ALLERGY ALERT
UNDECLARED SOY IN EL PETO PRODUCTS BRAND TAPIOCA STARCH AND FLOUR
OTTAWA, March 23, 2006 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and El Peto Products Ltd. are warning people with allergies to soy protein not to consume El Peto Products brand Tapioca Starch and Flour described below. The affected products contain soy protein which is not declared on the label.
The following El Peto brand products are affected by this alert:
Product Size UPC Lot Code
Tapioca Starch
Gluten Free Wheat Free 500 g 7 72573 29064 4 6053 20
07 02 30
Tapioca Flour (Starch)
Gluten Free Naturally 900 g 7 72573 29164 1 6053 20
07 02 30
Tapioca Flour (Starch)
Gluten Free Naturally 2.5 kg 7 72573 29264 8 6053 20
07 02 30
These products have been distributed in Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
There has been one reported illness associated with the consumption of these products.
Consumption of these products may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in persons with allergies to soy.
The manufacturer, El Peto Products Ltd., Cambridge, Ontario, 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 soy, one of the nine most common food allergens, visit the Food Allergens web page at
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/.../allerge.shtml.
For information on receiving recalls by electronic mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at
www.inspection.gc.ca.
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Media enquiries:
Shashi Kulkarni (English)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Office of Food Safety and Recall
(613) 368-1622 Marie-Andrée Lefebvre (French)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Office of Food Safety and Recall
(613) 760-4044
* Fact Sheet: Soy - One of the nine most common food allergens
* Audio Clips for Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts