Salmonella Recall: Ritz Cracker Products Pulled In CA

CALIFORNIA —Check your cabinets and desk drawer snack stashes for Ritz crackers. The company that owns Ritz, Mondelez International, announced a voluntary recall of certain Ritz cracker sandwiches and Ritz Bits products, citing salmonella fears. Sixteen different products are recalled in the U.S., including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Affected products include Ritz Bits Cheese Cracker Sandwiches in various packaging, Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, Ritz Bacon Cracker Sandwiches with Cheese Filling, Ritz Everything Crackers and Mixed Cookie Cracker variety packs.

Whey powder is the ingredient in question, according to Mondelez. The ingredient's supplier recalled it because it could potentially contain salmonella. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

"Salmonella is a microorganism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. 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," Mondelez said.

The full list of recalled products, "best by" dates, photos of packaging and UPC codes can be found here. The products are sold at retail stores nationwide.

California has been largely untouched by large-scale food recalls this summer. There have been recalls in the Midwest for products contaminated by salmonella, but they were not distributed here.

Patch staffers Daniel Hampton, Shannon Antinori and Bea Karnes all contributed to this story; Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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