OTTAWA, July 14, 2010 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume Head Cheese described below because this product may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The affected product, Freybe brand Head Cheese, was distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, northwest Ontario, Yukon, and may have been distributed nationally. All products sold up to and including July 14, 2010 are affected by this recall.
This product may have been sold from deli counters at consumers' request or repackaged at the store. If the original product identity is not evident, consumers are advised to check at the point of purchase to determine if the product is affected.
The CFIA is aware of a Salmonella Chester outbreak and is collaborating with the Public Health Agency of Canada, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC), and Health Canada to investigate these illnesses. There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. For updates on illness report, visit the BC CDC website at: http://www.bccdc.ca/.
Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a food borne 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 diarrhoea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.
The distributor, Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd., British Columbia, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall, and the investigation is continuing.
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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Media enquiries:
CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600
