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Friday, August 21, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 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.

United States

Allergy Alert: The Kroger Co. recalls Kroger brand Super Kids Enriched White Sandwich Bread because it may contained undeclared milk. The bread was sold in Jay C Food stores in Indiana, in Food 4 Less stores in Illinois and Indiana, and in Kroger stores in 13 states, including: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia..
Food Recall: De La Rosa recalls De La Rosa Super Giant Marshmallows (30 oz.) because the product may be contaminated with mold. The recalled marshmallows were sold at Price Chopper stores.
Food Safety Recall: Quesos Mi Pueblito recalls Mi Pueblito Queso Fresco 14 oz., with Sell by Date 09/08/09, because it may contain Listeria monocytogenes. The contamination was detected as a result of sampling conducted by the New Jersey Dept. of Health and Senior Services.

Europe

Safety Alert (UK): The UK Food Standards Agency reminds Muslim consumers to avoid drinking Zam Zam water of uncertain origin, as it may contain high levels of arsenic. Genuine Zam Zam water, which is sacred to Muslims, comes from a specific source in Saudi Arabia and, under Saudi law, cannot legally be exported from that country for commercial sale.

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.

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Virgin Blue Listeria Outbreak Traced to New South Wales Company

August 21, 2009

The outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes that sickened at least five Virgin Blue passengers in Australia during May and June has been traced to a New South Wales company.

GMI Food Wholesalers Pty Ltd (trading as Australian Poultry and Food Wholesalers), was named as the source of the Listeria outbreak by New South Wales Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald. The company, which is located in Wollongong, supplied a cooked, diced chicken product to the airline caterer that prepared chicken wraps for Virgin Blue flights departing from Brisbane.

The company's production facility has been under a prohibition order since August 4th, when investigators first identified GMI as the probable source. But government officials waited for lab confirmation before going public. According to Macdonald, all of the contaminated product has been removed from the marketplace, and GMI's Wollongong facility is shut down until further notice. In addition, the company is forbidden from selling any ready-to-eat meat that was manufactured in the facility before the prohibition order went into effect.

The contaminated chicken wraps have been blamed for seven cases of listeriosis, including two pregnant women, whose premature labor probably was triggered by an infection with Listeria monocytogenes.

Although original reports suggested that the contaminated food also might have been supplied to other Queensland companies, the New South Wales news release does not identify any recipients of GMI's diced chicken. And while Virgin Blue served the wraps to passengers on flights along Australia's east coast, as well as on flights to Bali and New Zealand, no other cases of listeriosis have been linked to this outbreak.

Neither the Queensland nor the New South Wales authorities have identified GMI's other customers; nor have they indicated whether any of the Company's products were supplied – directly or indirectly – to food service operators, restaurants or retail stores. No consumer-level recall has been announced.

Listeria monocytogenes is prevalent in the environment and is known to contaminate a variety of ready-to-eat foods, including prepared meats, smoked fish, salads prepared in advance, soft cheeses and raw dairy products. Pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and people with reduced immunity to disease are especially susceptible to severe – even life-threatening – illness as a result of infection with Listeria monocytogenes, and should avoid foods that are prone to contamination with this pathogen.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 20, 2009

United States

Allergy Alert: Cleopatra Candy Inc. (1135 E 95th Street, Brooklyn, NY) recalls “Cleopatra Candy” Mixed Nuts due to the presence of undeclared sulfites. The recalled product, which is distributed in metropolitan New York and New Jersey, also contains undeclared dried apricots, pineapple, papaya, banana chips and raisins.
Allergy Alert: Van's International Foods recalls lot # of 12.4 ounce packages of frozen Van's Wheat Free Homestyle Pancakes (Lot #200060629B1) because the product contains undeclared wheat, gluten, milk and egg. The recalled product may have been distributed in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Idaho and Hawaii, through retail outlets that include but may not be limited to Whole Foods, Wegmans, Giant Carlisle, Sprouts and Martins.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Shakespeare Pies (Shakespeare, ON) recalls 5" and 9" frozen Shakespeare meat pies because the products contain egg, milk, sulphites and/or soy which are not declared on the label. The recalled meat pies were distributed in Ontario.
Food Safety Recall: Living Foods Ltd. (Innisfail, AB) recalls Sprouts Alive brand Baby Onion Sprouts and Alfalfa & Onion Sprouts (all date codes up to and including August 28, 2009) due to Salmonella contamination. Several illnesses have been reported.

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

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Canada Confirms Sprouts Behind Salmonella Outbreak

August 20, 2009

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency ("CFIA") has confirmed – albeit indirectly – that contaminated onion sprouts are behind Canada's recent outbreak of Salmonella Cubana.

The agency announced late yesterday that Sprouts Alive onion sprout products were being recalled by the manufacturer, Living Foods Ltd. (Innisfail, AB). CFIA added, in its usual terse manner, "There have been reported illnesses."

An earlier (August 9th) recall of Sprouts Alive brand onion sprouts was initiated by a different sprout manufacturer – Sunsprout Natural Foods (Brantford, ON). This recall, too, was triggered by the detection of Salmonella.

The recalled sprouts were distributed in Alberta and, possibly, also in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia (Living Foods Ltd), as well as in Ontario, the Maritime provinces and perhaps in Québec (Sunsprout Natural Foods).

The recalls follow an outbreak of salmonellosis that, at last report, had sickened 5 Albertans and 7 Ontario residents. Several of the outbreak victims reported having eaten raw sprouts.

Neither CFIA nor the Public Health Agency of Canada ("PHAC") has confirmed to the public that the recalled sprouts were contaminated with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Cubana – yet.

How did two different companies – one in Alberta and the other in Ontario – both produce Salmonella-contaminated sprouts at the same time? It's a safe bet that both companies were supplied with onion seeds from the same contaminated batch. It's equally possible that other sprout producers were supplied with Salmonella-contamination onion seeds. Onion seeds for sprouting also are readily available for direct purchase by consumers over the Internet.

CFIA and PHAC should be warning consumers that Salmonella-contaminated onion seeds may still be on the market. PHAC is missing an opportunity to remind Canadians of the risks associated with eating raw sprouts of any kind.

Raw sprouts – whether onion, alfalfa, bean or broccoli – are grown from seeds that may be contaminated with bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, or other toxin-producing E. coli. These pathogens can multiply during the sprouting process, increasing the risk of illness.

Until the Salmonella that was found in the recalled onion sprouts has been traced to its source, consumers should avoid raw onion sprouts. And pregnant women, together with anyone who is very young, elderly, or immuno-compromised, should never eat any type of raw sprouts.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 19, 2009

United States

Allergy Alert: Shun Fung International Trading Inc. (dba Yummy Foods Co.) recalls 17 oz./480g Wife Cake, because the product contains undeclared egg and wheat. The recalled product was sold at Ranch 99 Supermarkets in Kent and Edmonds, Washington and Asian retail markets in California, and was distributed to individuals in California.
Food Safety Recall: SUPERVALU INC.® recalls frozen Culinary Circle™ Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was sold nationally at SUPERVALU-owned stores including Acme®, Albertsons®, biggs®, Cub Foods®, Farm Fresh®, Hornbacher’s®, Jewel-Osco®, Lucky®, Shaw’s/Star Market™, Shop ‘n Save®, and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy®. The contamination was discovered through routine sampling of the product at the manufacturing facility.
Food Safety Recall (Retail Distribution): USDA releases retail distribution list for Pasha Halal Poultry's recall of E. coli O157:H7-contaminated ground beef. The ground beef was supplied by Pasha Halal to Marcacci Meats. The contaminated beef also was supplied to Target and Walmart stores.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Uncle T Foods Ltd. (Richmond, BC) recalls all codes of Huipu brand Dried Pachyrhizus (Sweet Potato), product of China, sold in 350 g packages bearing UPC 6 922601 400949. The recalled product is known to have been distributed in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, and may also have been distributed in other parts of Canada.

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

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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 18, 2009

United States

Allergy Alert: Kraft Foods Global, Inc. (Medford, WI) recalls approximately 8,000 pounds of frozen pepperoni and sausage pizza products that may contain undeclared soy protein concentrate. The recalled products were distributed to retail establishments – including Walmart stores – in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin
Food Safety Recall: Pasha Halal Poultry, d.b.a. Marcacci Meats, (Vineland, NJ) recalls approximately 128 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recalled meat was sold to a single wholesaler in Atlantic City, NJ and repackaged for sale to retail consumers in Vineland, NJ.
Food Safety Recall: Curry & Echols, Inc. (McDonough, GA) recalls Curry & Echols “Sweeties” Bread and Butter Pickles (16-ounce glass jars with batch code 206092) due to jars not sealing properly. The recalled pickles were distributed only in the state of Georgia.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Déli-viandes du village (4835, promenade des soeurs, Québec, QC) recalls several ready-to-eat deli items – produced between August 12 and August 19, inclusive – due to contamination with E. coli.

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

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Nestlé Refrigerated Cookie Dough Is Back

August 18, 2009

With full fanfare, Nestlé announced today that the first five of the company's Toll House® raw cookie dough products returned to store shelves this week.

Toll House® raw cookie dough was behind a recent outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that sickened 80 individuals – two thirds of them children and teenagers – in 31 states during May and June of this year. Thirty-five of the victims were hospitalized as a result of their illness. Ten developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening complication that typically affects 5-10% of those infected with E. coli O157:H7.

Nestlé's Danville, VA cookie dough production facility was shut down in mid-June to facilitate FDA's investigation. While two different samples of Toll House® raw cookie dough yielded E. coli when tested during the outbreak investigation, neither of the E. coli strains matched the genetic fingerprint of the outbreak strain. The source of the contaminants was never traced. Following the investigation, the cookie dough plant was thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before production was restarted with fresh ingredients from new suppliers.

The newly released Toll House® cookie dough products will sport new packaging, including a blue "New Batch" label. While Nestlé tests all ingredients as they arrive, and also carries out "in process" tests of the cookie dough during production, the Company reminds consumers that no testing program can guarantee safety of a raw product. Each package of raw cookie dough will carry the following statement, which all consumers should take to heart:

Do not consume raw cookie dough.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 17, 2009

Europe

Food Safety Recall (UK): Naga Raja Ltd. (London) has ceased production of Shutki Raja Chutney Powder after the UK Food Standards Agency determined that the chutney powder had been produced on unregistered (or unapproved) premises. Existing supplies of the recalled product have been withdrawn from sale and will be destroyed. Distribution of the Shutki Raja Chutney Powder is believed to have been limited to the London area.

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

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Sunday, August 16, 2009

Second E. coli O157 Outbreak Strikes Wales

August 16, 2009

Two young girls – one seven years old and the other eleven – contracted E. coli O157 while attending a dance camp in Pembrokeshire, Wales between July 29th and August 9th. Both children are recovering.

Local health authorities are investigating the outbreak; but, with only two cases reported, it's unlikely that the source of the infections will be identified.

This outbreak follows closely on a series of 4 illnesses that were associated with a fish and chip shop near Wrexham (North Wales) in late July. The victims all had eaten different items at The Llay Fish Bar. Two of the four developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially deadly complication of E. coli O157:H7 infections that can strike 5-10% of those who are infected with the microbe. All four victims were infected with the same genetic strain of E. coli O157:H7.

The Llay Fish Bar was closed to facilitate investigation of the outbreak, and several improper hygienic practices have been identified, including poor food handling techniques and lack of proper training for food handlers.

The restaurant had last been inspected by the Wrexham County Borough Council under the Scores on the Doors program in August 2008. At that time, County inspectors rated the restaurant as "No Stars" out of a possible five, indicating that the inspection uncovered poor hygiene conditions and major noncompliance with food legislation.

Scores on the Doors is a program that is in place in a number of jurisdictions in the United States, as well as in some other countries. It offers consumers a snapshot of the hygienic condition of a restaurant or take-out food establishment, and puts additional pressure on low-scoring establishments to clean up – if consumers heed the posted information.

Unfortunately, customers of the Llay Fish Bar apparently did not pay attention to the restaurant's lax hygiene and low inspection scores. Restaurants and other food service establishments bear an important responsibility – to offer their customers food that is safe as well as tasty. But consumers also must be alert to problems and should avoid those establishments with a poor hygiene record, or risk the consequences.

Recall Roundup: August 16, 2009

United States

Food Safety Recall (UPDATE): Sterling Pacific Meat Co. (City of Commerce, CA) corrects its earlier recall notice, advising that the affected brands are FatBurger and Cattleman's Choice brands of ground beef patties. Stock Yards brand patties are not included in this recall.

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

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Saturday, August 15, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 15, 2009

Canada

Allergy Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) warns consumers that certain Korea-made Haitai and Lotte brands of Cookie / Cracker contain milk which is not declared on the label, and have been recalled by the importer. The recalled products are known to have been sold in Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick, but may be available in other Canadian provinces and territories.

*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.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 14, 2009

United States

Food Safety Recall: Sterling Pacific Meat Co. (City of Commerce, CA) recalls 3,516 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The FatBurger and Stock Yards brands of ground beef patties were produced on May 18, 2009 and supplied to restaurants in Arizona and California. The contamination was discovered during a review of establishment records by USDA.
Food Safety Recall: California Department of Public Health advises consumers that Omo brand green onions – recalled earlier this week due to Salmonella contamination – were sold as bulk green onions in the produce sections of five stores in California.
OTC Pharmaceutical Recall: Barr Laboratories, Inc. recalls Dextroamphetamine/Amphetamine 20mg Tablets, Lot number 311756, because some tablets may exceed weight recommendations.

Canada

Allergy Alert: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) advises consumers that Crown brand Cereal Cookies have been recalled by the importer because the China-made product contains undeclared eggs and soy. The recalled cookies are known to have been distributed in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, but may also be available in other Canadian provinces and territories.
Food Safety Recall: Vitale Produce Ltd. (Windsor, ON) recalls certain Jumbo Green Onions, imported from the United States, because the onions may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled onions were sold on or after July 30, 2009 at several stores in the Windsor area. Please follow the live link to the recall notice for the list of affected stores.
Food Safety Recall (Update): CFIA advises consumers that Pidy brand Pur Mamba (peanut butter-piment), recalled due to the presence of aflatoxin, was distributed both in Ontario and in Québec, and not just in Québec, as originally announced.

Australia & New Zealand

Allergy Alert (Australia): Joy Quil Pty Ltd recalls all date codes of Chinese Gingili Paste (Sesame Paste), imported from China, due to the presence of undeclared traces of peanuts. The recalled items were sold in Asian retail outlets in New South Wales, South Australia, West Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

*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.

Listeria Outbreak In The Land of Oz

August 14, 2009

Somewhere over the rainbow – possibly in South East Queensland – a chicken wrap manufacturer was supplied with a Listeria monocytogenes-contaminated ingredient. The chicken wraps were distributed to various companies in South East Queensland, including Virgin Blue airlines.

The chicken wraps, which were withdrawn from the market in early July, according to Queensland Health, are thought to be the source of at least five cases of listeriosis. Two of the victims were pregnant women who gave birth prematurely as a result of their infection.

As a result of the chicken wrap incident – and in light of an increased number of reports of Listeria monocytogenes infections in Queensland and across all of Australia this year – Queensland Health is advising pregnant women, seniors, and anyone with reduced immunity to disease to be especially alert to the possibility of contracting Listeria monocytogenes. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority has issued a similar warning.

Several questions remain unanswered about this outbreak, most notably the nature and source of the contaminated ingredient, and the distribution pattern of the contaminated chicken wraps. And, of course, how many others – in addition to the five reported cases – were infected by the contaminated wraps.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

New Salmonella Outbreak Sprouts Up In Canada

August 13, 2009

Salmonella-contaminated onion sprouts that were recalled on August 9th may be behind an outbreak of Salmonella Cubana infections in Ontario and Alberta, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada ("PHAC"). Some of the victims reported having eaten sprouts.

The link between the outbreak and the recently recalled sprouts has not yet been confirmed. In fact, the retail distribution of the sprouts (Ontario, the Maritime provinces, and possibly Québec) does not correlate with the distribution of outbreak victims – 7 in Ontario and 5 in Alberta.

PHAC has not indicated why it suspects that the 12 cases of Salmonella Cubana are linked to sprouts:

Was Salmonella Cubana detected in a sample of the sprouts or in seeds used for sprouting?
Has a genetic match been confirmed between an isolate from the sprouts and isolates from the outbreak victims?
Were the sprouts distributed in Alberta, where 5 of the outbreak victims live?

Does PHAC know more than it is letting on?

Recall Roundup: August 13, 2009

United States

Food Safety Recall: Peregrina Cheese Corporation (Brooklyn, NY) recalls all products manufactured in its Brooklyn, NY plant from March 17, 2009 to the present because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall was initiated under a consent decree between FDA and Peregrina.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume Pidy brand Pur Mamba (peanut butter-piment) described below because the product, which was imported from Haiti, may be contaminated with aflatoxin.

Australia & New Zealand

Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Talleys Group recalls Value Fries 2kg Hash Browns (Best Before 5 June 2011) and Pams 750g Triangle Hash Browns (Best Before 17 April 2011) that may be contaminated with metal fragments. The recalled products were sold in retail grocery outlets throughout New Zealand.

*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.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 12, 2009

United States

Allergy Alert: Liberté Brand Products recalls all Liberté Méditerranée Wild Blackberry Yogourt 6 oz code dated Sept 02 distributed in the USA because it may contain undeclared walnuts and plums
Food Safety Recall: NewStar Fresh Foods recalls 772 cartons of Omo brand and Fu Choy brand Iced Jumbo Green Onions (product lot numbers 40550707 and 40510707), because the onions may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled onions were supplied to small grocery outlets in the Detroit and San Francisco areas. Please navigate to the news release for details on where and when the onions were sold.

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

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eFoodAlert.com

Friday, August 21, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 21, 2009

Virgin Blue Listeria Outbreak Traced to New South Wales Company

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 20, 2009

Canada Confirms Sprouts Behind Salmonella Outbreak

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 19, 2009

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 18, 2009

Nestlé Refrigerated Cookie Dough Is Back

Monday, August 17, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 17, 2009

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Second E. coli O157 Outbreak Strikes Wales

Recall Roundup: August 16, 2009

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 15, 2009

Friday, August 14, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 14, 2009

Listeria Outbreak In The Land of Oz

Thursday, August 13, 2009

New Salmonella Outbreak Sprouts Up In Canada

Recall Roundup: August 13, 2009

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Recall Roundup: August 12, 2009

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