Recalls and Alerts: August 13–14, 2024

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.

“A complete and compelling account of the hidden and not-so-hidden ways the food we give our beloved pets can be contaminated.” – JoNel Aleccia, Health Reporter, Food & Nutrition, The Associated Press.

“An invaluable resource for busy pet owners” – Food Safety News

Available from all major on-line retailers, including:

Outbreak/Illness Investigations

SPAIN: The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) reports five confirmed cases of Salmonella Enteritidis linked to consumption of Formatgeria Mas d’Eroles brand soft cheese made with raw sheep’s milk. The outbreak strain has been recovered from a sample of the cheese.

USA (Update): FDA reports that a second cucumber grower, Thomas Produce Company, has been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The outbreak strain was recovered from a sample of canal water used for irrigation.

United States

Food Safety Recall: El Chilar HF, LLC recalls El Chilar Ground Cinnamon (1.25 oz bags; Lots E-054, EX 0225 and D-181, EX 0624) due to elevated lead levels.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Nuts.com recalls Nuts.com brand Ground Sumac (1 lb; No batch codes or UPC available) due to undeclared gluten.

United Kingdom and Ireland

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Aldi recalls Eat & Go Thai Style Massaman Wrap (252g; All use by dates up to and including use by 15/08/2024), Eat & Go Chipotle Chicken Burrito (247g; All use by dates up to and including use by 15/08/2024), and Eat & Go Spice Bag Wrap (236g; All use by dates up to and including use by 15/08/2024) due to undeclared almonds.

Hong Kong and Singapore

Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Circle K Convenience Stores (HK) Ltd recalls SHAOMEI brand Brown Sugar Boba Frozen Dessert Bar (80g; Best before July 26, 2025; Product of Taiwan) due to excessive bacterial counts.

Australia and New Zealand

No Alerts

TAINTED is available in digital format from all major on-line retailers. Press the button to go directly to your preferred digital bookstore.

Links to national recall sites

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Canada

Czechia (Czech Republic)

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland (Republic of)

Israel

Italy

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Norway

Romania

Singapore

Slovakia (Slovak Republic)

Spain (food safety alerts)

Spain (allergy alerts)

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

United States of America (FDA)

United States of America (USDA/FSIS)

FDA names second cucumber grower in US Salmonella outbreak

Thomas Produce Company (Boca Raton, FL) is a likely source of illnesses in a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 449 individuals in 31 states and the District of Columbia, and has sent 125 people to hospital, according to an investigation update released today (August 14, 2024) by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Thomas is the second cucumber grower implicated in this outbreak. Earlier epidemiological and traceback investigations conducted by the FDA and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified Bedner Growers, Inc. (Boynton Beach, FL) as a likely source of contaminated cucumbers.

The growing and harvesting season is over in this region, and none of the implicated cucumbers remain on the market.

No new illnesses have been reported to the CDC in recent weeks. The last illness onset date was June 4, 2024.

In an on-site inspection of Thomas Produce, the FDA recovered the outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup in samples of canal water used for irrigation. Multiple strains of Salmonella not linked to this outbreak also were found in soil and water samples collected at both Bedner Growers and Thomas Produce.

Salmonella strains recovered at Bedner Growers matched clinical isolates from illnesses reported in previous years.

Cucumbers supplied by these two growers do not account for all of the reported illnesses. The FDA is continuing its traceback investigations in an effort to identify additional sources of contaminated cucumbers.

CDC’s advice to consumers

Follow these four food safety steps to prevent getting sick from Salmonella.

Clean: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or peeling.
Separate: Keep food that won’t be cooked separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure you have cooked your food to a temperature high enough to kill germs.
Chill: Refrigerate perishable food (food that goes bad) within 2 hours. If the outside temperature is hotter than 90°F, refrigerate within 1 hour. Thaw food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:

Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
Bloody diarrhea
So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Not peeing much
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up

TAINTED formats 3 — “Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.

Chapter 6. Birth of a Pathogen

TAINTED is available in digital format from all major on-line retailers. Press the button to go directly to your preferred digital bookstore.

Amazon

Apple

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Smashwords

Chapters/Indigo

Recalls and Alerts: July 2–3, 2024

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please submit your request using the sidebar link.

Outbreak/Illness Investigations

Denmark: The Statens Serum Institut is investigating an outbreak of Salmonella monophasic Typhimurium (sequence type 34) that has infected 58 people during the April-June 2024 period. Cases have been confirmed from several regions of the country. A

USA (Update): FDA has initiated a traceback investigation for an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses that has not yet been linked to a specific food source. The number of cases has increased to 80 from the initial report of 53.

USA (Update): CDC and FDA report 449 illnesses and 125 hospitalizations in an outbreak of Salmonella Africana and Salmonella Braenderup infections traced to contaminated cucumbers from Florida.

USA (Update): CDC and FDA report 48 illnesses, 27 hospitalizations and one possible death associated with consumption of Diamond Shruumz-Brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, & Gummies.

United States

Food Safety Recall: GNS Foods, Inc recalls Drug Emporium Yogurt Flavored Pretzels (8 oz / 227g; Lot 30723; Use by 2025-01-22) due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall: Reser’s Fine Foods recalls Hill Country Fare Mustard Potato Salad (48 oz; Use by JUL/26/24) due to possible foreign matter contamination (hard plastic).

Food Safety Recall: Urban River Spirits recalls Urban Spirits non-alcoholic drink mixes due to being produced in an unlicensed and uninspected facility. Please refer to the recall notice for additional details.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Five Continents International Ltd. recalls Baixiang brand Chicken Soup Flavor Instant Noodle (555g (5 x 111 g package); UPC 6 935270 34198 8 or 6 935270 641988; All batch codes) and Baixiang brand Instant Noodles Artificial Pork Bone Soup Flavor (565 g
(5 x 113 g package); UPC 6 935270 64197; All batch codes) due to undeclared peanut.

United Kingdom and Ireland

Allergy Alert (Ireland): FSAI warns consumers of the presence of undeclared soy in Al- Arjawi Red Thyme Spice Preparation Mix (450g; Batch code A.49; Best before 04/2025; Product of Syrian Arab Republic).

Hong Kong and Singapore

No Alerts

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Josh Isaki Pty Ltd recalls Leslie’s Clover Chips Products (Best before 15/06/25 & 06/09/25) due to undeclared gluten.

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Tokyo Food Company Ltd and Wholesale Club recall Morinaga brand Manna Bolo (34g; All batches and all dates) due to foreign matter contamination (animal droppings).