Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Recall Roundup: March 31, 2010

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.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Food Safety Recall: Binell Bros. Cutlery recalls ground black pepper packaged in clear, plastic bags weighing between ¼ lb and 10 lbs, and sold on-site between December 11, 2009 and February 2, 2010, because the pepper may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Food Safety Recall: Lance, Inc. recalls Tom's Barbecue Potato Chips with expiration dates through July 16, 2010, because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The chips were sold in retail stores nationwide in 1-ounce, 2.25-ounce and 8.5-ounce flexible packages.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Recall: McNeil-PPC, Inc. recalls Zyrtec® Itchy Eye Drops & Visine® All Day Eye Itch Relief – 0.17 fl oz because some samples tested as part of the manufacturer’s stability program did not meet product specifications.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Recall: Apotex, Inc. recalls some production lots of Claritin Eye-Allergy Eye Itch Relief-5 ml because during routine testing the product was observed to a have a low pH on this forumla/package combination.
  • OTC Pharmaceutical Product Recall: Top Care recalls Top Care Eye Itch Relief Drops, 5 mL because the pH level is lower than specified.
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Recall: Natural Wellness, Inc. recalls MasXtreme, Lot# 911035, because the product contains undeclared amounts of Aildenafil, as well as the drug Phentolamine, and can cause severe side effects.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Simplydelicious LLC (dba Bobo's Oat Cakes, Boulder, CO) that a November/December 2009 inspection found serious deviations from the applicable regulations that caused the Company's ingredients and finished food products to be adulterated. The inspector documented evidence of rodent infestation and general equipment maintenance issues, among other deviations from FDA's Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns 1008 Grinstead Mill Road Dairy (Cave City, KY) that an investigation of the dairy's operations revealed several violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act and Regulation.


Canada
  • Food Safety Recall: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns consumers that certain Spike, Vegit and Vege-Sal seasonings (manufactured in the USA and imported into Canada) may be contaminated with Salmonella and have been recalled by the manufacturer and importer. The affected seasoning products were sold across Canada.


Europe



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.



Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Raw Milk - Setting The Record Straight

In February 2007, FDA sent the following Warning Letter to the owner of Forest Grove Dairy in Middlebury, Indiana.

Dear Mr. Hochstetler:

A joint investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Indiana Board of Animal Health, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture, has documented violations of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) and a Federal regulation promulgated under the PHS Act.

Our investigation determined that your firm distributes unpasteurized raw milk and cream in interstate commerce, in finished form for human consumption. Such distribution is a violation of the PHS Act, 42 U.S.C. § 271(a), and the regulation codified in Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), section 1240.61(a) The regulation prohibits the delivery into interstate commerce of milk and milk products in final package form for direct human consumption unless they have been pasteurized. The milk and cream you produce in Indiana and distribute to Cooperatives in Michigan and Illinois for further distribution to their Co-op members is in final package form for direct human consumption. For your information, we have enclosed a copy of the regulation as it was published in the Federal Register, 52 FR 29,509 (Aug 10, 1987).

The above observation is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations. It is your responsibility to ensure adherence with all requirements of the PHS Act and implementing regulations. You should take prompt action to correct this deviation and prevent any future recurrence. Failure to make prompt corrections could result in regulatory action without further notice.

In addition to the violation above, we have several comments concerning the lack of labeling of your raw milk and cream products. First, we note that your raw milk and cream products do not contain labeling that specifies the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor (21 CFR 101.5). We also note that your raw milk and cream products do not contain a principal display panel bearing a declaration of the net quantity of contents (21 CFR 101.105). Lastly, we note that your raw milk and cream products fail to have labels that declare their ingredients (21 CFR 101.4).

Please notify this office in writing within fifteen (15) working days of receipt of this letter of the specific steps you have taken to correct the noted violations, including an explanation of each step being taken to prevent the recurrence of similar violations. If corrective actions can not be completed within 15 working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which corrections will be completed.

Your response should be directed to Judith A. Jankowski, Compliance Officer, at the above letterhead address. If you have any questions regarding any issues in this letter,please contact Ms. Jankowski at 313-393-8125.

Last Friday (March 26, 2010), FDA announced the following:
The FDA is collaborating with the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health and the Indiana State Health Department, to investigate the outbreak. MDCH reports that, as of March 24, 2010, it received reports of 12 confirmed cases of illness from Campylobacter infections in consumers who drank raw milk. The raw milk originated from Forest Grove Dairy in Middlebury, Ind.

In addition to the 12 confirmed cases in Michigan, three Indiana residents also have been infected with this Campylobacter strain.

Several readers have commented on my earlier posts regarding the risks inherent in drinking raw milk in general, and the implications of this current Campylobacter outbreak in particular.

One reader said, "Phyllis Entis' suggestions that the cowshare milk wasn't fresh because it traveled through several states is typical of the hyperbole and misstatements of the public health establishment. She ought to look at a map, and see how close northeast IL, northwest IN, and southern MI are to each other."

Another reader said, "If you are a city dweller, it is not practical and against zoning laws to keep your own horse or cow in your condo or townhome. You board your cow with a farmer in the country, and you get your rightfully owned milk secreted by your own cow."

I ran a Google mapping of the distances between Middlebury, Iowa (where the milk originated), Vandalia, Michigan (the location of the distributor) and Wayne County, Michigan (where some of the Campylobacter cases were reported. From Middlebury to Vandalia is just 29 miles; from Vandalia to Wayne County is an additional 190 miles. From Middlebury to Chicago (where some of the milk was shipped, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health) is 118 miles. That's a long way to go for a glass of milk!

A reader commented, "It is legal for anyone to possess, consume, and cross state lines with the milk. The federal law against interstate shipment only applies to milk that is in commerce, which means it has to be sold or given away. This milk was always owned by the shareholders, and it was never sold or given away."

I would point that reader to the Webster's New World Law Dictionary, which defines commerce as "The exchange of goods, materials, products, and services or the travel of people." As for interstate commerce, the same dictionary describes it as "Commerce that involves the transport of goods, materials, products, services, and people within the United States but across state boundaries."

The last time I checked, boarding an animal in exchange for money is providing a service. Milking somebody's cow for him in exchange for money is providing a service. This is commerce. When the customer is in Michigan and the supplier of the service is in Indiana, this is interstate commerce. And it comes under FDA's jurisdiction.

I have no quarrel with anyone who prefers to consume raw milk. But let's keep the discussion grounded in fact – not flimflam.


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Recall Roundup: March 30, 2010

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.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Food Safety Recall: Modern Products, Inc. (Alameda, CA) recalls a number of seasoning blends that contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein supplied by Basic Food Flavors that may contain Salmonella. The recalled products were sold in retail stores nationwide.
  • OTC Product Recall: McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalls certain production lots of Children's Tylenol®, and Children's Zyrtec® due to stability concerns, as the recalled products were packaged in bottles that did not meet wall thickness specifications. The recall is wholesale-level and does not represent a safety concern.
  • OTC Product Recall: McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalls certain production lots of Infant's Tylenol®, Infant's Motrin® and Children's Zyrtec® because of concerns that the expiration date may become smudged or illegible as a result of consumer handling. The recall is wholesale-level and does not represent a safety concern.


Canada
  • Food Safety Recall: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency advises consumers that certain production codes of No Name Cream of Leek Soup Mix have been recalled because they were manufactured using hydrolyzed vegetable protein from Basic Food Flavors that may contain Salmonella.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Groupe Dynamite, Inc. recalls Garage Beaded String Bracelets and Antique Silver Bracelets (manufactured in China) because they contain lead in excess of the allowable limit.


Europe
  • Allergy Alert (UK): Heineken UK recalls cans of Murphy's Draught Irish Stout with a 'best before' date of 31 December 2010 and a batch code of L9348, because the product has been incorrectly packaged in Murphy’s Draught Style Stout Pasteurized Beer cans. The mislabelled cans do not mention that the product contains barley gluten.
  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): WP Meat A/S recalls lightly salted sliced roast porkloin after Salmonella was detected. The recalled meat was sold to wholesalers and catering businesses throughout Denmark.
  • Food Recall (Denmark): Dalby Molle A/S recalls Guldsol almond oatmeal because the product contains straw fragments over the allowable limit. The recalled product was sold in Lidl stores throughout Denmark.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2010.0395): Aflatoxins in ground hazelnuts from Turkey; distributed in Germany.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2010.0396): Salmonella Amsterdam and Salmonella Edmonton in dog chew from India; notified by Germany and distributed in Switzerland.
  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2010.0397): Salmonella anatum in dog chew from Turkey; notified by Germany and distributed in Switzerland.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2010.0398): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled anchovy from Croatia; distributed in Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2010.0399): Cadmium (heavy metal) in frozen whole squids from Thailand; distributed in Italy.
  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2010.0400): Salmonella Montevideo in food supplement from the Netherlands; distributed in Germany.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Pharmaceutical Product Recall (Hong Kong): Neochem Pharmaceutical Laboratories recalls U-Caine Lozenges (Batch No. 081228, sold in bulk packs) because the indicated batch contains only 50% of the specified amount of benzocaine.


Australia and New Zealand
  • Pharmaceutical Product Recall (New Zealand): Mylan New Zealand recalls Respigen asthma inhaler (Batch No. 9F282A, expires May 2012) because the product does not contain the required amount of the active ingredient, salbutamol.
  • Cookbook Recall (New Zealand): Southern Publishing Group recalls The Happy Baby Cookbook because it contains recipes for pregnant women made with ingredients the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) considers could be harmful in pregnancy.


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.



Monday, March 29, 2010

Recall Roundup: March 29, 2010

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.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Food Safety Recall: Perfect Candy & Packaging Co. recalls H.D.W. Foods Inc. brand Whole Black Peppercorns, 2.0 oz bags (UPC# 080869654293) because the peppercorns may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Food Safety Recall: USDA posts updated retail distribution list for 8.4 ounce boxes of "TORNADOS RANCHERO BEEF & CHEESE, recalled earlier this month by Ruiz Foods Inc. due to possible Salmonella contamination.
  • Cosmetic Product Safety Recall: Kao Brands Company recalls Lot #Y321CE27 of John Frieda Sheer Blonde Lustrous Touch Strengthening Conditioner, due to contamination with B. cepacia. The recalled item was supplied to a limited number of retailers, including Price Chopper.


Europe
  • Food Safety Recall: Inco Denmark amba recalls Roller Stege w / prunes after Salmonella is detected in a sample of the product. The recalled product was distributed to caterers in Sealand.



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.



Sunday, March 28, 2010

Recall Roundup: March 28, 2010

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.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Food Safety Alert: Indiana State Department of Health and State Board of Animal Health advise consumers that three Indiana cases of Campylobacter gastroenteritis have been linked to raw milk supplied by Forest Grove Dairy in Middlebury, IN. Consumers who have milk from this dairy are being encouraged to submit it to the Indiana State Department of Health for free testing. Anyone who has consumed raw milk and who experiences symptoms of gastroenteritis (diarrhea, cramps, nausea, etc.) should seek immediate medical attention.


Canada
  • Food Safety Recall: Tree of Life Canada ULC (Mississauga, ON) recalls four Sun Bird products that contain black pepper recalled by Mincing Overseas Spice Company due to possible Salmonella contamination. The recalled Sun Bird items were distributed across Canada.


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.



Saturday, March 27, 2010

Recall Roundup: March 27, 2010

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.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Food Safety Alert: FDA advises consumers that raw oysters from Louisiana that are linked to 11 cases of Norovirus gastroenteritis in Mississippi were distributed across the United States. Louisiana has issued a recall notice and has closed the affected harvesting beds.
  • Food Safety Recall: Modern Products, Inc. recalls Spike and Vegit brands of seasonings and Hauser Vegetable Broth, because the products contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein that was recalled by Basic Food Flavors due to possible Salmonella contamination. The products were distributed to supermarkets and other retailers across the USA.
  • Food Recall: Food City advises its customers that the manufacturer has recalled Food Club and ValuTime Taco Shells and Food Club Taco Dinner. No reason is given for the recall.
  • Food Recall: Buehler's advises its customers that Smith Dairy has recalled lot code 04/02/10 of Buehler's Skim Milk (gallon size) and Smith's Skim Milk (1/2 gallon) due to a quality issue.
  • Food Recall: Buehler's advises its customers that Enjoy Life Foods has recalled Enjoy Life Cocoa Loco Snack Bar 5 oz. (Best by10/26/10) because of a shelf-life issue.


Europe



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.



Friday, March 26, 2010

Raw Milk Drinkers Unite!

You have nothing to lose but your lunch!!!

I have a question for all those people who claim that raw milk is safe, healthy, and should not be tampered with in any way.

If raw milk is safe, why did milk supplied by Forest Grove Dairy (Middlebury, IN) under a cow share program infect at least 12 people with Campylobacter this month?

If raw milk is safe, why did milk supplied by Pasture Maid Creamery (New Castle, PA) infect at least one consumer with Campylobacter this month?

If raw milk is safe, why did milk supplied by Willow Marsh Farm (Saratoga, NY) infect five consumers with Campylobacter in January?

Did I mention that Campylobacter is a bacterium that is associated with fecal contamination?

While I'm at it, let me debunk a few raw milk myths:
  • Raw milk is not inherently antimicrobial, as some of its proponents claim. If it was inherently antimicrobial, raw milk would not be the source of food poisoning outbreaks.
  • Raw milk and pasteurized milk both contain the same quantity of lactose. Someone who is truly lactose-intolerant would have the same difficulty digesting either raw or pasteurized milk.
  • Federal and state health authorities apply the same standards of epidemiological investigation to raw milk-related cases of disease as they apply to any other foodborne outbreak investigation. If a dozen people living in at least three different counties are infected with the same strain of Campylobacter, and if that group of people all drank raw milk from the same farm or cow-share program, and if there is no other common element, then there's a darned good chance that the raw milk is the source of the infections. This is not rocket science.


If, as I suggested in my post of several days ago, there is a way to obtain the benefits of drinking raw milk without the microbiological risk associated with it, I would welcome it. I imagine that many other consumers would, too.

Until then, I'll stick to pasteurized milk.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


Recall Roundup: March 26, 2010

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.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Food Safety Alert: Pennsylvania departments of Agriculture and Health advise consumers who purchased raw milk from Pasture Maid Creamery in New Castle, Lawrence County, to discard the product immediately because of potential bacterial contamination. A Department of Agriculture lab found Campylobacter in a recent milk sample taken from the dairy as part of a human illness investigation.
  • Food Recall: Food City advises consumers that the manufacturer has recalled Food Club Frozen Whole Strawberries, 16 oz bag.
  • Food Safety Alert: The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services warns consumers, especially pregnant or breastfeeding women, to avoid a folk remedy called “Nzu” or “Calabash clay” because of potential health risks from lead and arsenic.
  • Consumer Product Safety Recall: Carolina Biological Supply Co. (Burlington, NC) recalls Carolina Function Generator Kits, a children's educational product made in Canada, because the yellow lids in the kits contain excessive lead.


Canada
  • Food Safety Recall: Central Smith Creamery (Peterborough, ON) recalls Wholesome Farms Vanilla Sundae Cups and Wholesome Farms Butterscotch Sundae Cups because the ice cream products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The Sundae Cups were distributed by Sysco Corporation primarily to food service institutions such as restaurants, hospitals, day care centres and nursing homes across Canada.
  • Food Safety Advisory: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns consumers that some spices and seasonings sold in Canada may contain black and/or red pepper that has been recalled in the USA by Mincing Overseas Spice Company due to possible contamination with Salmonella.


Europe
  • Food Safety Product Seizure (Belgium): Belgium's Food Agency has announced the seizure at import of 3120 cans of the energy beverage "Cocaine", because of concerns that the product contains excessive levels of caffeine and vitamins, and is mislabelled.
  • Food Safety Recall (Italy): Ursini srl recalls Pestato di Carciofini di Capello (145 grams jars, Lot 56 09, expiration date 30/12/2010) following the report of a confirmed case of botulism and the detection of the toxin of Clostridium botulinum. Investigations of the processing facility are in progress and additional products may be added to the recall.


Australia and New Zealand
  • Food Safety Recall (Australia): Thai Ha Public Company Limited and Woolworths Limited recall all outstanding production lots of Home Brand Jasmine Rice (1 Kg plastic bags), because the product may contain metal shavings. The recalled rice was distributed nationally in Australia in Woolworths, Safeway and Food For Less Supermarket stores.
  • Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Progressive Enterprises, Ltd. recalls all outstanding production lots of Home Brand Jasmine Rice (1 Kg plastic bags), because the product may contain metal shavings. The recalled rice was distributed in Food town, Countdown, SuperValue and FreshChoice supermarkets throughout New Zealand.


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.



Thursday, March 25, 2010

Recall Roundup: March 25, 2010

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.

If you would like to receive automatic email alerts for all new articles posted on eFoodAlert, please click here or submit your request using the sidebar link. Please include "subscribe eFoodAlert" in the subject line.


United States
  • Allergy Alert: USDA posts retail distribution list for enchilada products recalled by Fernando's Food Corporation.
  • Food Safety Alert: Illinois Department of Public Health warns consumers that raw milk distributed through a cow share program from a dairy in Middlebury, Indiana. has been associated with multiple cases of Campylobacter infections. A Family Farms Cooperative in Michigan received milk from the Indiana dairy and has delivered the suspect milk to locations in Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Elgin and Chicago, Illinois.
  • Food Safety Recall: C.H. Guenther & Son, Inc. expands its earlier recalls to include four additional products that contain black pepper supplied by Mincing Overseas Spice Company and may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  • Food Safety Recall: Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals closed a Plaquemines Parish molluscan shellfish harvesting area. DHH also ordered a recall of all oysters harvested from the area since March 6, including shucked, frozen, breaded and post-harvest processed oysters, and oysters for the half shell market. The Louisiana oysters have been linked to an outbreak of Norovirus gastroenteritis in Mississippi.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns C & S Wholesale Grocers (Keene, NH) that inspections of the company's processing facility carried out in August and September 2009 revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Pacific American Fish Co., Inc. (Vernon, CA) that inspections of the company's Boston facility carried out in July 2009 revealed serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Registry Steaks and Seafood Ltd. (Bridgeview, IL) that a series of inspections of the company's seafood processing facility carried out during April-July 2009 revealed serious violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) and associated regulations.
  • Food Safety Recall: C.H. Guenther & Son, Inc. recalls Chilli Man Branded Seasoning Mix because it contains a pepper ingredient that may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.


Canada
  • Allergy Alert: Metro Richelieu, Inc. recalls several prepared foods that contain undeclared milk, soy, eggs, nuts, sesame, peanuts, wheat and/or sulfites. The recalled items were sold at Metro or Metro Plus stores in the province of Québec.
  • Allergy Alert: Québec's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) advises consumers that various packaged sandwiches carrying the Le Perco Distribution brand name contain undeclared egg and soy proteins. The sandwiches were sold in vending machines, canteens and convenience stores in the Montérégie region of Québec.
  • Food Safety Recall: Solar Raw Food (Castleton, ON) recalls Solar Raw Food brand Ultimate Kale Chips - Red Peppercorn Ranch, is sold in a 100 g package bearing UPC 8 75405 00503 1 and Best Before dates from 12FE11 to 15MR11, because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled Kale Chips were distributed in Ontario and Québec.
  • Food Safety Recall: Blue Line Foodservice Distribution (Farmington Hills, MI) recalls Little Caesars Spice Paks, because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The Spice Paks were available to customers on request in Little Caesar's Ontario stores located in Woodstock, Chatham, Windsor, Kingston, Tilbury, St. Clair Beach, LaSalle, Barrie, Courtice, Mississauga, Whitby, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Essex, Leamington and Amherstburg between December 18, 2009 and March 15, 2010.
  • Unauthorized Health Product Alert: Health Canada warns Canadians that an unauthorized health product, "Herbal Diet Natural" has been found on the Canadian market and contains an undeclared pharmaceutical ingredient similar to the prescription drug sibutramine. Sibutramine may pose serious health risks, particularly to people with heart problems.


Europe


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Proprietary Medicine Recall (Hong Kong and Singapore): The Hong Kong Department of Health (DH) has directed licensed manufacturer in proprietary Chinese medicines Li Chung Shing Tong (Holdings) Ltd. HK to recall Po Chai Pills Capsule Form and Po Chai Pills Bottle Form from local retail outlets and consumers as its capsule form was found in Singapore to contain phenolphthalein and sibutramine, which can cause very serious side effects. Singapore's Health Sciences Authority has announced a recall of Po Chai Pills Capsule Form.


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.