Home»Salmonella contamination concerns at local food flavoring plant

Salmonella contamination concerns at local food flavoring plant

Page Last Updated: Friday March 5, 2010 6:20am PST

Steve Crupi reporting

It’s a product that is supposed to make your food tastier. Instead, it could be making you sick.

The chemical in question, manufactured in North Las Vegas, is now the subject of a massive food recall over concerns of salmonella poisoning.

This product is something that appears in thousands of food items, including chips, dips, soups, and salad dressings.

You name it and it could very well contain a flavor enhancer that is made at the local Basic Food Flavors factory on East Craig Road.

This week, FDA inspectors were called in to investigate, and they found some disturbing evidence of contamination.

For more than 25 years, the food additive company Basic Food Flavors has been operating in North Las Vegas. What it makes is a food ingredient called Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, and it is sold to food makers across the nation.

But a customer tipped off the FDA to a big problem: salmonella contamination.

Inspectors came to the plant and did indeed discover salmonella bacteria in the company’s equipment.

James Wolski lives across the street from the Basic Food Flavors factory.

"I'm sure it's probably in the food I buy. Does it bother me? Yes. Does it surprise me? No."

Other neighbors of the plant say the odor emitted by the factory is anything but pleasant.

Steve Crupi: What does it smell like?

“It's disgusting, very chemically,” says Virginia Bradford. “It smells of chemicals."

Those chemicals are usually cooked by the food companies that purchase the Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, killing the salmonella. But as a precaution, the last six months of supply from Basic Food Flavors is being recalled

Despite calling and visiting the factory, News 3 was told no one was available for comment from Basic Food Flavors.

Although no cases of illnesses have been directly linked to the tainted product, the FDA says the system for monitoring food poisoning cases is not very effective, and there’s no way of knowing how many people may have become sick.

"This situation clearly underscores the need for new food safety legislation to equip the FDA with the tools we need to prevent contamination."

The FDA is also compiling a list of the products containing the recalled chemical. Click here for more information.

View News Archive »