Tag: Food

New Food Classics Goes Bankrupt, Then Recalls Beef

New Food Classics applied for bankruptcy protection on January 17, 2012. The ground beef producer and its associated companies are in liquidation.

On February 15th (according to a report filed with the Court), the company learned that a case of E. coli O157:H7 illness had been linked to the consumption of frozen hamburger manufactured in October 2011 at New Food Classics’ production facility (Establishment Registration Number 761, based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). Three days later, the company recalled 3,800 cases of frozen hamburger products. On February 22nd, the company and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that another 767 cases of product had been added to the recall list.

Since then, Canadians have been subjected to a continuing trickle of additional recall notices and Health Hazard Alerts. These culminated yesterday (March 17th) in an announcement that the earlier public warnings were now extended to all ground beef products manufactured at Establishment 761 from July 1, 2011 to February 15, 2012. This represents approximately 1.25 million cases of ground beef products (the company produced some 2 million cases annually, according to the bankruptcy filing).

There is still only one reported illness associated with the consumption of these recalled beef burgers; however, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has not yet finished querying the various Provinces and Territories. So far, neither PHAC nor CFIA have responded to my email requests for additional information on the illness investigations.

The company’s Saskatoon facility (Establishment 761) is now described as “Temporarily Inactive” on the CFIA List of Federally Registered Meat Establishments. It had been operating under a number of different business names, including: New Food Classics, The Foodservice Company, Over The Edge, Grillhouse, BBQ Perfect, Ground & Browned, Bento, Oven Perfect, Absolute Favourites, Micro Perfect, Canadian Gourmet, Pubpan, Mastercut, Super Club and Recipe Ready.

CFIA has not yet released a complete list of brand names, package sizes and formats covered by its most recent Health Hazard Alert, but will do so as the information becomes available. In the interim, the agency has released the following product description:

The affected products can be identified by the Establishment number that appears on the packages, cartons or cases. The products made at this facility bear Establishment number (EST) 761.

The affected products involved in this recall may be identified by one of the following codes:

  • bearing a Best Before date from BB 2012 JA 01 up to and including to BB 2013 FE 15;
  • bearing a production code with a format of 11 JL 01 up to and including 12 FE 15;
  • bearing a 5 digit lot code where the last four digits are 1831 or greater.

We will be updating product description information as it becomes available.

These products have been distributed nationally to retail stores, restaurants and institutional establishments.

You can find more information – including retail distribution details – on all of the items recalled prior to CFIA’s March 17th Expanded Health Hazard Alert by clicking on the E. coli O157:H7 Beef Recall – Canada tab at the top of the page.

Recalls and Alerts: March 17, 2012

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: LSG Sky Chefs (San Jose, CA) recalls 7-Eleven Fresh to Go Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap (8″ x 4.5″ x 2.5″ pkgs; Est. P-44745; Freshest Before dates of 3/15/2012 through 3/18/2012), due to the presence of undeclared egg. The recalled sandwiches were distributed to 7-Eleven stores in Northern California.
  • Allergy Alert: Troyer Cheese, Inc. recalls Backroad Country Caramel Puffcorn, 8 oz bags (UPC 0 49646 90176 0; Sell by date/Lot codes 03/07/12 C1P16, 03/21/12 B2Y16 , 05/16/12 B1X16, 05/30/12 B1X16, and 06/13/12 A3K16) and Backroad Country Caramel Puffcorn, 16 oz bags (UPC 0 49646 90157 6; Sell by date/Lot codes 03/07/12 C1P16, 03/21/12 B2Y16, 05/16/12 B1X16, 05/30/12 B1X16, 06/13/12 A2R16, and 06/13/12 A3K16), because the products may contain undeclared milk. The recalled products were distributed between 1/06/2012 and 03/12/2012 through mail orders and in retail stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Wegmans advises its customers that Medtech Products Inc. (part of Prestige Brands, Inc.) has recalled PediaCare Infants Fever Reducer Pain Reliever, cherry (1 fl oz; UPC 8-14832-01094; All lot codes), because the acetaminophen in the product may separate from the liquid and sink to the bottom of the bottle, resulting in an unreliable dosage of acetaminophen.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: AllJuice International Inc. (Thornhill, ON) recalls Aljuice Key Lime Fruit Beverage (Code beginning with BB 2014 JUN 15), Aljuice Strawberry Kiwi Fruit Beverage (Code beginning with BB 2014 JUN 16), Aljuice Cranberry-Raspberry Cocktail Fruit Beverage (Code beginning with BB 2014 JUN 16), Aljuice Mango Fruit Beverage (Code beginning with BB 2014 JUN 16) and St. Maarten Mangos & Carrots Fruit Beverage (Code beginning with BB 2014 JUN 16), because the products may contain harmful glass fragments. The recalled beverages were distributed in Ontario.
  • Food Safety Alert/Outbreak Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded its earlier warnings and now warns the public not to consume any ground beef products from Establishment 761 that were manufactured between July 1, 2011 and February 15, 2012, because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The affected products may bear a Best before date from BB 2012 JA 01 up to and including BB 2013 FE 15, bear a production code with a format of 11 JL 01 up to and including 12 FE 15, or bear a 5-digit lot code where the last four digits are 1831 or greater. The products have been distributed nationally to retail stores, restaurants and institutional establishments. There has been one reported illness associated with the consumption of these products.

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: March 16, 2012

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 Update: USDA releases updated retail distribution list for various meat and poultry products recalled on February 15, 2012 by AA Meat Products Corporation that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Franck’s Compounding Lab (Ocala, FL) recalls Brilliant Blue G (All lot codes) after receiving reports that some patients treated with the product have experienced fungal infections in the eye. Physicians are instructed to return any remaining product to Franck’s.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Canadian Food Inspection Agency announces the recall of Koh-Kae brand Peanuts Shrimp Flavour Coated snack product (230g pkgs; UPC 8 852023 665481; All lot codes), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled product was sold in Ontario and Quebec, and may have been distributed nationally.
  • Allergy Alert: Orque Tradevelop Corporation recalls Cup Star Shoyu (71g; UPC 4 901734 014676), due to the presence of undeclared crustacean/shellfish. The recalled product was distributed in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: Whole Foods Market advises its customers that Dion brand Organic Curry Powder (36g; UPC 6 20383 02007 7; Lot 02B12G & 12A05G), which was recalled by G. Dion Foods due to potential contamination with Salmonella, was sold in Canadian Whole Foods Market stores.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Naturadif Inc. (Montreal, QC) recalls HD Life Style Hairspray Extreme hairsprays (500mL black aerosol container; Manufactured in Italy by Farmavita), because the product contains methylene chloride, which is banned as an ingredient in pressurized products. The recalled product was sold at salons in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Outbreak Alert (Ontario): Ottawa Public Health reports an outbreak of Salmonella illnesses that has affected 27 people, including 23 children aged 15 months to 14 years. Six schools and daycare facilities have reported at least one confirmed case. Three of the outbreak victims were hospitalized, but have been released.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Goodman Fielder New Zealand Ltd. recalls Deli Kitchen Classic Ham & Mustard Sandwich (155g; Use by 17/03/12 and 18/03/12) and Deli Kitchen Classic Ham & Mayo Sandwich (155g; Use by 17/03/12 and 18/03/12), due to the possible presence of plastic in the sandwiches. The recalled products were sold in service stations, some corner stores, some mini-marts and some supermarkets throughout New Zealand.

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.