eFoodAlert.com: March 2009

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 31, 2009

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals and allergy alerts. 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.

Pistachio Product Recalls (Salmonella contamination)

Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc. recalls shelled and unshelled pistachios that may be contaminated with Salmonella
FDA warns consumers to avoid pistachios and pistachio-containing products due to possible contamination with Salmonella
Kraft Foods recalls Planters and Back to Nature products containing pistachio nuts due to possible Salmonella contamination

Peanut Butter Outbreak Recalls

The Produce Patch
Wright Popcorn and Nut Company Inc.
Union International Food Company
Canadian Food Inspection Agency updates list of recalled peanut products sold in Canada

United States

FSIS releases retail distribution list for Ball Park brand Beef Franks recalled by Sara Lee North American Retail
Union International Food Company expands recall of Salmonella-contaminated spices (see retail distribution list and restaurant distribution list released by California)

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

Allergy Alert (UK): Premier Foods recalls a single batch of Bisto Favourite Gravy Granules due to the presence of undeclared allergens

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.

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FDA Warns Consumers to Avoid Pistachios: One Million Pounds Recalled

March 31, 2009

Just as the massive peanut recall triggered by problems at Peanut Corporation of America appears to be winding down, FDA is gearing up for another complex recall situation involving Salmonella-contaminated pistachios.

We reported last week that FDA and the California Department of Public Health were investigating Setton Farms, a California pistachio processor, after Salmonella was found in roasted pistachios that they had supplied to Georgia Nut and Kraft. The pistachios were used in trail mixes.

Yesterday, Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc. issued a voluntary recall of approximately 1 million pounds of bulk roasted shelled pistachios, bulk roasted in-shell pistachios, and 9 oz. retail bags of Setton Farms brand roasted salted shelled pistachios.

According to a consumer alert issued yesterday evening by FDA, the recalled pistachios may be linked to several reported cases of Salmonella gastroenteritis. Genetic fingerprinting of isolates from the victims and the pistachios is in progress. But FDA already has indicated that the nuts may be contaminated with multiple Salmonella strains.

Because the pistachios have been used as ingredients in other foods, including trail mixes, FDA is recommending that consumers avoid any pistachio-containing food products. The agency expects that this incident will trigger multiple recalls of pistachio-containing food items. The FDA site will provide a searchable data base for pistachio-related recalls similar to the facility it maintained for the peanut recalls.

It's not yet known whether any of the pistachio products were exported to other countries.

eFoodAlert will post pistachio recall notices as part of our daily Recall Roundup feature. To receive an email alert or an RSS feed for all new blog posts, please click on the appropriate sidebar link.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Salmonella-contaminated Spice Update

March 30, 2009

The Oregon Department of Human Services revealed today that the state was instrumental in uncovering the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 42 people in four states – California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada. Eight of the 42 victims required hospitalization; none of the infections were fatal.

While all four affected states cooperated in the investigation, Oregon can boast of having detected the outbreak strain of Salmonella Rissen in a sample of Lian How brand ground black pepper. Nevada health authorities have removed any lingering doubt by recovering the same Salmonella strain in a sample of Lian How black pepper served in a Reno restaurant.

As we reported yesterday, Union International already is recalling the contaminated pepper, as well as a number of spices that may have come into contact with it.

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Rissen, a rare serotype that accounts for fewer than 20 reported cases of salmonellosis annually in the United States.

The four affected states are continuing their investigation to determine which restaurants and retailers received the spices. Until the recall has been completed, consumers – especially patrons of Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants – should avoid adding ground pepper or other spices to their prepared dishes.

Recall Roundup: March 30, 2009

Peanut Butter Outbreak Recalls

Arya Ice Cream Dist. Co.

United States

Food Safety Recall: The Kroger Co. recalls Private Selection® Shelled Pistachios due to possible Salmonella contamination (FDA release of earlier company recall notice)

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

Food Safety Recall (Sweden): Kronfågel recalls all frozen chicken products after consumers report finding bits of glass in some packages

Asia, Africa and the Pacific

Prohibited Ingredient (Singapore): Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority initiates recall of tea leaves products from Myanmar after detecting Auramine O, an industrial dye, in some products

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

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Sunday, March 29, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 29, 2009

United States

Food Safety Recall: Torres Hillsdale Country Cheese expands earlier recall of Asadero and Oaxaca soft Mexican style cheese due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination
Food Safety Recall: Union International Food Company recalls several spices that have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak in California and three other states
Mislabeling and Lack of USDA Inspection: Halal International Processing recalls 2,925 pounds of beef, chicken, goat and lamb products that were mislabeled and that did not receive mandatory USDA inspection

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

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

Salmonella-contaminated Spice Sickens 42 People

March 29, 2009

The California Department of Public Health warned consumers yesterday evening to avoid spices manufactured by Union International Food Company, located in the San Francisco/Oakland bay area of California. The company has initiated a recall of its spices, sold under the Lian How brand name.

Consumption of black and/or white pepper supplied by this company has been linked to 42 cases of salmonellosis in 4 states. Thirty-three of the victims live in Central and Northern California. The CDPH news release did not indicate which other states are affected by this outbreak.

Lian How spices are sold to restaurants and also are available in Oriental supermarkets, such as Giant Union, located in Whittier, CA. Most of the outbreak victims reported having dined at an Asian restaurants that had purchased black or white pepper from Union International.

While food poisoning outbreaks are not often associated with spices, they have occurred from time to time. The largest reported outbreak of this type took place in 1981-82, when 126 people – most of them living in Norway – were infected with Salmonella Oranienburg after consuming contaminated ground black pepper. The black pepper had been imported from Brazil via Germany.

Salmonella-contaminated spices, including black or white pepper, have been the subject of recalls in the United States in the past. FDA recorded a total of 21 spice recalls between 1970 and 2003. All but one of those were due to Salmonella contamination. In January 2009, a shipment of black pepper that arrived at the port of San Francisco from China was rejected by FDA due to Salmonella contamination. Salmonella-contaminated ginger powder and black pepper from China – arriving this time at the ports of New York and Baltimore, respectively –also were rejected in December 2008.

CDPH is still investigating this outbreak and will be posting more information as it becomes available. With illnesses reported in three other states, it's likely that FDA also will become involved.

Until we receive more distribution information on the recalled spices, consumers should avoid sprinkling white or black pepper on restaurant entrées – especially in Asian style restaurants.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 28, 2009

Peanut Butter Outbreak Recalls

United States

Food Safety Recall: The Kroger Co. recalls Private Selection® Shelled Pistachios sold in its family of retail stores in 31 states due to possible Salmonella contamination

Canada

Allergy Alert (Québec): Abu-Lafia recalls certain pita products and biscuits due to the presence of undeclared allergens
Allergy Alert (Québec): Marché d'alimentation Marcanio et Fils Inc. recalls certain prepared foods due to the presence of undeclared allergens
Allergy Alert (Québec): Péché Gourmet Inc. recalls certain candies due to the presence of undeclared allergens

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

Food Safety Recall (UK): Damasgate Wholesale expands earlier recall of Ayyam Zamman Halama to include a total recall of packets and pots of all sizes due to Salmonella contamination

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

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

Salmonella-contaminated Pistachios Traced to California Firm

March 28, 2009

The California Department of Public Health reported late yesterday that it, together with federal authorities, is inspecting the pistachio processing premises of Setton Farms, located in Terra Bella, California.

The joint action comes after The Georgia Nut Company, The Back to Nature Foods Company (a Kraft company) and The Kroger Company recalled a number of trail mixes and mixed nut products that contained Salmonella-contaminated pistachios. Pistachios from Setton Farms were used in the Georgia Nut and Back to Nature mixes.

According to the CDPH news release, Setton Farms is initiating a recall of three lots of roasted pistachios that are linked to the Salmonella-contaminated trail mixes.

Setton Farms began life as a Brooklyn, NY bakery in 1959, and expanded into the gourmet dried fruit and nut business. Setton Pistachio Company, Inc. was formed in California in 1986. And in 1995, the company acquired Dole's pistachio processing and packaging plant in Terra Bella, CA – the facility that is now being inspected by state and federal investigators.

This incident is an illustration of the importance of traceability to a swift and effective response to a food contamination issue. Last week, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services released an audit report on Traceability in the Food Supply Chain. The OIG reported that it was able to trace only five out of 40 products through the entire length of the food supply chain.

Fortunately, the traceability system appears to be working in this pistachio incident – at least so far. The origin of the Salmonella-contaminated pistachios was quickly determined. We don't yet know whether the forward tracing of pistachios supplied by Setton Farms to other customers, and thence to retailers, will function equally well.

There may be several more recalls of pistachio-containing trail mixes, depending on which Setton Farms customers received nuts from the three lots that are being recalled. Please monitor the eFoodAlert Recall Roundup for daily updates on these – and other – recall notices.

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

Friday, March 27, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 27, 2009

United States

Mislabeling (Connecticut): Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection signs compliance agreement with Stop & Shop Company, LLC over misbranded ground beef

Australia and New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (Australia): Menora Foods Pty Ltd. recalls cheeses due to E. coli contamination

Asia, Africa and the Pacific

Food Safety Recall (Philippines): Department of Health announces immediate recall of certain batches of Yummy Sweet and Creamy Peanut Spread due to possible Salmonella contamination

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

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

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 26, 2009

United States

Food Safety Recall: The Georgia Nut Company recalls certain snack products containing shelled pistachio nuts that may contain Salmonella
Food Safety Recall: Back to Nature Foods Company recalls Nantucket Blend Trail Mix containing pistachio nuts that may contain Salmonella
Allergy Alert: Bigol & Cortdera Inc. recalls Berkeley Bakery brand Ensaymada Ube due to the presence of an undeclared allergen
Allergy Alert: Sara Lee North American Retail recalls 1,728 pounds of cheese frank products due to the presence of an undeclared allergen as a result of a packaging error

Canada

Food Safety Recall: The Québec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food warns consumers that Alimentation Limoilou meat sauce is lacking "Keep Refrigerated" labelling and represents a microbiological hazard to consumers.

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

Food Safety Recall (UK): Lepicol Ltd. and Natural Health Products have recalled Miradin and Fortodol food supplements due to the presence of nimesulide, an unauthorized substance

Australia and New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd. has recalled certain packages of McCain Shepherd's Pie due to the presence of an undeclared allergen

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

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

The Latest Salmonella Outbreak: Salmonella Carrau

March 26, 2009

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported yesterday evening that another Salmonella outbreak may be incubating in Canada and elsewhere.

According to PHAC, four provinces – Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island – have reported a total of 14 cases of gastroenteritis due to Salmonella Carrau. The most recent confirmed victim began to experience symptoms on March 10.

This same, relatively rare, serotype also has been recovered from individuals in Wisconsin (3 confirmed, one suspect), Texas, Maine, New York, and Illinois, according to a recent report issued by the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. Texas authorities apparently have recovered a genetically similar strain from two turtles; further genetic fingerprinting is underway to determine whether these isolates match those recovered from outbreak victims.

It may be coincidence, but the Week 10 edition of the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed reported that, in early March, Norway had refused entry to a shipment of frozen beef tenderloins from Argentina due to the presence of Salmonella Carrau. Both Canada and the United States permit the importation of processed beef from Argentina; neither country allows the entry of Argentinian raw beef due to the risk of foot and mouth disease.

Salmonella Carrau was isolated for the first time in 1936 – from the mesenteric glands of normal pigs. Between the initial 1936 isolation and the first published description of the microbe in 1944, Salmonella Carrau also was recovered from four individuals – two babies and two adults – who were suffering from diarrhea (one with colitis), and from a group of 20 flies. One of the strains was found in Mexico; the rest were from Uruguay (a next door neighbor of Argentina).

Salmonella Carrau has been detected sporadically in the United States; CDC's most recent annual Salmonella summary shows a total of 10 human-origin isolates in 2006, scattered across four regions of the country.

Are any of these most recent reports of Salmonella Carrau in Argentinian beef, Texas turtles, and sufferers of gastroenteritis in Canada and the United States related? Only time – and genetic fingerprinting – will tell.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 25, 2009

Peanut Butter Outbreak Recalls

Mellace Family Brands, Inc.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency updates list of recalled peanut products sold in Canada

United States

Allergy Alert: Engelhart Gourmet Foods recalls smoked chicken sausage due to the presence of undeclared wheat
Food Safety Recall: Torres Hillsdale Country Cheese recalls Asadero and Oaxaca soft Mexican-style cheeses after Michigan Department of Agriculture detects Listeria monocytogenes. The cheeses were distributed in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin

Canada

Food Safety and Allergy Alert: The Québec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food warns consumers that Dae Jang Kum brand marinated meats are mislabeled; these uncooked meats are labeled as "cooked", and also contain undeclared allergens

Asia, Africa and the Pacific

Food Safety Recall (Philippines): The Philippines Department of Health has announced a recall and ban of all food products manufactured by Samuya Food Manufacturing, Inc. due to the presence of Salmonella

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

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

Risky Eating: Raw and Undercooked Eggs

March 25, 2009

We were reminded the other day that apparently clean, intact shell eggs sometimes may contain Salmonella. The reminder came in the form of a recall of organic eggs from den Dulk Poultry Farms.

The eggs were shipped to Costco, Safeway and Pack n' Save stores in western Nevada and northern California. The California Department of Health Services has issued its own warning and has promised to post a list of retail locations where the eggs were available as soon as that information is released to them.

While shell eggs are only occasionally contaminated with Salmonella – USDA estimates one contaminated egg in 20,000 – raw or undercooked eggs have been linked to several outbreaks of Salmonella food poisoning, both in the United States and elsewhere.

Restaurant and food service patrons should be especially aware of the risk of consuming undercooked or "runny" eggs. Several outbreaks have been traced to the practice of cracking and pooling eggs in the evening in preparation for the next day's breakfast rush. This practice can allow a single contaminated egg to taint the entire pool.

Even though the pooled eggs are refrigerated, the egg mix may not be cooled to a temperature that would prevent Salmonella from multiplying. And restaurants that offer scrambled eggs in a breakfast buffet sometimes choose to undercook the eggs so that they do not dry out in the buffet display. As a result, eggs offered in a breakfast buffet present a special risk of spreading Salmonella.

In 1985, 91 attendees at a convention held in Santa Fe, New Mexico were infected with Salmonella after consuming runny eggs from a breakfast buffet offered during the convention. Egg storage, handling and cooking practices also have been blamed for Salmonella outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and elsewhere.

Nor are undercooked scrambled eggs the only problem. Salmonella outbreaks have been linked to raw or undercooked eggs used in homemade bread dumpling loaf in Austria, rice arancini in Italy, tiramisu in the UK, cheesecake in California, hollandaise sauce in a hotel restaurant in Washington, DC, homemade ice cream in Florida, and Caesar salad dressing in a US restaurant.

Which came first - the chicken or the egg?

As far as Salmonella is concerned, the answer is clear. Salmonella-infected laying hens produce Salmonella-contaminated eggs, either during the development of the egg inside the hens or as a result of environmental contamination of the shell after laying. And one source of contamination is the feed.

Finland, which has undertaken great efforts over the years to minimize Salmonella in its poultry flocks, has been struggling recently with Salmonella-contaminated feed from a single producer. As of Monday, Salmonella had been detected at 23 Finnish egg-producing poultry farms and six pig farms, all of which received the contaminated feed.

Finnish policy requires that a Salmonella-infected poultry flock be destroyed and the poultry farm completely sanitized before a new flock is introduced. Understandably, poultry farmers who received the Salmonella-contaminated feed are waiting nervously for the results of lab tests that will decided the fate of their flocks.

The policy in Finland – indeed, in all of Scandinavia and in many other EU countries – may seem draconian to poultry and egg farmers in other countries. But it has made major inroads in controlling the presence of Salmonella in eggs and poultry meat in those countries. The incidence of Salmonella in Finnish cattle, swine, poultry and eggs is less than 1%. A survey of nearly 700 chilled chicken carcasses in Swedish slaughterhouses did not detect a single Salmonella-contaminated carcass.

In September 2004, FDA issued a Proposed Rule for the "Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production." The extended comment period for the proposed rule expired in June 2005. This Proposed Rule, which had the stated purpose of reducing the frequency of Salmonella contamination in eggs, was never issued as a Final Rule (i.e., never implemented) – either in its original form or with amendments.

Until the United States – along with other countries outside the EU – chooses to address this problem, consuming raw or undercooked eggs will remain a risky business.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 24, 2009

Peanut Butter Outbreak Recalls

Jay Robb Enterprises Inc.
Torn & Glasser
Yoke's Fresh Markets
Canadian Food Inspection Agency updates list of recalled peanut products sold in Canada

United States

Product Withdrawal: Welch's withdraws selected 32 oz. Welch's Grape Jelly, sold in 2 packs at BJ's due to the presence of mold

Canada

Product Recall: Shefa Brand Beef Salami may contain Listeria monocytogenes, according to a Health Hazard Alert issued by CFIA

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

Recall Alert (Republic of Ireland): Fortodol and Miradin food supplements (manufactured in USA) recalled due to presence of nimesulide

Asia, Africa and the Pacific

Salmonella warning (Philippines): Ludy's Peanut Butter has been found to be contaminated with Salmonella

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

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

eFoodAlert.com

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 31, 2009

FDA Warns Consumers to Avoid Pistachios: One Million Pounds Recalled

Monday, March 30, 2009

Salmonella-contaminated Spice Update

Recall Roundup: March 30, 2009

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 29, 2009

Salmonella-contaminated Spice Sickens 42 People

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 28, 2009

Salmonella-contaminated Pistachios Traced to California Firm

Friday, March 27, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 27, 2009

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 26, 2009

The Latest Salmonella Outbreak: Salmonella Carrau

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 25, 2009

Risky Eating: Raw and Undercooked Eggs

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Recall Roundup: March 24, 2009

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