Recalls and Alerts: August 28 – 31, 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

OUTBREAK ALERT / Food Safety Recall: Publix Super Markets recalls ground chuck products that may be contaminated with E. coli O26. The meat was supplied from an as-yet-undetermined source. The recalled products were sold from June 25 through July 31 in the following Florida counties: Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia. The recalled products have been linked epidemiologically to 18 cases of E. coli O26 infections, primarily in Florida.

Allergy Alert: Taylor Farms Illinois, Inc. recalls HOMESTYLE BEEF AND PORK MEATLOAF (14-oz plastic tray; Lot code TFIL234A001; Use by 08/28/18) due to undeclared eggs and wheat. The recalled items were shipped to retail locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee.

Food Safety Recall: Olufela Yemitan recalls Dried, Smoked picante fishes spicy catfish smoked with tomatoe pepper sauce ready to eat now!!!! (1-lb plastic-wrapped packages; Best by 2/2019) because the products were not presented at the U.S. point of entry for inspection.

OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Pfizer Consumer Healthcare recalls Children’s Advil® Suspension Bubble Gum Flavored (4 FL OZ Bottle; Lot #R51129; Expiry 11/20; UPC 3-0573-0207-30-0) the dosage cup provided is marked in teaspoons and the instructions on the label are described in milliliters (mL), possibly resulting in erroneous dosage.

Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Product Quest Manufacturing recalls all lots of nasal products and baby oral gels currently within expiration due to possible contamination with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: HelloLife, Inc. recalls Neuroveen, Respitrol, Thyroveev and Compulsin, within expiry, due to contamination with Staphylococcus saprophyticus and/or Burkholderia cepacia. Please refer to the recall notice for additional details. The products were manufactured by King Bio, Inc. in Asheville, NC.

Canada

Allergy Alert: North Country Premium Sausage Co. recalls various North Country brand Smokies due to undeclared mustard and milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were supplied to retailers in Ontario.

Allergy Alert: Right Choice Products Inc. recalls Indican Tutti Frutti Cake (450g; All Packed On dates from 07/26/18 up to and including 08/28/18; UPC 6 27726 20192 6) and Indican Mango Fruit Cake (450g; All Packed On dates from 07/26/18 up to and including 08/28/18; UPC 6 27726 20193 3) due to undeclared egg and sulphites.

Food Safety Recall: Northam Beverages Ltd. recalls Bowen Island Brewing Artisan IPA (India Pale Ale) (6 x 355mL; All codes starting with L18207, L18187, or L18215; UPC 6 26990 09858 4) and Bowen Island Brewing West Coast Lager (6 x 355mL; All codes starting with L18207; UPC 6 26990 05123 7) due to cans with defective seams that may have sharp metal sticking out from the rim. The recalled products were supplied to retailers in Alberta and British Columbia.

Food Safety Recall Update: Pinty’s Delicious Foods Inc. recalls Pinty’s brand Italian Style Chicken Schnitzel – Gluten Free Fully Cooked, Breaded and Seasoned Cutlettes (4 kg; Product code 8172; UPC 10069094626371) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Salling Group recalls Penotti Organic Chocolate Cream (350g; All units sold until 28 / 8-2018) due to undeclared milk and hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Lidl Ireland recalls Harvest Basket Aardappelkroketjes Croquettes de pommes de terre (750g; Lot #L808603001; Best before 27.03.2020) due to undeclared egg and wheat.

Allergy Alert (UK): Lidl Ireland recalls Harvest Basket Potato Croquettes (750g; Batch code L808603001; Best by 27 March 2020) due to undeclared egg, wheat and gluten.

Allergy Alert (UK): Crosse & Blackwell recalls Green Vegetable & Kale Soup (400g; Batch code TYJH 8149; Best before May 2020) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): AFSCA recalls Farm Valley brand Dried Figs (600g tray; Lot #090023184-11-89; Expiry 09.2018) due to elevated aflatoxin levels.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Haugen-Gruppen A/S recalls Cup Noodles Spicy (66g; Lots No. L800863 & L802513; Best before 07.2019 & 10.2019, respectively) due to foreign matter (glass pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Biogan A/S recalls Organic cardamom (100g; Best before 01/05/2020) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Finland): Wursti Oy recalls hamburger (400g; Use by 12.9.2018) due to excessive levels of microbial contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Finland): SOK recalls Rainbow Onion (580g; All best before dates) and Rainbow Mattex (275g; Best before 14.4.2019) due to foreign matter (glass) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Reflets de France brand Fines galettes de Bretagne (100g; Lot #J13115; Best before 20/01/2019) due to foreign matter (metal) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Casino recalls Casino Bio brand Crêpes moelleuses au sucre de canne et au lait frais / Fluffy pancakes with cane sugar and fresh milk (200g; Best by 03/09/2018) due to Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Casino recalls Casino Delices brand Mozarella di bufala Campana AOP Tressée à la main (250g; Best by 30/08/2018) due to Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Sojabio recalls Sojabio brand Tartine & moi – saveur Ail et fines herbes (125g; Lot #822180; Best by 20/10/2018) due to Escherichia coli contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): La Coopérative Laitière de la Sèvre recalls LE CHEVROT de Sèvre et Belle Fromage de chèvre au lait cru (200g; Lot #182200908; various packaging) due to E. coli O103:H2 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Gemüsebau Huber GmbH & Co. KG recalls GUT&GÜNSTIG brand Iceberg Lettuce due to contamination with VTEC (shigatoxin-producing E. coli).

Food Safety Recall (Germany): NISSIN Foods GmbH recalls CUP NOODLES SPICY (Best before 01/2019 to 06/2019) due to foreign matter (pieces of glass) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): EDEKA recalls Blattspinat (450g; Best before 14.05.2020 and 15.05.2020) due to foreign matter (plastic pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Carmarthenshire Dairy Products Ltd recalls Boksburg Blue Cheese (all batches), due to it being produced without approval.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Metcash recalls Community Co Thai Salad Kit (285g; Use by 07/09/2018) due to undeclared soy.

Consumers urged to check for chicken linked to deadly Salmonella outbreak

The following story by Coral Beach first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission

One person is dead and at least 16 others have been infected by a strain of Salmonella found during routine federal testing at two raw chicken processing plants.

The implicated raw chicken was packaged under the Empire Kosher brand. It was produced from September 2017 through June this year, according to a public health alert posted by the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS).

No other brands have been named by federal officials. They also have not named the specific processing plants where contaminated chicken was found or who owns them. The FSIS did not include any information in its alert regarding when its routine testing detected the Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- in raw chicken samples.

Yesterday public health officials urged consumers to check their freezers for Empire Kosher brand chicken. Anyone who has it on hand should “properly handle, prepare, and cook these raw chicken products” to avoid cross-contamination and kill bacteria. Some consumers may prefer to discard the chicken to avoid the chance of infection. The chicken could have been packaged and sold to consumers as raw whole birds or raw chicken parts, FSIS reported.

Outbreak investigators have interviewed 14 of the 17 known victims. All 14 reported eating chicken in the days before becoming sick. Of nine victims with information available, seven reported eating Empire Kosher brand chicken before becoming ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC did not reveal how long it and state health departments have been investigating the outbreak. In its Aug. 29 investigation notice, the CDC reported it had matched Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- from patients’ lab work to the Salmonella found by the FSIS in the samples of raw chicken.

Victims range from less than a year old to 76 years old, according to the CDC. Half of them have had symptoms so severe that they had to be admitted to hospitals. New York has been hardest hit, with 11 illnesses and one death. Pennsylvania has four confirmed cases. Maryland and Virginia have one each.

The FSIS public health alert says the USDA’s sub-agency was notified June 18 about Salmonella illnesses in four states. The CDC’s notice said known illness onset dates range from Sept. 25, 2017, through June 4 this year.

In an undated statement on the corporation’s website, Empire Chicken officials said they have “no data that connects this tragic event to our products…” The statement emphasized that no recalls have been initiated in connection with the outbreak.

“CDC is not advising that people avoid eating kosher chicken or Empire Kosher brand chicken and no products are being recalled,” according to the company’s statement. “Empire Kosher, along with the USDA and CDC, want to remind consumers of safe handling practices for raw chicken. When handled and cooked properly to 165 degrees F, consumers can continue to have full confidence in chicken products, including the Empire Kosher brand.”

FDA Public Health Alert: Avoid using King Bio drugs and homeopathic products

Drugs and homeopathic products manufactured by King Bio Inc. (Asheville, NC) may contain high levels of microbial contamination and pose a risk to humans and pets.

In an alert posted today, FDA recommended that consumers stop using these products, and dispose of them immediately.

The FDA announcement coincided with a voluntary nationwide recall initiated by the manufacturer of all aqueous-based products for human and animal use. A complete list of recalled products has been posted on the company’s website.

This is the third product recall announced by King Bio since July 20, 2018.

Among the products included in the most recent recall are: Dr. King’s Children’s Cough Relief, Dr. King’s Chicken Pox Symptom Relief, Dr. King’s Children’s Ear Relief Formula, Dr. King’s Children’s Appetite Enhancer, Dr. King’s Attention and Learning Enhancement For Kids, Dr. King’s Cold Sore treatment, Dr. King’s Wart Freeze, and pet products for urinary incontinence and digestion relief.

The recall announcement and the associated consumer alert follow an inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility by FDA – an inspection that uncovered substandard conditions, including recurring microbial contamination associated with the water system used to manufacture the drug products.

FDA found several microbial contaminants during the course of its investigation, including Burkholderia Multivorans, a strain of bacteria that can cause illness in people with compromised immune systems.

What should consumers do?
The FDA encourages health care professionals and consumers to report adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of King Bio’s products to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program: