Tag: Health

US Mango Outbreak Toll 103. Splendid Recalls Daniella Mangos

More than 100 people in 16 US states have been infected with a strain of Salmonella Braenderup that also has sickened 21 people in Western Canada, according to today’s report from CDC.

All of the reported illnesses occurred since July 1, 2012. Twenty-five of the 103 confirmed case-patients were hospitalized. Most of the reported cases (78 out of 103) were from California.

CDC has not listed the states that reported outbreak cases; however, eFoodAlert has learned that Oregon (1 case), Washington (6 cases), New York (3 cases) and Texas (2 cases) are impacted by this outbreak.

Illness onset dates range from July 3rd to August 11th. Slightly more than one-half (55%) of the victims are female; outbreak victims range in age from less than 1 year old to 86 years old.

Approximately 70% of the outbreak victims who were interviewed reported consuming mangos in the week before becoming ill. Many of the California victims – approximately 80% of whom are Hispanic – reported purchasing mangos from Hispanic markets or grocery stores. The specific type and source of mangos that might be linked to the illnesses is still being investigated.

Even though US federal and state agencies have not reached any conclusions as to the brand or source of mangos behind this outbreak, produce distributor Splendid Products (Burlingame, CA) is recalling Daniella brand mangos (Product of Mexico; sold as individual fruit; labeled with Daniella brand sticker and PLU #3114, 4051, 4311, 4584 or 4959). According to Splendid, the mangos were sold at various retail stores throughout the U.S. between July 12 and August 29, 2012.

A few retailers already have posted recall notices on their web pages, and Costco has been notifying by telephone its customers who purchased these mangos. A list of retailers who are recalling the Daniella mangos is available through the Salmonella Braenderup – Mango tab at the top of the page.

Advice to Consumers

In the absence of specific advice from either CDC or FDA, the following advice is included in the Splendid Products recall notice:

Those who have bought the recalled mangoes are advised not to eat them and to discard them. If there is no identifying sticker on the mango, consider discarding or returning the product to the place of purchase.

The Public Health Agency of Canada offers the following recommendation:

Check to see if you have any of the recalled mangoes in your home. If you have mangoes, but aren’t certain if they are part of the recall, check with the store where they were purchased.

If you have the product, do not eat it. Secure it in a plastic bag and throw it out. Then wash your hands thoroughly in warm soapy water.

Recalls and Alerts: August 29, 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: BI-LO alerts its customers to a recall of Daniella Brand Mangoes (1 ct; UPC 0-00000-04051; Item code 600537; All lots).The recalled product may be linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections in the USA and Canada.
  • Food Withdrawal: Spartan Stores alerts its customers to a withdrawal by The FRS Company of specific FRS® Healthy Energy® can flavors produced in June 2012 due to an off taste affecting some cans with a Best before date of June XX, 2013.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Octopus Gardens Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) that a November 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing and importer establishment found a serious violation of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Aladin Sweets & Market, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood importer establishment found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Mex Y Can Trading Inc. (Mississauga, ON) recalls Daniella brand Mangos (Product of Mexico; sold as part of multi-pack or as individual fruit; Sticker bearing PLU #4959 or PLU #4051), because they may be contaminated with Salmonella Braenderup. The recalled fruit was sold at various retail stores across Canada from July 12th up to and including August 28th, 2012. The Public Health Agency of Canada has reported 22 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections associated with consumption of Mexican mangos as of August 22nd.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises the public not to consume Extra Power powder sachets, because the product contains the undeclared prescription substance aminotadalafil. The commercial supply of Extra Power powder sachet is illegal in Australia.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises the public not to consume Rock Hard for Men tablets, because the product contains the undeclared prescription substances tadalafil and glibenclamide. The commercial supply of Rock Hard for Men tablets is illegal in Australia.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises the public not to consume Ultra Men for Men tablets, because the product contains the undeclared prescription substances tadalafil and glibenclamide. The commercial supply of Ultra Men for Men tablets is illegal in Australia.

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.

Costco, Other Retailers, Recall Mexican Mangos

Readers of eFoodAlert are reporting having been contacted by Costco with instructions to discard or return mangos that may be linked to more than 100 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections in the USA and Canada.

Other similar reports are popping up on social media websites, including Facebook.

Several other retailers have already posted or released recall notices, including: Bi-Lo, Copps, Giant Food, Mariano’s, Martin’s Food Market, Metro Market, Pick ‘n Save, Rainbow, Stop & Shop and TOP Food & Drug. Other retailers will, no doubt, chime in during the next few days. Please monitor the “Salmonella Braenderup – Mango“ tab at the top of the eFoodAlert page for updates to this list.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has confirmed 22 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections in British Columbia (17) and Alberta (5), and has linked the illnesses to Daniella brand mangoes imported from Mexico. Two Canadian importers of the mangos have recalled the implicated fruit. In addition, one supplier of cut fruit to the hotel/restaurant/institution market recalled GFS brand Sliced Mangos on August 24th.

The US outbreak investigation has been led by the California Department of Public Health, which has confirmed 73 cases in that state. According to an Outbreak Investigation Report released this morning by FDA, there have been 101 cases of Salmonella Braenderup outbreak strain across the USA.  While mangos have been identified as the likely source of this outbreak, FDA has not yet determined the source of the mangos that may be linked to US cases.

Neither FDA nor California have released a list of affected states; however, eFoodAlert has learned that infections caused by the outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup also have been confirmed in Oregon (1), Washington (6), Texas (2) and New York (3).

CDC has not yet released its own Outbreak Investigation Report, but work on the report is underway, according to agency spokesperson Lola Russell.

The Public Health Agency of Canada offers the following advice to consumers:

  • Check to see if you have any of the recalled mangoes in your home. If you have mangoes, but aren’t certain if they are part of the recall, check with the store where they were purchased.
  • If you have the product, do not eat it. Secure it in a plastic bag and throw it out. Then wash your hands thoroughly in warm soapy water.

Finally, a request to eFoodAlert readers:

If you have received a recall notice by email or telephone from any retailer not yet mentioned on the recall list, please post a comment below, so that the information can be shared with other readers. Please include the name of the retailer and the city and state where the store is located.