Home»Salmonella contamination at local plant prompts nationwide recall
Salmonella contamination at local plant prompts nationwide recall
Page Last Updated: Friday March 5, 2010 4:59pm PST
It could eventually become one of the most widespread food recalls in U.S. history, and it began right here in the Las Vegas Valley.
Although salmonella scares are nothing new, the scope of this current one is cause for concern.
Due to a possible health threat to consumers, Basic Food Flavors of North Las Vegas has recalled 56 of its products containing the flavor enhancer Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, or HVP.
“Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein is used in all processed foods, almost, cakes and cookies, salad dressings, canned soups. It's everywhere.”
Dr. Christine Bergman is a food scientist with UNLV’s College of Hotel Administration. She stresses that a salmonella outbreak can potentially be deadly.
“Salmonella is a pathogenic bacteria. Humans that are exposed to it can have all sorts of gastro-intestinal problems - diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. The elderly, the young can often die from salmonella.”
Federal officials say the contamination may date back to September of 2009 and involve millions of pounds of food.
The FDA contends that the public health threat is low, however, because most of the foods that contain HPV are cooked; the cooking process destroys the salmonella.
But with ready-to-eat snacks - such as chips or the dips we put them in - the threat is far greater.
“If a salad dressing is contaminated it's not going to be cooked. The bacteria won't be destroyed,” continues Dr. Bergman. “You can end up with some health problems.”
Grocery store chains contacted by News 3 Friday confirmed that all recalled products were off their shelves.
But the list of recalled products on the FDA’s web site continues to grow daily; a consumer union scientist said the total number of products involved could reach the 10,000 mark.
In the meantime, food safety officials have limited options. Although the Food Safety Bill has passed the House, it has stalled in the Senate.
“If it were to pass into law it would give the FDA more teeth to actually say ‘we sense there's a problem with your company, you have to recall your product,’” Dr. Bergman explains. “Right now it's voluntary.”
Although FDA officials would not comment on the ongoing investigation into Basic Food Flavors, it did voice support for the Food Safety Bill.
“The pending food safety legislation emphasizes preventive standards which, hopefully, will lead us to the point where we're not having these types of recalls and outbreaks,” says Dr. Jeffrey Farr, Association Commissioner for Food Protection for the FDA.
Basic Food Flavors refused to publicly comment on the recall.
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Home»Salmonella contamination at local plant prompts nationwide recall
CRYSTAL M.
March 7, 2010 9:28am PST
Mark as Offensive
As consumers, we need to start waking up and recognizing what we are putting in our body. Although some recalls affect perfectly good wholesome foods like spinach, here is a prime example of how a food processor is hurting us. We don't need this junk in our bodies, and we should demand our food suppliers to give us nutritious wholesome foods that are organic or at least miimally processed. We can eat healthy and affordably in harsh econonmic times, and our shopping habits should be our "vote" that we demand these foods. Go out there and "vote" for these foods, and tell the food industry enough is enough. And READ THE LABELS!