Tag: Pet Health

Recalls and Alerts: May 9, 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: Moon Fishery (India) Pty Ltd. recalls Tuna Strips (Product of India; AA or AAA Grade; Imported by Moon Marine USA Corporation), because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was supplied to four wholesalers – one each in Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Distribution has been suspended while FDA and the company investigate the scope of the problem.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals has closed a Terrebonne Parish molluscan shellfish harvesting area located in Basin 12, Area 23 and also ordered a recall of all oysters harvested from that area since April 26, 2012 including shucked, frozen, breaded, post- harvest processed and oysters for the half shell market. Fourteen people became ill with stomach viruses (norovirus) after eating the Louisiana oysters at a New Orleans area restaurant on April 28 or 29.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Omega Food Importers Co. Ltd. (Mississauga, ON) recalls Imperial Wafer Cocoa Rolls (280g; UPC 64166 01705), Imperial Wafer Coco Rolls (280g; UPC 64166 01710) and Imperial Wafer Chocolate Rolls (140g; UPC 64166 01700) due to the presence of undeclared peanut. The recall products were distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
  • Allergy Alert: Tokushin Enterprises Ltd. (Vancouver, BC) recalls S & B brand The Mediterranean Sea Beef Curry Sauce (200g; UPC 4 901002 116330; Lot code up to and including 2012.12.17), because the product contains undeclared fish and milk. The recalled product was distributed in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and may have been distributed nationally.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Costco advises its customers of the recall by the US company, Diamond Pet Foods, of the following dry pet food products, due to potential Salmonella contamination: KS Lamb & Rice (18.14KG; item #29504), KS Chicken & Rice (18.14KG Dog Food, item #29506), KS Dry Cat Food (9.07KG, item #190379), KS Natures Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato (item #295700), KS Healthy Weight Dog Food (item #430541), Natures Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato (item #470974), and KS Mature Adult 7-18.14KG Lamb, Rice & Egg (item #779829). Recalled production codes have a  “3” in the 9th position AND an “X” in the 11th position. The best-before dates for all of the recalled products are December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013.
  • Food Safety Alert: Toronto Public Health reminds consumers to thoroughly wash and cook fiddleheads to avoid illness. Five recent cases of illness associated with fiddleheads have been reported recently to the city’s Public Health department.

Europe

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: May 8, 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

  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Sold Gold Health Products for Pets, Inc. (El Cajon, CA) recalls Solid Gold WolfCub Large Breed Puppy Food (4-lb, 15-lb and 33-lb packs; Best before December 30, 2012; Batch code starting SGB1201) and Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult Dog Food (4-lb, 15-lb and 28.5-lb packs; Best before December 30, 2012; Batch code starting SGL1201), after being notified by Diamond Pet Foods regarding the presence of Salmonella in Diamond’s Gaston, South Carolina facility. The recalled products were distributed in the United States and Canada from between January and May 2012.
  • Consumer Product Safety Alert: Water Pik, Inc. will replace certain SinuSense™ Water Pulsator nasal irrigation devices it manufactured between May, 2010 and July, 2011. This program is being offered in response to consumer complaints that water being used in the Pulsator seeped into the battery compartment leading to battery corrosion, possible reservoir contamination and the need to prematurely replace batteries.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Buncombe County health officials report that the number of Salmonella Paratyphi B cases in the county has risen to 60. The outbreak has been traced to Smiling Hara Tempeh, a fermented soy bean product.
  • Food Safety Enforcement Action: The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) has issued a Notice of Violation and Order against Kanemitsu Inc. and George Kanemitsu dba Kanemitsu Bakery for selling, offering for sale, and distributing food products manufactured and prepared at its facility under unsanitary conditions. A penalty of $90,000 has been issued.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns O’Kroft, Inc. (Rockwall, TX) that a February 2012 inspection of the company’s facility revealed serious violations of the regulations for acidified foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Midwest Northern, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN) that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility found significant violations of FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for manufacturing, packing, or holding human food.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Riddle Brothers (Hornbeack, TN) that a March 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Purus Labs, Inc., d.b.a. Dark Cyde Supplements (Dallas, TX) that an April/May 2011 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement facility found violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packaging, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements regulations.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Boiron Freres SAS (Valence, France) that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s juice processing facility found serious violations of the juice Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for foods.

Canada

  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Dermolab Pharma (Sainte Julie, QC) and Dermtek Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Montreal, QC) recall REVERSA Cleansing Micellar Solution (300-mL clear bottle; UPC 06752000455 0; Lot code K0300D) due to possible contamination of the product by the bacterium Burkholderia cepacia. The recalled product was distributed to Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores across Canada.
  • Food Safety Alert: Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada remind the public that consumption of certain whole salted fish products like fesikh, a traditional dish in the Egyptian community, represents an increased risk of botulism because of the way they are prepared. The reminder comes on the heels of an outbreak of botulism in Ontario caused by the consumption of fesikh.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: Prince Edward Island’s Chief Public Health Office reports that the outbreak of gastroenteritis related to a roast beef dinner prepared by volunteers of the Princetown United Church on Saturday, April 28th has now affected 209 people. Testing of left over foods from the event have revealed the presence of Clostridium perfringens.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Allergy Alert (Australia): Heritage Fine Chocolates recalls four Macro Wholefoods Market brand Lactose-free chocolate products due to the presence of undeclared milk. Please see the recall notice for details of the recalled products, which were sold nationwide in Woolworths, Safeway, Flemings and Food For Less 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.

Diamond Pet Foods Recalls: Consumers Want Answers

What pet owners don’t know about the details of the Diamond Pet Foods recalls is a lot! And they are now demanding answers – from the manufacturer, from companies like Natural Balance, and from retailers.

One frustrated animal lover – Erich Riesenberg of Iowa Pet Adoptions – has created a petition on Change.org, seeking answers to the following questions:

  • How did Diamond’s quality assurance program fail to prevent, or at least detect, the Salmonella contamination?
  • When did Diamond first learn of the failure?
  • Did Diamond withhold information?
  • How does Diamond track reports of adverse reactions to its food?

The petition also asks for the release of plant inspection records, food test results, correspondence between Diamond and public officials, and a timeline of notifications.

To read the petition and, if you are so inclined, to add your name to the list of signees, follow this link.

Meanwhile, what do we know?

1. We know that at least 14 people have become ill with Salmonella Infantis infections. All 14 individuals were infected with a single genetic strain; that same strain was found in samples of dry dog food manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods in Gaston, South Carolina.

2. We know that a massive quantity of dry pet food – including some cat food, by the way – was recalled. Please follow this link for a consolidated list of recalled products.

3. We know, courtesy of Laura Alvey, spokesperson for FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, that there have not been any confirmed cases of Salmonella-related dog illness associated with the recalled products. Alvey has acknowledged that FDA received an unspecified number of complaints of dog illnesses related to recalled product; however, these cases were not medically confirmed.

4. We know, thanks to an eFoodAlert reader, that at least one batch of recalled Taste of the Wild dry dog food was distributed in France. Alvey also confirmed that Diamond Pet Foods ships product “all over the world.”

What consumers can do:

  • Check your supply of pet food to see whether it is affected by the recall. If it is on the recall list, either throw it away or return the unused portion to the retailer.
  • If you have handled one of the recalled products and you develop symptoms of Salmonella (stomach ache, diarrhea, etc), seek immediate medical attention and mention the possible link to pet food.
  • If your dog or cat was fed one of the recalled products and develops symptoms of gastrointestinal illness (vomiting or diarrhea), seek immediate veterinary attention. Ask your veterinarian to test your pet for Salmonella. If the test is positive, you or your veterinarian should contact FDA immediately to have the unused portion of the pet food tested.
  • Review the FDA Tips for Preventing Foodborne Illness Associated with Pet Food and Pet Treats, and follow its recommendations to keep your family and your pets safe.
  • Monitor eFoodAlert’s Diamond Pet Foods, Etc. Recalls – 2012 page. It will be updated as more information becomes available.

Above all, be aware that dogs may be infected with Salmonella – and may shed the bacteria in their stool – without showing any outward symptoms of illness. If your pet has consumed a Diamond Pet Foods dry dog food, be especially careful to wash your hands after handling the animal, and supervise closely any interaction between children and your pet.