Category: recall roundup

Recalls and Alerts: May 7, 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.

United States

  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Apex Pet Foods recalls Apex Chicken and Rice Dog dry dog food (20-lb and 40-lb bags; Production code ACD0101B32; Best by date 24-Jan-2013), because the product, which was manufactured in Gaston, South Carolina for Apex by Diamond Pet Foods, may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was distributed in South Carolina only.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Whole Foods Market advises its customers that Natural Balance Vegetarian Dog Food (5-lb bags; UPC 7 23633 80855 2; Lot code NBV1201; Best by Dec 9, 2012) has been recalled by Diamond Pet Foods and may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Canada

  • Outbreak Alert Update: According to CBC News, New Brunswick health officials have confirmed an outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 in 13 people in the province, including 11 confirmed cases in Miramichi and two in Bathurst. An additional eleven cases are still under investigation. Five people remain in hospital. The source of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak is still undetermined.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Finland): HK Ruokatalo recalls HK Aitonakki/HK Real Sausage (500g and 850g packages; Best before 05/13/2012) due to the possible presence of undeclared cheese.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Metro – Makro recalls Horeca Select Darnes d’Espadon/Swordfish Steaks (1000g; Frozen; UPC 5 400151 041023; Lot #737302078370011; Expiry date 21/03/2013), due to an elevated level of heavy metals in the product.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): A norovirus outbreak has been reported in four Plymouth hospital wards, including three wards at Derriford Hospital and one at Mount Gould. The four wards are closed to admissions due to the outbreak.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (China): Xinhua news agency reports that vegetable sellers in China have been caught spraying cabbages with a formaldehyde solution to keep them fresh in transit. The practice has become widespread in recent years. Formaldehyde is included in the list of illegal food additives published by China’s health ministry in 2008.
  • Chinese Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Hong Kong Medicine Manufactory recalls Germany Wintex Brand Herbal Sep Capsules, because the chromium level in the gelatin capsules is suspected to be in excess of the recommended 2ppm limit. Preliminary test results by the Government lab revealed a chromium level of 84ppm in a sample; more test results are pending.
  • Outbreak Alert (India): Two people are dead and 50 other hospitalized with symptoms of cholera in Kalamb town. Contaminated water is believed to be the source of the outbreak.
  • Outbreak Alert (Thailand): More than 8700 cases of diarrhea have been reported in Buriram Province during the first four months of 2012. Health officials are warning the public to eat cooked food, drink clean water and avoid food with swarming flies.
  • Outbreak Alert (India): Indore health officials report 318 confirmed cases of typhoid in the district between January 1st and April 28th, 2012.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert (Chile): Valparaiso health officials report an outbreak of food poisoning that affected 27 people at the Rosa Agustina Olmué resort. A potato salad (“potatoes with mayonnaise) is believed to be the source of the illnesses.
  • Outbreak Alert (Panama): More than 650 cases of diarrhea have been reported in Chiriqui province. Contaminated water is suspected to be the source.

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: May 6, 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.

United States

  • Food Safety Recall: FunFresh Foods, Inc. (San Clemente, CA) recalls FunFresh Foods™ World Berries™ Organic “Cacao Nibs” (6-oz pouch; UPC 632474929022; Use by date 04/14; Lot code 161104), because the product may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled product was distributed from April 12th through 17th (2012) to health and natural food retail stores in AK, AR, AZ, CA, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NM, OH, OK, OR, SC, SC, TN, TX, WA, WI, and WV.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Diamond Pet Foods expands its dry pet food recall, because products manufactured at its Gaston, South Carolina production facility may be contaminated with Salmonella. Please see the Diamond Pet Foods, Etc. Recalls – 2012 page for details on the recalled products.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Natural Balance recalls several products manufactured on its behalf by Diamond Pet Foods, because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. Please see the Diamond Pet Foods, Etc. Recalls – 2012 page for details on the recalled products.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Canidae Pet Foods recalls several products manufactured on its behalf by Diamond Pet Foods, because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. Please see the Diamond Pet Foods, Etc. Recalls – 2012 page for details on the recalled products. The recalled products were distributed in Florida, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee. Further distribution to other pet foods channels may have occurred.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: WellPet LLC recalls Wellness Complete Health® Super5Mix® Large Breed Puppy dry dog food (15-lb and 30-lb bags and 5-oz sample bags; Best by dates of JAN 9 2013 through JAN 11 2013), because the product, which was manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Outbreak Alert: WRAL reports that the Nash County Health Department is investigating several reports of gastroenteritis that it says might be associated with Ribeye’s Steakhouse off N.C. Highway 64 in Nashville. One person has been hospitalized.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Fromagerie Bergeron Inc. (Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, QC) recalls  Brins de Gouda cheese (100g, 180g, 230g, 260g, 300g and 500g; Lot 12-0687; Best before 2012 MA 18) and Le Populaire cheese (335g; Lot 12-687; Best before 2012 AU 03), because they may contain harmful pieces of metal wire. The recalled products were distributed in Quebec.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Costco Canada advises its customers that Jascor Housewares has recalled Twist ‘n Sparkle home beverage carbonation systems (Costco item # 295585, model # ISITNSB10, Costco item # 295556, model # ISITNSS10 and Costco item # 295582, model # ISICO240), because certain clear plastic bottles develop micro-cracks around the four grooves at the base of the bottle with repeated use. Once the cracks form, the bottles can burst under pressure.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Diamond Pet Foods has announced an expanded recall of dry pet food manufactured at its Gaston, South Carolina facility. Some of the recalled products were distributed to Canada. Please see the Diamond Pet Foods, Etc. Recalls – 2012 page for details on the recalled products.

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: May 4, 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.

United States

  • Allergy Alert: Old Fashioned Foods, Inc. recalls Old Fashioned Cheese Snack Spread – Pepper Jack, Old Fashioned Cheese Snack Spread – Jalapeno, and Old Fashioned Cheese Snack Spread – Nacho (8 oz; Best by dates April 17, 2012 through April 17, 2013), because milk was inadvertently omitted from the ingredient statement.
  • Food Safety Recall: Cleveland Beansprouts Co. (Cleveland, OH) recalls all Alfalfa Sprouts, because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The contamination was discovered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture while collecting and testing samples under the United States Department of Agriculture’s Microbiological Data Program.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Buncombe County Department of Health reports that the bacteria found in tempeh produced by Smiling Hara is a match to the Salmonella Paratyphi B outbreak strain that has sickened 46 people, and hospitalized seven of them. Smiling Hara withdrew all of its products from restaurants and retail outlets on May 1st.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Régine Fine Chocolate recalls Régine Fine Chocolate brand Chocolate Licorice (10-count; UPC 8 76689 00002 6), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was sold in Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall: Walmart Canada Corp recalls Great Value brand Polskie Ogorki Dill Pickles, Sweet Mixed Pickles, Baby Dill Pickles, Bread and Butter Pickles, and Garlic Dill Pickles (1L; All best before dates up to and including 13 DE 28), due to extraneous material (insect) contamination. The recalled pickles were sold nationally.
  • Food Recall: Costco Store #533 (Kingston, ON) recalls Kirkland Signature brand Pork Rib Chops, Pork Loin Centre Chops, Lamb Loin Chops Australian and Pork Side Ribs Breast Bone Off (various weights; Packed 12/AL/30), due to contamination with “non-harmful” unspecified extraneous material.
  • Food Safety Recall: Gort’s Gouda Cheese recalls Gort’s Gouda Heavy Cream (250mL, 500mL and 750mL; Best before April 20, 2012), due to unspecified microbiological contamination. The recalled product was sold in British Columbia.
  • Outbreak Alert (New Brunswick): New Brunswick Public Health is investigating 24 cases of bloody diarrhea suspected to be caused by E. coli; 20 of the cases are in Miramichi, 2 in Saint John and 2 in Bathurst. Several of the cases have been confirmed as E. coli o157:H7. The source has not yet been identified.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Prince Edward Island): PEI’s Chief Public Health Office continues to investigate an outbreak of gastrointestinal illnesses that has afflicted 205 people so far. The illnesses are associated with the consumption of a roast beef dinner prepared by volunteers as part of a fundraiser for Princetown United Church on Saturday, April 28th.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Sweden): Saltå Mill Ltd. recalls Buckwheat Flour (500g; Best before date 02 2013; Batch 47th), because the product, which is labeled gluten-free, contains gluten.
  • Food Safety Recall (Finland): Lunden Catering Ltd recalls Gourmet Quality Barberry Duckbreast, frozen (800g vacuum-pack; Best before and batch code 21/03/2014 280 312), due to Salmonella contamination. The product was supplied to cruise ships.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): DK Trading ApS recalls Chicken breast fillets and cuts thereof (eg strips) and marinated fillets and cuts (varying pack sizes; Labeled with stores own label; Expiry dates 22/4 – 30/4-2012), after Salmonella Newport is found in samples of the chicken breast fillet. The products have passed their expiration date, but may still be in consumers’ freezers.
  • Food Safety Recall (Greece): Carrefour SA Marinopoulos recalls certain yogurt desserts due to mold growth. Please refer to the recall notice for details.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0611): High level of alkalinity (pH 14; 3% active chlorite solution) in sparkling mineral water from France, via Belgium; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0612): Glass fragments in nut cream from Italy; distributed to Italy and Slovakia.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0615): Salmonella spp. in dog chews from India; distributed to the Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0616): Mercury in swordfish steaks from Vietnam, via the Netherlands; distributed to Belgium.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Cosmetic Product Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health advises consumers not to buy or use Dokter Pemutih Special cosmetic cream, as it may contain excessive mercury that is dangerous to health.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Synmosa Biopharma (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd. recalls Noderin Tablets, 200mg, after one batch of the product fails the dissolution test.

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.