Category: pet food

Pet Treat Company Refuses FDA Recall Request

FDA is warning pet owners and caretakers that Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky Dog Treats (3-lb pkgs; Lot code BESTBY061913DEN; Product of USA) should not be fed to pets, because the treats may be contaminated with Salmonella. The contaminated product was sold at Costco stores in the Denver, Colorado area. Costco is cooperating with FDA, and has removed all of the implicated product from store shelves. The retailer also will contact customers who may have purchased the product.

The FDA warning follows three prior recalls of pet treats initiated by Kasel Associates Inc. (Denver, CO), issued in September and October 2012. Kasel has refused to recall the batch that is the subject of FDA’s most recent warning, even though the Colorado Department of Agriculture found Salmonella in a sample of the product.

Kasel appears to have an ongoing Salmonella contamination problem.

  • In September 2012, the company recalled Boots & Barkley American Beef 5-inch Bully Sticks after Colorado found Salmonella in four production lots;
  • In October 2012, Kasel recalled Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky Dog Treats (one lot code) after FDA detected Salmonella during what the recall notice described as a routine testing program; and
  • In October 2012, the company recalled one production lot each of Boots & Barkley Roasted American Pig Ears and Boots & Barkley American Variety Pack Dog Treats after Colorado again found Salmonella in a sample of the treats.

When FDA carried out its follow-up inspection of Kasel’s manufacturing facility after the first (September 2012) recall, the agency found “certain finished dog treat products and 34 out of 72 environmental samples positive for Salmonella.”

If Kasel was manufacturing “human” food instead of pet treats, I suspect that a far more extensive product recall would have followed the FDA inspection findings. It was only last spring that Diamond Pet Foods’ dry dog food products were implicated in an outbreak of human salmonellosis. People – including children – handle these products and do not always wash their hands after doing so. Will it take another pet-related disease outbreak for pet food companies and FDA to recognize that Salmonella–contaminated pet food and pet treats present a health risk to pet owners and pet caretakers, and not just to pets?

Why is Kasel being allowed to get away with supplying products that were manufactured in a Salmonella-contaminated environment?

Recalls and Alerts: November 1, 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 retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

For current information on retail distribution of beef products containing Canadian beef recalled due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination please consult the Canada/USA Beef Recall tab.

United States

  • Food Safety Recall: State Garden recalls Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Organic Spinach & Spring Mix (11 oz & 5 oz; UPC 77890-16411 & 77890-16437, respectively; Product sold between 10/14/12 and 11/1/12), because the product may be contaminated with E. coli O157.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Charlee Bear Products, a division of Wixon, Inc., recalls Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Carrots (5.5 oz pkgs; UPC 8710890000; Lot #19812, 19912, 20012 & 20212; Best by dates 07-16-2015, 07-17-2015, 07-18-2015 & 07-20-2015, respectively) and Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Sweet Potatoes (5.5 oz pkgs; UPC 8710890001; Lot #20112; Best by 07-19-2015), after Salmonella was found in a sample of the Chicken Recipe with Carrots Crunch Bar from Lot #19812. All of the recalled products are manufactured for Charlee Bear by a third-party contract manufacturer. The recalled products were distributed nationally in September and October 2012.

Canada

  • Outbreak Alert Update: The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that sixth case of E. coli O157:H7 has been confirmed in Quebec, bringing the total number of confirmed illnesses in the outbreak related to beef from XL Foods to seventeen (17) cases in Alberta (7), Newfoundland and Labrador (1), Quebec (6) and British Columbia (3).

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): The Co-operative recalls Truly Irresistible Fairtrade Peruvian Creamy Milk Chocolate (100g; Best before dates up to and including 9 March 2013), Truly Irresistible Fairtrade Peruvian Dark Chocolate with Dried Sweetened Cranberries (100g; Best before dates up to and including 9 March 2013), and Truly Irresistible Peruvian Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts ((100g; Best before dates up to and including 9 March 2013), due to the presence of undeclared nuts and milk.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): HIPP GmbH & Co. KG Sales recalls HiPP Mixed vegetables with pasta and mini-tender organic beef – Baby Menu Bio (2 x 190g; Lot #L125192; Expiry 27/05/2013; Item #9930), because clumps of noodles contained in the product may represent a choking hazard for infants.
  • Food Safety Withdrawal (Northern Ireland): L&M Meats Northern Ireland has withdrawn vacuum-packed cuts of beef and lamb, because the products were handled and packaged in an unapproved establishment.

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: October 17, 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 retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

For current information on retail distribution of beef products containing Canadian beef recalled due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination please consult the Canada/USA Beef Recall tab.

United States

  • Food Safety Recall: Torn and Glasser, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) recalls Salted In-Shell Peanuts (Gless Ranch, Sun Harvest, Tom and Glasser, Sprouts, and unbranded; various packages sizes or bulk packaging; packaged after November 9, 2011) and Organic Peanut Butter (12/14 oz Tubs; Lot 0132; packaged January 13, 2012), because the products contain peanuts supplied by Sunland and may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed from November 9, 2011 to October 15, 2012 in CA, AZ, NV, TX, CO, ID, MO, NJ, NM, OK, UT. Please refer to the recall notice for additional product details.
  • Food Safety Recall: California Department of Public Health announces the recall of the following Preserved Plum products, after tests find that they contain lead in excess of state standards: Red Lantern Plum Candy (Imported from China by K.Y.L Trading Co., Inc. (Brisbane, CA); 3-oz/85g pkg), Chen Pui Mui Preserved Plum (imported from Hong Kong by QFCO, Inc. (Burlingame, CA); 14 oz/400g pkg) and Sanh Yuan Preserved Plum (Imported from Taiwan by CHO Fuku Group (USA), Inc. (El Monte, CA); 5 oz pkg).
  • Food Safety Alert: The South Dakota Department of Agriculture has found Campylobacter in a sample of raw milk from Black Hills Milk in Belle Fourche. The implicated milk is sold at a retail outlet in Spearfish, at Black Hills Farmers Market at Founder’s Park in Rapid City and other locations in the Black Hills. Consumers who purchased the milk should either discard or return the product.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports that the outbreak of E. coli infections has spread to include 61 attendees (38 children and 23 adults) at the Cleveland County Fair. One child has died as a result of the infection; eleven individuals have been or are currently hospitalized. Illnesses were reported in residents of Cleveland County (33), Gaston County (11, including the fatality), Lincoln County (10), Catawba County (1), Mecklenburg County (1) and Union County (2) in North Carolina, as well as York County (2) and Cherokee County (1) in South Carolina.
  • Food Safety Recall: Dole Fresh Vegetables recalls Dole American Blend salad (12 oz bags; UPC 7143000933; Use by October 17; Codes A275208A or A275208B), after Listeria monocytogenes was found in a random sample tested by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The recalled salads were distributed in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Kasel Associated Industries (Denver, CO) recalls Boots & Barkley Roasted American Pig Ears (12 ears/bag; UPC 647263899158; Best by 13SEP2014DEN) and Boots & Barkley American Variety Pack Dog Treats (32 oz plastic bag; UPC 490830400086; Best by 13SEP2014DEN), after routine sampling by the Colorado Department of Agriculture detected Salmonella in a sample of this lot code. The recalled products were distributed nationwide through Target stores in August 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Tops advises its customers that Ella’s Kitchen has recalled Ella’s Baby Cookies Apple/Ginger (3.8 oz; UPC 84590100053; Best by 5/16/13) and Ella’s Baby Cookies Milk/Vanilla (3.8 oz; UPC 84590100052; Best by 5/7/13 and 5/16/13) due to consumer reports of mold growth on some of the cookies.
  • Outbreak Alert (California): More than 100 students and staff members at Medea Creek Middle School (Oak Park, CA) developed symptoms of acute gastroenteritis consistent with Norovirus. Parents are advised not to send their children back to school until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped. The virus may remain present in the stool for up to two weeks.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Rich Products of Canada Limited (Fort Erie, ON) recalls Dorgel Hazelnut Gelato (1.65L; All dates), Dorgel Bacio Chocolate Gelato (1.65L; All dates), Dorgel Bacio Tartufo, 4 pk (125ml x 4; All dates), Dorgel Bacio Tartufo, 30 pk (125ml x 30; All dates) and Farmboy® Hazelnut Gelato (700 ml; All dates prior to 2012 11 30), because the products contain undeclared almonds. The recalled products were distributed to retailers across Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: Nestle Canada Inc. expands its earlier recall of Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream (11.4L) to include all lot/date codes, because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled ice cream was distributed to hotel, restaurants and institutional customers across Canada.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): 3-Stjernet A/S(Atria Denmark A/S) recalls Coop, Common Sense, and Irma’s Life brands of Potato Salami (115g; Package dates 03.10.2012, 08.10.2012 and 09.10.2012; Best before dates 01.01.2013, 06.01.2013 and 07.01.2013, respectively), because Salmonella was detected in the products.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): La Société Elivia Eloyes recalls PACK ÉCONOMIQUE Steaks hachés surgelés, 20% de matière grasse / Economy Pack Ground Beef Patties, 20% fat (25 x 100g patties/2.5kg carton; Carton lot #91630205; Individual package lot #630205; Best before 26 July 2013), due to contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled product was sold at Carrefour and Carrefour Market.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Panasia Handelsges.mbH recalls Dried Seaweed (80g pkg; Best before 01.11.2013; Lot #2012.11.01.F2), due to excessive iodine levels.
  • Food Fraud Alert (Sweden): BBC reports that Sweden’s National Food Agency is warning that as much as 20 tonnes of meat labelled as beef is actually colored pork. The dyed meat, which was imported by the Swedish company Heat AB from a supplier in Hungary (Filetto), was first sold in Sweden one year ago. One of the suspect batches of meat originated in Argentina.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Recall (Israel): זנלכל recalls Canned Garden Peas (Expiry 4/2014 and 5/2014), because the product may contain small stones.

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.