The recall in the U.S. of a commonly used food additive because of a risk of salmonella poisoning has sparked the recall of a number of food products in Canada -- and could lead to many more.
The additive is a flavour enhancer called hydrolyzed vegetable protein. It's a common ingredient used in processed foods including soups, sauces, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings.
Some batches of the additive made by a company called Basic Food Flavors Inc. have tested positive for salmonella bacteria.
Because of the health worry, a number of food items are already being recalled in Canada. Certain T. Marzetti-brand veggie dips were pulled from the shelves this week, as were Tim's Cascade Snacks Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips in Sweet Maui Onion flavour, and its Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Rings.
The Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. says last month, it analyzed samples at Basic Food Flavors' Las Vegas facility and found a bacteria strain called Salmonella Tennessee in the company's processing equipment. The company is now recalling all HVP it's produced since mid-September, 2009.
So far, no illnesses have been reported. But the FDA has asked a variety of food companies to recall more than 30 products in the U.S. And it says it doesn't know how many more products might still need to be pulled.
"We expect this to get larger over the next several days -- actually several weeks," Jeff Farrar, the FDA associate commissioner of food safety told reporters in a conference call Thursday.
Basic Food Flavors is one of only a handful of companies that makes HVP, so its customer list is extensive.
Not all products containing the questionable HVP will need to be recalled. Food items that are meant to be cooked likely won't be affected, since cooking generally kills salmonella.
Eating food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, which can cause serious and sometimes deadly infections in young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis can cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Farrar notes that the risk to consumers of getting sick is "very low," since HVP generally represents just one per cent of the total ingredients in a product.
Yet while the risk from this recall is small, Farrar said it is just one more reason why Congress should pass new food safety legislation that would give the FDA more power.
That legislation, called the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, would allow the FDA to force companies to recall products rather than to wait for them to do it voluntarily. It would also require companies to keep better records, and it would boost the number of inspections of food facilities, especially those handling risky foods.
"This situation clearly underscores the need for new food safety legislation to equip FDA with the tools we need to prevent contamination," he said in a news release.
The U.S. consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, also says this latest recall is more proof that the FDA needs more authority to ensure the food supply is safe.
"Most Americans would be stunned to learn that FDA doesn't even have the authority to make recalls like these mandatory," the group said in a news release.
The CSPI also urged the passing of the food safety legislation, "so that the agency can help prevent contamination in the first place, rather than chase down tainted products long after they've left the manufacturer."
Over the last several years, the U.S. has been hit with a number of high-profile foodborne outbreaks involving spinach, tomatoes and peanuts. The 2009 peanut salmonella scare alone forced the recall of 3,200 products and sickened 600 people.
Canada too, has had its own food contamination scares, most notably a listeriosis outbreak traced to contaminated cold cuts from a Maple Leaf Foods plant that killed 22 people and sickened many more.
In Canada, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food can, under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act, order a recall if the Minister believes it poses a health risk to the public, though such action is rarely taken since most companies issue their own voluntary recalls.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it is "monitoring the effectiveness" of these latest recalls. It says consumers with questions can call the agency at 1-800-442-2342.
