OUTBREAK ALERT: Salmonella illnesses trigger Kellogg cereal recall

The Kellogg Company is recalling 15.3 oz. and 23 oz. packages of Kellogg’s® Honey Smacks® cereal after receiving word from FDA and CDC of reported Salmonella illnesses.

The recalled products include:
Kellogg’s® Honey Smacks®, 15.3 oz. Best if Used By dates from JUN 14, 2018 through JUN 14, 2019; UPC 3800039103.
Kellogg’s® Honey Smacks®, 23 oz. Best if Used by dates from JUN 14, 2018 through JUN 14, 2019; UPC 3800014810

Both product sizes were distributed across the USA. In addition the 15.3 oz size was distributed in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, the Caribbean, Guam, Tahiti and Saipan.

The recalled product was manufactured for Kellogg by a third party.

Neither FDA nor CDC have posted information yet on the number of Salmonella illnesses or their geographic distribution.

Although uncommon, Salmonella contamination of a breakfast cereal is not unprecedented. In 1998, an outbreak that encompassed at least 209 people in eleven US states was traced to Millville Toasted Oats breakfast cereal contaminated with Salmonella Agona. The Millville cereal was manufactured by Malt-o-Mill, Inc., a Minnesota company.

Kellogg is asking people who purchased potentially affected product to discard it and contact the company for a full refund. Consumers seeking more information, including images of these products, can visit kelloggs.com/honeysmacksrecall or call 1-800-962-1413 from Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET as well as Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET.

Recalls and Alerts: June 5 – 9, 2018

Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

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United States

Outbreak Alert: CDC advises that 124 individuals in 36 states have contracted a Salmonella infection as a result of contact with backyard poultry (primarily baby chicks and ducklings) since February. Twenty-one of the outbreak victims have been hospitalized. This represents the 71st outbreak linked to backyard poultry since 2000.

Outbreak Alert/Food Safety Recall: Caito Foods, LLC recalls fresh cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe and fresh-cut mixed fruit containing one of these melons, produced at the Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis, because these products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. CDC has received reports of 60 confirmed cases of Salmonella Adelaide infections from five midwestern states, with 31 of the victims requiring hospitalization. The recalled products were packaged in clear, plastic clamshell containers and distributed to Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon.

Food Safety Recall: Tyson Foods Inc. recalls UNCOOKED, BREADED, ORIGINAL CHICKEN TENDERLOINS (12-lb. box containing 3-lb. plastic bags; Lot code 1378NLR02) due to possible foreign matter (blue and clear soft plastic) contamination. The recalled product was shipped to food services establishments, nationwide.

Food Safety Recall: Venda Ravioli, Inc. recalls approximately 672 pounds of frozen meat ravioli products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were shipped to retail locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Food Safety Recall: Supermercado Selectos recalls an undetermined amount of various raw, frozen Siluriformes fish, beef, pork and poultry products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection. The items were shipped to DGA Food Service, LLC, who further distributed the items to Head Start Child and Adult Care Food Programs in Puerto Rico.

Canada

Food Safety Recall: Evergreen Herbs Ltd. recalls Evergreen Herbs brand Pea Shoots (100g; Purchased from May 22, 2018 up to and including June 7, 2018; UPC 6 25280 50159 9) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recalled product was distributed to retailers in British Columbia and may have been distributed nationwide.

Food Safety Recall: Golden Pearl Mushrooms Ltd. recalls GPM brand Sweet Pea Shoots (230g; Lot code #11421; UPC 6 84469 00008 7), and GPM brand Pea Shoots (100g & 455g; Lot code #11421; UPC 6 84469 00012 4 & 6 84469 00018 6, respectively) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recalled product was distributed to retailers in Alberta and British Columbia.

Food Safety Recall: Pro-Amino International Inc. recalls various Iron Vegan Sprouted Protein Bars due to foreign matter (pieces of metal) contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products, which were distributed through retailers nationwide.

Europe

Allergy Alert (Finland): Gold&Green Foods Oy recalls Gold&Green MiniBurger Kit BBQ (184g; All batches up to and including 17.6.2018) due to undeclared mustard.

Allergy Alert (Germany): Aldi recalls D-ANTELLI Maispasta (500g; Spaghetti, Fusilli and Penne varieties) due to undeclared gluten.

Allergy Alert (Ireland): Lidl Ireland recalls Duc de Coeur Macarons (120g; All batch codes with no labeling in English) due to undeclared almond, wheat, milk, eggs, pistachio, barley, lupin, other nuts, peanuts and sesame.

Allergy Alert (UK): Lidl Ireland recalls Duc de Coeur Macarons (120g; All batch codes with no labeling in English) due to undeclared almond, wheat, milk, eggs, pistachio, barley, lupin, other nuts, peanuts and sesame.

Food Safety Recall (Belgium): Danival and BIOFRESH BELGIUM recall Danival bio Chili con carne (525g in glass jars; Lot #B334; Expiration date 30/11/2020) due to possible foreign matter (pieces of glass) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (France): Auchan recalls Anjouin and Mmm! Selles-sur-Cher raw milk cheese (150g; various lot numbers and expiration dates) due to Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected lot codes.

Food Safety Recall (Germany): Rossman recalls enerBiO almond flour (Best before 18.12.2018) due to Salmonella contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Manufacturer recalls Fulfil White Chocolate & Cookie Dough Vitamin & Protein Bar (Lot code L8002/J; Best before 5 April 2019; Product of Netherlands) due to possible foreign matter (small pieces of clear plastic) contamination.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

Food Safety Alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety advises consumers that a sample of Nestlé Hong Kong Limited’s Skimmed Hi-Calcium Milk Drink (236 mL; Use by June 2, 2018) was found to contain excessive Bacillus cereus. CFS is investigating.

Food Safety Recall (Singapore): Optimo Foods Pte Ltd recalls CeresOrganics Organic Breakfast Paleo Crumble – Cacao Spice (350g; Best before 05/01/2019; Product of New Zealand) due to foreign matter (small ceramic-like object) contamination.

Food Safety Recall (Singapore): Importer recalls Love Child Organics baby food pouches (128mL; various varieties; Best Before dates up to and including 25 May 2019; Product of Canada) due to a packaging defect that may permit entry of spoilage microorganisms. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.

Another year, another Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry flocks

Twenty-one people have been hospitalized with Salmonella contracted through contact with backyard poultry flocks since February 2018, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released today.

States reporting *Salmonella* illnesses linked to backyard poultry.

As of June 1st, 124 illnesses have been reported from 36 states. Nearly one-third of the outbreak victims are children of 5 years of age or younger.

The Salmonella outbreak has been linked to contact with live poultry – mainly chicks and duckings – in backyard flocks. The birds were obtained from multiple sources.

Several types of Salmonella have been found in outbreak victims, including: Salmonella Seftenberg, Salmonella Montevideo, Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Indiana, and Salmonella Litchfield.

Since 2000, contact with backyard poultry has been responsible for 4,794 documented Salmonella illnesses in 70 separate outbreaks. Seven people died in these outbreaks, and 894 required hospitalization. Ten outbreaks occurred in 2017 alone, sickening more than 1100 individuals in 48 states, killing one, and sending 249 of them to hospital.

Keeping backyard flocks has become increasing popular in recent years, with more and more cities amending their by-laws to permit residents to do so. According to a 2017 article in the Los Angeles Times, more than 1% of US households now keep chickens.

All too often, apparently healthy baby chicks and ducklings carry Salmonella. Children are especially drawn to these animals, which are small enough for tiny hands to hold. Unfortunately, a toddler or young child is all too likely to neglect to wash his or her hands after cuddling a feathered pet, and is especially susceptible to becoming infected with Salmonella as a result.

CDC offers the following advice for staying healthy while enjoying the benefits of a backyard flock:

Always wash your hands with soap and water right after touching live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam.
- Adults should supervise handwashing by young children.
- Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available.
Don’t let live poultry inside the house, especially in areas where food or drink is prepared, served, or stored.
Set aside a pair of shoes to wear while taking care of poultry and keep those shoes outside of the house.
Don’t let children younger than 5 years, adults older than 65, or people with weakened immune systems from conditions such as cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS or organ transplants, handle or touch chicks, ducklings, or other live poultry.
Don’t eat or drink in the area where the birds live or roam.
Don’t kiss your birds or snuggle them and then touch your face or mouth.
Stay outdoors when cleaning any equipment or materials used to raise or care for live poultry, such as cages or feed or water containers.
Buy birds from hatcheries that participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Poultry Improvement Plan (USDA-NPIP). This program is intended to reduce the incidence of Salmonella in baby poultry in the hatchery, which helps prevent the spread of illness among poultry and people.