Tag: Health

Recalls and Alerts: July 5, 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 Update (California): California Department of Public Health advises that Cream Top Chocolate Milk (8-oz, 1-qt and half-gallon; Code date 7-11-2012), which was recalled by Dairy Goddess (Lemoore, CA) due to lack of proper pasteurization, was sold at the San Luis Obispo Downtown Farmers’ Market, the Cambria Farmers’ Market, the Sunset Strip Farmers’ Market – West Hollywood, and the Clovis Farmers’ Market.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Bedford Laboratories recalls Bedford Leucovorin Calcium Injection, 500mg SDV (Lot #/Expiration date 2017620‐1/31/2013 and 2038374‐2/28/2013) and NOVA PLUS® Leucovorin Calcium Injection, 500mg SDV (Lot #/Expiration date 2038374A-2/28/2013), due to the discovery of visible crystalline particulate matter in a small number of vials.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Alert: FDA has issued instructions to companies to stop manufacturing and distributing certain unapproved drugs containing oxycodone.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert (Re-release): The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns people with allergies to wheat and sensitivities to gluten not to consume Healthy Times brand Brown Rice Cereal for Baby (Product of USA; 6-oz/170g pkgs; UPC 0 48685 02188 0; Lot 14211 & 17011; Use by 01 MAY 2013 and 30 MAY 2013, respectively, because this product contains undeclared wheat or gluten. This alert was first issued on July 26, 2011; however, affected product may still be in the marketplace.
  • Food Safety Recall: Fromagerie St-Fidèle Inc. (La Malbaie, QC) recalls St-Fidèle brand Cheddar Cheese (variable weight pkg containing cheese curds; Code 3959, made on 12JUN19 or 12JUN20; Best before 12JUL19 or 12JUL20), Cheddar Cheese (variable weight pkg containing BBQ-flavoured cheese curds; Code 3959; Made on 12JUN19 or 12JUN20; Best before 12JUL19 or 12JUL20), and Cheddar Cheese Curd (85g, 200g, 400g, and 2.5kg; Code 3959, made on 12JUN20; Best before 12JUL20), because the products may be contaminated with Staphylococcus toxin. The recalled products were distributed in Quebec.

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Dille & Kamille recalls Breckland Orchard brand Pear & Elderflower Lemonade and Breckland Orchard brand Blackcurrant & Raspberry Lemonade, because the pressure inside the bottles is too strong and may result in spontaneous breakage.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Lactalis Denmark recalls Cheese Factory White Cheddar Cheese (400g; Best before 06-11-2012; Product of England), due to mold growth on some of the cheeses.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Mammen Dairy A/S recalls Urtekram brand Danbo 45+ Cheese, Danbo Middle Aged 45+ Cheese and Samso 30+ Cheese (net wt 550g; Best before dates 19-08-2012 and 20-08-2012), due to mold growth on some of the cheeses.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Arla Foods amba, Braband Dairy recalls Mejse Yoghurt, 1.5% fat with peach melba (1 liter; Best before 25.07.2012), due to the presence of undesirable bacteria in the product.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): Aschara Meat Market GmbH recalls Teewurst sausage (100g, unpackaged and unlabeled, with ends tied with silver and blue metal clips), after Salmonella Derby is found in an official sample. The recalled product was sold from June 22nd to July 2nd.
  • Food Safety Recall (Germany): H. Birkenstock Dairy GmbH recalls Birkenstock Mainzer Cheese (200g; Best before 08/03/2012), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Food Supplement Safety Alert (Ireland): Food Safety Authority of Ireland warns the public that food supplements containing the illegal stimulant DMAA have been imported into Ireland from the USA and are being sold online. Products containing DMAA are unauthorized medicines and are prohibited in Ireland.
  • Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): Nutricia Baby Food recalls Bambix Bears Biscuits for Babies six months and older, due to a choking hazard, as the biscuits do not soften quickly enough in a baby’s mouth.
  • Food Safety Alert (UK): The UK Food Standards Agency advises the public to consider avoiding drinking bottled water described or labelled as Zam Zam water, because tests have shown that Zam Zam water sold in the UK may contain high levels of arsenic or nitrates.
  • Topical Product Safety Recall (Spain): The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products alerts the public that Clear N Smooth Skin Toning Cream has been recalled, because it contains the unauthorized active pharmaceutical agent hydroquinone, 2%.
  • Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0924): Unauthorized 1,3 dimethylamylamine in food supplement from Canada; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0925): Defective packaging of fruit juice from the United Kingdom; distributed to Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0926): Excessive propylene glycol in muffins from Spain; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0927): Aflatoxins in groundnuts from Nicaragua; distributed to Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0928): Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 in chilled beef from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0929): Salmonella Oranienburg in galacto oligosaccharide from South Korea via the USA; distributed to Belgium, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0930): Campylobacter jejuni in fresh whole chicken from Germany; distributed to Denmark.
  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2012.0932): Salmonella anatum in roasted soy beans from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and Netherlands.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0933): Mold infestation in cheddar cheese from the United Kingdom; distributed to Denmark.

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.

Outbreak of HUS and Bloody Diarrhea in France

It’s the 4th of July – Independence Day in the USA – and the national meal is burgers on the barbecue.

As they do every year, the USDA, FDA and various states have been urging the public to use meat thermometers in order to ensure that their burgers are cooked thoroughly. It’s ironic, therefore, that France has been experiencing an outbreak of E. coli O157 traced to contaminated ground beef.

On June 25th the Aquitaine Regional Health Agency (ARS Aquitaine) reported that three people were hospitalized in Bordeaux, suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The three victims were children – a 2 1/2 year old girl, an eight year old girl, and a 14-year old boy. All three of the victims had consumed ground beef produced by the Société des viandes élaborées d’Estillac. The meat was sold in stores belonging to the Intermarché and Netto supermarket chains in the southwest part of France.

A fourth child – a four-year old boy – also had been hospitalized, but had not consumed any ground beef.

The manufacturer initiated a recall of the implicated meat on June 23rd, without waiting for the results of lab analysis of the ground beef. Unfortunately, the recall was not in time to prevent additional illnesses from developing.

As of July 3rd, France’s Institut de Veille Sanitaire (Institute for Health Surveillance) has received reports of eight cases of HUS and four cases of bloody diarrhea, all located in Aquitaine) and Poitou-Charentes. All of the outbreak patients live in the region where the recalled ground beef was sold. All of the eight HUS victims are children, ranging from 2 1/2 years old to 14 years of age. All eight HUS victims consumed ground beef in the period before becoming ill.

Six of the eight HUS victims and one patient with bloody diarrhea have been confirmed to be infected with E. coli O157; lab tests are still in progress on the remaining outbreak victims.

This outbreak is a cruel reminder that the risk of contracting E. coli O157 is not restricted by nationality or geography. When grilling your burgers on the barbecue, please remember to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the meat has reached a safe internal temperature of 160°F (that’s 71°C).

For more information on safe food handling, check out USDA’s Barbecue and Food Safety Fact Sheet.

Recalls and Alerts: July 4, 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: Fruiti Pops, Inc. recalls Fruiti Pops Classic Coconut Frozen Dessert Bars (4-oz bars; UPC 763734 000011; No lot numbers or expiration dates), due to the presence of undeclared egg yolk. The recalled bars were sold by push cart vendors and ice cream trucks in Southern California between June 25, 2012 and June 28, 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Andante Dairy (Petaluma, CA) recalls Andante Dairy Cheese (sizes from 5 oz to 8 oz; No code dates or variety information on packages), due to a lack of proper pasteurization. Andante Dairy cheeses, except for Musette, Tomme Dolce and Etude varieties, are under a quarantine order, as the lack of proper pasteurization could have allowed the survival of dangerous pathogens. The cheeses were sold mainly to retail markets, restaurants and cheese shops in California, with very limited distribution in Chicago and New York.
  • Animal Feed Safety  Recall: PMI Nutrition Intl., LLC (Brentwood, MO) recalls LabDiet® Guinea Pig Diet (50lb; Formula No. 5025; Lot No. APR17122), Mazuri® Maned Wolf Diet (33lb; Formula No. 5MD9; Lot #APR21122), Mazuri® Small Bird Maintenance (25lb; Formula #56A6; Lot #APR15123), and Mazuri® Primate Maintenance Biscuit (25lb; Formula #5MA2; Lot #APR22122), due to the potential for an elevated Vitamin D level in these products. The recalled products were manufactured at the company’s Richmond, IN feed plant and were distributed throughout the USA and to a few international customers.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (UK): The Co-op recalls Co-operative Truly Irresistible Fairtrade Peruvian Dark Chocolate with Dried Sweetened Cranberries (Best before 1 February 2013 and 2 February 2013), because the products contain milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate.
  • Allergy Alert (Denmark): Stella’s Bakery recalls Romkugler (300g; 5 pcs), Tree trunks (350g; 4 pcs), Butter Tart (400g), Cinnamon Tang (350g), and Day/Night Rivets (350g; 4 pcs) with production dates of 3 July 2012 or earlier, due to the presence of undeclared milk powder.
  • Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Britvic Soft Drinks UK recalls Robinsons Fruit Shoot and Fruit Shoot Hydro packs featuring the new Magicap (All batch codes and best before dates), because the caps may become fully or partially detached. The recalled product was not distributed directly in Ireland, but some retailers may have bought affected packs from Northern Ireland or the UK.
  • Food Safety Recall (Multiple countries): Britvic International recalls Teisseire Fruit Shoot (20 cl; Best before 02-2013 and 03-2013) due to a technical problem with the bottle caps. The product was sold in Belgium and France beginning in June 2012 in individual bottles and in multi-packs.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Dansk Supermarked Indkøb recalls ATCO Hazelnuts (200g plastic bags; Lot 2384; Best before 31/10-2012; Product of Germany), due to mold growth in individual bags of the hazelnut kernels.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): Auchan and Simply Market recall Pouce brand Sardines in tomato sauce (120g; Best before 20/01/2015, 21/01/2015 and 26/01/2015), because the products may contain histamine.
  • Outbreak Alert (France): Health authorities have received reports of eight cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and four cases of bloody diarrhea since May 28th in Aquitaine and Poitou-Charentes. All eight HUS victims are children; 6 of them are confirmed to be infected with E. coli O157. Seven of the eight HUS cases are residents of Aquitaine. All of the 12 outbreak victims reported having consumed ground beef – in most cases, purchased at Intermarché or Netto stores.
  • Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0916): Benzalkonium chloride in dietary food supplement from Slovakia, via the Czech Republic; distributed to Poland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0917): Dead mouse in pizza from Italy; distributed to Italy and Japan.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0918): Mold infestation in hazelnut kernels from Germany; distributed to Denmark.
  • Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0919): Unauthorized 1,3 dimethylamylamine in food supplement from the USA; distributed to Finland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0921): Didecyldimethylammonium chloride in chilled citrus fruit from South Africa; distributed to France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0923): Salmonella in beef meat from the Netherlands; distributed to Sweden.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Coles Supermarkets recalls Coles Lite Sour Cream (300ml plastic tub; Use by 02/08/12), due to E. coli contamination. the recalled product was sold in Coles Supermarkets in Western Australia only.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Cuba): Cuba’s Health Ministry has confirmed that three people have died and 53 more are infected in a cholera outbreak in the south-east part of the country. BBC News reports that about 1,000 people have received medical attention so far – most of them from the town of Manzanillo.

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.