Showing posts with label cholera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cholera. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: July 19, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

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
  • Food Safety Recall Update: USDA releases retail distribution list for imported ready-to-eat smoked duck breast products that were recalled by Palmex, Inc. (Champlain, NY) due to possible Salmonella contamination.

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: American Regent recalls Calcium Gluconate Injection, USP, 10%, 100 mL Pharmacy Bulk Package (Lot #1006, Expiration Date: January 2013, NDC # 0517-3900-25), because some of the vials may contain silicone particles.

  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Punjab Trading, Inc. (Auburn, WA) that a February 2011 inspection of the company's food storage and processing facility revealed serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for manufacturing, packing, or holding human food.

  • Boil Water Order (Florida): Residents of Sunrise, Weston, Southwest Ranches and parts of Davie are told to boil water for one minute, as E. coli was found in a Sunrise city well.

  • Food/Water Safety Advisory (New Jersey): The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a reminder that harvesting blue claw crabs from the waters of the Lower Passaic River and Newark Bay is prohibited, as scientists have found that crabs from those waters continue to show harmful levels of cancer-causing dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as other contaminants, including mercury.

  • Dietary Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0965): Unauthorized sildenafil thiono analogues, tadalafil and vardenafil in various food supplements from China; distributed to Andorra, Germany, Italy, Panama, Spain and the USA.


Canada
  • Allergy Alert: Salamina Inc. recalls Bacon and Back Bacon Topping (5 Kg; Codes 179185 and 172187), due to the presence of undeclared soy. The recalled product was distributed to hotels, restaurants, and institutional customers in Ontario and Quebec.

  • Allergy Alert: KO & C Enterprises Ltd. recalls Yuh Ming Dried Marinated Mustard (70g), due to the presence of undeclared sulphites. The recalled product was sold in retail stores in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

  • Outbreak Alert (Ontario): A patient at Welland Hospital has become the 23rd fatality in an outbreak of Clostridium difficile, which has plagued the Niagara region since May 28th. At least 20 of the 23 patient deaths were due to hospital-acquired C. difficile infections.


Europe
  • Cosmetic Product Safety Recall (France): Casino Famili recalls Casino Famili brand hair care cream with shea butter, due to bacteriological contamination. The recalled product was sold in Casino supermarkets.

  • Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2011.0884): Salmonella spp. in mild paprika from Spain, via Belgium; distributed to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Martinique, Morocco, Netherlands and Sweden.

  • Food Withdrawal (Denmark): Dansk Supermarked withdraws ATCO Almonds (200g, 500g and 1000g packs; imported from Germany; all lots with package date of 03.03.2011 onwards), due to traces of moths in the bags of almonds.

  • Outbreak Alert (UK-Northern Ireland): Seven cases of Clostridium difficile have been reported in the South Eastern Trust area, including one case of the virulent 027 strain at Ulster Hospital. There also has been an outbreak of Norovirus at the Ulster Hospital, with up to 50 patients and staff having been affected with vomiting and diarrhea.

  • Outbreak Alert (Ukraine): As of July 16th, 23 cases of Vibrio cholerae (O1 serogroup, El Tor biovar, serovar Ogawa) have been reported in Mariupol. The city is maintaining a ban on swimming and fishing in the Azov sea and in local rivers.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0960): Aflatoxins in roasted rice flour from India, via the United Kingdom; distributed to Germany.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0961): Glass fragments in banana based baby food from Spain; distributed to France.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0964): Salmonella in frozen marinated chicken breast fillets from Brazil, via Portugal; distributed to the United Kingdom.

  • Dietary Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0965): Unauthorized sildenafil thiono analogues, tadalafil and vardenafil in various food supplements from China; distributed to Andorra, Germany, Italy, Panama, Spain and the USA.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0966): Plastic fragments in biscuits from Italy; distributed to Belgium.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0967): Salmonella in spiced and marinated chicken meat from Brazil; distributed to the Netherlands.

  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0968): Salmonella Agona in dog chew from Germany; distributed to Austria.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0969): Salmonella in spiced marinated chicken meat from Brazil; distributed to the Netherlands.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0970): Moths in almonds from Germany; distributed to Denmark.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0971): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled hake from Spain; distributed to Italy.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Department of Health orders GlaxoSmithKline Limited to recall Augmentin 375mg tablets, because samples of the product were found to contain the plasticizers DIDP, DEHP and DINP.

  • Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2011.0884): Salmonella spp. in mild paprika from Spain, via Belgium; distributed to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Martinique, Morocco, Netherlands and Sweden.

  • Food Safety Alert/Recall (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority warns the public not to consume Dunya potable drinking water, produced by Wadi Al Heniya Factory for Health Water, after lab analysis shows that the water contains bromate in excess of maximum allowed limits.

  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (Korea): The Korea Food & Drug Administration has taken legal action against two companies who used illegal food preservatives in their products.

  • Outbreak Alert (PRC): China reports 2,658 cases of food poisoning in the second quarter, and 29 deaths. Bacterial causes of food poisoning accounted for 1,744 of the illnesses in the quarter.

  • Outbreak Alert (Thailand): The Udon Thani Provincial Health Office reports 16,851 cases of diarrhea in the province since the beginning of 2011.

  • Outbreak Alert (Israel): Twenty Palestinian prisoners were treated for food poisoning at a Negev prison.

  • Outbreak Alert (India): Two people died of typhoid recently in the city of Ahmedabad.


Australia and New Zealand
  • Dietary Supplement Safety Alert: Food Standards Australia New Zealand advises the public not to consume two coffee products - Sexpresso and Rock Hard - as the products contain variations (analogues) of Viagra (sildenafil).


Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Food Safety Notification Update (EU #2011.0884): Salmonella spp. in mild paprika from Spain, via Belgium; distributed to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Martinique, Morocco, Netherlands and Sweden.

  • Dietary Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0965): Unauthorized sildenafil thiono analogues, tadalafil and vardenafil in various food supplements from China; distributed to Andorra, Germany, Italy, Panama, Spain and the USA.


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 Tuesday, July 19, 2011 0 comments
Labels: , , , , ,

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: July 7, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

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
  • Food Safety Recall: Warabeya U.S.A., Inc. (Honolulu, HI) recalls 7-Eleven brand convenience meals (Produced June 28, 2011; Best eaten by 06/30/11 11:30 AM), because the meals may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products, which include 7-Eleven Fried Chicken Bento, 7-Eleven Teriyaki Chicken Bento, 7-Eleven Breakfast Scramble Bowl, 7-Eleven Big Bento and 7-Eleven Little Smokies Snack Pack, were distributed to retail stores in Hawaii.

  • Food Safety Recall: Old Home Foods (New Brighton, MA) recalls Old Home Cottage Cheese (12, 24 and 32-oz packs; Expiration date: August 1), because the cheese may spoil prior to the expiration date. The recalled cottage cheese was supplied to Rainbow stores (part of Roundy's Supermarkets' Inc.), and may also have been shipped elsewhere.

  • Water Safety Alert: The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the Grand River Dam Authority have recently confirmed the presence of blue-green algae in at least four sections of Grand Lake. Exposure to blue-green algae may cause human illness.

  • Outbreak Alert: The Texas Department of State Health Services alerts residents of Maverick County to take precautions against shigellosis after more than 50 cases of Shigella-related diarrhea were confirmed during May and June. The number of confirmed cases is 25 times higher than the usual number reported during this time of year.

  • Outbreak Alert Update: As of July 5, 2011, CDC has confirmed reports of 25 cases of Salmonella Enteritis from 5 states: Idaho (3), Montana (10), New Jersey (1), North Dakota (1) and Washington (10). Epidemiological investigation linked the outbreak to consumption of alfalfa sprouts and spicy sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC (Moyie Springs, ID). The company has recalled certain lots of its alfalfa sprouts and spicy sprouts.


Europe
  • Allergy Alert (France): Société Auchan recalls Ravioli aux 3 fromage/3-Cheese Ravioli (250g; Best before 03.07.11), because some of the packages may contain meat ravioli instead; the meat ravioli stuffing contains celery, which is not declared on the cheese ravioli label.

  • Food Safety Recall (Finland): Siam House Ky withdraws Monika Fish Sauce (Product of Philippines; Batch code 8233; Best before 05.02.2012), because the product was found to contain excessive amounts of preservative.

  • Food Recall (Greece): EFET announces that Croissant Panini dolce (150g; Expiry 16/7/11) has been recalled. Please see the EFET web site for details, as the automatic translator is not functioning.

  • Outbreak Alert Update (France - E. coli O157): Four new patients, including a 7-month-old infant, have been hospitalized in Lille, bringing the total number of hemolytic uremic syndrome cases in the Steak Country outbreak to ten.

  • Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0900): Salmonella Senftenberg in dog chew from Switzerland; distributed to Austria.

  • Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0902): Salmonella Senftenberg in soya meal from Argentina, via the Netherlands; distributed to Belgium.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Outbreak Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Health Protection reports a confirmed case of cholera (Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa) in a 25-year-old man who has no history of recent travel. The man is in stable condition in the isolation ward of Princess Margaret Hospital.


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 Thursday, July 07, 2011 0 comments
Labels: , , , , ,

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: July 3, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

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
Canada
  • Beach Closure (Ontario): Lakeside Beach (Kingsville) and Seacliff Beach (Leamington) are closed to swimming due to elevated levels of E. coli int he water. Swimming is also not recommended at Sandpoint Beach (Windsor) or West Belle River Beach (Lakeshore).


Europe
Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Food Safety Seizure and Recall (Vietnam): The Dat Nam Co. Ltd., producer of Aquasun Mineral Water was suspended from operation after inspectors from the municipal Department of Health found Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the water. More than 1,000 bottles of water have been seized, and a recall has been ordered. More than 50 of the 500 bottled water enterprises inspected by the department produced bottled water contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dat Nam and the Ke Ba Company were reported to be repeat offenders.

  • Outbreak Alert (India): A cholera outbreak in the Wayanad district has resulted in the hospitalization of as many as 114 people. Five people are reported in critical condition.

  • Outbreak Alert (India): Forty-six cases of diarrhea have been reported in Ropar in the past week. Five people have been hospitalized, including two foreigners.

  • Outbreak Alert (Spain): Eighty-seven residents of two juvenile facilities have developed possible food poisoning, 71 of them in La Esperanza and 16 in Punta Blanca.

  • Outbreak Alert (India): The first cholera case of the monsoon season has been reported in Chandigarh. The patient was admitted to hospital for treatment, but has been discharged.

  • Outbreak Alert (Congo): An outbreak of cholera in regions fed by the Congo River has claimed 153 lives since March. In all, 2,787 cases have been reported.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0881): Salmonella Derby inmussels from Italy; distributed to Italy and Hong Kong.


Australia and New Zealand
  • Synthetic Cannabis Mandated Recall (New Zealand): Ministry of Health warns retailers to remove the herbal smoking product Juicy Puff Super Strength from sale, because it contains the prescription medicine phenazepam, which is not approved for sale in New Zealand.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0877): Fumosins in maize and buckwheat flour from Italy; distributed to Australia, Italy and the USA.


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, July 03, 2011 0 comments
Labels: , , , , ,

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: June 30, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

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
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.
Posted by Phyllis E at Thursday, June 30, 2011 1 comments
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Monday, June 27, 2011

Outbreaks and Alerts: June 27, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

United States
  • Lansing, MI. June 23rd: The Michigan Department of Community Health announced three people in Michigan have been diagnosed with of Q fever after drinking raw milk from a dairy herd share program Livingston County.

  • Lee County, AL. June 24th: Six children sickened with E. coli O157:H7 after playing in Opelika Splash Park and Aquatic Center.

  • Anchorage, AK. June 27th: The State of Alaska Section of Epidemiology is investigating four recent cases of Campylobacter infection associated with drinking raw milk from an Alaska farm.

  • Idaho, New Jersey, North Dakota, Washington & Montana. June 24th: FDA warns the public not to eat alfalfa sprouts or spicy sprouts from plastic bags labeled "Evergreen Produce" or "Evergreen Produce Inc." because the sprouts may be linked to as many as 20 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in Idaho, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota and Washington State. Six of the outbreak victims report having consumed sprouts obtained from Evergreen Produce (Moyie Springs, ID). While no recall has been initiated, federal and state officials are warning consumers to discard any Evergreen Produce sprouts in their possession.

  • Cruise Ship Inspection. June 10th: Cunard's Queen Mary 2 fails routine unannounced CDC Vessel Sanitation Program inspection, obtaining a score of 84 (a score of 86 or above represents a Satisfactory result).


Europe, including Russian Federation and Ukraine
  • Bordeaux, France. June 27th: Sprout seeds incriminated in an outbreak of E. coli O104:H4 in Bordeaux were imported from Italy. The seeds were purchased from Jardiland de Villenave d'Ornon (Gironde) before sprouting. At least 10 people are suffering from bloody diarrhea, 8 of whom have been hospitalized. Five of the victims are suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome. At least six people reported having consumed sprouts. E. coli O104:H4 has been confirmed in 3 of the outbreak victims.


Asia and Africa
  • Hong Kong. June 22nd: The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a suspected food poisoning case involving 14 members of a study tour group from Taiwan. The victims developed gastroenteritis some 10-35 hours after dining at a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui in the evening of June 20th.

  • Kinshasa, Congo. June 27th: Four new cases of cholera were reported in Kinshasa earlier today, bringing the total number of cases in the capital city to seven.

  • Zabul Province, Afghanistan. June 27th: More than 70 civilians and military personnel in the Ma'ruf district of Zabul province have developed cholera. Another 200 people have been exposed to the disease and are experiencing its initial symptoms. Members of the Afghan air force and the US 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group have transported medical personnel and supplies to the affected region.
Posted by Phyllis E at Monday, June 27, 2011 0 comments
Labels: , , , ,

Monday, May 16, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: May 16, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

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.


Europe
  • Food Safety Recall (Belgium): La Brasserie De Graal recalls certain batches and varieties of beer (33 cl bottles), because of a manufacturing defect that could result in the lip of the bottle breaking during opening, with the risk of glass fragments falling into the beer. Please see the recall notice for a list of affected beers.

  • Food Safety Recall (Luxembourg): Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG recalls Müller Diät Milchreis, Sorte Pur, Müller Diät Milchreis, Sorte Zimt and Müller Diät Milchreis, Sorte Kirsch (best before 23.05 only), after receiving consumer complaints of glass particles in a few containers of the products. The recalled products were sold in stores belonging to the Cactus supermarket chain.

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Dansk Supermarked A/S recalls Smoked Pork Tenderloin (Product of Poland; Best before dates from 1/1/2011 up to and including 1/5/2011), because the product is suspected to have been the source of an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium DT120.

  • Food Safety Recall (Denmark): DB OKS recalls several turkey products (produced between 9 May and 13 May 2011), because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0636): Salmonella Veneziana in mixed salad from the United Kingdom; distributed to Ireland.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0637): Mold growth in blueberry fruit yoghurt from Germany; distributed to Austria, Germany and Hungary.

  • Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0640): Pine mouth syndrome caused by pine kernels from Norway, with raw material from China, via the Netherlands; distributed to Finland and Norway.


Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Chinese Herbal Medicine Recall (Hong Kong): Kwong Lung Hong recalls the Chinese medicinal herb Rhizoma Atractylodis (Batch 06010108; imported from the Mainland), because the product is contaminated with atropine and scopolamine. One illness has been reported.

  • Food Safety Alert (Taiwan): The Consumer Protection Commission has found that five lunchbox providers supplied elementary schools with six types of meat products containing chemicals banned by the Council of Agriculture. Four of the providers were CAS-certified companies. Of five meatball samples that were inspected, three contained chloramphenicol or enrofloxacin. A chicken sample was contaminated with doxycycline.

  • Outbreak Alert Update (Japan): The toll stands at four deaths, and nearly 40 hospitalized - more than 20 of them in serious condition - in the E. coli O111 outbreak that was traced to a shredded raw beef dish (yukke) consumed at outlets of the Foods Forus Co. restaurant chain. The restaurant chain and its meat wholesaler are pointing the finger of blame at each other. Police conducted searches of the restaurant chain outlets, its operator and the meat distributor in an effort to determine at what point the contamination occurred.

  • Outbreak Alert (India): Hospitals in Ludhiana are reporting that the seasonal increase in the number of gastroenteritis patients has begun early this year.

  • Outbreak Alert (Singapore): Seven teachers and 346 children from eight Pat's Schoolhouse centers have now been reported to have been stricken with food poisoning on May 10th. Mum's Kitchen - the caterer for the centers - has been fined $300 and given four demerit points following an inspection; its license also has been suspended while investigations continue. Twenty-six of the food poisoning victims are still in hospital.

  • Outbreak Alert (Jordan): A family of five children (ages 4-13) in Mafraq developed diarrhea and vomiting after eating a meal prepared at home.

  • Outbreak Alert (Cameroon): The capital city of Yaounde is experiencing an outbreak of cholera that has claimed more than 250 lives in the past two months.


Australia and New Zealand
Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Outbreak Alert (Venezuela): An outbreak of hepatitis A has spread from the Arenas parish in the municipality of Sucre State Forest to three additional parishes. Approximately 400 people have been infected.


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 Monday, May 16, 2011 0 comments
Labels: , , ,

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Recalls and Alerts: April 14, 2011

This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

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
  • Food Safety Recall: Spice Hunter recalls Spice Hunter Curry Seasoning, 1.8oz (Lots 09 198 and 09 225) and Spice Hunter Ground Turmeric, 2.0oz (Lots 09 196, 09 201 and 09 264) due to the possibility of high levels of lead in the products. The recalled items were sold at Top Food & Drug store locations, and may also have been available elsewhere.

  • Food Safety Recall/Outbreak Investigation: On Friday, March 25th, the Rhode Island Department of Health issued a recall of all baked goods from DeFusco's Bakery in Johnston, RI. As of April 13, 2011, the recalled zeppole and other baked goods have been implicated in 75 cases of Salmonella gastroenteritis (74 in Rhode Island and one in Massachusetts); 46 of the cases have been lab-confirmed; 29 victims were hospitalized (2 remain in hospital), and two people have died.

  • Recreational Water Safety Advisory (Oregon): A Health Advisory has been issued due to higher-than-normal levels of bacteria in ocean waters at Seaside Beach in Clatsop County. Direct contact with the water should be avoided until the advisory is lifted.

  • Cosmetics Product Safety Recall: Redken recalls Redken Guts Volume Foam Mousse (UPC 82214226107), because the aerosal can liner may corrode over time, leading to possible explosion of the can.


Canada
  • Allergy Alert: L'Épicerie du Village (Sainte-Sophie) recalls a large number of prepared soups, entrées, pâtés and sauces, due to the presence of undeclared egg, wheat, soy, milk protein and/or sulfite.

  • Outbreak Alert (Saskatchewan): Four residents and six staff members at the Gull Lake Special Care Centre have been identified as suffering from an enteric illness, the cause of which has not been determined. The Cypress Health Region has declared a "Full Outbreak" at the facility. In order to prevent the outbreak from spreading further, visitation to the entire facility is restricted until further notice.

  • Health Advisory (Saskatchewan): The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority and Ministry of Health warn that heightened risk of flooding in many parts of the province this spring may pose a threat to private water wells and cisterns used for drinking water sources. As a safety measure during spring runoff, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority is offering free testing of private wells and cisterns used as sources of drinking water that have been potentially impacted by flooding across the province.


Europe
Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands
  • Food Safety Alert (Singapore): Singapore has lifted its suspension on the import of fruites and vegetables from Japan's Ehime prefecture.

  • Food Safety Enforcement Action (China): Chinese authorities have detained five people and shut down the Shanghai Shenglu Food Co, a steamed bun manufacturer, after finding that the company's products had been dyed, were expired, or contained undeclared chemicals.

  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): The Provincial Health Office has warned of an outbreak of typhoid fever in Negros Occidental province. The number of cases reported so far in 2011 is 60% higher than during the same period last year. Three deaths due to typhoid have been recorded this year.

  • Outbreak Alert (Philippines): An outbreak of cholera has been declared in Bataraza town in Palawan. At least 430 cases of diarrhea have been reported since March 1st; at least 30 people - mostly children belonging to a tribe - have died.

  • Outbreak Alert (Congo DR): Fifty-one people have died as a result of cholera in eastern Congo (Democratic Republic) since February. Since the onset of the outbreak, 913 people have been hospitalized. It is feared that the onset of heavy rains could worsen the outbreak.

  • Food Poisoning Outbreak Investigation (Mauritius): Eighty-two people were diagnosed with food poisoning by staff of the Flacq Hospital on April 10th. Sixty people were admitted to hospital due to the severity of their symptoms. One death may be linked to the outbreak. All of the victims report having eaten cream pie purchased at the Marday White Mountain bakery on April 7th. The bakery's manager, who also suffered from the food poisoning incident, has been questioned by police.


Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Outbreak Alert (Colombia): The Ministry of Health reports that 19 confirmed cases of hepatitis A infections have been diagnosed in La Paz within the last month; an additional 10 suspect cases are under investigation. Approximately one-half of the victims are under 14 years of age. The source of the outbreak has not been determined, but contaminated food and/or unsafe drinking water are suspected.

  • Outbreak Update (Haiti): The rainy season is bringing with it a flare-up in the number of reported cases of cholera. In the last two weeks - since the onset of the rainy season - the Partners in Health cholera center in Mirebalais has seen 1,000 new cases. As a whole, Haiti is reporting some 2,000 new cholera cases a week.

  • Health Alert (Mexico): The Ministry of Health reports that 27,476 cases of acute diarrheal disease have been documented in Yucatan so far in 2011 - up 19% over the same period last year. Forty percent of the cases are children under five years of age.


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.



Posted by Phyllis E at Thursday, April 14, 2011 0 comments
Labels: , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)