Category: norovirus

Recalls and Alerts: December 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.

For current information on international and retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

United States

  • Food Safety Recall: Cantina Foods (Buffalo, NY) recalls Beef and Cheese Pastellios (cartons containing four plastic bags with 6 x 4-oz pies per bag; sold from Oct 3, 2012 through Nov 20, 2012), because the item was produced without the benefit of federal inspection. In September 2012, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) carried out a food safety assessment that identified problems with the company’s Listeria monocytogenes control program. The recalled products were distributed to retail establishments in the Buffalo, NY area; individual pies may have been available from heat trays at convenience stores.
  • Food Safety Recall: The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC alerts its customers to a recall of Veggie Patch Ultimate Meatless Burger (9 oz; Sell by January 12, 2013; UPC 61012900211), due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Recall: Gean Farm Inc. (Oxnard, CA) recalls Harry’s Berries Salsa Mild, Harry’s Berries Salsa Hot, and Dill Beans, due to possible botulism risk. The recalled products were sold at Certified Farmers Markets in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Golden Gate Soy Food, Inc. (San Francisco, CA) that a September 2012 inspection of the company’s food manufacturing facility found serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sol Fish Traders (General Santos City, Philippines) that an evaluation of the firm’s HACCP plan and supporting documentation for processing of tuna products revealed that the firm has serious deviations from the requirements of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Blue Marine Seafoods Trading (General Santos City, Philippines) that an evaluation of the firm’s HACCP plan and supporting documentation for processing of Fresh Frozen Yellowfin Tuna Fillet Treated With Filtered (Tasteless) Smoke revealed that the firm has serious deviations from the requirements of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Ito En (USA) Inc. (Honolulu, HI) that a June-July 202 inspection of the company’s low-acid canned food facility found serious deviations from the low-acid canned food regulations.

Canada

  • Health Canada Enforcement Action: Health Canada has suspended the Establishment License of Chemi Pharmaceutical Inc. (Mississauga, ON) after uncovering falsified testing results during the course of an inspection. Companies that have had their testing done by Chemi are being asked to temporarily halt sales until the safety of those products can be confirmed. Health Canada has released a list of products and ingredients that are affected by this action.

Europe

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: November 28, 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.

For current information on international and retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

United States

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Ranbaxy Inc. recalls 41 lots of Atorvastatin Calcium Tablets (10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg), because the tablets may contain very small glass particles (less than 1 mm diameter). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected lot numbers and pack sizes. The recall was initiated on November 9, 2012, and posted on the Ranbaxy website on or before November 23rd. The recall notice appeared on the FDA site for the first time on November 28th.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delhaize Belgique recalls Coucou de Malines (Lot #247202; Expiry 26/12/2012; sold from November 20th to November 27th, inclusive) and Poulet jaune biologique (Lot #247201; Expiry 27/12/2012; sold from November 20th to November 27th, inclusive), due to incorrect expiry dates on the packaging.
  • Food Safety Recall (UK): Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd. recalls Sainsbury’s Red Tree iced Rich Fruit Cake (900g; All date codes), due to signs of mold spoilage.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Norway): Public Health reports that 11 people have now been confirmed to be infected by a rare strain of Salmonella, called Salmonella Mikawasima. The patients all are adults (20 – 50 years of age) and live in the following counties: Akershus Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder, Hordaland, Oppland, Oslo, Vestfold, Telemark and Nordland. The government is trying to determine the source of this unusual cluster of cases.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1650): Tin in canned mushrooms in brine from China, via Germany; distributed to Slovenia.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1651): Incorrect expiry date of chilled organic chicken from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and Luxembourg.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1653): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled Atlantic mackerel from Spain; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1654): Bromopropylate in lemons from Turkey; distributed to Slovakia.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Japan): The Japan Times reports that government health officials are warning local governments to be on the alert to norovirus outbreaks. The number of suspected cases of norovirus gastroenteritis currently stands at the highest level since 2006.

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: November 23, 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.

For current information on international and retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Capital Packers Inc. (Est 231, Edmonton, AB) recalls Capital brand Ham Sausage (300g; UPC 0 64946 51100 6; Code 2012 DE 26) and Compliments brand Ham Sausage (375g; UPC 0 68820 10061 4; Code 2012 DE 26), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled Capital brand Ham Sausages may have been distributed nationally. The Compliments brand product was sold in Sobeys, IGA and Price Chopper stores in the West. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has suspended Capital Packers’ license to operate at Establishment 231, and warns that additional food products may be added to the Health Hazard Alert recall list. All outstanding inventory at the plant is now under CFIA detention and control.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Finland): CA-SA Välimeren Herkut Oy recalls Shrimp Chili-Aioli and Chili-Aiolissa (180g containers), due to the presence of undeclared celery.
  • Food Safety  Recall (Germany): Aerzener Brot und Kuchen GmbH recalls Natreen Strawberry Yogurt, Frozen Sections (4 x 100 pieces/pkg; Lot/Expiry dates L 12048 05/2013, L 12083 06/2013, L 12114 07/2013, L 12145 09/2013, L 12180 10/2013 and L 12297 01/2014), due to suspected hepatitis A virus contamination in the strawberry cubes from China.
  • Food Safety Recall (Greece): 58 Viofos Ltd. recalls Organic Radish Seeds for Sprouting (30g; Expiry 06-2015; Packaged by Bavicchi in Italy), because the seeds are contaminated with Bacillus cereus.
  • Food Safety Alert (Russia): The Office of the Ministry of Interior in the Sakhalin region has seized 200 Kg of salmon caviar that lacked the required manufacturer’s identification mark. Supporting documents verifying safety and quality parameters also were lacking.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Norway): The Public Health Institute now has received reports of eight cases of infection with Salmonella Mikawasima from six different counties, including Akershus Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder, Hordaland, Oppland, Oslo and Nordland. All of the outbreak victims are adults (20-50 years of age). Salmonella Mikawasima is rarely seen in Norway.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1635): Salmonella in live mussels from Spain; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1636): Parasitic infestation of chilled salmon from Poland; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1637): Salmonella in chilled sausage from Italy; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1639): Listeria monocytogenes in paté from Belgium; distributed to Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and Switzerland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1640): Insects in fennel seeds from Italy; distributed to France and Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1641): Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk cheese from France; distributed to Belgium and France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1642): Excessive coumarin in breakfast cereals from Lithuania; distributed to the Czech Republic.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Alert (Australia): The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries warns that paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins above safe levels have been detected in Botany Bay. The Food Authority has warned the public agains eating oysters, mussels, cockles, clams, periwinkles, sea urchins, crabs or the gut of rock lobster or abalone taken from the bay or the Georges River.
  • Outbreak Alert (Australia): Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas was hit by an outbreak of norovirus that sickened some 135 passengers and eight staff members, according to The Telegraph. The ship arrived in Sydney from New Zealand with sick passengers aboard. Boarding of new passengers was delayed while “enhanced” cleaning operations were carried out.

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.