The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASC) announced the recall of two types of Carrefour tortilla chips and Menu Nature Sunflower Seeds, over concerns of contamination.
The Carrefour tortilla chips, in the flavours chilli and classic, have been pulled from grocery store shelves due to evidence of excessive content of tropane alkaloids in the maize flour used in the chips. Any customer who purchased the 125-gram bag of chips between 8 March and 18 July is urged to return to the point of sale for a full refund.
Tropane alkaloids are natural toxins produced in numerous plant families. When ingested or exposed, tropane alkaloids can cause increased heart rate, changes in blood pressure, blurred vision and affect the functions of the central nervous system.
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Animal feed and pet product manufacturer Versele-Laga has pulled their sunflower seeds from shelves, in consultation with the FASC. The 1.5 kg bag of seeds was found to have an excessive level of residue of crop protection products or chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide used for crops, animals and buildings and is also used to kill a number of pests such as worms and insects.
Chlorpyrifos affects the nervous system of people and their pets in the same way it affects the pests it's intended to get rid of. Exposure to a small amount of the pesticide can result in a runny nose, tears and increased saliva production. Long-term exposure of more than a few hours causes vomiting, muscle cramps, tremors and weakness.
Customers who purchased the seeds from 1 September 2021 to 1 February 2022 should immediately stop using the feed for their animals and return it to the point of sale for reimbursement.
