Quaker Oats on Sunday expanded the recall for granola bars, cereal, and snacks issued in December over concerns they may be contaminated with salmonella.
The company had initially recalled certain flavors of Quaker Big Chewy Bars, Quaker Simply Granola Oats, and snack boxes on Dec. 15, 2023, due to salmonella contamination risk.
The recall now includes various flavors of Cap'n Crunch Treats cereal bars, Quaker Chewy Granola Breakfast Cereal, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Gamesa Marias Cereal, Gatorade Protein Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Munchies Snack Mix.
All the products listed are sold in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, and Saipan, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“Consumers should check their pantries for any of the products listed below and dispose of them,” Quaker Oats said in a press release posted on the FDA’s website.
Quaker Canada also announced a voluntary recall of granola bars and Harvest Crunch cereals due to the potential exposure to salmonella on Jan. 11.
The company said it is working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ensure the recalled products are removed from the marketplace.
“This action is being taken in Canada out of an abundance of caution and commitment to the wellbeing of our Canadian consumers,” Quaker Canada stated in a press release.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
Those who are infected may experience symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Some instances of diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.
In rare circumstances, infection can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis, the FDA stated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate there are about 1.35 million cases of salmonellosis, with 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States each year. Contaminated food is the source for most of these cases.
As of Dec. 15, 2023, the CDC reported 302 cases from 42 states linked to certain brands of cantaloupe.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said in its latest update last month that seven people have died from cantaloupe-linked salmonella, and there have been 164 lab-confirmed cases in eight provinces—111 of them in Quebec.
The agency said the majority of people who became sick were aged 5 and younger or 65 and older.
