Tag: Pet Health

Recalls and Alerts: February 1, 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: How Sweet It Is Fudge and Candy Company Inc. (East Lansing, MI) recalls Peanut Butter Buckeye and Peanut Butter Smoothie (7″x7″x2″ box; All date codes 01/23/2012 and earlier), due to the presence of undeclared milk. The recalled products were distributed to wholesale distributors, service stations and convenience stores in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Indiana, Virginia and New York from December 1, 2011 to January 23, 2012.
  • Allergy Alert: President Global Corp (Buena Park, CA) recalls Bin-Bin Snow Rice Crackers (5.3 oz/150g; All codes) and Bin-Bin Rice Crackers (15.8 oz/450g; All codes), due to the presence of undeclared egg. The recalled products were distributed to grocery stores nationwide between January 1, 2011 and January 31, 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: Michael Foods, Inc. recalls Hard-Cooked Eggs Packed in Brine (10-lb and 25-lb pails for institutional use; Lot codes 1 LOT 1350W through 1 LOT 2025W (only codes immediately preceded by “1” and ending in “W” are affected); Expiration dates from 1/30/2012 to 3/10/2012), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled eggs were produced at Michael’s Wakefield, Nebraska facility and purchased by food distributors and manufacturers in 34 states – AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, and WV – and are sold under the brand names Columbia Valley Farms, GFS, Glenview Farms, Papetti’s, Silverbrook, and Wholesome Farms. None of the eggs were sold directly to consumers or retailers; however, some of the eggs may have been used in products that were sold to retailers or used in food service settings.
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Pfizer Inc. recalls 14 lots each of  Lo/Ovral®-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) Tablets and Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets (generic) after the company determined that some packs may contain an inexact count of inert or active ingredient tablets and that the tablets may be out of sequence. Please refer to the recall notice and to Pfizer’s Statement for additional information, including a list of the affected production lots.
  • Food Recall/Withdrawal: Food City reports the recall/withdrawal of Borden Applewood Bacon Cheddar Singles Sensations Cheese Slices (8 oz). No additional details are given.
  • Food Withdrawal: Kraft Foods withdraws Tassimo Gevalia Cappuccino Espresso T Disc (14.72 oz; UPC 4300001322), due to “relatively rare” consumer reports of hot liquid or coffee grounds spraying from the brewers when these T Discs are used.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: CDC issues its Final Investigation Update into an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to ground beef from Hannaford Supermarkets. In all, 20 illnesses were confirmed in seven states.
  • Outbreak Alert Update: The Patriot-News reports that the Campylobacter outbreak believed to be linked to consumption of raw milk from The Family Cow dairy has grow to 20 people, including 16 from Pennsylvania and 4 from neighboring Maryland.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has received and investigated 16 reports of gastroenteritis outbreaks since the end of December 2011. One of those was confirmed to be due to Norovirus Genotype II.
  • Outbreak Alert: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has received multiple reports of norovirus outbreaks from several local health departments across the state during January.
  • Outbreak Alert: The Lake County (Illinois) Health Department has logged nine outbreaks of norovirus illness since the beginning of 2012. Eight of the outbreaks were in long-term care facilities, and one was in a day-care facility, according to the Chicago Tribune.
  • Outbreak Alert: St. Ignatius College Preparatory School (San Francisco, CA) was closed for cleaning after 50 students called in sick with an outbreak of “stomach flu” last week.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Canada Six Fortune Enterprise Co. Ltd. recalls Bin Bin brand Snow Rice Crackers (150g; UPC 8 852098 700124), due to the presence of undeclared egg. The product was distributed in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, and may have been distributed nationally.
  • Food Safety Recall: Phoenicia Group (St-Laurent, QC) recalls Alkanater brand Tahina (454g; UPC 6 92551 00002 0; Exp. 5/7/2013 (May 7, 2013)), because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was distributed nationally.
  • Pet Food Safety Recall: Tri-V Pet Foods Ltd. (Chilliwack, BC) recalls Lean Cuts Dog Food (24/400g; Production code T22L1; Costco Item #21246), because of swelling of the can lids and a concern in the production process. The affected cans of pet food were sold between December 30, 2011 and January 29, 2012 at British Columbia Costco locations in Richmond, Abbotsford, Nanaimo, Courtney, Kelowna, Prince George and Kamloops.
  • Outbreak Alert: A third patient at the Greater Niagara General Hospital has died after contracting Clostridium difficile while undergoing treatment in the hospital. The victim had multiple health issues, and also tested positive for hospital-associated C. difficile.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Outbreak Alert (Australia): The Flying Fox Park in Winnererremy Bay (NSW) has been closed for a third time in six months, because a child was diagnosed with a Salmonella Java infection after playing in the park. New South Wales Health has recovered Salmonella Java in two out of eight samples taken from the playground’s bark soft fall material in the climbing net area.

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.

Novartis Fiasco Affects Pet Meds, Too

The recent shut-down of Novartis Consumer Health’s production facility in Lincoln, Nebraska has affected more than just Excedrin, Bufferin, NoDoz and Gas-X products. Veterinarians and pet owners also have been feeling the impact of Novartis’s abrogation of its quality assurance and product safety responsibilities.

Since issuing its product recall notice on January 8, 2012, the company has twice sent Dear Doctor letters to the veterinary community. The first letter, dated January 10th, warns veterinarians that the temporary suspension of production at the company’s Lincoln, Nebraska plant would affect the availability of certain Novartis Animal Health products. The letter begins:

Dear Valued Customer,

We are writing to inform you that Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. (NCH) has temporarily suspended production and product shipments at one of its manufacturing facilities, an action that will affect the availability of some Novartis Animal Health (NAH) products for the immediate future.

The manufacturing plant products both over-the-counter (OTC) and Animal Health products. NAH brands affected include Interceptor® Flavor Tabs®, Sentinel® Flavor Tabs®, Clomicalm®, Program® Tablets and Suspension, and Milbemite®. Production of Deramaxx, which was recently moved to the site, is also affected, although supplies on hand will continue to be shipped.

The second letter, which is dated January 25, 2012, is headed “IMPORTANT PRODUCT INFORMATION” and reads as follows:

Dear Doctor:

Novartis Animal Health US, Inc. is committed to delivering safe and efficacious veterinary products, and would like to inform you about a recent development involving CLOMICALM® (clomipramine hydrochloride) tablets.

Due to potential packaging issues at our manufacturing facility, there is a rare possibility that a wrong tablet may be found in bottles of CLOMICALM with the enclosed lot numbers. Novartis has not received any reports where a patient experienced a product mix-up, nor has Novartis received any adverse events attributable to a product mix-up. However, as a precautionary measure, we would like to extend the following recommendations.

1) Before dispensing CLOMICALM, open each bottle and examine the contents for tablets that are broken or incorrect in color, shape or size (visual guide included).

2) Post a copy of the Dear Valued Customer letter issued by Novartis Animal Health in your clinic (copy included).

3) Distribute copies of the Dear Valued Customer letter to affected pet owners. Novartis Animal Health will send your clinic extra copies upon request. If you publish a clinic newsletter, please consider using the provided notice.

4) Report any abnormal findings to Novartis Animal Health at 800-637-0281.

5) Return affected product to Novartis Animal Health; call the aforementioned number for full details.

6) Inform your clients who have already received CLOMICALM to examine tablets and refrain from administering any that are questionable in color, shape or size; and to contact Novartis Animal Health to discuss product return of affected bottles.

7) Keep records of communication with pet owners in patient files.

8) Ensure that any re-packaged tablet bottles are labeled with the product lot number.

Novartis Animal Health requests that you complete and return the enclosed Response Card reflecting that you have read and understand these points, and have discussed them with your clients.

Canine separation anxiety is a complex disorder that has great bearing on patient quality of life and the human-companion animal bond. Uninterrupted treatment is essential for successful management of this condition. Our veterinarians are prepared to discuss best practices with you in the event patients require alternative therapies, in order to minimize the risk of adverse events and potential relapse of signs.

We thank you for your attention and cooperation regarding this important issue. If you have any further questions, please contact Technical Product Services and Pharmacovigilance at 1-800-637-0281.

If you are using any of these Novartis Animal Health brands, please keep in close touch with your veterinarian to stay current on supply and quality issues.

Recalls and Alerts: January 30, 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: Walgreen Co. recalls Walgreens Chocolate-Covered Raisins (13-oz; Best by date of Oct 42012A1; UPC 04902245661), because the packages may contain Walgreens Bridge Mix, and thus may contain undeclared peanut, almond and soy ingredients. The recalled product, which was manufactured for Walgreen Co. by GKI Foods, Inc. (Brighton, MI), was distributed through Walgreen Co. idstribution centers in Arizona, Connecticut and California, and to Walgreens retail stores in the Northeastern and Western USA.
  • Food Safety Recall Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for Julienne Salad Products that were recalled by 18th Street Deli Inc. due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Personal Care Product Safety Recall: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. recalls AVEENO® Baby Calming Comfort® Lotion (UPC 38137-0036456; Lot #0161LK), after FDA lab tests found that the lot exceeded specifications for “common bacteria.” The company has recalled the product from retailers in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. This is not a consumer level recall.
  • Animal Health Product Safety Alert: Novartis Animal Health has warned veterinarians that foreign tablets may be found in certain bottles of Clomicalm (climipramine hydrochloride) tablets. The company has issued a “Dear Doctor” letter.

Canada

  • Allergy Alert: Kraft Canada Inc. recalls Kraft Dinner Smart Vegetables 3 Cheese (150g; Code 12AL11 M2) and Kraft Dinner Smart Vegetables (150g; Codes 12AL11 M2 and 12AL12 M2), due to the presence of undeclared tartrazine.
  • Food Safety Recall: Drogheria Fine Épicerie (Montreal, QC) recalls Ragu Di Carne de Veau/Veal Stew (1-litre glass jars; All jars sold up to and including January 26, 2012), because the manner of preparation was not adequate to ensure microbiological safety.

Europe

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

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.