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.

United States

• Allergy Alert: Jelly Belly Candy Co. (Fairfield, CA) recalls Peter Rabbit Deluxe Easter Mix “Gluten Free” candies (2.7 oz bags; UPC 071567992794; Lot codes 111111, 111215, and 120120; Best before January 11, 2013, February 15, 2013 and March 20, 2013 respectively), because gluten is present in the collection of candies. The recalled products were distributed nationwide, including in California.
• Animal Feed Safety Recall: Western Feed, LLC recalls Payback Kountry Buffet 14% Feed (50-lb bags; Lot #M718430 and M720280; Distributed December 2, 2011 through December 15, 2011), because the feed may contain monensin sodium (Rumensin) at a level that is potentially harmful to horses. Monensin sodium is approved for use in some livestock and poultry species, but can be fatal to horses if fed a sufficiently high levels. The recalled feed was distributed to retailers in Nebraska and Wyoming. The company has received a report of some horses that died as a result of consuming the feed.
• Food Safety Recall: Pasou Foods (Syracuse, IN) recalls Pizza Stix frozen, fully cooked, ready-to-eat pizza stick products (boxes of 100 sticks; Produced Feb 2nd and Feb 29th, 2012), because a meat ingredient used in the pizza sticks may have been produced without the benefit of federal inspection. The recalled pizza stick products were sold to a food distributor for further distribution to a caterer and other institutions in Indiana.
• Food Recall/Withdrawal: Food City advises its customers about the recall of several varieties of Food Club Tomato Juice, Food Club Vegetable Juice, and Full Circle Organic Vegetable Juice, sold in 46 oz and 64 oz plastic bottles.
• Food Recall: Lowes Foods recalls Lowes Foods Tomato Juice (46-oz; UPC 74164303058) and Full Circle Vegetable Juice (46-oz; UPC 3680014611), because the product does not meet quality standards.
• Outbreak Alert (Hawaii): The Hawaii Department of Health reports a flare-up of norovirus outbreaks on Maui. Victims include residents of small elderly care homes, as well as preschool and early elementary school-aged children. The number of cases and outbreaks is roughly double the numbers seen last year.
• Outbreak Alert (Ohio): The Columbus Public Health Department is investigating more than 300 cases of norovirus reported in central Ohio, according to a report on 10TV.
• Outbreak Alert (New York): Onondaga County’s health department is investigating what is suspected to be a norovirus outbreak among 15-20 people who patronized the Twin Trees Too restaurant (1029 Milton Ave., Syracuse) last weekend. None of the victims were hospitalized.
• Pet Treat Recall Debunked: On February 27, 2012, The Daily Puppy carried a recall notice for Jerky Treats Beef Flavor Dog Snacks, sold at Costco in the USA and Canada, purported to have been updated by FDA on 1/12/2012. According to Laura Alvey, a spokeswoman for FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, FDA has no information on this recall. The treats are manufactured by Del Monte Pet Products, which responded to eFoodAlert’s inquiry with the following statement: “There is no recall for any Del Monte products.“

Canada

• Outbreak Alert (British Columbia): The Vancouver Island Health Authority alerts the public to active outbreaks of suspected or confirmed norovirus illnesses at five healthcare facilities in Victoria and Saanichton. Affected facilities include Beacon Hill Villa, Mount Edwards Court, Sunrise of Victoria and Saanich Peninsula Hospital (Acute Care unit and Extended Care Unit 2 unit). The Extended Care Unit at Saanich Peninsula Hospital has been closed for admissions.
• Outbreak Alerts (Ontario): Toronto Public Health reports increased Salmonella activity in Toronto this year, with 114 cases report since the beginning of 2012. Included in the case count are: a large catered event on February 11th that resulted in a cluster of Salmonella typhimurium illnesses among attendees; an outbreak of Salmonella heidelberg across the Greater Toronto Area that is under investigation by Public Health Ontario; and an increase in Salmonella enteritidis associated with recent travel to Cuba.

Europe

• Food Safety Alert (Denmark): Denmark’s Food Administration warns that it has received a report that several Polish retailers have been selling salt not intended for human consumption. The Food & Drug Administration is monitoring the situation closely.
• Outbreak Alert (Russia): Authorities are investigating an outbreak of acute intestinal infection among 19 students (aged 10 to 14 years) of the Choreographic College in the Krasnoyarsk region.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Outbreak Alert (Pakistan): Eight staff nurses and 47 student nurses have been hospitalized with acute food poisoning at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (Rawalpindi) after eating food at the nursing hostel.

Latin America and the Caribbean

• Outbreak Alert (Mexico): At least 45 cases of acute diarrhea were reported in the community of Providence, Naples (Guanajuato). The outbreak is thought to be due to contamination of drinking water with sewage.

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.

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.

United States

• Allergy Alert: London Meat Company (New York, NY) recalls Milano’s Country Breakfast Sausage (80 sausage links/5-lb box; EST 8777; Made to order through Feb 21, 2012), due to the presence of undeclared monosodium glutamate. The recalled products were made-to-order for restaurants and caterers in the New York City area.
• Allergy Alert: Price Chopper recalls Price Chopper Streusel Pies (5-inch and 8-inch sizes; Apple, Cherry, Blueberry and Peach (8-inch only) pies), because the products contain undeclared eggs.
• Food Safety Recall Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for various meat and poultry products recalled by AA Meat Products Corporation because they may have been produced without the benefit of federal inspection.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Donut Factory, LLC (Seattle, WA) that a November 2011 inspection of the company’s bakery revealed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods, including evidence of rodent excreta pellets, rodent hairs and live flies.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Mirrotek International, LLC (Passaic, NJ) that a September 2011 inspection of the company’s acidified food processing facility revealed significant violations of federal regulations relating to the processing of acidified food products.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Wa Hen Dou Fu Soy Sauce Corporation (Sacramento, CA) that environmental sampling carried out during a September 2011 inspection of the company’s soy manufacturing facility revealed the presence of Salmonella species Poly B in the facility, including on a direct food-contact surface. Inspectors also documented serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Food (CGMP) regulation for foods.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Corneau et Cantin Ltée (Saguenay, QC) recalls several ready-to-eat products, including various pâtés and tourtières, due to the presence of undeclared egg and milk. Please refer to the recall notice for more details.
• Food Safety Recall: Super C (14000, boulevard Henri-Bourassa, Québec, QC) recalls semi-lean and lean ground beef (packaged 25 Februar 2012), because the products may contain particles of metal.
• Food Safety Recall: Charcuterie La Tour Eiffel Inc. recalls Chef Georges Maître Charcutier Homestyle Cooked Ham (approx. 2.7 kg; Codes 0281, 0282, 0283 and 0284), due to the presence of unspecific microbiological contamination. The recalled cooked ham was distributed in Quebec.

Europe

• Pet Food Safety Withdrawal (Spain): Mercadona supermarket chain has removed boxed Compy wet dog food from its stores in Almeria, Alicante and Murcia provinces, for fear that the dog food was causing kidney problems in dogs. The supermarket has taken this precautionary measure pending the outcome of lab tests on the food and the packaging material.
• Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2012.0221): Norovirus in oysters from Ireland, via France; distributed to Belgium, Hong Kong, Italy, Norway, Spain and Thailand.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2012.0221): Norovirus in oysters from Ireland, via France; distributed to Belgium, Hong Kong, Italy, Norway, Spain and Thailand.

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Tegel Foods Ltd. (Auckland) recalls several Tegel Foods frozen pre-cooked chicken products (All recalled products bear a 5-digit lot identifier number starting with the number 2; sold on or after 1 January 2012), because the products are undercooked. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of recalled items.

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.