Health Law

More HVP Products Recalled

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

Three more companies are recalling products for potential Salmonella contamination from Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP). Nestle Professional North America is recalling roughly 6,000 pounds of its ready-to-eat bacon, Procter and Gamble is recalling two Pringles chips flavors: Restaurant Cravers Cheeseburger and Family Faves Taco Night, and Ruiz Foods, Inc., is recalling ready-to-eat beef.

   
Basic Foods Flavors Inc., the Las Vegas company at the center of a recall of more than 100 different products, recalled its HPV products on March 4. HPV is used as a flavor enhancer in many foods, including various kinds of dips, soups, dressings, snack foods, and more.

Although the HPV was recalled March 4, the Pringles chips and ready-to-eat bacon and beef products were recalled yesterday after FDA determined that the HVP ingredient was added after Salmonella prevention steps were applied.

According to the Wall Street Journal yesterday, FDA conducted an investigation at the Basic Foods plant in Las Vegas after a customer of an FDA-regulated firm reported finding Salmonella in the HVP ingredient.  FDA officials discovered the company did not adequately clean equipment and store foods to protect against the growth of bacteria such as salmonella.

The inspectors noted that "light-brown residue" and "dark-brown liquid" was observed on or around the location where Basic Foods makes flavor-enhancing ingredients, such as HVP, used in foods. Inspectors said brown residue was also found in a plastic pipe used to make food ingredients.

Moreover, the FDA report found that Basic Foods continued to make and distribute food ingredients for about a month after it learned Salmonella was present in its processing facility. Basic Foods first learned of the bacteria's presence on January 21, and continued production until February 15.  

After the inspection, FDA officials recommended companies recall all products that contain HPV made by Basic Foods that tested positive for Salmonella. 

 
To date, no illnesses have been reported related to the recall.

FDA officials said this may be due to the extremely low levels of Salmonella-tainted HPV in a given product, which in most cases is less than 1 percent of all ingredients.

Full post as published by Food Safety News on March 10, 2010 (boomark / email).