ALLERGY ALERT

UNDECLARED HAZELNUT IN LA SUISSA BRAND CIOCCOLATO SUPERIORE AL LATTE CHOCOLATE BAR

OTTAWA, December 15, 2006 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Excelsior Foods Inc. are warning people with allergies to hazelnut proteins not to consume La Suissa brand Cioccolato Superiore Al Latte chocolate bar described below. The affected product may contain hazelnut proteins which are not declared on the label.

The affected product, La Suissa brand Cioccolato Superiore Al Latte chocolate bar, a product of Italy, is sold as a 45 g bar bearing UPC 8 008429 020014. All codes are affected by this alert.

This chocolate bar is sold individually and also in a box with 4 other flavours. Only the Al Latte flavour chocolate bar is affected by this alert.

This product has been distributed in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and may have been distributed nationally.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

Consumption of this product may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in persons with allergies to hazelnut proteins.

The importer, Excelsior Foods Inc., Toronto, Ontario is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:

Excelsior Foods Inc., Daniel Violante at 1-800-845-5636;

CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Tree Nuts (hazelnut), one of the nine most common food allergens, visit the Food Allergens web page at www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/allerge.shtml.

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

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Media enquiries:

• Fact Sheet: Tree Nuts - One of the nine most common food allergens
• Audio Clips for Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts