Recall Roundup: July 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

• Food Safety Recall: King Soopers, Inc. (Denver, CO) recalls approximately 466,236 pounds of ground beef products that may be linked to an outbreak of salmonellosis.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Tanimura & Antle recalls romaine lettuce that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled lettuce, which was imported from the United States was sold in stores belonging to the following chains: A&P (ON), Big-Way Foods (BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT, NU), Co-op (BC, AB, SK, MB, Northwest ON,NU, NT), Giant Tiger (SK, MB), Northern/Northmart (SK, MB, ON, Northern AB, NU), Metro (ON), Real Canadian Wholesale CM (24 Forwell Creek,Waterloo, ON), and Super A Foods (BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT, NU).

Europe

• Food Safety Recall (Republic of Ireland): H.J. Heinz Company Ltd. recalls Heinz Mum's Own Spaghetti Bolognaise (7 months+, 200g jars) that may contain small pieces of plastic which could present a choking risk.

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
  
• 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.

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.

Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ground Beef Recall

July 23, 2009

At least 14 Coloradans have been infected with a multiple antibiotic-resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium DT104, and the trail has led investigators to ground beef produced by King Soopers, Inc. of Denver.

King Soopers announced yesterday that it was recalling nearly 470,000 pounds of ground beef products, processed on May 23, 2009 through June 13, 2009. The meat, which USDA believes is no longer available in stores, was sold at King Soopers and Dillon supermarkets in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. So far, no state other than Colorado has reported illnesses.

Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 ("DT104") was described as an "emerging foodborne pathogen" by USDA in 1997. In an eerie echo of the emergence of E. coli O157:H7, early reports of DT104 in the US were associated largely with dairy herds. Of the five US outbreaks of DT104 salmonellosis that occurred prior to 1997, four were traced to consuming unpasteurized dairy products or contact with dairy cattle.

Like most Salmonella strains, DT104 can be carried by a wide variety of animals, including: pig, sheep, chicken, turkey, horse, goat, emu, cat, dog, elk, mouse, coyote, ground squirrel, raccoon, chipmunk and several species of birds. Its broad host range makes DT104 very difficult to control.

In time – just like E. coli O157:H7 – DT104 will make the leap from feedlots to farms. Fresh produce growers and food safety regulators must arrest the spread of this "emerging" antibiotic-resistant pathogen before it fully emerges into salad bowls around the world.

USDA Releases Partial List of Retail Consignees for JBS Beef Recall

July 2, 2009

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has labored mightily for several days to compile a list of retail consignees for the JBS Swift Beef recall, which the agency released this morning.

FSIS would have done better to save its time and money, and simply link consumers to the eFoodAlert recall list.

As CDC reported yesterday, beef supplied by JBS Swift Beef Company has been linked to at least 17 cases of E. coli O157:H7 gastroenteritis. The company recalled more than 41,000 pounds of beef on June 24th, and expanded that recall on June 28th to include 380,000 pounds of beef.

FSIS promised last summer that it would furnish the public with a list of retail consignees for all Class I (highest hazard level) recalls. In releasing today's demonstrably incomplete list of eight supermarket chains that were supplied recalled beef by JBS Swift, the agency said,

"FSIS has reason to believe that the following retail location(s) received assorted beef products that have been recalled by JBS Swift Beef Company. This list may not include all retail locations that have received the recalled product or may include retail locations that did not actually receive the recalled product. Therefore, it is important that you use the product-specific identification information, available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ News_&_Events/Recall_034_2009_Expanded/index.asp, in addition to this list of retail stores, to check meat or poultry products in your possession to see if they have been recalled."

The "product-specific identification information" referred to in this statement is a 104-page minute-by-minute list of every piece of beef that passed through JBS Swift's Greeley, CO plant on April 21, 2009. This list is completely useless to consumers.

Given USDA's inability to provide consumers with timely and complete retail-level recall information, eFoodAlert will continue to monitor recall notices issued by retailers of the JBS Swift meat. Perhaps we can shame FSIS into doing its job properly.

Recall Roundup: June 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

• Cosmetic Product Safety Recall: State of Indiana warns that certain flavors of Wink Bath and Body's shimmer lip gloss contain excessive levels of lead and have been removed from store shelves by Target.
• Food Safety Recall: Following the expanded beef recall announced by JBS Swift Beef Company, the following supermarket chains have announced recalls of beef cuts and ground beef due to possible E. coli o157:H7 contamination: Food 4 Less, Fry's, Hannaford, Kroger, Price Chopper, and WinCo Foods

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
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• Stop & Shop
• 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.

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.

E. coli Claims Another Innocent Life

May 23, 2009

A 7-year old girl will never again play with her friends. She will never skip rope, sing, dance, go swimming, or ride a bicycle. She will never graduate from elementary school. She will never grow up.

All because of E. coli.

Cleveland, OH health officials suspect, but are not yet certain, that her death is linked to contaminated meat recalled on May 21st. Genetic fingerprinting of the E. coli strain that infected her is not yet complete. Nevertheless, they think that her illness might be part of the same outbreak that sickened three other Ohio residents, in addition to an undisclosed number of individuals in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The ground beef implicated in this outbreak was produced by Valley Meats, LLC (Coal Valley, IL) on March 10, 2009 and distributed across the United States. According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, the meat was sold to institutional customers (such as restaurants and food service establishments) in 11 states. It is likely that most of the nearly 96,000 pounds of recalled meat has already been consumed.

The other three Ohio victims – all of whom have recovered – include a 3-year old girl, and two adult men (24 and 71 years old). Two of them may have become infected after eating at the North Olmsted VFW. Health officials believe that the exposure occurred early in April.

It's possible that this recall may be followed by others, if USDA investigators find that Valley Meats carried over product from one day's grinding to another. And additional cases could be linked to the contaminated meat as health officials compare genetic fingerprints to strains from other "sporadic" cases of E. coli infections. We should know in another week or two. 

How will USDA deal with Valley Meats if the 7-year old's deadly E. coli infection came from their ground beef? Probably with kid gloves, if past experience is any indication. We've seen how effective that approach has been.

What do you think should happen to Valley Meats if this little girl's death is firmly linked to their ground beef? We welcome your suggestions.

Summer's Coming. So Is E. coli O157:H7

May 21, 2009

Today's eFoodAlert Recall Roundup includes Valley Meats' 95,000+ pound recall of E. coli O157:H7-contaminated ground beef products.

The ground meat, distributed nationally under several different brand names, has been linked to a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 infections in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

None of the three affected states have posted warnings on their web sites – perhaps the Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois health departments are too busy chasing suspect swine flu cases. The outbreak also is not large enough to have made it onto CDC's web site. 

Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend, the first major ground beef recall of the grilling season is a reminder to follow safe food handling practices at all times – especially during summer cook-outs and picnics.

• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold;
  
• Wash your hands and all utensils after handling raw meats, poultry or eggs;
  
• Buy a meat thermometer – AND USE IT!
  
• Cook foods to the internal temperature recommended by USDA – 160ºF for ground beef.
  

And watch out for more recall announcements.

Recall Roundup: May 21, 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.

Peanut Butter Outbreak Recalls

• Rio Pluma LLC (a division of Stapleton Spence Packing Company) reissues its recall of various peanut products to clarify affected codes.
  

United States

• Allergy Alert: Domega International Co Ltd., recalls FMD Brand Spiced Bean, due to the presence of undeclared sulfites. The Spiced Bean, which was sold nationwide, is a product of China. The problem was discovered by the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets during a routine sampling program.
  
• Food Safety Recall: Valley Meats LLC, (Coal Valley, IL) recalls approximately 95,898 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled products, which were distributed nationally under several different brand names, have been linked to a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 infections in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
  

Asia, Africa and the Pacific

• Mercury Poisoning Alert (Hong Kong): The Department of Health warns consumers against using Qian Yan (White Cream) and Qian Yan (Yellow Cream) after the cosmetics were linked to a case of mercury poisoning. The two products contained 11,000 and 9,000 times the permitted levels of mercury, respectively.
  
• Food Safety Alert (Taiwan): Up to 77% of Chinese dried radish and 44% of dried small shrimp failed government lab tests due to the presence of excessive levels one or more of the preservatives sulfur dioxide, benzoic acid and sorbic acid.
  
• Food Safety Alert (Taiwan): The Taipei County government seized rice destined for school lunch programs after the rice was determined to be substandard. Noodles will be served until a new supply of rice can be procured.
  

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
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• 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.

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.

Recall Roundup: May 13, 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 (USDA): Bob's Food City (Hot Springs, Arkansas) recalls approximately 375 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled meat was produced on May 7, 2009, and were sold to customers of the Bob's Food City retail store (800 Malvern Avenue, Hot Springs).
  
• Pharmaceutical Safety Recall (FDA): A S Medication Solutions, LLC recalls Digoxin, USP tablets manufactured by Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Ltd. due to variations in tablet size that can affect dosage accuracy.
  
• Cosmetic Product Recall: Fun Express, Inc. recalls water-based "Face Paint" products manufactured by Shanghai Color Art Stationery Company Limited, Shanghai, China, due to reports of skin reactions in children.
  

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
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• 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.

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.

Chile's Clone Wars: Listeria monocytogenes

April 17, 2009

Last year, the people of Chile experienced an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that was traced to contaminated Brie and Camembert cheeses manufactured by Chevrita, a Chilean dairy. In all, the outbreak strain – designated as "Clone 009" – was responsible for 65 confirmed cases of listeriosis from June to December 2008. Two weeks after the contaminated cheeses were recalled from the marketplace, the number of new cases dropped dramatically.

Now, the Chilean health authorities are busy tracing the source of a new outbreak of listeriosis, caused by a different strain of Listeria monocytogenes – designated as "Clone 001".

This new outbreak is smaller – just 14 cases, as of April 9th. The first isolation of Clone 001 was reported in October 2008, while the cheese-related outbreak was still active. Six of the 14 cases linked to Clone 001 were detected in the last quarter of 2008. Clone 001 is blamed for one death and two miscarriages.

Chile's Ministry of Health has been working to determine the source of this latest outbreak. Officials appear to have narrowed their investigations to a meat packing company in the northern section of Santiago. The Undersecretary of Health did not release any details of the specific product or products that are suspected of transmitting the pathogen, but reminded Chileans to pay attention to safe food handling practices – especially as the investigation is still in progress.

But there seems to be some behind-the-scenes intrigue to the investigation, according to Senator Guido Girardi. The Senator claims that the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Service (Servicio Agricola y Ganadero, or SAG) detected Listeria in food items produced by Elaboradora Doñihue Limitada in early January 2009. 

On February 11th, according to the Senator, SAG determined that two of the Company's products – chicken breast ham (jamón pechuga de pollo) and ham cold cuts (fiambre jamón de cerdo). The Company was instructed on February 23rd to release only those production lots that had tested negative for Listeria.

On April 7th, SAG learned of the presence of Listeria in samples of ham (jamón praga) and ham sandwiches that were nearly one month old and, apparently, had been waiting their turn at the lab bench. It would seem that the April findings led to the more intensive investigations referred to by the Undersecretary of Health.

Senator Girardi descried SAG's performance in terms that may resonate with consumers in the the United States and Canada – especially in light of last year's outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes in Canada and Salmonella in the United States, not to mention the present pistachio problem. Loosely translated, the Senator said,

The fault is institutional. The system has few resources, little money and not enough laboratory facilities. SAG promotes food exports, and its criteria and procedures are oriented more in favor of production than sanitation. ("Lo que falla es el diseño institucional. El sistema tiene pocos recursos, pocos fiscalizadores, pocos laboratorios. Se les ocurrió que el SAG fiscalizara los alimentos de exportación y lo hace con criterios y procedimientos más productivos que sanitarios")

Sound familiar?

Recall Roundup: April 5-15, 2009. Part 4

Here is the fourth and final part of our "catch-up" 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.

Pistachio Product Recalls

• Gurley’s Foods, Inc. recalls some lots of Mountain Country brand Garlic Pistachios 
  
• Harry and David recalls six Harry & David pistachio nut products
  
• Hickory Harvest Foods and I M Good Snacks recall all pistachios 
  
• The Illinois Nut & Candy Company recalls all Pistachios and Passover Mixed nuts containing Pistachios as well as Passover Mixed Nut Bark containing pistachios
  
• InStore Distributors Inc. (d/b/a 21st Century Snack Foods Inc.) recalls various products containing pistachios 
  
• International Foodsource recalls certain Valued Naturals brand pistachio products
• John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc. expands earlier recall of Fisher brand Bulk Roasted Salted Inshell Pistachios 
  
• John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc. expands earlier recall of Archer Farms Roasted Salted Inshell Pistachios  
  
• John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc. expands earlier recalls to include raw shelled pistachio products and products containing raw shelled pistachios 
  
• Kanan Enterprises recalls Red Pistachios and Garlic Onion Pistachios
  
• Marathon Ventures, Inc. recalls Roasted, Salted In-Shell Pistachios 
  
• Mountain Man Nut & Fruit Co. recalls In-Shell Roasted and Salted Pistachios
  
• Powers Candy and Nut Company recalls 16,000 pounds of Powers Snack Time Pistachios
  
• QSP, Inc. recalls one code date of Pleasantville Farms 7.5 oz In Shell Pistachios packed in pop top cans 
  
• Renfroe Pecan Company recalls all products containing pistachios
  
• Rocky Mountain Foods, Inc. recalls Whole Foods Markets Roasted Salted In-shell Pistachios, Roasted Chili Lemon Pistachios, and Raw Pistachio Kernels 
  
• Sahale Snacks Inc. recalls Ksar Pistachio Nut Blend and Marrakesh Pistachio Nut Blend, sold nationwide in the United States, as well as in Canada, Panama, The Philippines, and the Dominican Republic
  
• Sendik’s Food Markets recalls repackaged roasted in-shell pistachios and roasted shelled pistachios
  
• Sendik's Food Markets expands its earlier recall to include 14 oz Setton Farms brand Roasted& Salted in-shell pistachios 
  
• Tillamook Country Smoker recalls 1.5 oz. (42 g) and 1 lb. packages of pistachios (salted in shell)
  
• Trophy Nut Company recalls Roasted and Salted Pistachio Nuts 
  
• Wegmans Food Markets recalls White Chocolate Bark Candy, Raspberry Custard and Pineapple Almond Tarts, all containing pistachio nuts
  
• Werner Gourmet Meat Snacks Inc. recalls Garlic Flavored Pistachio and Jalapeno Flavored Pistachio items 
  

United States

• Food Safety Recall: Union International Food Co. expands earlier recalls of Lian How brand and Uncle Chen brand retail and institutional products to include various size packages of all sauces, oils, and oil blends; in addition to all types of dry spice products in 15-pound and smaller containers (boxes, plastic bags & wide mouth jars) and 30-pound boxes and smaller packages of crushed chili
  

Canada

• Allergy Alert (Québec): IGA Famille Pierre Crégheur recalls certain date codes of ground beef, ground pork and ground veal due to the presence of undeclared sulfites
  
• Allergy Alert (Québec): Metro Lussier recalls several ready-to-eat entrées due to the presence of undeclared allergens (one or more of wheat, soy, milk or sulfites)
  
• Allergy Alert (Québec): Déli Beauce, Inc. recalls "pepperoni sans gluten" due to the presence of undeclared wheat
  
• Food Safety Recall (Québec): La Charcutière (3319 boul. de la Concorde, Laval) recalls Saucisse Sopressata Maison and Saucisse Cacciatore Maison due to Salmonella contamination
  
• Food Safety Recall (Québec): The Québec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with the Division of Food Inspection of the City of Montreal, Metro Richelieu Inc. and Sobeys Québec Inc., announce a recall of certain soups and sauces, sold in hermetically sealed glass jars, that are mislabeled due to the absence of the instruction "Garder réfrigéré" (Store Under Refrigeration) on the product labels
  
• Food Safety Recall: Compagnie nationale d'importation de harengs ltée Montréal recalls certain ADAR brand smoked salmon products that were labeled with excessively protracted expiration dates
  

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
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• 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.

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.

Recall Roundup: April 5-15, 2009. Part 2

Here is the second of our "catch-up" lists 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.

Peanut Butter Outbreak Recalls

• Klein Bros. Holdings Ltd.
  
• Wow Café and Wingery
  

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Canadian Food Inspection Agency announces recall of Choripdong brand Biscuits (Rice Puffs), imported from Korea, due to the presence of undeclared peanuts and sesame seeds
  
• Allergy Alert: Dollarama recalls all Best Before date codes of Bergen brand Almond Cookies (145g pkg), imported from Poland, due the presence of undeclared peanuts
  
• Allergy Alert: Harvest Fresh Bakery expands earlier recall of certain Organic White Rice and Organic Brown Rice Breads or Buns, due to the presence of undeclared wheat
  
• Allergy Alert: SoyaWorld Inc. recalls So Good brand Creamy Vanilla Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert due to presence of undeclared milk protein
  
• Food Safety Recall: Canadian Food Inspection Agency announces recall of certain imported Green Cardamom, due to Salmonella contamination
  
• Food Safety Recall: Vantage Foods (Est. No. 573) recalls certain packages of lean ground beef, distributed in Canada Safeway stores in Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination
  

Europe, Including the United Kingdom

• Allergy Alert (UK): Marybake recalls certain batches of yoghurt coated fruit due to the presence of undeclared whey powder and lactose
  
• Food Safety Recall (France): The Food Directorate (Ministry of Health and Sports) announces the recall of a single lot of Gorgonzola cheese, imported from Italy, due to the risk of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes
  
• Food Safety Recall (UK): Mars Food UK Ltd. recalls certain batches of sauce products, due to possible contamination with small pieces of copper wire
  

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Recall (Australia): Nocelle Foods recalls certain pistachio products, containing imported pistachios – processed by Setton Farms – that may be contaminated with Salmonella
  
• Food Safety Recall (Australia): Nut Producers Australia recalls certain pistachio products, containing imported pistachios – processed by Setton Farms – that may be contaminated with Salmonella
  

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
  
• Hannaford Brothers Co.
  
• Harris Teeter
  
• Harvey's Supermarket
  
• The Kroger Company*
  
• Price Chopper
  
• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.
  
• Sainsbury's
  
• ShopRite
  
• 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.

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.

Sliced Pressed Brisket Recalled in Australia

March 3, 2009

James St. Butchers has recalled 250g cryovac packs of Sliced Pressed Brisket that was found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to Product Recalls Australia.

The recalled meat, which bears a Use By date of 25 February 2009, was sold only in the following Queensland stores:

• James St. Butchers
  
• Charlie's Corner Store
  
• Woody's Supermarket
  
• Cedar Park Supermarket, Yeppoon
  

Healthy adults infected by Listeria monocytogenes usually suffer no more than mild flu-like or gastrointestinal symptoms. But the elderly, the very young, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women may suffer severe consequences if infected by this microbe. A pregnant woman may also transmit the infection to her unborn child, resulting in premature birth, miscarriage or stillbirth.

Consumers who purchased the recalled sliced brisket should either discard it safely (and out of the reach of children), or return it to the store.

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in France

Frozen ground beef recalled

February 21, 2009

The French Ministry of Health and Sports (Ministère de la Santé et des Sports) has issued a health alert in response to the diagnosis of a case of hemolytic uremic syndrome in a hospitalized child in the Paris area.

The child was infected with E. coli.

Epidemiological investigations have pointed authorities to a particular brand of frozen ground beef, and E. coli has been found in samples of the frozen meat. Further testing is underway to determine whether the strain in the meat matches the one recovered from the sick child.

Even though the genetic identity of the two isolates has not yet been confirmed, the manufacturer has recalled the following product at the request of the French authorities:

• Steaks hachés surgelés de la marque CERGEL, vendus par boite de 10 avec une date limite de consommation (DLUO) au 31/10/09 (CERGEL brand Frozen Ground Beef sold in boxes of 10 with an expiration date of 31/10/09)
  

Authorities are urging consumers to return packages of this product to the retailer for a refund.

USDA and the US meat industry: Are you taking notes?

Bits & Pieces: Customers Find Pebbles in Frozen Chili

Updated February 6, 2009 with link to retail distribution list

Original article posted February 3, 2009

Windsor Quality Food Co., Ltd. has recalled approximately 676,560 pounds of frozen chili beef products after receiving customer complaints about small stones or pebbles in the product.

The company received 16 complaints in all, and four of the customers reported injuries.

The recalled products include:

• 5-pound bags of frozen “Whitey’s™ Chili with Beans, PREMIUM, No MSG.”: Product number “48359”; Code dates “4918311,” “4918318,” “4918322,” “4918325,” “4918329,” “4918336,” “4918339,” “4918346,” “4918347,” “4918353,” “4918357,” “4919006,” “4919008,” or “4919013” located on the back of the bag. Establishment number “Est. 7163” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
  
• 20-pound cases of frozen “Whitey’s™ Chili with Beans, PREMIUM, No MSG.”: Product number of “48359”; Code dates “4918311,” “4918318,” “4918322,” “4918325,” “4918329,” “4918336,” “4918339,” “4918346,” “4918347,” “4918353,” “4918357,” “4919006,” “4919008,” or “4919013” located on the side of the case. Establishment number “Est. 7163” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
  

The frozen chili beef was processed on Nov. 6, 2008 through Jan. 13, 2009, and distributed mostly to food service establishments nationwide. There was also some limited retail distribution.

USDA has posted a list of all retail consignees for this recalled meat. Consumers also can obtain more information about this recall by calling the company's Senior Vice President, Lynn Hall, at (512) 249-3416.

Mariposa Recalls Additional Meat

December 18, 2008

Mariposa Meats, which recalled a single production batch of Old Style Pastrami a few days ago, has added two more products to its recall list, according to a Health Hazard Alert released last night by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The following items, which may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, are included in the latest recall:

• Smoked Pork Loin Chops, 175g: Best Before 09JA23, UPC 6 28292 80045 2
  
• Thin Sliced Chicken Breast, 350g: Best Before 09JA16, UPC 6 28292 50002 4
  

The recalled items were sold only in the province of Ontario.

The pastrami that was recalled over the weekend was identified as Best before 09JA15. All in, the three recalled items were processed during a 9-day period. There may be more recalls to come.

Anyone who purchased the recalled items should return them to the store for a refund. To obtain additional information on this recall, consumers should call Mariposa Meats directly at 905-855-8111.

Old Style Pastrami Recalled In Ontario

Updated December 16, 2008

(Original article posted December 14, 2008)

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency today advised consumers in the province of Ontario that a single production batch of Old Style brand Pastrami is being recalled by the manufacturer, Mariposa Meats (Mississauga, ON), due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled pastrami is sold in 375 g packages bearing UPC #6 28292 50004 8, and can be identified by the date code 09JA15 (January 15, 2009). The item was distributed only in Ontario, according to the manufacturer. (Updated Dec 16 per revised CFIA notice)

No illnesses have been reported, but we would remind our readers that Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious – occasionally fatal – infections in susceptible individuals, including the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems. 

Anyone who purchased a package of the recalled batch of Old Style brand Pastrami should either discard it or return it to the store for a refund.