Recall Roundup: December 11, 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: Organicgirl Produce recalls 120 cartons of 5.75 oz Berries & Balsamic Salad because it may include an incorrect condiment packet that contains undeclared walnuts.
• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Seaport Fish Company LLC that a July 2009 inspection of the company's seafood processing facility uncovered serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
• FDA Debarment Action: FDA debars Peter Xuong Lam (president of Virginia Star Seafood Corporation of Fairfax, Va.) from importing food into the United States for the next 20 years after Mr. Lam was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import catfish from Vietnam for fraudulent sale.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Heinz Canada recalls certain date codes of Heinz Mixed Cereal for babies because the cereal may contain elevated levels of Ochratoxin A. Ocharatoxin A is produced during growth of Aspergillus ochraceus, a common mold, and has been classified as a carcinogen.

Europe

• Food Safety Alert (France): The Ministry of Health and Sports warns consumers to avoid gathering and consuming the Equestrian Tricholoma mushroom, as eating this mushroom can cause severe muscle damage. Two cases of myopathy have been reported; one victim died.
• Food Safety Alert (Republic of Ireland): The Food Safety Authority of Ireland alerts consumers to six illnesses due to Salmonella Enteritidis PT14b – the same strain that was linked by the UK Food Standards Agency to eggs imported from Spain.
• Food Adulteration (France): Lesieur recalled, on December 3rd, walnut oil imported from the United States that was adulterated with mineral oil. The recall was later reversed at the insistence of the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Fraud (DGCCRF)

Asia, Africa & The Pacific

• Dietary Supplement Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health warns consumers to avoid puchasing or using two slimming products called Comecoo and ZHONGCAOYAO—JIANKANGJIANFEI as they were found to contain undeclared western medicines.

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.

• A&P
• Big Y® World Class Market®
  
• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
  
• Bloom
  
• Brookshire's
  
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)
  
• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
  
• EDEKA (Germany)
• Food City
  
• Food Lion
  
• Giant Food LLC
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• H-E-B
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Raley's
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Stop & Shop
• Sweetbay Supermarkets
• Target
  
• Tops Friendly Markets
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  
• Wegmans
  
• Whole Foods Market
  
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
  

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

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