Category: norovirus

Recall Roundup: January 21, 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.

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United States

  • Allergy Alert: King & Prince Seafood (Brunswick, GA) recalled three different breaded Calamari products after the manufacturer of the flour used in the breading reported that a trace amount of peanut flour may have contaminated the wheat flour. The affected lots of Calamari have been on the market since May 2010. Some of the recalled Calamari products were distributed through U.S. Foodservice.
  • Food Safety Recall: Hawaii Business Group Incorporated, Barb’s Favorite Recipes, and Ohana Seafoods recall Barb’s Local Style Black Bean Sauce and Ohana Flavors Black Bean Sauce (12-ounce jars) because of the potential for growth of Clostridium botulinum. The recalled sauce, which was manufactured by First Commercial Kitchen LLC, was distributed on Oahu and Molokai.
  • Food Safety Recall: Mama Rose’s Gourmet Foods (Phoenix, AZ) recalls Cilantro Con Queso, Garlic Con Queso, Viper Venom Con Queso and Hopi Corn Salsa (12 oz. jars; all 6-digit lots beginning with 260… and 270…), because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled products were distributed in Arizona and Washington through retail stores and gift shops.
  • FDA Enforcement Action: Portland Shellfish Co., Inc., together with its president, general manager and quality manager, has entered into a consent decree with FDA that prohibits them from distributing seafood in interstate commerce until FDA has approved in writing the company’s HACCP, sanitation and Listeria monocytogenes testing programs.
  • Alcohol Swab/Pad Recall Update: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals has instructed patients using Betaseron to discontinue using the Triad alcohol prep pads including in the Betaseron packaging, because these pads have been recalled by Triad due to possible contamination with Bacillus cereus.
Canada
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Winners Merchants International L.P. (Mississauga, ON) recalls Sea Pals Water Teethers by Infanto (Product of China; sold by Winners), because the liquid filling in the teethers may be contaminated with Burkholderia tropica.
Europe
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall (Belgium): Metagenics Belgium SPRL recalls all Desmodie products (Metagenics Lot No. 0200563, 0201256 and 0202243), because the products may contain unauthorized preservatives.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Total Projuce Nordic A/S recalls X-tra Pebermix (red, yellow, green pepper; Lot No. L-026), sold in COOP stores during the period 15 January to 20 January 2011, because of ethephon (pesticide) levels in excess of the permitted limit.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Gartner Hall Aabenraa recalls Otello brand Pepper/paprika (shipping date after 10/1-2011), after the German supplier reported ethephon levels in excess of the permitted limit.
  • Food Safety Recall (UK): Tesco Stores Ltd. recalls all batch codes of Tesco Chocolate Delight No Added Sugar (49g) and Tesco Instant Custard Mix (74g), after one date code of each of the products was found to be contaminated with small pieces of metal due to a manufacturing fault.
  • Personal Care Product Safety Recall (France): Casino recalls Casino Famili Karité Hair Care Conditioning Cream (Crème de soin capillaire conditionnée) due to a risk of bacterial contamination.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0061): Histamine in canned sardines in oil from Morocco; distributed to Hungary.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0062): Cadmium in seasoned anchovies (Stolephorus indicus) from Thailand; distributed to Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0063): Aflatoxins in organic corn from Italy; distributed to Sweden.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0065): Ethephon in grapes from South Africa; distributed to Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0066): Too high content of colour E 102 – tartrazine in noodles from Thailand; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0067): Too high content of cyclamate and of saccharin and unauthorised use of amaranth in beverage from Brazil, via Germany; distributed to Switzerland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0068): Norovirus in raspberries from Serbia, via Sweden; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0069): Ethephon in red paprika from Spain; distributed to Germany.
  • Consumer Products Safety Notification (EU #2011.0070): Migration of formaldehyde from melamine mug for children from Hong Kong; distributed to Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Namibia, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0071): Mercury in table salt from Germany; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0072): Unauthorised use of tartrazine in bamboo shoots from Thailand, via Sweden; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0073): Unauthorised carrageenan in jelly mini-cups from Thailand, via Sweden; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0074): Glass fragments in jars containing red cabbage from Poland; distributed to Germany.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.0075): Unauthorised propyl p-hydroxybenzoate in food supplement from France; distributed to Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0076): Excessive Allura Red AC in lollipop from Spain; distributed to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0077): Ethephon in paprika from Spain; distributed to Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0078): Histamine in fried dace with salted black beans from Malaysia, via the Netherlands; distributed to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain and the United Kingdom.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0079): Aflatoxins in sunflower cake from Italy; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Contact Material Safety Notification (EU #2011.0080): High content of DEHP – di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in plastic tube for raw milk vending machines from Italy; distributed to Slovenia.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0081): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of frozen hake from Spain, via Latvia; distributed to Lithuania.
  • Consumer Product Safety Notification (EU #2011.0082): Too high level of total migration from melamine bowls from China; distributed to Lithuania and Poland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0083): Endosulfan in okra from India; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0084): Absence of labelling (missing identification mark) on eggs from Bulgaria; distributed to Romania.
Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

 

  • Food Safety Recall (South Korea): Food and Drug Administration announces the recall of ‘경일 Food’ and Prepared ‘경일 syrup’ products due to rodent contamination.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Recall (Hong Kong): Wholesaler Amedis Company Limited recalls Vivotif Enteric Coated Cap (Lot No. 3001862) oral typhoid fever vaccine, manufactured by Berna Biotech Ltd., after the manufacturer’s stability monitoring showed a lower than expected potency value for the lot.
  • Consumer Products Safety Notification (EU #2011.0070): Migration of formaldehyde from melamine mug for children from Hong Kong; distributed to Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Namibia, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland.

 

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Falcones Pty Ltd. recalls several sliced bread products that may contain metal fragments. The affected products were supplied to supermarkets, newsagents, take-away stores, service stations and independent retailers in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
  • Consumer Products Safety Notification (EU #2011.0070): Migration of formaldehyde from melamine mug for children from Hong Kong; distributed to Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Namibia, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland.
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.

Recall Roundup: January 18, 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.


United States
  • Food Safety Recall (Update): Columbus Meat (906 Randolph, Chicago, IL) expands its earlier recall to include an additional 580 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Azteca Linda Corp, d.b.a. Queso El Azteca (Brooklyn, NY) that June 2010 and August/September 2010 inspections of the company’s cheese manufacturing facility revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in multiple areas of the processing facility environment, and serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for food. These violations and the finding of a recurrent strain of Listeria monocytogenes in the processing facility caused the company’s ready-to-eat cheese products to be adulterated.
  • FDA Enforcement Action: FDA has obtained a consent decree of permanent injunction against Deltex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Rosenberg, TX). The consent decree permanently prohibits/stops the company, its president and its vice-president from manufacturing and distributing drug products until Deltex’s operations and products are in compliance with federal law. In addition, the company must recall drugs that were manufactured and distributed since October 31, 2008.
Canada
  • Food Safety Recall: KRAZY CMAK (6275 Somerled Ave., Montreal, QC) recalls Atlantic Smoked Salmon/Saumon Atlantique Fumé (all vacuum packages carrying a packaging date prior to January 6, 2011) because the expiration date shown on the package does not provide assurance of safety.
Europe
  • Allergy Alert (Sweden): ICA withdraws ICA Grill Chips Barbecue Potato Crisps (300g), because the chips contain undeclared milk protein.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Magnihill recalls Scan brand frozen raspberries (Lot ID D33102; lot #03022809) because the product is suspected to contain norovirus.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0054): Unsuitable organoleptic characteristics (unpleasant taste) of dates from Iran; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0055): Norovirus in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from France; distributed to Denmark.
  • Consumer Product Safety Notification (EU #2011.0056): Migration of formaldehyde from melamine bowl from China; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU#2011.0057): Glass fragment in fruit juice smoothie from Germany; distributed to Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0058): Prohibited substance chloramphenicol in vitamin A / D3 premix from China; distributed to Germany, Ireland, Poland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
  • Consumer Product Safety Notification (EU #2011.0059): Migration of primary aromatic amines from kitchen ustensil sets from China, via Belgium; distributed to France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0060): Unauthorized abamectin in corned beef from Brazil; distributed to the United Kingdom.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Woolworths Supermarkets Ltd. recalls Woolworths Home Brand Crumbed Fish Lemon Flavoured Frozen Portions (500g cardboard box; product of China; all expiration dates from 17/02/2012 to 23/03/2012 inclusive), because the product many contain undeclared peanuts. The recalled frozen fish was sold in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.
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.

Outbreaks and Alerts: January 3, 2011

A daily digest of international outbreaks, alerts and food safety news

United States
  • Multistate Outbreak. December 28th: Alfalfa sprouts from Tiny Green Organic Farm (Urbana, IL) have been blamed for an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-), which has sickened at least 94 people in 16 states and the District of Columbia.

     

  • West Virginia. December 30th: Food Safety News reports that the Cabell-Huntington County Health Department has vaccinated 236 people after 11 individuals were infected with hepatitis A in the Milton, WV area. The source of the hepatitis outbreak has not been identified.

     

  • New York, NY. January 3rd: The Queen Mary 2, en route to New York from Southampton, was boarded in St. Kitts by an inspector from the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program after the cruise ship reporting that 185 passengers (out of a total of 2,483) and 29 crew members were suffering from diarrhea and vomiting.

     

Canada
  • Laval, QC. December 29th: The Cité-de-la-Santé Hospital in Laval has closed its doors to visitors in an attempt to control an outbreak of gastroenteritis that has affected both patients and staff at the hospital. Ambulances have been instructed to avoid the hospital until further notice.

     

  • Hamilton, ON. January 2nd: Clostridium difficile contributed to the death of a 91-year old woman at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton, bringing the total number of C. difficile related deaths at the facility to eleven since October 2010.

     

Europe

  • Swansea, Wales, UK. January 3rd: Managers at Morriston Hospital have closed seven wards and asked the public to avoid visiting the hospital as part of a program to contain an outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis.

     

     

  • Bonn/Koblenz, Germany, January 3rd: A passenger who was infected with norovirus before boarding the Prinses Juliana has been identified as the source of an outbreak of gastroenteritis among passengers of the Rhine cruise ship. The ship was quarantined for one day after 50 of the ship’s 150 passengers developed diarrhea and vomiting.

     

  • Kalmykia, Russia. January 3rd: An emergency has been declared after veterinarians detected anthrax in meat from a slaughtered cow. Eight cases of human anthrax also are suspected, but have not yet been confirmed.

     

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Hong Kong. December 30th: The Centre for Food Safety reports that fresh pig liver may be one of the sources of food-borne hepatitis E virus infections in Hong Kong, after determining that 16 out of 51 liver samples from roaster pigs were positive for the virus.

     

  • Beijing, China. December 31st: A random inspection of 35 rice noodle factories in Dongguan in early December revealed that only 5 of the 35 factories were manufacturing rice noodles that met government standards. Among the problems found during the inspections were noodles made with rotten grain and potentially carcinogenic additives.

     

  • Cebu, Philippines. January 1st: Twelve cases of diarrhea have been reported in Catmon (Cebu province). One person has died.

     

  • Harare, Zimbabwe. January 3rd: Cholera has been reported in at least 20 households in the Mbare suburb of Majubheki. According to news reports, the sewage system in Mbare has broken down, resulting in the contamination of drinking water with raw sewage.

     

  • Jakarta, Indonesia. January 3rd: Six members of one Central Java family died from apparent food poisoning after eating tiwul, a traditional dish made from dried cassava powder.

     

  • Papua New Guinea. January 3rd: PNG’s cholera outbreak has spread to another district in East Sepik, with at least 10 confirmed deaths. In a separate incident, a nurse at Port Moresy General Hospital became infected with cholera after coming into contact with a patient’s feces and vomit.

     

Latin America and the Caribbean

 

  • Jamaica. December 23rd: The Ministry of Health is investigating a possible case of food poisoning after eleven persons who shared a meal were taken to St. Ann’s Bay hospital. One of the eleven victims was dead on arrival, and the others received treatment. Samples of the meal were taken for testing, but no results have been released as of January 3rd.

     

  • Dominican Republic. December 30th: Vibrio cholerae, has been found in the drinking water of two villages adjacent to the border with Haiti. At least 20 people in the area are suffering from cholera-like symptoms; 139 cholera cases have been confirmed nationwide.

     

  • Tambor, Costa Rica. December 31st: Salmonella was found in a sample of chicken served at the Hotel Barceló Playa Tambor after 80 hotel guests complained of gastrointestinal symptoms. Nevertheless, none of the ill guests were found to be infected with Salmonella; instead, they were determined to be suffering from norovirus infections. The hotel was closed on December 26th as a result of the outbreak, and remained closed through the New Year’s weekend.

     

  • Bolivar, Colombia. December 31st: A possible cholera outbreak in temporary shelters in three municipalities has health authorities on the alert. The shelters were opened to house people who were forced to flee areas affected by flooding.

     

  • Haiti. December 31st: The death toll from Haiti’s cholera epidemic has reached 3,333; more than 150,000 infections have been reported.