Category: recall roundup

Recalls and Alerts: May 19, 2011

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: Schratter Foods Inc. (Fairfield, NJ) recalls Quenby Hall Blue Stilton Cheese, imported by ANCO Fine Cheese (Product of UK; Lots 019 through 034, with expiration dates of 6/15/2011 through 6/29/2011), after Listeria monocytogenes is found in the bulk cheese during routine testing. The product is imported in bulk (round half 8.5-9.6 lbs) and is sold nationally in retail stores in random weight wedge cuts.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Nikolaos Fine Foods Limited recalls Zarky’s, Woodward Meat Purveyors, Savory Secret Gold Coast, and Nikolaos brands of uncooked and par-fry seasoned breaded chicken breast fillets, due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled chicken products were distributed in Ontario for retail sale and to hotel/restaurant/institutional clients.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (UK): Asda recalls Asda Japanese Style Spicy Rice Cracker Mix (Best before: up to and including 01/11/2011), Asda Spicy Wasabi Mix (Best before: up to and including 13/09/2011) and Asda Japanese Style Baked Rice Cracker Mix (Best before: up to and including 06/02/2012), because the products may contain small pieces of glass.
  • Food Safety Alert (Italy): The Ministry of Health has banned the retail sale for human consumption of eels fished from Lake Garda, because the eels are contaminated with dioxin. The ban will be in effect for the next 12 months while additional testing is undertaken.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Dencon Foods A/S recalls Chicken Kebabs (Product of Hungary; Lot #0046-10; Best before 15/4/2012) after Swedish authorities find Salmonella in a sample of the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Hilton Foods Denmark A/S recalls Your Choice Minced Beef 3-7% (450g packages; Best Before 23.05.2011; Lots #400036304A and #400036207A), after Salmonella is found in the raw beef. The recalled minced beef was sold in Kvickly, Superbrugsen and Dagli supermarkets throughout Denmark.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Dana Seafood International Ltd. recalls Instant Noodles (400g net wt; Product of China; Imported by Hao Trading ApS; Best by dec/2013), because the product was imported illegally.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall (Finland): VIP Vescor Ltd. recalls Nutritional Balance Lamb & Rice Growth dog food (Product of Belgium; 1 kg pack, OW 320; 3 kg pack, OW 221; 15 kg pack, OW 222, OW 291, OW 312 and OW 356), because the product is suspected of causing behavioral products in dogs. Analytical results suggest unusually large quantities of nitrogen compounds in the dog food. The recalled products were sold from October 2010 onwards.
  • Medical Device Supplies Safety Recall (France): Roche Diagnostics France recalls ACCU-CHEK glucose test strips (Lot 470049), because the strips can overestimate the glucose concentration in 5% of cases.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0661): Glass fragments in snack mix from the Netherlands; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0663): Aflatoxins in groundnuts in shell from China; distributed to Italy.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Six wards in Southampton General Hospital have been shut in an effort to stop the spread of a viral gastroenteritis outbreak. Individuals who have suffered diarrhea or other illness within the last 72 hours are being warned to stay away from Southampton’s teaching hospitals. The public is asked to make only essential visits.
  • Outbreak Alert (Russia): An outbreak of Salmonella gastroenteritis has been reported among workers at a gold mine in Chukchi. The local dining hall is suspected to be the source of the infections.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ukraine): Twelve children, aged 2 1/2 to 5 years, who attend a kindergarten in Odessa have been hospitalized with acute gastroenterocolitis, the day after they shared a meal that consisted of preserved fish and milk porridge. Others are reported to be ill, but are being treated at home.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert (Vietnam): The Department of Animal Health reports that 97% of Vietnam’s 30,000 slaughterhouses were operating without the necessary paperwork and in residential areas rather than abattoirs.
  • Food Safety Alert (Vietnam): The Ho Chi Minh City Veterinary Bureau reports that more than 10% of the meat sold in the city every day is from illegal slaughtering houses and is unsafe.
  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (Abu Dhabi): Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority has closed down the United Families for Catering and Food Stuff outlet in Al Ruwais due to repeated non-compliance with food safety regulations. The unlicensed outlet was operating in a makeshift building in a group of labor camps in the desert.
  • Outbreak Alert (Nigeria): Contaminated drinking water is blamed for an outbreak of gastroenteritis, which has killed two people in Gurara (Niger state) and hospitalized 10 others.
  • Outbreak Alert (Singapore): Meals supplied by Mum’s Kitchen Catering has been blamed for food poisoning outbreaks in three Singapore preschools – Pat’s Schoolhouse, Children’s Place, and Learning Vision’s Raffles Place branch. The outbreak has affected 235 children and 12 teachers so far. Thirty-four people have been hospitalized, according to the Ministry of Health, and 14 of those have been discharged. The caterer’s operating license of has been suspended since Thursday, May 12th.
  • Outbreak Alert (Mauritania): Seven people, including three children developed food poisoning after sharing sweets from a bakery. Rotten eggs used in the preparation of the desserts are thought to be the source of the contamination.
  • Outbreak Alert (India): More than 250 people in Ahmedabad developed Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning after attending a wedding feast held at Dalal Hall on May 17th. The source of the outbreak is thought to be either mango juice, paste or paneer (fresh cheese) added to vegetable stews.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert (Brazil): Seventeen children who attend Lima City School in Camarigibe were hospitalized with severe stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting on May 13th after eating lunch at the school. The school has been closed pending completion of an investigation in to the incident.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: May 18, 2011

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: Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Inc. (Waukegan, IL) recalls Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste (Lot #11123), after the company’s outside testing lab recovers Listeria monocytogenes from a sample of the product lot as part of its routine testing program. The product was distributed nationwide through a variety of channels, including direct deliver to business customers, distributors, and retailers, and was exported to Canada.
  • Pet Treat Safety Recall: Boss Pet Products, Inc. recalls Diggers Natural Treat Pig Ear Pet Treats, because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The Pig Ear treats were supplied to Boss Pet by Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc. Affected products were shipped to distributors in MT, CA, WA, OK, TN, NY, KS, OH, TX, MS, AL, OR, UT, IA, MO, IL, IN, LA, and MN in November 2010 through April 2011.
  • Pet Treat Safety Recall: Blackman Industries, Inc. (Kansas City, KS) recalls all PrimeTime 2ct. and 5ct. Premium Pig Ears and all KC Beefhide brand 20 ct. Premium Pig Ears, because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed between Jan. 4, 2011 and April 29, 2011 in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota and sold through many of the following retail outlets: Price Chopper Stores, Hy-Vee Stores, Hen House Markets, Bag N Save Stores, Dahl’s Food Stores, Baldwin City Market, SunFresh Food Stores, Apple Markets, Brookside Market, Franklin Food Stores, No Frills Food Stores, Alps Food Stores, Big V Food Stores, Country Mart Food Stores, Thriftway Food Stores, County Fair Food Stores, Super Saver Food Stores and Russ’s Food Stores and Feldman’s Farm and Home Stores.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Inc. (Waukegan, IL) recalls Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste (Lot #11123), after the company’s outside testing lab recovers Listeria monocytogenes from a sample of the product lot as part of its routine testing program. The product was distributed nationwide through the USA and was exported to Canada.
  • Food Safety Recall: Branche d’Olivier (Montreal, QC) and Marché Al Farah Inc. (Trois-Rivières, QC) recall Moroccan Paprika (Paprika Marocaine or Paprika du Maroc), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The affected Moroccan Paprika was recalled from the market by the importer, Alimentaurus Import Export Inc.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Doves Farm Foods Ltd. withdraws Doves Farm Organic Plain Chocolate Drops, 130g tube (Imported from Germany; Batch #0222, Best before 10 August 2011 and Batch #0223, Best before 11 August 2011), because the product contains undeclared milk.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark and Sweden): Nordic Hong Da Trading Co. recalls Instant Noodles (400g; Imported from China; Best before Dec/2013), because the product was imported illegally.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0654): Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon from Denmark; distributed to Belgium and Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0655): Salmonella Typhimurium DT 120 suspected in chilled smoked pork tenderloin from Poland; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0657): Acrinathrin in spinach from Greece; distributed to Greece.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0659): Unauthorized morpholine in mangos from Peru; distributed to Germany.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall: Stahmann Farms Enterprises Pty Ltd. recalls Ducks Pine Nuts (200g & 50g; Best before 28 MAR 2012 and 28 APR 2012) and Ducks Oven Toasted Pine Nuts (50g; Best before 28 APR 2012), because the products may contain glass fragments. The recalled pine nuts were imported from China, packaged in Australia and sold nationally in various Coles and IGA supermarkets.

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.

Recalls and Alerts: May 17, 2011

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 Treat Safety Recall: Boss Pet Products, Inc. (Maple Heights, OH) recalls Diggers Natural Treat Pig Ear pet treats, because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall came after Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc. notified Boss Pet that several shipments of potentially contaminated products were included in Diggers brand products shipped by Boss Pet in November 2010 through April 2011. The recalled products were shipped by truck to distributors in Montana, California, Washington, Oklahoma, Tennessee, New York, Kansas, Ohio, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Oregon, Utah, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana and Minnesota.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Omar Seafood, Corp (Miami, FL) that a February 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Zuccaro’s Produce Company (Minneapolis, MN) that a January/February 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed a violation of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food (CGMP) regulation, causing the company’s shredded lettuce and frozen foods to be adulterated, in that they were prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Green Hope, LLC, dba Rosewood (Ann Arbor, MI) that a February/March 2011 inspection of the company’s food processing facility revealed serious violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food (CGMP) regulation, causing the food products to be adulterated, in that they were prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth or rendered injurious to health.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company, Inc. (Wheeling, IL) that a December 2010 through February 2011 inspection of the company’s low-acid canned food manufacturing facility revealed misbranding. In addition, processing and production records for products manufactured in 2009 were not provided upon written demand, as required by the relevant regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Southeast Asian Food Product (San Francisco, CA) that a December 2010/January 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Dani Jacq, Inc. dba The Home Fresh Foods Company (Baltimore, MD) that a January 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Captain’s Fine Foods, LLC (Tampa, FL) that a February-March 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Triple A. Services, Inc. (Chicago, IL) that a January 2011 inspection of the company’s food processing and storage facility revealed serious violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for food.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Star Food Products Inc (Weston, FL) that an inspection of the company’s seafood importer establishment revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Mave Enterprises, Inc. (North Hollywood, CA) that a September/October 2010 inspection of the company’s food storage and processing facility revealed serious violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food (CGMP) regulation.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Fruiterie Boucherie Longueuil (Longueuil, QC) recalls Hamburger Steak, Chicken Gumbo and Quatre-Quarts Carottes et Ananas, due to the presence of undeclared milk (Hamburger steak) or soy (Chicken Gumbo and Quatre-Quarts Carottes et Ananas).

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Mega Food recalls Kilic red lentils (Product of Canada; Best before 25-10-2012) and Kilic green lentils (Product of Canada; Best before 10-10-2012), after samples were found to contain glyphosate above the permitted level.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall Update (Multiple countries): B.K. SA (Versele-Laga) recalls Nutritional Balance Lamb & Rice all breeds Growth Petfood for puppies (see recall notice for package sizes and lot codes), after receiving reports that some dogs experienced behavioral problems, including on occasion epileptic seizures after consuming the foods. The recalled products were distributed to the following European countries (see RASFF #2011.0639): Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0642): Glass fragments in rice pudding (cherry, cinnamon and pure) from Germany; distributed to Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Slovenia.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0643): Bulging packaging, leaking cans and dirty labels of canned chicken ravioli in tomato sauce from Italy; distributed to Belgium.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0644): Salmonella in frozen chicken without giblets from the Netherlands, produced in Germany, via Austria; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0645): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of tub gurnard from France; distributed to Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0646): Diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning toxins in mussels from France; distributed to France and Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0648): Ochratoxin A in dried figs from Greece, via Austria; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0649): Nitrosamines in barley malt from Germany; distributed to Austria and Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0651): Salmonella in herbs from France, via Belgium; distributed to Sweden.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0652): Salmonella Mbandaka in complete feed for aquarium fish from Taiwan; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0653): Glass fragments in De Graal beer in bottles from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pet Food Safety Recall Update (Multiple countries): B.K. SA (Versele-Laga) recalls Nutritional Balance Lamb & Rice all breeds Growth Petfood for puppies (see recall notice for package sizes and lot codes), after receiving reports that some dogs experienced behavioral problems, including on occasion epileptic seizures after consuming the foods. The recalled products were distributed to Israel and Japan (see RASFF #2011.0639).
  • Food Safety Alert (PRC): Sichuan peppers that release a red dye when soaked in water were recently found in some markets in Beijing, according to the People’s Daily Online.
  • Outbreak Alert/Expired Pharmaceutical (India): Seven railway employees were taken to hospital due to diarrhea and vomiting. The intravenous glucose solution with which they were treated was beyond its expiration date.

Latin America and the Caribbean

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.