Health Warning: Sprouts may contain Salmonella

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
News Release

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OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Sunsprout Natural Foods are warning the public not to consume certain varieties of Sprouts Alive and Sun Sprout brands that contain onion sprouts described below because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

All Best Before codes up to and including August 27, 2009 of the following products are affected:

Sprouts Alive
Baby Onion Sprouts
70 g (2.5 oz)
0 69022 00032 0

sun sprout
Alfalfa & Onion Sprouts
135 g (4.76 oz)
0 57621 13506 2

These products were distributed in Ontario and the Maritimes, and may have been sold in Quebec.

There are no confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these 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 manufacturer, Sunsprout Natural Foods, Brantford, ON is 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 receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.

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