Category: botulism

Recalls and Alerts: October 26, 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: Supreme Meat Purveyors (San Antonio, TX) recalls frozen Carne Guisada (2 x 5-lb bags/cs; Case code of 71087/506004, 500233 or 600100; Produced on various dates from 10/25/10 to 10/19/11), because the products contain undeclared soy.
  • Allergy Alert: Emporium Packaging & Spice Co (Temple, TX) recalls Ponchatrain Sauce Mix (0.17-lb plastic bag; all lots), because the product may contain undeclared milk and soy. The recalled sauce mix was sold in Temple, Texas through the firm’s retail store.
  • Food Recall: Food City advises consumers that Food Club Graham Crumbs, 15-oz pkg has been recalled. No details are available.
  • Food Safety Alert: The Texas Department of State Health Services announced that all commercial and recreational harvesting of oysters, clams and mussels in all Texas waters is closed until further notice due to red tide, an algal bloom.
  • Outbreak Alert: The North Carolina Division of Public Health and the Wake County Health Department are investigating seven cases of E. coli illnesses, including 6 children. Four people have been hospitalized, and two – both of them children – remain in intensive care.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Fumoir du Nord (Quebec, QC) recalls Sensations by Compliments brand Smoked Atlantic Salmon (120g pkgs; Best before 11NO25), because the product may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled smoked salmon was sold in Quebec, and in IGA Extra in Edmundston, NB.
  • Food Safety Recall: Mannarich Food Inc. (Markham, ON) recalls an extensive list of Mannarich Food Inc. brand and Ocean Chinese Food Products brand vacuum-packed, refrigerated, ready-to-eat fish products (All Best Before dates up to and including December 16, 2011) because the products may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The products were distributed nationally. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of affected products.
  • Food Safety Recall: La Siembra Co-operative recalls Camino 55% Dark Chocolate with Almond (100g; Code BBD 23 08 12 and 22 06 12), due to the presence of glass particles.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (France): Les fromageries de Blâmont recalls Munster géromé made from unpasteurized milk (200g; Lot 251, followed by the 6 digits from 237833 to 237839), after Listeria was detected in a sample. The recalled cheese was sold under the brands Reflets de France, Nos régions ont du talent, Auchan Terroir and Val de Weiss in the following grocery chains: Auchan, Leclerc, Carrefour, Cora, Simply Market, Partisans du Goût, Prixbas, A 2Pas et Auchan City.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Naturfleisch GmbH recalls Coarsely minced pork (Foil packaging; Batch #3-18-41; Best before 11/08/2011), after Listeria monocytogenes is found in a sample. The product was distributed in South Thuringia.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Asian Trading recalls Fresh Coriander from Thailand (50g plastic bags; Labeled as “Coriander, TL.1, 50gr Vietnam”), after Salmonella is detected in a sample of the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Aldi recalls Country Pleasure brand Fresh turkey breast (700g-1100g; Lot #2169433 065401; Best before 13 October 2011; Product of Germany), after Salmonella is detected in a sample of the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Danish Crown recalls Pork Belly cuts (Retail Package Dates 06.10.2011 to 12.10.2011), after Salmonella is detected in a sample of the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Royal Biscuit recalls Much More Coconut Tops (210g; Batch 110715; Best before 15.01.2012) due to fermentation.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1501): Diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning toxins in chilled mussels from Italy; distributed to Austria and Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1502): Listeria monocytogenes in Ardenner paté from Belgium; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1503): Salmonella in paan leaves from Bangladesh; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1504): Defective packaging and mold growth in chorizo sausages from Spain; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1506): Chloramphenicol in chilled lobster from the United States; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Recall (EU #2011.1507): Cadmium in spinach from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and Luxembourg.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Hovid Ltd. recalls Ternolol 100mg Tablets (Batch #AJ12560), after a sample fails a disintegration test.

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: October 25, 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: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. recalls f&e™ brand fresh bagged Washed Spinach (12 oz; Enjoy by date of OCT 16), after FDA tests confirmed one bag of the spinach to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled spinach was sold in Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores in California, Nevada and Arizona.
  • Food Safety Recall: American Egg Products (Blackshear, GA) recalls 5-lb cartons of frozen egg product (Lot #272-1; Plant #P 1105), because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled frozen egg product was distributed to Georgia and Florida, and sold to three distributors and/or further food manufacturers.
  • FDA Enforcement Action: U.S. Marshals, acting at the request of the FDA, seized various food products stored in a warehouse owned by Chetak Chicago LLC, in Streamwood, Ill., on October 17, 2011. FDA initiated the seizure after finding extensive evidence of unsanitary conditions throughout the warehouse during a recent inspection. These conditions included live rodent and birds, rodent carcasses, gnawed product packaging, significant amounts of rodent fecal matter, rodent urine stains, and rodent nesting material.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Beyer Lightning Fish Co. Inc. (Bronx, NY) that a September/October 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 123, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Health Advances USA, Inc. (Chula Vista, CA) that a May 2011 inspection of the company’s facilities revealed serious violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for dietary supplements. Supplements manufactured at the facility include: Pentrexcilina Citricilina, Duro Neuro Extra Forte, Angin, Angin Xtra Forte, Delgadex, Desin-Flanex 850, Super Sleeper, Super Complejo B, Colesstol 200, Delgadex, Radiaxina, and M-Stane.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Old Point Packing, Inc. (Newport News, VA) that a June 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 123, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Jansen’s Sweet Sinsations, Inc. (Mason, OH) that a June 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed improper labeling  and a significant violation of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation .

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Costco Canada advises its customers that Handi Foods Ltd (Weston, ON) has recalled Handi brand 100 calories Multigrain Bagels (Fresh or frozen; all lot codes and best before dates), due to the presence of sunflower seeds that were not declared on the French label. The recalled bagels were sold in Costco stores in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Allergy Alert: Comptoir B.M. (Granby, QC) recalls prepared sandwiches, entrées, wraps and brownies, (see recall notice for list of products), due to the presence of undeclared eggs, soy, milk, wheat and/or sulfites.
  • Allergy Alert: Puresource Inc. recalls NOW Brewer’s Yeast (10 grain) Tablets (200 tablets/bottle; Lots #1401411, 1365681 and 1343111), due to the presence of undeclared milk.
  • Food Recall: Loblaw Companies Ltd. recalls No Name Potato and Bacon Perogies (1kg; Lot code 2012 OC 06), due to unspecified “non-harmful” extraneous material contamination.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Dorset Cereals withdraws Dorset Cereals Gingerbread Hearty Porridge (420g; Best before April 2012 and May 2012), because the product contains undeclared wheat.
  • Food Safety Recall (UK): Aunt Bessie’s Ltd recalls Aunt Bessie’s Scrumptious Bramley Apple Crumble family size (500g; Best before End of January 2013), because there may be small pieces of plastic on the top surface of the crumble. The product was sold only in Farmfoods stores after 21 October 2011.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Landfleischerei Dörnfeld GmbH recalls coarsely minced pork/matured Rohwursterzeugnis sausages (140g; produced during the 41st Calendar week), after Salmonella Agona is found in a sample. The sausages were sold only through company-owned stores and vehicles in Saalfeld-Rudolstadt.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Lichtenberger Fleisch- und Wurstproduktion GmbH recalls Fresh Ham and Onion Sausage (330g pkgs; Lot #L 390 434; Best before 10/23/2011), after microbial contaminants are found in a sample.
  • Food Safety Withdrawal (UK): Gaudiano Organic Olives Stuffed with Almonds (Product of Italy; 314ml glass jars; Best before date of 09/2012) have been withdrawn from sale in the UK after two people in Helsinki, Finland who consumed the product were diagnosed with botulism. Forty jars from the implicated batch were distributed to Greencity Wholefoods of Glasgow in September 2010, and were resold to a number of smaller retailers and caterers. None of the affected batch remains on store shelves, but some consumers may still have the product in their pantries. Anyone who purchased this product should discard it.
  • Outbreak Alert (Finland/Italy): Italian health authorities have suspended all operations at Società Cooperativa Agricola G.M.G. a r.l. dei F.lli Gaudiano, S.P. 65 – 71042 Cerignola after being advised of two cases of botulism associated with – and the finding of botulinum toxin in – Gaudiano Organic Olives Stuffed with Almonds (Batch H2510X), and have seized various canned vegetables produced by the company. Investigations are underway to determine the source of the contamination. Consumers are advised not to eat the product.
  • Cosmetic Product Safety Alert (Netherlands): Health authorities have ordered the removal of two hair gels from sale, because they contain high levels of dioxane, which is prohibited in cosmetic products in the EU.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1491): Listeria monocytogenes in cheese from France; distributed to Belgium, France, Germany and Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1492): Salmonella spp. in paan leaves from India; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1493): Salmonella in fenugreek leaves from India, via the United Kingdom; distributed to Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, and Spain.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.1494): Undeclared gluten in pork and apricot coarse paté from Belgium; distributed to Gibraltar and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1495): Salmonella spp. in paan leaves from Thailand; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Consumer Product Safety Notification (EU #2011.1498): Migration of bisphenol A from plastic nursing bottles from Germany; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1499): Nitrofuran furazolidone in frozen raw shrimps from China; distributed to Sweden.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.1500): Excessive sulphite in frozen shrimps from Tunisia; distributed to Italy.
Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health warns the public not to buy or consume SlimEasy Herbs Capsules, because the product contains the banned drug ingredients sibutramine and phenolphthalein.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Kerry Pinnacle Pty Ltd. recalls Choc Cherry Slice and Choc Chip Flapjack Slice (500g plastic flo wrap – 12 Pack; multiple best before dates), due to the presence of undeclared egg and sulphites. The recalled product was sold in Coles Supermarkets in NSW, VIC, QLD and TAS between 17 October and 25 October 2011.

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 Alert – Finland, Germany, United Kingdom and USA

Italian olives tainted with botulinum toxin sickened two members of a Helsinki family last week.

Both individuals reported having eaten Gaudiano Organic Olives Stuffed with Almonds. Lab tests confirmed that the jar from which the two patients had eaten the olives contained botulinum toxin.

The tainted olives were packed in 314ml glass jars, with a best before date of 09/2012. They were imported into Finland by Kespro as early as September 2010. The olives were sold in Finland to K-food stores KCM Big Apple (Espoo), KCM Jumbo (Vantaa) and KSM South Centre (Rovaniemi), and to a few restaurants.

The olives have been withdrawn from sale in Finland, and consumers who purchased this product are asked to return it to the store.

Germany’s Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety has learned that some of these olives also were distributed in Germany, and is asking its citizens to dispose of any of the implicated jars of olives “with household waste”.

According to a notice posted October 21, 2011 on the Rapid Alert System for Foods and Feeds (RASFF) and updated this morning (October 24th), these olives also were distributed to the United Kingdom and the USA. So far, neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor Britain’s Food Standards Agency has issued a Consumer Alert or a public health advisory of any sort.

eFood Alert Advisory to Consumers in Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom and the USA:

Check your pantry for Gaudiano Organic Olives Stuffed with Almonds (Product of Italy; Best before 09/2012), and discard the product in a safe manner. DO NOT TASTE THIS PRODUCT. If you have consumed even a tiny amount of this product and begin to experience any symptoms of botulism, including blurred vision or difficulty swallowing, seek immediate medical attention.