Category: E. coli

Recalls and Alerts: July 19, 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 Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for imported ready-to-eat smoked duck breast products that were recalled by Palmex, Inc. (Champlain, NY) due to possible Salmonella contamination.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: American Regent recalls Calcium Gluconate Injection, USP, 10%, 100 mL Pharmacy Bulk Package (Lot #1006, Expiration Date: January 2013, NDC # 0517-3900-25), because some of the vials may contain silicone particles.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Punjab Trading, Inc. (Auburn, WA) that a February 2011 inspection of the company’s food storage and processing facility revealed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for manufacturing, packing, or holding human food.
  • Boil Water Order (Florida): Residents of Sunrise, Weston, Southwest Ranches and parts of Davie are told to boil water for one minute, as E. coli was found in a Sunrise city well.
  • Food/Water Safety Advisory (New Jersey): The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a reminder that harvesting blue claw crabs from the waters of the Lower Passaic River and Newark Bay is prohibited, as scientists have found that crabs from those waters continue to show harmful levels of cancer-causing dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as other contaminants, including mercury.
  • Dietary Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0965): Unauthorized sildenafil thiono analogues, tadalafil and vardenafil in various food supplements from China; distributed to Andorra, Germany, Italy, Panama, Spain and the USA.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Salamina Inc. recalls Bacon and Back Bacon Topping (5 Kg; Codes 179185 and 172187), due to the presence of undeclared soy. The recalled product was distributed to hotels, restaurants, and institutional customers in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Allergy Alert: KO & C Enterprises Ltd. recalls Yuh Ming Dried Marinated Mustard (70g), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was sold in retail stores in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ontario): A patient at Welland Hospital has become the 23rd fatality in an outbreak of Clostridium difficile, which has plagued the Niagara region since May 28th. At least 20 of the 23 patient deaths were due to hospital-acquired C. difficile infections.

Europe

  • Cosmetic Product Safety Recall (France): Casino Famili recalls Casino Famili brand hair care cream with shea butter, due to bacteriological contamination. The recalled product was sold in Casino supermarkets.
  • Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2011.0884): Salmonella spp. in mild paprika from Spain, via Belgium; distributed to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Martinique, Morocco, Netherlands and Sweden.
  • Food Withdrawal (Denmark): Dansk Supermarked withdraws ATCO Almonds (200g, 500g and 1000g packs; imported from Germany; all lots with package date of 03.03.2011 onwards), due to traces of moths in the bags of almonds.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK-Northern Ireland): Seven cases of Clostridium difficile have been reported in the South Eastern Trust area, including one case of the virulent 027 strain at Ulster Hospital. There also has been an outbreak of Norovirus at the Ulster Hospital, with up to 50 patients and staff having been affected with vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ukraine): As of July 16th, 23 cases of Vibrio cholerae (O1 serogroup, El Tor biovar, serovar Ogawa) have been reported in Mariupol. The city is maintaining a ban on swimming and fishing in the Azov sea and in local rivers.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0960): Aflatoxins in roasted rice flour from India, via the United Kingdom; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0961): Glass fragments in banana based baby food from Spain; distributed to France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0964): Salmonella in frozen marinated chicken breast fillets from Brazil, via Portugal; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Dietary Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0965): Unauthorized sildenafil thiono analogues, tadalafil and vardenafil in various food supplements from China; distributed to Andorra, Germany, Italy, Panama, Spain and the USA.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0966): Plastic fragments in biscuits from Italy; distributed to Belgium.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0967): Salmonella in spiced and marinated chicken meat from Brazil; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0968): Salmonella Agona in dog chew from Germany; distributed to Austria.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0969): Salmonella in spiced marinated chicken meat from Brazil; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0970): Moths in almonds from Germany; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0971): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled hake from Spain; distributed to Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Department of Health orders GlaxoSmithKline Limited to recall Augmentin 375mg tablets, because samples of the product were found to contain the plasticizers DIDP, DEHP and DINP.
  • Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2011.0884): Salmonella spp. in mild paprika from Spain, via Belgium; distributed to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Martinique, Morocco, Netherlands and Sweden.
  • Food Safety Alert/Recall (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority warns the public not to consume Dunya potable drinking water, produced by Wadi Al Heniya Factory for Health Water, after lab analysis shows that the water contains bromate in excess of maximum allowed limits.
  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (Korea): The Korea Food & Drug Administration has taken legal action against two companies who used illegal food preservatives in their products.
  • Outbreak Alert (PRC): China reports 2,658 cases of food poisoning in the second quarter, and 29 deaths. Bacterial causes of food poisoning accounted for 1,744 of the illnesses in the quarter.
  • Outbreak Alert (Thailand): The Udon Thani Provincial Health Office reports 16,851 cases of diarrhea in the province since the beginning of 2011.
  • Outbreak Alert (Israel): Twenty Palestinian prisoners were treated for food poisoning at a Negev prison.
  • Outbreak Alert (India): Two people died of typhoid recently in the city of Ahmedabad.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert: Food Standards Australia New Zealand advises the public not to consume two coffee products – Sexpresso and Rock Hard – as the products contain variations (analogues) of Viagra (sildenafil).

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2011.0884): Salmonella spp. in mild paprika from Spain, via Belgium; distributed to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Martinique, Morocco, Netherlands and Sweden.
  • Dietary Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0965): Unauthorized sildenafil thiono analogues, tadalafil and vardenafil in various food supplements from China; distributed to Andorra, Germany, Italy, Panama, Spain 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.

Recalls and Alerts: July 16, 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: Willamette Valley Fruit Company (Salem, OR) recalls all Whole Foods Market brand Apple, Cherry and Marionberry pies (8″ pies in square white boxes with see-through window; Pack Dates of July 1-13, 2011; Sell by dates of July 6-18, 2011), due to the presence of undeclared butter. The recalled pies were sold in 35 Whole Foods Market stores in Northern California and Nevada.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert Update: CFIA warns people with sensitivity to gluten to avoid consuming Healthy Times brand Brown Rice Cereal for Baby (Product of USA; 6 oz; Lot 02711; Use by 15 JAN 2013), because the product contains undeclared gluten. The recalled batch of baby cereal was sold or distributed by Satau Inc. (New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec), Puresource Inc. (nationally), UNFI Canada Grocery West (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan), PSC Natural Foods (British Columbia), Horizon Distributors (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon), Loblaw Companies Ltd. (nationally), and Indigo Natural Foods Inc. (Ontario).
  • Food Safety Recall Update: Whole Foods Market advises its Canadian customers that Sol Cuisine brand Spicy Bean Burgers (364g package; lot code 06711), which were recalled by the manufacturer due to possible contamination with Salmonella, were sold in Whole Foods Market stores in Canada.

Europe

  • Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert Update (EU #2011.0842): Fenugreek seeds from Egypt (via the Netherlands and Germany, and packaged in the United Kingdom) that were implicated in the E. coli O104:H4 outbreak, are known to have been distributed in the following 25 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

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: July 15, 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 Update: Bruce Foods Corporation (New Iberia, LA) recalls mislabeled cans of Food Club Red Enchilada Sauce, 10-oz cans (Code ECH 451244; Best Before 5/13/2015), that may contain Green Enchilada Sauce instead of Red. The mislabeled cans contain undeclared wheat and soy, which is present in the Green Enchilada Sauce. The recalled product was sold in retail stores between 5/31/2011 and 7/02/2011 in Texas, Virginia, Minnesota, Alabama, and Ohio.
  • Food Safety Recall (Ohio): Valley Farm Meats (dba Strasburg Provision, Inc.) recalls beef products due to possible contamination with prohibited materials (spinal cord and vertebral column). The recall includes all beef products slaughtered and processed by or purchased from Valley Farm Meats retail store in Strasburg, OH, or from Ed Lind Livestock and Poultry in Medina, OH. The recalled products were produced between 01/28/2011 and 07/05/2011 and offered for sale from 01/28/2011 through 07/11/2011.
  • Food Safety Recall: Sid Wainer & Son, Inc. (New Bedford, MA) recalls imported ready-to-eat Magret de Canard Fumé Seche/Dried Smoked Duck Breast (Product of Canada; Lot No. 111217; Package code 11JN20; Best before 11DE17), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed for institutional use in Connecticut, Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania.
  • Food Safety Recall: Palmex, Inc. (Champlain, NY) recalls imported ready-to-eat Magret de Canard Fumé Seche/Dried Smoked Duck Breast (Product of Canada; Lot No. 111217; Package code 11JN20; Best before 11DE17), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were sent to distribution centers in California and exported to the Dominican Republic.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall Expanded: Global Wellness LLC (Hollywood, FL) recalls Via Xtreme Ultimate Sexual Enhancer Dietary Supplement for Men (Lot No. A032111 03/13), because the product contains sulfoaildenafil methanesulfonate, sulfosildenafil and dimethylsildenafil, which are not approved for use due to safety concerns.
  • Outbreak Alert: Teton County (Wyoming) public health officials have confirmed several cases of norovirus in northwest Wyoming in the past few weeks. Illness reports have been logged in Jackson, Teton Village, and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Separately, the Wyoming Department of Health is tracking a sharp increase in reported cases of Campylobacter across the state.
  • Outbreak Alert: Wicomico County (Maryland) Health Department is investigating a cluster of reported foodborne illnesses that officials believe is linked to a fish fry held in Salisbury on July 1st. At least some of the illnesses involve Salmonella.
  • Outbreak Alert: The CDC is investigating an increase in cases of Campylobacter gastroenteritis in Yuma County (Arizona) and San Luis Rio Colorado (Sonora, Mexico) over the past three months, accompanied by an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome – a known secondary complication associated with Campylobacter infections.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Federal Bureau of Prisons has confirmed that a Salmonella outbreak occurred at the U.S. Penitentiary-Canaan (Waymart, PA), a high-security federal prison. More than 300 inmates and staff developed salmonellosis after consuming tainted chicken served in fajitas on June 25th, according to the Associated Press report. The food was all cooked and prepared on site.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Rhode Island Department of Health has received a report of a laboratory-confirmed case of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in a male in his 70s who ate raw clams earlier this month. The Department is not certain where the clams were harvested. The man was treated and is recovering.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Dai Jung Distributing recalls Lee brand Lemon Grass from Fresh Stems (200g; SLM MFG:28AUG2010BB:31AUG2012), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was distributed through retailers in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Food Safety Recall: Palmex Inc (Marieville, QC) recalls Dried Smoked Duck Breast, (Prepared for Palmex Inc. by Charcuterie Parisienne Inc.; Canada 377; Code Lot 111217; Pkgd on 11JN20), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled ready-to-eat product was distributed in Quebec and Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: Sol Cuisine Inc. recalls Sol Cuisine brand Spicy Bean Burger (364g frozen pkg; Lot code 06711), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was distributed nationally.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Vita Green Health Products Co. Ltd recalls Doctor’s Choice – Evening Primrose Oil (Manufactured in the USA by Captek Softgel Int’l Inc.; Best before July 28, 2013; Batch No. OEO82OA), because the product contains the plasticizers DEHP and DBP.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (Philippines): Procter and Gamble Distributing Phils. recalls Oral-B Tooth and Gum Care Alcohol Free Mouth Rinse (500ml, 350ml, and 60 ml; Manufactured in Columbia), after detecting out-of specification microbial levels in some products produced at the manufacturing site.
  • Health Alert (PRC): A duck processor in central China has been dumping duck excrement and dead animals directly into a river, killing fish and polluting the water. As many as 100,000 people may have been sickened as a result of the actions of the processor.
  • Outbreak Alert (Taiwan): The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed a new case of zoonotic brucellosis in a 60-year-old woman who visited Malaysia in April.
  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a suspected outbreak of food poisoning involving 13 people who participated in an office lunch party on July 11th. Eleven of the 13 victims consulted a medical practitioner, and one person was hospitalized.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Consumer Product Safety Recall (Australia): Procter & Gamble Australia Pty Ltd. recalls Oral-B Tooth & Gum Care Mouth Rinse (All flavors, sizes and batches), because the product contains out-of-specification microbial levels. The recalled Mouth Rinse was sold nationwide.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Food Safety Recall: Palmex, Inc. (Champlain, NY) recalls imported ready-to-eat Magret de Canard Fumé Seche/Dried Smoked Duck Breast (Product of Canada; Lot No. 111217; Package code 11JN20; Best before 11DE17), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were sent to distribution centers in California and exported to the Dominican Republic.
  • Outbreak Alert: The CDC is investigating an increase in cases of Campylobacter gastroenteritis in Yuma County (Arizona) and San Luis Rio Colorado (Sonora, Mexico) over the past three months, accompanied by an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome – a known secondary complication associated with Campylobacter infections.

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.