Category: Salmonella

Recalls and Alerts: April 10, 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: Biscomerica Corp recalls Knott’s Berry Farm 12/8/2 Boysenberry, Blueberry, Raspberry and Strawberry Cookies in display cartons (Items #59680, 59675, 59670 and 59695, respectively; 16 oz cartons with 8 individual 2-oz packages; Expiration dates between April 01, 2012 and December OS, 2012), due to the presence of undeclared milk (ingredient identified as “whey”). The recalled cookies were distributed between August 01, 2011 and April 5, 2012 nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders. Knott’s Berry Farm 12/8/2 was distributed to Calgary, AB (Note: recall notice erroneously says “BC”), American Canyon, CA, Anaheim, CA, Berkeley, CA, City Industry, CA, Commerce, CA, Concord, CA, Corona, CA, Chatsworth, CA, Encino, CA, El Cajon, CA, Irwindale, CA, Long Beach, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Napa, CA, San Jose, CA, San Leandro, CA, San Ysidro, CA, San Diego, CA, South El Monte, CA, Spring  Valley, CA, Vernon, CA, Denver, CO, Miami, FL, Hilo, HI, Honolulu, HI, Indianapolis, IN, Grand  Rapids, M,I Washington, MD, Gibbstown, NJ, Nassau, NS, Bronx, NY, College Point, NY, Delta, OH, Mountville, PA, North Kingstown, RI, Dallas, TX, Seattle, WA and  Green Bay, WI through retail stores.
  • Allergy Alert: Rajbhog Foods Inc. recalls Vegetable Biryani (10-oz frozen food carton; Inner box liner marked with U9299), due to the presence of undeclared cashews. The recalled product was distributed nationwide in retail stores between February 21, 2012 and April 6, 2012.
  • Allergy Alert Update: USDA releases retail distribution information for Al Baghdadi Food Fully Cooked Potato Chop Middle Eastern Brand Mashed Potato Stuffed with Beef Filling Artificially Colored stuffed potato product, recalled by the manufacturer due to the presence of undeclared soy and milk.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Enesco, LLC recalls ONIM Any Wine Will Do ceramic wine goblets (SKU #4026171), because the goblets may exceed FDA guidance levels for leachable lead and cadmium. The recalled goblets were sold to retail stores in AR, CA, CO, FL, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, MI, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, SD, TX, VA, VT, WA and WI.
  • FDA Enforcement Action: FDA enters consent decree with Del Bueno (Grandview, WA), due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Under the consent decree, Del Bueno cannot process or distribute food until it demonstrates that it has developed a control program to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes from its production facility and products.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Giant Food Stores recalls Little Fevers Childrens Pain Relief – Dye-free Cherry (4 OL; UPC 75618410124), because some of the acetaminophen may come out of suspension in the product and diminish effectiveness.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Lucky Taco, Inc. (Hustisford, WI) that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed significant labeling violations that resulted in the company’s products being adulterated and misbranded within the meaning of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Health One Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (El Monte, CA) that a September/October inspection of the company’s dietary supplement manufacturing facility revealed serious violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Fells Point Wholesale Meats, Inc. (Baltimore, MD) that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s pet food manufacturing and seafood warehouse facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Fair Trading Co. Ltd. recalls We-We Sweet Prune (80g; UPC 0 29173 06017 8) and We-We Red Sweet Prune (80g; UPC 0 29173 06021 5), due to the presence of an additive (not specified in the recall notice). The recalled products were distributed in Quebec and Ontario.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

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.

Intercity Packers Beef Behind Ottawa Salmonella Outbreak

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed this weekend that a production lot of Beef Burger Meat Mix 80/20 – recalled on April 6th by Intercity Packers (East) Ltd – was the source of an outbreak of Salmonella illnesses that sickened 50 people in Ottawa during March.

The Ottawa outbreak victims – including 40 children ranging in age from 15 months to 18 years – consisted mainly of students and staff at a day care and at more than a dozen schools in the Ottawa area. Three people were hospitalized as a result of their infections.

The outbreak was traced to The Lunch Lady, a caterer that supplied lunches to the affected schools and to the day care facility. Investigations carried out at the catering premises revealed the presence of Salmonella Typhimurium in a March 13th sample of frozen uncooked ground beef, and the presence of Salmonella Heidelberg in raw Halal chicken sampled on March 15th.

Traceback investigations identified the contaminated beef as having originated from Intercity Packers (East) Ltd., located in Mississauga, Ontario.

The recalled meat, identified as Intercity Packers Ltd Brand Beef Burger Meat Mix 80/20, was sold in 5 kg cases (each containing 2 x 2.5 kg units) bearing UPC 90066172180172 and lot code 046. The affected product can be identified by the Establishment number (EST) 503 that appears on the outer cases. The chubs inside the case do not carry any label. The product was distributed to public and commercial food establishments in Ontario and Newfoundland, and possibly also to retailers in Newfoundland.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency reports that Ontario and local public health authorities are participating in the outbreak investigation, including in parts of southern Ontario outside of Ottawa. Neither the total number of illnesses nor geographic locations where other suspected outbreak-related illnesses are under investigation have been revealed. PHAC has described the outbreak as comprising “more than 50 illnesses” in Ontario.

On March 2nd, Toronto Public Health reported an unusually high incidence of Salmonella illnesses – 114 cases during the first two months of 2012. Included in these cases were an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses among attendees at a large catered event in York Region that took place on February 11th, and a separate outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg illnesses that across the Greater Toronto Area.

Requests for additional information sent to Toronto Public Health, PHAC, the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency so far have elicited only “canned” referrals to the PHAC and CFIA web sites. A request emailed to Intercity Packers for comment has not yet received a reply.

The recalled Beef Burger Mix was identified as bearing lot code 046, which indicates that it likely was produced on February 15th – too late to be responsible for the February 11th York Region outbreak cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium infections, even if burgers were on the menu at the event.

It would not be unusual – depending on the findings of the investigation – for the recall to be expanded to include additional production lots predating or subsequent to the lot that already has been recalled.

eFoodAlert Advice to Consumers

  • Consumers in Newfoundland who may have purchased this product at retail should check their freezers and discard any suspect product.
  • Any consumer in Ontario and Newfoundland who develops gastroenteritis (diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, low-grade fever) within seven days of consuming a beef burger – especially in a restaurant, cafeteria, institution or at a catered event – should seek medical attention.

Recalls and Alerts: April 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

  • Allergy Alert: Quality Food Distributor (Las Vegas, NV) recalls Steamed BBQ Flavored Pork Buns (12-lb cases; Est 34064; Produced between April 5, 2011 and April 4, 2012), due to the presence of undeclared monosodium glutamate (MSG). The recalled product was sold to a distributor in Las Vegas, Nevada and may have been further distributed to restaurants.
  • Allergy Alert: Food Lion, Harveys and Reid’s stores recall Food Lion store brand hard/soft taco dinner (13.4-oz pkg; UPC 3582605118; Lot #ga-aug07125), because the product may contain a milk allergen in chicken Caesar-flavored seasoning, which is not properly marked and was mistakenly included in the taco dinner kit by the manufacturer.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kraft Foods Group recalls Planters Cocktail Peanuts (12-oz canisters; UPC 2900007212; Code date 09-Jan-14), because the product may have been exposed to water not intended for use in food during the production process. The recalled product was shipped to retail customers across the USA and in Puerto Rico.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Diamond Pet Foods recalls Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice (6-lb bags, Production code DLR0101D3XALW, Best before 04 Jan 2013; 20-lb bags, Production code DLR0101C31XAG, Best before 03 Jan 2013; 40-lb bags, Production codes DLR0101C31XMF and DLR0101C31XAG, Best before 03 Jan 2013; 40-lb bags, Production code DLR0101D32XMS, Best before 04 Jan 2013), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled dry dog food was distributed to customers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, who may have further distributed to product to other states through pet food channels.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has learned of five cases of E. coli O157:H7 infections in Central Missouri, that have occurred in late March and early April. A two-year old child and a 17-month old child have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome as a result of their infections. The source of the infections has not been identified, and it is unclear from the health advisory whether or not all five cases are related.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health has confirmed a norovirus outbreak at the Cebolla’s Mexican Grill in Time Corners, according to barfblog. The health department first notified the public of this outbreak on March 30th. Since that time, it has grown to 107 cases.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Intercity Packers (East) Ltd. (Mississauga, ON) recalls Intercity Packers Ltd. brand Beef Burger Meat Mix 80/20 (5kg cases of 2 x 2.5kg units; UPC 90066172180172; Lot code 046; Est 503), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was distributed to public and commercial food establishments in Ontario and Newfoundland, and possibly to retailers in Newfoundland. This product may be associated with an outbreak of Salmonella illnesses in Ottawa and southern Ontario, which is under investigation by federal, provincial and local public health authorities.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Food Safety Recall: Kraft Foods Group recalls Planters Cocktail Peanuts (12-oz canisters; UPC 2900007212; Code date 09-Jan-14), because the product may have been exposed to water not intended for use in food during the production process. The recalled product was shipped to retail customers across the USA and in Puerto Rico.

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.