The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning the public against eating Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal due to an outbreak of salmonella.
“OUTBREAK Update: 100 Salmonella infections in 33 states linked to Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal,” the CDC said in a tweet on Thursday. “Do not eat this cereal.”
The first illnesses connected with the outbreak were reported in March, and the cereal was recalled on June 14--at the time 73 people had gotten sick. On Thursday, nearly a month after the recall, the CDC said that 27 more people had gotten ill.
“Illnesses started on dates from March 3, 2018, to July 2, 2018,” according to the CDC. “Ill people range in age from less than one year to 95, with a median age of 57. Of ill people, 68% are female. Out of 77 people with information available, 30 (39%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.”
Salmonella symptoms--which often appear 12 to 72 hours after exposure--include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. The illness can last between four and seven days, and in some cases severe diarrhea may cause hospitalization and in rare cases death, if not treated soon enough.
Overall 30 people have been hospitalized in connection with this outbreak; there have been no reported deaths.
The CDC says that consumers should not eat the cereal, “regardless of package size or best-by date.” The agency is urging consumers to throw the cereal away or return it to the store of purchase--even if they have started eating the cereal. Retailers are also being urged to stop selling Honey Smacks.
The Food and Drug Administration also said on Thursday that it learned that some retailers continued to sell Honey Smacks after the June 14 recall; it is continuing to monitor the situation and work with retailers who are still selling the product.
“Additionally, the public is urged to report any product being offered for sale to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator in their region,” the FDA said on its website. “More information about the recall can be found at FDA.gov.“
