Some Goldfish crackers are recalled over salmonella, upsetting both toddlers and grownups
About 1.2 million people in the U.S. are sickened with Salmonella each year with the majority of those coming from food sources.
The beloved Goldfish crackers from Pepperidge Farm are the subject of the latest voluntary food recall.
A statement on the company website Monday said Pepperidge Farm was notified by an ingredient supplier that the whey powder used in a seasoning for four varieties of the snack may contain salmonella, a bacteria that can cause serious illness.
The products were distributed throughout the United States and no illnesses have been reported, the company stated.
The four varieties in the recall are: Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar, Flavor Blasted Sour Cream & Onion, Goldfish Baked with Whole Grain Xtra Cheddar, and Goldfish Mix Xtra Cheddar & Pretzel.
Pepperidge Farms is owned by Campbell Soup Co. of Camden.
About 1.2 million people in the U.S. are sickened with salmonella each year, mostly due to contaminated foods. There are about 23,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths in the U.S. every year as a result. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Coming on top of recalls for other popular crackers and cereal, the Goldfish problem illustrates that even big-name processed foods are vulnerable to contamination.
Ritz crackers and Ritz Bits were voluntarily recalled last week by parent company Mondelēz Global when it was alerted by a supplier there may be salmonella in the whey powder used to make the snacks.
In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a multistate recall of Kellogg's Honey Smacks, a sweetened puffed wheat cereal, after 100 people in 33 states were sickened with the salmonella bacteria after eating the product. No deaths were reported.
Whey, which is high in protein, is the liquid that is left when milk has been strained and turned into curds, the basis of cheese.
Salmonella has been known to occur in raw milk. The bacteria can be resistant to the process of extreme drying and can survive for long periods in dry environments such as cereal, the CDC reports.
In some households — especially those with young children — Goldfish are virtually their own food group. Parents and teachers who must tell demanding toddlers their favorite snack is off limits for now took to social media to air their disappointment, and share alternatives such as non-recalled Goldfish flavors, or items like Annie's Cheddar Bunnies or Great Value's Cheddar Penguins.
It is also clear that adults, too, love their Goldfish, with one Twitter user even despairing that salmonella is cropping up in their favorite snacks instead of hated vegetables like Brussels sprouts.
The recalled Goldfish can be returned to the point of purchase for a refund. The company is also offering refunds for packages of the recalled snacks, they stated.
Anyone with questions can call the Pepperidge Farm customer service line at 1-800-679-1791 for more information.