The Food and Drug Administration is recalling a flavor enhancer included in thousands of food products out of fears it's contaminated with salmonella. So far, four companies have recalled products with the flavoring—USA Today lists them here—but the number could grow. Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, is included in soups, sauces, chilies, hot dogs, and salad dressings, just to name a few.
HVP, made by a company in Las Vegas, has not yet caused any illnesses and it's used in such small doses that it's possible none will surface. Food-safety officials are working with companies to assess risks on particular products. "We don't know precisely how large this recall will get," an FDA official tells MSNBC. "We expect this to get larger over the next several days to several weeks."
(More hvp stories.)