Food Safety Investigation: Sifto brand Hy·Grade Salt due to pieces of metal

On October 30, 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a notification for a Class II recall to the manufacturer and warehouse level for Sifto brand Hy·Grade Salt due to pieces of metal.

The affected products represent a significant volume of food grade salt which was distributed to various manufacturers and distributors in Ontario and impacts other large Canadian manufacturers.

On November 4, 2024, the CFIA issued a notification for a Class II recall to the retail level for Various brands of bread and buns recalled due to pieces of metal. This recall is linked to the recall of Sifto salt, as the affected salt was used to make the recalled Wonder Brands bread and bun products. In terms of distribution, the affected Wonder Brand products were only sold in the provinces listed. Although other provinces may have products with similar coding, they are not included in the recall as they were not identified to have been made with the affected lots of salt. As such, only the provinces listed in the recall are affected.

The Wonder Brands recall notification was not a consumer-level recall. The affected products were recalled directly at the retail level and all affected product has been removed from sale. There have been no reported complaints or injuries related to the consumption of these products.

Additional secondary recalls have been issued for various products that were made using the recalled salt. The CFIA is working closely with Compass Minerals Canada Corp. and their various clients to verify that recalled products have been effectively removed fromthe marketplace.

On November 18, 2024, the CFIA amended the Sifto brand Hy·Grade Salt due to pieces of metal recall notification to include additional products that were identified as part of the CFIA ongoing food safety investigation.

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What consumers should know

The Wonder Brands recall notification was not a consumer-level recall. The affected products were recalled directly at the retail level. Any affected bread and bun products have been removed from sale. However, some consumers may have purchased the recalled product prior to the retail recall. Please consult the recall posting for the most up-to-date information. Businesses may choose to take their own additional precautionary measures (such as offering returns, etc.). Please contact your retailer directly. Regardless of the recall risk level, the CFIA always recommends that people do not consume recalled products.

Even in a modern, effective food safety system such as Canada's, risks cannot be completely eliminated. Extraneous materials in food are any foreign substances that are not intended to be there or consumed and can be introduced anywhere along the food chain. The presence of extraneous material in food products may be unpleasant but may not always pose a serious health risk to consumers.

Consumers can report food complaints or concerns on the CFIA website.

What is being done

Additional secondary recalls have been issued for various products that were made using the recalled salt.

The CFIA's food safety investigation is ongoing. Should additional products be found to be affected, the CFIA will continue to post publicly accessible information about all recalls on the Recalls and safety alerts website.

If the CFIA determines that a food product should be recalled because it poses a health risk, the Agency will work with industry to recall the product as soon as possible. The recalling firm, in this case Compass Minerals Canada Corp., is responsible for contacting all of its clients (for example, distributors or retailers) that have or may have received the recalled food. The CFIA's role is to oversee the implementation of the recall, provide guidance and verify that industry has effectively removed recalled food from the marketplace.

The CFIA conducts effectiveness checks to verify that recalled products have been effectively removed from the marketplace. The CFIA will continue to monitor and assess this work to protect Canadians.

Notice to industry

Related recall notifications

Additional information

Food safety investigations are complex and involve several essential steps to determine if a food recall is required and what products to recall. When dealing with potentially unsafe food, the CFIA acts as quickly as possible to collect information and make decisions.

On average, the CFIA conducts 3,000 food safety investigations each year, including investigations into extraneous matter. The goal of a food safety investigation is to determine whether a food safety hazard exists, assess the nature and extent of the issue, and take appropriate actions to eliminate or minimize potential risks to consumers.

The CFIA has a 5-step process to investigate and determine if a food recall is necessary. For more information on the CFIA's food recall process, see How we decide to recall a food product.

The recall in question was classified as a Class II recall to the retail level. Class II recalls represent situations where there is a moderate risk that consuming the food may lead to short-term or non-life-threatening health problems. When a Class II recall occurs such as the salt and bread recalls, it is not acceptable for these products to be available on the market and the CFIA and industry play a role in maintaining the integrity of the Canadian food supply.

The CFIA posts all food recalls, regardless of the level of risk, on the Government of Canada's Recalls and Safety Alerts website for transparency purposes. The recall notification in question was not meant to advise the Canadian public to take action but rather to notify that industry had conducted a recall.

Public enquiries and media

Public enquiries

Toll-free: 1-800-442-2342 (Canada and U.S.)
Telephone: 1-613-773-2342 (local or international)
Email: information@inspection.gc.ca

Media relations

Telephone: 613-773-6600
Email: cfia.media.acia@inspection.gc.ca

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