The Quaker Oats company has issued a voluntary recall of some Quaker Quinoa Granola Bars due to a possible listeria contamination.
Quaker, a subsidiary of PepsiCo (PEP), found that one of its suppliers of sunflower kernels issued a recall of its products after it found that some of its seeds may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no illnesses to date, and Quaker said it is issuing the recall “in an abundance of caution to protect public health.”
The recall applies to 6.1-ounce boxes of Quaker Quinoa Granola Bars Chocolate Nut Medley with UPC code 30000 32241 and best before dates of 10/16/2016 and 10/17/2016 as well as 6.1-ounce boxes of Quaker Quinoa Granola Bars Yogurt, Fruit & Nut with UPC code 30000 32243 and best before dates of 10/10/2016 and 10/11/2016.
Listeria is one of the most dangerous food-borne illnesses, especially for older adults, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems. It sickens about 1,600 Americans a year, causing fever and muscle aches and gastrointestinal problems. In 2012, 13% of patients sickened by listeria died, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s quite high when compared with a more common food-borne disease like salmonella, which kills less than 1% of infected patients.
Quaker’s preventative recall follows on the heels of a major recall of CRF Frozen Foods items this month, which were distributed at chains like Costco (COST), Safeway (SWY), and Trader Joe’s. Seven people from three states were sickened with listeria and hospitalized after consuming CRF products.
Quaker said it is working closely with the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the issue.