CFIA expands bread recall, cites metal contamination in salt used by major bakeries

By: Laura Steiner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Milton Reporter

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded a bread recall due to concerns about possible metal contamination linked to the salt used in several major brands.

The CFIA’s latest update on Nov. 5 lists Compliments, Dempster’s, Harvest Gold, Pom, and Sunshine breads as impacted products, with Bimbo Canada identified as the recalling company.

The recalled bread was distributed across Ontario and Quebec. Metro confirmed that affected products were sold at Ontario’s Metro and Food Basics stores. Sobeys has removed the implicated bread from its shelves and warehouses nationwide, while Costco and Amazon also posted recall notices on Nov. 7.

According to the CFIA, the recall is tied to a recent Sifto brand Hy-Grade salt recall, issued on Oct. 29, due to metal fragments in the salt. This salt was used in the production of the recalled bread. The CFIA conducts a food safety investigation into salt and product recalls. The agency’s investigation page describes the salt recall as involving a “significant volume of food-grade salt distributed to various manufacturers and distributors in Ontario,” impacting additional large Canadian food manufacturers.

The CFIA also issued a recall on Nov. 1 for products by Wonder Brands Inc. distributed in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Quebec. Affected brands in that recall include Country Harvest, Deli World, D’Italiano, Giant Value, Great Value, No Name, President’s Choice, and Wonder, with products sold at retailers including Sobeys, FreshCo, Foodland, Metro, Shoppers Drug Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Zehrs, Amazon, and Costco.

Both Giant Tiger and Costco posted voluntary recall notices for Wonder Brands products. CFIA reports no complaints or injuries linked to the affected bread and bun products but advises consumers to check their purchases, as some may have been bought before the recall.