Dollarama Recalls Heavenly Spices Garlic Powder Across Canada Over Bacillus Cereus Contamination Risk

Dollarama has recalled a popular garlic powder sold at its stores nationwide across Canada after health officials warned the product may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus, a bacterium capable of causing food poisoning.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency published the recall notice for Heavenly Spices brand Garlic Powder on Wednesday, July 15, though the recall was formally issued by Dollarama L.P. on July 14. The agency classified the recall as a Class 2 event, its designation for situations involving a moderate risk that consuming the affected food could lead to short-term or non-life-threatening health problems. The recall applies to the product's 70-gram packaging, which was distributed both in stores and online across the country.

The affected garlic powder can be identified by its universal product code, 6 67888 50634 7, along with a best-before date printed on the packaging as "2029 JAN 30 GP 30ZV PIT." The CFIA's recall notice instructed retailers and consumers alike not to use, sell, serve or distribute the product. "Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected product," the agency stated in its notice.

Bacillus cereus is a bacterium widely found in the environment, including in soil, and is a common cause of foodborne illness. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, infection with the bacterium typically causes symptoms including nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea. The bacterium is commonly associated with foods such as meats, stews, gravies, vanilla sauce and cooked rice that has been improperly refrigerated or left sitting at room temperature for extended periods, conditions that can allow the organism to multiply and produce toxins.

Canadian health authorities offered somewhat differing accounts of the illness's typical duration and severity. The Public Health Agency of Canada has said symptoms can last between six and 24 hours and may include diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and vomiting, while the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control has described symptoms as generally resolving within a day or two in most cases. Both agencies noted that while most people recover without medical treatment, some cases can be more severe, with the BCCDC specifically flagging that individuals experiencing extreme vomiting or diarrhea should focus on staying hydrated. The Public Health Agency of Canada added that although most cases resolve on their own within one to two days, severe instances can, in rare circumstances, lead to more serious complications or death, with elderly individuals and those with lower stomach acidity facing higher risk.

Dollarama has moved to address the recall directly with customers. A spokesperson for the company told CTV News that customers who purchased the affected garlic powder should throw the product away rather than attempting to return it to a store. The company is offering an alternative form of compensation instead of a standard refund. "Customers can also contact Dollarama Customer Service directly for a $2.00 e-gift card as a replacement," the spokesperson said. Customers seeking that compensation, or with other questions about the recall, have been directed to contact Dollarama by emailing client@dollarama.com with a photo of the product and its lot number, or by calling the company's customer service line at 1-888-365-4266, available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

Members of the public with questions or concerns about the recall more broadly can also reach the Canadian Food Inspection Agency directly, either through its general public inquiries line at 1-613-773-2342, available for both local and international callers, or by emailing information@inspection.gc.ca. The agency's media relations team can be reached separately at 613-773-6600 or via email at cfia.media.acia@inspection.gc.ca for press-related inquiries.

The garlic powder recall adds to a broader pattern of food safety alerts affecting North American consumers in recent days. Earlier in the week, the FDA announced that General Mills was recalling more than 735,000 packages of Pillsbury bread products over concerns that the items may contain fragments of glass, a separate contamination issue unrelated to the Dollarama garlic powder recall but reflecting a similarly active period for food safety enforcement actions across the industry.

Separately, fresh produce supplier Taylor Farms has been preparing its own recall tied to ingredients connected to a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak, according to reporting from Bloomberg News. That outbreak, caused by a microscopic parasite rather than a bacterium, has been linked in earlier reporting to shredded iceberg lettuce distributed to select Taco Bell locations in several U.S. states. Taylor Farms has maintained that its own branded salad products are not associated with the reported illnesses, even as the company moves forward with a recall tied to the broader supply chain implicated in the outbreak investigation.

The CFIA has also recently announced a separate, unrelated recall affecting several spice products sold across Canada due to undeclared allergens, adding to what has become an unusually active stretch of food recalls spanning multiple product categories and health concerns in recent weeks.

For now, consumers who purchased the recalled Heavenly Spices Garlic Powder are being urged to check their pantries and discard any affected containers rather than risk consuming a product that may carry Bacillus cereus contamination. Health officials in Canada continue to monitor the situation, and further updates from the CFIA are expected if additional information about the scope of the contamination or any reported illnesses tied to the product becomes available in the coming days. The agency has encouraged members of the public to report any health or safety concerns related to the recalled product directly through its official reporting channels, and has noted that individuals can subscribe to receive email alerts for future recall and food safety notices as they are issued.