Tag: E. coli O157:H7

Recalls and Alerts: October 8, 2012 – Part B

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.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Boucherie W.E. Bégin, inc (Saint-Jean, QC) recalls Fesse Braisée Tranchée / Sliced Ham (vacuum packaged, Best before 11 October 2012 or Sliced to order, packaged 26 and 27 September, 2012), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Recall: UNFI Canada Inc. recalls Popcorn Indiana brand Aged White Cheddar Popcorn (255g & 225g; UPC 8 43571 00078 5; Best by 18/FEB/2013 & 25/FEB/2013, respectively), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were distributed in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, and may have also been distributed in other provinces.
  • Food Safety Recall: To-Le-Do Foodservice Ltd. recalls a number of To-Le-Do beef products (code dates September 10, 25, & 26, 2012) due to potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The recalled products were supplied to hotels, restaurants and institutions in Manitoba.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: CBC News reports that Sanofi Pasteur has recalled batches of Typhim Vi vaccine (Batch #G1122-1, G1557-1, G0182-2 & H0176-1), used to immunize people against Salmonella typhi, because the amount of antigen varied in some syringes.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: The outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses linked to recalled meat from XL Foods, Inc. (Brooks, AB) has grown to eleven cases, in Alberta (7 cases), Newfoundland and Labrador (1 case in the Eastern Region), Quebec (2 cases) and British Columbia (1 case reported from Vancouver Island). As of October 2nd, an additional 13 cases also were under investigation in Saskatchewan.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Belgium): Natura S.p.r.l recalls Natura brand Cocktail Sauce (180g and 310g jars; DDM between 1/10/2012 and 3/04/2013), because the product contains undeclared celery.
  • Allergy Alert (Belgium): Revogan recalls Valpiform brand Pain de mie tranché (350g; Lot 12144; Expiry 21/11/2012) and Pain de mie aux fibres (350g; Lot #12145; Expiry 22/11/2012 & 24/11/2012), because the products, which are labeled “sans arachides” contain undeclared peanut.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): S.p.r.l Bella Sicilia recalls Marte brand Ricotta Torretta (850-1000g; Lot #131212 & 100113; Best before dates of 13/12/2012 & 10/01/2013, respectively), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Recall (Finland): Itu Biodyn Ltd. recalls Holle Bio-Babybrei 3-Korn baby food (Made in Germany; Batch #R11171; Expiry 04/25/2013), because the product contains ochratoxin A in excess of the allowable limit.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (UK): BBC reports that Sanofi Pasteur MSD has recalled 88% of its Typhim Vi vaccine stock because tests found that some samples were too weak. Individuals who were injected with the vaccine since January 2011 may not be fully immunized against typhoid.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (Germany): The outbreak of acute gastroenteritis that sickened more than 11,000 individuals – most of them children – ws traced to a batch of frozen strawberries. The Saxony-Anhalt State Office for Consumer Protection has detected noroviruses in a sample from this batch of strawberries.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Alert/Recall (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety has been advised by Canada that some of the beef products recalled by XL Foods Inc. were supplied to Hong Kong. These products were recalled due to potential contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The Centre has alerted the trade and has instructed importers and distributors to recall the affected products.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Amedis Company Limited recalls Inflexal V 2012/2013 seasonal influenza vaccine (All batches) as a result of a global recall announced by the manufacturer, Crucell. Two batches of the product at the Crucell’s Swiss manufacturing site were found to be contaminated with bacteria.
  • Proprietary Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Peking Health Products Company recalls Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Wan (Batch No.20120603W), because the total bacteria count of 61,000 is 6-fold higher than the permitted limit.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): GlaxoSmithKline Ltd. recalls Panadol Cold & Flu Hot Remedy – Lemon with Honey (Batch #2004), due to an error in printing the expiration date.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Woolworths Ltd. recalls Woolworths Almond Kernels (Best before 05/02/13, 06/04/13, 07/04/13, 12/04/13), due to Salmonella contamination. The recalled nuts were distributed nationally at Woolworths Supermarkets, Safeway, Food for Less, and Flemings Supermarkets.
  • Outbreak Alert (New Zealand): Health officials are warning the public, restaurants and cafés to cook liver and other organ meats thoroughly. Twenty-six cases of Campylobacter infections have been linked to consumption of liver in the past year.
  • Outbreak Alert (New Zealand): Three patients and 13 staff members of Rotorua Hospital were infected with norovirus between September 18th and 21st. The outbreak may also have spread to a rest home.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.

Recalls and Alerts: October 8, 2012 – Part A (USA)

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: Nestle Prepared Foods Company, dba Buitoni North America recalls Buitoni® spinach & Portobello Mushroom All Natural Ravioli (18 oz/510g bags; UPC 24842-99186; Production code 225451757; Best before OCT 2013), because the product may contain Shrimp and Lobster ravioli due to a packaging error; the mislabelled products potentially contain undeclared shrimp and lobster. The recalled product was sold exclusively at Target stores.
  • Allergy Alert: Stefano Foods, Inc. (Charlotte, NC) recalls Quesadilla Chick Ins (12/24 oz; Case code F2829; Use by 03/31/2013), because the product contains undeclared isolated soy protein. The recalled product was produced on August 3, 2012 and shipped to a distributor in Georgia for further distribution to retail locations.
  • Allergy Alert: Baensch Food Products Co. recalls Ma Baensch Marinated Herring in Wine Sauce (24-oz glass jar; UPC 71444910220; Best If Used By 06NOV12; Lot Code 158), because the product may contain undeclared milk. The recalled product was distributed to select retail stores in Wisconsin and Rockford, Ill. beginning on June 6, 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese recalls Kentucky Rose bleu cheese (8 oz wedge, 3.5 lb or 7.0 lb wedge or 15 lb wheel, vacuum packed; Lot #120531), Kentucky Bleu, bleu cheese (8 oz wheel or 1.5 lb wheel, waxed, hand wrapped; Lot #120531 & 120612), Awe-Brie, brie cheese (8 oz wheel or 1.5 lb wheel, hand wrapped; Lot #120614, 120629 & 120716), and Tomme de Nena, tomme cheese (8 oz wedge, 3.5 lb or 7.0 lb wedge or 14 lb wheel, vacuum packed; Lot #120614 & 120716), because the cheese may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled cheeses were sold to farmers markets, restaurants, distributors and retailers in Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia between August 22nd and September 25, 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Krasnyi Oktyabr (Brooklyn, NY) recalls Beer Set Dried Rudd (7 oz/200g vacuum packed bag; Best before 10.22.12; Product of Russia), because the fish was not properly eviscerated prior to processing and may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum spores. The recalled product was sold to one retail store on June 14.
  • Food Safety Recall: Gretchen’s Shoebox Express expands its earlier recall of Protein Bistro Boxes to include Starbucks Protein Bistro Bars (6.8 oz; UPC 762111881502; Enjoy By 09/28/12, 09/30/12 – 10/06/12) in response to the expanded peanut butter recall announced by Sunland, Inc. due to potential Salmonella contamination.
  • Food Safety Recall: Stewart Brothers (Decatur, IL) recalls ground beef products (Code 255 or 256; Establishment #447), because the products were made from beef trim that may be contaminated with E. coli. The recalled products were produced on Sept. 12 and distributed to local restaurants.
  • Food Safety Recall: Talenti Gelato recalls Talenti Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Gelato (1 pt/473 ml; UPC 1 86852  00094 5; Best by 3/21/13 through 3/26/14)  because the peanut butter used in the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was distributed to retail stores nationwide between September 2011 and September 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kilwins Quality Confections, Inc. (Petoskey, MI) recalls Kilwins Sugar Free (S/F) Peanut Butter Fudge (7 oz pkgs; Bar code 000648; Lot #67936, 67105, 66959, 66413, 66248, 65123, 63124, 62693, 62612, 61658, 61621), because the product contains peanut butter that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was sold in Kilwins retail stores in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: Trader Joe’s recalls the following products (All code dates up to and including 24SEPT13) due to potential contamination with Salmonella: Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter (sku 97111), Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds (sku 98927), Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds (sku 94079), Organic Creamy Valencia Peanut Butter (sku 81955), Organic Crunchy Valencia Peanut Butter (sku 81953), Organic Creamy Unsalted Valencia Peanut Butter (sku 91587), and Organic Crunchy Unsalted Valencia Peanut Butter (sku 91581). This is an expansion of an earlier recall.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kraft Foods Group, Inc. recalls Kraft String Cheese – Jalapeño Variety (12 oz bag with 12 individual 1 oz snacks; Best by 23 NOV 2012; UPC 2100002977), because a thin layer of plastic film from the package may remain adhered to the product and cause a possible choking hazard. The affected product was distributed across the USA.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kellogg Company recalls Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats® Bite-Size cereal (24 oz; Lot 4/1/13KB through 9/21/13KB; UPC 38000-31834), due to possible contamination with flexible metal mesh fragments.
  • Food Safety Recall: Chattanooga Bakery, Inc. recalls additional MoonPie® Crunch Peanut Butter (Code dates 10/29/12, 12/10/12, 01/07/13 and 01/29/13), because they contain peanut butter recalled by Sunland, Inc. due to potential Salmonella contamination.
  • Food Safety Recall: Haggen Northwest Fresh and TOP Food & Drug recall All Natural Black Licorice (UPC 0-41364-08481) due to potential for elevated levels of lead.
  • Food Safety Recall: Foppen (Netherlands) recalls Foppen Norwegian Smoked Salmon Slices (12 oz) and Kirkland Signature Norwegian Imported Smoked Salmon (2 x 12 oz), due to potential contamination with Salmonella. The recalled products were manufactured in Greece by Foppen (a Dutch company) and sold at Costco.
  • Food Recall: Bi-Lo advises its customers that the manufacturer has recalled Activia Light Peach Yogurt (4 packs of 4-oz cups; UPC 0-36632-02366; Item code 268011; Lot #NOV 07 2012 MZ, NOV 09 2012 MZ and NOV 10 2012 MZ).
  • Public Health Alert Update: USDA/FSIS expands its earlier Public Health Alert to include all beef and beef products produced on August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5 by XL Foods, Inc. (Canadian Est. 038), Brooks, Alberta, Canada, because the beef may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. FSIS has not released a list of affected products, but has posted a retail distribution list.
  • Food Safety Recall / Outbreak Alert Update: Sunland, Inc. expands its earlier recall to include all products manufactured in its Peanut Butter Plant after March 1, 2010. The expanded recall covers all previously identified Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, and Tahini products as well as Roasted Blanched Peanut Products. New product categories being added to the list are several varieties of flavored butters and spreads, including Thai Ginger Butter, Chocolate Butter and Banana Butter. The expanded recall is in response to the recovery of Salmonella from an opened jar of Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Peanut Butter collected from a case-patient’s home during the ongoing investigation of a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney infections. As of October 5, 2012, a total of 35 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bredeney had been reported from 19 states.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Kasel Associated Industries (Denver, CO) recalls Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky Dog Treats (2.5 lb clear plastic bag; UPC 647263800208; Best By 091913 DEN), after FDA found Salmonella in a sample of this batch as part of a routine testing program. The recalled treats were distributed to 57 Sam’s Club locations in Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Premium Nutritional Products, Inc. recalls ZuPreem® Medium/Large and Large FruitBlend™ With Natural Fruit Flavors maintenance formula bird foods (Expiry dates 11/30/13 or 11/13; Lot #598405052 or 598405072), because the products may contain higher-than recommended levels of calcium.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Alabama Department of Public Health is investigating a Salmonella outbreak – possibly food-borne – among staff and students at Fayetteville High School. Thirty-five people are reported ill and six have been hospitalized. One clinical sample tested positive for Salmonella. Additional test results are pending.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.

Canadian Beef Recall Expands. So Does The Outbreak

Almost daily, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) releases another update to the list of recalled beef products that originated from XL Foods’ Brooks (Alberta) establishment. The agency has posted a complete list of recalled products, sorted by retailer.

Today, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that the number of confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to consumption of products from XL Foods has increased to ten people in three provinces: Alberta (7 illnesses), Newfoundland and Labrador (1 case) and Quebec (2 cases). In addition, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health is investigating 13 cases of E. coli in that province – all reported in September – to determine whether or not they are linked to the recalled meat. Saskatchewan ordinarily experiences from zero to four cases of E. coli illnesses during the month of September.

CFIA has suspended operations at XL’s Brooks facility. The recalls have been issued. But the damage already has been done. Beef from the plant was distributed all across Canada, and was exported to the USA and to Hong Kong. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Agency issued a Public Health Alert four days after the first XL-announced recall, and updated that alert a couple of times, but has NOT provided consumers with any information – beyond a list of affected retailers – on the list of products that were distributed in the USA.

On October 5th, FSIS updated its Public Health Alert to indicated that approximately 1.1 million pounds of trim and approximately 1.4 million pounds of primal and sub-primal cuts of beef from XL Foods were received by US firms. Two and a half million pounds – that’s 1,250 tons – of beef that is “floating around” in the US, with no information provided to consumers as to what meat to avoid.

The Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety posted the following notice yesterday (October 5, 2012):

Import of contaminated raw beef from a Canadian food company suspended

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (October 5) announced that as the Canadian authority found some raw beef and beef products manufactured by XL Foods Inc there contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7, the CFS would suspend import of those products produced on and after August 24 by the manufacturer concerned with immediate effect as a precaution.

The CFS was notified by the Canadian authority that the manufacturer was recalling the affected raw beef and beef products, and part of the raw beef had been imported into Hong Kong. According to CFS’ initial investigations, a small portion of the products had been distributed to some local retailers.

“The CFS has alerted the trade and instructed the importer and distributors concerned to stop selling and start recalling the products of the affected batches,” a CFS spokesman said.

Consumption of contaminated food (often raw meat or meat not thoroughly cooked and fresh agricultural produce) is the common mode of transmission for E. coli O157:H7. Pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, young children and the elderly are most at risk for developing serious complications like bloody diarrhoea.

The spokesman reminded the public not to consume hamburgers, minced beef, and other meat that are not thoroughly cooked to minimise the risk of infection by E. coli O157:H7. They should wash thoroughly and cook ground beef and hamburgers to a core temperature of 70 degrees Celsius or above for at least two minutes.

More information about how to prevent E.coli O157:H7 infection is available on CFS’ website:

www.cfs.gov.hk/english/consumer_zone/foodsafety_bh_E_Coli.html.

“We will continue liaising with the Canadian authorities and closely monitor the situation. Relevant control measures will be reviewed when further information is obtained,” the spokesman said.

There has been no indication yet of any US or Hong Kong cases of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses linked to the consumption of the XL Foods beef products.

eFoodAlert is working to update its consolidated list of beef products recalled in Canada and the USA and will continue to monitor and report on the outbreak situation. Please consult the Canada/USA Beef Recall page for more information.