Update: New Foods Added to FDA's HVP Recall List

Since the initial announcement by the FDA recalling foods that contain the ingredient hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) made by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., additional foods have been added to the list. HVP is a common ingredient in foods such as gravy, stuffing, soup mixes, snacks, dressing, bouillon and prepared salads. According to Food Safety News, the FDA recall includes any foods that contain HVP from Basic Food Flavors unless the food is produced with a "kill step." A kill step is a part of the food production that would make the food safe for human consumption.

According to Food Safety's report, some of the foods most recently added to the recall list are the following:

• Aurora, IL-based Creative Contract Packaging Corporation recalled HERB-OX ® beef, vegetable, and chicken granular bouillon for specific date codes.
• Lancaster, PA-based National Pretzel Company recalled all its Honey Mustard Onion flavored pretzels produced since December 2009.
• McCormick & Company in Sparks, MD recalled various dips mixes and corn bread stuffing.
• Buena Park, CA- based Fresh Food Concepts Inc. recalled certain Delicioso, De la Casa, Rojo's and Fresh Food Concepts brand dips and Fresh Food Concepts Spinach Dip with Yogurt.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal today, Basic Food continued to make and distribute food ingredients for about a month after it learned the bacteria salmonella was present at its processing facility, according to a Food and Drug Administration report.

The Journal reports that FDA officials inspected Basic Food Flavor's plant for about two weeks starting in mid-February and found the company didn't adequately clean equipment or store foods to protect against the growth of contaminants such as salmonella, according to the inspection report. Disturbingly, FDA inspectors noted that "light-brown residue" and "dark-brown liquid" was seen on or around areas where Basic Food makes the flavor-enhancing ingredients used in foods. The inspectors said brown residue was also found in a plastic pipe used in making food ingredients.

At this time, no illnesses have yet been reported from foods that have been recalled. Although the list has grown to 100 foods at present, the FDA and other health officials have said the risk of people getting sick from products containing the HVP is low because the flavor enhancer generally makes up less than 1% of all the ingredients in a food.

Related Resources:

• HVP Recall List Tops 100 Products (Food Safety News)
• Basic Food Sold Additive After Salmonella Found, FDA Says (Wall Street Journal)
• Salmonella Recall: HVP, a Common Food Flavoring, Contaminated (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Recall: Products Containing Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (FDA)
• Defective Products and the Law (provided by Lamkin, Van Eman, Trimble, Beals & Dougherty, LLC)
• Injuries from Dangerous or Defective Products (provided by Law Offices of Michael P. Burakoff, P.A.)