Dive Brief:
- Conagra said it is recalling Hunt’s Chili Kits due to possible salmonella in its seasoning packet, according to Food Safety News.
- No salmonella was detected in the finished product, but the company noted it issued the recall out of an abundance of caution.
- The affected products were sold nationwide.
Dive Insight:
Conagra acted quickly in recalling its Hunt’s chili kits when word surfaced that there may have been salmonella detected in a seasoning packet.
Considering the heavy $11.2 million fine the company was forced to pay last year over tainted Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter, it knew it had no time to waste.
Foods that are more likely to contain salmonella include raw or undercooked eggs, raw milk, contaminated water and raw or undercooked meats. The CDC lists ground beef, tuna, pork, tomatoes, sprouts and peanut butter as other likely foods.
A seasoning packet is not thought of as a likely source, but a recent Food and Drug Administration investigation into spices found that 6.6% of all spices are contaminated with salmonella when they first arrive in the United States. According to the FDA, many companies treat their spices for contaminants before they are packaged and sold. The FDA is working to determine what amount of contaminated spices actually reach consumers.
Every year, salmonella is estimated to cause approximately 1 million foodborne illnesses in the U.S. The Food Safety Modernization Act has been working to contain the problem and its new food defense guidelines are aimed at helping. As this recall shows, FSMA also cracks down on individual ingredients. The FSMA foreign supplier verification program, which goes into effect starting on May 30, will also work to curtail contaminated imports of items like spices.