Saturday, April 21, 2007

Vi-Jon Issues Voluntary Nationwide Consumer Recall of Alpine Xtreme Evergreen Forest Body Wash

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- ST. LOUIS, April 19, 2007 - Vi-Jon, Inc. issued a voluntary nationwide consumer product recall of a single lot of 28 fluid ounce bottles of Alpine Xtreme Evergreen Forest Body Wash after determining the presence of a bacteria, Enterobacter gergoviae, in some of the product samples tested. The company became aware of this after determining that some of the product had become cloudy in appearance. An investigation concerning the cause of the issue is ongoing.

After conducting a thorough assessment, the company concluded that the risk of illness in healthy individuals following use of this product is very low. However, there could be an increased health risk of small wound, skin or more serious infections to individuals with cuts, scrapes, rashes or other compromised skin conditions, or weakened or suppressed immune systems. There have been no consumer adverse health events reported that are related to this issue.

The only affected product is Alpine Xtreme Evergreen Forest Body Wash, which is green in color. The Lot Code involved in this recall is 286071; identified by the first six numbers printed on the back of the bottle between the pump and the top of the back label. The recall docs not affect any other Alpine Xtreme Body Wash product. Consumers should discontinue using and properly discard the product, and may obtain a full refund through calling the company's toll-free consumer line, 1-888-593-0593, and mailing in the back label, including the UPC code. Additional information can be found at the product website, www.alpinextreme.net.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Agriculture Department Warns Consumers of Tainted Raw Milk Sold by Butler County Dairy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Harrisburg, PA -- April 13, 2007 -- Consumers who have purchased raw milk from Fisher's Dairy, Butler County, any time after April 9, 2007, should discard it immediately due to the risk of Listeria monocytogenes contamination, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said today.

"During routine inspection, a preliminary test showed the presence of Listeria bacteria in some of the raw milk samples taken from Fisher's Dairy," said Wolff. "If consumers have raw milk from this farm, they should discard it immediately."

There have been no illnesses reported because of the potential contamination, but if individuals who consumed the raw milk become ill, they are advised to consult their physician.
Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized.

The Department of Agriculture has suspended sales of raw milk at the dairy and is ensuring that corrective action is taken. Samples taken from the farm during routine testing on April 9 tested positive for Listeria on April 13.

Multiple laboratory samples must come back negative before sales can resume.

Symptoms of Listeriosis are fever, muscle aches, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions can occur.

Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness, but infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.

Symptoms of Listeriosis can appear in four days to three weeks.

Recall of H S Joy of Love, a Product Marketed as a Dietary Supplement

Jen-On Herbal Science International, Inc. Issues A Voluntary Nationwide Recall of H S Joy of Love, a Product Marketed as a Dietary Supplement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- City of Industry, CA -- April 17, 2007- Jen-On Herbal Science International, Inc. 205 Russell St., City of Industry, CA 91744, announced today that it is conducting a voluntary nationwide recall of the company's supplement product sold under the name H S Joy of Love. Jen-On Herbal Science International, Inc. is conducting this recall after being informed by representatives of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that lab analysis by FDA of H S Joy of Love samples found the product contains Piperadino Vardenafil, an analog of Vardenafil, an FDA-approved drug used as treatment for male Erectile Dysfunction (ED). Piperadino Vardenafil is close in structure to Vardenafil and is expected to possess a similar pharmacological and adverse event profile. This poses a threat to consumers because the analogue may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates. ED is a common problem in men with these conditions, and consumers may seek these types of products to enhance sexual performance.
H S Joy of Love is sold nationwide. The H S Joy of Love product is sold as a 12-capsule blister pack packaged in a retail box.

Consumers who have H S Joy of Love in their possession should stop using it immediately. In the event of any adverse side effects due to its consumption, consumers should contact a physician right away. Any adverse events that may be related to the use of this product should be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088 or by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178 or by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787.

The company advises that any unused portion be returned to Jen-On Herbal Science International, Inc. for a full purchase price refund by calling (626) 333-9998 for instructions on the return and refund process.

No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with this product.

Jen-On Herbal Science International, Inc. apologizes for any inconvenience and expresses its concerns for the health of consumers by conducting a voluntary recall action. Jen-On Herbal Science International, Inc. promises to ensure quality and integrity of all its products and the company is working closely with the FDA in the recall process.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Harry & David Expands Its Nationwide Allergy Alert for Undeclared Nut Allergens in Candies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Medford, OR -- April 13, 2007 -- Harry & David Operations Corp., of Medford, Oregon, is recalling approximately 2000 boxes of candies because they may contain undeclared nuts, including peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts and cashews.People who have an allergy to these nuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Harry & David is recalling all lot codes of these products. These products are in: 6 oz. paperboard boxes with a folded over top. The boxes are striped in several color variations.

Dark Chocolate Clusters The Ultimate Walnut Cherry Caramel Indulgence candies in green and cream striped boxes (260).
Dark Chocolate Clusters The Ultimate Peanut & Peanut Butter Indulgence in red and cream striped boxes (275).
Dark Chocolate Clusters The Ultimate Pecan Cranberry Caramel Indulgence in dark red and cream striped boxes (270).
Whole Almond Confection in brown and white striped boxes (595).
Whole Cashew Confection in dark red and cream striped boxes (575).

Sales of these products have ceased. The candies were produced and packaged by a third party vendor and distributed throughout the United States through Harry and David Stores beginning March 2007.

There have been no injuries reported to date. Anyone concerned about a potential illness associated with this product should contact a physician immediately.

The recall was initiated after it was determined that the products may contain undeclared nuts, including peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans and cashews. Harry and David has informed FDA of its action and is fully cooperating with the agency. Investigation into the cause is ongoing.

Consumers are requested to return product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions about the recalled product may phone the Customer Service division at 800-233-1101, 24 hours a day.

McNeil-PPC, Inc. Today Issues Voluntary Nationwide Consumer Recall of LISTERINE AGENT COOL BLUE Plaque-Detecting Rinse Products

Note: This stinks. I just picked up some of this stuff, used it once. Remember when you were a child & the school (or dentist) gave you the red stuff to swish around in your mouth? I thought it'd be interesting to see how well I was doing on brushing my teeth after all these years so I grabbed a bottle last time I was at the store. Oh well, so much for a memory lane visit to my childhood (even if the colors are different!). - jmd

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Morris Plains, NJ -- April 11, 2007 -- McNEIL-PPC, Inc. (the "Company") today announced a voluntary nationwide consumer recall of all lots of the GLACIER MINT™ and BUBBLE BLAST™ flavors of LISTERINE® AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse after the Company determined that the preservative system is not adequate against certain microorganisms. The Company has been in full communication with the FDA regarding this issue and the decision to implement a voluntary recall. The Company is recalling all bottles of AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse, an estimated 4 million, from both retailers and consumers.

The Company conducted a thorough assessment and concluded that the risk of illness in healthy individuals following use of this product is very low. However, there could be a significant health risk to individuals with weakened or suppressed immune systems. To date, there have been no consumer adverse health events reported that are related to this issue.

The recall affects all existing bottles of AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse. Consumers should discontinue using and properly discard the product, and may obtain a full refund through calling the Company's toll free consumer line 1-888-222-0249 and mailing in the back label, including the UPC code. Additional information can be found at the product website http://www.agentcoolblue.com.

Introduced in 2006, AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse tints plaque blue for better brushing. Consumers can readily distinguish this product by the cartoon character on the front of the bottle. Only AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse products are affected by this action. No other LISTERINE® branded products are affected and they remain safe and effective for use as directed.

"We have voluntarily initiated this recall of AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse because our primary concern is that consumers have complete confidence in the safety and effectiveness of our products," said Paul Sturman, President, Consumer Healthcare North America, McNEIL-PPC, Inc. "This voluntary action is in keeping with our longstanding policy of providing timely and effective consumer information about all our products."

AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse has been sold to consumers through supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchants and other retail outlets, and is sold to dental professionals' offices nationwide. The Company is contacting dental professionals and retailers directly as part of their recall notification process.

McNEIL-PPC, Inc. is located in Morris Plains, NJ and Fort Washington, PA.

FDA Urgently Warns Consumers about Health Risks of Potentially Contaminated Olives

3/13/07 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting consumers to possible serious health risks from eating olives that may be contaminated with a deadly bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum can cause botulism, a potentially fatal illness. The olives are made by Charlie Brown di Rutigliano & Figli S.r.l, of Bari, Italy and are being recalled by the manufacturer. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this recall.

The olives should not be eaten alone or in other foods, even if they do not appear to be spoiled.

Consumers should discard these products or return them to the point of purchase. If in doubt, consumers should contact the retailer and inquire whether its olives are part of the recall.

The olives are sold under the following brands: Borrelli, Bonta di Puglia, Cento, Corrado's, Dal Raccolto, Flora, Roland and Vantia, and have codes that start with the letter "G" and are followed by 3 or 4 digits. All sizes of cans, glass jars and pouches of Cerignola, Nocerella and Castelvetrano type olives are affected.

Symptoms of botulism include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation. People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Consumers may also report illnesses associated with consumption of these olives to the nearest FDA district offices.

Charlie Brown di Rutigliano & Figli S.r.l, initiated a recall of these olives on March 27, 2007. The recalled olives had been distributed to wholesalers, who have marketed them nationally to restaurants and retail stores. FDA concluded that additional warnings are needed because, to date, the company has not contacted importers with specific instructions on the recall.

In addition to re-emphasizing its warning to consumers, FDA is making the following requests:

Importers of these olives should discontinue distribution, isolate held stocks and notify customers to take similar actions to prevent the products from reaching consumers. Importers should contact their local FDA office for assistance in implementing the recall.

Food manufacturers who have repacked the olives for sale under different names or who have used them in the production of other food should contact their local FDA office.

Restaurants, delicatessens, and other food service providers should discontinue using the olives, dispose of their opened containers and contact their suppliers for instructions on what to do with unopened containers.

Consumers with questions may contact Charlie Brown Company at 011-039-080-7839073 or charliebrownbari@yahoo.com.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Greenleaf Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk in Lemon Bars

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Townsend, WA -- April 2, 2007 -- Greenleaf of Port Townsend, Washington is recalling 16 - Lemon Bars, because they may contain undeclared Milk as an ingredient. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to Milk run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Lemon Bars were distributed solely to one retail store in Port Townsend, Washington for sale to consumers. Product is not packaged and therefore not coded. The Lemon Bars are sold individually at the retail store's counter.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the Milk containing product (butter) did not declare Milk on its ingredient list. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the company's production processes.

Consumers who have purchased Green Leaf Lemon Bars are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Green Leaf at 360-379-0989.
1-800-PetMeds