Recalls and Alerts: August 17 – 19, 2018

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: Fisher Foods recalls Fishers Bakery glazed donuts, custard donuts and jelly donuts (available for sale through August 16, 2018 at Fisher’s retail locations throughout Stark County Ohio) due to undeclared egg whites.

Food Safety Recall: Worcester Creameries recalls Golden Flow Heavy Cream (1 qt & 1 pt sizes; Date codes AUG 23rd FM 29 and AUG 26th FM 29) due to improper pasteurization.

Canada

Food Safety Recall Update: Randsland Farms Inc. recalls Randsland Broccoli Slaw (340g; Batch code 080818; UPC 0 57225 00008 7) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recalled product was distributed in Nova Scotia.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Luxembourg): Medi-market Walferdange recalls QNT brand pea and rice Vegan Protein, vanilla macaroon flavor (Lot #L703972/2; Best before 07/2020) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delhaize recalls ATELIER BLINI brand 8Falafel chickpeas with carrots and coriander (Lot #182651; Best before 12/09/2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Jensens Food A/S recalls Pulled pork (800g; Batch No. 542106; Best before 31-10-2018; Product of Poland) due to foreign matter (glass slivers) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Danone Danmark recalls Activia strawberry yoghurt (4 x 125g; Best before 16.08.2018) due to foreign matter (red plastic pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): E. Leclerc recalls PIC EXPRESS brand Cheese Nuggets (180g; Best before dates from 03/08/18 to 24/08/18) due to foreign matter (hard plastic pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): L’atelier Blini recalls L’atelier Blini brand 8Falafel chickpeas with carrots and coriander ((Lot #182651; Best before 12/09/2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): TLC recalls TLC brand Museau and Museau vinaigrette (various formats) due to Listeria contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Hof Dannwisch recalls Farm butter (Best before 30.08) and DannAmour Soft Cheese (Best before 13.08. – 24.08) due to potential shiga-toxin producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): EDEKA AG recalls Ready-to-bake stone oven baguette (300g; Batch Nos. 04.09.2018, 19.09.2019, 23.09.2018, 14.10.2018; Best before 15.08.2018 to 15.10.2018) due to foreign matter (metal wire) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Eurofood Spa recalls KV Nordic brand Norwegian Smoked Salmon (50g; Lot #801252; Best before 16.08.2018 and 23.08.2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK/Northern Ireland only): Ewing Seafoods recalls Organic Smoked Salmon (100g & 200g; All batches) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

K9 Natural recalls frozen raw dog food due to Listeria monocytogenes

K9 Natural Ltd. (K9) has recalled four batches of its Frozen Chicken Feast Raw Pet Food that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled products were imported into the USA from New Zealand in June 2017, and were identified as follows:

K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast, 2.2-lb bags. Batch #170517; Expiration date 17NOV2018
K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast, 11-lb bags. Batch #150517; Expiration date 15NOV2018
K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast, 11-lb bags. Batch #160517; Expiration date 16NOV2018
K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast, 11-lb bags. Batch #170517; Expiration date 17NOV2018

The 2.2-lb bags were shipped to distributors in Washington, California, Texas, and Colorado, and were distributed to pet specialty retail stores. The 11-lb bags were shipped to Pennsylvania in addition to the other four states and also were distributed to pet specialty retail stores.

According to a spokesperson for K9, the recall was initiated after the company was notified by the Colorado Department of Agriculture of a positive test result in a 2.2-lb bag obtained from a retailer.

Colorado is one of several states that samples pet foods and pet treats for pathogens on a regular basis, as part of its annual animal feed surveillance sampling plan, Food Safety News has learned.

While Colorado’s testing is not conducted in concert with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the state shares its results with the federal agency, according to a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

K9 tests every batch of frozen raw product destined for the US market for Listeria monocytogenes, according to its spokesperson, and does not ship the product until it has received a ‘not-detect’ report. The testing is carried out for the company by an accredited independent laboratory.

The company also tests key raw materials for pathogens prior to purchase.

Upon learning of the Colorado test result, the company reviewed its records and also arranged for testing of a retained sample from the suspect production batch. Listeria monocytogenes was not detected in the retention sample.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen that can cause illness both in pets and in humans. According to FDA, gastroenteritis caused by Listeria monocytogenes has a relatively short incubation period, from a few hours to 2 or 3 days. The severe, invasive form of the illness can have a very long incubation period, estimated to vary from 3 days to 3 months.

Although not all pets display symptoms when infected, those who do may have symptoms within a matter of a few hours, but possibly weeks after infection. Pets do not need to display symptoms to be able to pass Listeria monocytogenes onto their human companions. Once Listeria monocytogenes gets established in the pet’s gastrointestinal tract, the animal can shed the bacteria when it has a bowel movement, and the contamination will continue to spread.

In response to a request for comment, the K9 spokesperson said, “At K9 Natural the safety of our products, pets, and customers is paramount, and we have several steps throughout our manufacturing process to ensure product quality and cleanliness right from the farm to the retail store.”

To date, K9 is unaware of any pet or human illnesses associated with the recalled products.

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

This story first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission.

Evanger’s and Against the Grain Recall additional products

Initial recalls expanded to include 13 months’ production and a third product

Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food on March 4 announced a voluntary expansion of its earlier dog food recalls due to potential adulteration with pentobarbital.

The expansion of the company’s February 3rd recall of five production lots of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef canned dog food and its February 14th recall of one production lot of Against the Grain Pulled Beef canned dog food is being carried out ‘Out of an abundance of caution,’ according to today’s announcement.

Evanger’s first advised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) of its intention to expand the product recall on February 20,2017 and announced the planned recall in a letter to its distributors and retailers on February 28, 2017.

The recall encompasses all 12-oz. cans of the following hand-packed products manufactured between December 2015 and January 2017 and bearing expiration dates of December 2019 through January 2021. The numbers listed below represent the second half of the barcode for each product.

Evanger’s Hunk of Beef: 20109
Evanger’s Braised Beef: 20107
Against the Grain Pulled Beef: 80001

The recalled products were distributed online and through independent boutique pet stores nationwide.

FDA initiated an investigation of Evanger’s manufacturing facilities in early last January, after receiving word that a dog had died and four other dogs had been sickened following ingesting food from a can of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef.

Lab testing revealed the presence of pentobarbital, a euthanasia agent, in the stomach contents of the dead dog, in the remnants of food from the opened can, and in food from unopened cans of the same production lot of Hunk of Beef obtained from the owner of the dogs and from the retailer. Additional lab testing, carried out by FDA, detected pentobarbital in a can of Against the Grain Pulled Beef canned dog food.

Against the Grain Pulled Beef is manufactured by Evanger’s.

In an advisory to consumers, released on February 17 and updated on March 3, FDA reported that a bill of lading from Evanger’s supplier, which the pet food manufacturer had claimed was “USDA approved”, referred to “Inedible Hand Deboned Beef – For Pet Food Use Only. Not Fit For Human Consumption.”

Investigation of a certificate number displayed on the bill of lading determined that it referred to an export certification number that had been issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). The certification, according to a spokesperson with USDA-APHIS, had expired in the mid 2000s.

FDA has received ten additional complaints from consumers who believe their dogs have been affected adversely after consuming by Evanger’s Hunk of Beef dog food. Five of the complaints mention symptoms that are consistent with possible pentobarbital poisoning. The agency is following up on four of the complaints, which provided veterinary and product lot number identification.

FDA continues to encourage consumers to report problems with Evanger’s products through the Safety Reporting Portal or by contacting a Consumer Complaint Coordinator. Empty cans or partially used cans of food to facilitate collection of specific lot number information may be retained. Additional information is available on the FDA web page, “How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.“

This article first appeared on Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission.