Recall of Snacks Suspected of Containing Cyanogenic Glycosides in Australia

Issue Date 14 January 2008
Source of Information Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
Food Product Snack food
Name of Products and Sizes
  • Piranha Vege Crackers Sweet Chilli Lime (100g, 50g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers Balsamic Vinegar & Sea Salt (100g, 50g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers French Onion (100g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers Italian Supreme (100g, 25g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers Marinated Fetta (100g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers BBQ (100g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers Honey Soy (100g, 25g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers Natural (100g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers BBQ Cheese (50g, 25g)
  • Piranha Vege Crackers Salt & Vinegar (25g)
  • Piranha Sweet Chilli Lime Snack Combo (28g)
  • Piranha Barbeque Snack Combo (28g)
  • Piranha Cheese Snack Combo (28g)
  • Piranha Sour Cream & Chives Snack Combo (28g)
  • Piranha Salt & Vinegar Snack Combo (28g)
Name of Manufacturer Tixana Australia Pty Ltd
Product Description Aluminium foil packets
Durability Indication / Lot Code Include all batches and all best before dates
Reason for Recall Presence in a batch of exported vegetable crackers of higher than usual levels of naturally occurring cyanogenic glycosides in the ingredient cassava. Cyanogenic glycosides can be transformed into a chemical called hydrogen cyanide which may result in food poisoning.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety The CFS has contacted the relevant authorities and was informed that the affected products had been exported to Hong Kong. The CFS has alerted the trade, and will closely monitor the situation.
Advice to the Trade Stop selling the affected products.
Advice to Consumers According to the Australian authorities, while the likelihood of someone getting sick from eating the product is low, as a precaution, consumers, particularly children, are urged not to eat the snack food.
Further Information

The FSANZ website

The CFS press release

The CFS Risk in Brief on Naturally Occurring Toxins in Vegetables and Fruits

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
14 January 2008

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