There's A New Canada Recall For A Smoothie Product That Could Cause Cyanide Poisoning

On January 21, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) published a recall warning for a smoothie product that it says could cause cyanide poisoning.

The company Evive Nutrition Inc. is recalling its Immunity Super Functional Smoothie "due to the presence of raw elderberries, which contain cyanogenic glycosides, a natural toxin," the federal agency explains in a release. The product comes in a 150-gram format and was sold online.

The CFIA lists three affected lot numbers, H202131213, H202132113 and H202134213, with best before dates of May 6, May 18 and June 8, 2023, respectively.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

The recall is listed as Class 1, which indicates "there is a high risk that consuming the food may lead to serious health problems or death," according to the CFIA.

The warning followed complaints from consumers. The CFIA says there have been reports of illness, but does not specify their level of severity.

According to the release, "the human body can eliminate small amounts of cyanide, but larger amounts can result in cyanide poisoning, which could lead to death."

The government says symptoms of cyanide poisoning include "weakness and confusion, anxiety, restlessness, headache, nausea, difficulty breathing and shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, seizures and cardiac arrest."

The CFIA asks Canadians to check to see if they have the Evive Immunity Super Functional Smoothie in their homes and to throw it away or return it if so. The agency says anyone who thinks they've become ill due to a recalled product should call their doctor.

The CFIA is investigating the situation and ensuring the smoothie is no longer available for purchase.