Category: E. coli

Recalls and Alerts: April 4, 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

  • Outbreak Alert Final Update: CDC has released its final report on the E. coli O26 outbreak that was linked to the consumption of raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants. Twenty-nine people were infected by the outbreak strain. Cases were reported from eleven states, including Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Iowa (5), Kansas (2), Michigan (10), Missouri (3), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), Washington (1), Wisconsin (1), and West Virginia (1). Seven people were hospitalized. None of the victims developed hemolytic uremic syndrome and there were no deaths.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Fraud Alert: FDA is warning doctors that a second counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin has been found in the USA, packaged as the Turkish brand of the medication, according to an Associated Press report.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Le Grand Marché Col-Fax inc. (Laval, QC) various cakes and pastries, due to the presence of undeclared soy and sulfites. 
  • Food Safety Alert: The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control is warning the public not to consume Tomme d’Or cheese (all lots), after sampling revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The cheese is manufactured by Moonstruck Organic Cheese (Saltspring Island, BC). None of the other types of cheese manufactured by Moonstruck is affected by this alert. The contaminated product was sold at various retailers throughout British Columbia.
  • Food Safety Recall: Yotta DC inc. (Boucherville, QC) recalls Soupe aux tomates (1 litre glass jars) Soupe au poireau et au chou-fleur (1 liter glass jars) and Moussaka (250 ml glass jars). Because the recalled products were displayed without refrigeration up to an including March 28, 2012, their microbiological safety cannot be assured.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): TWI Foods recalls TWI brand Pistachio Cookies (200g and 400g), Almond Cookies (200g and 400g), Coconut Cookies (200g and 400g), and Almond Cake Rusk (750g), due to the presence of undeclared milk.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): DK Trading ApS recalls Fresh Chicken Breast Fillets (2.5 kg vacuum packs; Product of Poland; Lot 1207901; Expiry 1/4-2012) and several products manufactured from the imported chicken breasts, because Salmonella Newport was found in samples of the fresh chicken meat. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of recalled products.
  • Food Safety Recall Update (Greece): Greece’s Food Safety Agency (EFET) announces that the destruction of frozen minced beef and spicy frozen meatballs (Product of Germany) – recalled by Lidl Hellas due to contamination with E. coli O157 – has been completed.
  • Food Safety Recall (Italy): Caseificio Valdostano recalls Frozen Blue Shark (Lot 260112; Expiry 28/02/2014), due to excessive mercury contamination.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0480): Unauthorized sibutramine in slimming capsules from China; distributed to Bulgaria.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0485): Mercury in salted chicken breasts from Brazil; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0486): Cadmium and lead in dried celery leaves from Germany, via Belgium; distributed to Belgium and France.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0487): Salmonella in extracted soybean meal from Germany; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0488): Suspected fraud and incorrect expiry date of egg powder from Poland; distributed to Lithuania.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0490): Folpet in lettuce of unknown origin; distributed to France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0494): Mercury in greater amberjack from Greece; distributed to Italy.

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: March 16, 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

  • Food Safety Recall Update: USDA releases updated retail distribution list for various meat and poultry products recalled on February 15, 2012 by AA Meat Products Corporation that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Franck’s Compounding Lab (Ocala, FL) recalls Brilliant Blue G (All lot codes) after receiving reports that some patients treated with the product have experienced fungal infections in the eye. Physicians are instructed to return any remaining product to Franck’s.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Canadian Food Inspection Agency announces the recall of Koh-Kae brand Peanuts Shrimp Flavour Coated snack product (230g pkgs; UPC 8 852023 665481; All lot codes), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled product was sold in Ontario and Quebec, and may have been distributed nationally.
  • Allergy Alert: Orque Tradevelop Corporation recalls Cup Star Shoyu (71g; UPC 4 901734 014676), due to the presence of undeclared crustacean/shellfish. The recalled product was distributed in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: Whole Foods Market advises its customers that Dion brand Organic Curry Powder (36g; UPC 6 20383 02007 7; Lot 02B12G & 12A05G), which was recalled by G. Dion Foods due to potential contamination with Salmonella, was sold in Canadian Whole Foods Market stores.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Naturadif Inc. (Montreal, QC) recalls HD Life Style Hairspray Extreme hairsprays (500mL black aerosol container; Manufactured in Italy by Farmavita), because the product contains methylene chloride, which is banned as an ingredient in pressurized products. The recalled product was sold at salons in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ontario): Ottawa Public Health reports an outbreak of Salmonella illnesses that has affected 27 people, including 23 children aged 15 months to 14 years. Six schools and daycare facilities have reported at least one confirmed case. Three of the outbreak victims were hospitalized, but have been released.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Goodman Fielder New Zealand Ltd. recalls Deli Kitchen Classic Ham & Mustard Sandwich (155g; Use by 17/03/12 and 18/03/12) and Deli Kitchen Classic Ham & Mayo Sandwich (155g; Use by 17/03/12 and 18/03/12), due to the possible presence of plastic in the sandwiches. The recalled products were sold in service stations, some corner stores, some mini-marts and some supermarkets throughout New Zealand.

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.

The Real Pink Slime

OK. I get it. You want to have the option of choosing whether or not to buy ground beef that contains Lean Finely Textured Beef. Sorry, I meant “pink slime.”

Now, how would you like the packages of ground beef to be labeled?

Hmmm…

May contain beef that has been treated to kill harmful bacteria? Definitely not. Sounds too healthy.

May contain ammoniated Lean Finely Textured Beef? No. Too technical sounding.

May contain ammoniated defatted finely ground beef? No. Not disgusting enough.

Guess the label should simply declare “Contains pink slime.”

Now that we’ve got that issue resolved, let’s not forget the real risks hiding in those packages of ground beef and pre-formed burger patties – Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and other shiga-toxin producing E. coli.

E. coli O157:H7 Photo by Janice Haney Carr, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

These pathogenic bacteria are the real hazards associated with eating beef burgers. These are the culprits that maim thousands of victims annually – killing some and leaving many others to deal with life-long chronic ailments.

These are the real Pink Slime.