http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/001117/n1737203.html


Friday November 17, 10:57 am Eastern Time

ConAgra recalled 1.45 million pounds of flour linked to Starlink bio-corn

WASHINGTON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A U.S. food recall linked to StarLink
bio-tech corn has broadened to include 1.45 million pounds of baking
ingredients made by the nation's second-largest food manufacturer, the
Food and Drug Administration said.

ConAgra Foods Inc (NYSE:CAG - news) recalled 25- and 100-pound bags
of corn flour, grits, polenta, cornmeal and binders used by restaurants
and institutions.

The company quietly began the recall in October, but this was not made
public until the FDA published a weekly notice
on Wednesday of all U.S. food recalls underway.

ConAgra said it did not consider the action a recall because none of the
institutional-sized bags of flour ever reached stores
where consumers could buy it.

``We're saying it was a voluntary market withdrawal,'' a ConAgra
spokeswoman said. ``All the food was retrieved.''

The products were recalled because they may contain traces of StarLink
corn, a variety not allowed in human food because of concerns it might 
cause allergic reactions in people. In 1998, the Environmental Protection 
Agency approved StarLink for use only in animal feed.

The items were milled at ConAgra's facility in Atchison, Kansas.
``Everything listed on the notice comes to less than one day's production at 
the mill,'' the spokeswoman said.

The discovery of StarLink in taco shells in late September triggered a
recall of more than 300 kinds of U.S.-made chips, tostados and other snack 
foods made with corn flour. Food processors have been forced to begin testing 
raw ingredients to determine if any StarLink is present in supplies.

The ConAgra plant in Kansas that made the recalled items was closed for
more than a week in October for thorough cleaning and tests after StarLink 
was detected there. Several other U.S. food processors also were forced 
to temporarily shut down production lines last month to check for StarLink.

The recalled items included the following:

- -- Cahokia Pride Yellow Corn Meal, packaged in 25-lb. bags coded
09/29/00.

- -- Dixianna Enriched Yellow Cornmeal, packaged in 25 lb. bags coded
09/29/00.

- -- ConAgra Corn Meal 116C, 100-lb. bags coded 10/03/00.

- -- USA Cornmeal Yellow Enriched, Degermed, packaged in 25-kg. bags coded
Lot 910, labeled Contract No.
VEPD02706/

- -- Sysco Classic Yellow Corn Meal, packaged in plain brown 25-lb. bags
coded 09/29/00.

- -- ConAgra Corn Flour 110, packaged in 50-lb. and 100-lb. bags coded
09/29/00.

- -- ConAgra Snack Meal 128 Enr, packaged in 50-lb. bags coded 09/30/00.

- -- ConAgra Snack Meal 128, packaged in 50-lb. bags coded 09/30/00.

- -- Alberto A-1 Coarse Cornmeal Polenta Grits 95B, packaged in 50-lb.
bags coded 09/29/00 and 10/01/00.

- -- Bulk Pregel/cereal binder, product #201.

The FDA said the amounts recalled totalled 219,854 pounds of corn meal;
416,780 pounds of corn flour; 106,250 pounds
of snack meal; 435,500 pounds of flaking grits; 135,000 pounds of
polenta grits; and 137,100 pounds of cereal binder.