Category: recall roundup

Recalls and Alerts: February 13, 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

  • Outbreak Alert: For the second time this year, Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess has been hit with an outbreak of what is probably (again) norovirus gastroenteritis. The ship reported what was confirmed as a norovirus outbreak on its January 28-February 4, 2012 cruise. CDC environmental health officers boarded the Crown Princess on its February 4th arrival in Ft. Lauderdale to evaluate the outbreak and the crew’s response activities. The ship was “turned around” that same day and embarked on its next scheduled cruise – one that has been cut short by two days due to a recurrence of gastroenteritis. The Crown Princess returned to port on February 9th for another CDC assessment and a super-sanitization cleaning and disinfection.” In all, 396 passengers and crew reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea during the January 28th – February 4th cruise; 356 passengers and crew experienced those symptoms during the abbreviated February 4-9 cruise.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. recalls Fresh Veal Cubes (Item #50088; Best Before Feb 19th, 2012), because the meat may contain pieces of metal. The recalled Fresh Veal Cubes were sold in certain Costco warehouse stores in Eastern Canada on February 9th or 10th.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert: Granovita UK Limited withdraws Granovita Mushroom Pateole Yeast Spread, labeled as gluten-free (Best before 21 April 2012), because the product contains levels of gluten that are above the limits allowed for foods labeled as gluten-free.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0222): Salmonella spp. and Cronobacter sakazakii in dried milk formulae from Belgium; distributed to Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0223): Salmonella spp. in chilled beef trimmings from Ireland; distributed to Sweden.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0225): Monocrotophos, omethoate and dimethoate in okra from India; distributed to Austria.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0228): Tetradifon in oranges from Turkey, via Germany; distributed to Austria.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0230): Unauthorized operator for frozen chicken pasta from Italy; distributed to Italy and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0231): Salmonella enteritidis in frozen whole hens from Poland; distributed to Denmark.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.0233): Undeclared gluten in mushroom yeast spread from Spain; distributed to the United Kingdom.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (China): Chinese authorities are reported to be investigating eggs that bounce after being boiled and are too hard to eat (referred to as “rubber eggs” or “ping pong eggs”) out of concerns that the eggs may be fake. Xinhua news agency adds that the hardness might also be explained by the laying hens consuming large quantities of feed enriched with gossypol, a residue of cotton seeds added to chicken feed as an extra source of protein.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0222): Salmonella spp. and Cronobacter sakazakii in dried milk formulae from Belgium; distributed to Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

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: February 12, 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: Whole Foods Market recalls Pumpkin Bundt Cakes (3-oz & 26-oz cakes; All Expiry dates prior to February 13, 2012), because the product contains undeclared milk. The recalled cakes were made in Whole Foods Market store bakeries and sold at stores in Fresno, Monterey, San Rafael, San Ramon, and Santa Barbara, California.
  • Allergy Alert: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. recalls Cruller Bakery Pastries (8-ct pkgs; UPC 787429847; Expiry dates of on or before Feb 9, 2012), because the common name of milk was not listed following sodium caseinate, a milk derivative on the ingredient label. The recalled ring-shaped twisted seed cakes were labeled and sold in Walmart store bakeries in Puerto Rico and in all US states except for Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Regeneca, Inc. recalls RegenArouse Capsules (Lot #130100; Expiration date 12/5/2013; UPC 816860010079), because FDA has confirmed the presence of the prescription drug Tadalafil in the capsules. The recalled product was sold over the Internet to consumers in the USA and Puerto Rico between November 29, 2011 and February 12, 2012.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Fruiticana Produce Inc. (Surrey, BC) recalls Fenugreek Leaves (Sold in bunches; No lot codes or labels), because they may be contaminated with a toxic weed, Senecio vulgaris. The recalled Fenugreek bunches were sold through Fruiticana stores in British Columbia and Alberta from February 5th to 11th, 2012.

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: February 11, 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: House of Spice (Hayward, CA) recalls Laxmi Brand Rewadi (Jaggery) Candy (7 oz; Imported from India; All date codes), due to unacceptable levels of lead. The recalled candy was distributed to retailers in Northern California and Washington state.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Washington State Department of Health has determined that norovirus caused at least 229 illnesses among participants and attendees at a February 4th state high school cheerleading tournament, held in Everett. At least 33 of the victims reported seeking medical care, although no one required hospital admission. State officials expect that the final outbreak tally will be higher than the 229 illness reported so far.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Food Safety News reports that the Campylobacter outbreak associated with drinking raw milk supplied by The Family Cow dairy farm in Chambersburg, PA now encompasses 60 outbreak victims, in four states. Pennsylvania (51 illnesses), Maryland (4), West Virginia (3), and New Jersey (2) all have reported illnesses linked to this outbreak.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Ilana Robyn Foods Ltd. (Toronto, ON) recalls Sweets From The Earth brand Dairy Free Wild Blueberry Cheesecake (800 g; UPC 855144001181; Lots #11338 to 11365 and 12002 to 12038), Spiced Carrot Cake (700 g; UPC 855144001044; Lots #11338 to 11365 and 12002 to 12038), Spiced Carrot Cake (100 g; UPC 855144001037; Best Before dates up to and including Feb 17, 2012), Dairy Free Chocolate Cheesecake (800 g; UPC 855144001198; Lots #11338 to 11365 and 12002 to 12038), and Gluten Free & Dairy Free Espresso Cheesecake (800 g; UPC 855144001327; Lots #11338 to 11365 and 12002 to 12038), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled cake products were distributed in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Outbreak Alert (Zimbabwe): Eyewitness News reports that the Harare Magistrates Court had to shut down after 5 magistrates and more than 20 clerks became ill with suspected typhoid. Zimbabwe has been suffering from a typhoid outbreak since November, but this is the first indication that the epidemic has affected the central part of the capital city.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Mexico): Staphylococcus aureus has been confirmed as the cause of an outbreak of food poisoning that sickened 709 attendees at a political rally in Guerrero. The bacterium was found in the meal of egg tacos with rice that was given to the attendees to take home with them at the end of the rally.
  • Outbreak Alert (Cayman Islands): The Public Health Department of teh Cayman Islands has issued a public health advisory that an unusually high number of cases of gastroenteritis – more than 60 cases per week – have been reported during the past two weeks. The usual rate of illnesses is 15 to 25 cases per week.

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.