Category: allergy

Recalls and Alerts: July 11, 2012

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: Runoland USA, Inc. (Ridgewood, NY) recalls Dried Fruit Owoce Suszone (300g/10.58 oz clear plastic bags; no date or production codes; UPC 5 905660 001082), because the product contains undeclared sulfites. The recalled product was distributed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida and Pennsylvania.
  • Allergy Alert Update: Frozen desserts recalled by Arctic Zero Inc. (Escondido, CA) due to the presence of undeclared milk allergen were sold nationwide at Whole Foods, Publix, Sprouts, Winn Dixie, and independent Natural and Grocery Stores, including King Soopers, City Market and Giant Food Stores.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Ohio): WHIO TV reports that the total number of food poisoning victims who participated at a customer appreciation picnic on July 3rd at Neff’s Lawn Care has risen to 55. Ten people have been hospitalized, but none of the illnesses are life-threatening. Five of the victims are confirmed to be infected with E. coli O157:H7.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Philippines): Pfizer Consumer Healthcare recalls Robitussin DM containing Dextromethorphan HBr 15mg and Guaifenesin 100mg per 5 mL, due to a labeling error that resulted in incorrect dosage instructions.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Philippines): Cathay Drug Company, Inc. recalls Profurex 750mg Sterile Powder for Injection (IM/IV) product (Manufactured by Biolab Co., Ltd, Thailand; Lot P116069), because a broken glass was found inside a vial of the product.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Philippines): Novartis Healthcare Philippines, Inc. recalls Varemoid Forte 200 mg product (SCT Batch 1201), due to presumed contamination with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Recall (Philippines): GlaxoSmithKline Philippines, Inc. recalls Valda Lemon Pastilles (Batch 220212M and 220212L; Manufactured 22 February 2012; Product of Malaysia), because the products were incorrectly packaged with a Valda Menthol tin base instead of a Valda Lemon tin lid.
  • Outbreak Alert (Thailand): The Bangkok Post reports that 460 students at Chiang Mai Welfare School were infected with Salmonella as a result of consuming three-day-old boiled eggs. The eggs were donated to the school and were not reheated before being consumed.
  • Outbreak Alert (Samoa): The Ministry of Health has received more than 100 reports of typhoid fever in Samoa since April 2012.
  • Outbreak Alert (Sahel Region, Africa): More than 60 people have died of cholera in the region so far this year, and 2,800 have been infected. Sahel Region encompasses Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and the norther regions of Cameroon and Nigeria. UNICEF warns that malnourished children are especially at risk.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Empower Foods recalls Empower Power Wraps (245g flexible plastic packaging; Best before 14 JAN 2013) and Tony Ferguson High Fibre Wraps (175g flexible plastic packaging; Best before 14 12 12), due to possible foreign matter contamination (small metal pieces). The recalled products were sold at health food stores, online, and in chemists selling Tony Ferguson products in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South 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.

Recalls and Alerts: July 10, 2012

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 Update: Frozen desserts recalled by Arctic Zero Inc. (Escondido, CA) due to the presence of undeclared milk allergen were sold nationwide at Whole Foods, Publix, Sprouts, Winn Dixie, and independent Natural and Grocery Stores, including Giant Food Stores.
  • Food Supplement Safety Recall: Sedona Labs recalls iFlora® Kids Multi-Probiotic® (UPC 6 48575 01013 2; Lot #1074711, 1479611, 1640811, & 1734411 and UPC 6 48575 01014 9; Lot #1595811 & 2089411), because Sedona’s supplier of Galactooligosaccharide has recalled the ingredient due to a Salmonella contamination. The recalled product was distributed between 3/16/2011 and 5/3/2012 throughout the US to health food stores and internet retailers and sold via health care professionals.
  • Food Safety Recall: Carl Rittberger Sr., Inc. (Zanesville, OH) recalls Spiced Loaf, Breakfast Loaf, Garlic Bologna, German Brand Bologna, Wieners, Grillers, Kielbasa, Straight HB Roll, and Natural Casing Wieners (5 to 6 lb wholesale packages; code dates 26 and 27; purchased after 06/25/2012 through 07/06/2012) and Wieners, Natural Casing Wieners, Grillers, Straight HB Roll and Kielbasa (retail packages purchased after 6/25/2012), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Recall: Combs Produce (Dallas, TX) recalls Cross Valley Farms and Packer Label whole tomatoes (Lots53886701 & 53892701; distributed to two US Foods distribution centers in Texas between June 27th and July 7th, 2012) because the equipment has tested positive for E. coli.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: Hannaford Supermarkets recalls Homestyle Meatballs with Sauce (sold by the pound in the deli department), Meatball Panini – cold (UPC 941260723096) and Meatball Panini – hot (UPC 94126072102), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The three items were among a number of frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that were recalled by Buona Vita Inc. (Bridgeton, NJ), after testing by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and USDA found Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Ohio): Five people who attended a July 3rd picnic at Neff’s Lawn Care in Germantown, OH are confirmed to be infected with E. coli O157:H7, according to Marler Blog. At least 36 attendees at the picnic have become ill; 9 were hospitalized.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns New Rich City Company (Philadelphia, PA) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s multiple food warehouse documented significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for foods, including the presence of rodent excreta pellets, rodent urine stains, live insects, dead insects, avian excreta, live animals, animal excreta/urine, animal food and animal hair.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns HPC Foods, Ltd. (Honolulu, HI) that a March 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facilities found 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 Riverfront Egg Robbers, Inc. (Biscoe, AR) that a January 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Freshwater Fish Products, Inc. (Bradford, AR) that a February 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

Canada

  • Outbreak Alert (New Brunswick): New Brunswick public health officials have confirmed four cases of E. coli O157:H7 in the Fredericton area, according to a CBC report. Three of the victims were hospitalized. Lab tests are underway to determine whether all four victims were infected with the same strain of E. coli O157:H7. These same tests will reveal whether there is any connection between the Fredericton outbreak and the recent outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in Miramichi.

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Cuba): The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is monitoring the cholera situation in Cuba, including media reports that the disease has spread beyond Manzanillo to other cities, including Havana. As of July 3rd, the Cuban Ministry of Health confirmed 53 cases of Vibrio cholerae in Manzanillo, including 3 deaths.

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: July 9, 2012

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 (Update): Frozen desserts recalled by Arctic Zero Inc. (Escondido, CA) due to the presence of undeclared milk allergen were sold in Whole Foods Market stores.
  • Food Safety Recall (Update): Some of the frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products recalled by Buona Vita Inc (Bridgeton, NJ) due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes were sold at Buehler’s Fresh Foods (DiRusso’s Beef Meatballs – 10#; 1 oz meatballs; UPC 5397591615), Walmart and Sam’s Club stores.
  • Food Safety Alert (Oregon): The Oregon Department of Agriculture announces the closure of recreational mussel harvesting from Tillamook Head south to Heceta Head, about 13 miles north of Florence in Lane County on the central Oregon Coast, due to elevated levels of paralytic shellfish toxins.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ohio): At least 10 people have been infected with E. coli after eating at a picnic in Germantown, OH. Six people are hospitalized.
  • Outbreak Alert (California): Santa Barbara County Public Health is investigating an outbreak of norovirus among more than 12 guests, visitors and employees at the Alisal Guest Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley, California.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): RAW.BITE recalls Rawbite Coconut, Organic Fruit and Nut Bar (50g; Best before 17/10-2012, 25/10-2012, 23/11-2012 and 21/12-2012), due to growth of yeast in the bars. The recalled bars were sold in 7-Eleven stores.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Maria Gries Landwirtschaft Grebehof (Löhnberg) recalls Bio Eier vom Grebehof/Grebehof Organic Eggs (6-packs and 10-packs; Expiry dates 25/07/2012 and 31/07/2012; Egg code stamp 0-DE-0660-391 to -394), because the eggs contain more than the permitted levels of dioxins and di-PCBs.
  • Personal Care Product Safety Recall (France): Laboratoires Pierre Fabre Médicament recalls Eludril Mouthwash Solution (0,5 ml/0,5g per 100ml; Lot G99001; Expiry 01/2015), due to breaches of Good Manufacturing Practices for chlorhexidine digluconate, the active ingredient in the mouthwash.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0947): Undeclared milk ingredient in candies from Slovakia; distributed to Slovenia.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0948): Salmonella corvallis in dog chews from Brazil, via the Netherlands; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0949): High content of beta-asarone in food supplements from the United Kingdom; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0950): Excessive Escherichia coli in big clams from Italy; distributed to Italy and Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0951): Salmonella in rooibos tea from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic and Poland.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a cluster of 15 cases of bacillary dysentery due to Shigella flexneri. The victims were part of a 32-person tour group that travelled from Hong Kong to Cambodia June 13th to 17th.
  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating three food poisoning outbreak clusters involving eight people, all of whom ate in a restaurant in the Eastern District on June 28th (six persons) and July 5th (two persons).

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Cuba): BBC reports that a patient has been diagnosed with cholera in Havana.

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.