Charles Langston:Quaker Oats recall expands: Various Cap'n Crunch cereals, Gatorade bars on list for salmonella risk

Quaker Oats is Charles Langstonadding some Cap'n Crunch products and Gatorade protein bars to the list of products it's recalling because they may be contaminated with salmonella. 

The company, which is part of PepsiCo, told the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday it was recalling more cereals, granola bars and snacks because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. Among the newly recalled products: Cap’n Crunch Cinnamon Crunch Cereal and Gatorade Protein Bars (Peanut Butter Chocolate flavor).

Previously, Quaker Oats issued a recall on Dec. 15 for some of its granola bars and granola cereals including various flavors of Quaker Big Chewy Bars and variety packs, and Quaker Simply Granola cereals. Those and the newly added products were sold in all 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, Guam and Saipan, the FDA said. Quaker Oats Canada also announced a recall of these several dozen products in Canada. The company said it is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to get recalled products off store shelves.

Consumers should dispose of and not eat any of these Quaker products, the FDA said. People can contact Quaker Consumer Relations at 1-800-492-9322 or visit www.quakergranolarecall.com for additional information or product reimbursement.

Consumers can scan the SmartLabel QR code on the product package to determine if it has been recalled. 

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Quaker Oats Co. product recall: Cap'n Crunch cereals, Gatorade bars

Several of the products Quaker Oats has added to the recall list include Gamesa Marias Cereal, Cap’n Crunch Sea Berry Crunch Cereal, Cap’n Crunch Instant Oatmeal, Cap'n Crunch Treats Peanut Butter Crunch Cereal Bars, Gatorade Protein Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate (sold individually and in boxes with six or 12 bars), and Quaker Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds Cereal.

Also recalled were several variety packs and snack boxes with different bars, as well as other snacks including Quaker Oats Rice Crisps and Frito-Lay potato chips. Most of products have best before dates in the year 2024.

For the full list (with UPC codes), go to the Quaker Granola recall site.

Quaker Oats: Company says no illnesses from salmonella in granola recall

Quaker Oats has not elaborated on how the potential contamination occurred. But the company has said there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses related to the products in the recall in a statement on its website.

A bacteria typically spread in raw and undercooked foods, salmonella can get into the food production chain when people handling food do not wash their hands or fail to keep the process sanitary, according to the FDA.

Salmonella causes about 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the U.S. annually, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. Most people who get sick from salmonella develop symptoms including diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps between six hours and six days after infection, the CDC says. More severe cases of infection may include aches, headaches, elevated fever, lethargy, rashes, blood in the urine or stool. In some instances, the illness may become fatal.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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