Veggie Booty Ingredient Linked to China

Just last month there were 61 reported cases of food-borne illness over 19 states attributed to the popular snack food Veggie Booty. According to Robert's American Gourmet, Inc., the makers of Veggie Booty, the Food and Drug Administration 'suggested' that the company voluntarily pull Veggie Booty from shelves until it was determined what was causing individuals to fall ill (see the latest FDA News release.) Federal agencies cannot force companies to issue food recalls (except in the case of infant formula) and merely guide them in carrying out the process. Through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, who took it upon themselves to test the product on their own, they discovered the culprit for the food recall stemmed from one of the seasoning ingredients used, and you guessed it—the ingredient "is believed" to be from China. This puts Veggie Booty on the list with a slew of other tainted or harmful Chinese imported ingredients that have found their way into everything from pet food to toothpaste. But an even bigger issue in this matter is the lack of food safety procedures currently in place. Some in Congress are stepping up to attempt to "fix" a broken system. Some feel that the system in place does not react quickly enough. A bill has been introduced that would strengthen the authority that the FDA and the USDA have over food recalls, but critics argue that there''s not enough being done to thwart the possibility of food-borne illness.

COMMENTS ()