After Mondelez International, Pepperidge Farm, and Flowers Foods Inc. all voluntarily recalled products due to possible salmonella contamination from whey powder used in their products, the Food and Drug Adminstation has announced that the same supplier was the source of concern in all three cases. A public statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb explained that Associated Milk Producers Inc. supplied the possibly tainted whey powder that may have been used in 16 varieties of Ritz crackers, four kinds of Goldfish crackers, and Swiss rolls distributed under the Baker’s Treat, Mrs. Freshley’s, Market Square, and Great Value brands. The agency’s statement stressed that no illnesses had been reported and that the recalls were initiated “out of an abundance of caution.” But the statement also indicates that the agency is working to identify other manufacturers who may have received suspect whey powder from Associated Milk Producers. “As there are likely other food products made by other manufacturers that also use this common ingredient, there may be other recalls initiated in the coming days,” the statement reads. The FDA commissioner stated that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with Pinnacle Foods Inc. on a health alert for Hungry Man products that may also contain whey powder tainted with salmonella. “Our staff is actively engaged in this investigation and we take this very seriously. We know that these are products that are widely eaten by consumers, including children. That’s, in part, why we are taking steps to intervene early on this potential risk, and why we will be communicating regularly with the public to provide information and updates on this issue.” The Daily Meal has contacted Associated Milk Producers Inc. for a comment on the matter. The best way to avoid contamination is to throw out any products that are subject to a recall or return them to their point of purchase. If you had stored these products in a seperate container, wash them thoroughly with hot water and antibacterial soap. Salmonella poisoning can cause diarrhea, fever, chills, and abdominal pain. Most people recover in four to seven days without medical treatment, but young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems may experience more severe reactions that could result in death. Salmonella is just one of the seven ways that a restaurant can make you sick.<doc-sep>Certain products made with whey, such as Pepperidge Farm’s Goldfish Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar crackers, seen above, have been recalled over fears they might contain salmonella. Photo : Mary Alaffer ( AP ) Late last week, certain lots of popular snack foods such as Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Pepperidge Farm’s Goldfish crackers were recalled over concerns they might contain disease-causing Salmonella bacteria. But the worst may yet be to come. On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration warned that more recalls of products traced to contaminated dry whey protein are likely on the way. Advertisement In their voluntary recalls, Ritz and Pepperidge Farms both noted that their products might have been contaminated with salmonella-tainted whey protein. On Wednesday, the whey supplier, Associated Milk Producers Inc (AMPI), issued its own recall of specific bags of dry whey powder sold from its plant in Blair, Wisconsin between May and June. Whey, the liquid part left behind after milk is curdled and strained, can be dried into a powder and is often used as an additive in many processed foods to provide texture and thickness. AMPI doesn’t sell these whey products to the general public, only food manufacturers. The FDA said Thursday that more companies may need to recall products that used this dry whey. “Our goal, as much as possible, is to mitigate risk, reduce consumer uncertainty and avoid potential harms,” said FDA chief Scott Gottlieb in a statement. “Sometimes it means we need to share information before we know that people have become sick, or even that they’ve been exposed to a contaminant, because we know there’s a chance they could be at risk.” No whey bags sent out into the marketplace tested positive for Salmonella as part of AMPI’s routine testing process, according to the company. The contamination was instead found in products that had been held for testing. It’s not yet known how the contamination might have occurred. So far, there are no known cases of illness linked to any of the recalled products. It’s also likely that not all companies that have used the whey will need to issue a recall, since their products undergo additional steps, such as heating, that would kill off the bacteria. Still, given how awful being sick with salmonella can be, it’s worth being careful. Symptoms of infection usually pop up 12 to 72 hours after exposure. They include diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, nausea, and stomach pain that can last for four to seven days, but usually requires no medical treatment. In rare cases, the infection can spread to the bloodstream, where it can be life-threatening. Advertisement Anyone who has bought the recalled products (full list below) should avoid eating them, the FDA warned, and either return the products to where they were purchased or throw them out. Those who think they might have become sick from eating these foods should reach out to their doctors. Here is a list of the foods recalled so far: Goldfish Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar Goldfish Flavor Blasted Sour Cream & Onion Goldfish Baked with Whole Grain Xtra Cheddar Goldfish Mix Xtra Cheddar + Pretzel Ritz Cracker Sandwiches Ritz Bits Swiss Rolls products sold by Flowers Foods, Inc, which are marketed nationwide under the brand names Mrs. Freshley’s, Food Lion, H-E-B, Baker’s Treat, Market Square, and Great Value. In Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, it’s also sold under the brand name Captain John Derst’s Old Fashioned Bread. Hungry Man Chipotle Bbq Sauced Boneless Chicken Wyngz [FDA]<doc-sep>The recent recalls of Ritz crackers, Goldfish crackers and Flowers Foods bread products over salmonella contamination fears may all be traced back to one milk supplier, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Tuesday in a statement from agency commissioner Scott Gottlieb. A whey powder supplied by Associated Milk Producers (AMP) used in the recalled products may have been contaminated with salmonella. AMP has recalled the powder itself, but the FDA warned more foods could be removed from shelves as it's a common ingredient in other products. The FDA has not linked any illnesses to the products as of Tuesday's statement, and does not have evidence that any foods are actually contaminated. Ritz suppliers Mondelēz, Goldfish suppliers Pepperidge Farm, and bread and swiss rolls suppliers Flower Foods all issued their recalls voluntarily. These recalls are being initiated out of an abundance of caution. FDA is investigating the risk associated with these products and will provide updates on this matter. — U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) July 24, 2018 Affected products include Flowers Foods' Swiss Rolls sold under the Mrs Freshley's, Food Lion, H-E-B, Baker's Treat, Market Square and Great Value brands. The company has also recalled Captain John Derst's Old Fashioned Bread in certain states. Pepperidge Farm recalled four varieties of its iconic Goldfish crackers and Mondelēz recalled some Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Bits products. A full list of recalled Ritz products can be found here. Salmonella is a microorganism that can lead to symptoms including vomiting, bloody diarrhea and fever after ingestion. Infection can prove fatal in children, those with compromised immune systems and the elderly. "These recalls are being initiated because of a potential risk, and out of an abundance of caution," Gottlieb wrote in the statement. "We are investigating this potential risk and closely monitoring whether there are any reported cases of food related illness associated with any of these products." AMP recalled the whey product as a "precautionary measure," Sarah Schmidt, the company's vice president of public affairs, told Newsweek in an email. "It's important to stress that all dry whey powder products shipped to our manufacturer and broker customers tested negative for salmonella as part of [AMP]'s testing procedures." The company has contacted all affected customers and is working cooperatively with the FDA, she added. Recent multistate outbreaks of salmonella infection have been linked to foods including raw turkey products and certain pasta salads, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Officials have also linked outbreaks to pet guinea pigs and backyard poultry. The agency advises owners to practice vigilant hand washing after touching animals. It's been a rough time for the U.S. food industry this last few weeks, with food giants McDonald's, Kellogg's and Del Monte all withdrawing high profile products due to various contamination risks. Outside of the U.S., a woman recently died after eating frozen pomegranate contaminated with hepatitis A in Australia. This article has been updated to include comment from Associated Milk Producers' Sarah Schmidt. Flowers Foods did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<doc-sep>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday said it suspects a spate of recent food recalls over salmonella fears is linked to a common supplier of whey, and warned that more products may be recalled in the coming days. “We believe these products may contain a common whey ingredient supplied by Associated Milk Producers Inc., that may have been contaminated with salmonella,” the agency said in a statement.<doc-sep>
Consumers can expect additional recalls of products possibly contaminated with salmonella in coming days. Federal officials believe a common whey ingredient supplied by Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) may have been contaminated with salmonella. The ingredient was used in recently recalled foods including certain Mondelez's Ritz products, some Pepperidge Farm's Goldfish and Flowers Foods' Swiss Rolls, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "As there are likely other food products made by other manufacturers that also use this common ingredient, there may be other recalls initiated in the coming days," Dr. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the FDA, said in a statement on Tuesday. The FDA chief's statement cited as an example certain food products under the Hungry Man label: "Our partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are working with Pinnacle Foods Inc. on a public health alert regarding certain Hungry Man products that may also contain this ingredient." The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert involving individual frozen microwavable dinners with "Hungry Man Chipotle BBQ Sauced Boneless Chicken WYNGZ" printed on the label and bearing a best buy date of Sept. 6, 2019. The product was shipped to retailers in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia. There is no evidence that anyone has been sickened by one of the products, with the recalls initiated due to the potential risk, Gottlieb noted. "At the time we initiated the U.S. Ritz Cracker Sandwich and Ritz Bits recall action, we had not received any complaints of illness related to the impacted products," a Mondelez spokesperson said b email. "Since we announced the recall, we have received two consumer complaints of illness related to the recalled product, and have been in contact with both consumers." Separately, a multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal has sickened 100 people in 33 states. AMPI, a dairy marketing cooperative based in New Ulm, Minnesota, said it was recalling "a limited amount of dry whey powder product produced in May and June. All the products involved tested negative for salmonella as part of its routine testing program," a spokesperson emailed CBS MoneyWatch. "However, because additional product tested positive for salmonella under AMPI's routine test and hold procedures, the company is recalling product as a precautionary measure." Powdered dairy products made by Associated Milk Producers Inc. Associated Milk Producers Inc. The cooperative has reached out to its manufacturing customers and brokers who distribute the whey product now involved in four manufacturer recalls. The spokesperson said AMPI does not release the names of its customers and declined to say how much whey powder packaged in 50-pound bags and 25-kilogram bags involved in the recall had been distributed. AMPI has ceased production at its dry whey plant in Blair, Wisconsin, until an investigation is complete. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates salmonella causes about 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths in the U.S. each year, with food the source of an overwhelming majority of the cases. The bacteria causes abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after infection, and usually last four to seven days, according to the CDC. Children under the age of five are at the highest risk of infection, with older adults and those with weakened immune systems also vulnerable to severe infections.