The food we eatFood flavoring widely used in U.S., Canada found to be contaminated with salmonella
Flavoring agent in a wide range of processed foods, including dips, salad dressings, chips, sauces, hotdogs, soups, and frozen dinners, found to be contaminated with salmonella; agent produced by Las Vegas-based Basic Food Flavors; U.S. and Canadian food authorities consider what measures to take, including recalls
U.S. government investigators made a disturbing discovery in a wide range of processed foods which includes dips, salad dressings, chips, sauces, hotdogs, soups, and frozen dinners by detecting that the flavoring agent had been contaminated with salmonella. Salmonella potentially causes food poisoning, gastrointestinal inflammation and typhoid fever.
TopNews reports that various measures are being taken both in the United States and Canada by recalling major products from that the market this week, after the detection of salmonella by the government. This could result in one of the largest food recalls ever.
Both the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they were are determined to work with the importers of food flavors and processed foods.
Basic Food Flavors, based in Las Vegas, has been accused of using the genus and has been discovered to be one of the suppliers of hydrolyzed vegetable to the food makers. Till date, the U.S. and Canadian authorities confirmed no illness being reported due to the consumption of the food contaminated with salmonella.
CFIA spokesman Guy Gravelle added that salmonella can be destroyed if the food is cooked at a safe internal temperature and food products of the companies which neglect to include the step to kill salmonella while food processing takes place, would be recalled.
The FDA has posted a searchable database of the products involved in its recall on its Web site.
