CDC Advises Consumers to 'Not Eat' Kellogg's Honey Smacks Cereal After Salmonella Outbreak Reaches 33 States
After a total of 33 states declared that there are incidents of salmonella illnesses in their territory that were linked to Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal consumption, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strictly ordered that consumers should not purchase and eat the puffed wheat cereal.
The CDC reported through a Twitter post that a total of 100 people on 33 states were infected by salmonella since June. They strongly advised the public against eating the popular brand of cereals.
According to a report from Time Magazine, at least 30 people who were infected by the salmonella outbreak had been hospitalized. Others complained of developing a fever, diarrhea, or cramps after 12 to 72 hours of being infected by the bacteria. However, thankfully, no deaths had been reported as of the moment.
Kellogg Company willingly recalled the 15.3-ounce and 23-ounce packages of the Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal after the CDC learned through samples that there is a presence of the salmonella bacteria in the product. But according to the CDC website, consumers should not eat any Honey Smacks cereal in any packaging size.
The agency also advised consumers to check their homes to see if they already purchased any recalled product and immediately throw it away for return it to the store to get refunds even if it is already opened and consumed.
They also mentioned that any containers that were used to store the Honey Smacks cereals should be thoroughly washed with warm, soapy water to remove the harmful bacteria that could contaminate other food.
The product recall caused an alarm on most consumers, especially those who love to eat he sweetened puffed wheat cereal.
"My great nieces and nephews eat a lot of that stuff," 64-year-old Lu Lu Arcadipane from Everett, Massachusetts told Boston Herald while shopping at the Market Basket in Chelsea. "I love 'em! Can't eat them now though. I won't!" she added.
