Daniella Used Auditor’s Logo Without Permission

We’ve heard a lot about third-party audits of food producers and processors in recent years – usually in the context of a failure of the third-party audit system.

The Salmonella Braenderup outbreak that has been linked to consumption of mangos, and the massive recall of Daniella brand mangos in the USA and Canada, has thrown the spotlight on the third-party audit system once again.

It’s hard to look at the sticker that is affixed to Daniella mangos without also seeing the logo of PrimusLabs, and the accompanying slogan “when food safety counts.” Consumers can be pardoned for assuming that the presence of the PrimusLabs logo on Daniella’s mangos is analogous to the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.”

But nothing can be further from the truth.

In fact, according to Ryan Fothergill, In-House Counsel for PrimusLabs, Daniella was using an outdated PrimusLabs logo, and doing so without permission. PrimusLabs offers a package of services to its clients that the company refers to as its Platinum Program. Daniella had been a participant in the Platinum Program in the past.

“Agricola Daniella,” Fothergill said in an email to eFoodAlert, “was not using the logo with our permission, and even if it had been, it is what we would consider a misuse of the logo. I cannot tell you the exact date that they ceased to be a platinum client, but I believe it was sometime in 2005.”

Fothergill also provided the following statement, which places the significance of the PrimusLab’s logo into context.

“PrimusLabs has always seen its function as facilitating the exchange of information; expectations from buyers and regulators, and performance of suppliers. There are many nuances or unique expectations among and between suppliers and buyers.

The PrimusLabs’ logo has never been a statement of performance but rather a statement of disclosure. This was connected to PrimusLabs’ DBA change from PrimusLabs to PrimusLabs.com circa 1997. The logo was the address and any buyer was invited to visit the web site to see what activity was observed and reported. For results the buyer needs to approach the supplier and request either an access to the supplier’s secured site or a release for data to be moved to a customized site developed for the buyer. PrimusLabs changed our logo a number of years ago dropping the .com and altering the design. All authorized user where sent camera ready art work for the new logo.

Those firms that are given authorization to use the logo which is simply granted when an operations signs what we refer to as a Platinum agreement agree to allow PrimusLabs to display their activity (e.g. number of audits, micro tests, residue tests, etc.) and they are authorized to use the logo.”

PrimusLabs displays a complete alphabetical list of its current Platinum Program participants on its website. Agricola Daniella is NOT on that list.

US Mango Outbreak Toll 103. Splendid Recalls Daniella Mangos

More than 100 people in 16 US states have been infected with a strain of Salmonella Braenderup that also has sickened 21 people in Western Canada, according to today’s report from CDC.

All of the reported illnesses occurred since July 1, 2012. Twenty-five of the 103 confirmed case-patients were hospitalized. Most of the reported cases (78 out of 103) were from California.

CDC has not listed the states that reported outbreak cases; however, eFoodAlert has learned that Oregon (1 case), Washington (6 cases), New York (3 cases) and Texas (2 cases) are impacted by this outbreak.

Illness onset dates range from July 3rd to August 11th. Slightly more than one-half (55%) of the victims are female; outbreak victims range in age from less than 1 year old to 86 years old.

Approximately 70% of the outbreak victims who were interviewed reported consuming mangos in the week before becoming ill. Many of the California victims – approximately 80% of whom are Hispanic – reported purchasing mangos from Hispanic markets or grocery stores. The specific type and source of mangos that might be linked to the illnesses is still being investigated.

Even though US federal and state agencies have not reached any conclusions as to the brand or source of mangos behind this outbreak, produce distributor Splendid Products (Burlingame, CA) is recalling Daniella brand mangos (Product of Mexico; sold as individual fruit; labeled with Daniella brand sticker and PLU #3114, 4051, 4311, 4584 or 4959). According to Splendid, the mangos were sold at various retail stores throughout the U.S. between July 12 and August 29, 2012.

A few retailers already have posted recall notices on their web pages, and Costco has been notifying by telephone its customers who purchased these mangos. A list of retailers who are recalling the Daniella mangos is available through the Salmonella Braenderup – Mango tab at the top of the page.

Advice to Consumers

In the absence of specific advice from either CDC or FDA, the following advice is included in the Splendid Products recall notice:

Those who have bought the recalled mangoes are advised not to eat them and to discard them. If there is no identifying sticker on the mango, consider discarding or returning the product to the place of purchase.

The Public Health Agency of Canada offers the following recommendation:

Check to see if you have any of the recalled mangoes in your home. If you have mangoes, but aren’t certain if they are part of the recall, check with the store where they were purchased.

If you have the product, do not eat it. Secure it in a plastic bag and throw it out. Then wash your hands thoroughly in warm soapy water.

Costco, Other Retailers, Recall Mexican Mangos

Readers of eFoodAlert are reporting having been contacted by Costco with instructions to discard or return mangos that may be linked to more than 100 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections in the USA and Canada.

Other similar reports are popping up on social media websites, including Facebook.

Several other retailers have already posted or released recall notices, including: Bi-Lo, Copps, Giant Food, Mariano’s, Martin’s Food Market, Metro Market, Pick ‘n Save, Rainbow, Stop & Shop and TOP Food & Drug. Other retailers will, no doubt, chime in during the next few days. Please monitor the “Salmonella Braenderup – Mango“ tab at the top of the eFoodAlert page for updates to this list.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has confirmed 22 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections in British Columbia (17) and Alberta (5), and has linked the illnesses to Daniella brand mangoes imported from Mexico. Two Canadian importers of the mangos have recalled the implicated fruit. In addition, one supplier of cut fruit to the hotel/restaurant/institution market recalled GFS brand Sliced Mangos on August 24th.

The US outbreak investigation has been led by the California Department of Public Health, which has confirmed 73 cases in that state. According to an Outbreak Investigation Report released this morning by FDA, there have been 101 cases of Salmonella Braenderup outbreak strain across the USA. While mangos have been identified as the likely source of this outbreak, FDA has not yet determined the source of the mangos that may be linked to US cases.

Neither FDA nor California have released a list of affected states; however, eFoodAlert has learned that infections caused by the outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup also have been confirmed in Oregon (1), Washington (6), Texas (2) and New York (3).

CDC has not yet released its own Outbreak Investigation Report, but work on the report is underway, according to agency spokesperson Lola Russell.

The Public Health Agency of Canada offers the following advice to consumers:

Check to see if you have any of the recalled mangoes in your home. If you have mangoes, but aren’t certain if they are part of the recall, check with the store where they were purchased.
If you have the product, do not eat it. Secure it in a plastic bag and throw it out. Then wash your hands thoroughly in warm soapy water.

Finally, a request to eFoodAlert readers:

If you have received a recall notice by email or telephone from any retailer not yet mentioned on the recall list, please post a comment below, so that the information can be shared with other readers. Please include the name of the retailer and the city and state where the store is located.