EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector – Important Safety Information on Correct Usage – For the Public

It has been a while since I’ve updated this site.

Sorry!

This announcement is an important one for anyone that has an auto-injector.

There have been some cases of people not understanding quite how to remove the cap or handle the EPI-Pen properly resulting in accidents.

Subject: Important Safety Information on the Correct Use of EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr Auto-Injector

Pfizer Canada Inc. (distributor of EpiPen for Dey Pharma, L.P.) in collaboration with Health Canada would like to remind patients of the correct method to remove the blue safety cap and of the importance of following the instructions for use of EpiPen (0.3 mg epinephrine auto-injector) and EpiPen Jr (0.15 mg epinephrine auto-injector).  It has recently come to our attention that removal of the blue safety cap the wrong way by pulling it sideways or bending and twisting it off may prevent the device from working properly and potentially result in failure to deliver the drug.

Read on for the full advisory.

PEANUT ALLERGY ALERT

PEANUT ALLERGY ALERT
May 2, 2011

Organic Food Bar, Inc. is expanding its previous recall of “Chocolatey Chocolate Chip RAW Organic Food Bars due to undeclared peanut to include additional organic food bars in the following varieties:

• Cinnamon Raisin, Lot # 3070910, Expiration Date 09-Jul-11; Lot # 3072110, Expiration Date 21-Jul-11, Lot # 3083110, Expiration Date 31-Aug-11; Lot # 2092710, Expiration Date 27-Sep-11; Lot # 3100410, Expiration Date 04-Oct-11; UPC # 8 73521000114
• Chocolate Coconut, Lot # 6071210, Expiration Date 12-Jul-11; Lot #6072810, Expiration Date 28-Jul-11; Lot # 4081710, Expiration Date 17-Aug-11; Lot # 3082710, Expiration Date 27-Aug-11; Lot # 5102010, Expiration Date 20-Oct-11; UPC # 8 7352100031 2
• Oooatmeal Apple Pie, Lot #2071610, Expiration Date 16-Jul-11; Lot # 2071610, Expiration Date 16-Jul-11; Lot # 1083010, Expiration Date 30-Aug-11; Lot # 3090710, Expiration Date 07-Sep-11; UPC # 8 73521 001111.
• Chocolatey Chocolate Chip; Lot # 2062810, Expiration Date 28-Jun-11; Lot # 4062810, Expiration Date 28-Jun-11; Lot # 3071210, Expiration Date 12-Jul-11; Lot # 2072810, Expiration Date 28-Jul-11; Lot # 2081610, Expiration Date 16-Aug-11; Lot # 4092810, Expiration Date 28-Sep-11; Lot # 2102010, Expiration Date 20-Oct-11; UPC # 8 7352100021 3.
• Fiber Chocolate Delite, Lot # 6062810; Expiration Date 28-Jun-11; Lot # 7072110, Expiration Date 21-Jul-11; Lot # 1082710, Expiration Date 27-Aug-11; UPC # 8 73521000411.
• Keerunch Crunchy Chocolate Chip, Lot # 3070710, Expiration Date 07-Jul-11; Lot # 2101410, Expiration Date 14-Oct-11; UPC # 8 73521 00121 0.
• Oohmega Cherry Pie, Lot # 3072910, Expiration Date 29-Jul-11, UPC # 8 73521 00101 2.

The product was distributed in 12-pack cartons through retail stores, mail order, and direct delivery in the U.S.

Consumers may return the recalled products to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (800) 246-4685, Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST.

CBC News – Stricter food label rules target allergens

HUGE Win for the Canadian Food Allergic Population

Food manufacturers have 18 months to adhere to tighter rules dealing with the labelling of food allergens, Health Canada announced Monday.

The amended rules would target food allergens, gluten sources and sulphites, which will have to be explicitly identified on packaging.Manufacturers will be required to list what type of allergens, gluten sources or sulphites are present in a product or in any of the ingredients used to make that product.

For example, a food product that lists “spice” or “seasoning” as an ingredient would have to specify whether the ingredient contains allergenic substances.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said Monday the new labelling requirements do not include beer and wine, which are being dealt with separately, because the government needed to move on food now.

The revised rules were first introduced in 2008 by then-health minister Tony Clement.

Most of the new regulations were published officially Monday in the Canada Gazette, the government publication that lists all laws and Orders-in-Council.

Read the full article via CBC News – Politics – Stricter food label rules target allergens.

PEANUT AND TREE NUT ALLERGY ALERT

PEANUT AND TREE NUT ALLERGY ALERT

Nov. 29, 2010

Quaker Canada is recalling “Quaker Chewy Granola Bars Value Pack” cartons, sold in Canada, due to undeclared peanuts and tree nuts.

FAAN is sending notification of this recall because, per the manufacturer, some consumers of this product may be U.S. residents.

The affected product is packaged in 14-count cartons with UPC Bar Code 55577 10742. The carton should contain Chewy Chocolate Chip and Chewy S’mores bars, but could incorrectly contain Dipps Chocolate Chip and Dipps Caramel Nut bars.

Consumers should return the recalled product to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions should contact Quaker Canada at (800) 267-6287.

MARKHAM RESIDENTS CAUTIONED TO INSPECT HALLOWEEN CANDY

TOWN OF MARKHAM RESIDENTS CAUTIONED TO INSPECT HALLOWEEN CANDY

http://www.nestle.ca/en/PressRelease/Markham_Favourites.htm

Toronto – October 22, 2010 – Nestlé Canada Inc. and Walmart Canada are advising residents of the Town of Markham, Ontario, that four packages of 94 count Nestlé Fav*rites snack size chocolate bars were found to contain candy not manufactured by Nestlé and some candy not sold by Walmart Canada. For example, one box contained Kit Kat bars manufactured and sold in the U.S., by another company. Unlike Nestlé Canada’s Fav*rites that are made in a peanut-free facility, the U.S. Kit Kat bars are manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, as indicated on the wrapper.

These boxes were discovered at the Copper Creek Walmart in Markham, Ontario. All investigations by the appropriate authorities suggest that this is an isolated incident.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

Consumers are asked to check their packaging and ensure it contains only Nestlé branded products as indicated on the wrapper. As always, consumers are encouraged to read the ingredient list before consuming any product and parents are reminded to thoroughly check all Halloween candy.

For more information, consumers can contact:

Nestlé Consumer Services at 1-800-387-4636 between 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (EST) Monday to Friday. The line will also be open on October 23 and October 24 between 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (EST).

Walmart Canada Customer Service at 1-800-328-0402 between 7:30 am – 5:30 pm (EST) Monday to Friday.

PEANUT ALLERGY ALERT

Oct. 23, 2010

Nestlé USA is recalling “Nestlé® Raisinets® Fun Size Bags” due to undeclared peanuts. The 10-oz bags were sold in Target, Shop Rite, and Don Quixote retail stores in the U.S.

The product is marked with production code 02015748 and UPC 2800010255.

Consumers should contact the company at (800) 478-5670 for a refund.

CBC article commenter says what most of us have only thought

John Murray is a man of MANY words. These are the words that I have always wanted to say, but found I could not do so and keep my composure.

John does it very well in response to the comments after the CBC artical “CBC News – What teachers and parents should know about severe food allergies“ I posted about earlier.

Found here http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/08/19/f-vp-smith.html

John says:

The AllergyEats Blog

Allergy Eats is a database site that takes your experiences in eating out and makes it available to the world. Well, to the USA. I tried searching in Canada and was unable to. Hopefully he will expand .

Paul wrote the following, I follow that by his press release.

AllergyEats was 20 months in the making and lists over 600,000 restaurants that can be searched geographically and are sorted based on the restaurant’s level of  “allergy friendliness.”  This rating is derived from fellow food allergy and intolerant diners who choose to rate the restaurants by answering 3 simple questions.  Diners also have the opportunity to add comments to their quantitative ratings as well.

As a standalone restaurant database, AllergyEats is a useful tool for locating places to dine. In addition, however, I have included features such as allergen information, gluten-free menus, industry certifications, and other relevant information where available. The site will grow in value for those with food allergies or intolerances as more restaurants are rated and comments posted.

New Website Takes the Guesswork Out of Restaurant Dining for People with Food Allergies and Intolerances

BOSTON (February 24, 2010) – If you or a loved one is prone to food allergies, you know the challenges of finding a restaurant where everyone will feel comfortable.

That search has just gotten easier.

A new website, www.allergyeats.com, combines the best of Internet technology with peer-to-peer information to help people know in advance how well (or poorly) a restaurant responds to people with food allergies and other food intolerances, such as Celiac Disease.

The website lists over 600,000 restaurants in the United States and is searchable by geographic location, provides maps and driving directions, lists phone numbers and includes menus, industry certifications and other information of interest to food allergy sufferers when available.

Users are encouraged to help the rest of the food allergy community by answering three simple questions (takes less than a minute) about their dining experience. The answers are compiled into an objective “allergy-friendliness rating” that gives users instantaneous at-a-glance information about the “allergy friendliness” of specific restaurants.

There is also a place on the site for written comments, which will be monitored to ensure they contain only food-allergy related opinions.

“This site is an outgrowth of the difficulty I have in finding a place where my two foodallergic children can eat,” said Paul Antico, who spent 20 months researching and designing the site. There are about 12 million people with food allergies in the United States. Over 2 million people have Celiac Disease as well.

AllergyEats is endorsed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) of Washington, the AAFA New England Chapter of Boston and the Gluten Intolerance Group of Auburn, WA, amongst others.

“In addition to helping people with food allergies, AllergyEats is a good tool for the restaurant industry,” Antico said. “Restaurateurs can see how their individual locations are faring, and can learn from comments about other restaurants what works and doesn’t work for people with food allergies.”

While there are other online sites for people with food allergies, none combines the comprehensiveness of the AllergyEats listings with objective ratings and comments area.

“AllergyEats is really a living, breathing organism that will grow and become increasingly useful as people share information on the site. I am happy to offer this to the food allergy community, and I can’t wait to see how it develops,” Antico said.

via The AllergyEats Blog.

Reverse Allergy Alert Quaker Crispy Minis are Nut-Safe again

This is great news. We love rice snacks and the Quaker brand was always the best. When they started producing them on a line that also processed peanuts we were shocked and promptly dropped them from our grocery list.

We were pleased to receive this notice today telling us they are reducing  the allergens by changing the production of some of their treats.

NOTE: this is from the notice below.

The changes will reduce the number of potential allergens in most flavours of rice chips products only. Allergen labeling on other Crispy Minis products, including Crispy Minis Bite Size rice chips, Crispy Minis Delights cookies and Crispy Minis rice cakes, remains the same.

NOTICE FROM: PepsiCo Canada

March 2010

IMPORTANT NOTICE: QUAKER BRAND TO REDUCE ALLERGENS

IN SEVERAL CRISPY MINIS® RICE CHIPS

As part of its ongoing mission to deliver healthy and convenient options that fit into a healthy lifestyle, PepsiCo Canada’s Quaker brand is making changes to its manufacturing and allergen control procedures for its Crispy Minis rice chips.

The changes will reduce the number of potential allergens in most flavours of rice chips products only. Allergen labeling on other Crispy Minis products, including Crispy Minis Bite Size rice chips, Crispy Minis Delights cookies and Crispy Minis rice cakes, remains the same.

The reduced allergen Crispy Minis rice chips are now on store shelves in major Canadian retail outlets. Accordingly, ingredients listings will be changing, and precautionary labeling will be adjusted only on affected products, as follows:

The Quaker brand reminds consumers of these important tips regarding the importance of carefully reading food ingredient labels:

Food-allergic individuals and those buying for them are encouraged to read food ingredient labels at least three times: once when purchasing the item; a second time when putting the item away; and a third time just prior to serving the item.

Take steps to improve your understanding of labeling regulations and their limitations. It should never be assumed that all sizes and flavours have identical allergen profiles, so check the label every time.

Products with a “may contain” warning could be problematic for individuals with life-threatening food allergies. If there is a precautionary warning, it is possible that the product contains traces of the allergen.

ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED ALLERGENS IN LOTTE AND CROWN BRANDS OF BISCUITS FROM KOREA

UNDECLARED ALLERGENS IN LOTTE AND CROWN BRANDS OF BISCUITS FROM KOREA

OTTAWA, June 12, 2009 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning people with allergies to milk, eggs or hazelnuts not to consume various Lotte and Crown brands of Biscuits described below. These products contain allergens which are not declared on the labels.

All codes of the following Lotte and Crown brands of Biscuits, products of Korea, are affected by this alert. Product information below can be found on the package and the sticker applied for the Canadian market.

via ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED ALLERGENS IN LOTTE AND CROWN BRANDS OF BISCUITS FROM KOREA.

Kellogg and Kashi bars to contain almond and peanut

Notice form Anaphylaxis Canada:

Kellogg Canada Inc. and Kashi Canada Inc. have recently made changes to the
production of three of their products: Kashi Chewy Granola Bars Cherry Dark
Chocolate and Kellogg All-Bran Chewy Bar Dark Chocolate Chip and Kellogg
All-Bran Chewy Bar Strawberry Flavour.
These products have been re-formulated and have new ingredient labels, which
now include new allergens that were not previously found in their products.

Please read the notice below for the specific changes to each product.

If you have any questions/concerns, please contact Kashi Canada or Kellogg
Canada directly through their customer relations departments at the numbers
listed below.

For your information,

Anaphylaxis Canada

Read the rest of this entry »

Nut allergy ‘hits Asian children’

This article is based on only 2 clinics in London, England seeing an increase in nut allergies. It needs more research since there can be many reasons why this could be happening. The research needs to include many more clinics.

A disproportionately high number of Asian children are being diagnosed with nut allergy, a leading expert says.

Dr Abbass Khakoo, medical director at London’s Hillingdon Hospital, is a specialist in food allergies.

He said children from ethnic minorities were over-represented at his two London clinics.

He has found children from ethnic backgrounds appear to display symptoms of nut allergies at a younger age than their white counterparts.

Read the rest of this entry »

Allergic to Other Foods? Quaker Has Warnings for You Too.

Today, I contacted PepsiCo Canada, and they kindly faxed me the notice regarding the introduction of new allergens in their Rice Cakes and Crispy Minis products (see our previous article ”News of Quaker Rice Cakes New Allergen Warnings Slow to Spread”). In addition to peanut, which may now be present in all Quaker Rice Cakes and Crispy Minis, several other allergens have been added (in addition to the allergens that previously were present):

If you are allergic to barley, be aware that Butter Toffee Cracker Jack Rice Cakes now contain barley.

If you are allergic to egg, be aware that the White Cheddar and the Butter Rice Cakes now contain egg, and the BBQ, Ketchup, Sea Salt & Lime, Cheddar Cheese, Caramel Kettle Corn, Dill, Sour Cream & Onion, and Butter Crispy Minis now may contain egg.

If you are allergic to sulphites, be aware that Caramel Kettle Corn Crispy Minis now contain sulphites.

If you are allergic to wheat, be aware that Ketchup, Sea Salt & Lime, Cheddar Cheese, Caramel Kettle Corn, Dill, Sour Cream & Onion, Butter, and BBQ Crispy Minis now may contain wheat.

If you are allergic to soy, be aware that BBQ Crispy Minis now may contain wheat.

News of Quaker Rice Cakes New Allergen Warnings Slow to Spread

Although it has been a little over three months since PepsiCo Foods Canada announced that their Quaker Rice Cakes and Crispy Minis now may contain peanut, I’ve been disturbed that they are still on the menu at daycares with peanut-allergic children in our city. In fact, these products were for so long considered a staple as a “safe-snack,” and many still consider them as such. I was a regular consumer of these rice cakes, and I might not have learned of the formulation change (which is the result of the introduction of the new peanut butter flavours) if I wasn’t a regular visitor to the Allergic Living message board where someone had posted an alert. I think these alerts were sent to those who have registered to receive Quaker Foods product alerts and not many, if any, other folks.

Luckily for me, I was pre-warned of the change, and carefully inspected the packaging of the Quaker Rice Cakes, eventually finding the “MAY CONTAIN PEANUTS” warning. Shortly after, when a friend of mine was packing a few bags of these rice cakes to bring on a trip she was taking with her peanut-allergic son, she was shocked when I told her that she’d better look for a warning on the packaging. Her shock turned to annoyance as we both tried to straighten out the top of the rice cake package, scrunched together with a bread-bag-type tie, to read the warning. The warning is, shall we say, NOT obvious.

These rice cakes were a staple at my son’s child care centre, and I’m having some difficulty erasing the concept of Quaker Rice Cakes being a safe snack from their minds. I’ve finally found them an alternative brand (NoName) for which I’ve obtained the manufacturer’s assurance that they are free from peanuts. But change is slow, and this week the child care centre accidentally purchased and served the Quaker brand (I was able to intervene before my son was given any).

I’ll continue to spread the news to others and hope the news continues to spread. It would be nice if the multinational, billion-dollar-earning, food-producing corporations could help out too.

The Nut-Free Mom Blog: New Peanut Flour Warnings for General Mills Cereals

Jenny at Nut-Free Mom has sent us this warning, and all should read!
This just goes to show you that our everyday foods can become unsafe for those in our homes. 

New Peanut Flour Warnings for General Mills Cereals

I just got an alert from my local food allergy support group and wanted to pass it along.

Please check the ingredients lists of your General Mills cereals very carefully. The company is adding peanut flour to Cocoa Puffs. Some of their other cereal products contain new allergy warnings for nuts as well as for other foods including gluten.

The link above contains an exchange in the comments section of the blog between someone at General Mills and the Allergy Moms web site readers. The General Mills exec maintains that you can trust the labels on General Mills products and that they explicitly list allergy warnings wherever appropriate.

I know that Frosted Cheerios (a General Mills cereal) contain almond flour despite the fact that the name of the cereal contains no reference to nuts–we found that out just as our daughter was about to eat Frosted Cheerios at a relative’s house. This was about a year ago and as I recall, there was no “called out” allergy warning. Almond flour was simply listed as an ingredient. The labels may have changed since then–I’m sure we’ll all check our cereal boxes now!

We still eat the plain Cheerios without incident at my house but it just goes to show you that you must read all labels, all the time. As ingredients labels continue to evolve, I’m sure we will all be faced with new decisions about old standby foods.

via The Nut-Free Mom Blog: New Peanut Flour Warnings for General Mills Cereals.