A number of Ritz crackers products, the buttery saltines, are being recalled for possible salmonella contamination, the manufacturer announced on Saturday.
The products include a variety of Ritz cracker sandwiches and Bitz cheese products, mini Ritz cracker sandwiches with cheese filling.
New Jersey-based Mondelez Global LLC, which distribute the products, said it was prompted to do the recall after being alerted to the possibility of salmonella contamination in its whey powder by that supplier.
Mondelez Global said it had no reports of illness from the products but that people should not eat the crackers listed in the recall. A full list is available here.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause serious to fatal illnesses in vulnerable populations, such as young children, the elderly or people with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 1.2 million people are sickened by salmonella each year, with around 23,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths.
At least 100 people in 33 states have been sickened by eating Honey Smacks cereal contaminated with salmonella, prompting the CDC to warn people to “not eat any Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal, regardless of package size or best-by date.” At least 30 people have been hospitalized.
Last week, Iowa-based food company Hy-Vee Inc. issued a recall for its packaged spring pasta salad following investigation of a multistate outbreak of salmonella, with 20 illnesses reported in Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa.
CDC officials are currently investigating another multistate outbreak of salmonella infection that they believe is linked to raw turkey products from a variety of sources. At least 90 people from 26 states reported being ill after consuming such products and 40 people have been hospitalized.
• Laura Kelly can be reached at lkelly@washingtontimes.com.
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