The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said at least 23 people in 14 states were diagnosed with salmonella poisoning caused by the same contaminated cereals.
FDA officials said a strain of salmonella was found in unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat cereals produced by Malt-O-Meal Co. That discovery prompted an April 5 nationwide recall.
The products were distributed under the Malt-O-Meal brand name as well as under private label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality.
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. Symptoms of food-borne salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
The FDA said it's working with Malt-O-Meal to determine the cause of the contamination and with the states and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify and prevent additional illnesses.
A list of the recalled products can be found at www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo .
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
