Recalls and Alerts: March 9-10, 2023

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

Pet Food Safety Recall: Nestlé Purina PetCare Company recalls Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental (PPVD EL) prescription dry dog food (8 lb and 20 lb bags; Lots 2213 1082 & 2214 1082, respectively; UPC 38100 19190 & 38100 19192, respectively) due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D. The recalled products were distributed throughout the United States by prescription only through veterinary clinics, Purina Vet Direct, Purina for Professionals, and other select retailers with the ability to validate a prescription.

Pet Dietary Supplement Recall: Stratford Care USA, Inc recalls multiple brands of Omega-3 Supplements for cats and dogs (60 soft gels per bottle; Lot 31133 & 30837; Expiry 04/13/23 & 10/26/22, respectively) due to potentially elevated levels of Vitamin A. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were distributed throughout the United States in Veterinary Clinics, Distribution Centers, Retail Stores, and Online Market Places such as Amazon and Chewy.

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Canada

Allergy Alert: Da Zhan Ltd. recalls four Da Zhan Ltd. brand fish products due to undeclared egg and soy. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were sold in British Columbia.

Food Safety Recall: Salaison Limoges Extra inc. (Terrebonne, QC) recalls MAQUEREAU FUME / Smoked mackerel (Sold up to 8 March 2023) due to incorrect storage temperature instructions on the package label.

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Europe

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION UPDATE (Sweden): Sweden’s Public Health Agency has received reports of 79 confirmed cases of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to consumption of eggs. The outbreak strain was found in the production environment of an egg producer at the turn of the year.

Allergy Alert (France): Industry recalls Alpina Bebida de avena / Oat drink (250 ml & 1 L; Lot L97A & L17B; Various Use by dates between 08/05/2023 and 27/05/2023) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (France): RACINES recalls Racines Bio brand Sucre de fleur de coco / Organic coconut blossom sugar (480g; Lot F00401CS PA; Best before 03/07/2023) due to undeclared sulphites.

Allergy Alert (France): SOCIETE LESAGE & FILS recalls Chili con carne (Lot 30665128; Use by 18/03/2023) due to undeclared barley and anchovies.

Allergy Alert (Spain): INDUSTRIA CONFITERA COLMENAR, SL warns of undeclared milk in PETISÚ MALTITOL and VANILLA MALTITOL PASTRY (2 kg trays and individual bags; Lots 19230103, 20230103, 23230104; Best before 03-19-2023, 03-20-2023, 03-23-2023).

Food Safety Recall (France): HDC PRODUCTION SAVEURS DES MAUGES recalls Saveurs des mauges brand Mini rillauds / marinated pork (150g & 200g; Lot 3061; Use by 28/03/2023) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): UNIVERDIS SA LECLERC recalls CREPINETTE SAVOYARDE / Savoyard raw pork patty (Date produced 25/02/2023) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): BEXIANIS recalls Chipolatas de jeune bovin femelle sous-vide / Veal chipolatas (Lot 1502M627; Use by 04/03/2023) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): LURE DISTRIBUTION E.LECLERC recalls ANDRE BAZIN brand SAUCISSE DE MONTBELIARD IGP / Sausages (Lot 642422; Use by 07/05/2023) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): CARREFOUR recalls Reflets de France brand Jambon de Savoie 9 mois – 6 tranches / Savoie ham, aged 9 months – 6 slices (90g; Lot 210158622; Use by 03/06/2023) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Cooperativa Produttori Latte e Fontina recalls Fontina DOP Pascoli Italiani cheese (250g; Lot C037105286; Use by 10/04/2023) due to shigatoxin-producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Coppiello Giovanni srl recalls Sfilaccio di equino / Horse stew (100g; Lot 2301002; Use by 02/06/2023) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Spain): Friber, S.A. recalls Cecina loncheada en aceite de oliva / Sliced cecina (jerky) in olive oil (100g; Expiry 11/07/2023) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Sweden): DAVA FOODS SVERIGE AB recalls Familjens Val M 24p HP eggs (24/pkg; Best before 2023-03-13) and Frukostägg L 12p Kart/HP / Breakfast eggs, Large (12/pkg; 2023-03-12) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Israel): Bee Lider Ltd recalls Batunchik Creamo brand Chocolate candy with whole hazelnuts with nut cream filling (29g; Expiration date 08.05.2023) due to undeclared milk.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Stone & Wood Brewing Co. recalls Counter Culture Eirinn Irish Cream Stout (All Best Before Dates Up to and including 16/08/23) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Australia): Y&J Connect Pty Ltd recalls K-mama Enoki Mushrooms (300g; Best before 03.06.2023; Product of South Korea) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): She Universe Ltd recalls GoodFor brand Sugar Free Spheres (12g; Purchased instore between 4 August 2022 and 10 March 2023) and She Universe brand Sesame & Cashew Butter Batons (100g; Best before 30/03/2023, 12/04/2023, 27/04/2023, 01/06/2023, 22,06,2023, 23/08/2023) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Forty Thieves Ltd recalls Forty Thieves brand Organic Tahini Hulled (500g glass jar; Date markings BB 10102023, BB 05122023, BB 17012024 and BB 22022024; Product of Turkey) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Bin Inn Retail Group Ltd recalls Bin Inn brand Organic Hulled Tahini and Bin Inn brand Organic Unhulled Tahini (500g & 1 kg; All batches; All dates; Product of Turkey) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): GoodFor Ltd recalls GoodFor brand Silky Ta-hini (420g glass jar; Best before 12/02/2024; Product of Turkey) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Ceres Enterprises Ltd recalls multiple organic tahini products due to possible Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

TAINTED formats 3 — “Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

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Sunday Supplement: Proposed new FDA food structure leaves pet food out to dry

IN MY OPINION

The proposed new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) organization structure leaves the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) sucking on a hind teat.

Never a major player in the FDA heirarchy, the CVM has been formally excluded from the Human Foods Program, with only a dotted line connecting it to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner.

Although the CVM will report directly to the Office of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, its relatively small budget and political profile will leave this essential element of food safety and nutrition with little voice or influence at the table.

Why does this matter?

The CVM is responsible for oversight of animal feed, pet foods and veterinary medicines.

If animal feeds are not properly regulated and supervised, animal nutrition–and ultimately human nutrition–suffers.

If veterinary medicines are not properly regulated and supervised, the health of livestock and the safety of the human diet suffers.

If pet foods are not properly regulated and supervised, the health of companion animals suffers.

Pet health matters

Pets play an important role in the mental and physical health of their human companions.

Those of us who have lost a dog, cat, or other pet to illness, accidents, or simply old age, understand the grief that this loss entails.

In addition, if an animal develops a gastrointestinal illness such as salmonellosis as a result of contaminated pet food, this illness can be passed along to people in the same household.

This is not speculation.

Kibble, raw pet foods, and pet treats contaminated with Salmonella have caused several outbreaks of human illness large enough to attract the attention of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Without a strong voice at the budget table, the CVM will not have the resources to oversee the pet food industry.

We have seen what has happened in the past when a pet food manufacturer has been allowed to operate on a “voluntary compliance” basis. More often than is healthy, the emphasis is on voluntary, and compliance falls by the wayside.

Can this be fixed?

I realize that the CVM has elements both of food and of pharmaceuticals in its regulatory portfolio.

Nevertheless, every component of the CVM’s mandate–animal feed, animal medications, pet food–indirectly supports the safety and nutriton of human or animal food.

I would propose that the scope of the proposed new directorate be expanded to include the CVM, and that the word “Human” be dropped from the title of the new Deputy Commissioner.

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Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

TAINTED is available in digital format from all major on-line retailers. Press the button to go directly to your preferred digital bookstore.

Amazon

Apple

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Smashwords

Chapters/Indigo

Raw pet food company sues to block FDA public health alert

Arrow Reliance Inc. (d.b.a. Darwin’s Natural Pet Products) has filed suit in US federal court in an attempt to prevent the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from issuing a Public Health Alert about possible Salmonella contamination in a cat food product.

Darwin’s, which is based in Tukwila, Washington, filed the their request for a temporary restraining order on July 29, 2022, in the US District Court, Western District of Washington (Case 2:22-cv-01057).

The lawsuit contends that the FDA “wrongfully” threatened to issue the Public Health Alert if the company refused to issue a recall of its adult cat food.

The FDA’s request for a product recall apparently arose after kittens tested positive for Salmonella.

When contacted by eFoodAlert, a spokesperson for the FDA stated that the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

The background

Darwin’s is the producer and distributor of a range of raw food products for dogs and cats.

The company was founded in 2002 by Gary Tashjian, who began producing frozen raw pet foods in his own kitchen.

In time, Tashjian moved his manufacturing operations into a facility in Tukwila, WA, just outside of Seattle.

In June 2016, the FDA received a consumer complaint about foreign objects in the company’s products. In response, the FDA and representatives from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) paid a visit to the Tukwila facility.

During the course of their visit, the FDA and state investigators noted several objectionable conditions in the production plant. They also reviewed the company’s consumer complaint log, including four complaints that mentioned Salmonella.

As part of their follow-up, WSDA inspectors sampled two of the finished raw pet food products for lab analysis. One of those samples was found to contained Salmonella.

In response, the company destroyed its inventory of the contaminated production lot. As none of the product had been shipped, there was no need for a recall.

In December 2017, following a spate of product recalls due variously to Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and/or E. coli O28 in multiple product samples, the FDA returned to Darwin’s plant to conduct an intensive investigation that lasted until late January 2018.

During the course of its investigation, the FDA became aware of at least six customer complaints about sick pets, including one dead kitten.

On April 2, 2018, the FDA issued a formal Warning Letter, notifying the company of its findings and giving the company fifteen business days in which to respond with a written description of corrective actions.

The company was reinspected in 2018/19, during which time Darwin’s management refused to supply the FDA investigation team with records pertaining to the production, sanitation, environmental testing and distribution of finished product lots using the same protein ingredients as two samples that were identified positive for the presence of Salmonella.

FDA inspected Darwin’s again in June 2021. This time, the company cooperated fully with the inspectors, who noted a few observations of concern. These were corrected by company management before the inspection was completed, and no formal list of Inspectional Observations was issued.

The current situation

At the moment, there is no information available beyond what has been included in the company’s request for a temporary restraining order.

If the request is not granted, the FDA will be free to release additional details, including a Public Health Alert, if it chooses to do so.

In the interim, any consumer who suspects that a Darwin’s product may have caused his dog or cat to become ill should file a formal complaint with the FDA, using the agency’s pet food complaint portal.

For additional information on safety issues surrounding the feeding of raw pet food to companion animals, check out the FDA website

Learn more about a variety of food safety issues in TAINTED. From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate, Fifty Years of Food Safety Failures, now available in digital, print and audiobook editions.