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HEALTH HAZARD ALERT

HERITAGE BRAND PALM OIL MAY CONTAIN SUDAN DYE

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OTTAWA, March 17, 2005 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Afrocan Direct Imports Inc. are warning the public not to consume the Heritage brand Palm Oil described below. These products may contain a non-permitted colour, Sudan IV, which is considered to be carcinogenic.

The following products are affected by this alert:

Heritage brand Palm Oil, a product of Ghana, is sold in a "500 mL, 1 litre*, 2 litre or 4 litre" container. The affected product do not bear a UPC or lot code.

Heritage brand Zomi Palm Oil, a product of Ghana, is sold in a "500 mL, 1 litre*, 2 litre or 4 litre" container. The affected product do not bear a UPC or lot code.

The importer is voluntarily recalling these products from the marketplace. The affected products have been distributed in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The products listed above are not associated with the on-going recall in the UK.

Sudan I and IV, red dyes, are not permitted as food colours in Canada. Sudan I, has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and these findings could also be significant for human health. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342. 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time - Monday to Friday.

For information on receiving recalls by electronic mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.

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*The 1 litre size was omitted from the original warning.

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