Category Archives: Food Toxin

Belgium – Carrefour recall American Nature recall of the Carrefour brand. Problem: potential presence of E. Coli STEC.

AFSCA

Following a check and as a precautionary measure in order to guarantee consumer safety, CARREFOUR requests to withdraw from the market the American Nature 200g, 300g, 600g, 1.2kg sold in the BUTCHER department of certain Carrefour stores in Belgium and calls them back to the consumers following a potential presence of E. Coli STEC.


Product description:

– Product name: Américain Nature
– Brand: Carrefour
– Use by date (DLC) (“To consume until”): 07/19/2020 and 07/20/2020
– Sale period: from 13 / 07/2020 to 15/07/2020
– Type of packaging: transparent plastic tray
– Weight: 200g, 300g, 600g and 1.2 kg
– The package bears the supplier’s stamp number 26/1

PRODUCTS PACKED IN STORES ARE NOT CONCERNED

All products have been withdrawn from sale. Some of these products were, however, sold on the Belgian market before the withdrawal measure. It is therefore recommended that people who hold the products described above not consume them and destroy them or bring them back to the point of sale where they will be reimbursed.

People who have consumed these products and who have intestinal disorders are invited to consult their doctor by reporting this consumption. These symptoms can be made worse in young children, pregnant women, immunocompromised people and the elderly.

People who have consumed the products mentioned above and who present these symptoms are invited to consult their doctor by reporting this consumption.

For any further information, you can contact the Carrefour Belgique consumer service by calling the free number 0800.9.10.11 , from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on working days and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.

Belgium – Viangro Recall -Spicy Beef Hamburger 500g. – STEC E.coli

AFSCA

In agreement with the AFSCA, Viangro is withdrawing the 500g spicy beef burger from the sale and is recalling it from consumers due to the potential presence of E. Coli STEC.

LIDL Belgium asks its customers not to consume this product and to bring it back to the point of sale in which it was purchased.


Product description

– Product name: Spicy beef hamburger
– Use by date (DLC) (“To consume until”): 07/19/2020 and 07/20/2020
– Sales period: from 07/13 / 2020 to 07/15/2020
– Type of packaging: plastic tray
– Weight: 500g

The product was sold through Lidl stores in Belgium.

For further information, contact Lidl customer service ( 0800/73520 (free))

Japan – E. coli in salad cause of over 3,400 students’ food poisoning at east Japan schools

Mainichi

ecoli

Image CDC

SAITAMA — The cause of a food poisoning outbreak that affected a total of 3,453 students and others at 15 public schools in the city of Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, eastern Japan, has been pinpointed to a seaweed salad harboring E. coli bacteria, the city’s board of education advised on July 13.

Netherlands -Fatal Listeria outbreak linked to trout in the Netherlands

Food Safety News

At least two people have died in a Listeria outbreak linked to chilled smoked trout fillets in the Netherlands.

All six sick people have been hospitalized and two died from their infections. Another person has died but no information about the cause of death was given.

Patients became ill between the beginning of February and mid-June. Their age range is 42 to 85 years old with a median of 78 years old.

 

New Zealand – Shellfish biotoxin alert – Hawke’s Bay extended warning

MPI

The Ministry for Primary Industries today extended the current public health warning against collecting shellfish in the Hawke’s Bay region. The affected area now extends from the Mohaka River to the southern end of Pōrangahau beach.

Routine tests on shellfish samples taken from this region have shown levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins above the safe limit of 0.8 mg/kg set by MPI. Anyone eating shellfish from this area is potentially at risk of illness.

Other public health warnings remain in place for Port Levy on Banks Peninsula and Nydia Bay in the Pelorus Sound.

Mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles, scallops, catseyes, kina (sea urchin) and all other bivalve shellfish should not be eaten.

Note, cooking shellfish does not remove the toxin.

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Basmati Rice – Groundnut Kernels -Groundnuts – Chilli Powder – Shelled Almonds

RASFF-Logo

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 6.0; Tot. = 6.0 µg/kg – ppb) in basmati rice from Pakistan in Greece

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 6.3; Tot. = 6.3 µg/kg – ppb) in basmati rice from Pakistan in Greece

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 6.7; Tot. = 7.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from the United States in the UK

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 3 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Brazil in Poland

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 5.6; Tot. = 5.6 µg/kg – ppb) in basmati rice from Pakistan in Greece

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 32.6; Tot. = 35.9 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled almonds from the United States in Greece

RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 9 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli powder from India in the UK

RASFF Alert – Histamine – Frozen Tuna

RASFF-Logo

RASFF – spoilage (suspicion of high levels of histamine) of frozen tuna from France in France

New Zealand – PMN Kacang Wangi brand Peanut Cracker – Aflatoxin

MPI

Natural Field Enterprises Ltd is recalling a specific batch of PMN Kacang Wangi brand Peanut Cracker as testing has identified toxins above acceptable levels.

Product type Crackers
Name of product (size) PMN Kacang Wangi brand Peanut Cracker (770g jar)
Date marking Best before 28.04.2021
Package size and description The product is sold in a 770g plastic jar.
Distribution The product is imported from Malaysia.

The product is sold at these retailers in Auckland:

  • Epacs Supermart, 12 Nandina Avenue, East Tamaki
  • Fresh and Save, 245 Manukau Road, Pukekohe.

The product has not been re-exported.

Notes This recall does not affect any other PMN Kacang Wangi brand products or any other products imported by Natural Field Enterprises Ltd.

Consumer advice

The recall is about specific toxins called aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring in many food products. They are produced by a group of moulds that grow on foods produced in hot and tropical climates. Levels of aflatoxin in the New Zealand diet are usually very low and don’t represent a health risk, however consumption of food products with increased levels of aflatoxin over a continuous period of time can be harmful.

Affected product should not be consumed. If you have consumed any of this product and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice.

Customers should return the product to their retailer for a full refund.

Who to contact

If you have questions, contact Natural Field Enterprises Ltd:

  • Phone: (09) 272 9048
  • Address: 12 Nandina Avenue, East Tamaki, Auckland.

Syria – Dozens hit by food poisoning in Idlib

MEM

More than 50 Syrian families at the Al-Rayyan camp in the country’s northern city of Idlib have been poisoned by packaged meals distributed by an aid organisation working in the area.

Local media quoted the camp director, Abdo Al-Ali, as saying that the victims had included “women and children”, adding that they were receiving medical treatment at the hospitals in the area.

In May, dozens of Syrian families were reported to have been poisoned after eating breakfast distributed by an organisation in a refugee camp located in Idlib’s countryside of Deir Hassan. Others were also poisoned in June after eating takeaway meals from a restaurant in the city.

Idlib is the last opposition stronghold in Syria where millions now live after fleeing from their homes in the war-torn country.

New Zealand – Soyummy brand Dr. Fermented Bean Paste – Bacillus Cereus

MPI

Soyummy Ltd is recalling specific batches of its Soyummy brand Dr. Fermented Bean Paste as the product contains elevated levels of Bacillus cereus bacteria.

Frozen plastic tub of Soyummy brand Dr. Fermented Bean Paste.
Soyummy brand Dr. Fermented Bean Paste (220g tub).

 

Product identification
Product type Soybean paste
Name of product (size) Soyummy brand Dr. Fermented Bean Paste (220g tub)
Date marking Best before: 30/09/20 and 13/12/20
Package size and description The product is sold frozen in a 220g plastic tub.
Distribution The affected product is sold in ethnic grocery stores throughout Auckland.
Notes This recall does not affect any other Soyummy brand products.

Consumer advice

Customers are asked to check the best before date on the lid of the product.

Affected product should not be consumed. There have been no reports of associated illness, however if you have consumed any of this product and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice.

Customers should return the product to their retailer for a full refund.

Who to contact

If you have questions, contact Soyummy Limited:

  • Phone: 021 0261 4140
  • Address: Unit G, 18 Polaris Place, East Tamaki, Auckland.