This one’s for Lou

This is completely off topic, and I apologize to anyone who is annoyed, bothered or disturbed.

Nevertheless, I cannot contain my excitement at the release of my latest mystery, The Gold Dragon Caper.

Phyllis Entis's avatarPhyllis Entis

Louis Lutsky was a reader.

Newspapers, mystery novels, general fiction, whatever. My Dad read them.

It was Dad who read bedtime stories to me, over and over again, until I was old enough to read them for myself. Truth be told, I had memorized the stories long before I was able to read the words. Dad used to ‘accidentally’ skip a sentence or a page, and would laugh when I corrected him.

It was Dad who drilled me in my weekly spelling homework. His pronunciation was sometimes challenging, resulting in my shedding a few tears as I insisted on spelling ‘study’ the way he pronounced it. At last, exasperated, he corrected me. “Steady,” he said, “S-T-U-D-Y.” I believe he treasured the gold stars I received in my weekly spelling quizzes even more than I did.

It is only fitting, therefore, that I release my new novel on what would have…

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Recalls and Alerts: April 12 – 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.

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United States

Outbreak Alert: CDC is investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses linked to chopped Romaine lettuce. The lettuce appears to be from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. CDC has received reports of 35 confirmed cases in 11 states. While a specific grower or packer of the implicated lettuce has not been named by CDC, the agency is recommending that consumers avoid purchasing or eating chopped Romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona region.

Outbreak Alert/Food Safety Recall: Rose Acre Farms recalls 206,749,248 eggs (LOT CODES 011 through 102 from Plant Number P-1065) after FDA determines the eggs to be associated with at least 22 confirmed cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections in multiple states. The recalled eggs were distributed in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia through retail stores and restaurants via direct delivery. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete listing of affected brand names.

Allergy Alert: Guixens Food Group, Inc. recalls La Marinera Brand Dried Yellow Potatoes (10-oz pkg; Expiration date July 2018; UPC 7-42287-73054-5) due to undeclared sulfites.

Food Safety Recall: Fresh Foods Manufacturing Co. recalls approximately 8,757 pounds of ready-to-eat salad products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 after the company received notification from their romaine lettuce supplier that the romaine lettuce used by the establishment in the products was being recalled due to E. coli O157:H7 concerns. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were shipped to retail locations in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Food Safety Recall: Seacrest Foods International, Inc. recalls Formagere de la Brie brand l’Explorateur soft ripened cheese (250g (8.8 oz), clear plastic package; Lot #H010 or H011; UPC 3 390010 004080; Product of France) due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recalled product was distributed at retail stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey and New Hampshire beginning on 02/06/2018 through 03/31/18.

Food Safety Recall: Koch Foods, Inc. recalls Fully Cooked Rib-Shaped Beef Patty With BBQ Sauce (30-lb bulk boxes; Lot #JTM 16190; Case code 67329) due to possible foreign matter (blue plastic pieces) contamination.

Pet Food Safety Recall: K9 Natural Ltd recalls four batches of K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast (2.2lb and 11lb bags; Product of New Zealand) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for details on affected production batches.

Canada

Outbreak Alert/Food Safety Recall: Groupe Adonis Inc. recalls Montana brand Frozen Strawberries (1kg; All codes purchased on or before April 14, 2018; UPC 6222000401487; Product of Egypt) because the product has been linked to an unspecified number of cases of Hepatitis A illnesses. The recalled product was sold exclusively from Adonis markets in Quebec and Ontario.

Allergy Alert: Seoul Trading Corp recalls Dong Won brand Frozen Shrimp Cutlet (480g; All lots; UPC 8 801047 321842) due to undeclared egg. The recalled product was distributed to retailers in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and possibly nationally.

Allergy Alert: Phoenicia Group Inc. recalls Durra brand seasoning products due to undeclared sesame and wheat. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were distributed to retailers in Ontario, Quebec and possibly nationally.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Finland): Porlammin Meijeri Oy recalls Vege Plus vegetable fat (250g; Best before 13.5.2018 and 14.5.2018) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (France): Monoprix recalls Le Wrap Monoprix brand Wrap Chèvre noix et galette à la betterave (Best before 15/04/2018) due to undeclared mustard, peanuts and celery.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Halo Top UK Ltd. recalls mint chip ice cream and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream due to undeclared soy. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (Italy): Sarti Giovanni e Figli SNC recalls T.M.T. brand Flour (1 kg; Lot #07 08 2018) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert (Sweden): Örneborgs Delikatesser AB recalls Mannerströms Chilibearnaisesås (200g; Best before 26.06.2018) due to undeclared wheat flour, fish, mustard and sulphite.

Allergy Alert (UK): Innovative Bites and American Fizz recall Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites (88g; Best before 09/02/2019; All batch codes) due to undeclared egg and wheat.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): EUROKIP DE WAELE VAN OSSELAER recalls KOK O’RELL brand seasoned, ground poultry meat (Lot #95433; Expiration date 12-04-2018) due to possible Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for details on product distribution.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Pointe de Penmarch recalls Fish Soup (500ml glass jar; Batch #L17279; Best before 05/2020; Product of France) due to possible contamination with glass particles.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Wonderfoods recalls Wonderfood Salads containing Bacon due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Natural Green Limited recalls Natural Green Tofu and Noodle Products due to rodent infestation. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Le Bontà Srl recalls Nuova Terra brand Organic Cumin Seeds (120g; Lots L2016616, 2019416 and 2025216) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Sainsbury’s recalls Sainsbury’s Sliced Beetroot (340g jar; Batch code L318N1737; Best before August 2019) because the product may contain small pieces of glass.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Sweetland Ltd recalls various sweet and cake products that were produced in unhygienic conditions. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

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.