Tainted Flour Recall Expands to Include Kellogg Products
Last week, Texas-based Frito-Lay issued a recall for Rold Gold pretzel products because the flour they had used may have been contaminated with small amounts of peanut residue, which could be dangerous to those with nut allergies. Well, that recall was expanded yesterday, when the Kellogg Co. launched a voluntary recall of a large number of products, including brownies, snacks and cookies for the exact same reason. due to the potential presence of an undeclared peanut residue.
A large number of products are affected by the recall, including brands such as Mother’s, Keebler, Kellogg’s Special K brownies, Murray and Famous Amos snacks and cookies. A complete list of the products affected can be found on the Kellogg’s Website. The recall was issued as a precaution, after one of its suppliers, Grain Craft, issued a recall of wheat flour “that has the potential to contain low levels of peanut residue.”
The Kellogg’s recall was the latest in a series of recalls announced over the past few weeks by manufacturers who use soft wheat flour. In addition to the Frito-Lay recall from last week, Hostess Brands L.L.C. recalled more than 700,000 cases of snack cakes and donuts on June 4 for the same reason and last month, CSM North America did the same, all because of the possibility of trace amounts of undeclared peanut allergens.
So far, Kellogg Company says it has not received any reports of illness connected with any of their products. In a press release, the company also noted that, while they’re asking those with severe peanut allergies to avoid the recalled products, “the FDA has stated that the amount of peanut exposure from the flour is low and not expected to cause adverse health effects for most peanut allergic consumers.”
For its part, Grain Craft issued a statement a week ago having to do with this problem. In it, they claim that they first uncovered what they called the “intermittent” presence of peanut in wheat flour supplied by one of the company’s flour mills in Georgia on April 26.
Severe nut allergies can be very dangerous. While many nut allergies can cause a number of health problems, ranging from a small rash, swelling or redness to the skin to cramps, vomiting or diarrhea, when the allergies are severe, they can be deadly. Peanut allergies are the most common cause of food-induced anaphylaxis, which is a potentially deadly condition for which the only treatment is an immediate shot of epinephrine (adrenaline) and a required trip to the local ER. Nationwide, about two percent of adults and five percent of children suffer from food allergies, which lead to nearly 30,000 emergency room visits and 150 deaths every year.
If you have any of the products in this or any other food recall, don’t consume them. Instead, return them to the store for a full refund. And if you or someone you love has eaten any product that triggered an allergy attack, especially if the ingredient wasn’t listed as an ingredient on the package, see a doctor immediately. If you were the victim of such an incident, please contact the Food Poisoning Injury Attorney atthe Hill Law Firm as soon as possible, so that we can get to the bottom of it and help you protect your rights.