eFoodAlert.com: Recalls and Alerts: May 4, 2011

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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

Allergy Alert: The Raymond-Hadley Corp. (Spencer, NY) expands its earlier recall of Better Batter Mixes to include #1 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix (Lot #33310-4) and #1 Gluten Free White Cake Mix (Lot #33310-4), because the products may contain undeclared milk.

Allergy Alert: Tops Markets advises consumers that Smithfield Pork Fillet with Portabella Mushrooms, 27.2 oz (UPC 7080074210; Code dates 2/10/2011 through 4/23/2011) has been recalled due to an incomplete ingredient listing on the label.

Food Safety Recall: Flowers Foods (Thomasville, GA) recalls the following products (Best By date codes of May 11th 0355 119 and May 12th 0355 120), because the products may contain small pieces of metal: Cobblestone Mill 16 oz. 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Natural Grains Honey Wheat English Muffins, Nature's Own Light Multi Grain English Muffins, Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat English Muffins, Nature's Own Honey Wheat English Muffins, and Sweetbay 100% Whole Wheat English Muffins. The recalled products may have been distributed to supermarkets and retail grocers in the following states and regions: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,West Virginia, Southern California, southwest Colorado, southern Illinois, southeastern Kansas, south and central Nevada, southern New Jersey, southern Ohio, southern Pennsylvania, and extreme southwestern Utah. Some of the products were sold in Publix supermarkets and Walmart stores.

Food Safety Recall: Porky Products (Carteret, NJ) recalls Salted Smoked Split Herring "Bloaters" (Imported from Canada; 18 lb boxes; Lot #274 10), because the uneviscerated product has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The recalled Bloaters were sold in supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Maryland and Pennsylvania from April 14-28, 2011.

Food Safety Recall: Safeway recalls Kabobs made using grape tomatoes supplied by Taylor Farms, because the grape tomatoes, which were sourced from Six L's, may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled kabobs were sold between April 26, 2011 and May 3, 2011 and have a Sell By Date up to and including May 3, 2011. The kabobs were sold in Safeway, Vons, Pavilions and Pak N Save stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota and Southwest Washington State. Please refer to the recall notice for a detailed list of recalled Kabob varieties.

Food Safety Recall: Trader Joe's recalls Trader Joe's Splendido Little Tomatoes (Packed On Dates: 11 AL 16 and 11 AL 17), because the product was packed on a shared line with tomatoes from a different farm that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall affects Splendido Little Tomatoes sold in Trader Joe's locations in CT, DC, DE, , IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, WA & VA (only Alexandria, Centrevill, Fairfax, Falls Church, Reston & Sprinfield stores).

Bottled Water Safety Recall: Mountain Pure Water Company recalls Mountain Pure bottled drinking water, 16.9 fl. oz.,(Best By 2-27-2013 MPWA or Best By 2-28-2013 MPWA), after the Arkansas Department of Health finds biological (mold) contamination in a sample. The recall includes water ordered by the city of Clinton for use during disaster response efforts.

Pet Treat Safety Recall: Keys Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Paris, IL) recalls Pig Ears for Pet Treats (100-count cases packed in cardboard boxes and shipped between Sept. 27-Oct. 6, 2010; Nov. 1-Nov. 29, 2010; and Jan. 3-Jan. 25, 2011), due to Salmonella contamination. One illness (a dog in Missouri) has been linked to the treats. The products were sold to distributors in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas and Minnesota. No lot numbers or date codes have been specified.

Alcohol Prep Pad Safety Recall (Update): Rite Aid Pharmacy advises consumers that Smith and Nephew has expanded its earlier recall of Skin-Prep Wipes, manufactured by H&P Industries (d.b.a. Triad Group), because the recalled products were made in the same facility as other product that was potentially contaminated with bacteria (Bacillus cereus). Please refer to the Rite Aid notice for a detailed list of recalled products.

Water Safety Advisory (Kansas): Kansas Department of Health and Environment advises the public that it continues to find elevated levels of E. coli at some sites in Hog Creek (near Basehor).

Water Safety Advisory (Washington): The Washington State Department of Health has closed much of Samish Bay to shellfish harvesting, due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Boulangerie, pâtisserie, charcuterie, fromage Lachenaie (Terrebonne, QC) recalls Raspberry Pie, Strawberry Pie, Apple Pie and Blueberry Pie, due to the presence of undeclared eggs.

OTC Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall: Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals Inc. recalls all lots of Omega Alpha Kidney Flush, due to the omission of cautionary and warning statements on the product label. The recalled product was sold at retail locations in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.

Europe

Allergy Alert: Magasins Monoprix recalls Monoprix Filet de Poulet Rôti Cuit au Four Nature, 150g (Lot # L11109, Best By 06/05/2011) (Monoprix Organic Oven-Roasted Chicken Fillet, 150g), because the product contains undeclared milk, eggs and celery.

Outbreak Alert (UK): Twenty-eight patients in three wards at Sandwell General Hospital have been infected with Norovirus. Health officials have closed six wards to visitors in an effort to contain the outbreak.

Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0574): Procymidone in tomatoes from Spain; distributed to Hungary.

Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0575): Aflatoxins in white sunflower seeds from Egypt; distributed to Belgium.

Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0577): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled swordfish from Spain; distributed to Italy.

Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0578): Salmonella Agona in fishmeal from Germany; distributed to Belgium.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety urges members of the public not to consume two consignments of Buckhaven Shellfish razor clams imported from Scotland, because the shellfish may be contaminated with phycotoxins (diarrhetic shellfish poisoning). The imported shellfish were sold on May 1st at Union Marine Products Trading Co. in the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market.

Bottled Water Safety Alert (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority warns members of the public not to consume Ouyun Makkah Factory Potable Water (Jeddah Province), after analysis of the water revealed that it exceeded the maximum allowed limit of Bromate.

Food Safety Alert (Vietnam): The National Institute of Nutrition reports that food samples recently taken from four major markets in Ha Noi revealed that many of the samples contained lead.

Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong & Macao): Healthcare Pharmascience Ltd recalls Cyclovax Cream 5% (Lot #44254; manufactured in Cyprus), after lab analysis revealed that the active ingredient (aciclovir) was only present at 3.2% instead of the claimed 5%. The recalled product is a prescription topical antiviral drug for treatment of herpes simplex virus skin infections.

Cosmetic Product Safety Recall (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Food & Drug Authority recalls Hadidah cosmetic product, after several samples are found to contain high percentages of lead and arsenic.

Outbreak Alert (Japan): A woman was the third person to die as a result of eating a raw meat dish contaminated with E. coli O111. Fifty-six people have been infected with the outbreak strain, which has been traced to meat served at outlets of the restaurant chain run by Foods Forus Co (Kanazawa). At a news conference, a company spokesperson confirmed that the company had not conducted hygiene inspections of its raw meat supplier (a Tokyo-based wholesaler) for the last two years.

Outbreak Alert (Rwanda): Twenty-six people were hospitalized after drinking contaminated milk supplied by the owner of the Seeds of Peace restaurant on the shores of Lake Muhazi. Ten of the victims were students or staff at Gahini College and obtained the milk from the school canteen; the others consumed the milk at the Seeds of Peace restaurant.

Outbreak Alert (Israel): Eighteen children at the Neve Tzuf day care center have been hospitalized with symptoms that could either be due to pesticide exposure or food poisoning.

Food Safety Inspections (Taiwan): Taiwan FDA officials report that 15 out of 37 bakeries inspected by the agency need to improve their sanitation; one of the bakeries failed to meet even the minimum standards of hygiene. A common infraction were the mixing of raw with cooked food and placing food on the floor.

Australia and New Zealand

Outbreak Alert (New Zealand): About 200 people at five Northland rest homes have been infected since April 20th with what is suspected to be Norovirus. The five homes are urging non-essential visitors to stay away in order to help contain the spread of the outbreak.

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.