Recalls and Alerts: June 28 – July 2, 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

Allergy Alert: Nueske’s Meat Products, Inc. recalls approximately 12,946 pounds of pork products due to undeclared brown rice flour and glycerin. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were shipped directly to consumers nationwide via internet and mail order sales.

Allergy Alert: Whole Foods Market recalls Whole Foods Market brand oatmeal raisin cookies (18-count plastic container; Sell by dates June 4 through July 8, 2018; PLU begins with 23209) due to undeclared soy. The recalled cookies were sold in Whole Foods Market stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Allergy Alert: L&D Market, Inc. recalls approximately three pounds of chicken wrap products due to undeclared milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a list of affected products, which were shipped to retail locations in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Allergy Alert: LL’s Magnetic Clay, Inc. recalls certain lots of Prescript-Assist dietary supplement due to undeclared almonds, crustaceans, dairy, casein, eggs, and peanuts. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected production lots.

Allergy Alert: Pinnacle Foods Inc. recalls Wish Bone House Italian Salad Dressing (15 oz.; Best by Jan 13 19; Case lot code 4913019S51) due to undeclared milk and egg.

Allergy Alert: May Flower International Inc. recalls 3+2 Soda Crackers (4.4-oz pkg) due to undeclared milk.

Food Recall: Talking Rain® recalls specific lot codes of bottles of its Sparkling Ice® Cherry Limeade beverage due to consumer complaints of off-taste and off-odor. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected lot codes.

Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Blissful Remedies recalls specific products containing kratom due to potential Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall:

Canada

Allergy Alert: Edel Weisz recalls étagé de porc effiloché (small and large sizes; all product sold through 27 June 2018) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert: AJ International Trading recalls Certain Nanfang brand, Want Want brand and Chencun brand products due to undeclared peanut, walnut, and milk. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were distributed to retailers in Ontario.

Food Safety Recall: BOUCHERIE & CHARCUTERIE TRADITION A (Côte-Saint-Luc, QC) recalls rosette de Lyon (variable weight; sold between 14 May 2018 and 29 June 2018) due to E. coli O157 contamination.

Food Safety Recall: The Butcher’s Blend recalls certain extra-lean ground beef products due to E. coli O157 contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were distributed through retailers in Ontario.

Food Safety Recall: Boulangerie Andalos inc. (Saint-Laurent, QC) recalls various pastry products that were not prepared and held under conditions that would ensure their safety.

Food Safety Recall: Goodleaf Community Farms Ltd. recalls Goodleaf brand Daikon Radish microgreens (75g; Best before JN 30; Lot #MR088; UPC 6 28451 71410 1) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recalled product was sold through retailers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Belgium): AFSCA advises of recall of Garden of Life brand Bouteille de Raw Organic Protein Chocolate (820g; Lot 7150-1c1; Best by 30/05/2019) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (France): Chef Select to go recalls Bulgar, quinoa, roast chicken and tomato salad (250g; Lot K5P; Best by 01/07/2018K6P – 02/07/2018) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Mullaghmore Bakery recalls Mullaghmore Bakery Fruit Scones, Cherry Scones and Wheaten Scones (4 pack; All best before dates up to and including 04 July 2018) due to undeclared egg.

Allergy Alert (UK): Mullaghmore Bakery recalls various scone products due to undeclared egg. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Wholefoodsa recalls Pit & Pit brand Roasted, salted pistachios (250g, Lot #L1518468010, Expiration 07/10/2018 and 750g, Lot #L1521401936, Expiration 21/11/2018) due to elevated ochratoxin levels.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Geia Food A/S recalls Downtown Chunky Cool Brownie (400 g / 500 ml; 27/03/2020) due to foreign matter (blue plastic pieces) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Terrinne de campagne, 25% less salt (150g; Lot #131; Best by 13 JUN) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Tablier blanc recalls Leclerc, Auchan, Cora, and Systeme U brands of Shredded coconut (125g pkg; Lot #F044; Best by 25/01/2019) due to Salmonella weltevreden contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Il Ceppo Srl recalls Vitello tonnato (200g; Lot #181485005; Best by 08-07-2018) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Australia and New Zealand

Outbreak Alert (Australia): South Australia is experiencing an outbreak of 21 recent confirmed cases of Salmonella havana, including seven people who were hospitalised. The illnesses have been linked to consumption of SA Sprouts alfalfa sprouts products. The implicated sprouts were recalled by the manufacturer.

Allergy Alert (Australia): Han Ga Wee Pty Ltd recalls PORK BBQ SPICY (All best before dates up to and including 07 Jun 19) due to undeclared shellfish.

Canal water likely source of E. coli in romaine-related outbreak

This article by Coral Beach first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission.

Federal officials say contaminated canal water near romaine lettuce growing fields is the likely source of the unusually virulent strain of E. coli that has sickened people across 36 states, killing five.

This NASA photo shows a canal snaking through the Arizona desert near Yuma, AZ. Such canals carry water to communities and farmers.

The outbreak is over, according to an update this afternoon from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency has confirmed 210 people with infections. Twenty-seven of the victims have developed kidney failure. The most recent victim became sick on June 6.

“Samples have been collected from environmental sources in the region, including water, soil, and cow manure. Evaluation of these samples is ongoing,” according to an update this afternoon from the Food and Drug Administration investigators.

“To date, CDC analysis of samples taken from canal water in the region has identified the presence of E. coli O157: H7 with the same genetic fingerprint as the outbreak strain. We have identified additional strains of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli in water and soil samples, but at this time, the samples from the canal water are the only matches to the outbreak strain.”

Growers, researchers and produce trade associations have said in recent weeks that the Yuma area uses canal water from the Colorado River for irrigation and other agriculture uses. Some have theorized that a common water source is one of the most likely sources of the E. coli bacteria.

“CDC laboratory testing identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O157: H7 in canal water samples taken from the Yuma (AZ) growing region,” according to the CDC’s update this afternoon, which is the first since June 1.

To view a larger version of this map, please click on the image

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is continuing to investigate the outbreak to learn more about how the E. coli bacteria could have entered the water and ways this water could have contaminated romaine lettuce.”

FDA last reported to the public on June 1 when traceback efforts were still stymied because of a tangle of hand-written, incomplete and incompatible shipping and receiving records through the supply chain from growers to retailers.

From the beginning of the outbreak, FDA and CDC have said the implicated romaine lettuce came from the Yuma growing region. Produce industry individuals and groups told the federal agencies the last romaine from that area was harvested April 16. People usually begin to show symptoms of infection in less than a week after exposure to E. coli bacteria.

The first confirmed illness in the outbreak began on March 13. The age range of victims is 1 to 86 years old.

“In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures they had before they became ill. Of the 166 people interviewed, 145 (87 percent) reported eating romaine lettuce in the week before their illness started,” according to the CDC.

A Supplementary Note

In a related Food Safety News opinion piece, Coral Beach highlights the long delay between the determination of the geographic source of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and the sampling of canal water in the region.

In Chapter 8 of my book, Food Safety: Old Habits, New Perspectives, published in 2007 by ASM Press, I wrote:

Take a drive on the Interstate 5 through California’s San Joaquin Valley and you will pass fields of produce, open irrigation canals, and cattle feedlots. Irrigation is a way of life in this semi-arid agricultural area; rain is a rare visitor, except during the winter months. But when it rains, it pours. The soil becomes saturated, and excess water drains off the fields and feedlots. Some of the runoff finds its way into the irrigation canals, bringing with it pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7.

This observation is equally applicable to the agricultural region around Yuma, Arizona.

Recalls and Alerts: June 25 – 27, 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

Food Safety Recall: Aunt Kitty’s Foods, Inc. recalls approximately 10,805 pounds of canned chicken gravy products due to a possible processing deviation that may have led to underprocessing of products. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were shipped to retail locations in New Jersey and New York.

Food Safety Recall: People’s Sausage Co. recalls approximately 13,554 pounds of jerky and meat stick products that were produced without an approved voluntary grant of inspection. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were shipped to retail locations in Montana.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Marché Napoléon inc. (Sept-Îles, QC) recalls various pepperette and charqui (jerky) products due to absence of the mandatory “Garder réfrigéré” instruction on the product label. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Marks & Spencer recalls M&S Louisiana BBQ Chicken Flatties (340g; Lot #00093408; Use by all dates up to and including 30 June 2018) due to undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert (Netherlands): MCO Health recalls Garden of Life Organic Raw Protein Chocolate (Batch #7150-1C1; Expiry 05-2019) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (UK): Marks & Spencer recalls M&S Louisiana BBQ Chicken Flatties (340g; Lot #00093408; Use by all dates up to and including 30 June 2018) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Lagkagehuset recalls ”70 %” rugbrød / rye bread (800g; Sales date 24/06/2018) due to foreign matter (small pieces of plastic) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Hilton Foods A/S recalls a batch of nakkefilet / neck fillet (used for the production of different meat packages on 30 May, 31 May and 2 June 2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Lidl Danmark recalls Turkey Breast schnitzler with Roasted Tomato (Use by 19/06/2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): NETTO recalls NETTO beef filet marinated with shallots (2/pkg; Best by 01/07/2018; Lot #L8157001811) as the product is no longer fit for consumption.

Food Safety Recall (France): Chabert recalls Chabert brand 1/2 Reblochon de Savoie made with raw milk (Lots No. C81450050, C81430005 , C81480001; Best by 3/06/18, 15/06/18, 18/06/18, respectively), Chabert brand Plateau 3 fromages (Lots No. C81450125 and C81480143; Best by 15‐June and 18-June, respectively), and Chabert brand Reblochon de Savoie Fruitières (Lot 8KU6892; Best by 11 August) due to E. coli O26 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls REFLETS DE France brand 1/2 Reblochon de Savoie made with raw milk (Lot C81370011, best by 9 June; Lot C81340016, best by 6 June; Lot C81420071, best by 14 June; Lot C81380001, best by 10 June; Lot C81420001, best by 14 June; Lot C81430005, best by 15 June; Lot C81370037, best by 9 June; Lot C81450001, best by 17 June) due to E. coli O26 contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): World Wise Foods recalls Aldi and Tesco branded light and dark soy sauce due to foreign matter (small glass fragments) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Jumbo recalls Jumbo brand Saté Balls (Best by 17-7-2018) due to Listeria contamination.

Food Safety Recall (UK): Aldi, Asda, Tesco and Waitrose recall their own brand Soy / Soya Sauce due to foreign matter (small glass fragments) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for complete details of affected products.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): SHIN MI AUSTRALIA PTY LTD recalls Seafood Dumpling / Gyoza (680g; all dates up to and including 15.01.2020) due to undeclared shellfish.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Cham Foods Ltd recalls Seasoned Sliced Radish and Repackaged Wang Kimchi (all batches and all dates) due to undeclared sesame and soy.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): New World Halswell recalls New World Pork Hock and Pork Shoulder Roast (Best Before 29.6.18 and 30.6.18) due to foreign matter (metal) contamination.