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Food recall warning

Certain dried BASIL may contain Salmonella bacteria

Starting date:: August 8, 2012
Type of communication:: Recall
Alert sub-type:: Health Hazard Alert
Subcategory:: Microbiological - Salmonella
Hazard classification:: Class 2
Source of recall:: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Recalling firm:: Herb & Spice Shop, Les Aliments Valli Foods Inc., Mid-East Food Distributors, New Middleeast Supermarket
Distribution:: Quebec
Extent of the product distribution:: Retail
CFIA reference number:: 7369

Advisory details
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Advisory details

Ottawa, August 8, 2012 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public, distributors and food service establishments not to consume, sell, serve or use the dried Basil products described below because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

This is an ongoing food safety investigation. The CFIA is working with various parties to identify and remove all affected basil products that were made with the dried basil recalled by Shah Trading Co. Ltd., Scarborough, Ontario on August 3, 2012.

Brand	Product	Size	UPC	Lot #
Valli	Basil flakes	15 g	7 78768 14324 5	Sold since February 23, 2012
Sold from bulk drawer at Herb & Spice 375 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON	Basil	Various weights	None	Sold from March 6, 2012 to August 7, 2012 inclusive
New Middleast Supermarket	Basil (Habak)	Various weights	Begins with 0 200170	Sold at New Middleast Supermarket, 1755 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON from March 29, 2012 to August 8, 2012 inclusive
Mid-East Foods	Sweet Basil	Various weights	Begins with 200302 50	Sold at Mid-East Foods, 1010 Belfast Road, Ottawa, ON since May 1st, 2012

These products have been distributed in Quebec and Ontario. However, they may have been distributed in other provinces.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with this bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. In young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis may cause serious and sometimes deadly infections. In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

The distributors are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Salmonella, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/salmonellae.shtml

For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA's Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.

To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.

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