eFoodAlert.com: Recalls and Alerts: June 15, 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

Food Safety Recall: Atalanta Corp. (Elizabeth, NJ) recalls Royal Blue Stilton Cheese (Product of UK; Batch code B038; one 8-9 lb. wheel), because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The cheese was manufactured in England by Quenby Hall Dairy and exported to the USA by Coombe Castle International.

Outbreak Alert (Cruise): CDC reports back-to-back outbreaks of gastroenteritis on the Sea Princess (Princess Cruises). The first outbreak, which occurred during the May 20-30, 2011 cruise and sickened 128 passengers and 13 crew members, was confirmed by Health Canada labs to be due to Norovirus, genotype II. The second outbreak, which took place during the May 30-June 9, 2011 cruise, has sickened 135 passengers and 6 crew members. This outbreak is still under investigation.

Outbreak Alert: At least 16 people have been sickened by an outbreak of gastroenteritis, which appears to be linked to a celebration for fourth-graders at North Cape Elementary School in Western Racine County, Wisconsin. Raw milk was served at the event, but a specific source of the illnesses has not been established, nor was the pathogen identified in the news report.

Canada

Allergy Alert: Jérôme's Steakhouse et Boucherie (Boucherville, QC) recalls several ready-to-eat products, due to the presence of undeclared wheat, soy, and/or eggs.

Health Advisory: Health Canada advises the public that a number of unauthorized health products, including sexual enhancement products, were removed from sale at Male and Female Harmony retail stores in Richmond and Burnaby, BC and at the Happy Paradise Adult Store in Burnaby, BC. The action was in response to a consumer complaint.

Europe

Food Safety Recall (France): CGC recalls BIO LP chez LEADER PRICE – FRANPRIX – LEADER EXPRESS – MIRANDA - GEIMEX brands of Extra-fine Organic Green Beans in glass jars (Lot #1598 L:N2M 7; Best before 31/08/2014), because the product may be contaminated with fragments of glass.

Outbreak Alert Update (E. coli O104:H4): As of June 14th, Germany has reported 784 cases of HUS (23 deaths) and 2,470 cases of non-HUS enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), with 13 deaths, for a total of 3,254 illnesses and 36 deaths. Including international cases, the total number of illnesses and deaths stands at 3,343 HUS and EHEC cases, and 37 deaths. The number of new cases reported in Germany has decreased considerably in the last few days.

Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0774): Salmonella in rocket leaves from Italy; distributed to the United Kingdom.

Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0775): Salmonella Mbandaka in organic soya from Italy; distributed to Sweden.

Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0776): Unauthorized leucomalachite green in cultured caviar from China; distributed to Germany, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0777): Traces of sesame and peanuts in diet meal from Finland; distributed to Norway, Sweden and Taiwan.

Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0780): Taste disturbance caused by pine nuts from China, packaged in Malta, via Italy; distributed to Malta.

Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0781): Undeclared milk ingredient in roasted meat loaf (garlic) from the Czech Republic; distributed to Slovakia.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Recall (Taiwan): Chuang's Square Cookies has recalled brown sugar square cookies from the retail market pending tests, after Hong Kong reported finding traces of plasticizers in the cookies. The company denied using plasticizer-contaminated ingredients, and said that the contaminant found by Hong Kong may have come from the packaging.

Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0776): Unauthorized leucomalachite green in cultured caviar from China; distributed to Germany, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0777): Traces of sesame and peanuts in diet meal from Finland; distributed to Norway, Sweden and Taiwan.

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.