Recalls and Alerts: January 30–31, 2025

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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Outbreak/Illness Investigations

No Alerts

United States

Allergy Alert: United Natural Trading LLC recalls Fresh Direct Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels (Lot 24353; Best by 06/30/2025; UPC 811102026276) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall: Clements Foods Co recalls Keith Valley mustard and Red Boy brand mustard (1 gal; Lot codes 4341CF, 4342CF, 4343CF, 4344CF, 4346CF; CF4341, CF4342, CF4344, CF4346) after the mustard seed ingredient tested positive for Salmonella.

Food Safety Recall: Gerber Products Company recalls GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE (3.2 Oz (90g); All lots; UPC 0 15000 04618 7) and GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA (3.2 Oz (90g) and 1.59 Oz (45g); All lots; UPC 0 15000 04608 8 & 0 15000 01015 7) due to a potential choking hazard. The company also has announced a discontinuation of these products.

Pet Food Safety Recall: Blue Ridge Beef recalls Natural Mix for Dogs (2 lb log; Lot N26/12/31; UPC 854298001054) due to Salmonella contamination.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Nestlé Canada recalls and discontinues GERBER^® SOOTHE ‘N’ CHEW^® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE and GERBER^® SOOTHE ‘N’ CHEW^® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA due to a potential choking hazard.

Food Safety Recall: L’entreprise Avril (Granby, QC) recalls multiple prepared dishes due to possible foreign matter contamination (pieces of metal). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Loblaw Companies Limited recalls D. Effe T. Brand Lemon Delight and Tartlet with Forest Fruits (sold between mid-December 2024 and January 2025 at the service case counter in Fortinos™, Loblaw™, Valu-Mart™, Your Independent Grocer™, and Zehrs™ stores) in response to a recall notice issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency due to Salmonella contamination.

United Kingdom and Ireland

Food Safety Recall Update (Ireland): Trade recalls various Cape Herb and Spice products due to foreign matter contamination (pieces of plastic). Please refer to the recall notice for an updated list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Lidl GB recalls Alpenfest Style Salted Mini Pretzels – Milk Chocolate and Alpenfest Style Salted Mini Pretzels – Dark Chocolate (140g; Batch code 8535; Best before 30 June 2025) because they may cause a burning sensation in the mouth when consumed.

Food Safety Recall Update (UK): Terry Smyth Ltd recalls various Cape Herb and Spice products due to foreign matter contamination (pieces of plastic). Please refer to the recall notice for an updated list of affected products.

Hong Kong and Singapore

No Alerts

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Lt Johnny’s and Caterina’s Pizza & Gourmet Food recalls Margherita Pizza and Prosciutto Pizza (12 inch; Best before 11 Dec 2024 and 13 Jan 2025) due to undeclared soy, sulphites, and cashew.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): McGregors Trading Group Limited t/a: Bernie’s Bakery HQ recalls Heritage Breads brand Ready to Bake Mighty Garlic Ciabatta (all batches and dates) due to undeclared milk and peanut.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Piccadilly recalls four varieties of Cape Herb & Spice brand seasonings due to foreign matter contamination (plastic). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

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Links to national recall sites

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Canada

Czechia (Czech Republic)

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland (Republic of)

Israel

Italy

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Norway

Romania

Singapore

Slovakia (Slovak Republic)

Spain (food safety alerts)

Spain (allergy alerts)

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

United States of America (FDA)

United States of America (USDA/FSIS)

FDA tackles bird flu virus in raw pet food

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be requiring manufacturers of cat and dog food who use raw ingredients derived from poultry or cattle to reanalyze their food safety plans to include Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (specifically H5N1) as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard.

This move comes on the heels of reports of bird flu transmistted to domestic and wild cats in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington State through the ingestion of contaminated raw food.

Cats are especially susceptible to the H5N1 (bird flu) virus, and can experience severe illness, sometimes resulting in death. Dogs also can contract an infection, but are far less likely to suffer severe illness.

By its action, the FDA is encouraging manufacturers to adopt a preventive control to protect animal health and stop the spread of the H5N1 virus. Preventive controls may include a processing step to inactivate the virus, or a supply-chain control that would restrict the sourcing of ingredients to poultry flocks and cattle herds that are not infected with the H5N1 virus.

To assist manufacturers in reviewing their food safety plans and developing preventive control steps for their at-risk products, the FDA included in its annoucement a summary of scientific literature covering (1) the prevalence of H5N1 in cattle and poultry and their animal-derived ingredients, (2) the severity of H5N1 illness or injury in cats and dogs, and (3) the impact of processing steps on inactivating H5N1.

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Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

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Chinese dog chews linked to werewolf syndrome

Dog chews imported into Germany from China and distributed under two brand names in several European countries have been linked to the appearance of neurological symptoms in a number of dogs.

More than 15 cases have been reported in Denmark alone. An unspecified number of incidents also have been reported in the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, and Estonia.

Although the FDA is aware of the situation, an agency spokesperson informed eFoodAlert that the Center for Veterinary Medicine has not received any reports or consumer complaints of werewolf syndrome in the United States associated with dog chews.

Symptoms of werewolf syndrome can vary in type and severity, ranging from spontaneous, extreme excitement, panic attacks accompanied by howling and attempts to escape, to phases of aggression, hallucinations, epileptic seizures, and even death.

Recalls and consumer advisories

Several EU member countries and the United Kingdom have issued recall notices or consumer advisories for two brands of dog chews: Barkoo and Chrisco.

Although not distributed through retail stores in all EU countries, these chews are available for purchase over the internet.

According to an advisory issued by the UK’s Food Safety Agency, consumers should avoid the following products:

Barkoo kaustange natur 29 cm (570g; Batch/Lot code 1148655 MHD 04.2027 3200PF027; Bar code 4260077047292)
Barkoo kauknochen, geknotet natur 11cm (150g; Batch/Lot code 1148592 MHD 07.2027 3200PF027; Bar code 4260077046875 )
Barkoo Kauknochen geknotet 24cm (150g; Batch/Lot code 1148657 MHD05.2027 3200PF027; Bar code 4260077046899)
Barkoo Kauknochen geknotet mit Spirulina 12cm (180g; Batch/Lot code 1148654 MHD 06.2027 3200PF027; Bar code 4260077047261)
Chrisco Tyggeruller med kylling, 10 stk (Item #12457; All Use-by dates; EAN 5764630124578)
Chrisco Tyggeruller med kylling & kyllingelever (100g; Product no. 12324; Use by 01/12/2025; 05-01-2026; 15-03-2026; 18-03-2026; 15-04-2026; 20-04-2026; 01-06-2026; 15-07-2026; EAN 5764630123243)
Chrisco Tyggeruller 18 stk. – hvide (Product no. 12468; Use by 05/01/2027; 26-02-2027; 15-03-2027; 18-03-2027; 24-03-2027; EAN 5764630124684)
Chrisco Massive politistave, 2.stk. – brune (Product no. 12541; Use by 26/02/2027; 15-04-2027; EAN 5764630125414)
Chrisco Massive politistave, 2stk. – hvide (Product no. 12542; Use by 05/01/2027; 20-04-2027; 01-06-2027; EAN 5764630125421)
Chrisco Tyggerulle m. kylling & kyllingelever, 1stk (Product no. 12624; Use by 01/12/2025; 05-01-2026; 15-03-2026; 18-08-2026; EAN 5764630126244)

Advice for dog owners

If you have fed any of the llsted chews to your dog, stop doing so immediately.
If your dog is unwell and has been fed any of these dog chews, you should seek veterinary advice and provide detailed information to the vet about the foods and treats your dog has been fed.