Shoppers across Canada are being urged to discard a popular garlic powder sold at Dollarama after regulators flagged a possible bacterial contamination risk. The recalled Heavenly Spices product may contain Bacillus cereus, which can cause foodborne illness.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued the recall for Heavenly Spices garlic powder sold at Dollarama stores nationwide. The agency classified it as a Class 2 recall, indicating a moderate risk of short-term or non-life-threatening health effects.
What Customers Should Do
The CFIA said consumers should not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected product. “Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected product,” the agency said in its recall notice.
Dollarama advised customers who bought the garlic powder to throw it away, according to comments provided by a company spokesperson to CTVNews.ca. Customers can also contact Dollarama Customer Service for a $2.00 e-gift card as a replacement.
Details of the Recalled Product
The affected product was sold in 70-gram containers at Dollarama locations and online. The CFIA’s notice applies to Heavenly Spices garlic powder distributed across Canada.
www.foxbusiness.com reported that the recall was announced Wednesday as food safety authorities continued to monitor potential microbial contamination concerns. Consumers who still have the product should avoid using it in meals or serving it to others.
Potential Symptoms of Bacillus cereus
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bacillus cereus can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea. Symptoms typically last between 24 and 48 hours.
The bacterium is commonly associated with foods including meat, stews, gravies, vanilla sauce and cooked rice that has been improperly refrigerated or left at room temperature. The CFIA recall specifically concerns the potential contamination of the garlic powder product.
The garlic powder action comes as other food recalls have also drawn attention this week, including General Mills’ recall of more than 735,000 packages of Pillsbury bread products over possible glass contamination. Taylor Farms was also preparing a recall tied to ingredients linked to a multistate Cyclospora outbreak, while saying its branded salad products were not associated with the illnesses.