The FDA has updated its expanding recall list of various products containing Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein.  The list includes:

Bouillon Products – Herbox

Dip and Dip Mix Products – Concord Foods, De la Casa, Delicioso, Follow Your Heart, Fresh Food, Concepts, Great Value, Johnny’s Fine Foods, McCormick, Oak Lake Farms, Reser’s, Rojo’s, T. Marzetti

Dressing and Dressing Mix Products – Follow Your Heart, Reser’s, Trader Joe’s

Gravy Mix Products – McCormick

Pre-Packaged Meal Products – Follow Your Heart

Prepared Salad Products – Reser’s

Snack and Snack Mix Products – CVS, HK Anderson, Hawaiian, National Pretzel Company, President’s Choice, Safeway, Sunflower Markets

Soup Mix Products – Castella, Homemade Gourmet

Stuffing Products – McCormick

Interestingly, the GAO published a Report late last week noting that the FDA should strengthen its oversight of food ingredients determined to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) – like Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein. According to the report, the FDA has largely not responded to concerns about GRAS substances, such as salt and the trans fats in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, that individuals and consumer groups have raised through 11 citizen petitions submitted to the agency between 2004 and 2008. Furthermore, FDA has not taken certain steps that could help ensure the safety of GRAS determinations, particularly those about which the agency has not been notified. In addition, FDA does not know to what extent, or even whether, companies track evolving scientific information about their GRAS substances. Read full report: