Walmart Great Value Popping Corn Brand Recalled For Containing Insects

A brand of popcorn sold at Walmart stores across Canada was recalled for its reported presence of insects, officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said.

The products in question are the Walmart-branded Great Value Popping Corn. The CFIA originally released an advisory Feb. 6 that claimed "extraneous material" was found in the one-kilogram size snack item, but the type of insect discovered still has yet to be determined. Consumer complaints to both Walmart and the CFIA led to the eventual recall, agency spokesperson Anna Matos told CBC News.

"The type of insect was not determined during the investigation," a CFIA spokesperson told International Busines Times. "However, popping corn, like other grain or agricultural commodity, is susceptible to insects particularly during storage of the grain. The product being recalled is unpopped kernels...There have been no reported illnesses associated with this recall."

The recall is being classified as a "Class 3," meaning the likelihood of consumers suffering adverse health complications is slim.

"Never depend on your senses of sight, smell, taste or touch to confirm food poisoning, adulteration or contamination," Living Safely Recalls wrote. "If in doubt about the safety of any food, return it to your retailer for [a] refund or toss it out in your household garbage, making sure neither small children nor household pets can access the suspect food."

"If you believe you have purchased or have in your possession any of the recalled Popping Corn, please do not consume them directly nor use them as an ingredient in another dish or preparation," the website continued.

All versions of this product purchased that feature "Best Before" dates on or before December 28, 2017. Affected products will also have a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 6 81131 76007 2. The CFIA, however, did not confirm the number of affected products distributed or the location of distribution across Canada. The listing also did not include a picture of the recalled item.

Walmart Canada's recall surfaced three days after Loblaw Companies Ltd., the largest Canadian food retailer, recalled its no-name popcorn for having "extraneous material." Selection brand Popping Corn distributed by Metro Brands was also recalled for the same risk.

Recall-related news has made headlines in recent months, with recalls made by Fiat and Whole Foods, among other big name companies. The potential contamination risks have also managed to affect dog food products like Smokehouse and Redbarn. However, one of the more controversial recalls issued is about the risk of pentobarbital — a lethal sedative — being discovered by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in dog food brands.

Walmart did not immediately return International Business Times' request for comment.

This story was updated to include a statement from the CFIA.