Walmart has been at the center of a number of recent recalls: The retailer's Great Value cashews were pulled over undeclared allergens in March, and its Mainstay Electric Mini Choppers were recalled last month due to a laceration hazard. More recently, Walmart ground beef was recalled over potential E. coli contamination. Now, a major candy and snack recall also involves Walmart, but shoppers at Dollar General, Target, and Hy-Vee should take note as well.
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On May 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shared a recall notice from the Sioux City, Iowa-based Palmer Candy Company. According to the announcement, the company is recalling several of its "White Coated Confectionary Items," including (but not limited to) different kinds of pretzels, cookies, bark, yummy chow, and snack mixes.
"The product comes in a variety of retail packaging like bags, pouches and tubs," Palmer Candy Company stated in its notice.
According to the company, the recalled candy and snack products were distributed nationwide in Walmart, Dollar General, Target, and Hy-Vee stores.
They were also sent to wholesale distributors in 17 states: Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
"Consumers who have purchased white coated confectionary items manufactured by Palmer Candy Company are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund," the company added in its announcement. A full list of affected products is attached to the release.
According to the alert, the recalled products may be contaminated with Salmonella. Palmer Candy said it was notified by its liquid coating supplier that there was a potential for contamination from an ingredient that might have been tainted.
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The risk is serious. As the FDA explains on its website, "Salmonella are a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis."
People who develop salmonellosis usually start to see symptoms 12 to 72 hours after consuming contaminated food, and these symptoms can include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, aches, headaches, lethargy, rashes, and blood in the urine or stool.
Salmonella can also "cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems," Palmer Candy warned in its notice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates thatSalmonella bacteria causes about 420 deaths in the U.S. every year.
"In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis," the company added.
So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this Palmer Candy confectionary recall.
But the notice explained that "production of the product has been suspended while FDA and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem." And in the meantime, consumers should remain cautious.
