December 15, 2009
Heinz issues nation-wide baby food recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Heinz Canada have issued a Canada-wide recall of one of the company’s baby cereals. Heinz Mixed Cereal for Babies was found to contain elevated levels of Ochratoxin, a toxin created by fungi which grows on grains. The affected product information is:
Heinz Mixed Cereal, a Baby Cereal, Stage 2, From 6 Months
227 g
UPC 0 57000 02516 8
Codes:
BB/MA 10 DE 26 and
BB/MA 10 DE 29
This is only the latest product recall that exposes the inherent problems with artificial baby food. It is impossible to eliminate all contaminants from the manufacturing process and each year hundreds of recalls are issued all over the world. In the worst cases, these errors in the manufacturing process can result in illness and deaths of infants, as tragically illustrated by the deaths of 13 Chinese infants in 2008. Over 50 000 more became ill as a result of a deficient (and in that case sabotaged) manufacturing processes.
These errors occur inevitably in any industrial process and will never be eliminated. Breastmilk of course is never recalled.