See the FDA's list of potentially tainted foods; check food labels for HVP.

Check the label first: A number of packaged foods have been recalled by the FDA.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—UPDATE 3-10-10: The recall of processed foods containing an ingredient called hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) has now expanded to include over 100 products. Go to FoodSafety.gov to see the list, or use the FDA's searchable database to check for specific products.

Yesterday, one of the country's largest food companies, Proctor & Gamble, announced it was voluntarily recalling two types of Pringles brand potato chips, as a precautionary measure to protect consumers from potential Salmonella infections, and Nestle North America just recalled 6,000 pounds of a ready-to-eat bacon product used by food processors. In a statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that the salmonella recall could become the largest food recall in U.S. history.

The recall began when the FDA identified Salmonella contamination in hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, a common flavor-enhancing ingredient used in many processed foods. Although the agency hasn't tied the contamination to any illnesses yet, officials are urging consumers to avoid eating products affected by the recall, including some chips, dips, dressings and dressing mixes, tofu, burritos, soup mixes, and other processed foods. "This situation clearly underscores the need for new food-safety legislation to equip FDA with the tools we need to prevent contamination," says Jeff Farrar, MD, associate commissioner for food protection in FDA’s Office of Foods.

THE DETAILS: HVP is commonly added to soups, chilis, sauces, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dip, and dressings. Testing of the HVP supply produced at the Basic Food Flavors, Inc., plant found Salmonella tennessee, the same strain that sickened people all over the country during the 2006 Peter Pan peanut butter recall. Basic Food Flavors is recalling all hydrolyzed vegetable protein in powder and paste form that has been manufactured since September 17, 2009. So far, recalled items include dip products sold under the Follow Your Heart, Great Value, Johnny's Fine Foods, Oak Lake Farms, and T. Marzetti brand names; dressing and dressing mix products affected include Follow Your Heart and Trader Joe's. Follow Your Heart prepackaged meals are also recalled. Chips and snacks sold under the Hawaiian label are involved in the recall, as are soup mix products sold by Castella and Homemade Gourmet.

WHAT IT MEANS: The huge salmonella recall comes on the heels of a new report estimating that the economic impact of foodborne illnesses in this country tops $150 billion a year. When health costs and lost productivity are factored in, foodborne illness costs an average of $1,850 per individual, the researchers of the report found. "This report makes it clear that the gaps in our food-safety system are causing significant health and economic impacts," says Erik Olson, director of food and consumer product safety with the Pew Health Group. "Especially in challenging economic times we cannot afford to waste billions of dollars fighting preventable diseases after it is too late. The Senate needs to act on this now and pass legislation that will improve protections for public health."

Salmonella, a type of bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the young, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, generally causes fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in healthy people.

To protect yourself against potentially tainted products, scan your cabinets and refrigerator to make sure you're not housing potentially sickening food. To see a list of food products affected by this recall, visit FoodSafety.gov. The FDA has not recommended avoiding all HVP-containing food, but the ingredient does appear on food ingredients labels if you want to take stronger precautions. As always, to cut back on your risk of contamination, eat whole foods or foods that have been minimally processed, preferably from local farmers. When you buy from huge corporations, it often takes weeks to trace where a foodborne illness problem emerged.