Category: E. coli

Recalls and Alerts: May 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.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): La Brasserie De Graal recalls certain batches and varieties of beer (33 cl bottles), because of a manufacturing defect that could result in the lip of the bottle breaking during opening, with the risk of glass fragments falling into the beer. Please see the recall notice for a list of affected beers.
  • Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG recalls Müller Diät Milchreis, Sorte Pur, Müller Diät Milchreis, Sorte Zimt and Müller Diät Milchreis, Sorte Kirsch (best before 23.05 only), after receiving consumer complaints of glass particles in a few containers of the products. The recalled products were sold in stores belonging to the Cactus supermarket chain.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Dansk Supermarked A/S recalls Smoked Pork Tenderloin (Product of Poland; Best before dates from 1/1/2011 up to and including 1/5/2011), because the product is suspected to have been the source of an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium DT120.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): DB OKS recalls several turkey products (produced between 9 May and 13 May 2011), because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0636): Salmonella Veneziana in mixed salad from the United Kingdom; distributed to Ireland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0637): Mold growth in blueberry fruit yoghurt from Germany; distributed to Austria, Germany and Hungary.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0640): Pine mouth syndrome caused by pine kernels from Norway, with raw material from China, via the Netherlands; distributed to Finland and Norway.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Chinese Herbal Medicine Recall (Hong Kong): Kwong Lung Hong recalls the Chinese medicinal herb Rhizoma Atractylodis (Batch 06010108; imported from the Mainland), because the product is contaminated with atropine and scopolamine. One illness has been reported.
  • Food Safety Alert (Taiwan): The Consumer Protection Commission has found that five lunchbox providers supplied elementary schools with six types of meat products containing chemicals banned by the Council of Agriculture. Four of the providers were CAS-certified companies. Of five meatball samples that were inspected, three contained chloramphenicol or enrofloxacin. A chicken sample was contaminated with doxycycline.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Japan): The toll stands at four deaths, and nearly 40 hospitalized – more than 20 of them in serious condition – in the E. coli O111 outbreak that was traced to a shredded raw beef dish (yukke) consumed at outlets of the Foods Forus Co. restaurant chain. The restaurant chain and its meat wholesaler are pointing the finger of blame at each other. Police conducted searches of the restaurant chain outlets, its operator and the meat distributor in an effort to determine at what point the contamination occurred.
  • Outbreak Alert (India): Hospitals in Ludhiana are reporting that the seasonal increase in the number of gastroenteritis patients has begun early this year.
  • Outbreak Alert (Singapore): Seven teachers and 346 children from eight Pat’s Schoolhouse centers have now been reported to have been stricken with food poisoning on May 10th. Mum’s Kitchen – the caterer for the centers – has been fined $300 and given four demerit points following an inspection; its license also has been suspended while investigations continue. Twenty-six of the food poisoning victims are still in hospital.
  • Outbreak Alert (Jordan): A family of five children (ages 4-13) in Mafraq developed diarrhea and vomiting after eating a meal prepared at home.
  • Outbreak Alert (Cameroon): The capital city of Yaounde is experiencing an outbreak of cholera that has claimed more than 250 lives in the past two months.

Australia and New Zealand

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert (Venezuela): An outbreak of hepatitis A has spread from the Arenas parish in the municipality of Sucre State Forest to three additional parishes. Approximately 400 people have been infected.

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 13, 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

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Phoenix Import & Distribution LLC recalls Pentrexyl Forte Natural (UPC 893843001293; Lot #102050; Exp 04/14), because the packaging may cause this Dietary Supplement to be confused with an antibiotic. The recalled product was sold through retail stores in Texas.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns the public that additional Doctor’s CarbRite Diet Bars (2 oz; Chocolate Brownie, Toasted Coconut, rosted Cinnamon Bun, Chocolate Mint Cookie, S’mores, Raspberry Chocolate Truffle, Chocolate Banana Nut, Blueberry Cheesecake, Cookie Dough, and Lemon Meringue varieties; Best before dates up to and including June 30, 2012), and Universal Hi Protein Diet Bars (3 oz; Chocolate Brownie and S’mores varieties; Best before dates up to and including June 30, 2012) may contain undeclared peanuts. The recalled product may have been distributed nationally.
  • Food Safety Recall: Les Aliments Edesia Inc. (Saint-Hubert, QC) recalls Fumagalli brand Pronta Fresca Lonza Stagionata/Seasoned Dry Cured Pork Loin (100g pkg; Imported from Italy; Batch 119066; Best before 05/07/2011), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled pork product was distributed only in the province of Québec.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Belgomilk (Moorslede, Belgium) recalls Saint-Martin-Classic cheese slices (200g; sold before May 11, 2011), because the manufacturer has found Listeria monocytogenes in some lots of cheese. The recalled cheese was sold in Lidl stores in the Netherlands, and is part of a larger recall, announced on May 11th.
  • Food Safety Alert (France): Aude prefecture has temporarily forbidden the harvesting and sale of clams from Leucate pond on the Mediterranean coast, after routine microbiological testing revealed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0628): Salmonella Chester in kangaroo meat from Australia; distributed to Germany and Belgium.
  • Consumer Product Safety Notification (EU #2011.0629): Migration of cadmium and of lead from latte macchiato glasses from China; distributed to Austria and Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0633): Excessive and undeclared benzoic acid in fruit jams from Turkey; distributed to Romania.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0634): Aflatoxins in ground nutmegs with raw material from Poland; distributed to Germany and Hungary.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0635): Excessive sulphite in frozen prawns from Ireland; distributed to Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Healthcare Pharmascience Ltd. recalls Cyclovax Cream 5% (all lots; manufactured in Cyprus by Remedica Limited) after the Department of Health determines that a second batch of the product contains only 3.5% of the active ingredient aciclovir instead of the claimed 5%.
  • Food Safety Alert (Malaysia): The Ministry of Health is investigating media reports that meat from dead pigs was used to make processed foods, including pork sausage, smoked pork, dim sum and pau.
  • Outbreak Alert (Malaysia): Eight cases of food poisoning were recorded at National Service training camps during the first three months of this year, compared to three cases during the first quarter of 2010.
  • Outbreak Alert (Nigeria): A staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission has died of suspected food poisoning after eating a dish of rice served to him by one of the kitchen staff at the presidential lodge in Gusau.
  • Outbreak Alert (Iraq): About 125 members of the Peshmerga in the Kurdistan region developed food poisoning after consuming milk and other Iranian made food. Reports of food poisoning traced to canned foods and other processed foods from Iran have also been recorded in other Iraqi cities.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert (New Zealand): Eight kiwifruit workers in the Bay of Plenty have been isolated after a guest worker from Samoa was diagnosed as a typhoid carrier. Around 100,000 trays of kiwifruit are being dumped, because they may have come into contact with the worker.

Latin America and the Caribbean

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 9, 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: Mann Packing expands its earlier recall of certain vegetable platters and Snacks on the Go products to include Safeway’s Eating Right Veggie Party Platter (3 lbs, 6 ozs; Best if used by dates ranging from 05-09 2011 to 05-16 2011; UPC 79893-10708) because the grape tomato ingredient in the platters may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled Veggie Party Platters were sold at Carrs, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s Pavilions, Randall’s, Safeway, Tom Thumb, and Vons.
  • Food Safety Recall: Northeast Produce Inc. (Plainville, CT) recalls grape tomatoes (Lot #202 GB) that were supplied to the company by Six L’s, because the tomatoes may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products, which include Fancy Sweet, Cutie Brand and Cherry Berries grape tomatoes, were supplied to distributors in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York and Rhode Island.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Certain Mann’s Sunny Shores, The Produce Stand, and Eating Right brands pre-packaged vegetable products (Best if used by dates between May 9, 2011 and May 16, 2011) are being recalled by the importers, because they contain grape tomatoes that may be contaminated with Salmonella. Please see the CFIA Health Hazard Alert for a detailed list of recalled products.
  • Outbreak Alert: Twelve residents (out of 192) of the Village of Aspen Lake long-term care home are suffering from Clostridium difficile symptoms; one staff member also has displayed symptoms but has not been confirmed to have been infected with the outbreak microbe. Residents and visitors are being cautioned, but no quarantine or restrictions have been imposed.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Chinese Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Wah Ning Chinese Medicine Co. recalls [Hua Tuo Brand] Youzhi Baoying Dan proprietary Chinese medicine (Manufactured on the Mainland; Batch No. 20101028), because the product contains twice the permitted level of mercury. The recalled medicine was distributed to three retailers in Hong Kong.
  • Outbreak Alert (Israel): A kindergarten teacher and a cook at the kindergarten in Neve Yamin (near Petach Tikva) are being questioned as part of an investigation into the food poisoning outbreak that sent a number of children to hospital with nausea and diarrhea.
  • Outbreak Alert (New Delhi): Students at IIT-Delhi have reported suffering from gastroenteritis, and are blaming contaminated water in the college residences. College officials deny the charge, although the director acknowledged “stray cases” of typhoid and gastroenteritis have occurred.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall Update (New Zealand): Le Marché Français recalls Fromi Assau Iraty Raw Milk Ewe Cheese, imported from France (Use by 30/07/2011), because the cheese is contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was sold at Le Marché Français Deli and at their stand at City Market, both in Wellington.
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Cottage Cheese Farm Pty Ltd recalls Cottage Cheese Farm Full Cream Fetta (1kg and 2kg white plastic bucket; Use by 26 SEP 11), because the product is contaminated with E. coli. The recalled cottage cheese was sold in Victoria only, through the Cottage Cheese Farm onsite retail outlet and other outlets.
  • Cosmetic Product Safety Recall (Australia): Dateline Imports Pty Ltd. recalls Keratin Complex Intense RX (Batch No. 0021RX; Lot No. 040610) because the product contains undeclared thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid. The recalled product was distributed nationally.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert (Honduras): A dozen kindergarten children in Pespire developed developed stomach pain and vomiting less than three hours after consuming a meal of fried tortillas with beans and cheese at school. The meal was prepared by a group of mothers. Two of the children – a 4-year old boy and a 5-year old girl – died in hospital.
  • Outbreak Alert (US Virgin Islands): A US Coast Guard crew medevaced two crewmen off the cargo ship Noblesse after five of the 24 crew members developed food poisoning symptoms.

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.