Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) warns that bottled olive oils at a couple of local restaurants may contain harmful bacteria.
In a public health advisory issued Friday, June 16, the regional health authority advises that bottled herb and chili-infused olive oils sold at the Pizzeria Farina located at 915 Main Street in Vancouver and the Farina a Legna located at 119 2nd Street East in North Vancouver were "not manufactured using a validated method in line with food safety standards," according to a news release.
Anyone who purchased the affected products should discard them or return them to either of the restaurants; they are no longer for sale at these locations.
A public health inspection revealed that the bottled products ‘Pizza Farina Chili Infused Olive Oil’ and ‘Pizzeria Farina Oregano Infused Olive Oil' did not meet the food safety standards to "eliminate harmful bacteria that can cause illness, including food-borne botulism due to Clostridium botulinum toxin."
Once the retailer was advised of the issue, it ceased production and sales of both products and cooperated with public health.
VCH notes that the Clostridium botulinum toxin in food and beverages can cause food-borne botulism, which is "a rare but potentially serious illness that can cause disability and has a high fatality rate, particularly if early diagnosis and treatment are not provided."
While food contaminated with this toxin may not look or smell unusual, consumption of food with it can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, and in some serious cases, respiratory failure or paralysis.
Symptoms of food-borne botulism usually begin 12 to 36 hours after consuming contaminated food.
As of writing this, VCH hasn't received reports of illness associated with the consumption of the products.
