Recalls and Alerts: May 21 – 23, 2018

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: Melanie Wholesale Inc. recalls Melanie Mini Cookies with Caramel Flavor (17.6 oz/500g pkg; UPC 4770049082126) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert: Melanie Wholesale Inc. recalls Melanie Liubitelskie Cookies (17.6 oz/500g pkg; UPC 4770049011188) due to undeclared peanuts.

Food Safety Recall: Ziyad Brothers Importing recalls Tahini Sesame Paste (various pkg sizes and formats; various lot codes and UPCs) due to possible Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Safety Recall: Lake Michigan Distilling Company, LLC recalls 95% Ethyl Alcohol product (various size plastic bottles, ranging from 8 oz to 1 gallon, as well as 2.5 gallon and 5 gallon containers; first sold in October 2016 and last sold on April 30, 2018) because of possible contamination with methanol, a highly toxic alcohol.

Food Safety Alert: Golden International Corporation issues public safety warning for stolen tilapia that may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Food Safety Alert: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets obtains an injunction barring the sale and distribution of raw milk and other products by Udder Milk. The company was illegally selling raw milk at drop-off locations in New York City and Long Island and was linked to human illness case in New Jersey.

Pet Treat Safety Recall: Merrick Pet Care recalls certain pet treats that may contain high levels of beef thyroid hormone. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Yeh-ho Trading Ltd. recalls Oh Green brand Black Cereal (600g; UPC 4 715409 892021) and Oh Green brand White Cereal (500g; UPC 4 715409 892069) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall: Boulangerie & pâtisserie Kubera inc (Montreal, QC) recalls various breads, as they were produced under conditions that might render them unsafe to consume. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Finland): HKScan Finland Oyj recalls Kariniemen Kananpojan Kebabvarras (320g; Best before 26.5.2018) due to undeclared dairy (cheese).

Food Safety Recall (Germany): nutwork Handelsgesellschaft mbH recalls K-Classic Almonds whole (200g; Batch 28.02.2019 / L 0230) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): LES FROMAGERIES OCCITANES recalls ROQUEFORT AOP CANTOREL (1.4 kg; Lot #HH1261; Best before 30.06.2018; Product of France) due to possible contamination with shiga-toxin producing E. coli.

Food Safety Recall (UK): True Value Candys Ltd recalls Super Jelly Cone and Super Pudding Cone (400g; Assorted flavors; All date codes) due to a choking hazard.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Israel): Import and Marketing Rusman 2004 Ltd. recalls Snickers milk chocolate snack filled with roasted peanuts (50g; Expiry date 10.3.2019) due to undeclared egg.

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (Australia): Miss Maud recalls various Miss Maud Bakery Products due to possible foreign matter (metal fragment) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Consumers’ cases against Gravy Train maker consolidated

This story by Phyllis Entis first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission

A class action lawsuit was filed May 1 in Northern California against Big Heart Pet Brands Inc. on behalf of consumers and businesses who bought pentobarbital-contaminated dog food manufactured by the company.

Big Heart is owned by the J.M. Smucker Co.

The lawsuit, referred to as a master consolidated complaint, consolidates four similar actions filed in February and March against the company.

The complaint accuses Big Heart of several counts, including negligent misrepresentation, violation of California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act, false advertising, negligence, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, fraud and deceptive and unfair trade practices.

Plaintiffs are seeking an order preventing Big Heart from selling the contaminated dog food, a mandatory corrective advertising campaign, full restitution and an unspecified amount of actual, statutory and punitive damages.

The pentobarbital problem came to light in February, when a Washington, D.C.-television station’s investigation into potential pentobarbital contamination in canned, wet dog food revealed the presence of the drug in several Gravy Train products. Veterinarians use large doses of the fast-acting drug to euthanize animals.

Gravy Train is manufactured by Big Heart.

Mark Johnson, one of the plaintiffs named in the class action suit, owned 13 border collie and Australian shepherd mixes, which he used as herding dogs for his cattle. All of Johnson’s dogs developed kidney failure within a few hours after eating a Gravy Train product and had to be put down on Jan. 14 and 15, according to the complaint.

There is no mention in the complaint of a confirmed cause of the kidney failure, or of any laboratory analyses being carried out either at necropsies on the dogs or on the dog food.

The presence of pentobarbital at any level in animal food renders the product adulterated, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Oral exposure to pentobarbital causes primarily neurological symptoms including drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, jerky eye movements, and, in the most severe cases, coma and death. Kidney failure is not one of the reported manifestations of oral pentobarbital poisoning.

An investigator from the FDA’s Philadelphia district office visited Big Heart’s Bloomsbury manufacturing facility five times between Feb. 23 and March 12, 2018, according to information obtained by Food Safety News in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

At the end of the inspection, the investigator cited the presence of pentobarbital in a retained sample of tallow from February 2017 and in a sample from the company’s current inventory of tallow. The tallow is among ingredients used in the manufacture of Gravy Train, Kibbles ‘n Bits, Skippy and Ol’ Roy canned, wet dog food brands.

On Feb. 16, FDA alerted consumers to the potential contamination issue and advised the public that Smucker was withdrawing from the market a wide range of canned, wet dog food products.

The withdrawal was upgraded to a Class III voluntary product recall on March 2.

A Class III recall is one in which the “… product is violative and use of or exposure to the product is not likely to cause any adverse health consequences,” according to FDA’s Regulatory Procedures Manual.

Although the concentration of pentobarbital found in the tallow was included in the investigator’s completed Form 483 (Inspectional Observations), the information was redacted from the copy supplied to Food Safety News.

According to information contained in the class action complaint, the retained sample of tallow contained pentobarbital at a level of 529 parts per billion (ppb). Levels of the drug in the current inventory ranged from 802 ppb to 852 ppb.

The tallow was allegedly supplied by MOPAC, an eastern Pennsylvania rendering facility belonging to JBS USA Holdings Inc.

When asked to confirm the reported levels of pentobarbital in the tallow samples, a spokesperson for FDA declined to comment. An FOIA request for the lab reports and for the Notice of Inspection (Form 482) was turned down on April 20, with the explanation that they were “not available” at the time.

It is standard procedure for an investigator to issue a Form 482 Notice of Inspection at the outset of any inspection. No explanation was given as to why this document was unavailable.

FDA has issued no updates on the status of its investigation or of the product recalls since the March 2nd recall notice.

Recalls and Alerts: April 26 – 29, 2018

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United States

Allergy Alert: Van’s Foods recalls Van’s Gluten Free Original (BEST BY AUG 22 2018; Lot #A640234710-WL2 (WL1 not affected by recall)) and Van’s Belgian HS WF 12/8 (BEST BY AUG 22 2018; Lot #A640234710-WL2) due to undeclared gluten and milk). The products were distributed solely to food retailers in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.

Allergy Alert: Ethnic Foods Inc. recalls Bhavnagri Mix snack mix (19 oz; Lot # 28517, 31917, 33817, 35317, 01118, 02318, 02918, 05118, 07318) due to undeclared peanut.

Food Safety Recall: Pinnacle Foods Inc. recalls approximately 32,479 pounds of heat-treated, shelf stable beef products due to a possible processing deviation that may have led to staphylococcal enterotoxin and clostridial toxin contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

Food Safety Recall: Greenbelt Greenhouse Ltd. (British Columbia, Canada) recalls all Greenbelt Microgreen products (All best before dates from 4/24/18 and 4/30/18) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The affected Greenbelt Microgreens brand microgreens were distributed to Whole Foods stores in Washington between 04/11/18 and 04/24/2018.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Legend Q Trading Inc. recalls Golden Ocean Inc. brand and Liao Bu De brand fish products due to undeclared egg. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert: Pan Asia Food Co. Ltd. recalls Wang Korea brand Seafood Dumpling (Gyoza) (680g; Product code JUL.05 2018, SEP.16 2018, SEP.15 2019; UPC 087703022843) and Wang Korea brand Vegetable Dumpling (Pimiento) (680g; Product code APR.08 2019; UPC 087703023352) due to undeclared egg.

Food Safety Recall: Industry recalls certain Rimbey Foods Ltd. brand and Fuge Fine Meat brand pork products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Update): The Meat Shop at Pine Haven recalls certain pork products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Real Deal Meats Ltd. recalls Real Deal Meats pork products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Food Safety Recall: K&K Foodliner recalls K&K Foodliner brand pork products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Irvings Farm Fresh Ltd. recalls certain Irvings Farm Fresh brand pork products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): La société Purasana NV recalls Chlorella Bio (200g; OCH-DF-160330/10; Best by 30/10/19) due to undeclared sulfite.

Allergy Alert (Belgium): MARMA SPRL recalls Marma chlorella poudre bio (200g; LOT 6286 THT 30/05/18) and Marma spiruline poudre bio (200g; LOT 7254 THT 30/04/19) due to undeclared sulfite.

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Lidl Danmark recalls Bifteki and Mini Bifteki (750g) due to undeclared milk, eggs, wheat flour and mustard.

Allergy Alert (France): Monoprix recalls Le Wrap Poulet Basilic (Best before 29/04/2018) due to undeclared fish and mustard.

Allergy Alert (Germany): Heidemark GmbH Ahlhorn recalls K-Purland Lets BBQ Turkey Minced Steaks (Lot #9111002; Best by 04.05.2018) due to undeclared milk, lactose, celery and gluten.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Tesco recalls Hearty Food Company Cottage Pie (400g; Best by 24 April 2018, 27 April 2018, 28 April 2018, 30 April 2018, 01 May 2018, 02 May 2018, 03 May 2018, 04 May 2018, 05 May 2018) and Hearty Food Company Sausage and Mash (400g; Best by 25 April 2018, 26 April 2018, 29 April 2018, 01 May 2018, 02 May 2018) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Sweden): ICA recalls ICA punch roll, chocolate ball and arrax ball due to undeclared egg. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of recalled products.

Allergy Alert (UK): Runwick Roastery Ltd recalls Cupsmith Truly Magnificent White Hot Chocolate (240g; Best before 31 December 2018 & 31 March 2019) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (UK): Tesco recalls Hearty Food Company Cottage Pie (400g; Best by 24 April 2018, 27 April 2018, 28 April 2018, 30 April 2018, 01 May 2018, 02 May 2018, 03 May 2018, 04 May 2018, 05 May 2018) and Hearty Food Company Sausage and Mash (400g; Best by 25 April 2018, 26 April 2018, 29 April 2018, 01 May 2018, 02 May 2018) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): La ferme de la Bourgade recalls Raw Milk Farm Butter (Lot #08/05/2018; Best by 08/05/2018) due to Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Fromagerie du Plessis recalls La Petite Normande brand Camembert petite normande AOP (250g; Lot #260218DS0; Best before 08/05/2018) due to E. coli O26:H11 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Hygiena S.A. recalls Prémibio brand PREMIBIO Prémilait 1er age 900g (0-6 mois) BIO à base de lait de vache (Lot #257; Best before 14/09/2020) due to Cronobacter sakazakii contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Les Artisans du bio recalls Fromage brebis affinée au lait cru bio (150g; Lot #182058; Best before 14,15,16,21 and 22/05/2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Fromagerie du Plessis recalls Fromagerie du Plessis brand Camembert de Normandie AOP (Lot #260218DS0; Best before 11 mai 2018) due to E. coli O26:H11 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Fleischwarenfabrik Vertriebs GmbH & Co. KG recalls Marten Poultry Salami Sticks (Best before 14.06.2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Kräutergarten Pommerland recalls Elfentraum (50g; Batch 10042019; Best before 10.04.2019) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Société fromagère de la Brie recalls Le Coulommiers 45% mg French Soft Cheese (500g; Batch #77432-5B057; Best before 05.05.2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Inter Ovo recalls Gutsglück Free-range Eggs (Best before 29.04.2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Döllinghareico GmbH & Co. KG recalls Hareico Bratwurst trad (500g; Best before 21.08.2018) due to foreign matter (6mm-large, red plastic foreign body) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Avoca Stores recalls Camembert de Normandie Cheese made from raw milk (250g; Batch #260218DS0; Use by 02.05.18) due to E. coli O26 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Fromagerie du Plessis recalls Fromagerie du Plessis brand Camembert de Normandie AOP (Lot #260218DS0; Best before 11 mai 2018) due to E. coli O26:H11 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): EMTÉ recalls various ground beef products due to potential contamination with Shiga-toxin producing E. coli.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Coop Supermarkten recalls Coop lean minced beef due to potential contamination with Shiga-toxin producing E. coli.

Food Safety Recall (UK): GB Poultry Ltd recalls Breaded Chicken Escalops with Sweet Chilli Mayo (850g; Lot code MFWH15IE; Use by 26 April 2018 and 27 April 2018) due to foreign matter (plastic pieces) contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall (UK): Sainsbury’s recalls a range of pet food pouch selections due to high levels of Vitamin D. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.