Salmonella concerns spark Ritz products recall

The snack food company Mondelez Global has announced a voluntary recall of certain Ritz cracker products due to a potential salmonella risk.

The company announced the recall earlier this week after a whey powder supplier identified a potential presence of salmonella in some Ritz Cracker sandwiches and Ritz Bits products. The recall was put in place for the whole of the United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to a news release Saturday.

A full list of recalled products is available here.

'There have been no complaints of illness reported to Mondelez Global to date in connection with these products. The company is conducting this recall as a precaution, based on the ingredient supplier's recall,” the news release stated.

Salmonella, a bacteria, results diarrhea, fever and abdominal craps that lasts up to a week in most people. However, it is serious and sometimes fatal in young children, elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

The bacterial infection causes about 1.2 million illnesses in the U.S. every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

l Comments: (319) 368-8536; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com