FDA orders widespread food recall

[Amelia]

FDA orders widespread food recall

Salmonella found in flavor enhancer used in thousands of processed foods

msnbc.com news services

March. 4, 2010

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a recall of a common flavor enhancer that could be contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

The product, called hydrolyzed vegetable protein or HVP, is potentially in thousands of food products, including soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings. HVP is manufactured by a Las Vegas company.

No illnesses have been reported, said Dr. Ian Williams, acting chief of outbreak response and prevention branch for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In coordination with the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, plus other federal agencies and state health departments, the FDA is closely monitoring and assessing the potential risks of illness from affected products.

"Our investigators were able to identify this problem before any illnesses occurred," said FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg. "While the investigation is continuing, the agency is supporting reasonable steps to continue to protect the public health."

The manufacturer of the affected product is Basic Food Flavors Inc. in Las Vegas. Only HVP manufactured by Basic Food Flavors is involved in this recall. This is the first recall with this ingredient.

Recall will likely grow over days, weeks

"We don't know precisely how large this recall will get," said Dr. Jeff Farrar, associate commissioner for food safety, FDA's Office of Foods. "We expect this to get larger over the next several days to several weeks."

Read the reat here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35713702/ns/health-food_safety/

[phkrause]

Thanks for the post Amelia. I'll have to ask my brother about this. He works for the FDA.

pk

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Reser's Foods was one of the foods being recalled. My mom had just bought some of their chip dip yesterday, so threw it out, just in case.

Quote:

Reser's Fine Foods, Earth Island recall food over salmonella fears

By Lynne Terry, The Oregonian

March 04, 2010, 9:31AM

Reser's Fine Foods, Inc., based in Beaverton, joined a cascade of recalls today prompted by vegetable protein supplied by a Nevada company that tested positive for salmonella.

Reser's recall includes dips, a dressing and potatoes sold in Safeway and Walmart.

Also today, Earth Island announced it was pulling dressing, tofu and pasta meals as part of the same recall.

All these products contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein from Basic Food Flavors of Las Vegas, which initiated the recalls after tests turned up salmonella.

The bacterium can cause severe gastro-intestinal ailments but is killed with proper cooking.

The companies said no illnesses have been reported.

[phkrause]

I don't believe that I buy anything from that company. Thanks for the info rudywoofs.

pk

[GreatLakesGramma]

I never buy anything with hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or any other chemically modified food substance. So I guess I don't need to be concerned about this food recall.

[Gail]

But this additive is found in SO MANY processed food items!! Yikes!

[GreatLakesGramma]

Unfortunately, it is, which is one reason I don't buy many processed foods. I feel very sorry for all the food companies who've made foods with that additive from that company. This is going to be a huge loss to them, not to mention a lot of food having to be destroyed, possibly even resulting in shortages of some foods.