Category: E. coli O157:H7

Recalls and Alerts: June 3, 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 Recall: Allison’s Gourmet Kitchens, Inc. (Moore, OK) recalls Allison’s Gourmet Kitchens Gourmet White Meat Chicken Salad (3-lb plastic tub), Allison’s Gourmet Kitchens Fruits and Nut Chicken Salad (3-lb plastic tub), Baker’s Kitchen Chicken Salad (3-lb plastic tub), Hill Country Fare, Deli Style Classic Ham Salad With Pineapple (12-oz plastic cup) and Hill Country Fare, Classic Chicken Salad With White Meat (12-oz plastic cup and 3-lb plastic tub), because these products contain undeclared potassium sorbate and/or sodium benzoate.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kashi Company, part of The Kellogg Company, recalls Kashi Mediterranean Pizza (Product codes May 10, May 18, & May 19 followed by 2012NU), Kashi Roasted Vegetable Thin Crust Pizza (Product codes May 9 & May 14 followed by 2012NU) and Kashi Mushroom Trio and Spinach Thin Crust Pizza (Product code May 17 2012NU), because the pizza crust may contain fragments of plastic.
  • Outbreak Alert (Oklahoma): The Tulsa Health Department is investigating four cases of E. coli gastroenteritis – two confirmed and two suspected cases – in Tulsa County children. Three of the four children attend Boston Avenue Church’s childcare center.
  • Outbreak Alert (Colorado): The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Denver Public Health and Environmental Health departments are investigating three reported cases of Listeria in Denver since May 20th. Two of the three victims – a man in his 30s and a woman in her 60s – have died. All three outbreak victims are of Hispanic/Latino heritage.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: I.F.T.O. Canada (Toronto, ON) recalls Mamta Mom’s Best Punjabi Wadi (200g and 400g sizes), because the products contain undeclared wheat. The recalled products were sold from Iqbal Halal Foods, Toronto, ON.
  • Allergy Alert: Lindt & Sprungli Canada recalls Lindt brand Lindor – Milk Chocolate With A Delectably Smooth Centre – 18 Pieces (100g; Best before 31 12 2011 L4510), because the chocolates contain undeclared tree nuts. The recalled products were distributed to retailers nationally.
  • Food Safety Recall: Heinz Canada (Leamington, ON) recalls Heinz Strained Beef with Broth (100ml glass jars; Best before 2013JA08, 2013FE17, and 2013AL07), Heinz Strained Chicken with Broth (100ml glass jars; Best before 2013JA09 and 2013FE18), and Heinz Strained Lamb with Broth (100ml glass jars; Best before 2013FE19), because some jars have a glass deformity that could break off during normal use. The recalled products were distributed nationally.
  • Food Safety Recall: Ten Ren’s Tea & Ginseng Co. (Calgary) Ltd. recalls Tenren’s Tea Passion Fruit Juice, Litchi Juice and Mango Juice (2200mL; all codes), because they may contain DEHP. The recalled items were distributed to retailers, hotels, restaurants and institutions in Alberta.
  • Food Safety Recall: Chuang’s Co. Ltd. recalls Cosine brand fruit-flavored drinks and grape-flavored syrup (2-liter size), because they may contain DEHP. The recalled products were distributed to retailers, hotels, restaurants and institutions in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
  • Food Safety Recall: Ten Ren Tea Co. (Ontario) Ltd. recalls Tenren’s Tea Passion Fruit Juice (2200mL; all codes), Litchi Juice (2200mL; all codes) and Kiwi Jam (4.5-kg), because they may contain DEHP. The recalled products were distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutions in Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: Possmei Canada Ltd. recalls Possmei brand fruit juices and jams, because they may contain DEHP. The recalled products were distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutions in Manitoba and Ontario.

Europe

  • Food Recall (Ireland): Nordzucker Ireland recalls Siucra Caster Sugar (3-kg catering packs; batch code L5831RF01; Product of Germany), because the sugar is contaminated with salt.
  • Import Suspension (Russia): Russia has suspended the importation of potatoes from Egypt due to health and sanitation concerns.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Cosway recalls Oriyen Nutri Grow (boy) Orange Drink Premix (330g; Use by August 13, 2013) and Oriyen Nutri Grow (girl) Cranberry Drink Premix (330; Use by August 13, 2013), because the products may contain DEHP. The recalled items were manufactured in Taiwan by Jin Zhuan Lifesciences Enterprise Co. Ltd.
  • Food Safety Recall (Singapore): AVA announces the recall of Possmei brand of fruit juice concentrates after detecting DEHP in the products, and also has suspended the import of these products.
  • Food Safety Recall (Philippines): The Philippines Food and Drug Administration has released a list of recalled food products contaminated with DEHP that were imported from Taiwan. Please navigate to the list for details of the recalled items.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0724): Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli were detected in deer (venison) salami from Italy. The contaminated salami was distributed to Austria and Singapore. There is no indication of brand name or production codes.
  • Food Safety Recall/Seizure (Taiwan): Eight more DEHP-contaminated juices were discovered by the Shihlin District Prosecutors Office. The juices were produced by Jin Guoo Wang Food Co. The discovery resulted from a raid on Creation Food Corp, a distributor of Jin Guoo Wang’s juice products.
  • Food Safety Advisory (Taiwan): Taiwan has suspended all food exports that are at risk of being contaminated with DEHP. The affected product categories include sports drinks, juices, tea drinks, fruit jams/jellies/syrups, and supplements in tablet, powder and capsule form.
  • Outbreak Alert (Japan): Customers of a Toyama Prefecture outlet of the Gyukaku Korean-style restaurant chain became ill after eating at the restaurant on May 6th. Fifteen of the 20 affected diners have been lab-diagnosed with E. coli O157 infections. Local officials suggested that diners used the same chopsticks to cook raw meat slices at the restaurant and to eat them. This outbreak is unrelated to the deadly Japanese E. coli outbreak that occurred in April and was linked to a different Korean-style restaurant chain.

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: May 31, 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: Irish Hills Meat Company of Michigan (Tipton, MI) recalls 900 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled  ground beef was produced on May 23 and May 26, and shipped to restaurants in Michigan.
  • Food Safety Recall: Stewart’s Shops (Saratoga Springs, NY) recalls 19 ice cream items manufactured in their Greenfield, NY facility since May 19, 2011, due to an equipment failure that may have resulted in the introduction of foreign material into the ice cream. The recalled products – packed in cartons or boxes bearing Plant #36-3918 -were distributed to Stewart’s Shops in New York and southern Vermont.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Reed’s Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) that an October/November inspection of the company’s carbonated beverage and human dietary supplement manufacturing facility revealed significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) in Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements regulations, causing the Reed’s Nausea Relief dietary supplement products manufactured in your facility to be adulterated, in that the dietary supplements have been prepared, packed, or held under conditions that do not meet current good manufacturing practice regulations for dietary supplements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Family Fresh Pack, LLC (Belleville, WI) that a December 2010/January 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Natural Choice Distribution Company (Oakland, CA) that a February 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Manolo and Son, LLC (Alexandria, VA) that a March 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Contes Pasta Company, Inc. (Vineland, NJ) that a January/February 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Nuvonyx, Inc. DBA Real Aloe, Inc. and U.S. Aloe (Carlsbad, CA) that October 2010 and  January 2011 inspections of the company’s facility revealed significant violations of Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements (CGMP) regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Import Food Wholesale (St. Paul, MN) that a November 2010 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Country Maid, Inc. (Milwaukee, WI) that a December 2010 inspection of the company’s food processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Dawn’s Foods, Inc. (Portage, WI) that a February 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns ADAO, Inc. (Denver, CO) that a December 2010 inspection of the company’s food manufacturing facility revealed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations in manufacturing, packing, or holding of human food, causing the products manufactured in the Denver facility to be adulterated, in that they were prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been contaminated with filth, or whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Tiny Greens (Urbana, IL) that a December 2010-January 2011 inspection of the company’s sprouting facility revealed conditions and practices that are likely to have contaminated the products, causing the sprouts to be adulterated, in that they were packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been contaminated with filth or rendered injurious to health. Sprouts produced by Tiny Greens were responsible for an outbreak of Salmonella gastroenteritis that sickened 140 people in 26 states and the District of Columbia between November 2010 and February 2011.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Valley Wholesale Produce and Seafood (Winchester, VA) that a March 2011 inspection of the company’s produce and seafood warehouse revealed serious violations of the seafood HACCP regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Great Oriental Food Products Co., Ltd. (Mae Sod, Thailand) that a January 2011 inspection of the company’s low-acid canned food facility revealed serious deviations from the low-acid canned food regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Guangxi Jisheng Foods Inc. (Hengxian, China) that a January 2011 inspection of the company’s low-acid canned food facility revealed serious deviations from the low-acid canned food regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Franklin Foods, Inc. (Delray Beach, FL) that a September/October inspection of the company’s food processing facility located in Enosburg Falls, Vermont revealed serious violations of the seafood HACCP regulation, regarding the manufacturing of smoked salmon cream cheese.

Canada

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Norway): Kjøttvirksomheten Kuraas AS (Narvik) has withdrawn a number of meat products after Salmonella was detected in a sample of pork. Please see the official withdrawal notice for distribution details on the seven tons products of withdrawn pork and beef products.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0710): Mercury in frozen red snapper fillets from Madagascar; distributed to France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0711): Dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorobiphenyls in frozen cooked crabs from Ireland; distributed to France.
  • Outbreak Alert (Russia): Twenty-six children, aged 10 to 13 years, have been hospitalized, and an additional 45 people isolated after the attendees at Sail camp (near Novgorod) were stricken by what is believed to be food poisoning.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Alert (New Zealand): The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has opened an investigation into Kaiora New Zealand International, a company that is allegedly selling and exporting Heitiki infant formula. The investigation will focus on food safety concerns, as well as possible breaches of requirements such as labeling, advertising, and claims.
  • Shellfish Safety Advisory (New Zealand): Upper Whangarei Harbour has been closed for gathering shellfish until July 2nd, after high levels of norovirus were found in Whangarei wastewater and the upper harbour during a May 2nd storm.

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: May 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: Top Food & Drug advises its customers that Galaxy Desserts Morning Mini Sticky Buns (UPC: 6-40445-00115) have been recalled, because they contain undeclared pecans.
  • Food Safety Recall: Food Depot #24 recalls Ground Beef Products (1-lb through 4-lb tray packs; Sell by 05/20/11), because the meat may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled ground beef was sold at Food Depot, Store #24 in McDonough, GA.
  • Recreational Water Safety Alert (Missouri): Swimming beaches at three Missouri parks are closed due to elevated E. coli levels.
  • Recreational Water Safety Alert (Oregon): Oregon has issued a public health advisory for ocean waters at Indian Beach in Clatsop County, due to higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria.
  • Food Safety Advisory: Taiwan has advised US heath authorities that some bottled drinks imported into the USA from Taiwan may be contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical DEHP.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Nikita Foods & Spices Ltd. recalls Kamal Premium Quality Spice Dumpling – Punjabi Wadi (200g and 400g sizes) due to the presence of undeclared gluten.
  • Food Safety Recall: Les Aliments Edesia Foods Inc. (Saint-Hubert, QC) expands its earlier recall of Listeria monocytogenes-contaminated meat products from Italy to include both of the following products: Fumagalli La Salumeria Seasoned Dry Cured Pork Loin (1.2-1.6kg or sliced at retail; Best before 30.08.2011; Batch 119062) and Fimagalli Pronto e Fresco Spianata Romana Salami (100g; Best before 05.07.2011; Batch 119066). The recalled products were distributed only in Quebec.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Channell’s Norfolk Preserves Ltd. advises that it is relabeling Channell’s Sticky Rib Sauce and Channell’s Barbecue Sauce, because they may contain the undeclared antigens soy, fish, sesame, wheat and/or barley.
  • Food Safety Alert (UK): Taiwan’s Department of Health warns that Bubble Tea ingredients exported to the UK from Taiwan are suspected to be contaminnted by the cancer-causing chemical DEHP.
  • Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Delhaize recalls DelhaizeTrances de Nazareth (180g; all dates), Delhaize Plateau de fromage Belgo-Français (400g; Best before 18/04/2011 and 02/05/2011) Nazareth Fromage Nazareth en Bloc (250g; all dates) and Brugge Kaas Plateau de fromage Brugge (450g; Best before 13/04/2011), because the products may contain Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0695): Mold infestation in chilled white cheese from Germany; distributed to Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany and Italy.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.0696): Unauthorized synephrine in food supplement from Canada; distributed to France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0697): Salmonella Heidelberg in frozen chicken breasts from Brazil; distributed to Denmark.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.0698): Unauthorized idebenone, vinpocetine, vincamine and vinburnine in food supplement from the USA, via Hungary; distributed to Cyprus.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0699): Unsuitable organoleptic characteristics of long grain rice from Poland; distributed to Slovakia.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Germany): Cucumbers imported into Germany from Spain are suspected to be the source of the outbreak of E. coli O104 disease, which has killed four people and sickened several hundred across several states of Germany.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (Multiple countries): The Taiwan Department of Health has informed health authorities in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines that some bottled drinks exported to these countries from Taiwan may be contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical, DEHP. Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety urges the public not to consume Speed Sports Drink (600ml; Expiry February 14, 2013), Speed Sports Drink, Lemon Flavour (600 ml; Expiry February 14, 2013), and Dong Nung 1000 Sports Drink / Yuet’s Sports Drink (Expiry March 21, 2013).
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Singapore): The Health Sciences Authority advises the public that Metabolic Advantage (manufactured by Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. in the USA) has been withdrawn, because it contains the unauthorized substances, thyroid gland and thyroid hormones.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Enrico’s Kitchens recalls a number of Frozen Ready-to-eat pizza and pasta products (best before 25 May 2012), because the products may be contaminated with foreign matter, including metal, plastic and cloth. The recalled products were distributed nationally to major supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths, independent grocery stores and food service outlets such as cafés, hospitals and school canteens.

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.