Crackers Recalled in Australia after Cyanide Discovery

Food safety authorities in Australia have also alerted consumers to a food recall today after finding higher than normal levels of naturally-occurring cyanide in a cassava-based cracker product.

It is not yet clear whether the Piranha Vege Crackers brand sold across Australia are affected but the problem has been identified in some batches in New South Wales. The product is being voluntarily recalled by its manufacturer, Tixana Australia.

"While the likelihood of someone getting sick from eating the product is low, as a precaution, consumers, particularly children, are urged not to eat the snack food," said Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) in a nation-wide warning.

If cassava has been poorly processed, a substance found in the roots and leaves of the plant called cyanogens can trigger the production of cyanide when eaten. Chronic low-level cyanide exposure is associated with the development of goiter and a nerve-damaging disorder.

Read the full FoodProductionDaily.com story here.