Recalls and Alerts: January 30 – February 3, 2019

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: Taylor Farms TX, Inc. recalls approximately 2,100 pounds of chicken products incorrectly labeled as “Chile Relleno” products due to undeclared wheat. Please refer to the recall notice for detailed information on the recalled product.

Food Safety Recall: Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation recalls UNCOOKED POPCORN STYLE CHICKEN BREAST CHUNK FRITTERS WITH RIB MEAT (20-lb. boxes containing 8 clear bags; USE BY 10 01 2019; Lot codes 9004101012, 9004101013, 9004101014, 9004101015, 9004101016, 9004101017, 9004101018, 9004101019, 9004101020, 9004101021, 9004101022, 9004101000 and 9004101001) due to foreign matter (rubber) contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Publix Super Markets recalls Publix Deli Popcorn Chicken sourced from Pilgrim’s Pride (sold in both hot and refrigerated cases in the deli department in all Publix stores in Florida, and some stores in southern Georgia, southern and coastal South Carolina, and southern Alabama between January 17 – 31, 2019) due to foreign matter (rubber) contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall: Hill’s Pet Nutrition is voluntarily recalling select canned dog food products due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Herboristerie Fleur bleue recalls MIEL AUX AIGUILLES DE SAPIN / Honey with fir needles (320g; All units sold up to and including 24 January 2019) as the products were not prepared and packaged under conditions that ensure safety.

Food Safety Recall: Boucherie Les trois p’tits cochons inc recalls SAUMON FUMÉ MAISON / House smoked salmon (variable weights; all product sold up to and including 29 January 2019) because the products were manufactured and packaged in a way that may render them unsafe to consume.

Pet Food Safety Recall (Canada): Hill’s Pet Nutrition Ltd recalls a selection of its canned dog food because it may contain high levels of vitamin D which exceed the maximum recommended intake. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were manufactured in the USA.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Unifood Import A/S recalls Silk Road Tropical Mix (250 g, 1 kg and 2 kg; All best before dates) due to undeclared sulfites.

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Tenax Sild A/S recalls Fisherman’s Salmon-hunted herring (240g; Best before 19 / 8-2019) due to undeclared hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (France): Geantcasino recalls Casino Saveurs d’Ailleurs brand 6 mini nems crevettes sauce Nuoc-mâm (200g; Lot #190155; Best before 30/01/2019) due to undeclared fish and soy.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Bonvita B.V. recalls various Bonvita Bon-Ice ice cream products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (UK): The Village Bakery Markethill recalls numerous bakery products due to undeclared sesame, celery, milk, wheat (gluten), oats (gluten) or barley (gluten). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Jin Long Trading SPRL recalls Golden Lily White Pepper (1Kg; Lot #30.10.2020; Best before 12.01.2019 – 25.01.2019) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): La Société CHARCUTERIE VALLE DE LA BRUCHE recalls Auchan brand Choucroute / sauerkraut (Lots 011015, 011024, 011029; Best before 09/02/19, 18/02/19, 23/02/19) due to foreign matter (rubber) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): JOAN DISTRIBUTION recalls JOAN brand Fuet Catalan (150g; Lot #18490008; Best before 08/07/2019) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): E.Leclerc recalls Nos régions ont du talent brand assorted deli meats (200g; Lot #9023; Best before 26/02/19) due to Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Intermarché recalls Mussels (2.8kg; Lot #T7562; Best before 26/01/2019, 27/01/2019) and Spanish Mussels (1.4kg; Lot #T7562; 6/01/2019, 27/01/2019) due to E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Hans Kupfer & Sohn GmbH & Co KG recalls GUT&GÜNSTIG Delikatess Hähnchenbrust-Filetroulade (150g; Best before 03.02.2019 up to and including 15.02.2019) due to foreign matter (metal pieces) contaminated.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Esselunga recalls Cannelloni di carne (Lot SC 29.01.19), Lasagna al forno (600g; Lot SC 30.01.19) and RAGU’ DI VITELLO TOP (200g; Lot SC 07.02.19) due to foreign matter (plastic pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Industry recalls Modillac brand infant formula products (Product of France) due to possible Salmonella Poona contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for additional details.

Food Safety Recall (UK – England only): Yorkshire Fine Cheese recalls Barncliffe Brie cheese (200g and 1Kg; Batch codes 098, 099, 002; Best before 4 March 2019, 6 March 2019, 25 March 2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall (UK): Hill’s Pet Nutrition Ltd recalls a selection of its canned dog food because it may contain high levels of vitamin D which exceed the maximum recommended intake. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were manufactured in the USA.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Israel): Hermes Fish Factory recalls smoked cold salmon fillet product (200g; Best by 16/02/2019) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (Australia): Organic Milk Group recalls OMG Organic Milk (1L; Best Before 04/02/2019) due to E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Australia): Mungalli Creek Dairy recalls Mungalli Creek Kefir (1 Litre; BB Date 22/2/2019) due to E. coli contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall (Australia): Hill’s Pet Nutrition Ltd recalls a selection of its canned dog food because it may contain high levels of vitamin D which exceed the maximum recommended intake. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were manufactured in the USA.

Pet Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Hill’s Pet Nutrition Ltd recalls a selection of its canned dog food because it may contain high levels of vitamin D which exceed the maximum recommended intake. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were manufactured in the USA.

Raw pet food company Hare Today alleges FDA mishandling of samples; FDA responds

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

For the second time in less than a month, a raw pet food company has accused a government agency of mishandling product samples and has refused to recall a contaminated product.

On Jan. 23, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned pet owners not to feed one lot of Hare Today Gone Tomorrow Ground Chicken/Bones/Organs pet food to their pets after the agency found Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in samples of the product.

FDA acted in response to a consumer complaint about a kitten that became sick with Salmonella after eating the company’s product.

According to the FDA alert, the specific batch of product consumed by the kitten was no longer available for testing. FDA collected samples from a different bunch of the same product.

The strain of Salmonella found in the batch of product analyzed by FDA was different from the strain recovered from the sick kitten.

When advised by FDA of the test results, Hare Today’s management refused to initiate a recall of the contaminated product.

In a Facebook post, the company supported its decision by claiming that there were no government seals on the samples when they were received by the lab, that FDA could not provide Hare Today with information on the temperature of the sample at the time of testing and, therefore, that the products “…were compromised and any results are null and void.”

The company also alleged that FDA is unfairly targeting raw pet food manufacturers.

According to an FDA spokesperson, sampling was carried out under the requirements set out in the agency’s Investigations Operations Manual. The inspector obtained ten random unopened packages from a single batch of frozen product (processing date 12.04.2018). Each box was placed into a separate container, which was taped shut.

The ten individual packages, plus two controls, were placed in a cooler for shipment to the laboratory. The boxes were sent frozen at the time of sampling and received frozen in the FDA lab.

FDA always prefers to test the specific lot associated with a case, the agency spokesperson told Food Safety News. However, the consumer did not have any opened or unopened product left from the suspect batch.

Due to the length of time that elapsed between the feeding of the kitten and the submission of the complaint and associated records to FDA, none of the implicated material was available from the manufacturer either.

The feces sample from the sick kitten was collected in May 2018, according to the sample record archived in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database.

Hare Today sells all of its products through direct orders placed with the company via its website and does not use third-party distributors or retailers.

The Hare Today allegations echo similar statements made by Lystn, dba Answers Pet Food earlier this month.

After the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) recovered Salmonella from a sample of A+ Answers Pet Food, the company accused the state of mishandling the sample.

A spokesperson for the NDA refuted the company’s allegations, stating that all “chain of custody” procedures had been followed, that the sample was shipped in dry ice and arrived frozen in the lab, and that all procedures had been followed to prevent cross-contamination.

The presence of Salmonella in a pet food represents a hazard to both people and pets, regardless of whether the food is raw, dry, or cooked.

People infected with Salmonella may suffer from diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems are susceptible to more severe symptoms, including dehydration, and may require hospitalization.

Infected pets may exhibit symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever and loss of appetite or decreased activity. Pets that are infected can shed Salmonella in their feces even without showing any evidence of being sick.

FDA recommends that people who think their pets have become ill after consuming contaminated pet food should first contact their veterinarians. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for Salmonella may do so through the Vet-LIRN Network if the pet is from a household with a person infected with Salmonella. Veterinarians who wish to have pets tested for other pathogens when there is an associated human case may also contact Vet-LIRN.

The FDA encourages consumers to report complaints about this and other pet food products electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.

Pet hedgehogs fingered by CDC as source of Salmonella outbreak

Eleven people in 8 states have been infected with Salmonella Typhimurium after coming in contact with pet hedgehogs, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

One person has been hospitalized.

The outbreak strain was recovered in samples obtained from three pet hedgehogs in two ill patients’ homes in Minnesota.

Illnesses have been confirmed in patients from Colorado (1), Maine (1), Minnesota (2), Mississippi (1), Missouri (3), Nebraska (1), Texas (1) and Wyoming (1).

Ten of the eleven outbreak victims reported contact with pet hedgehogs obtained from various sources, including pet stores, breeders or online. A common supplier of the hedgehogs has not been identified.

Outbreak victims are between 2 and 28 years old, with 50% of them being 12 years old or younger.

In 2013, pet hedgehogs infected with Salmonella Typhimurium were responsible for an outbreak of salmonellosis in 12 states. One person died, and 8 were hospitalized. In all, 26 people were confirmed to have been infected with the outbreak strain.

Hedgehogs are known to carry Salmonella, according to a 2005 report in Emerging Infectious Diseases. Approximately 28% of infected hedgehogs display no symptoms of the disease.

CDC offers the following advisory to pet owners and retailers of hedgehogs

People who own or come in contact with hedgehogs should take steps to stay healthy around their pet.
- Hedgehogs can carry Salmonella germs in their droppings while appearing healthy and clean.
- These germs can easily spread to their bodies, habitats, toys, bedding, and anything in the area where they live. People become sick after they touch hedgehogs or anything in their habitats.
Wash your hands
- Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching, feeding, or caring for a hedgehog or cleaning its habitat. Adults should supervise handwashing for young children.
Play safely
- Don’t kiss or snuggle hedgehogs, because this can spread Salmonella germs to your face and mouth and make you sick.
- Don’t let hedgehogs roam freely in areas where food is prepared or stored, such as kitchens.
Clean habitats, toys, and supplies outside the house when possible. Avoid cleaning these items in the kitchen or any other location where food is prepared, served, or stored.
Pick the right pet for your family. Children under 5 years old, adults over 65, or people with weakened immune systems are at a greater risk for serious illness. Households with these individuals might consider a different pet.
Hedgehog breeders, pet stores, or others that sell or display hedgehogs should provide educational materials to employees and customers.