Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Kellogg’s Honey Smacks Cereal. Recall and Advice to Consumers and Reta
CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka infections.
Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by CDC. DNA fingerprinting is performed on Salmonella bacteria isolated from ill people by using techniques called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). CDC PulseNet manages a national database of these DNA fingerprints to identify possible outbreaks. WGS gives a more detailed DNA fingerprint than PFGE.
As of June 14, 2018, 73 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Mbandaka have been reported from 31 states. A list of the states and the number of cases in each can be found on the Case Count Map page.
Illnesses started on dates from March 3, 2018, to May 28, 2018. Ill people range in age from less than one year to 87, with a median age of 58. Sixty-five percent are female. Out of 55 people with information available, 24 (44%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Illnesses that occurred after May 22, 2018, might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 4 weeks. Please see the Timeline for Reporting Cases of Salmonella Infection for more details.
Investigation of the Outbreak
Epidemiologic evidence indicates that Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal is a likely source of this multistate outbreak.
In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposuresin the week before they became ill. Thirty (77%) of 39 people interviewed reported eating cold cereal. In interviews, 14 people specifically reported eating Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal. Ill people in this outbreak reported this cereal more often than any other cereals or food items.
On June 14, 2018, the Kellogg Company recalled packages of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal.
CDC will provide updates when more information is available.
Recall
On June 14, 2018, the Kellogg Company recalled Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal.
Advice to Consumers
Do not eat recalled Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal in any size packaging.
Check your home for the recalled cereal and throw it away, or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
Even if some of the cereal was eaten and no one got sick, throw the rest of it away or return it for a refund.
If you store cereal in another container without the packaging and don’t remember the brand or type, throw it away.
Thoroughly wash the container with warm, soapy water before using it again, to remove harmful germs that could contaminate other food.
Advice to Retailers
Retailers should not sell or serve recalled Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal.
Recalled Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal has a “best if used by” date from June 14, 2018 through June 14, 2019. The “best if used by” date is on the box top.
The recalled 15.3 oz. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal has a UPC code of 38000 39103. The recalled 23.0 oz. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal has a UPC code of 38000 14810. The UPC code is on the bottom of the box.
Contact a healthcare provider if you think you got sick from consuming recalled Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal.
Most people infected with Salmonella develop the following signs and symptoms 12-72 hours after being exposed to the bacteria:
Diarrhea
Fever
Abdominal cramps
SOURCE CREDIT: CDC