eFoodAlert

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.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: Veggie Favour Food Store recalls Veggie Favour Super Mushroom Ball – Vegan style soy product (300g; undeclared milk), Veggie Favour Veggie Half of Kidney style soy product (300g; undeclared milk), Veggie Favour Vegan Black Pepper Mini Burger style – soy product (280g; undeclared milk and wheat), Veggie Favour Vegan Half Chicken Style – soy product (180g; undeclared milk), and Veggie Favour Vegan Black Pepper Chicken – soy product (290g; undeclared egg and wheat), due to presence of undeclared allergens. The recalled products were distributed in British Columbia.

Europe

• Food Safety Recall (UK): Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc recalls Morrisons Whole Nut Milk Chocolate (200g; Best before 16 June 2012), because the product may be contaminated with small pieces of metal.
• Food Safety Recall (Denmark):  recalls #2 size Oysters (Product of Ireland; Lot No. A5805, A5793, and A5796; Expiry dates 20/2-2012, 24/2-2012 and 25/2-2012, respectively), after norovirus was detected in all three batches.
• Food Safety Recall (Denmark):  recalls COOP brand Broken Rye Kernels (1kg; Expiry 12/7-2012), after ergot – a fungus that can produce alkaloid toxins – was found in the product.
• Food Safety Enforcement Action (Russia): Russia extends its ban on cheese supplies from the Ukrainian firms Bashtansky, Lozovsky and Khmelnytskyi cheese-making plants and Bel Shostka Ukrainy firm, due to their failure to meet Russian food standards.
• Outbreak Alert (Italy): Three children who attend the were diagnosed with Salmonella infections after developing symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. The three victims were treated in hospital with antibiotic and rehydration therapy, and are expected to be discharged in a few days.
• Dietary Supplement Safety Alert (Denmark): The Food & Drug Administration warns consumers against using the dietary supplement , as the product contains the root of the potentially toxic plant Polygomum multiflorum Thunb. Roden. The product is marketed from foreign websites, and via the Danish website www.bodymuscle.dk – a website that is registered in India and hosted in Ukraine.
• Consumer Product Safety Recall (Italy): Ditta Bennet (Tortona, AL) withdraws Splat-Shot Ben 10 Ultimate Alien, Splat Shot Bakugan Battle Brawlers and Splat Shot Spider Sense Spiderman (Product of China; Imported by  Startrade s.r.l.), because the liquid present in the toys contains a total microbial population in excess of numbers permitted by the Draft Microbiological Safety of Toys.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0287): Aflatoxins in ground nutmeg from Germany with raw material from the Netherlands; distributed to Austria, Germany and Norway.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0288): Shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli in cheese from France; distributed to Germany.
• Dietary Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2012.0289): Unauthorized sibutramine in green coffee food supplement from the USA, via Hong Kong; distributed to Slovenia.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0290): Unauthorized propyl p-hydroxybenzoate in liquid sweetener from Spain; distributed to Spain and Portugal.
• Pet Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0291): Excessive Enterobacteriaceae count in dog chews from Colombia; distributed to the Netherlands.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0292): Aflatoxins in rice snack from India; distributed to the United Kingdom.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0293 & 2012.0294): Mold-infested barley groats from Slovakia; distributed to Poland.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0295): Salmonella in tumeric from unknown origin; distributed to Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0296): Parasitic infestation with Anisakis of chilled swordfish from Spain; distributed to Italy.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0297): Histamine in frozen skinless tuna steaks from Vietnam, via the Netherlands; distributed to Norway.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0300): Mold-infested chicken meat from France; distributed to Ireland.
• Food Safety Notification (EU #2012.0301): Escherichia coli in mussels from Italy; distributed to Austria and Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Dietary Supplement Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Department of Health warns the public not to buy or consume the slimming product bearing the Chinese name “生源坊” on its capsules and having “Sheng Yuan Fang” printed on the blister pack, as it may contain the undeclared and banned drug ingredients sibutramine, sildenafil and phenolphthalein.
• Outbreak Alert (Egypt): with food poisoning after eating contaminated cheese in their home.
• Outbreak Alert (Fiji): A public health emergency has been declared for two villages in Fiji – after an outbreak of typhoid in the Western Division.

Australia and New Zealand

• Allergy Alert (Australia): Wing Chun Company recalls Wing Chun Chinese Style Pork Sausage (375g vacuum package; Use by 23 JAN 2013 or earlier), due to the presence of undeclared soy. The recalled product was distributed in NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD and WA.
• Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Delmaine Fine Foods Ltd. (Auckland) recalls Delmaine Pitted Cherries (680g jars; Batch VERE11-00028; Best before BBE: ; Jar numbers 1728 to 2592; and 9504 to 12096), because the product may contain glass fragments.

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.