Monday, August 31, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 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.



United States



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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Monday, August 31, 2009 0 comments
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Sunday, August 30, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 30, 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.



United States
  • Allergy Alert: Chef Pierre® recalls 4,380 cases of Chef Pierre Gourmet Lemon Meringue Pie-labeled product that actually contain chocolate meringue pie, as the product may contain undeclared milk. The recalled pies were supplied to foodservice operations nationally.
  • Food Safety Recall: Melon Acres recalls cantaloupes distributed through Farm-Wey Produce of Lakeland, FL after FDA finds Salmonella in a sample. The recalled melons, shipped August 13th and 14th, were sold at Aldi's in Greenwood, Indiana and at Meijer in Lansing, Michigan, Newport, Michigan, and Tipp City, Ohio. The field from which the Salmonella-contaminated melon was harvested has been identified. No further shipments will be made from that field until the source of the contamination has been identified and dealt with.


Europe
  • Allergy Alert (Spain): Spain issues sales ban on unidentified diet pills from France and orders market withdrawal of an unidentified food supplement from Germany due to the presence of an undeclared milk ingredient.
  • Allergy Alert (France): Vahiné recalls "Pépites Créatives" Chocolat Vahiné (chocolate nuggets for baking) due to the presence of traces of milk that are not declared on the label. The recall encompasses all lots labeled with a Best Before date up to and including 14 mai 2010 (May 14, 2010).
  • Food Safety Alert (Italy): Italy detains smoked blue marlin from Denmark due to excessive levels of mercury.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): Fromagerie Germain recalls Chalancey, Germain, Auchan, Lincet, Patrimoine, Gourmand and Nos régions ont du Talent brands of Epoisse cheese (all identified by Lot# 174) that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled cheese was exported to Belgium, Switzerland and the Russian Federation.
  • Food Safety Recall (France): Carrefour recalls Steaks hachés surgelés Carrefour Discount (Carrefour Discount frozen minced beef steaks) due to E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The recalled product, which carries a Best Before date of 5 août 2010 (August 5, 2010) was imported from Ireland and sold in Carrefour, Carrefour Market and Champion stores in France.



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.
Posted by Phyllis E at Sunday, August 30, 2009 0 comments
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Saturday, August 29, 2009

Raw Milk In The Spotlight Again

August 29, 2009

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reported yesterday that thirteen people in the southeastern part of the state have been infected with Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium that causes gastroenteritis. Victims of Campylobacter jejuni infections occasionally suffer from a secondary infections and other serious complications.

All thirteen victims of the current outbreak in Wisconsin became ill between August 14th and August 20th, and reported either consuming unpasteurized milk or were in households where someone else had consumed raw milk and was sick. Additional cases are still under investigation.

The state has not named the source of the raw milk that was implicated in this illness outbreak, but asks consumers to discard any unpasteurized milk they may have in their homes. Selling or distributing raw milk and other dairy products made from unpasteurized milk is illegal in Wisconsin.

Consumption of unpasteurized dairy products continues to be a controversial subject in the United States, Canada and other developed countries around the world. Proponents swear by its health benefits and maintain their inalienable right to drink raw milk. Opponents point out the microbiological risks, and the concomitant cost to society that is associated with disease outbreaks.

Earlier this month, Health Canada reminded consumers that raw milk may contain disease-causing bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. In March 2008, for example, cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk was responsible for 25 cases of Salmonella Muenster infections in France. The outbreak strain was recovered from a sample of the goat cheese, confirming the linkage beyond any doubt.

As a reminder of the arguments that are encompassed by the raw dairy product debate, I have added a special link to the list of Features and Series. Click on the Unpasteurized Dairy Products link to navigate to my archive of blog posts about raw milk and other raw dairy products.

Posted by Phyllis E at Saturday, August 29, 2009 0 comments
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Recall Roundup: August 29, 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.



United States
  • Allergy Alert: Snack King Foods, Inc. (Rochester, NY) recalls Island Snacks Natures Mix (date code Jul 24, 2010) due to the presence of undeclared sulfites. The recalled snack product was sold in Kmart stores in Western New York State.

Canada
  • Food Safety Recall: Delstar Foods Inc. (Montreal, QC) expands its earlier recall of Delstar brand and Compliments brand ready-to-eat sliced meats to include additional varieties of sliced meats bearing Establishment #308 and best before dates between 09AU26 (August 26, 2009) and 09OC01 (October 1, 2009), inclusive. The recalled meats were distributed in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Saturday, August 29, 2009 0 comments
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Friday, August 28, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 28, 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.



United States
  • Food Safety Recall: Queso Mi Pueblito, LLC recalls 13 varieties of cheeses ("Sell By" dates of February 2, 2009 to present) that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled cheese was distributed to retail stores and wholesalers in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia through Puebla Foods, Inc. (Passaic, NJ). Queso Mi Pueblito initiated the recall as a result of sampling and analysis by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Friday, August 28, 2009 0 comments
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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Canadian Sprout Recall Widens Again

August 27, 2009

The discovery of additional production batches of Salmonella-contaminated onion sprouts is behind the recall notice that was issued late yesterday by Living Foods, Ltd. (Innisfail, AB), according to information given to eFoodAlert by Food Safety and Recall Specialist Garfield Balsom, of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ("CFIA").

The August 26th recall announcement covers Sprouts Alive Baby Onion Sprouts and Sprouts Alive Alfalfa & Onion Sprouts with best before dates of August 29 to September 11, 2009, inclusive. The recalled sprouts were available in Alberta, and may also have been distributed in British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

CFIA is continuing to investigate Living Food's sprouting operation, Mr. Balsom told us. Agency investigators have been checking the production environment, the most recent batch of seeds used for sprouting, and finished batches of onion sprouts for evidence of Salmonella. So far, only the finished sprouts have proven to contain Salmonella.

The investigation was triggered by 13 Salmonella Cubana infections that occurred between mid-May and late July of this year. Seven of the victims were from Alberta, five from Ontario and one from British Columbia. Several of the outbreak victims mentioned having consumed raw onion sprouts. As we reported yesterday, the outbreak strain of Salmonella Cubana was discovered in a sample of onion sprouts produced by Sunsprout Natural Foods (Brantford, ON).

Salmonella also was recovered from a sample of the seeds drawn from the batch that was supplied to both Living Foods and Sunsprout. The contaminated lot of seeds, which was imported from the United States, has been recalled, according to Mr. Balsom. The name of the seed supplier was released.

The onion sprout products that were recalled on August 25th and August 26th by Living Foods were grown from a different batch of seeds. As many of the lab results are still pending, we don't yet know whether Living Foods' on-going contamination problem is due to the new batch of seeds, or whether the production environment is now contaminated.

CFIA should have a clearer picture of the situation within the next few days. Meanwhile, it would be reasonable to expect the company to suspend their sprouting activities, and to carry out a comprehensive cleaning and sanitation of the entire production area before sprouting another onion seed.

Posted by Phyllis E at Thursday, August 27, 2009 0 comments
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Recall Roundup: August 27, 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.



United States
  • Food Recall: Price Chopper recalls Price Chopper brand Apple Juice (UPC #41735-00960; 1 gal; Lot #1129ct89-2; Best Before 07/20/2010) due to concerns about the taste.

Canada
  • Allergy Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency advises that certain Lotte brand snack foods, imported from Korea, contain one or more undeclared allergens and have been recalled by the importer. The recalled snack foods are known to have been sold in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, and may also have been distributed in other parts of Canada.
  • Food Safety Recall: Living Foods Ltd. (Innisfail, AB) expands its earlier recalls to include all batches of Sprouts Alive Baby Onion Sprouts and Sprouts Alive Alfalfa and Onion Sprouts identified by best before dates of August 29, 2009 to September 11, 2009 inclusive, due to Salmonella contamination.
  • Food Safety Recall: Essentiellement Sol (3870, rue Ontario est, Montréal, QC) recalls several food items sold in hermetically sealed 750mL glass containers, because the products were not processed in a manner that would ensure microbiological safety.


Europe
  • Allergy Alert (Belgium): L'Agence Fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaine Alimentaire (AFSCA) advises consumers that the manufacturer of BÖHME ANANAS CREME-SCHOKOLADE (Böhme Banana Cream Chocolate) has recalled Lot #L9113 due to the presence of undeclared milk in the chocolate. The German-made chocolates were distributed in Brussels and in the German-speaking areas of Belgium, and may also have been sold elsewhere in Europe.


Australia & New Zealand
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia-Update): Bruny Island Cheese Co. recalls Saint, Oen, ODO, Otto, and 1792 solft cheeses (all whole units of approx 200g; Best Before dates between September 1, 2009 to October 13, 2009) due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled soft cheeses were distributed in Tasmania only.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Thursday, August 27, 2009 0 comments
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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 26, 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.



United States
  • Product Recall: Food City advises that Kid's Multi-Vitamin 30 count has been recalled. No details are given.
  • Insulin Safety Alert (Update): FDA reminds diabetics who use long-acting insulin Levemir made by Novo Nordisk Inc. that stolen vials of this insulin brand may still be on the market. Levemir users should check their supply of insulin for lot numbers XZF0036, XZF0037, and XZF0038, which were stolen in North Carolina earlier this year. Only 2% of the stolen 129,000 vials have been recovered so far.


Canada
  • Food Safety Recall: Delstar Foods Inc. (Montréal, QC) recalls certain Delstar and Compliments brand ready-to-eat deli meats due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recalled meat beef products were distributed in the province of Québec.
  • Food Safety Recall: Living Foods Ltd. (Innisfail, AB) recalls Sprouts Alive brand Baby Onion Sprouts (70 g; UPC #0 69022 00032 0; Best Before September 4, 2009) after Salmonella is found in a sample of the product.


Europe
  • Food Safety Alert (UK): The UK Food Standards Agency warns consumers to avoid certain clay-based brands of drinks due to unsafe levels of arsenic and lead in the beverages.


Australia & New Zealand
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Bruny Island Cheese Company (Tasmania) recalls all soft cheeses and suspends production after Listeria monocytogenes is found in two separate batches of its soft cheese.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific
  • Food Safety Recall (Singapore): M/s Lam Hock Leong Trading Company recalls two Chinese wine products after Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore detects excessive levels of methanol.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Wednesday, August 26, 2009 0 comments
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BREAKING NEWS: Sprouts Confirmed Source of Canadian Salmonella Outbreak

August 26, 2009

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency ("CFIA") has confirmed that the Salmonella that was recovered from a Sprouts Alive onion sprout product grown by Sunsprout Natural Foods (Brantford, ON) matches the genetic fingerprint of the Salmonella Cubana strain that sickened 13 Canadians between April 15th and July 26th, 2009.

Garfield Balsom, a Food Safety and Recall Specialist with CFIA, also told eFoodAlert today that Sprouts Alive brand onion sprouts recalled by Living Foods Ltd. (Innisfail, AB) on August 19th were linked epidemiologically to cases of salmonellosis. But the agency has not yet received either serotyping or genetic fingerprinting results on the Salmonella that was recovered from the Alberta-produced sprouts.

The recalled Ontario- and Alberta-produced onion sprouts were grown from the same batch of seeds.

The seeds, which were imported from the United States according to Mr. Balsom, are under investigation. So far, however, Salmonella has not been detected in samples from the implicated batch of seeds. CFIA and the Public Health Agency of Canada are in communication with FDA, which is cooperating in the investigation.

Late yesterday, Living Foods Ltd. announced a second recall of Sprouts Alive brand Baby Onion Sprouts (Best Before September 4, 2009) due to Salmonella contamination. No illnesses have been associated directly with these sprouts, which were produced using a different batch of seeds. Detailed serotyping and genetic fingerprinting of the Salmonella isolate is in progress.

If Salmonella is recovered from either batch of sprouting seeds, a cross-border recall is likely to follow. Meanwhile, our previous warning to consumers is still very much in force:

Avoid Raw Onion Sprouts


Posted by Phyllis E at Wednesday, August 26, 2009 0 comments
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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 25, 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.



United States
  • Food Safety Recall: Lone Star Brisket Company (Thorndale, TX) recalls approximately 207 pounds of smoked beef products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The contamination was discovered as a result of USDA testing. The recalled product was distributed to Kirkland AFB (NM), Tinker AFB (OK) and Altus AFB (OK).
  • "Boil Water" Advisory: Arkansas Department of Health advises that water from a natural spring located on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Little Rock near the intersection of King Drive and 30th Street has tested positive for E. coli and should be boiled for one minute before being consumed.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Tuesday, August 25, 2009 0 comments
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Monday, August 24, 2009

Salmonella Cubana Now In British Columbia

August 24, 2009

Salmonella Cubana, which has infected seven Albertans and five Ontario residents, also has infected one person in British Columbia, according to a report released earlier today by the BC Center for Disease Control.

All 13 cases of salmonellosis have been linked tentatively to Sprouts Alive brand onion sprout products, which were produced in Alberta by Living Foods Ltd. and in Ontario by Sunsprout Natural Foods. While the presence of Salmonella in the sprouts has been confirmed, the Canadian government has not yet announced whether or not the strain that they found is a genetic match for the Salmonella Cubana outbreak strain isolated from the 13 victims.

Sprouts Alive onion sprout products were recalled by Living Foods and Sunsprout Natural Foods earlier this month due to Salmonella contamination. A contaminated batch of seeds that was supplied to both sprout processors is being blamed for the Salmonella-contaminated batches of onion sprouts.

There has been no indication of where the contaminated onion seeds originated, where they were distributed, or whether their distribution was limited to Canada.


Posted by Phyllis E at Monday, August 24, 2009 0 comments
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Recall Roundup: August 24, 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.



Australia & New Zealand
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Fishboy Pty Ltd (Marrickville, NSW) recalls certain production codes of Salty Chicken, Fuligi Chicken, Sliced Ham, and Boneless Pork Hoof after testing indicates the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled ready-to-eat products were distributed only in New South Wales.
  • Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Goulds Fine Foods (Wellington) recalls The Valley Sausage Company Sausage Meat (500g tubes; batch #3395) after discovering the presence of small metal flakes in some tubes of sausage meat. The recalled product is sold in Foodstuffs supermarkets (Pak’n Save and New World) in the lower North Island and Wellington region.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Monday, August 24, 2009 0 comments
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Sunday, August 23, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 23, 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.



United States
  • Dietary Supplement Recall: Nutracoastal Trading LLC expands its July 28th, 2009 recall of its STEAM brand dietary supplement to include Lot #90260, due to the presence in the product of Tadalafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Sunday, August 23, 2009 0 comments
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Saturday, August 22, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 22, 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.



Canada
  • Allergy Alert: Choices Markets (Delta, BC) recalls Choices Markets brand Cranberry Lemon Splash Muffins (600 g packages bearing UPC 227231 706994), due to the presence of undeclared walnuts.
  • Allergy Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency advises that Lotte brand Korean Cracker "Ummaeson Pie" (127 g packages bearing UPC 8 801062 249770), contains undeclared milk and has been recalled by the importers.


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.


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.

Posted by Phyllis E at Saturday, August 22, 2009 0 comments
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