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.
United States
- Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalls Tylenol® Extra Strength Caplets, 225-count bottles (Manufactured in February 2009; Lot #ABA619) due to reports of an uncharacteristic musty, moldy odor that has been linked to the presence of trace amounts of 2,4,6-tribromanisole (TBA). TBA has been associated with temporary and "non-serious" gastrointestinal symptoms. The recalled product was distributed in the USA.
- Consumer Product Safety Recall: Cost Plus Inc. (Oakland, CA) recalls Wooden Hexagonal Animal Drums (SKU #424857; Manufactured in China) because the paint used on the drum exceeds the maximum allowable lead level of 90ppm. The recalled toys were sold at Cost Plus World Market stores nationwide from December 2010 through May 2011.
- FDA Enforcement Action: FDA has announced that Howard Sousa, doing business as the Artery Health Institute LLC, and DeSousa LLC, in New York, N.Y., has signed a consent decree of permanent injunction. The consent decree prohibits Sousa from distributing products with claims in the labeling to cure, treat, mitigate or prevent diseases. Prior to entry of the consent decree, Sousa distributed Advanced Formula EDTA Oral Chelation capsules on his website. Under the terms of the consent decree, Sousa will remove the drug claims from his website. He has also agreed to hire an independent expert to review the claims he makes for his product and to certify that he has omitted all violative claims. Under the decree, the FDA can order Sousa to stop making and distributing any product if he fails to comply with any provision of the consent decree, the FFDCA or other FDA regulations. Sousa is also required to pay $1,000 per violation and twice the retail value of each shipment of product in the event he fails to comply with the consent decree.
Canada
- Food Safety Recall: King's Processing Ltd. (Alberton, PEI) recalls Circle K and Sub Delicious brands of sandwiches, subs, wraps, burgers, breakfast muffins and bagels (Canada 514 legend; various sizes and Best Before dates), because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were distributed in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Europe
- Food Safety Recall (France): Nestlé France recalls Nestlé "P'tit Pot" à la Banane baby food (2 x 80g glass jars/pkg; Best Before 10/2012; Lot #10980295), because the product may contain pieces of glass.
- Food Safety Recall (UK): Farmer Gosden's Dairy recalls Luxury Jersey Ice Cream (All varieties; Best before dates on or after 1 October 2011, up to and including 28 December 2011), due to the possible risk of microbiological contamination.
- Food Safety Alert (UK): The Food Standards Agency advises pregnant women not to eat clay (also known as sikor or shikor mati), because the clay, which is imported from Bangladesh, contains high levels of lead and arsenic.
- Outbreak Alert (Ukraine): One case of cholera has been identified in Mariupol (Donetsk region). The patient was a person of "no fixed address" and was treated in hospital.
- Food Withdrawal (Denmark): Romer Product withdraws Organic Pine Nuts (70g; Product of PRC; Best before 29-03-2012 and 02-01-2012), because the product may cause taste disturbance in the form of a metallic tang and transient loss of taste sensation.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0796): Undeclared shellfish, fish and nuts in beef in oyster sauce noodle bowl from the United Kingdom; distributed to Cyprus, Ireland, Isle of Man, Spain and the UK.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0799): Listeria monocytogenes in bacon from Germany; distributed to France and Germany.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0804): Histamine in salted mackerel from Thailand; distributed to the United Kingdom.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0805): Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in frozen minced beef from France, with raw material from Germany; distributed to Belgium, Cyprus, France, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0807): Histamine in chilled tuna from the Maldives; distributed to France.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0809): Salmonella Weltevreden in coriander from Thailand; distributed to Germany.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0810): Elevated aerobic plate count in bottled water from Italy; distributed to Malta.
- Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0811): Salmonella in feed supplement from Belgium; distributed to Germany and Luxembourg.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0813): Elevated E. coli count in bivalve mollusc harvested in class B zone from France; distributed to Belgium, France and Italy.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0824): Verotoxin-producitng E. coli O25:H11 in frozen mincing beef from Belgium; distributed to France.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0826): Bacillus cereus in canned tuna chunks in brine from Thailand; distributed to Norway.
- Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0827): Salmonella Lexington in soy concentrate meal from Uruguay; distributed to Sweden.
- Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0828): Salmonella Mbandaka in organic soy cake from China, with raw material from Italy; distributed to Sweden.
- Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert (EU #2011.0831): Salmonella enteritidis foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by eggs from Spain; distributed to France.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0832): Undeclared sulphite in salty crackers from Italy; distributed to Cyprus.
- Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0835): Undeclared milk ingredient in chicken instant soup from Poland, via the Czech Republic; distributed to Slovakia.
- Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0836): Salmonella in poultry meal from Germany; distributed to Belgium.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0837): Salmonella in chilled perch of the Nile fillets from Kenya; notified by Germany and distributed to Denmark.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0839): Ochratoxin A in bell pepper powder (sweet) from China; distributed to Austria and Germany.
- Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert (EU #2011.0842): E. coli O104:H4 foodborne outbreak suspected to be caused by vegetable seeds for sprouting packaged in the UK from Egypt via Germany and Italy; distributed to France.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0843): Listeria monocytogenes in curd from Germany; distributed to Italy.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0844): Verotoxin-producing E. coli (non-O157) in sausage from Hungary; distributed to Austria.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0846): Foreign bodies in table salt with raw material from Ukraine; distributed to Austria.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0847): Salmonella in spiced, marinated chicken breast from Brazil; notified by Germany and distributed to the Netherlands.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0851): Elevated aerobic plate count for table water from Italy; distributed to Malta.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0853): Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium in home-made salami from Italy; distributed to Austria, Germany, Italy, Romania and Slovenia.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0858): Salmonella in dried black mushroom from Vietnam; distributed to Germany.
- Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0860): Salmonella typhimurium in bovine lungs from Germany; distributed to Austria.
- Food Safety Notification/Outbreak Alert (EU #2011.0861): E. coli O157:H7 food poisoning suspected to be caused by spicy minced meat from Belgium; distributed to Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0863): Aflatoxins in ginger powder from China, via the United Kingdom; distributed to Italy.
Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
- Food Safety Alert (PRC): According to the Beijing Times, some supposedly edible cooking oil on store shelves in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province has been produced from gutter oil and swill-cooked oil - waste animal oil and oil that has been used several times (usually by restaurants) for frying.
- Outbreak Alert Update (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection has received reports of seven additional case of food poisoning linked to a Jordan restaurant, bringing the total number of cases to sixteen. One person has been admitted to Tseung Kwan O Hospital.
- Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection is investigating two clusters of suspected food poisoning cases - affecting 11 people in total - among diners at a restaurant in Kowloon City.
Australia and New Zealand
- Medical Device Recall: IGC Dorey Pty Ltd recalls Safety 1st Complete Healthcare Kits (Item #49773; Barcode Number 8439254291), because the recalled kits contain a thermometer that displays the temperature in degrees Farenheit rather than degrees Celsius. The kits were sold through Kmart, Target, Toys R Us and independent retail stores nationwide between April 2011 and June 2011.
- Synthetic Cannabis Recall and Alert (Australia and New Zealand): New Zealand's Director General of Health has warned retailers to remove Kronic Pineapple Express herbal smoking product from store shelves, because it has been found to contain phenazepam, a prescription medicine that is not available for use in New Zealand. Separately, New South Wales has announced a ban - effective July 2011 - of Kronic, Northern Lights, Spice, Kaos, Voodo & Mango synthetic cannabis products after the products were found to contain the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018.
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
- Gros Cidac (Italy)
- Hannaford Brothers Co.
- Harris Teeter
- H-E-B
- The Kroger Company*
- Lucky Supermarkets
- Price Chopper
- Publix
- Raley's
- Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
- Sainsbury's
- ShopRite
- Stop & Shop
- Sweetbay Supermarkets
- Target
- Top Food & Drug
- Tops Friendly Markets
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Wegmans
- Whole Foods Market
- WinCo Foods
- Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.