A shopping cart is seen in an aisle of a Dollarama store in Montreal, on June 7, 2023. The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi
A spice sold at a Canadian discount chain is being recalled across the country due to a “microbial contamination.”
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) published a recall notice this week for canisters of garlic powder sold at Dollarama.
The retail chain is pulling the spice, part of the Heavenly Spices line, from its shelves because of bacillus cereus contamination, the notice said. The spice is sold in a 70-gram container and was available in stores both across Canada as well as online.
The recall was initiated by the company, and has been categorized as Class 2 by the CFIA, indicating a moderate risk that consuming the food may lead to short-term or non-life-threatening health problems.
“Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected product,” the recall notice said.
Dollarama said on its website that customers can contact customer service at [email protected] with a picture of the product and its lot number to get information about a refund.
Microbial contamination of food occurs when harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria, unintentionally enters and grows in food. This is the leading cause of food poisoning in Canada, affecting more than four million Canadians annually and commonly resulting in nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea, Health Canada said on its website.
The most frequent culprits behind microbial contamination are Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes.
Not all individuals exposed to bacteria in food will get sick, but those who do typically display symptoms within a timeframe of six to 72 hours, the agency’s website said. The most susceptible groups are young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.
Most individuals recover from food poisoning on their own but there are cases where some may become severely ill and require hospitalization, the agency said. Those who become critically ill could have long-term health issues such as reactive arthritis.
The CFIA recommends consumers contact a health-care provider if they fall ill after consuming a recalled product.
