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.

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