Health Law

What is Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, or HVP and What Products Might Contain Salmonella Tennessee?

By Bill Marler

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, is produced by boiling cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes, or breaks down, the protein in vegetables into their component amino acids. The resulting dark colored liquid contains, among other amino acids, glutamic acid, which consumers are more familiar with in the form of its sodium salt, monosodium glutamate, or MSG. It is used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods. (Wikipedia)  HVP is a flavor enhancer used in a wide variety of processed food products, such as soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips, and dressings. It is often blended with other spices to make seasonings that are used in or on foods.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is actively investigating findings of Salmonella Tennessee in hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., in Las Vegas, NV. The FDA conducted an investigation at the facility after a customer of Basic Food Flavors reported finding Salmonella Tennessee in one production lot of HVP to the new FDA Reportable Food Registry.

56 Products Recalled to Date:

Dip Products

Follow Your Heart
Great Value
Johnny's Fine Foods
Oak Lake Farms
T. Marzetti

Dressing and Dressing Mix Products

Follow Your Heart
Trader Joe's

Pre-Packaged Meal Products

Follow Your Heart

Snack and Snack Mix Products

Hawaiian
Soup Mix Products
Castella
Homemade Gourmet

Download All Recalled Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Containing Products

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on March 06, 2010 (boomark / email).