The Liquor Control Board of Ontario has ordered a nationwide product recall for Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin on May 3 after Bacardi triggered a recall for the product in Canada.
The recall was issued after the company discovered that a batch of the alcoholic beverage made it out of the production line in its factory without being properly diluted.
Bombay Sapphire Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a recall for Bombay Sapphire in Ontario on May 2, but has extended the recall nationwide after further investigation of the affected product.
According to CFIA, Bacardi reached out and triggered the recall when the company found out that a "few" improperly diluted Bombay Sapphire bottles were cased over a short period of time and distributed to retail outlets.
"The over proof product inadvertently entered the bottling line during a short period of time -- [up to] 45 minutes -- when [workers] were switching from one bottling tank to another bottling tank," CFIA said.
Since Bacardi is a huge company that produces thousands of alcoholic beverages per day, "a few" actually means approximately 6,000 bottles.
Affected Bombay Sapphire Batch
According to Bacardi spokeswoman Amy Federman, the affected batch was bottled and distributed before it was properly diluted. The recalled bottles of Bombay Sapphire actually contain 77 percent alcohol content, which is about 154 proof, instead of the 40 percent or 80 proof printed on its label.
The product recall affects only the 1.14 liter bottles of Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin sold in Canada with lot code L16304 W, which can be found at the bottom of the bottle, as shown in the photo below.
Better Safe Than Sorry
Bacardi notes that there have been no reported illnesses or adverse effects resulting from the over proof Bombay Sapphire bottles but strongly advises consumers to be cautious.
"Other than the higher than normal alcohol content, the product is within specifications, and there have been no reported illnesses... However, we do not recommend consumption of the product," Federman said.
She also added that the recall was issued because the Bombay Sapphire labels did not match the actual alcohol content of the company's product. Other than the label mismatch, the company says that the affected beverage is still safe to consume.
The CFIA also confirms that the probability of serious adverse health consequences from consuming the over proof beverage is remote, however, they strongly advise that consumers throw out the products instead.
