eight cases reported in France.

Following is a complete list of recalled products, by brand:

  • Terre De Mistral
    • Tapenade Noire
    • Tartinade De Tomate Sechees
    • Tapenade Verte
    • Pesto
    • Anchoiade
  • Les délices de Marie-Claire
    • Tapenade Noire 180g
    • Tapenade Noire Aux Pignons
    • Tapenade Noire Au Pistou
    • Tapenade Noire Aux Tomates Sechees
    • Tapenade Verte
    • Tapenade Verte Aux Amandes
    • Tapenade Verte Au Thon
    • Anchoiade A La Provencale
    • Anchoiade De Marius
    • Tomates Sechees A L’huile D’olive
    • Thoionade
    • Delice De Tomates Sechees Au Piment D’espellette
    • Tartinade De Tomates Sechees
    • Caviar D’aubergines
    • Tartinade D’aubergines Sechees Au Piment Doux
    • Pesto Sauce Au Pistou
    • Poivronnade
    • Poichichade
    • Artichonade
    • Tapenade verte Aux Olives Vertes Et Aux Amandes
  • Le secret d’Anaïs
    • Tapenade Noire
    • Tartinade De Tomate Sechees
    • Tapenade Verte
    • Pesto
    • Anchoiade

Anyone who has purchased one of these items, or has received them as gifts, should return them to the place of purchase (if possible) or discard them in a manner that will prevent their accidental consumption.

Clostridium botulinum can grow and produce its toxin without altering the appearance, taste or smell of a food. Under no circumstances should you “sample” any of these products to see whether they are “OK” to eat. Even a miniscule amount of botulinum toxin can cause serious illness.

Symptoms of foodborne botulism typically begin with double vision or blurred vision, and difficulty in swallowing and speaking; diarrhea and vomiting can also occur. A progressive paralysis ensues, which can be fatal in 3-5% of cases. Most fatalities are due to respiratory arrest. The severity of symptoms depend in large part on the amount of toxin ingested.

If you have eaten any of the recalled products and believe yourself to be experiencing symptoms of botulism, please seek immediate medical attention.

Recalls and Alerts: September 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.

United States

  • Allergy Alert: Best Food Cash & Carry Inc. (Maspeth, NY) recalls Raisin Golden brand Deer Raisin Golden, 14-oz pkg, due to the presence of undeclared sulfites. The recalled raisins werer distributed in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
  • Allergy Alert: US Nutrition recalls SM Balanced B-50 Tab, because the product may contain undeclared wheat. The recalled product was sold in Giant Eagle stores, and may also be carried by other retailers.
  • Cosmetic Product Safety Alert: The Texas Department of State Health Services warns the public that at least 18 mercury poisoning cases in South Texas appear to be linked to the use of Crema Aguamary, a cosmetic produced in Mexico and not approved for use in the USA.
  • Food Safety News: USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has discontinued the testing of E. coli O157:H7 in certain ready-to-eat products. Sampling resources previously directed to the ready-to-eat product testing will be diverted to increase testing for E. coli O157:H7 in raw products.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Uncle T Food Ltd. (Richmond, BC) recalls Sweet Potato Shape Snack (200g and 55g) and Turbinate Shape Snack (200g and 50g), because the products contain undeclared peanuts. The recalled snacks were imported from Korea and distributed in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. One illness has been reported.
  • Allergy Alert: Uncle T Food Ltd. (Richmond, BC) recalls Korean Snack (Gosoa), 55g, because the product contains undeclared peanuts. The recalled snack was imported from Korea and distributed in BC, Alberta and Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: Johnvince Foods (Downsview, ON) expands its earlier recall of bulk walnuts, prepackaged nuts and snack products to include additional items. The recalled nut products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. For a complete list of recalled brands and products, please navigate to the CFIA recall notices dated 2011-09-01, 2011-09-06, 2011-09-07, and 2011-09-08, and to the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food notice dated 7 sept. 2011.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Woolworths Supermarkets Ltd. recalls Macro Whole Foods Markets Gluten Free Choc Brownie Mix (400g cardboard box; All best before dates up to and including 20 DEC 12 B), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled brownie mix was sold in Woolworths, Safeway and Thomas Dux supermarkets throughout Australia.
  • Herbal Supplement Safety Advisory (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration warns Australian consumers that Maxidus capsules, sold over the internet, have been found to contain sulfohydroxyhomosildenafil, a derivative of Sildenafil, the active ingredient in the approved Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd product Viagra, which is indicated for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction.

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.