Tag: Health

Recalls and Alerts: December 27, 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: Multiexport Foods, Inc. (Miami, FL) recalls Twin Pack Cold Smoked Salmon (12 oz pkgs; Lot-Sublot-Batch Nos. 931-59733-2, 933-59753-1, 933-59754-2, 875-701413-1 & 890-701413-1) and Paramount Reserve Cold Smoked Salmon (1.25 lb pack; Lot-Sublot-Batch Nos. 870-701342-1, 873-701342-1, 870-701344-1, 873-701360-1, 870-701364-1, 873-701364-1, 900-701344-1, 873-701344-1, 873-701360-1, 886-701413-1, 900-701413-1, 873-701344-1 & 870-701360-1), because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were distributed between November 12th to December 21, 2012 to retail outlets (Sam’s Club) that could be in the following states Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,  Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Montana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia. The recall was initiated after a recent routine lab test that carried out on a shipment that was not distributed showed that the finished product contained Listeria monocytogenes. The company is recalling all related product that may potentially be affected.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Scotland, UK): Argyll Smokery recalls Argyll Smokery Smoked Prawns (125g; Batch code 5P1212; Use by 2 January 2013), due to a risk of Clostridium botulinum. Testing on a sample found that the salt level within the product is below the level needed to prevent growth of Clostridium botulinum.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (Taiwan): The China Post reports that Taiwan’s customs officers seized and destroyed more than 2 tons of Chinese mitten crabs, because the crabs were found to contain the toxic chemical leucomalachite green.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Australia): The outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium Phage Type 3 has grown to 39 cases – including 31 confirmed cases – from six states and territories. Case patients range in age from 3 to 76 years; seven have been hospitalized. The most recent patient reported becoming ill on October 20, 2012. The outbreak was linked to consumption of raw almonds; the implicated almonds were recalled in October.

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: December 26, 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: Haig’s Delicacies (Hayward, CA) recalls Tzatziki (8 oz retail containers & 5-lb bulk foodservice cases) due to undeclared milk, Falafel (5 oz rectangular deli containers & 5-lb bulk foodservice cases) due to undeclared wheat, Spanakopita (bulk foodservice containers) due to undeclared wheat, milk and eggs, and Tyropita (bulk foodservice containers) due to undeclared wheat, milk and eggs. The recalled products were sold nationwide.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sales USA, Inc. (Gladewater, TX) that an August 2012 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility revealed serious violations of the juice Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for food.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Seapak O.C.I. (Masset, Canada) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Koon Cheong Lung (Panyu, China) that a July 2012 inspection of the company’s food manufacturing facility found serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) Regulation for foods and the Seafood HACCP Regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Ocean Pier, Inc. (Scoudouc, New Brunswick, Canada) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns All American Trading of Houston, Inc. (Houston, TX) that a September 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood distribution establishment found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sterling USA Neutraceutical Lab, LLC (Glendale, CA) that a May 2012 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement manufacturing facility found significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns GM Manufacturing, Inc. (Gardena, CA) that a January-February 2012 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement manufacturing facility found significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for dietary supplements.

Canada

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Switzerland): Coop recalls Bio Nussbrot/Organic Nut Bread (400g; Product code 7610846856667), Bio Buurebrot/Organic Buurebrot (450g; Product code 7611654685142) and St. Gallen halbweiss/St. Gallen Half white (500g; Product code 7610800647119), because the breads may contain very small aluminum particles. The affected loaves of bread were sold before 10:00 am on December 21, 2012 in affected Coop stores in Northwest Switzerland (Aargau, Basel-Land, Basel-Stadt and Solothum).

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Taiwan): The China Post reports that health experts have recorded an unusually high number of norovirus-related diarrhea cases so far this winter. The tally of 10,108 reports of watery diarrhea at emergency departments last week was a five-year high.
  • Food Safety Enforcement (Abu Dhabi): The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority has closed down the Musaffah Electrical Bakery (License No. 1038138) due to repeated non-compliance with food safety rules and regulations.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Australia): GlaxoSmithKline and Alphapharm recall Ventolin Inhalers (Batch Numbers KN7170, KN7173, KN7178, and KN7179) and Asmol Inhalers (Batch Numbers KL6790, KL6795, KL6796, KL6797, KL6798, and KL6799) due to a fault in the delivery mechanism of a small number of inhalers that can lead to less than a full dose being delivered for each puff. The inhalers are used to treat asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. To find the batch number of your inhaler, remove the canister from the coloured tube and read the bottom of the canister label.

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: December 24, 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: Stehouwer’s Frozen Foods (Grand Rapids, MI) recalls Stehouwer’s Pigs in the Blanket (12 x 18-oz pkgs per case; Produced Sept. 27, 2012, October 25, 2012 and Dec. 13, 2012; Use by date Sept 27, 2013, Oct. 25, 2013 and Dec 13, 2013) and Stehouwer’s Pigs in the Blanket “FOR INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY” (5-lb bulk pkgs; Produced Oct 25, 2012; Use by date 102513), due to the presence of undeclared milk.
  • Allergy Alert: Wayne Farms (Decatur, AL) recalls GFS® Honey BBQ Flavored Chicken Wings (4 x 4-lb bags/case; Est P-33885; Case code 572160; Production date 11/28/12), due to the presence of undeclared egg. The recalled products were shipped to a foodservice distribution center in Kentucky for distribution at the retail level in Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports widespread gastrointestinal illness due to norovirus throughout Colorado, including in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, schools and child care centers.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: Charcuterie Transilvania (Laval, QC) recalls Saucisse ardelenesc (All products sold since December 12, 2012), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was sold only at Charcuterie Transilvania, 806 boulevard Curé-Labelle, Laval, QC.
  • Outbreak Alert: Maltese Grocery (Thunder Bay, ON) has shut down its catering operations temporarily after 85 people developed norovirus gastroenteritis as a result of eating food at three events catered by the company, according to a CBC report.
  • Outbreak Alert: CBC reports that health officials in southwestern Alberta are investigating an outbreak of more than 30 Salmonella infections, mostly in rural areas. Many of the infections are secondary – spread by household contact.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Unilever Benelux recalls Unox Beef Ragout (Bar code 8712566235735; Expiry date 15/09/17) because the cans may have been filled with goulash soup and thus contain undeclared mustard.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Food Safety Recall (Israel): Foodlee Sauces Food Products Ltd. recalls Soy Sauce (750g bottle; sell by date 10/19/2013), Sweet Soy Sauce (720g bottle; sell by date 10/19/2013) and Teriyaki Sauce (720g bottle; sell by date 10/19/2013), due to a failure on the fill lines that could affect product safety.
  • Outbreak Alert (Japan): The Japan Times reports that six patients have died of norovirus gastroenteritis during an outbreak at Shunkokaihigashi Hospital in Nichinan, Miyazaki Prefecture. In all, 44 patients and staff developed symptoms of gastroenteritis. Separately, 1,184 individuals at 372 companies based in Yamanashi developed food poisoning after they ate boxed lunches bought from the Runrun Lunch catering service.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert (Australia): Health officials in several states are investigating an outbreak cluster of eight confirmed cases of Listeria monocytogenes that have been linked to consumption of Jindi and Wattle Valley brand brie and camembert cheeses. An additional three suspect cases may also be linked to the contaminated cheese. Illnesses have been reported in Queensland (1), Tasmania (1), Western Australia (1), Victoria (2) and New South Wales (3). Cheeses implicated in the illnesses were recalled on December 19, 2012.

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.