Recalls and Alerts: February 20 – 21, 2019

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: J Bar B Foods recalls H-E-B MADE IN TEXAS ORIGINAL Smoked Sausage (14-oz vacuum-sealed pack; Lot code LN2 90149; Sell by 5/19/19) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert: Meijer recalls Meijer brand Ultimate Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies (12-count and 20-count; Sold between February 13, 2019 and February 20, 2019) due to undeclared soy.

Allergy Alert: Jacques Torres Manufacturing LLC recalls “Jacques” Big Daddy Dark Chocolate Bar (2.2 lb/1kg; uncoded) due to undeclared milk.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Industry recalls various brands of Debittered Brewer’s Yeast due to undeclared peanut. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Canada Herb recalls Canada Herb brand Fish Mint (variable weight; Lot 1721-0060 13/FEB) due to Salmonella contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (France): Top Grain recalls Top Grain Probios Biscuits KAMUT CAPRICCIO AI FICHI (200g/7.05 oz; Lot #25318A0) due to undeclared cashew nuts.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Lidl Ireland recalls Sondey 24 Jaffa Cakes (300g; Best before 01.01.19, 01.02.19, 01.03.19, 01.04.19, 01.05.19, 01.06.19, 01.07.19, 01.08.19) and Sondey Jaffa Minis (125g; Best before 01.07.19, 01.08.19, 01.11.19) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (UK – England specific): Sounas recalls Sounas Tandoori Masala Naan (5/pack; Batch codes 30501, 00301; Best before 4 April 2019, 30 May 2019) and Sounas Naan Breads Tandoori Masala (2/pack; Batch codes 29101, 30502, 00301, 01701; Best before 21 March 2019, 11 April 2019, 30 May 2019, 15 June 2019) due to  undeclared celery.

Allergy Alert (UK – England specific): Everest Ices recalls Everest Ices Pistachio Ice Cream, Everest Ices Gold Pistachio Kulfi, Everest Ices Kulfi Sticks and Everest Ices Pistachio Kulfi Cones due to undeclared almonds. Please refer to the recall notice for information on the affected batch codes.

Allergy Alert (UK): Lidl recalls Sondey Orange Jaffa Cakes (300g; Best before 01 January 2019; 01 February 2019; 01 March 2019; 01 April 2019; 01 May 2019; 01 June 2019; 01 July 2019; 01 August 2019) and Sondey Jaffa Minis Orange Assortment (125g; Best before 01 July 2019; 01 August 2019; 01 November 2019) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Alnatura recalls Alnatura Kinder-Bircher-Müsli (Best before 11.10.2019 and 02.11.2019) and Alnatura Müslikekse (Best before 04.09.2019) due to foreign matter (pieces of apple stalks) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): JOD Food Products recalls Old Irish Creamery Cheese Irish Cheddar with Chilli (200g; Best before 22.05.19) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK – England specific): EH Booths recalls Diced Red onion, Butternut Squash and Red Onion Soup Mix, Diced White Onions, Minestrone Soup Mix and Leek and Potato Soup Mix due to foreign matter (small pieces of metal) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for information on the affected batch codes.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Un Chi Enterprise Development Company recalls Salted Egg Paste (180g; Best before October 25, 2019; Product of China) due to excessive Staphylococcus aureus.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Bio Living recalls ​Nature’s Path Envirokidz Gorilla Munch Cereal (284g; Best Before 24/08/2019 and 21/09/2019) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Equagold Limited recalls specific batches of its own brand Belgian style Couverture, Dark Ghana 70%, Dark Gourmet 56%, and Dark Gourmet 53% chocolate due to incorrect labelling about the presence of undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Bella Chocolates Limited recalls all batches and all dates of Bella Chocolates brand dark chocolate products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): House of Chocolate recalls certain House of Chocolate brand dark chocolate products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): The Silky Oak Chocolate Company Ltd recalls all batches and all dates of its Silky Oak brand dark chocolate products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Epicurean Dairy Ltd recalls certain The Collective brand Raspberry Hibiscus Skyr due to a choking hazard (large pieces of hibiscus petals). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Pet owners file civil suits against Hill’s Pet Nutrition in relation to dog deaths

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

Pet owners have filed a total of three separate civil lawsuits in federal court against Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. following the company’s recent admission that some of its pet foods contained excessive levels of Vitamin D. The consumers are seeking class action status.

The named plaintiffs in the three lawsuits allege that their dogs became ill as a result of elevated vitamin D in the pet foods. Four of the sick dogs either died or had to be euthanized. The pet owner plaintiffs live in Florida, New York, California and North Carolina. 

The lawsuits allege negligence, breach of express and implied warranty, strict product liability, failure to warn, unjust enrichment, and unfair and deceptive trade practices on the part of the company.

In addition, plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits accused Hill’s of “excessive and unwarranted delay” in notifying consumers and regulatory agencies of the Vitamin D toxicity issue.

According to a spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration, Hill’s alerted the agency to a Vitamin D-related complaint on Jan. 30 this year. The company announced a recall of specific batches of 25 canned pet foods the following day.

The affected batch codes suggest the recalled products were likely manufactured during the time period of September 2018 through December 2018.

FDA has received a number of pet illness reports since the Jan. 31 recall notice. The agency is in the process of verifying the details of each complaint to determine which reports are related to the recalled products, and whether they are cases of Vitamin D toxicity.

The recalled products were distributed across the USA and exported to at least 57 other countries. In its recall notice, Hill’s advised consumers to refer to the company’s website for their country for a list of recalled products.

Recalled products were sold in Albania, Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Vatican City

Using information obtained from Hill’s websites around the world, eFoodAlert posted a list of recalled products and batch codes, sorted by country.

In November and December 2018, nine companies recalled several dry pet food products because of elevated Vitamin D issues. All of the foods were produced and packaged by a common contract manufacturer, identified by several of the companies as Sunshine Mills Inc.

FDA has not found any connection between the source of Vitamin D used to manufacture the recalled dry dog foods and the Vitamin D used in the Hill’s canned dog foods, according to an agency spokesperson.

What pet owners and veterinarians should know
Symptoms of Vitamin D toxicity may include vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst and urination, excessive drooling and/or weight loss. FDA urges dog owners who observe these symptoms in their pets to contact a veterinarian immediately. 

Pet owners should be prepared to furnish a full diet history to the veterinarian, and to document the pet food label and lot number. Any leftover food should be retained in its original packaging in case testing is required.

FDA encourages veterinarians to submit case reports involving vitamin D toxicity diagnoses associated with pet food. 

Consumers and veterinarians can submit complaints and case details to the FDA through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling their local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. For additional information on submitting a pet food complaint, see How to Report a Pet Food Complaint. 

NB: The original story in Food Safety News listed fewer affected countries. This reposting has been updated to include the latest information from the European Union’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

Recalls and Alerts: February 17 – 19, 2019

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: Concord Foods, LLC recalls Concord Fresh Success Mild Salsa Seasoning Mix (1.06 oz / 30g; Date code 071121) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert: Chukar Cherries recalls Amaretto Rainier Ultra Dark Chocolate Cherries (7.5 oz; Best by 11/2019; UPC 0 11261 22307 7) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall: Lean Culinary Services, LLC recalls approximately 223 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken salad products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Herbs N Health recalls Herbs N Health brand Debittered Brewers Yeast (350g; All units sold up to and including February 12, 2019) due to undeclared peanut.

Allergy Alert: Scoop & Save Health Foods recalls Scoop & Save brand Debittered Brewers Yeast (400g; All units sold up to and including February 19, 2019) due to undeclared peanut.

Allergy Alert: Best of Health recalls Best of Health brand Debittered Brewers Yeast (600g; Product code 2022/04) due to undeclared peanut.

Allergy Alert: B&G Foods Canada, ULC recalls Victoria White Linen Collection Marinara Sauce (1.1L; Best Before 2022 MR 06 S; UPC 0 70234 21510 5) due to undeclared cashew.

Food Safety Recall: Gambles Ontario Produce Inc. recalls Eat Smart brand Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad Bag Kit (340g/12 oz; Product codes FEB 16 2019, 2019 FE 16, 2 01B 032, 2 01A 032, and 2 000 32; UPC 7 09351 89145 8) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Europe

Allergy Alert (France): Manufacturer recalls Vegan Sport brand Vanilla flavor Protein Mix dietary supplement (800g; Lot #F007213 01; Best before 03/2020) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Speedibake recalls Takeaway 10 Garlic Slices (250g; Batch code SB9039B; Best before 08 February 2020) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (UK): Sainsbury’s recalls Mango Sorbet by Sainsbury’s (500 mL; Best before end date: November 2019) due to undeclared traces of milk.

Allergy Alert (UK): Lidl recalls Mister Choc Choco & Caramel Bars (6 Pack; All batch codes; Best before January 2020) due to undeclared peanuts.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Kaasimport Jan Dupont recalls Oliviana Ensalada au fromage sauce pesto vert (175g; Lot 1319037; Best before 17/04/19) and Oliviana Ensalada au fromage sauce pesto rouge (175g; Lot 1319037; Best before 17/04/19) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delhaize recalls 365 Brand Mini Salami (2x25g; Lot #L9038023; 05/10/2019) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Finland): Lidl Suomi Ky recalls Bergmann Bovine brand 10% minced meat (Batch Nos. 1905520 and 1906120; Use by 12.2.2019 and 14.2.2019) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): The Condiment Company Ltd recalls Hunter & Gather Avocado Oil Mayonnaise (250g; Best before 25 September 2019; Batch description 25/09/19) due to possible mold and Salmonella contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Hong Kong): Rainbow Asset Ltd recalls Nature’s Path EnviroKidz Choco Chimps (10 oz / 284g; Best before August 27, 2019) and Nature’s Path EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch (10 oz / 284g; Best before September 21, 2019) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (Israel): Paskesz Kennedy Company Ltd. recalls CHIPS A PLENTY / PREMIUM brand Premium Chocolate Chip Cookies (389g) due to undeclared eggs, peanuts, and nuts.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Chocolate Traders Ltd recalls various Chocolate Traders  brand Dark Chocolate products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): The Chocolate Workshop Ltd recalls The Chocolate Workshop brand Peanut Butter Cups (12-pack; Best Before up to including 13.05.19), Wanaka Chocolate brand Orange, Mint and Dark Chocolate bars (46g bars; Best Before up to including 02.04.20) and Wanaka Chocolate brand Extra Dark Chocolate (46g bars; Best Before up to including 25.01.20) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): De Spa Chocolatier recalls De Spa Chocolatier brand dark chocolate products (All batches, products and dates) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Vetro Mediterranean Foods recalls Callebaut brand Ghana 70%, Chocolate 42% and Dark Chocolate (All batches and dates) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Devonport Chocolates recalls Devonport Chocolates brand dark chocolate products (All batches and dates) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Ceres Enterprises Ltd recalls Nature’s Path brand EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch Corn Puffs (10 oz/284g; Best Before 2019 SEP 21 and 2019 AUG 24; Imported from USA) due to undeclared gluten.