Recalls and Alerts: October 27-28, 2022

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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Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

United States

Allergy Alert: Whole Foods Market recalls Dipping Caramel by the Pound (Sell by 10/25/22 – 11/15/22; Product code 34888) due to undeclared wheat. The recalled product was sold in five stores in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Allergy Alert: Daiso California LLC recalls Tiramisu Twist Cookies (3.4oz(96g) packages; SKU #4562138450820) due to undeclared almonds and hazelnuts. The recalled product was sold in Daiso stores in California, Washington, Nevada, Texas, New York, and New Jersey.

Allergy Alert: Zingerman’s Creamery recalls various Paw Paw Gelato and Harvest Pumpkin Gelato products due to undeclared egg. Please refer to the recall notice for details of the affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Lone Star Bakery, Inc. recalls BOOMERANG’S BEEF SHEPHERD’S PIE (8 oz carton pkgs; Use by Sept. 23, 2023) due to possible foreign matter contamination (copper wire pieces).

Food Safety Recall: JYC Enterprise, Inc. recalls approximately 33,280 pounds of frozen chicken and pork potsticker products that were repackaged, relabeled, and distributed without the benefit of federal inspection. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Europe

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION UPDATE (Sweden): Swedish public health authorities continue to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses that has now affected 95 people since September 17, 2022. The source of the outbreak has not yet been identified.

Allergy Alert (France): MEZZE EXPRESS recalls chtoura garden brand foul medammas / canned broad beans (24x475g; Lot 5831; Use by 01/01/2025) due to undeclared sulphites.

Allergy Alert (UK): Hammonds of Knutsford recalls BuzzBallz Choc Tease Cocktail (200ml can and 3x 200ml multipack; All batch codes) due to undeclared milk and sulphites.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): CARREFOUR recalls Carrefour brand Maquereau Fumé / Smoked mackerel (300g; Use by 7/11/2022; All lots containing “1310”) and Carrefour brand Cœur de maquereau fumé / Smoked mackerel fillet (150g; Use by 5/11/2022; All lots containing “1310”) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): CHEVENET SARL recalls CHEVENET brand FROMAGE de CHEVRE FRAIS / Fresh goat cheese (Multiple lot codes and Best before dates) due to shigatoxin-producing E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): CARREFOUR recalls Reflets de France brand Pâté au piment d’Espelette Recette Basque bocal / Basque recipe pâté with Espelette peppers (180g; Lot 11/04/26; Use by 11/04/2026) due to foreign matter contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): SUPERMARCHES MATCH recalls PPNP (Préparé Par Nos Pros) brand Vol au vent Jambon, Vol au vent Jambon – Champignons, Vol au vent Quenelles de veau jambon champignons, Vol au vent Chèvre jambon / various varieties of Vol au vent (Packed between 21/10/2022 and 26/10/2022) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): SUPERMARCHES MATCH recalls PPNP (Préparé Par Nos Pros) brand Hawaienne, Pizza Jambon, Pizza Jambon – Champignons / Hawaiian pizza, Ham pizza and Ham & mushroom pizza (Packed between 21/10/2022 and 26/10/2022) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): SUPERMARCHES MATCH recalls PPNP (Préparé Par Nos Pros) brand Crêpes Jambon, Crêpes Jambon champignons / Ham crêpes and Ham & mushroom crêpes ((Packed between 21/10/2022 and 26/10/2022) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): TY Producteurs recalls ty producteurs brand jambon à l’ancienne vendu tranché en magasin et sur marché / old-style ham, sold by the slice (Lot 22279) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Efefirat Warenvertriebs GmbH recalls Halva mit Pistazien / Pistachio halvah (350g; Lot PND 2206; Use by 22.06.2024) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Manufacturer recalls Glenhaven Deli Style Premium Breaded Chicken Goujons, frozen (1 kg; Batch codes 22273B & 22276B; Best before end Dec 2023 & Jan 2024, respectively; Product of Ireland) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Manufacturer recalls Clearspring Organic Wholegrain Rice Cakes – Lightly Salted (12 x 130g; Batch codes R22176B & R22181B; Best before 26/06/2023 & 01/07/2023, respectively; Product of Belgium) due to aflatoxin contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Casarrigoni SRL recalls TERRE D’ITALIA brand TALEGGIO DOP A LATTE CRUDO / raw milk cheese (200g; Packaging lot 25277; Production lot 04082A; Best before 03/11/22) due to E. coli O26 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Casarrigoni SRL recalls PASCOLI DEL FATTORE brand TALEGGIO DOP A LATTE CRUDO / raw milk cheese (Packaging lots 25272, 25276, 25277; Production lot 04082A; Best before 28/11/22, 02/12/22 & 03/12/22, respectively) due to E. coli O26 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Casarrigoni SRL recalls CASARRIGONI brand TALEGGIO DOP A LATTE CRUDO / raw milk cheese (Packaging lots 25272, 25276, 25279 & 25280; Production lot 04082A; Best before 28/11/22, 02/12/22, 05/12/22 & 06/12/22, respectively) due to E. coli O26 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Spain): Manufacturer recalls multiple varieties of Mi patria Queso Fresco de Vaca LATINO and Queso Fresco LA GRANJA LATINA brands of fresh cheese that were produced in an unauthorized establishment. Please refer to the recall announcement for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Spain): Manufacturer recalls BURGER MEAT HAMBURDEHESA / Hamburger meat from grass-fed cows (2 x 130g & 2 x 200g; Batch code 300995; Expiration date 12/02/2022) due to Salmonella contamination.

Recalls and Alerts: October 25-26, 2022

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Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

United States

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION: FDA releases its weekly outbreak investigation update, including a new investigation into 10 cases of E. coli O157:H7 for which no specific food source has yet been identified.

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION UPDATE: FDA reports a total of 393 Adverse Event reports and Consumer Complaints relating to the consumption of Daily Harvest brand French Lentil & Leek Crumbles. Complaints include reports of gastrointestinal illness and liver, bile duct, and/or gallbladder illness.

PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT: The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PADoA) is warning consumers to discard raw whole milk or chocolate milk sold in Dauphin County and other southcentral Pennsylvania retail stores under the BeiHollow label between October 12 and 21 and BeiHollow pasteurized cheese melt and cup cheese sold between September 20 and October 21, due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the PADoA notice for additional details.

Allergy Alert: Sotto i Trulli INC/DBA Bombolo Biscotti recalls Assorted Italian Cookies (16-oz pkg; Lot 092222; Expiry date 04/05/2023; UPC 852158002272) due to undeclared walnuts.

Allergy Alert: Seed Ranch Flavor Co. recalls Umami Everyday Sauce (5 oz; Lots 010821, 020921, 030821, 051721, 081821, 120321, 012022, 031422, 042522, 081822, 092022; UPC 8-67732-00032-2), Savory Spice Umami Everyday Sauce (5 oz; Lots 120122 & 062521; UPC 8-50000-72724-3) and Everything But The Sushi & Dumplings Sauce (5 oz; Lots 071122, 081822 & 6188 BB061025; UPC 8-60008-58851-7) due to undeclared soy.

Food Safety Recall: FDA reports that Mariscos Bahia, Inc. has recalled multiple varieties of fresh, raw fish after a CDC and FDA investigation linked fresh, raw salmon from this firm to an outbreak of Salmonella Litchfield illnesses in California, Arizona and Illinois. The recall covers the following products, which were shipped to restaurants in California and Arizona on or after June 14, 2022: Fresh Salmon Fillet, Fresh Deep Skin Salmon Fillet, Fresh Salmon Portions, Chilean Seabass (Fillet and Portions), Halibut (Fillet and Portions), Tuna (Fillet and Loin), Swordfish (Loin, Fillet, and Wheel).

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Les Colocs Café Resto (Québec, QC) recalls SAUCE À SPAGHETTI and CHILI CON CARNE (Sold up to 25 October 2022) due to lack of adequate storage temperature labeling.

Food Safety Recall: Family’s Choice Distribution recalls Family’s Choice Distribution brand Tahini Extra Sesame Seed Paste (18 kg; Lot 29; Expiry 04/04/2024) due to Salmonella contamination. The recalled product was sold in Ontario.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Denmark): DELICATE A/S recalls Salat med Pesto & Pasta / Pesto & pasta salad (275g; Best before 30-10-2022) due to undeclared mustard and egg.

Allergy Alert (Iceland): Miklatorg hf. recalls IKEA brand súkklaðibitakökudeigi / Chocolate chip cookie dough (Best before 12.01.2023) due to undeclared nuts.

Allergy Alert (UK): Co-op recalls Co-op Spaghetti Rings in Tomato Sauce (385g; Best before September 2024) due to undeclared celery.

Allergy Alert (UK): Delibo Wine Agencies recalls Bibo Runge Deserteur De-alcoholised Riesling Wine (750 ml bottles; Batch code L1223; Best before 10 August 2024) due to undeclared sulphites.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delhaize recalls Delhaize Poulet Cuit-Fumé / Cooked smoked whole chicken (±1.3 kg; Lot 5412190116; Expiry date 07/11/2022) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Norenca N.V. recalls Norenca brand Carpaccio de boeuf / Beef carpaccio (±400g; Lot 91001707; Use by 26/10/22 & 27/10/22) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): AFSCA orders recall of Label Afrik brand Thiéré Lalo Couscous à base de millet et de maïs / Millet-and-corn couscous (450g; Lot TH 050421 BE; Best before 30/04/2023) due to elevated level of aflatoxin.

Food Safety Recall (France): LE SOJAMI recalls Le sojami brand La Buchette- Spécialité lactofermentée soja et amande / Lacto-fermented soy and almond specialty product (135g; Lot 262720; Use by 28/12/2022) due to Bacillus cereus contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): LE SOJAMI recalls Sojabio brand La Bûche végé -spécialité lactofermentée au soja et amande / Lacto-fermented soy and almond specialty product (135g; Lot 262720; Use by 28/12/2022) due to Bacillus cereus contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): AUCHAN SUPERMARCHE BLANQUEFORT recalls VIANDE DE BOEUF HACHEE PREPAREE A LA DEMANDE VENDUE EN STAND BOUCHERIE / Ground beef prepared to order (Sold between 11/10/2022 and 26/10/2022) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): HAUDECOEUR recalls Samia brand Gingembre moulu / Ground ginger (100g; Lot 22AC495; Best before 01/04/2025) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): CHEVENET SARL recalls Chevrier des Crays brand CABRIFRAIS au lait cru / Cheese made from raw goat milk (Lots 255 – 258; Best before 11/10/2022) due to E. coli O103:H2 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): ENTRE ELABORATION DES VIANDES GOVADIS recalls POULET FUME AU BOIS DE HETRE RONSARD OVALYS / Beechwood-smoked chicken (Lot 5412190115; Use by 09/11/ 2022) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): CHEVENET SARL recalls CHEVRIGNY – CHEVRIER DES CRAYS brand Mini Barattes raw goat milk cheese (Lot 272; Best before 14/11/2022) due to possible shigatoxin-producting E. coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Delhaize recalls Delhaize Poulet Cuit-Fumé / Cooked smoked whole chicken (±1.3 kg; Lot 5412190116; Expiry date 07/11/2022) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Israel): Waldman Bihar Sausage and Meat Products Ltd. recalls Alitanaya Sausage brand Boiled sausage (Expiry date 7/12/2022) due to foreign matter contamination (piece of nylon).

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Foodstuffs Own Brands Ltd recalls Pams brand Alfalfa Sprouts, Salad Sprouts, Sandwich Selection Sprouts and Spicy Sprouts Combo (100g; Use by 04 11 2022) due to possible Salmonella contamination. No illnesses have been associated with these products as of the recall date.

Kerry’s former quality assurance director pleads guilty to Honey Smack outbreak

This story by Dan Flynn first appeared in Food Safety News on October 24, 2022, and is reposted here with permission.

A fast-moving, but somewhat secretive federal prosecution has extracted guilty pleas for three misdemeanors from the quality assurance director for a food manufacturer working for the Kellogg Company.

Ravi Kumar Chermala, 47, pleaded guilty on Oct. 21 to three misdemeanor counts of Introducing adulterated food into Interstate Commerce. It was part of a plea deal that is among a half dozen documents in the case that are sealed, and therefore not available for public viewing. The federal Magistrate for the Central District of Illinois, Jonathan P. Hawley, has scheduled sentencing for Jan. 30. 2023.

The charges stem from the multistate outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka infections from Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal, which sickened 135 people in 35 states in 2018. The infections required hospitalizations for 34 patients. The Kellogg Company recalled Honey Smacks cereal on June 14, 2018.

According to federal prosecutors, Chermala was quality assurance director for various Kerry manufacturing plants, including a facility in Gridley, IL, that manufactured Kellogg’s Honey Smacks breakfast cereal for Kerry’s customer, the Kellogg Company.

At the time of the recall, the Kellogg Company said it “had launched an investigation with the third-party manufacturer who produces Honey Smacks,” naming Kerry’s possible role.

In pleading guilty to the three misdemeanors, Chermala admitted that between June 2016 and June 2018, he directed subordinates to not report certain information to Kellogg’s about conditions at the Gridley facility.

In addition, Chermala admitted that he directed subordinates at the Gridley facility to alter the plant’s program for monitoring the presence of pathogens in the plant, limiting the facility’s ability to accurately detect unsanitary conditions.

“Food safety professionals cannot conceal potentially dangerous problems from customers or government regulators,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who engage in such conduct.”

Special Agent in Charge Lynda M. Burdelik of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations in the Chicago field office said this prosecution “reinforces that if an individual violates food safety rules or conceals relevant information, we will seek to hold them accountable. The health of American consumers and the safety of our food are too important to be thwarted by the criminal acts of any individual or company.”

Salmonellosis can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps that last several days in healthy adults. Absent prompt treatment, salmonellosis can cause severe dehydration and even death in infants, young children, the elderly, transplant recipients, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

Further information about the case will be posted to the department’s Information for Victims in Large Cases website at https://www.justice.gov/largecases.

Trial Attorney Cody Matthew Herche and Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson of the Department of Justice, Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.

The misdemeanor counts in the case were filed with the court on Aug. 23, 2022. Defense attorneys Jesse Mentz and Michael Kim Krouse are both from the multinational law firm of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer.

At the time of the Honey Smack recall, Kerry was subject to an FDA inspection that went to upper management. The resulting warning letter said in part:

“The United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) inspected your Kerry Inc. facility, located at 320 West Gridley Road, Gridley, IL 61744-8723, from June 14 to 29, 2018. The inspection was initiated as (redacted) in three environmental swabs taken from your (redacted) cereal (“cereal”) production rooms during FDA’s inspection. Further, the FDA’s Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis of the three isolates of (redacted).

“During our inspection of your facility, FDA investigators found serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (CGMP & PC rule), Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 117 (21 CFR Part 117).

“Based on FDA’s inspectional findings and the analytical results for the environmental samples collected during the inspection, we determined that the cereal manufactured in your facility is adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) (21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4) in that it was prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health. In addition, failure of the owner, operator, or agent in charge of a covered facility to comply with the preventive controls provisions of the CGMP & PC rule (located in subparts A, C, D, E, F, and G of part 117) is prohibited by section 301(uu) of the Act (21 U.S.C. § 331(uu)).”

FDA’s inspection resulted in the issuance of an FDA Form-483 (FDA-483), Inspectional Observations, listing deviations found during the inspection. It went to Kerry’s CEO in Beloit, WI.

Court documents are silent as to whether or not others are responsible for the outbreak. With six of 11 items docketed in the case being sealed, it is difficult to reach a complete picture.