Author: Phyllis Entis

CooperVision Recalls Avaira® Toric Contact Lenses

In what can only be described as a stealth recall, CooperVision has recalled “limited lots” of its Avaira Toric contact lenses. In its August 19, 2011 news release, the company described the scope and reason for the recall as follows:

“This recall is limited solely to specific lots of Avaira Toric, and no other CooperVision product is involved in this recall.

The recall was initiated because of the unintended presence of a residue on certain lenses. The residue was identified after investigating a small number of complaints of temporary hazy vision. The manufacturing issue has been identified and a resolution is in process. It is anticipated Avaira Toric shipments will resume shortly, and inventory will return to normal levels by December 1, 2011.”

A list of affected lots was not included with the recall notice; instead, consumers are invited to enter the lot number from their product package on the Avaira® Toric recall web page. As far as the FDA website is concerned, as of today (August 23rd), the recall still does not exist.

What is especially curious about this recall is that the Hong Kong Department of Health (DOH) has advised the public that Coopervision Hong Kong has recalled all of the Avaira Toric and BioComfort XO Toric contact lenses distributed in Hong Kong. In addition, the Hong Kong DOH press release advises that Avaira Toric lenses have been recalled in the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy and Spain.

The CooperVision web site gives no information regarding in which countries the recalled contact lenses were sold. Nor have ANY of the countries mentioned in the Hong Kong press release alerted consumers to this recall.

Have the FDA, Health Canada and all of the other affected national regulatory agencies turned a blind eye to this safety recall? Or are they asleep at the switch?

Members of the public who wear Avaira Toric or BioComfort XO Toric contact lenses should consult their optometrists. Pronto.

Recalls and Alerts: August 22, 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

  • Medical Device Safety Recall: CooperVision, a subsidiary of The Cooper Companies (Pleasanton, CA) recalls certain lots of Avaira® Toric contact lenses, because of the unintended presence of a residue on certain lenses. The problem was discovered as a result of a “small number of complaints” of temporary hazy vision. According to the Hong Kong Department of Health, this recall extends also to BioComfort XO Toric contact lenses, and affects lenses sold in the USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Far East North America Food Ltd. (Richmond, BC) recalls Trung Nguyen brand G7 Coffee (24 x 16g outer pkg/16g inner pouch; NSX: 15.03.2011 20 or 21; HSD: 15.03.2013 T1), because the product contains undeclared milk. The recalled product was distributed in Alberta and British Columbia.
  • Food Safety Recall: Beverly Meats (1995) Ltd. (Edmonton, AB) expands its earlier recall to include all ready-to-eat meat products sold from Beverly Meats from August 4th up to and including August 17, 2011, because the meats may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled meat products were sold only at Beverly Meats (1995) Ltd. located at 4018 – 118 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta.
  • Food Recall: Olympic Dairy Products Inc. recalls Krema Thick and Rich Yogurt Greek Style(100g; Code date 2011 SE 13), due to microbiological
  • Medical Device Safety Recall: CooperVision, a subsidiary of The Cooper Companies (Pleasanton, CA) recalls certain lots of Avaira® Toric contact lenses, because of the unintended presence of a residue on certain lenses. The problem was discovered as a result of a “small number of complaints” of temporary hazy vision. According to the Hong Kong Department of Health, this recall extends also to BioComfort XO Toric contact lenses, and affects lenses sold in the USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Greece): Carrefour Greece recalls several types of chocolate bars after insect larvae were detected in the products sampled from the company’s Cyprus operation.
  • Food Safety Recall (Finland): Raisio Nutrition Ltd. recalls Anni Helena wheat flour (2-kg bag; Best before 29/07/2012) due to infestation with insect larvae.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): SuperBest(Venusvej 10 , 7000 Fredericia) recalls all foods purchased at its location from 4 July 2011 to 18 August 2011 inclusive, after rats were found on the premises of the supermarket.
  • Medical Device Safety Recall: CooperVision, a subsidiary of The Cooper Companies (Pleasanton, CA) recalls certain lots of Avaira® Toric contact lenses, because of the unintended presence of a residue on certain lenses. The problem was discovered as a result of a “small number of complaints” of temporary hazy vision. According to the Hong Kong Department of Health, this recall extends also to BioComfort XO Toric contact lenses, and affects lenses sold in the USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (Vietnam): A survey of 119 samples of fruit imported from China found 18 with pesticide residues – all under the allowed level. The Vietnam Department of Agriculture plans to verify pesticide residues in 1,300 vegetable samples by year end.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority has ordered the recall of several “health” products from Aghadeir Company Products of Morocco, after finding pharmaceutical ingredients such as cyproheptadine, tadalafil and anthraquinone in these products. Consumers are urged not to use these products to dispose of any remaining products in their possession.
  • Medical Device Safety Recall (Hong Kong): CooperVision Hong Kong recalls BioComfort XO Toric and Avaira Toric contact lenses (all lot codes), after some consumers report discomfort or blurred vision due to transient swelling of the surface layer of the cornea, due to a small amount of residues on the lens.
  • Outbreak Alert (Mali): One hundred and thirty people landed in hospital in Koutiala with symptoms of food poisoning after consuming fritters and pancakes that had been fried in adulterated oil. Three people have been arrested and investigations are continuing. The incriminated oil was imported from a “neighboring country.”
  • Outbreak Alert (PRC): Vinegar adulterated with anti-freeze is suspected to have killed 11 people – including six-year-old child – who participated in a Ramadan feast in the western region of Xinjiang. One person is still in critical condition; 120 people were poisoned by the tainted vinegar.
  • Outbreak Alert (Congo): Several thousand cases of cholera have been reported since March 2011 along the Congo River, both in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Republic of Congo, according to a travel notice from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
  • Outbreak Alert (Fiji): Eight serious cases of typhoid were recorded at the Lautoka Hospital in Western Fiji last month.
  • Outbreak Alert (Egypt): A homemaker and three children developed severe food poisoning after consuming spoiled food at home. All four victims were hospitalized.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Medical Device Safety Recall: CooperVision, a subsidiary of The Cooper Companies (Pleasanton, CA) recalls certain lots of Avaira® Toric contact lenses, because of the unintended presence of a residue on certain lenses. The problem was discovered as a result of a “small number of complaints” of temporary hazy vision. According to the Hong Kong Department of Health, this recall extends also to BioComfort XO Toric contact lenses, and affects lenses sold in the USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy and Spain.

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: August 19, 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: The Christie Cookie Company recalls The Cookie by DoubleTree Cookie Gift Tins (13.5, 27, 33.75, and 54-oz) and DoubleTree Anniversary Special containing two 6-Cookie Gift Tins (27-oz), because the products contain undeclared eggs, soy lecithin, wheat and milk. The recalled products were distributed throughout the USA via direct mail and sold directly to consumers at DoubleTree hotels.
  • Food Safety Recall: JB Meats (Cincinnati, OH) recalls 72,800 pounds of ground beef (Ohio Department of Agriculture Est. 1188; Production dates August 18, 2010 through August 18, 2011), because the meat may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Consumption of the ground beef on July 16 and 17, 2011 may be the cause of two cases of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses reported by the Cincinnati Health Department.
  • Food Safety Recall: Atlanta Oriental Food Wholesale Company (Atlanta, GA) recalls Cut Napa Kimchi (1 gal plastic containers and 5-gal buckets; Lot #56090959), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Production has been suspended while the source of the contamination is under investigation.
  • Food Safety Recall: Vantage Foods (Lenoir, NC) recalls Lowe’s Foods fresh ground beef 93/7 (2-lb trays; USDA Est. 34176; Sell-by 8/29/11), after a consumer reports pieces of blue plastic in the product. The recalled ground beef was distributed to retail outlets in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Macy’s Merchandising Group (New York, NY) recalls Martha Stewart Collection™ Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles (7-qt, 5.5-qt and 2.75-qt; manufactured in China), because the enamel coating on the cast iron casseroles can crack or break during use, posing a risk of laceration or burns. The recalled casseroles were sold at Macy’s stores and AAFES, MCX and NEX locations nationwide, and on macys.com between June 2007 and June 2011.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Marie et ses plats inc. (Saint-Eustache, QC) recalls several entrées (see recall notice for details), because the products may contain undeclared milk, soy, anchovies, wheat or sulphites.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health advises the public not to buy or consume unknown or doubtful slimming products from the Internet as they may contain undeclared drug ingredients that are dangerous to health. Laboratory tests conducted on the slimming products Tianran Zuanshi Xianweisu and Paidusu revealed the presence of the banned ingredients sibutramine and phenolphthalein, as well as thyroxine.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.1118): Undeclared milk ingredient in dark chocolate chip cookies from the United Kingdom; distributed to Denmark, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Rafferty’s Garden Pty Ltd. recalls Rafferty’s Garden Italian Lasagne Premium Baby Food 10 months+ (170g tear-top packet; Best before 26/MAY/12 and 03/JUN/12), because the product may contain plastic pieces. The recalled baby food was sold in Coles and Woolworths supermarkets across Australia.

Latin America and the Caribbean
Food Safety Recall

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.