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.

United States

• Allergy Alert: Ryt-way Industries LLC (Lakeville, MN) recalls BIGS Dill Pickle Sunflower Seeds (5.35 oz; Best by 08DEC2012 and 09DEC2012), due to the presence of undeclared soy. The recalled products were sold at Buehler’s Fresh Foods and Tops Friendly Markets.
• Food Safety Recall: RSW Distributors, LLC (Forest City, NC) recalls Seasoned Cooked Beef (Diced) Manufactured by Culinary Standards (4 x 8-lb pouches; Est 8318; Produced Dec. 9, 2011), after a conveyor belt is damaged during production. There is a risk that small pieces of the damaged belt may have contaminated the recalled product, which was shipped to institutions for further distribution to schools in South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington as part of the USDA’s National School Lunch Program.
• Consumer Product Safety Alert: Bed Bath & Beyond advises consumers to return Dual Ridge Metal Boutique tissue boxes, Model #DR9M, because the product may be contaminated with radioactive cobalt-60. The tissue boxes were sold in Bed Bath & Beyond stores in the USA and Canada since August 1, 2011.
• Outbreak Alert: The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (Michigan) is investigating seven cases of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that developed during the Christmas/New Year holiday season. Four of the victims were hospitalized. The health department has determined that an ill food-handler at The Ambassador restaurant in Houghton, MI was the likely source of the outbreak.
• Outbreak Alert Update: The norovirus outbreak linked to Bob Chinn’s Crab House in Wheeling, IL has risen to 146 illnesses.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Viandes Giroux Inc. recalls Boeuf Haché Mi-Maigre (5-kg; Code #11DE21), due to contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled ground beef was distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutions in the province of Quebec.
• OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Novartis Consumer Health Canada Inc. recalls Excedrin Extra Strength Caplets and Excedrin Tension Headache Caplets (All lots with expiration dates of December 20, 2014 and earlier), due to reports received from the USA of chipped and broken pills and inconsistent bottle packaging clearance practices, which could result in the bottles contain foreign tablets, caplets or capsules.
• Consumer Product Safety Recall (Update): Toy Land Company (Vancouver, BC) recalls Heart-shaped pendants and plastic plug bracelets, after Health Canada finds that the childrens’ jewellery items contain lead in excess of the allowable limit. The recalled products were imported from China and sold across canada from 2006 to 2011.
• Consumer Product Safety Alert: Bed Bath & Beyond advises consumers to return Dual Ridge Metal Boutique tissue boxes, Model #DR9M, because the product may be contaminated with radioactive cobalt-60. The tissue boxes were sold in Bed Bath & Beyond stores in the USA and Canada since August 1, 2011.
• Outbreak Alert: Student journalists attending the Canadian University Press’s 74th National Conference in Victoria, BC were stricken with an outbreak of nausea and vomiting during the conference. The outbreak is most likely due to Norovirus.

Europe

• Allergy Alert (Denmark): Koh-A/S recalls Gold Vang Carrot Buns (Best before 19.01, 20.01, 22.01 and 23.01), because the product may contain traces of undeclared sesame.
• Food Safety Recall (Germany): REWE Group recalls REWE frozen rainbow trout (500g), due to the presence of the unapproved drug, malachite green.
• Contact Lens Safety Recall (Spain): Johnson & Johnson Medical Iberia recalls Acuvue® Oasys® (senofilcon A) contact lenses (Lot #L001RJ5/-2.00D, Lot #001RJ8/-2.75D and Lot #001RJ9/-3.00D), because the contact lenses were found to have higher than expected levels of a diluting agent.
• Contact Lens Safety Recall (Italy): Johnson & Johnson Vision Care recalls  Acuvue® Oasys® (senofilcon A) contact lenses (Lot #L001RJ5/-2.00D, Lot #001RJ8/-2.75D and Lot #001RJ9/-3.00D), because the contact lenses were found to have higher than expected levels of a diluting agent.
• Medical Device Safety Recall (Italy): Wright Medical Technology recalls Dynasty® Biofoam Cups due to a packaging defect that could result in contamination with polypropylene particles. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of affected products.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Chinese Medicine Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health has received a report of a case of aconitum alkaloid poisoning that may be associated with the consumption of a Chinese herbal medicine. The case is under investigation.

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Recall (Australia): Gippsland Sprout Co. recalls Gippsland Sprout Co Mung Beans (200g package; Use by 15 Jan and 17 Jan) and Flowerdale Farm Mung Sprouts (200g package; Use by 15 Jan and 17 Jan), due to contamination with E. coli. The recalled products were sold through Melbourne Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market (Footscray), small grocery stores (including Inverloch Foodworks) and green grocers in Victoria.

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.