Category: botulism

Recalls and Alerts: October 29, 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: Gardenburger, LLC (Clearfield, UT) recalls Eating Right™ Soy Protein Burgers (4-count, 10-oz carton; UPC 79893 80071; Lot codes NOV 17 12 WT A and NOV 17 12 WT B), because the burgers may contain undeclared milk, due to a packaging error. The recalled frozen burgers were distributed by Lucerne Foods (Pleasanton, CA) and sold in Safeway, Carrs, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Pak ‘N’ Save, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Vons, and Pavilions retail stores nationwide.
  • Food Safety Alert: Pennsylvania’s Departments of Agriculture and Health advise consumers and retailers to immediately discard milk purchased from Brunton Dairy (Aliquippa, Beaver County, PA), as a sample of pasteurized, homogenized fat-free milk from the dairy was found to be contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica. The alert refers to milk with a Sell-by date of Oct 25 or later. Production at the Dairy has been suspended pending the completion of additional testing.
  • Food Recall: Food City reports that the manufacturer has recalled Kern’s 8′ No Sugar Added Cherry Pie and Kern’s 8′ No Sugar Added Blueberry Pie. No details are indicated.
  • Outbreak Alert: The North Carolina Division of Public Health is investigating 26 cases of E. coli in Wake (14), Sampson (6), Durham (1), Franklin (1), Johnston (1), Orange (1) and Wilson (1) counties. Ten of the cases are confirmed, and 16 are still under investigation. Five people – 4 children and 1 adult – are hospitalized. Twenty-three of the 26 outbreak victims attended the State Fair earlier this month.

Canada

  • Food Withdrawal: Madrona Specialty Foods withdraws Hannah’s Naturals Halloween Cookies (Costco Item #321233; Best before 2012 JA 13), because some of the cookies have developed mold growth. The Halloween Cookies were sold at Costco Wholesale stores in Western Canada between September 14th and October 8th, 2011.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Italy): Bio Gaudiano recalls Organic Olive alle mandorle/Almond-Stuffed Olives (314ml glass jars; all batch codes), due to the risk of Clostridium botulinum contamination and potential development of botulinum toxin.
  • Outbreak Alert (Norway): The Food Safety Authority has received a report from the Department of Public Health of three cases of shigellosis in Østfold. The agencies are cooperating to determine whether these cases may be linked to a number of cases reported in Tromsø earlier in October.

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.

Botulism Update – Gaudiano Olives Shipped To 3 Continents

One elderly Helsinki woman is dead and a second patient – an adult member of the same household – is recovering in hospital after both ate from the same jar of almond-stuffed organic olives manufactured and packed by Gaudiano, an Italian food company.

Botulinum toxin was found in the opened jar by the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare laboratory.

Approximately 900 jars of the incriminated olives were imported into Finland by Kespro in September 2010; most were sold at supermarkets belonging to the K-chain in Espoo (Iso Omena), Vantaa (Jumbo) and Rovaniemi (Eteläkeskus). Some of the olives also were served to customers in four restaurants in the Greater Helsinki area: Kolme Seppää (Helsinki), La Famiglia (Helsinki and Vantaa), and Rafaello.

Kespro has withdrawn the olives from retail sale, and EVIRA (the Finnish Food Safety Authority) has issued a warning to the public against eating the potentially toxic olives. The recall encompasses Gaudiano Organic Olives Stuffed With Almonds (314 ml glass jars; see sample jar, above; Best before dates 08/2012 and 09/2012; Batch numbers H2510X or L1810X).

EVIRA has continued to analyze unopened jars of the stuffed olives, but has not yet discovered botulinum toxin in any jar except for the opened jar consumed by the two Helsinki victims. During its investigation, however, EVIRA has observed that the lids of some of the jars were not tightly closed and had leaked.

After receiving notification of the problem via the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), Italian health authorities instructed the manufacturer (Società Cooperativa Agricola G.M.G. a r.l. dei F.lli Gaudiano) to suspend production and quarantine all outstanding products (not just the olives) pending an investigation of their manufacturing and packing operations. The company has withdrawn all production lots of its Almond-Stuffed Olives from the market.

Based on the trace-forward investigation carried out at Gaudiano’s facility, the incriminated batch of stuffed olives was shipped to one or more destinations in the following countries (see RASFF Notification #2011.1479): Armenia, Barbados, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA.

Government food safety sites in Finland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany have issued consumer alerts and/or recall notices for the incriminated batch of olives.

Olive-lovers around the world should check their pantries and refrigerators for Gaudiano products, and return the Almond-Stuffed Olives to the store or discard them in a sealed bag. And, until the Italian investigation is complete and the outcome is known, it would be wise to abstain from eating other Gaudiano products that are packed in hermetically-sealed jars.

Recalls and Alerts: October 28, 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: Wells Enterprises, Inc. (Le Mars, IA) recalls Blue Bunny® Personals® Ice Cream (5.5 fl oz cartons; UPC 0 70640 00463; Lot #10009; Best Used By 10/1/2012), due to the presence of undeclared wheat as a result of a packaging error. The recalled ice cream was shipped to Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Florida, Wisconsin, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Texas.
  • Allergy Alert: The Kroger Co. recalls Nates Spiced Prawns (16 oz), because the product may contain undeclared sulfites. The recalled prawns were sold in Fred Meyer stores.
  • Food Recall: Original Fried Pies, Inc. (Davis, OK) recalls approximately 8,888 pounds of frozen meat and poultry pie products, because they are misbranded and contain sodium benzoate, a food preservative, which does not appear on package labels and is not approved for use as an added ingredient in meat and poultry products.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is testing lab specimens from 16 patients in the Saint Louis County area, in order to identify the strain of E. coli that has made them ill. Four the specimens already have tested positive for shiga toxin. Six people from surrounding counties also have reported illness. The State also is assisting Saint Louis County with an epidemiological investigation aimed at determining the source of the outbreak. Federal CDC investigators also have joined the investigation. Although no food source has yet been identified, stltoday.com reports that Schnuck Markets Inc. has voluntarily removed some items from its in-store salad bars.
  • Outbreak Alert: The North Carolina Department of Health is investigating 21 cases of confirmed and suspected E. coliillness, including 11 cases in Wake County. The effort to pinpoint a source of the outbreak has been unsuccessful so far.
  • Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert Update (EU #2011.1479): Botulinum toxin in Gaudiano organic olives stuffed with almonds in glass jars from Italy; distributed to Armenia, Barbados, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Grant Chocolatier recalls Grant Chocolatier brand Hazelnuts Bar Dark Chocolate and Almonds Bar Dark Chocolate, due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled products were distributed in Quebec.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (France): Société Sun-Sate recalls You Huy chez Paris Store brand Dried Pork Rind Strips/couenne de proc séchée en filaments (100g; Sold between 11 and 26 October 2011; Best Before date of 08/06/2012), after Listeria was found in a sample of the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (UK): Wm Morrison Supermarekts plc recalls Morrisons Shredded Duck Kit (230g; Use by 31 November 2011), due to an incorrect ‘use by’ date code.
  • Food Safety Recall (UK): Glasgow City Council has initiated a recall of a number of Ryan Foods ready-to-eat products that were produced in unapproved premises under unsatisfactory hygiene conditions and distributed in the Glasgow area. The recalled products include Aysha’s Bite Size Chicken Pakora, Aysha’s 5 Bite Size Chicken Samosas, Aysha’s 5 Bite Size Vegetable Samosas, Aysha’s Chicken Tikka, Ryan’s Chinese Lemon Chicken, and Rico’s Pizzas (all varieties).
  • Food Safety Withdrawal (Sweden): Semper withdraws Småfolk Fruity Stix, Banana and Dadel and Småfolk Oat Stix / Oaty Stix, Apple and Raspberry after mold was found during a quality control test.
  • Food Withdrawal (Denmark): Harboe Brewery A/S withdraws Wheat Beer (50 cl; Product of Estonia; Best before 27.09.2012), because the beer is cloudy and tastes sour due to the growth of lactic acid bacteria.
  • Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert Update (EU #2011.1479): Botulinum toxin in Gaudiano organic olives stuffed with almonds in glass jars from Italy; distributed to Armenia, Barbados, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1508): High aluminium content in vermicelli noodles from Vietnam; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1509): Salmonella spp. in mussels from France; distributed to France and Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1510): Listeria monocytogenes in munster cheese from France; distributed to France, Luxembourg and Poland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1511): Salmonella in paan leaves from Bangladesh; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1513): Mercury in monkfish tail from France; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1514): Salmonella in chilled green herbs in bags from Vietnam; distributed to Norway.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1515): Arsenic and elevated lead in bentonite from France, via Germany; distributed to Poland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1517): Escherichia coli in basil mint from Vietnam; distributed to Norway.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1518): Escherichia coli in green mint from Vietnam; distributed to Norway.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1520): Salmonella spp. in frozen octopus from Indonesia; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1522): Aflatoxins in halva with pistachio nuts from Turkey; distributed to Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Lithuania and Malta.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1523): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon from Poland; distributed to France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1525): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon from Denmark; distributed to Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert Update (EU #2011.1479): Botulinum toxin in Gaudiano organic olives stuffed with almonds in glass jars from Italy; distributed to Armenia, Barbados, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (Australia): The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warns consumers not to use Horror Make Up face paint, after testing reveals excessive levels of lead in the face paint. JP SAS Trading Pty Ltd. has recalled the face paint, which was sold through various discount variety stores in Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert Update (EU #2011.1479): Botulinum toxin in Gaudiano organic olives stuffed with almonds in glass jars from Italy; distributed to Armenia, Barbados, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA.

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.