Health Hazard Alert: Tega Brand Tea

Certain Tega brand Organic Lemon Hibiscus Green Rooibos Herbal Tea may contain Salmonella bacteria

Issued February 23, 2013 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume certain Tega brand Organic Lemon Hibiscus Green Rooibos Herbal Tea described below because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Tega brand Organic Lemon Hibiscus Green Rooibos Herbal Tea, sold in packages of 24 tea bags (48 g / 1.69 oz), UPC 6 64322 10406 0, with best before dates of 2014FE01, 2014MR27, and 2014MR28 is affected by this alert.

This product has been distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.

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

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. In young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis may cause serious and sometimes deadly infections. In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

Nu-Tea Company Ltd., Abbotsford, BC, is voluntarily recalling the affected product(s) 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:

Nu-Tea Company Ltd., Liz Bandelin, 866-801-7600;

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).