Tag: Food

Recalls and Alerts: December 18, 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.

For current information on international and retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

United States

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Performance Plus Marketing, Inc. recalls Libigrow®, Libigrow XXXtreme®, Blue Diamond®, Blue Diamond Platinum®, Mojo Nights®, Mojo Nights Supreme®, and Casanova® because they contain undeclared Sulfoaildenafil and Thioaildenafil. Please refer to the recall notice for details on affected Lot Numbers. The recalled products were sold to distributors and retail stores nationwide and via the internet.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Basic Organics, Inc. (Columbus, OH) that a March-April 2012 inspection of the company’s facility revealed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for dietary supplements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Jing Sheng Company (Arcadia, CA) that a July 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and its implementing regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese Company LLC (Trumansburg, NY) that a June/July 2012 inspection of the company’s cheese processing facility found Listeria monocytogenes in environmental samples collected from multiple areas of the processing facility and from a finished product sample of Bianco Brie-style Cheese, in addition to serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for food.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Loblaw Companies Ltd. recalls President’s Choice Organics Split Green Peas (450g; Product code BB MA 2013 OC 11A; UPC 0 60383 70772 9), due to the presence of extraneous material (insect) contamination. The recalled product was distributed nationally.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Finland): Felix Abba Oy Ab recalls Felix American Dressing (240g; best before 03.26.2013, 26.04.2013 and 06.08.2013), because the product contains undeclared mustard seed.
  • Allergy Alert (UK): Musgrave GB recalls SuperValu  4 Vegetable Samosas (160g; Use by 30 December 2012), because the product contains undeclared soy. The recalled product was supplied to Budgens stores only.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): La société Tom Guyomarc’h recalls Tom Guyomarc’h Andouilles, all types (Lot 12292 and 12293; All expiry date codes), after Listeria monocytogenes was found in the product. The recalled Andouilles were sold on or after 19-10-2012 directly at the factory, and at self-serve and full-service butchers/delis, in supermarkets, and in hypermarchés in the following départmentes: Alpes-Maritimes, Côtes d’Armor, Finistère, Ille-et-Vilaine, Morbihan, Oise, and Val d’Oise. In many cases, the product no longer carries its original labeling. If in doubt, check with the place of purchase.
  • Food Safety Recall Correction (Netherlands): The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority advises consumers that oysters supplied by the firm Prince & Dingemanse are NOT contaminated with Salmonella. The earlier announced recall was the result of an error.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): The Health Protection Agency reports 337 confirmed lab findings of norovirus in the week ending December 9, 2012 and 236 for the week ending December 2, 2012. The total number of cases confirmed so farm this season is 83% higher than during the same period last season. During the two weeks ending December 16th, there were 61 hospital outbreaks reported, versus 35 outbreaks during the same period last year.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Recall (Hong Kong): GlaxoSmithKline Limited recalls all Panadol Suspension 120mg/5ml (60 ml bottles) due to an error in the Chinese translation of the labeling.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Grand Bazaar Ltd. recalls Gesas brand Tahini (18 kg buckets, 1000g plastic bottles and 600g glass jars; Exp 06.2014), after Salmonella is found in the product. The recalled tahini was sold in ethnic retail supermarkets throughout New Zealand.
  • Outbreak Alert Update (New Zealand): The New Zealand Herald reports that 20 people have been poisoned since last Wednesday by eating shellfish collected from the Bay of Plenty shoreline. Ten of the victims were admitted for hospital care; four remain in hospital. A warning was issued for this area in August 2012 and remains in effect.

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.

E. coli O157:H7 ‘Déjà Vu’ In Canada

For the second time this year, ground beef products from a Canadian meat company have been linked to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses.

Earlier today (December 17th), the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that five cases of E. coli O157:H7 – three in Ontario and two in Alberta – were “confirmed to be linked” to the strain of E. coli O157:H7 that was found in certain frozen beef burgers from Cardinal Meat Specialists.

The three male and two female outbreak victims identified so far range in age from 10 years to 59 years, and became ill between early September and late November. One person was hospitalized; all five either have recovered or are recovering. Fortunately, none of the victims developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued its first Health Hazard Alert and recall notice to the Canadian public on December 12th, and continued to update its alerts as it obtained more test results. Ten product samples, representing four production date codes, of Butcher’s Choice frozen beef burgers tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. All have been recalled.

As of December 17, 2012, the following products have been recalled as a result of this outbreak investigation:

  • Butcher’s Choice Garlic Peppercorn Beef Burgers (1.13 kg pkgs; UPC 0 60383 89363 7; All product codes); distributed nationally through Loblaw Companies Ltd. banners
  • Butcher’s Choice Hickory Barbecue Beef Burgers (1.13 kg pkgs; UPC 0 60383 89364 4; All product codes); distributed nationally through Loblaw Companies Ltd. banners
  • Cardinal brand Prime Rib Beef Burgers (1.13 kg pkgs; UPC 0 63351 01561 1; Best before code 2013 JL 31 EST 752); distributed nationally

CFIA launched its investigation of Cardinal Meat Specialists on December 5th, once the Public Health Agency of Canada established that this cluster of five illnesses was potentially linked to frozen burgers produced by that company. As of today, one production day of the recalled burgers has yielded the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7; a second production day has been confirmed to be contaminated with a different strain. Genetic profiling of the microbes recovered from the other two E. coli O157:H7-contaminated production days is still in progress.

The agency is now investigating all of the ingredients – including spices, domestic beef and beef imported from Australia and New Zealand – to determine the source of the contaminants. Depending on the results of this part of the investigation, additional products may be recalled.

Advice to Consumers

  • If you have purchased frozen beef burgers, check your freezer to determine whether your burgers have been recalled. DO NOT use a recalled product; either discard it in a secure fashion or return it to the store.
  • If you have eaten a burger – especially one that was not well done – and you think that you are experiencing symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 gastroenteritis, seek immediate medical attention. Be sure to mention the suspected connection between your symptoms and the food that you ate.
  • Always cook ground meat and meat mixtures (including burgers) to an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F). Do NOT rely on appearance (color or texture) to determine whether your meat is well done.

Recalls and Alerts: December 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.

For current information on international and retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

United States

  • Allergy Alert: Fiorucci Foods, Inc. (South Chesterfield, VA) recalls Black Bear of the Black Forest Mortadella (2 x 6-8 lb bulk deli pkgs/cs; Case code 510411; Produced Nov 10, 2012; Sell by Feb 10, 2013) and Colosseum Mortadella (2 x 5-7 lb bulk deli pkgs/cs; Case code 50405; Produced Nov 10, 2012; Sell by Feb 10, 2013), because the products contain undeclared pistachio nuts. The recalled Black Bear mortadella was shipped to retailers in New Jersey and New York; the Colosseum mortadella was shipped to distributors in Miami (FL) and Chicago (IL).
  • Allergy Alert: Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods recalls Gingerbread Man cookies (2 oz; UPC 72251591109; Code dates 11/08/2012 through 12/16/2012), because some of the products may contain undeclared milk.
  • Food Safety Recall: Ocean Beauty Seafoods LLC recalls Lascco brand Nova Salmon (4 oz pkg; UPC 0 72840 01751 7; Pack code 285; Product of Chile) and Nathan’s brand Nova Salmon (3 ox pkg; UPC 0 73030 80368 2; Pack code 285; Product of Chile), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled Nova Salmon was distributed to retailers and distribution centers in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York from 11/20/2012 through 12/12/2012.
  • Food Safety Alert/Recall: Farmstead Inc. (Providence, RI) recalls jarred vegetables (8 or 16 oz. Ball jars), including carrots, beets, eggplant, zucchini, pickles, tomato jam, meat products, including chicken liver mousse and pork rillettes (4 oz. jars), because they may have been improperly processed, making them susceptible to Clostridium botulinum contamination. Farmstead also has recalled certain soft and semi-soft cheeses, raw milk cheeses, goat cheeses, and any cheeses that are labeled “Keep Refrigerated” and were sold at room temperature in the retail store, d’Artagnan salami (labeled “Keep Refrigerated”) and Proscuitto, salamis, Liverwurst, pâtés, and other meats processed at the store, because these items were improperly stored, displayed or processed. Rhode Island Department of Health warns consumers to avoid eating any of the recalled products, as they represent a significant health hazard.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Yang Tong Trading Inc. recalls Mushroom Flavored Soybean Strips – Carbon Roasts (250g; All product codes; UPC 4 711326 290681), due to undeclared egg and milk, and recalls Mushroom Flavored Soybean Strips – Spicy (250g; All product codes; UPC 4 711326 290148), due to undeclared milk. The recalled products were sold through retailers in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Allergy Alert: Nature’s Path Foods Inc. recalls Nature’s Path Hemp Plus Granola (25 lb; BBD June 12, 2013; UPC 0 58449 88001 1), due to undeclared tree nuts. The recalled product was sold to hotels, restaurants and institutions in British Columbia and Quebec.
  • Allergy Alert: Pure Indulgent Foods Inc. (Calgary, AB) recalls all product codes of Pure Midnight Magic Chocolate Fruit & Nut Cookies (300g; UPC 8 73376 00105 2), Pure Midnight Magic Large Individual Cookie (75g; UPC 8 73376 00005 5), Pure Sweet Potato Pow! Sweet Potato Cookies (270g; UPC 8 73376 00103 8) and Pure Sweet Potato Pow! Large Individual Cookie (90g; UPC 8 73376 00003 1), because the cookies contain undeclared milk. The recalled products were distributed in Alberta and sold on the Internet via spud.ca.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Loblaw Companies Ltd. recalls Butcher’s Choice Hickory Barbecue Beef Burgers (1.13 kg; All product codes; UPC 0 60383 89364 4) and Butcher’s Choice Garlic Peppercorn Beef Burgers (1.13 kg; All product codes; UPC 0 60383 89363 7), because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall is the result of an ongoing outbreak investigation.
  • Food Safety Recall: Cardinal Meat Specialists Ltd. recall Cardinal Select brand Prime Rib Beef Burgers (1.13 kg pkgs; UPC 0 63351 01561 1; Best before 2013 JL 31; Est 752), because the product may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled product was distributed nationally.
  • Food Safety Recall: Saucisson Vaudois (Sainte-Brigide, QC) recalls all delicatessen and ready-to-eat meat products sold at Saucisson Vaudois (368, rue Principale, Sainte-Brigide), or sold elsewhere but with “C-291” indicated on the package labels, Grain Doré poultry liver mousse with Port, and Gain Doré brand poultry paté with cranberries and Port, because these products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were packaged between November 16th and December 11th, 2012.
  • Food Safety Alert: The BC Centre for Disease Control warns the public not to consume any of the following shellfish and seafood products from a private Port Hardy distributor, because of the risk of paralytic shellfish poisoning and botulism: Frozen clams (butter clams and possibly others) in small and large Ziploc bags, Jarred clams (butter clams and possibly others) in 500 ml and 1000ml jars, Frozen BBQ salmon, Canned salmon pieces in clam juice, and any other similar products. The products were sold online and through a Buy and Sell ad on http://www.buyselltrade.ca, and may also have been distributed throughout British Columbia through other mechanisms.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Denmark): Tulip Food Company A/S recalls The Green Butcher Bacon Paté (Produced 03.12.2012; Best before 02.01.2013), because the product contains undeclared gluten and milk protein.
  • Allergy Alert (UK): Natoora Ltd. recalls Freshly Sliced Italian Mortadella Sausage (100g; Batch code 351; Use by 23 December 2012), because it contains undeclared pistachio nuts.
  • Allergy Alert (UK): Tesco recalls Tesco Finest Belgian Chocolate Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Ice Cream (500 ml; ‘Display until’ end July 2013; Best before end October 2013), because packaging error has resulted in a batch of this product being incorrectly filled with Orange Blossom Honey and Almond ice cream. Individuals who are allergic or sensitive to almonds should not eat this product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Univeg Belgium recalls Verse Salade Snack Frais / Ham-Jambon Salad bowl (300g; Expiry dates 16/12, 17/12, 18/12, 19/12, 20/12), because the ham may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was sold at Colruyt.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Colruyt recalls Colruyt brand frozen white (breast) chicken (2.5 kg; Lots #0427800320024, 0427800305025, 0427800300025, 0427800283021, 0427800277021), due to traces of a coccidiostatic agent.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Carrefour recalls Carrefour brand Salad Bowl Craq Craq, containing cucumber, tomato and ham (Best before 15/12/12 to 19/12/12), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Spar recalls Fresh Selection / Ham Jambon Bowl (300g; Item #741205; Expiry 13/12, 15/12, 16/12, 17/12, 18/12, 19/12/2012) because the ham may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Food Safety Withdrawal (UK): Asda, The Co-operative and WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC withdraw ASDA Smart Price Mild White Cheddar (385g; Best before 7 February 2013, 8 February 2013, 12 February 2013, 13 February 2013, 16 February 2013, 21 February 2013), ADSA Smart Price Red Leicester (385g; Best before 7 January 2013, 8 January 2013, 9 January 2013, 23 January 2013, 24 January 2013, 25 January 2013), The Co-operative British Mild White Cheddar (250g; Best before 28 January 2013), The Co-operative Value Red Leicester (Best before 26 January 2013), Morrisons M Savers Mild White Cheddar (350g; Use by 21 January 2013, 25 January 2013, 31 January 2013, 3 February 2013, 7 February 2013), Morrisons M Savers Mild White Cheddar (700g; Use by 22 January 2013, 30 January 2013, 4 February 2013), Morrisons M Savers Grated Mild White Cheddar (500g; Use by 10 January 2013, 12 January 2013, 15 January 2013, 21 January 2013), and Morrisons M Savers 10 Mild White Cheddar Cheese Slices (240g; Use by 5 January 2013, 9 January 2013, 11 January 2013, 14 January 2013, 23 January 2013), because the cheeses may be contaminated with small pieces of metal.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1734): Foreign body (mineral particles) in vegetable sauce from Poland; distributed to the Czech Republic.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1735): Salmonella in pork from Denmark; distributed to Sweden.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1736): Methidathion in pomelos from China, via Germany; distributed to Slovakia.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1737): Salmonella in frozen poultry from Brazil; distributed to Spain.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1738): Mold infestation in melomakarona from Greece; distributed to Cyprus and Greece.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1739): Cronobacter sakazakii in infant food from the Netherlands; distributed to the Netherlands and Poland.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health warns the public not to buy or consume the oral product Jin Tan 1-Ching-Sung Laxative Tablets, as the product may contain the banned Western drug known as diacetyldiphenolisatin or oxyphenisatin.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert (New Zealand): The New Zealand Herald reports that at least seven people have developed toxic shellfish poisoning in recent days after eating shellfish from the Bay of Plenty. The shellfish were collected from the coastline between Mount Maunganui and Papamoa. The area’s Medical Officer of Health reminds the public that the health warning due to shellfish toxins along this coastline was still in place.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert (Chile): ABC News reports that more than 200 people were treated for food poisoning in Chile after eating hot dogs at a family benefit outing in San Jose de Maipo, southeast of Santiago.

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.