Azteca, Mission Foods Join StarLink Recall Parade

IRVING, Texas--Both Mission Foods and Azteca Milling announced Oct. 13 that they would voluntarily recall their yellow corn and yellow corn products from the marketplace amid concerns that the products are contaminated with StarLink corn. The genetically engineered corn has not been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for human consumption, but somehow made it into the food supply.

Mission Foods is recalling all yellow corn taco shells, tortilla chips and tortillas sold under its Mission brand and its private label, and replacing them with white corn items. "Because StarLink is a yellow corn, we believe this initiative will reassure the public and justify the public's confidence in our products," said Steve Brunner, senior vice president, in a release from Mission.

Meanwhile, Azteca, the country's leading miller of white and yellow corn masa flour, is recalling its yellow corn flour and will mill white corn only until further notice. According to Azteca, its tests appear to confirm that the StarLink corn was isolated to corn milled in Plainview, Texas. While the company's release noted that "there is no indication that yellow corn flour wasn't safe," it initiated the recall to bolster consumer confidence.

To learn more on the recalls, visit www.missionfoods.com or www.aztecamilling.com.