- The major retailer said three of its cheese spreads may be infected.
- The store said it was notified of the problem by one of its suppliers.
- Illnesses caused by cheese spread have not yet been reported.
A major US supermarket has asked its customers to voluntarily return several cheese spreads, amid concerns about possible salmonella contamination.
In an announcement on its website, Midwest retailer Schnucks said the recall involved three of its cheese spreads: Schnucks Whip Cream Spread, Schnucks Strawberry Spread and Schnucks Cream Cheese Spread.
A spokesperson told Supermarket News that one of its suppliers notified it about the contamination.
“Our supplier (Topco Associates) notified Schnucks that Schreiber Foods was recalling the product because they received a recall notice from their supplier for an ingredient, whey protein concentrate, for having the potential to be contaminated with salmonella,” they said. .
The spokesperson added that no illnesses have been reported so far.
A major American supermarket has asked its customers to voluntarily return several cheese spreads (File image)
Local media reported that products were recalled from 107 of the chain’s 115 stores, which can be found in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
The company said any Schnucks Whip Cream spread with the Universal Product Code (UPC) of 4131858005 with an expiration date of 8/8/2024 must be returned.
It added that Schnucks Strawberry spreads with UPC of 4131858007 and an expiration date of 9/8/2024, and Schnucks Cream Cheese spreads with UPC 4131858023 and an expiration date of 10/8/2024 should also be returned.
A salmonella infection can cause nausea, fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea, which can sometimes be bloody.
Symptoms typically develop between six and 71 hours after exposure to the bacteria.
It comes after 16,000 pounds of ground beef sold at Walmart was recalled over fears it was contaminated with the more powerful strain of E. Coli.
The packages of raw meat were shipped to the supermarket by Cargill Meat Solutions, a Pennsylvania-based company that sells meat nationwide.
In total, the potentially contaminated meat ended up being six products produced from April 26 to 27. They do not carry the Walmart or Cargill name on the packages, but are instead branded “All Natural.”
The packages ended up in Walmart stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC.
The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, which issued the recall notice, said it is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.