Hydrolized Vegetable Protein (HVP), a food additive that is prevalent in most ready to eat food items, specifically health foods, is at the centre of latest salmonella scare involving the recall of a host of health foods from American stores. The recall has been extended to Montreal stores and now includes a popular homegrown brand of spinach dips by Aliments Fontaine Santé Inc. of St. Laurent.

Officials at the company, that often markets its products with slogans such as "Eating well is so natural', have been unavailable for comments.

The ever-expanding recall has mainly centered around products manufactured post September 17 at a large Salmonella-contaminated Basic Food Flavor Inc plant at Nevada.

According to Rita Chappelle of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Las Vegas plant is only one amongst the handful that supply the flavor enhancer and the distribution through a complex multi-level supply chain is making it extremely difficult for the authorities to retrace it.

"The FDA does not know how much HVP is produced in this country or the percentage (of North American production that) Basic Food represents", stated Chappelle.

According to Canadian authorities, no illness relating to the salmonella contamination has cropped up.