With more than 80 yeast products recalled in the past week, Canadian officials say an ingredient supplier is likely the source of the problem. However, the government is not naming that supplier.

A consumer complaint about an allergic reaction to Indigo Packaged Goodness brand yeast spurred the initial recall on Feb. 7. Officials said as of last night they had not received any reports of adverse reactions to other companies’ products. The companies distributed the recalled yeast to various Canadian provinces.

Some of the more recent yeast recall notices posted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have mentioned a likely connection. But, the agency hasn’t released any details, except to say the recalls involve companies that have the same raw material supplier.  

The recalling companies say their sales of the affected products go back a year or more. Many of the products have virtually no labeling information that consumers or retailers can use to determine whether they have the recalled yeast on hand. 

In the days since Feb. 7, the CFIA has posted nine more recalls of branded and unbranded yeast. Some of those products are sold in specific package weights. Others are sold as bulk lots. The recalls involve at least 83 products in total. As per its standard policy, the Canadian government has not reported the number of individual units, or total poundage, in any of the recall notices.

All of the CFIA notices urge consumers to check their homes for the recalled yeast.

“If you have an allergy to peanuts do not consume the recalled product as it may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction,” according to the recall notices. “Check to see if you have recalled products in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store wher they were purchased.”

Similar to federal law in the United States, Canadian law requires that a variety of known food allergens be specifically declared on food labels. Peanuts and ingredients made with peanut products are among the known allergens subject to the labeling requirements in both countries.

All of the recall notices have the CFIA’s boilerplate language.

“The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings. The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing recalled product from the marketplace,” according to the recalls.

To read the recall notices posted on the CFIA website as of last night, please click on the following links. The notices have specific product codes and packaging descriptions that are currently available. Some of the recall notices include product photos, others don’t.

Brewers Yeast sold at New Life Mills Town & Country — 1 product, no brand name

Brewer’s Yeast sold at Mainstay Natural Foods — 1 product, no brand name

Greenline Distributors sold at various retailers — 9 products under several brands

(Debittered) Brewer’s Yeast sold at Bulk Barrel — 1 product, no brand name

Trade Technocrats Ltd. Brewer’s Debittered Yeast — 2 products, no brand names

Various brands of Debittered Brewer’s Yeast — 62 products under dozens of brands from Westpoint Distributors Ltd.

Brewer’s Yeast Debittered sold at Bulk Barn Foods Limited — 1 product, no brand

Grain Process Enterprises Ltd. brand Brewers Yeast Debittered — 5 products, Grain Process Enterprises brand

Purely Bulk brand Brewer’s Yeast — 1 product, Purely Bulk brand

Indigo Packaged Goodness Brewers Yeast Debittered — 1 product, Indigo Packaged Goodness brand