OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning of the potential distribution of previously recalled Hershey chocolate products in several areas of Ontario.
As a result of an investigation into recent incidents involving the distribution of recalled products, the CFIA and Hershey Canada are advising the public certain Hershey products recalled Nov. 12, 2006 due to possible Salmonella contamination have been found for sale in a small number of independent retail outlets in the Etobicoke, North York, Niagara Falls and Oshawa areas.
The advisory does not involve any products in Halloween packaging.
The CFIA said it believes some Hershey products recalled in 2006 re-entered the marketplace through improper channels and reached a number of local, independent distributors supplying small variety stores in Ontario.
Consumers, distributors, and retailers in Ontario are advised to check the codes on all Hershey products in their possession and before purchasing to ensure they do not bear codes that begin with numbers ranging from 6417 to 6455 inclusively.
There have been no confirmed illnesses associated with consumption of the products.
Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled.
Consumption of food contaminated with the bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a foodborne 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 diarrhea.
Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.
For a complete list of recalled products from November 2006 visit the CFIA website at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2006/20061112e .shtml.
For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:
- Hershey Canada, Inc. 1-800-468-1714
- 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/causee.shtml
