Supplier's expanded recall leads Kellogg to widen recall of peanut-related products

Kellogg company widened its product recall - originally issued Jan. 16 - after one of the company's peanut ingredient suppliers issued another expansion of its recall.

Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) has now recalled all of the peanut-based ingredients that were produced in its Blakely, Ga., facility since Jan. 1, 2007. As a result, Kellogg has now also recalled the following products, which contain PCA ingredients:

• Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars in Trail Mix and Honey Almond Flax varieties, 7.4-ounce box with a "Best If Used Before" date prior to Sept. 19, 2009, and followed by the letters CD (SEP 19 2009 CD)

• Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars Peanut Butter, 7.4-ounce box with a "Best If Used Before" date prior to Aug. 8, 2009, and followed by the letters CD (AUG 08 2009 CD)

• Kashi TLC Chewy Cookies in Oatmeal Dark Chocolate, Happy Trail Mix and Oatmeal Raisin Flax varieties only, 8.5-ounce box with a "Best If Used Before" date prior to July 30, 2009

• Bear Naked All-Natural Appalachian Trail Mix with a "Better if Used Before" date prior to Feb. 1, 2010, and with the following bar codes on the package: 85641600187, 85641600141, 85641600174, 85641642518, 85641600189 and 88462343792

As a precautionary measure, Kellogg has also recalled two products that were not made with PCA ingredients, but were produced at a co-manufacturer's facility on the same line as products - made for companies other than Kellogg - containing potentially contaminated PCA ingredients. They are:

• Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, 2.5-ounce size only, with a "Best If Used Before" date prior to June 30, 2009 (06 30 9)

• Special K Protein Meal Bar Honey Almond variety only, six- and eight-count packages, with a "Best if Used Before" date prior to Feb. 1, 2010 (FEB 01 2010)

It's important to note that no other Keebler or Special K products are part of this new recall.

To date, no illnesses have been reported in connection to any of the newly recalled Kashi, Bear Naked, Keebler or Special K products. And, as with those products originally recalled Jan. 16, Kellogg is urging consumers who have purchased the impacted foods to destroy them immediately.

The company also advised consumers to destroy any of the products recalled Jan. 16 -which include Austin or Keebler brand peanut butter sandwich crackers as well as Famous Amos and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle peanut butter cookies - they may still have, regardless of code dates, as a precautionary measure due to PCA's expanded recall.

Consumers with questions or who would like a refund may contact the appropriate Consumer Response Center:

• Kashi: 877-701-5868
• Bear Naked: 877-392-1660
• Kellogg/Keebler: 877-869-5633

Those with questions or concerns about their health should contact their physician.

Evolving situation

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has now confirmed that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by the Salmonella Typhimurium pathogen are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by PCA's Blakely processing plant.

On January 30 the FDA confirmed that its Office of Criminal Investigations is involved in a Justice Department investigation of PCA. Two congressional hearings are now scheduled for this week and next in connection with the matter.

Kellogg is among a continually growing number of food companies recalling products that may contain tainted ingredients produced at the Blakely facility. According to news reports, more than 430 products have been recalled by a wide variety of food companies and retailers.

On Jan. 14, Kellogg customers and consumers were advised to hold certain of our products pending more information on the PCA situation. We officially recalled those products Jan. 16. Two days later, Kellogg was informed by FDA officials that the agency had confirmed the presence of salmonella in a single package of one of the recalled products made with PCA's peanut paste: Austin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter.

Since that time, Kellogg as been evaluating the necessary actions to reassure consumers and rebuild their confidence in our products.

The company is working aggressively to complete the recalls. The Kellogg sales force, along with a third-party retrieval company engaged by the company, has been assisting customers in removing recalled products from the marketplace.