Category: allergy

Recalls and Alerts: August 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: Xymogen® recalls specific lots of Omega-3, Spice, and Greens OrganiX Bars, due to the presence of undeclared peanuts.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: USDA issues expanded retail distribution list for ground turkey products recalled by Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation (Springdale, AR) due to potential contamination with antibiotic-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg. Cargill’s meat was linked to a 26-state outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections.
  • Food Safety Recall: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. recalls f&e™ fresh Organic Baby Spinach (5 oz. plastic bag; Enjoy by date of Aug 01) after Listeria monocytogenes was found in a sample of the product. The recalled spinach was sold in Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores in California, Nevada and Arizona.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Merrick Pet Care, Inc. (Amarillo, TX) recalls Doggie Wishbone Pet Treat (Item #29050; Lot 11031; Best by 30 Jan 2013), because the treats may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled Doggie Wishbone treats were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Oregon Public Health officials have identified strawberries from Jaquith Strawberry Farm in Newberg as the source of a cluster of 10 confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 infections last month. An additional six people may also be part of the outbreak. Four of the confirmed victims were hospitalized and one of them – an elderly woman in Washington County – died from kidney failure as a result of her infection. All of the confirmed illnesses developed between July 10 and July 29. The strawberries were sold at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. Jaquith has recalled its products and is cooperating in the investigation.
  • Food Recall: Food City advises consumers that T. Marzetti has recalled Marzetti Blue Cheese Italian Vinaigrette, 12 oz.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Build-A-Bear Workshop® (St. Louis, MO) recalls Love.Hugs.Peace lapel pins (Manufactured in China; sold from July 2009 through October 2010), because surface paints on the pins contain excessive levels of lead. The pins were sold across the USA and Canada in Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and over the internet.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns La Villa Tortilleria, Inc. (Franklin, TN) that an April 2011 inspection of the company’s corn tortilla manufacturing facility found significant violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements for manufacturing, packing, or holding human food.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns D & D Catering, Inc. (Hialeah, FL) that February 2011 and March/April 2011 inspections of the company’s ready-to-eat sandwich manufacturing establishment revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in environmental swab and product samples, rendering the finished product to be adulterated within the meaning of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. In addition, the inspections revealed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) requirements for manufacturing, packing, or holding human food.

Canada

  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Build-A-Bear Workshop® (St. Louis, MO) recalls Love.Hugs.Peace lapel pins (Manufactured in China; sold from July 2009 through October 2010), because surface paints on the pins contain excessive levels of lead. The pins were sold across the USA and Canada in Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and over the internet.
  • Food Safety Recall: La Siembra Co-operative recalls Camino brand Milk Chocolate-Caramel & Peanuts (34g; Lot L1114E0219) due to microbiological spoilage.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kuo Hua Trading Company Ltd. recalls Blueberry Jelly (200g; Exp: 2012 05 21; UPC 4 712905 016319) due to contamination with phthalates.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): ALDI recalls Country Pleasure Whole Chicken (1300g; Class A; Product of Germany; Expiry 01.08.11), due to Campylobacter contamination.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (UK): The outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis Phate Type PT 14b infections in England and Wales has grown to a total of 193 cases since the beginning of 2011. The outbreak has been linked to eggs supplied from a single farm in Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1067): Foreign body in eggplant caponata from Italy; distributed to Malta.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Chinese Herbal Medicine Alert (Hong K0ng): The Department of Health warns the public not to consume the Chinese herbal powder Radix Aucklandiae, imported from the Mainland by Hong Kong Premier Concentrated Chinese Herbs Limited, as the product has been found to be contaminated with atropine.
  • Food Safety Enforcement (Abu Dhabi): During a special Ramadan campaign for food safety, inspectors of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority  laid charges against three violators and issued 23 warnings to various food establishments.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: August 8, 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: Transpecos Foods, LP (Pecos, TX) recalls Hill Country Fare Cream Cheese Jalapeno Bites (net wt. 5.5oz/156g; Sold prior to 8/5/11) and Hill Country Fare Cheddar Cheese Jalapeno Bites (net wt. 5.5 oz/156g; Sold prior to 8/5/11), due to the presence of undeclared soy.
  • Allergy Alert: Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. recalls Winn-Dixie Lemon Bar cakes, Winn-Dixie Chocolate Cherry Bar cakes and Winn-Dixie Bakery Iced Cinnamon Rolls – 6 pack due to the presence of undeclared egg and/or wheat. The recalled products were sold in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
  • Food Safety Recall: AdvancePierre Foods, Inc. (Orange City, IA) recalls H-E-B Fully Cooked Lean Burgers (8 x 24-ounce bags; H-E-B item code 100538; Est 2568; Jroduced June 7, 2011), because the product may contain metal fragments. The recalled burgers were distributed to H-E-B stores inTexas.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Island Sea Farms Inc. recalls mussels harvested from harvest location “Area: BC 13, Sub Area: 15”or “BC 13-15” between July 19 and August 2, 2011, because they may contain Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning biotoxin. The recalled mussels were distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, and may have been distributed nationally. Affected brands include Saltspring Island Mussels (Aquacultured Edulis Mussels; all lots up to and including Lot #289), Albion Flsheries Ltd (Mussel N/Shell Saltspring Isl; All harvest dates up to and including August 4, 2011), Pacific Rim Shellfish Corp. (Mussels or Gallo Mussels; All harvest dates up to and including July 31, 2011), Albion (SSI Mussels: Ship dates of July 20 to August 4, 2011 inclusive) and B&C Foods (Mussels; Processing dates of July 20 to August 4, 2011 inclusive). Consumers are advised to check with their retailer to determine whether they have the affected product. An unspecified number of illnesses have been reported.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Alert (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority advises consumers to refrain from using Labaik brand capsules, claimed by the manufacturer to cure and treat a number of diseases, after analysis of the capsules shows that they contain high concentrations of restricted painkillers, such as phenylbutazone and paracetamol. The Labaik product is not registered with SFDA and may not be sold legally in the Kingdom.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert (New Zealand): A ward at Whangarei Hospital has been closed for the second time in two weeks due to an outbreak gastroenteritis. Norovirus is suspected. Ward 15 is closed once more to new medical admissions, and visitors are restricted to two adults per patient per visit. Visitors must wear protective clothing and observe hand hygiene precautions.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: August 5, 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 Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation (Springdale, AR) recalls approximately 36 million pounds of ground turkey products that may be contaminated with multi-drug resistant Salmonella Heidelberg. The recall is associated with a 26-state outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections that has killed one California resident and sickened at least 77 other individuals across the US.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: USDA publishes retail distribution list for meat products recalled by SHSCO Manufacturing LLC (Phoenix, AZ) due to the meat having been produced without federal inspection.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: USDA publishes retail distribution list for ready-to-eat chicken products recalled by Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (Mount Pleasant, TX) due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Recall: Food City recalls Food Club Roasted Red Pepper Dip. No details given.
  • Food Safety Recall: Murdick’s Famous Fudge of Charlevoix (Bridge Street location, only) recalls individually wrapped caramels, peanut brittle, cashew brittle and saltwater taffy, because they may have been handled by some employees who were exhibiting symptoms typical of norovirus.
  • Outbreak Alert: Washington State Department of Health reports that 22 people have become infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus after eating raw oysters. Eighteen of the illnesses are linked to commercial operations and four to recreational harvesting in Puget Sound and on the Washington coast.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Les Cuisines Rochette (1976) Inc. recalls Rochette, President’s Choice and unbranded (Cuisines Rochette) meat pies and chicken pies, due to contamination with metal fragments. Please navigate to the recall notice for details. The recalled products were distributed in Quebec and Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: W.S.A. Foods Canada Inc. recalls Halayeb (Arabic) Roomy Cheese (500g; Expiry OCT 2012), due to contamination with E. coli. The recalled cheese was sold in Quebec.
  • Food Recall: Walmart Canada Corp recalls Great Value brand Four Cheese Pizza Pillow (400g; all codes) due to an unspecified labelling issue.
  • Food Recall: Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd. recalls Freybe Smoket Pastrami (Incorrectly labelled as “Turkey & Chicken Pastrami on the front label), because of incorrect labeling. The recall affects 175g packages with Best Before date and product code of Aug 22, 2011 110517MHPP.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Defco A/S recalls Smart Cooking Chicken Tern and Smart Cooking Chicken Strips (200g; Best before dates up to and including 17/8/2011), due to fermentation in the packages resulting from excessive levels of lactic acid bacteria.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Lidl Denmark recalls Gold Pot Roast Pork, 500g (Label reads “Packaged 17-08-11; Best before 24-09-11), due to an incorrect packaging and expiry date.
  • Food Recall (Belgium): Nutrilab recalls Biofood Pine Nuts (Pignons de pin), 100g (Expiry 02/2012 and 06/2012) because nuts from the variety Pinus Armandii was found in some packages. This variety can leave a bitter aftertaste in the mouths of some consumers.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (France): Innotech International recalls Pharmatex Spermicidal Vaginal Cream, 54mg single dose package (Lot 11011) due to a defect in the seal that could result in leakage of the cream.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.1042): Multiple Salmonella serotypes in soybean meal from Brazil, via the Netherlands and via Denmark; distributed to Finland.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.1044): Undeclared nuts in milk chocolate from Germany; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1045): Ochratoxin A in sweet ground pepper with raw material from Peru; distributed to Poland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1047): Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk cheese from France; distributed to Denmark, France and the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1052): Listeria monocytogenes in thawed smoked salmon from Poland; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1053): Mineral oil in unsalted butter from France; distributed to France and Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1055): Aflatoxins in ground nutmeg from India, via the Netherlands; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1056): Trifluralin in catfish fillets from Vietnam; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1058): High aluminum content in dried noodles of different flavour from China; distributed to Malta.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1059): Elevated residue level for sulfadimethoxine in frozen veal from Italy; distributed to Germany and Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1060): Enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus in garlic powder from China, via the Netherlands; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1061): Histamine in chilled tuna from Sri Lanka, via the Netherlands; distributed to Luxembourg.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong & Macao): Luen Cheong Hong Ltd. recalls 0.3% Potassium Chloride and 0.9% Sodium Chloride IV Infusion (Batch OG705) after the Hospital Authority detected failure in a preliminary sterility tests. The affected batch was imported from Thailand into Hong Kong; some 400 units were re-exported to Macao and the remainder were supplied to Hospital Authority hospitals in Hong Kong.
  • Chinese Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong & Macao): Han-Fang Chinese Medicine Company Limited recalls 16 Sheng Foong Brand Chinese herbal products (all batches) after the Macao Health Bureau finds two plasticizers in some of the products.
  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a confirmed case of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli O124:H19 infection in a 71-year-old woman with underlying illness. The woman also is infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This is the first report of E. coli O124:H19 in Hong Kong.

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.