Goldfish, Ritz Crackers Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The FDA issued a warning about whey powder, an ingredient in some goldfish crackers, Ritz Bitz, and Swiss Rolls, following a recall that the products may be contaminated with Salmonella.
CBS 2's Jim Williams reports many parents are concerned that their children may be sick.
Stephanie Gipson says Goldfish and Ritz Bits crackers are great for her restless toddler, 21-month-old Noah.
"They're easy for him to grab. He can feed himself. They're good! He likes them a lot," she said.
But the crackers are among the products recalled by their companies after the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a health alert, warning that some products with whey protein may be contaminated with Salmonella.
"It's not surprising," Gipson said. "There's been a lot of recalls on food lately."
Four days prior to the recall on the crackers, raw turkey was recalled for possible Salmonella contamination.
"A lot of people in this outbreak are reporting many different types of turkey products," said Dr. Laura Gieraltowski, a member of the CDC's Foodborne Outbreak Team.
90 cases of Salmonella were reported and 40 people were hospitalized.
Earlier this month, hundreds of people in Illinois said they got sick after eating salad from McDonalds. The culprit was an intestinal parasite. McDonalds pulled the salads from its restaurants.
At the Walgreens store at Monroe and Halsted, the recalled Pepperidge Farm goldfish products were still on store shelves. CBS 2 reached out to Walgreens for comment, but did not get a response.
Across the street at Mariano's, the recalled Ritz Bits crackers were on the shelves earlier Tuesday afternoon. A spokesperson from the company confirmed the items have since been pulled from that store's shelves.
Stephanie Gipson says she's learned to stay up to date with the latest food safety news to see if there's anything she shouldn't be feeding her son.
The FDA says there is no evidence anyone was sick after consuming the products or that the products are contaminated.
The recall on the crackers is a voluntary recall.
The whey powder in the recalled Goldfish, Ritz Crackers, and Swiss Rolls is supplied by one company, Associated Milk Producers.
The FDA warns other foods that contain the specific brand of whey powder may be recalled in the next several days.
More than one million people get sick from Salmonella every year in the U.S. 23,000 of those cases are so severe that the patient has to be hospitalized. The bacteria kills about 450 Americans each year.
