Clemson University posts food recalls affecting South Carolina on Web site

CLEMSON, SC – March 29, 2010 – The Clemson University Home and Garden Information Center is helping South Carolinians keep up with food recall advisories from government and companies on a new Web page at http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/food_recalls.html.

The current recall of foods containing hydrolyzed vegetable protein, a flavoring ingredient, really brings the need home for a Web site, said Pamela Schmutz, Home and Garden Information Center food safety specialist.

It is impossible for consumers to identify the foods involved in this recall without specific product information, she said. We plan to list every food recalled that is sold in retail stores in South Carolina. Consumers would need to check back routinely on the Web site to see which products have been recalled.

Recalls will be posted daily as they are announced (except on weekends and holidays) to keep the Web site current, according to Schmutz.

Recalls are initiated for several reasons. A recall might be due to an undeclared allergen present in a food. This would just affect individuals who are allergic to that ingredient. Unfortunately, some allergic responses are very severe, possibly requiring hospitalization, so it is important that this information gets out to the public. Other recalls are initiated because of suspected or confirmed contamination by bacteria. Again, cases of illness can range from mild to very severe.
 
There are three classifications used for recalls. Each is based on the severity of health consequences that eating the food could cause. Generally, most recalls that will be posted will be Class I:
 

    * Class I — Recalls that fit this classification are the most severe as eating the food would potentially cause serious, adverse health consequences and possibly death.
    * Class II — Food recalls that fit under this are not likely to cause adverse health consequences from eating the food.
    * Class III — Recalls listed as Class III are rarely posted, as they pose virtually no affect on one’s health.

 
A new study by a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration economist estimates the total economic impact of foodborne illness across the nation to be a combined $152 billion annually. The average cost per case is $1,850. South Carolina is ranked among the top 10 states in total cost and per-case cost of food-borne illness.