Kellogg’s Honey Smacks Cereal Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination

Salmonella Bacteria under magnification. ~ Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is informing consumers that The Kellogg Company is recalling all boxes of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal as part of an investigation into an ongoing, multistate outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating 73 illnesses across 31 states related to a specific type of Salmonella. The illnesses occurred between March 3, 2018, and May 28, 2018. Based on interviews of ill people, investigators have determined that the Honey Smacks cereal is the likely source of the outbreak. One case of salmonellosis has been confirmed in New Hampshire as part of this outbreak.

“Cereal has a long shelf life, so we are advising people to check their shelves and pantries to make sure they do not have any boxes of the recalled product,” said Beth Daly, Chief of the DPHS Bureau of Infectious Disease Control. “Anyone who has Honey Smacks cereal should either throw it away or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.”

Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps usually 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some cases, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the patient is treated promptly with antibiotics.

DPHS continues to follow this outbreak closely, including coordinating with the CDC and FDA to investigate reported cases, and will provide updates as they become available. To report a suspected illness associated with this outbreak, people should contact the DPHS Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at 603-271-4496.

For further information, please visit the CDC webpage dedicated to the outbreak at https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/mbandaka-06-18/index.html.