P.M. BRIEFING : FDA Warning on Garlic-in-Oil Mixes

WASHINGTON —  The government, warning of the danger of botulism food poisoning, ordered a halt today to the manufacture of garlic-in-oil mixes that require refrigeration but lack proper protective agents.

The Food and Drug Administration also urged consumers to discard the commercial and homemade garlic-in-oil mixes that contain little or no acidifying agents such as citric and phosphoric acid.

But an FDA spokesman said the agency does not know how many of the commercial mixes are on the market.

“One of the basic problems we have is we don’t know how many companies make these products,” the spokesman said. “We know of 100 companies that make garlic products but don’t know how many make these without the appropriate inhibitor or acidifying agent.”