CFIA Recalls Green Zaatar Spice Mix in Seven Provinces for Salmonella

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered on May 5, 2026 the recall of Green Zaatar, a commercial spice mix produced by a horticultural company, in 450-gram bags distributed in Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. CFIA also opened a food safety investigation that could result in the recall of other products from the same company.

Zaatar is a mixture of dried herbs—thyme, oregano, sumac and toasted sesame seeds—that, like other low-water-activity seasonings, is typically perceived as a low-microbiological-risk product due to its dehydrated format. This perception does not hold up against evidence: Salmonella survives for long periods in dried herbs and spices, and its typical consumption—sprinkled on bread or yogurt without subsequent cooking—offers no thermal barrier to eliminate the pathogen before reaching the consumer.

For TAAG, that CFIA's investigation extends to other products from the same company confirms a pattern that repeats in the imported spice and seasonings industry: when a Salmonella finding in a dehydrated product is not an isolated event but a manifestation of a weakness in raw material control by a supplier, surveillance must extend to their entire catalog and not be limited to the specific product that triggered the initial alert.