Category: E. coli

Recalls and Alerts: March 11, 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

  • Allergy Alert: Publix Super Markets recalls Publix Beef Stew Seasoning Mix (1.45 oz; UPC 41415-03608; Best by DEC 09 13 H), after receiving notification from McCormick & Company, Inc. that the product may be mispacked with brown gravy and may contain undeclared milk. The recalled seasoning mix was distributed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina.
  • Outbreak Alert (New York): Nassau County Department of Health is investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that has affected “hundreds” of students at Barnum Woods Elementary School. Norovirus is suspected.
  • Outbreak Alert (Illinois): Norovirus is the suspected cause of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness at Westfield Community School in Algonquin. About 55% of the elementary school and more than 40% of the middle school students have been kept home from school. Eleven teachers reported symptoms.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Sobey’s Québec inc. recalls Esc Poitrine Poulet Asperge, Roti de Porc Cuit, and Terrine Sanglier Moisson, due to the presence of undeclared soy, wheat and/or fish. The recalled products were sold at certain IGA and IGA Extra grocery stores in variable weight formats and also packaged at the store up to and including March 7, 2012.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (France): Chablis Gourmets recalls Chablis Andouillettes Roulaide Chablisienne (approx. 300g slice; vacuum-packed; Lot #10.06; sold from 15/02/2012 through 09/03/2012), due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was sold in “self-service” departments of warehouse stores in the Bourgogne and Champagne Ardenne regions. Stores in the following cities and towns sold this product: Brienon (Yonne ), Chablis (Yonne) Auxerre (Yonne) Vermenton (Yonne) Joigny (Yonne), Migennes (Yonne), Avallon (Yonne), Villeneuve sur Yonne (yonne), Arc/ Tille (Côte d’or), Perrigny (Côte d’or), Dijon (Côte d’or), Fontaine les Dijon (Côte d’or), Auxonne (Côte d’or), Chalon-sur-Saône (Saône et Loire), Montceau les Mines (Saône et Loire), Torcy (Saône et Loire), Troyes (Aube), et Chaumont (Haute Marne).
  • Food Safety Withdrawal (Poland): Polish health authorities have ordered the withdrawal from the market of more than 230,000 kilograms (500,000 pounds) of pickles, bread and other food suspected of containing industrial salt, according to an Associated Press report.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (France): French authorities announce the recall of Dekang Liquid for Electronic Cigarettes (Pineapple and Desert Ship varieties) and Halo Liquid for Electronic Cigarettes (Tribeca, Coolmist and Prime 15 varieties), due to excessive levels of nicotine.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Friarswood Primary School (Newcastle) remains closed while students and staff are tested for possible E. coli infections, after three cases of E. coli were confirmed this week. An additional 10 possible cases have been identified.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0351): Dead insects in frozen spinach from France, via Italy; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0353): Unauthorized azorubine in nectar pomegranate from Greece, with raw material from Turkey; distributed to Greece.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0355): Escherichia coli in fresh mussels from Tunisia; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0358): Suspicion of fraud in relation to horse meat from Hungary; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0359): Aflatoxins in corn flour from Pakistan; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0363): Undeclared peanut in Lituanica brand marchmallow vanilla from Poland; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0364): Salmonella spp. in meat meal from France; distributed to Italy.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0366): Mercury in cat food with tuna from Thailand; distributed to Italy.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0367): Excessive Enterobacteriaceae in salmon meal from Norway; distributed to Belgium.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0368): Lactoprotein and undeclared lactose in infant formula (non-milk rice porridge) from Turkey; distributed to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0369): Undeclared gluten in cake mixes from Jamaica; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0370): Mercury in defrosted mako from Spain; distributed to Italy.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0371): Allergic reaction caused by, and unauthorized benzoic acid in, rose jam from Syria; distributed to Cyprus.

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 9, 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

  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Cargill Animal Nutrition  recalls Nutrena NatureWise® Goat Pellet 16 (50 lb bags; Lot codes 1MG1365, 3MG2049 and 1MG2056) because the feed contains undeclared Decoquinate, a medicated article for the prevention of coccidiosssis, that not approved for lactating goats.
  • Food Safety Withdrawal: Gerber Products Company withdraws Gerber® Good Start® Gentle Powdered Infant Formula (23.2 oz plastic pkg; Batch GXP1684; Expiry March 5, 2013), because the product might have an off-odor noticeable to some consumers. Some cases of spit-up and other gastrointestinal complaints have been reported.
  • Outbreak Alert (California): Los Arboles Middle School in Marina, CA sent home 110 students who were suffering from gastrointestinal illness. The students were suffering from flushed cheeks, light-headedness, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Whole Foods Market Inc. recalls Spinach Mushroom Quiche (approx 280g; UPC 0275184 316999; Sold March 1 to 5, 2012), because the package actually contains Spinach Pine Nut Quiche. The recalled product was sold only from the Whole Foods Market Cambie Store, 510 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Finland): FK Trube Oy recalls Blueberry-Raspberry Filled Bun (225g pkg; Best before 10/03/2012), because some of the packages contain Apple Filled Buns instead.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): SuperGros A/S recalls First Price Peanuts (250g; All date codes) and Best/SuperBest Peanuts (250g; All date codes), because a foreign object that resembles a piece of jaw from a small animal was found in a bag of the peanuts.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (France): Bristol-Myers Squibb recalls Coumadine, 5mg scored tablets (Lot 1K04; Expiry October 2013), because of a defect in the seal of certain blister packs.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service recalls all Albumex 5 Infusion 12.5g/250ml and Albumex 20 Infusion 10g/50ml, after receiving notification from the Australian manufacturer that some of the products were found contaminated with ethylene glycol.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Singapore): The Health Sciences Authority recalls all supplies of Albumex 20® (20% albumin) manufactured by the Australian bio-pharmaceutical company CSL Biotherapies (CSL) from public hospitals as a precautionary measure following detection by HSA’s laboratories of trace amounts of ethylene glycol in samples of the product.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Almarae Dairy Products recalls Almarae Dairy Products Country Cheese, soft cheese in brine (Glass jar with white lid; Date code 20 May 2012), due to contamination with Listeria and E. coli. The recalled cheese was sold at the Almarae Dairy Products retail store and a convenience store in Punchbowl, NSW.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Australia): CSL Limited recalls all batches manufactured prior to 25 January 2012 of: Albumex 4 (500mL), Albumex 4 (50mL), Albumex 20 (100mL) and Albumex 20 (10mL), because the products may be contaminated with very low levels of ethylene glycol as a consequence of equipment failure.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (Mexico): Distribuidora Jugarás, S.A. de C.V. recalls Súper Luchamanía plastic dolls (Manufactured in Mexico), due to elevated levels of lead in the paint.

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 8, 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 (March 7, 2012 Enforcement Report): Specialty Commodities, Inc. (Fargo, ND) recalled by telephone and email (on January 23, 2012) Mellace Family Brands Raw Organic Cashews ( 25 lbs net wt; Lot #USGE19387; Manufactured by PT. JAVA Mete Indonesia), due to Salmonella contamination. The recalled Organic Cashews were distributed to California, Michigan and Oregon.
  • Food Recall: Coca-Cola Refreshments recalls Gold Peak Sweet Tea (500mL; Lot code APR1312 AM 7 G), because the product may not meet the company’s quality standards throughout the entire shelf life.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: CDC reports that the outbreak of E. coli O26 illnesses linked to consumption of raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants has grown to include 25 confirmed victims in Alabama (1), Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Michigan (9), Arkansas (1), Ohio (3) and Wisconsin (1). Six people have been hospitalized.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Gold Phoenix Asian Food (Royston, BC) recalls Crispy Vegetable & Yam Spring Rolls & Sauce (500 to 650g; UPC 8 13006 00008 6) and Vietnamese Crispy Spring Rolls & Sauce (500 to 650g; UPC 8 13006 00009 3), because the products contain undeclared fish and soy. The recalled frozen spring rolls were distributed in British Columbia.
  • Food Safety Recall: G. Dion Foods (Saint-Jerome, QC) recalls Dion brand Organic Curry Powder (36g packages; Lot code 02B01G; UPC 20383 02007 7), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled curry powder was distributed in Ontario and Quebec.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Baronie De Heer recalls Choco-filled Chocolate Easter Eggs (1kg bag; Batch code CFBK30LO), because the chocolate eggs contain undeclared nuts, gluten and egg.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Løgismose mejeri A/S recalls Løgismose Organic Drinking Yogurt 1% with Strawberry and Orange (350 ml; Best before 17.03.2012; Product of Sweden), because the beverage is contaminated with yeast.
  • Food Safety Recall (Italy): New Factor Spa recalls Raw and Toasted Iranian Pistachios (variable weight packaging; Lot #211444, 211453 and 211445; Expiry 11/2012, 04/2012 and 07/2012, respectively), due to contamination with aflatoxins.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Novartis Pharmaceuticals (HK) Ltd. recalls Ospexin Cap 500mg and Ospexin Cap 250mg (All batch codes; Manufactured by Sandoz GmbH, Austria) because when the products stored at 30 degree Celsius and 75 per cent relative humidity for 12 months, the tests on dissolution, water content and capsule shell colour were found to be unsatisfactory.
  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): The Department of Health reports that the number of suspected typhoid fever cases in Tuburan, Cebu City has grown to 924, as of March 4th.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Advisory (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has tested Xiyouji Zingzhi weight loss capsules and found that the capsules contain the undeclared prescription drug sibutramine, despite the label claim that this is a natural product. In addition, the levels of sibutramine in the capsules are higher than levels previous approved by TGA for prescription use. These capsules pose a serious risk to health, and should be discarded.

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.