Tag: Health

Recalls and Alerts: November 13, 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 retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

For current information on retail distribution of beef products containing Canadian beef recalled due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination please consult the Canada/USA Beef Recall tab.

United States

  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns National Food and Beverage, Inc. (Dallas, TX) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s facility revealed serious violations of the regulations for acidified foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns I. Shay Cosmetics, Inc. (Gardena, CA) that a February 2012 inspection of the company’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility found significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for Finished Pharmaceuticals.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Young Ocean, Inc. (Kent, WA) that an April-May 2012 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Greencore USA, LLC (Byfield, MA) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s ready-to-eat sandwich manufacturing facility, located in Newburyport, MA, revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in multiple areas of the production environment, including on food contact surfaces where seafood sandwiches were being prepared.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Hohberg Poultry Ranches (Ontario, CA) that  inspections carried out at the company’s shell egg production facilities in Ontario (Chino Avenue & S. Grove Avenue) and Fontana (Santa Ana Avenue) found serious violations of the Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in Shell During Production, Storage, and Transportation regulation.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): Harrods recalls Leonidas Fresh Belgian Chocolates in Gold Paper Wrapped Box and Gold Ribbon (227g, 454g and 680g; Bset before 3 December 2012) and Leonidas Fresh Belgian Chocolates in Halloween Orange Wrapped Box, Black Ribbon and Small Plastic Pumpkin (227g and 454g; Best before 20 December 2012), because the products contain undeclared wheat (gluten), nuts, milk and egg.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Deutsche See GmbH (Bremerhaven) recalls Red Snapper (from the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka), due to the presence of ciguatera toxin, a naturally occurring marine biotoxin. The company has learned of 6 to 8 illnesses that may be associated with consumption of the recalled Red Snapper.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Goodman Fielder recalls White Wings Creamies Raspberry Jam and Whipped Cream, White Wings Creamies Whipped Passionfruit Cream, White Wings Creamies Whipped Chocolate Cream, and White Wings Creamies Lemon and Whipped Cream biscuits, because of potential foreign matter (plastic) contamination due to a packaging fault. The recalled biscuits are sold in 200g packages (tan-coloured wrapper), are identified with Best Before dates between 01/11/2012 and 29/06/2013, and were distributed nationally at Woolworths, Coles, Spar, IGA and other independent supermarkets.

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.

Tardy Testing Endangers Consumers

Once upon a time, a routine E. coli O157:H7 presence/absence test required at least two days to complete.

Once upon a time, a routine Salmonella presence/absence test took at least four days to complete.

Once upon a time, a routine Listeria monocytogenes presence/absence test required at least four days.

Today, all of these analyses can be performed in 24 hours or less, using recognized, readily available rapid test kits.

So, why are we still seeing recall notices that state “…the bacterium was discovered during routine sampling?“

On August 22, 2012, Spence & Co. Ltd. (Brockton, MA) recalled approximately 635 pounds of Wellsley Farms brand Nova Lox and Smoked Salmon Trim. The recall was initiated after routine sampling detected Listeria monocytogenes in the product. The products already were in circulation for two months at the time of the recall. No illnesses were reported, according to the recall notice.

Did the company learn from this? You can bet your life it did NOT! On November 9, 2012, Spence issued a second recall notice, this time for approximately 390 pounds of New York Style Nova Lox that were distributed – you guessed it – more than one month earlier. This time, Spence’s Lox may be responsible for two cases of listeriosis.

With affordable rapid testing kits readily available, there is no justification for releasing untested products – even highly perishable products – into the retail marketplace.

I am the first to acknowledge that finished product testing isn’t foolproof. A proper microbiological testing program must include ingredient testing and environmental monitoring in addition to finished product tests. Nevertheless, the retail distribution of a product without any testing whatsoever is unconscionable, especially when that same product already has a history of Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Consumers have every right to expect that the food they purchase has been processed and handled in a safe manner – and that manufacturers have taken every reasonable precaution to ensure that this is so.

It’s time to make “test and hold” a standard food industry practice.

Recalls and Alerts: November 12, 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 retail distribution of peanut butter products recalled due to Salmonella Bredeney, please consult the Trader Joe’s/Sunland Peanut Butter Recalls tab.

For current information on retail distribution of beef products containing Canadian beef recalled due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination please consult the Canada/USA Beef Recall tab.

United States

  • Allergy Alert: Jimmy Dean® recalls Jimmy Dean French Toast & Sausage Sandwich butcher-wrapped food service product (Code 12292P1; UPC 5450051434), because the product may contain undeclared egg and soy. The recalled product was distributed in Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
  • Allergy Alert: Frito-Lay recalls GRANDMA’S Peanut Butter Sandwich Crème Cookies (3.025 oz pkgs; Sell by March 12, 2013 or earlier; UPC 28400-00153) and GRANDMA’s Peanut Butter Mini Sandwich Crème Sandwich Cookies (1.71 oz pkgs; Sell by May 21, 2013 or earlier; UPC 28400-00901), due to the presence of undeclared milk and egg.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Spence & Co. Ltd. (Brockton, MA) recalls New York Style Nova Lox (Lot code 9720704), because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Two possible product-related illnesses have been reported. The recalled product was distributed through distributors in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Massachusetts and the Detroit (MI) area between 9.26.12 and 10.5.12, and also was distributed to the follwoing stores: Earthfare (AL, NC, GA, SC, TN, FL & OH between 9.28.12 and 10.5.12), Shaws Supermarkets (New England, on 9.28.12; expiration date 10.21.12), Roche Bros. (Massachusetts on 9.26.12; Expiration date 10.19.12), and Fresh Markets (FL, GA, KY, IL, AL, AZ, OH, TN, SC, VA, IN, MI, OK & KS).
  • Food Safety Recall: Black Earth Meat Market Inc. (Black Earth, WI) recalls Black Earth Meats Natural Beef Tongues and Black Earth Meats Local Beef Tongues (Various size cases; Est 34379; produced on October 8, 11, 17 and 18, 2012), because the tonsils may not have been removed completely. The recalled product was supplied to a restaurant in Wisconsin and a distributor in Illinois.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Public health investigators from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services have determined that the petting zoo at the Cleveland County Fair was the initial source of exposure to E. coli that resulted in 106 illnesses and one death. Weather may have played a role in spreading the contamination to the area surrounding the petting zoo exhibit. One child died, and 105 other children and adults became ill as a result of the contamination at the petting zoo.
  • Food Safety Recall: Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese (Austin, KY) recalls several cheese products after routine testing finds Listeria monocytogenes in some samples: Colby, Colby Cheese (8oz, 5 lb, 10 lb, or 25 lb block, vacuum packed, Lot # 120724), Chipotle Colby, Flavored Colby Cheese (8 oz, 5 lb, 10 lb, or 25 lb block, vacuum packed, Lot #120711), Monterey Jack, Jack Cheese (8 oz, 5 lb, 10 lb, or 25 lb block, vacuum packed, Lot # 120719), and Mild Cheddar, Cheddar Cheese (8 oz, 5 lb, 10 lb, or 25 lb block, vacuum packed Lot # 120625). The recalled cheeses were distributed or sold beginning on September 20th, 2012 to locations in Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia to distributors, restaurants and farmer’s markets.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection has received reports of 25 additional cases of food poisoning associated with a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui. Thirty-seven people have been affected so far. All are in stable condition.

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.