Tag: Health

114 Tons Of Spinach Recalled By Stealth

Thanks to FDA’s weekly Enforcement Report summary, another stealth recall has just seen the light of day.

Leading the list of Class 1 Food recalls in the Enforcement Report for February 8, 2012 is the following item:

PRODUCT
Robert’s S 1 cut leaf spinach; “Curly” spinach. There is no specific type of labeling on the 30 lb totes, except a small sticker label identifying the “pup” container which identifies the harvest date and the field. Field: Robert’s S 1. Harvest Date City: Uvalde, Texas. Farmer: Jimmy Crawford. Pup container #s: “11-21 2011 TIRO TRES FARMS Roberts S1”, “11-22 2011 TIRO TRES FARMS Roberts S1”, “11-23 2011 TIRO TRES FARMS Roberts S1”, “11-25 2011 TIRO TRES FARMS Roberts S1”, “11-28 2011 TIRO TRES FARMS Roberts S1”, “11-29 2011 TIRO TRES FARMS Roberts S1”. Recall # F-0643-2012

CODE
a) 11/28/2011;.11-21 2011; 11-22 2011; 11-23 2011; 11-25 2011; 11-28 2011; 11-29 2011

RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER
Tiro Tres Farms, Eagle Pass, TX, by letters on December 31, 2011. Firm initiated recall is ongoing.

REASON
Product tested positive for E-coli O157:H7.

VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE
228,360 lbs

DISTRIBUTION
CO, KY, MA, PA, and Ontario and Quebec, Canada

If this recall had been publicized – WHICH IT WAS NOT – the news release might have read, “Tiro Tres Farms (Eagle Pass, TX) voluntarily recalls 228,360 pounds of Robert’s S 1 Cut Leaf “Curly” Spinach, due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The spinach was packed in 30-lb totes, bearing harvest dates of 11/28/2011, 11-21 2011; 11-22 2011, 11-23 2011, 11-25 2011, 11-28 2011 or 11-29 2011 and was distributed in Colorado, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. In addition, some of the spinach was shipped to Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The recall was initiated after a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.”

Neither FDA nor Canada’s CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) carried a notice of this recall.

This recall was initiated by Tiro Tres Farms and announced – ONLY by letters to the company’s customers – on December 31, 2011. The recall is ongoing, and there is no indication in the Enforcement Report whether the spinach was sold by retailers, or how much of the product was actually recovered. By now, of course, the recalled spinach has expired.

As far as I can tell, there were no illnesses associated with the recalled spinach.

I realize that not all recalls are created equal, and that not all recalls require public notification. But I cannot understand the rationale behind NOT publicizing a Class I Hazard recall of a ready-to-eat item of produce that may be contaminated with a potentially lethal pathogen.

Would anyone care to explain this to me?

Recalls and Alerts: February 8, 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: Grand Strand Sandwich Company (Longs, SC) recalls Grand Strand Sandwich (4.5 oz; Sell by 02/24/12 and 02/29/12), Country Harvest Chicken Salad Sandwich (5 oz; Sell by 02/23/12), and Lunchbox Chicken Salad Sandwich (4.5 oz; Sell by 02/24/12), because the sandwiches may contain eggs that were recalled by Michael Foods due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled sandwiches were sold in convenience stores in the southeastern USA.
  • Outbreak Alert: An outbreak of vomiting and diarrhea has struck attendees of a cheerleading competition in Everett, WA. Onset of symptoms began on February 5th and 6th; the total number of outbreak victims and the cause and source of the illnesses are unknown. Sample testing and epidemiological investigations are in progress.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: The outbreak of Campylobacter infections linked to consumption of raw milk from The Family Cow dairy farm in Chambersburg, PA has grown to 43 cases in four states: Pennsylvania (36), Maryland (4), West Virginia (2) and New Jersey (1). The farm has been cleared to resume production and bottling of raw milk after passing a final inspection earlier this week.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns people who are allergic to egg, milk and wheat not to consume Bin Bin brand Spicy Snow Rice Crackers (145g; All lot/date codes; UPC 8 852098 703163), because the crackers contain undeclared egg, milk and wheat. The recalled product was distributed nationally, and is being recalled by its Canadian importers.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Virani Food Products withdraws Virani Gram Flour, labelled as gluten free (2kg; Best before July 2013; Batch code BBE July 2013 010), because the product contains levels of gluten above the limits for foods labelled as gluten free.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Delhaize Belgique recalls Delhaize Ground Nutmeg (40g; Lot P017269; Expiration date 11/2014), due to the presence of aflatoxin B1 that is slightly in excess of legal limits.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (France): Laboratoire MSD France recalls Diprostene injectable suspension in pre-filled syringe (Lot 1011 and 1016; Expiry 12/2012 and 04/2013, respectively), due to impurities originating from the piston in a syringe in one of the recalled production lots.
  • Outbreak Alert (UK): Europe’s cold snap is blamed for a spike in the incidence of norovirus outbreaks in the UK. Outbreaks of gastroenteritis have been reported in 34 hospitals – confirmed to be norovirus in 19 outbreaks – and wards have closed in 23 hospitals due to the outbreaks.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0192): Mercury in smoked swordfish carpaccio from Italy; distributed to Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0198): Salmonella in bone and meat meal from Sweden; distributed to Italy.
  • Allergy Alert Safety Notification (EU #2012.0199): Undeclared hazelnut in hot chocolate mix with marshmallows from Hungary, with raw material from the Netherlands; distributed to Germany, Hungary and Malta.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0200): Oxamyl in courgettes from Spain; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0202): Foreign body in parboiled long grain rice from Thailand; distributed to Malta.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0203): Listeria monocytogenes in paté from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and the Netherlands.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Universal Pharmaceutical Laboratories Limited recalls Uni-Betasone 0.1% Cream (All batches) after Department of Health lab analysis found the cream to contain 1.2mg/g of betamethasone instead of just 1.0 mg/g.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert (Chile): An outbreak of listeriosis has affected at least 24 people so far during 2012 in the region of Valparaiso. Health authorities are inspecting restaurants in the area and examining food served in those restaurants for the presence of Listeria.

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: February 7, 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: Bost Distributing Company, dba Harold Food Company (Bear Creek, NC) recalls Harold Food Co. Grand Strand Deluxe Chicken Salad (30-lb boxes; Sell by 2/15/2012; Est No. P-20479), because the products contain hard-cooked eggs that were recalled by Michael Foods Inc. due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for Cobb and spinach salads that were recalled by F&S Produce Company Inc. due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Conservas La Torre S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) that an August 2011 inspection of the company’s acidified foods facility revealed serious deviations from the acidified food regulation (21 CFR Part 114) and emergency permit control regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Ocean Food Company Ltd. (Toronto, Canada) that an evaluation of the company’s two submitted HACCP plans and the additional supporting documentation revealed serious deviations from the requirements of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Seattle Roll Bakery (Seattle, WA) that an August 2011 inspection of the company’s bakery revealed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Visoy Food, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) that an October/November 2011 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility revealed serious violations of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 110 (21 CFR 110), the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Frog Island Seafood Inc. (Barco, NC) that environmental samples analyzed as part of an August 2011 inspection of the company’s food manufacturing facility revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the facility, including on food-contact surfaces. In addition, the inspection significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sam’s Marketing Inc. dba CoCo’s Fish Market (Honolulu, HI) that a March/April 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Inter-Fret Importers recalls Hafiz Habib-Ur-Rehman brand Kafiz Ka Multani Sohan Halwa (500g; square and circular containers; No lot/date codes), due to the presence of undeclared tree nuts. The recalled products were distributed in Ontario.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: New Middleast Supermarket (1755 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON) recalls Finely ground beef used for making Kebbeh (served from the fresh meat counter in plastic bags wrapped with paper; variable weight packaging), because the product may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. One confirmed illness has been associated with the consumption of this product. The recalled finely ground beef was sold on December 28th and 29th from the New Middleast Supermarket, 1755 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Natco Foods Limited withdraws Gluten Free Gram Flour (2kg; Best before October 2012; Batch code 110420 BN0509), due to the presence of elevated levels of gluten in the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): ISFI recalls Ground Nutmeg (500g; Lot #PO18793 and PO17301; Use by 12/2015 and 11/2015, respectively), due to levels of aflatoxin B1 that are slightly in excess of allowable limits.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Hilton Foods Denmark recalls Minced pork/veal, 8-12% (500g pkgs; Batch #400246504A; Produced 24.01.2012; Best before 31.01.2012), because Salmonella was detected in a sample of the product.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Spain): Kern Pharma, S.L. recalls Inzitan, 6 ampoules (Lot #E003; Expiry March 2013), due to the presence of glass particles in an ampoule.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Spain): Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals S.L. recalls Hidrocloruro de Bendamustina, 2.5 mg/ml concentrated powder for perfusion solutions (Investigational medicine; Lot #1010035; Expiry 31/10/2013), due to the presence of glass particles in several vials.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0190): Aflatoxins in ground nutmeg from Germany; distributed to Belgium and France.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0191): Inadequate vacuum packaging of Ardennes pate from Belgium; distributed to the United Kingdom.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0193): Salmonella Livingstone in meat and bone meal from France; distributed to Italy.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0194): Insect (larvae and beetles) infestation of dog food from Sweden; distributed to Iceland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0195): Unauthorized Rhodamine B in Indian sweet mix from Italy; distributed to Austria.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0196): Salmonella Tennessee in organic soybean expeller from India, via Canada; distributed to Sweden.

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.