Recalls and Alerts: July 16 – 18, 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.

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

OUTBREAK ALERT / Food Safety Recall: FDA and CDC are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Sandiego infections linked to Hy-Vee Spring Pasta Salad. CDC reports that 21 people in 5 states (IA, MN, MO, NE, SD) have become ill. There have been 5 hospitalizations and no deaths. Hy-Vee, Inc. recalls Spring Pasta Salad (1-lb and 3-lb containers; produced between June 1, 2018, and July 13, 2018) due to potential Salmonella contamination. The recalled products were distributed to all of Hy-Vee’s 244 grocery stores across Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Allergy Alert: New Seasons Market recalls NEW SEASONS SESAME NOODLE CHICKEN SALAD (24-oz clear plastic container; Best by 07/18/2018) due to undeclared peanuts. The recalled product was shipped to retail locations in Oregon and Washington.

Allergy Alert: Portland French Bakery recalls Seattle Sourdough Pub Buns (16-oz 6-pack; Best before JUL- 03-18 and JUL-31-18) and Franz Premium Pub Buns (32-oz 12-pack; Best before JUL- 03-18 and JUL-31-18) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert: The Pictsweet Company recalls Pictsweet Farms Steam’ables Baby Brussels Sprouts (12 oz; Production codes beginning with 1508K; Best if used by MAY 30, 2020; UPC 0 70560 97731 9) due to undeclared milk and soy. The recalled product was distributed are as follows: Alabama, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Food Safety Recall: Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp., doing business as Stefano Foods recalls Stefano’s Calzone PEPPERONI FIVE CHEESE STUFFED WITH PEPPERONI AND A FIVE CHEESE BLEND (8-oz. deli tray; Lot #14318B; Best by 1/18/2019) due to foreign matter (pieces of hard, sharp, clear plastic particles). The recalled product was shipped to retail stores nationwide.

Food Safety Recall: ALDI recalls AnnaSea Wasabi Ahi Poke Hawaiian Poke Kits and Limu Ahi Poke Hawaiian Poke Kits (best by dates of 5/23/2020. 6/11/2020, 6/12/2020, and 6/14/2020) sold in certain stores due to incorrect storage temperature. Please refer to the recall notice for details on the affected stores.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Poissons frais des Îles inc. (Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC) recalls TOMALI DE HOMARD DES ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE (120 ml; All lots sold up to July 16, 2018) due to improper processing.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Unilever recalls Frisco brand Vienetta Chocolate ice cream (650 ml; Lots L8047BA004, L8047CA004, L8047AA004 and L8048AA004; Best by 02/2020) due to undeclared hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (Finland): Unilever Finland Oy recalls Frisco brand Vienetta Chocolate ice cream (650 ml; Lots L8047BA004, L8047CA004, L8047AA004 and L8048AA004; Best by 02/2020) due to undeclared hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (France): Gruppo Fini spa recalls Le conserve della nonna Sauce with clams (Lot #12 LA017; Best by 31/07/2020) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (Italy): ANTAAR&S S.p.A. recalls Organic Babykiss Lenticchie (Lot #L05271; Best before  21 02 19) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Jan Linders recalls Corn Gold giant raisin currant buns (Best by 25-7-2018) due to undeclared oat flakes, almonds, hazelnuts and barley.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Capella Trading recalls Smoked salmon (250g; Lot #2134-188; Best before 8/8-2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Manufacturer recalls Gel Manche brand Seafood delight (2.2kg; various lot numbers and best before dates) due to Listeria contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected product.

Food Safety Recall (France): Intermarché recalls Monique Ranou brand Chicken bowl with vegetables (250g; various lot numbers and best before dates) due to Listeria contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected product.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Carrefour brand part-skim milk (50 cl bottle; Lot #18 124 L9; Best before 04/09/2018) due to foreign matter (pieces of black plastic) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): C.I.R. sas di Mecarelli C. & C. recalls Salsa fegato Take Away (1.2 kg; Batch codes/Best by dates 14/07/2018, 15/07/2018, 16/07/2018, 17/07/2018 and 10/08/2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Fresh Fruit Express recalls Veggie Express Green Smoothie mix (Batch codes L18068A1 & L18068B1; Best by 09-03-2020) and Veggie Express Red Smoothie mix (Batch code  L18123B2; Best by 03-05-2020) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Albert Heijn recalls AH Beenham (Best by 29-07-2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Health Leads UK Ltd recalls several batches of Bitter Apricot Kernels due to high levels of hydrocyanic acid (cyanide). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Sarric PTY Ltd trading as Serendipity Ice Cream recalls Serendipity Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (500 ml; Best before 14/06/19) due to undeclared milk and egg.

Allergy Alert (Australia): Jimmy Brings recalls Jimmy Brings Wine Mount Emmy Pinot Grigio – 2017 (750mL; all stock) and Jimmy Brings Wine Lily of the Valley Pinot Grigio  – 2018 (750mL; all stock) due to undeclared sulphites, milk and egg.

Food Safety Recall (Australia): Mushroom Exchange recalls Sliced Mushrooms – Brown and White (various brands) due to foreign matter (large pieces of white plastic) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for details on the affected products.

FDA investigates Smucker-owned Big Heart over pentobarbital

This story by Phyllis Entis first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission

An investigation into pentobarbital adulteration in canned, wet pet food manufactured by Big Heart Pet Brands Inc. remains “open and ongoing” according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Big Heart is a wholly owned subsidiary of The J.M. Smucker Company Inc.

On Feb. 16, FDA alerted pet owners to the possible presence of pentobarbital in certain canned dog foods, including Gravy Train, Kibbles ’N Bits, Ol’ Roy and Skippy products, after a media outlet reported having found the chemical in several samples of Gravy Train canned, wet dog food.

Upon learning of the findings, Smucker initiated a product withdrawal pending the outcome of an internal investigation. The withdrawal was upgraded to a voluntary recall after the company verified the presence of pentobarbital in its finished products and in beef tallow, an ingredient common to all of the affected products.

Pentobarbital is a barbiturate used to euthanize animals. FDA considers a pet food to be adulterated if it contains even a trace amount of the drug.

On Feb. 23, FDA initiated an inspection of the Big Heart manufacturing facility in Bloomsburg, PA. The inspection was conducted jointly with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) and was completed on March 12th.

According to information contained in the Establishment Inspection Report (EIR), obtained by Food Safety News in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, Big Heart produces dog food under contract for third-parties in addition to manufacturing the Gravy Train, Ol’ Roy, Kibbles ’N Bits, and Skippy dog food brands as well as several brands of cat food.

A spokesperson for FDA, citing the ongoing status of the investigation, declined to comment on whether any of the private-labeled products were evaluated for possible pentobarbital contamination. Nor would the spokesperson comment on whether FDA conducted its own independent analysis of any ingredients or finished products as part of its investigation.

Big Heart did not test any other ingredients for pentobarbital once it found the chemical in the beef tallow ingredient.

All of the beef tallow used in the adulterated pet food was obtained from a single supplier.

Big Heart notified its supplier of the test results and followed up with an inspection of the supplier’s facility. Concluding that the supplier did not have adequate controls over its supply chain, Big Heart management switched to a different tallow supplier. In addition, the company reconfigured some product formulas to eliminate beef tallow.

A class action lawsuit filed in Northern California on May 1 against Big Heart Pet Brands Inc. alleges that the tallow was supplied by MOPAC, an eastern Pennsylvania rendering facility belonging to JBS USA Holdings Inc.

JBS operates two facilities in eastern Pennsylvania, one in Souderton and the other in Elizabethville. FDA declined to comment on whether either or both of these facilities were included in the investigation.

According to information contained in Establishment Inspection Reports obtained in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the Elizabethville location manufactures poultry feed.

JBS Souderton is a rendering operation. It receives bovine, porcine and avian trimmings, bone, hides, offal, and blood from its nearby slaughter/meat packing facility and from other slaughter facilities, and also receives used cooking oil and yellow grease from restaurants.

Souderton produces a number of animal feed ingredients, including tallow, blood-meal, feather-meal, bone-meal and animal protein.

During the February-March inspection of Big Heart, FDA and PDA investigators were denied access to several documents, according to the EIR.

On instruction from the Smucker corporate headquarters, Big Heart management refused to furnish PDA and FDA investigators with qualitative or quantitative product formulae and refused to permit them to review either the company’s consumer complaint files or its Standard Operating Procedures for retaining samples.

The Plant Director, Dave Brookover, also declined to sign, or even to read, an FDA Affidavit (FDA Form 463a) setting out the information supplied by him during the course of the inspection. On instructions from the corporate office, Brookover left the room when the FDA investigator recited the contents of the Affidavit.

Some companies have specific policies on what they will or will not share with FDA, a spokesperson for the agency explained, adding that the nature and number of refusals were not out of the ordinary and did not obstruct the investigation.

Recalls and Alerts: July 9 – 15, 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.

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

Outbreak Alert: FDA and CDC are investigating a Cyclospora outbreak in IA, IL, MN, MO, NE, SD, and WI associated with McDonald’s salads. The salads were distributed to approximately 3,000 McDonald’s stores in 14 states: IL, IA, IN, WI, MI, OH, MN, NE, SD, MT, ND, KY, WV, and MO. Two people have been hospitalized; 61 illnesses have been confirmed to date.

Outbreak Alert: CDC and FDA are investigating a Vibrio parahaemolyticus outbreak linked to fresh crab meat imported from Venezuela. A total of 12 illnesses, including 4 hospitalizations, have been reported from Maryland, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.

Outbreak Alert (Update): CDC reports the outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka infections linked to Kellogg’s Honey Smacks Cereal has grown to 100 confirmed cases in 33 states. Thirty of the outbreak victims have been hospitalized.

Allergy Alert: Utz Quality Foods, LLC. recalls Utz® Carolina Style Barbeque Potato Chips (2.875 oz; Expiration dates October 6th – 20th; UPC 0-41780-00153-5) and Utz® Carolina Style Barbeque Potato Chips (7.5 oz; Expiration dates August 18th – October 27th; UPC 0-41780-00049-1) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert: Papa John’s Salads and Produce recalls 148 units of the Superfood Salads due to undeclared peanuts. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were distributed to stores in AZ, CA, CO, MT, NM, NV, UT, and WY from July 9, 2018 – July 10, 2018.

Food Safety Recall: The Beautiful Pig, Inc. recalls an undetermined amount of ready-to-eat and raw pork and beef products because the products were produced, packed and distributed without the benefit of inspection and were also under U.S. retention when shipped without approval.

Food Safety Recall: Afandina Halal recalls an undetermined amount of raw poultry products that were produced, packaged and distributed without the benefit of federal inspection. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were shipped to retail locations in New York City.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Bloom Global Foods Inc. recalls certain Organica brand pickle in olive oil products due to undeclared mustard. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were supplied to retailers in Ontario.

Food Safety Recall: Hain Celestial Canada, ULC recalls Europe’s Best Field Berry Mix (600g; Product codes 2020MA03, 2020MA04, 2020MA10 and 2020MA11; UPC 8 71454 03618 7) and Europe’s Best 4-Field Berry Mix (2kg; Product code 2020MA02; UPC 8 71454 00200 7) due to Salmonella contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): Cora recalls Club Sandwich with Ham and Emmental (Best before 14/07/2018) due to undeclared egg and mustard.

Allergy Alert (Czech Republic): Kaufman Czech Republic recalls Madison – biscuits with pieces of dark and milk chocolate and raisins (150g; Batch No. L3181111; Best before March 12, 2019; Product of Poland) due to undeclared peanuts.

Allergy Alert (Czech Republic): VIOLET KANGAROO recalls Roshen bubble bitter chocolate (85g; Batch No. 31.03.18 1; Best by 30 September 2019; product of Ukraine) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Unilever recalls Frisco brand Vienetta Chocolate ice cream (650 mL; Lot nos. L8047BA004, L8047CA004, L8047AA004 and L8048AA004; Best before 02/2020) due to undeclared hazelnuts.

Allergy Alert (Denmark): Coop Denmark recalls Spidskålsalat med mormordressing / Spider bowl with grandmother dressing (345g; Best before 11/07/2018) due to undeclared milk and cream.

Allergy Alert (Finland): Atria Suomi Oy recalls Artesaani lämminsavustettu raakamakkara (240g; Best before July 17, 2018) and Artesaani lämminsavustettu raakamakkara Gouda (240g; Best before July 17, 2018) due to undeclared cheese.

Allergy Alert (France): Manufacturer recalls Sélection Mousquetaires brand P’tit poisson au fromage (200g; Lot #81770060; Best before 24/07/2018) due to undeclared milk and shellfish.

Allergy Alert (Germany): Massafra GmbH recalls Sauce with Vongole Conserve della Nonna (190g; Lot #12LA017; Best before 31.07.2020) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Manufacturer recalls Avoca Sticky Honey Buffalo Chicken Wings (460g; Use by 10.07.2018) due to undeclared gluten (wheat), peanut, soybeans and sesame seeds.

Allergy Alert (Italy): MELEGA & PRINI srl recalls Nordic Seafood A/S Yellowfin Tuna slices (175-225g; Batch #BMI 18/02; Best before 10-11-2019) due to histamine.

Allergy Alert (Italy): Sfoglia Turino recalls Carrefour Pizzette crude di pasta sfoglia surgelate (300g; Lot #L8089; Best before 30-09-2019) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert (Scotland): Alice Cairns Butchers Limited recalls various meat products due to undeclared soy. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Kaasimport Jan Dupont nv recalls several OLIVIANA brand products due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): OKay recalls Escalope de Prague (approx 400g; Best before 14/7/2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Aldi recalls Scampi marinated in green pesto and garlic (Lot #BTG203V1812 to BTG203V1848; Best before 03/06/18 to 15/07/18) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): K-Salad recalls Salatmesteren – Sandwich æggesalat / Saladmaster Egg Salad Sandwich (200g; Best before 06/08/2018) due to foreign matter (clear plastic) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Nestlé recalls Guigoz brand 1er âge Formule Epaissie (800g; Lot #8075080624; due to potential Enterobacter contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): AUCHAN recalls Gel Manche brand Salade camarguaise and Salade Landaise (3kg; Best before 13/07/2018 to 03/08/2018) due to potential Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Produit Blanc brand Pain au chocolat (450g, 10 pieces; Best before 07/08/2018) due to foreign matter (metal) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Selles/Cher recalls Plaza André brand cheese made from raw goat milk (Lot #2106; Best before 19/08/18) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Manufacturer recalls Capitaine Houat brand Cooked whole medium-sized shrimp, refrigerated (Sold from 28/06 through 09/07) due to Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Iceland): Krónan ehf recalls Krone brand Luxurious Pork Casserole, Luxurious Pork Casserole Italian Mariner, Luxurious Pork Cake New York (All best before dates) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Cesare Fiorucci S.r.l. recalls Prosciutto Cotto Quanto Basta, two servings (90g; Lot #8278001840; Best before 05-08-2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Aldi recalls Scampi marinated in green pesto and garlic (Lot #BTG203V1812 to BTG203V1848; Best before 03/06/18 to 15/07/18) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): CORA et LIDL recall various Tapenades due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Albert Heijn recalls AH French free-range chicken fillet (Best before 17-07-2018, AH French chicken breast cubes (Best before 15-07-2018), AH French chicken filet cheeses (Best before 15-07-2018) and AH French chicken fillet (Best before 14-07-2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Dupontcheese recalls various cheese spreads and pesto spreads due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Coop recalls Coop Chopped schnitzel with 30% vegetables (2 x 100g; Best before 09/07 – 20/07) due to Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Dunnes Stores recalls Dunnes Stores brand Basil Pesto (130g; All batch codes and best before dates) due to Salmonella contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Israel): Yinon recalls Yinon Frozen Puff Pastry (1kg; Best by 27.06.19) due to Salmonella contamination.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Chantal Organics Ltd recalls Loving Earth brand Coconut Chocolate Butter (175g glass jar; Best before 15/9/2019; Product of Australia) due to undeclared tree nuts.