The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Saginaw Enterprises Ltd issued a voluntary recall notice for Select Bake Shoppe-brand chocolate fudge brownies because they may have been contaminated with pieces of plastic, as reported by Food Poisoning News.

What's happening?

The chocolate brownies that were recalled were distributed in the Canadian province of Ontario, but the recall notice did not explain how the plastic was found in the food. 

Why is this plastic contamination important?

Food contaminated with plastic or other foreign matter has the potential to cause harm to anyone who consumes it. It may cause choking, damage to teeth, or illness, and there is even a possibility of death.

Though the specific way the plastic contaminated the food was not addressed in the recall, it could have happened in a number of ways. 

Our food systems rely heavily on plastic material in production and packaging. Reducing plastic in the food manufacturing process can reduce the risk of accidents or oversights that can lead to contamination and humans inadvertently ingesting the material.

Even if the plastic is tiny, it can still be harmful. Tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in length — microplastics — have been found in the air we breathe, the water supply, the soil, and the ocean. They have even been found in the human body. Scientists believe that they pose serious health risks to humans, but the effects are still being studied. 

Reducing our use of plastics can greatly diminish the amount of plastic that is broken down into microplastics and can make a positive change for the environment and for human health. 

What's being done about the contaminated food?

Consumers were advised to make sure they do not have the affected brownies and to not consume the product, even if it looks safe. They are told to contact the store where they purchased the product for a refund or dispose of it immediately.

Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly 😥 Sometimes 😟 Not really 😐 I don't know enough about them 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.