Recalls and Alerts: October 19-20, 2021

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.

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United States

OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION: CDC and FDA have determined that a major outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg illnesses is connected to whole, fresh onions imported from Mexico. To date, 652 people have become infected and 129 of them have needed hospitalization. Cases have been confirmed in 37 US states. FDA has identifed ProSource Inc. as a source of the potentially contaminated onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. ProSource Inc. has agreed to voluntarily recall red, yellow, and white onions imported from the State of Chihuahua, MX, with import dates from July 1, 2021 through August 27, 2021. Descriptions of these onion types include, but are not limited to, jumbo, colossal, medium, and sweet onions. Additional recall information will be made public as soon as it is available from ProSource Inc.

Allergy Alert: Demaiz Inc. recalls approximately 20,759 pounds of pork and beef tamales due to undeclared sesame seeds. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Food Safety Recall: Ivar’s Soup and Sauce Company recalls Kettle Classic Clam Chowder With Uncured Bacon (2-24oz Sleeved Packs; Costco Item #1270666; Use by 12-22-2021; UPC 0 30383 19649 6) due to foreign matter (hard, sharp opaque plastic pieces) contamination.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Aux saveurs des Sévelin recalls sauce carbonara / Carbonara sauce (1 L glass jars; Sold up to 19 October 2021) due to the absence of a mandatory “Keep Refrigerated” statement on the label.

Food Safety Recall: allSpices Food recalls allSpices Food brandSauce Ging-Hab (250 ml; Best Before July 2022; UPC 6 27987 39550 1) due to container integrity defects.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Finland): SOK recalls Amarillo Green Burrito (300g; Use by 21.10.2021) due to undeclared egg and milk.

Allergy Alert (Sweden): Axfood recalls Garant Dillmajonnäs / Dill mayonnaise (200 ml; Best before 2021-12-28) due to undeclared milk.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Aldi recalls Rôti d’épaule de cerf mariné / Marinated venison shoulder roast (500g; Lot #21281; Use by 24/10/2021 & 26/10/2021) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): La Fromagerie du Thouet recalls fromagerie du thouet fromage de chèvre au lait cru / raw milk goat cheese (Lot 07/10/21; Best before 05/12/2021) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): August Töpfer & Co. (GmbH & Co.) KG recalls zauberhaft Backen Haselnusskerne gehackt / magical baking chopped hazelnut kernels (Lot #L50357; Best before 11.06.2022) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Iceland): Lagsmaður ehf. recalls Mama brand Instant noodles with tom yum pork flavour (60g; Lot #1D4SD11; Best before 28-04-2022; Product of Thailand) due to foreign matter (broken glass) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Italy): Sicily Food srl recalls Fish & Fine brand Salmone affumicato a fetta lunga / Smoked salmon, long sliced (200g; Lot #103936090712-25421; Best before 21/10/2021; Product of Serbia) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Aldi recalls WILD VERMEERSCH BV brand Rôti d’épaule de cerf mariné / Marinated venison shoulder roast (500g; Lot #21281; Use by 24/10/2021 & 26/10/2021) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Allergy Alert (Hong Kong): SUN SHUN FUK FOODS CO., LTD. recalls Sau Tao brand Thick Egg Noodles (454g; Best before December 1, 2022; Product of China) due to undeclared sulphur dioxide.

Allergy Alert (Israel): Bnei Riyad Mahrum Sweets Ltd. recalls Dreja Candy (330g; All expiration dates up to and including 03/10/22) due to undeclared almonds.

Allergy Alert (Israel): Alef Kissing Factory Ltd. recalls Jacobs brand Salty Cookies (350g; All expiration dates up to and including 17/01/2022) due to undeclared macadamia nuts.

Food Safety Recall (Israel): Aleutmani Salads recalls Tahini Salad (Use by 17.11.2021) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Fruit X Pty Ltd recalls Fruit X Berries Blueberry Chocs (150g; Use by 31-12-2022) due to undeclared macadamia nuts.

Allergy Alert (New Zealand): Sunson Asian Food Market recalls Malakongjian brand Hot Pot Sauce Spicy Flavour (320g; All batches; Product of China) due to undeclared gluten.

Cavi brand whole papayas fingered in Salmonella outbreak

Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas imported from Mexico and distributed by Agroson’s LLC of Bronx, New York are the likely source of an outbreak of Salmonella Uganda that has sickened 71 people in eight states.

This information was contained in an investigation update released today (July 5) by FDA.

The Mexican government, which described FDA’s initial report as “premature” on July 1st has not yet responded to this update.

Agroson’s is an importer and distributor of papayas. The company was one of the distributors involved in the 2017 Salmonella outbreaks linked to contaminated papayas from Mexico.

Epidemiological and traceback evidence indicates that the Agroson’s was the exclusive distributor of the implicated papayas.

FDA has asked Agroson’s to initiate a product recall. The company has not yet complied.

Illnesses associated with this outbreak have been reported in eight states: Connecticut (14), Florida (1), Massachusetts (5), New Jersey (18), New York (27), Pennsylvania (4), Rhode Island (1), and Texas (1).

Twenty-seven people have been hospitalized. There have been no deaths.

The hospitalization rate is higher than usual in a Salmonella outbreak, according to CDC.

Among those victims for whom information is available, the rate is 60%. The usual hospitalization rate in Salmonella outbreaks is approximately 20%.

The Cavi papayas were distributed in six states, all of which have reported outbreak cases. There was no distribution in Florida or Texas.

The Florida victim reported traveling to Connecticut before becoming ill. The Texas victim reported having traveled to New York.

FDA, which is continuing its investigations, offers the following recommendations:

For Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers:

Consumers in all states should not eat any Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas and should throw them away. If consumers are unable to determine the brand of papayas, they should be thrown away. Retailers, restaurants, and other food service providers in all states should not serve or sell whole, fresh papayas under the Cavi brand, which is distributed by Agroson’s LLC.

Consumers no longer need to avoid whole, fresh papayas, with the exception of Cavi brand papayas.

For Restaurants, Retailers, Importers, Suppliers, and Distributors in All States:

The FDA strongly advises importers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as restaurants, retailers, and other food service providers from all states to not sell or distribute whole, fresh papayas from Agroson’s LLC that are labeled under the Cavi brand.

Mexican government dismisses as ‘premature’ CDC’s link of Salmonella outbreak to imported papayas

In a July 1, 2019 news release, El Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria de Mexico / The National Service of Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (Senasica) has described as “premature” CDC’s June 28, 2019 report of a link between Mexican papayas and a current outbreak of Salmonella Uganda illnesses.

Senasica points out that the outbreak strain has not been recovered from a papaya sample, nor has Salmonella Uganda been isolated from papayas in Mexico.

According to Senasica, until the outbreak strain has been found in a papaya sample, Mexico does not consider CDC’s findings to be conclusive.

The outbreak under investigation comprises 62 illnesses in eight US states: Connecticut (14), Florida (1), Massachusetts (5), New Jersey (12), New York (24), Pennsylvania (4), Rhode Island (1), Texas (1). Twenty-three people have been hospitalized.

Two people who lived in different households got sick in Connecticut after eating papayas purchased from the same grocery store location in the week before becoming ill.

According to CDC, epidemiological evidence, including interviews conducted with some of the outbreak victims, points to papayas as the source of the outbreak.

FDA is conducting a traceback investigation to establish the source of the papayas. Early product distribution information indicates that they were imported from Mexico.

Senasica’s official response to CDC’s report is reminiscent of the initial Mexican response to the 2011 outbreak of Salmonella Agona illnesses caused by contaminated papayas imported from Mexico.

Back then, Mexico vehemently denied responsibility for the outbreak, even after FDA found the outbreak strain in samples of the imported papayas.

What will it take for Senasica to acknowledge reality?

And, what will it take for FDA to impose a complete embargo on the importation of papayas from Mexico?

What consumers should do

If you have purchased a papaya grown in Mexico, throw it away.
Do not eat fruit salads or other mixes that include papayas from Mexico.
If you aren’t sure the papaya you bought is from Mexico, you can ask the place of purchase. When in doubt, don’t eat the papaya. Throw it out.
Wash and sanitize places where papayas were stored: countertops and refrigerator drawers or shelves. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.

What restaurants and retailers should do

In the event that restaurants, retailers and/or other food service operators are found to have handled potentially contaminated food in their facilities, they should:

Contact their local health department and communicate to their customers regarding possible exposure to a pathogen.
Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops, and utensils that may have contacted contaminated foods; then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.
Wash and sanitize display cases and surfaces used to potentially store, serve, or prepare potentially contaminated foods.
Wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.
Conduct regular frequent cleaning and sanitizing of cutting boards and utensils used in processing to help minimize the likelihood of cross-contamination.