Salmonella Recall: HVP, a Common Food Flavoring, Contaminated

The Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday a recall of products containing hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) paste and powder distributed by Basic Food Flavors, Inc. According to The Washington Post, the FDA says salmonella was detected in one lot of hydrolyzed vegetable protein made by the company, as well as inside the company's Nevada manufacturing facility.

The Post reports that this recall is large and expected to get bigger. Basic Food Flavors is one of only a small group of companies who produce the protein used to enhance flavors in snack foods. Foods commonly containing HVP include varieties of soups, chips, hot dogs and salad dressings.

On its website, the FDA has posted a list of foods currently under recall. Foods listed include dips, dressings, soups, snacks and snack mixes, and pre-packaged meals. As of this writing, there are 56 items included in the recall. That number is expected to increase.

To visit the site, click here.

The Post reports that the contamination was discovered by a company which purchased some of the tainted HVP from Basic Food Flavors. Company representatives notified the FDA after they found salmonella in the lot, according to federal officials.

Federal officials say they have no evidence that anyone has fallen ill from the tainted HVP. The Post writes most healthy people recover from salmonella infection, but it can cause serious problems and even death in the young, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

Basic Food Flavors did not immediately return a call from The Washington Post for comment.

Related Resources:

• Recall: Products Containing Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (FDA)
• FDA warns of salmonella risk from common flavor enhancer (The Washington Post)
• Types of Food Poisoning: Salmonella (FindLaw)
• Salmonella Settlement: Outbreak Victims Receive $12 Mill (FindLaw's Common Law)