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Food Safety: Food Borne Illness
Cereal Recall Spotlights Safety Issue
(Salmonella & Safe Eggs)
The Olympian, June 10, 1998
Salmonella is back in the news. This week you may be hearing about a nationwide recall of Malt-O-Meal plain toasted-oat breakfast cereal.
Salmonella is usually found in raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish and eggs. Recently, it has also been linked to fresh fruits and vegetables.
However, this is the first time that it has been potentially linked with dry cereal.
Also this week, the government released new studies focused on salmonella found inside eggs. The studies suggest illness resulting from the consumption of undercooked eggs is much more common than previously thought.
Malt-O-Meal recall
On Friday, Malt-o-Meal Inc. of Minneapolis voluntarily recalled 3 million pounds of plain toasted-oat breakfast cereal after the Centers for Disease Control reported that 188 cases of Salmonella agona have been identified in 11 states since April.
The CDC collects data from medial and public health professionals throughout the United States relating to outbreaks of food-borne illness. When looking for a potential link in the food chain for the recent salmonella outbreak, the agency identified Malt-O-Meal plain toasted-oat cereal as potentially contaminated.
The Malt-O-Meal company has been testing its product for salmonella and all the tests so far have been negative, it says.
What to do
Washington was not among the states affected by the outbreak; however, it is included in the recall.
Before you panic, remember that only plain toasted oats are a potential source of concern. None of the other products, including flavored toasted oats produced by Malt-O-Meal, is associated with the potential contamination.
Check your shelves for Malt-O-Meal Toast O's or toasted oats with the Malt-O-Meal brand label. The company also manufactures plain toasted oats for a number of chain stores, using the stores' private labels.
The Malt-O-Meal Web site http://www.malt-o-meal.com/ identifies Safeway, Food Club, Kingston and Western Family food stores in Washington state as carrying store brands of the company's plain toasted oats.
Signs of illness
Symptoms usually develop within 12 to 14 hours after eating the contaminated food. They include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, headache, fever, weakness, chills and diarrhea. Symptoms will persist for two to three days.
This is an illness to take seriously. Young children-especially those younger than 5 - and adults older than 50 are at more risk for serious complications and possible death.
If you have consumed a Malt-O-Meal plain toasted-oat cereal and are experiencing these symptoms, you should call the company at (800)590-1810. And talk with your doctor.
Egg warnings
The USDA says nearly 900,000 Americans become ill each year from eating raw or undercooked eggs and egg products contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis.
The three best ways to protect your family are to purchase fresh, refrigerated eggs; keep eggs refrigerated at home; and completely cook eggs and egg products.
B. Susie Craig
Area Faculty
WSU Cooperative Extension Thurston County
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Last updated January 22, 2001