foodconsumer.org: Foods with flavor enhancer HVP recalled due to salmonella contamination

Foods with flavor enhancer HVP recalled due to salmonella contamination
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admin on 03/06/2010 16:58:00
 
Editor's note:  Hydrolyzed vegetable protein or simply HVP is commonly used as a
flavor enhancer in the food processing industry because it acts like monosodium
glutamate or MSG boosting the savory taste note of food products.  The
potentially salmonella-tainted foods may pose little risk to healthy consumers.
However, those who are young, elderly and or have weakened immunity such as
cancer and HIV patients are advised to exercise caution.
The Food and Drug Administration announced on March 4 that thousands of food
products with a flavor enhancer that may be contaminated with Salmonella
Tennessee are being recalled by their manufacturers including Johnny's Fine
Foods, Tim's Cascade Snacks, Homemade Gourmet, Earth Island, Reser's Fine Foods,
Creatice Contract Packaging Corp., Concord Foods, McCormick & Company and Fresh
Food Concepts.
The flavor enhancer known as hydrolyzed vegetable protein or simply HVP is an
ingredient that has been used in a wide range of processed foods including
soups, sauces, chilies, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and
dressings among others.
HVP, which is an umami flavor enhancer similar to monosodium glutamate or MSG,
is a hydrolysate of vegetable protein likely from corn or soy beans and consists
of protein, peptides and amino acids and lots of salt. Certain peptides and
amino acids, particularly glutamic acid, when combined with salt trigger a
savory taste.
The HVP subject to the recall was manufactured by Basic Food Flavors Inc, based
out of Las Vegas, Nevada.  The company did not give any comment about the
contamination of salmonella, media reports said.
The FDA said the manufacturer is recalling all hydrolyzed vegetable protein in
powder and paste made since Sept. 17, 2009.  The agency was notified by one
organization of the contamination and HVP samples manufactured at the facilities
of the manufacturer tested positive for the salmonella.
Salmonella causes fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.  In
healthy people, the illness comes and goes without causing any known chronic
health impact.  However, those who are young, frail or elderly people or have
weakened immune system such as cancer and HIV patients may be a higher risk of
fatal infections such as arterial infections, infected aneurysms, infection of
the lining of the heart and arthritis.
The tainted HVP is probably used in thermally processed food products so the
pathogenic microbes are likely dead, causing no harm to consumers.  There are no
reports of any illness associated with consuming foods with the potentially
contaminated HVP, according to the FDA.
Some consumers do not like see HVP in their processed foods because they believe
that the ingredient is used to replace MSG and anything that tastes like MSG is
bad.  Some may not like it because there is a possibility that HVP is made from
genetically modified soy and corn.
One thing few food consumers know is that acid-hydrolyzed HVP may contain a
trace amount of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol or 3-MCPD, a known carcinogen. But
how this chemical would affect an individual consumer remains unknown.  After
all, the amount is tiny if there is any.
By David Liu and editing by Denise Reynolds