The FDA continues to issue recalls on products possibly contaminated with salmonella that may be lurking in your kitchen cabinets.
By Monday the list had expanded to include more than 100 food products, and the list is expected to continue growing. The recalled foods include soups, snacks, dip mixes, stuffing mixes, and herb blends, and were sold in all 50 states.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious infections and even death in children and those with compromised immune systems. Contaminated foods may not look or smell bad, but can cause short-term symptoms in healthy people that include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Products involved contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), a flavor-enhancing ingredient which is used in thousands of food products. The contaminated HVP was manufactured by Las Vegas-based Basic Food Flavors Inc. According to the FDA, the company continued to distribute HVP products after their own private testing in January revealed the presence of salmonella. The company began notifying customers of the problem on Feb. 26, a week before the FDA issued a public recall.
Since HVP is a common ingredient in almost all processed foods, consumers are urged to go to the FDA's Web site for breaking information. An up-to-date list of products on the recall list can be found here.
Some products recalled include:
• All of the National Pretzel Company's Honey Mustard Onion flavored pretzels.
• Rojo's Garden Fresh Spinach Dip.
• Kroger Onion & Soup Dip Mix.
• Pringles Restaurant Craver's Cheeseburger chips.
• Trader Joe's Company Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars
• T. Marzetti Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip
So far, no illnesses linked to the HVP have been reported, probably since many of the suspected products have been cooked at a high temperature, which kills the salmonella. Still, some ready-to-eat foods create a greater risk.
Products containing black pepper sold in bulk and distributed by Dutch Valley Food Distributors are also being recalled due to traces of salmonella. The suspected pepper is included in many Whole Foods and Frontier Natural Products spice blends.
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