Recalls and Alerts: August 31, 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

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Brand New Energy recalls EphBurn 25 (90-count bottle; All lots and use-by dates), after FDA detects ephedrine alkaloids in a sample from one lot. The product was previously discontinued on or about May 2012.
  • Food Safety Recall: World Foods, LLC recalls Garden Highway Tropical Salsa (11 oz; UPC 8 26766-422104; Code dates 8/31/2012 and 9/1/2012; Plant code P-009), Generic/Winn-Dixie Stores Fresh Island Medley (1 lb; UPC 0 21140-01696 6; Code date 8/30/2012 and 8/31;2012; Plant code P-009), and Generic/Winn-Dixie Stores Fresh Fruit Burst Bowl (1 lb and 1.5 lb; UPC 0 21140-01701 7 and 0 21140-01707 9; Code Dates 8/30/2012 and 8/31/2012; Plant code P-009), because the products contain Daniella brand mangos recalled by Splendid Products and may be contaminated with Salmonella Braenderup.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert – Mangos: Please refer to Salmonella Braenderup – Mango for current information on US retail distribution of recalled Daniella brand mangos and other products that contain these mangos.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall: M.L. Catania Company Limited (Toronto, ON) recalls Daniella brand mangos (Product of Mexico; PLU #4051 and 4959), which were packaged and shipped to Costco members between July 20th and August 28th, because the mangos may be contaminated with Salmonella Braenderup.
  • Food Safety Recall: Sunterra Market (Calgary, AB) recalls several store-made Fruit Cuts, Yogurts and Salads, because the products contain Daniella mangos that may be contaminated with Salmonella Braenderup. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of recalled products, which were sold at Sunterra Markets in Calgary and Edmonton.
  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert – Mangos: Please refer to Salmonella Braenderup – Mango for current information on Canadian retail distribution of recalled Daniella brand mangos and other products that contain these mangos.

Europe

  • Allergy Alert (Germany): Intersnack Knabber-Gebäck GmbH & Co. KG recalls Pom-Bear Original, due to the presence of small amounts of gluten in the product, which is claimed to be “gluten-free.”
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Arla Foods Amba recalls Maja Chocolate Milk (200 ml; Production date 07/08/2012; Best before 01/01/2013), because the product has become sour well in advance of its expiration date.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): SuperGros A/S recalls First Price brand Pumpkin Seeds (250g plastic bag; Package date 20/2-2012; Best before 20/9-2013; Lot #1050-10), after broken glass is reported in a bag of the product. The recalled pumpkin seeds were sold at Super Best, Eurospar, Super Spar, Spar, Kwik Save, Go On, Kiwi Mini price, Letkøb, Shell, and other gas stations, grocery stores and kiosks outside the chain.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): The supplier recalls Krill Essentiel chez Professionnels de la Restauration Collective et Hors Foyer brand Poêlée de Légumes Campagnarde en Sachet (Lot #2 165 19:12; Expiry 06/2014; Mixture of green beans, butter beans, eggplant, carrots and onions), due to the presence of datura – a potential hallucinogen – in the vegetables.
  • Food Withdrawal (Northern Ireland): Britvic Ireland withdraws Still Plastic Ballygowan Water (750 ml; Best before end May 2013) and Still Ballygowan Sports Water (1 litre; Best before end May 2013), because the products have an off-odor.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1255): Deltamethrin in lettuce from the Netherlands; distributed to Lebanon, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.1257): Sibutramine in food supplement from the USA, via the Netherlands; distributed to Lithuania.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1258): Ochratoxin A in raisins from China; distributed to the Netherlands and Poland.
  • Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2012.1259): Undeclared gluten in potato chips from Germany; distributed to Austria and Germany.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1260): Glass fragments in pumpkin seeds from China, via Switzerland; distributed to Denmark.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis at a kindergarten and child care centre in Yau Tsim Mong District. The outbreak involves 26 pupils between the ages of 2 and 5 years, and three staff members. Outbreak victims have reported suffering from vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.1255): Deltamethrin in lettuce from the Netherlands; distributed to Lebanon, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

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.

US Mango Outbreak Toll 103. Splendid Recalls Daniella Mangos

More than 100 people in 16 US states have been infected with a strain of Salmonella Braenderup that also has sickened 21 people in Western Canada, according to today’s report from CDC.

All of the reported illnesses occurred since July 1, 2012. Twenty-five of the 103 confirmed case-patients were hospitalized. Most of the reported cases (78 out of 103) were from California.

CDC has not listed the states that reported outbreak cases; however, eFoodAlert has learned that Oregon (1 case), Washington (6 cases), New York (3 cases) and Texas (2 cases) are impacted by this outbreak.

Illness onset dates range from July 3rd to August 11th. Slightly more than one-half (55%) of the victims are female; outbreak victims range in age from less than 1 year old to 86 years old.

Approximately 70% of the outbreak victims who were interviewed reported consuming mangos in the week before becoming ill. Many of the California victims – approximately 80% of whom are Hispanic – reported purchasing mangos from Hispanic markets or grocery stores. The specific type and source of mangos that might be linked to the illnesses is still being investigated.

Even though US federal and state agencies have not reached any conclusions as to the brand or source of mangos behind this outbreak, produce distributor Splendid Products (Burlingame, CA) is recalling Daniella brand mangos (Product of Mexico; sold as individual fruit; labeled with Daniella brand sticker and PLU #3114, 4051, 4311, 4584 or 4959). According to Splendid, the mangos were sold at various retail stores throughout the U.S. between July 12 and August 29, 2012.

A few retailers already have posted recall notices on their web pages, and Costco has been notifying by telephone its customers who purchased these mangos. A list of retailers who are recalling the Daniella mangos is available through the Salmonella Braenderup – Mango tab at the top of the page.

Advice to Consumers

In the absence of specific advice from either CDC or FDA, the following advice is included in the Splendid Products recall notice:

Those who have bought the recalled mangoes are advised not to eat them and to discard them. If there is no identifying sticker on the mango, consider discarding or returning the product to the place of purchase.

The Public Health Agency of Canada offers the following recommendation:

Check to see if you have any of the recalled mangoes in your home. If you have mangoes, but aren’t certain if they are part of the recall, check with the store where they were purchased.

If you have the product, do not eat it. Secure it in a plastic bag and throw it out. Then wash your hands thoroughly in warm soapy water.

Recalls and Alerts: August 29, 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: BI-LO alerts its customers to a recall of Daniella Brand Mangoes (1 ct; UPC 0-00000-04051; Item code 600537; All lots).The recalled product may be linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections in the USA and Canada.
  • Food Withdrawal: Spartan Stores alerts its customers to a withdrawal by The FRS Company of specific FRS® Healthy Energy® can flavors produced in June 2012 due to an off taste affecting some cans with a Best before date of June XX, 2013.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Octopus Gardens Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) that a November 2011 inspection of the company’s seafood processing and importer establishment found a serious violation of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Aladin Sweets & Market, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood importer establishment found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.

Canada

  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Alert: Mex Y Can Trading Inc. (Mississauga, ON) recalls Daniella brand Mangos (Product of Mexico; sold as part of multi-pack or as individual fruit; Sticker bearing PLU #4959 or PLU #4051), because they may be contaminated with Salmonella Braenderup. The recalled fruit was sold at various retail stores across Canada from July 12th up to and including August 28th, 2012. The Public Health Agency of Canada has reported 22 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections associated with consumption of Mexican mangos as of August 22nd.

Europe

Australia and New Zealand

  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises the public not to consume Extra Power powder sachets, because the product contains the undeclared prescription substance aminotadalafil. The commercial supply of Extra Power powder sachet is illegal in Australia.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises the public not to consume Rock Hard for Men tablets, because the product contains the undeclared prescription substances tadalafil and glibenclamide. The commercial supply of Rock Hard for Men tablets is illegal in Australia.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises the public not to consume Ultra Men for Men tablets, because the product contains the undeclared prescription substances tadalafil and glibenclamide. The commercial supply of Ultra Men for Men tablets is illegal in Australia.

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.