Thousands of common household items, from breakfast cereals to snacks and beverages, have been pulled from shelves after federal inspectors found waste from rodents and birds at a distribution warehouse, reported People.
What's happening?
Gold Star Distribution issued a recall affecting close to 2,000 products after the Food and Drug Administration discovered "insanitary conditions" at the company's Minneapolis facility. Inspectors found droppings and urine from rodents, along with bird waste, throughout the warehouse.
The contamination affects a wide range of everyday products sold in Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Popular brands caught up in the recall include Pringles, Cheerios, Skittles, Nutella, Takis, Coca-Cola, and Gatorade. Pet foods, beauty items like Axe body spray, and household goods like Q-Tips appear on the list, too.
The FDA labeled this a Class 2 recall, meaning affected products could cause health problems that are short-term or reversible with medical treatment or serious illness is unlikely but possible.
Why is this recall concerning?
Coming into contact with products contaminated by animal waste can make you sick with infections such as salmonella or leptospirosis.
When warehouses and distribution centers cut corners on cleanliness, shoppers pay the price. Tainted products slip through the cracks when there are gaps in oversight and inconsistent safety standards across the supply chain.
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For households, incidents like these are a reminder that items in your pantry passed through many hands and facilities before arriving at your local store.
What can I do to protect myself?
If you bought any affected products in Indiana, Minnesota, or North Dakota, the company urges you to "destroy the products as soon as possible." You can find every recalled product, along with its UPC code, on the FDA's website.
To stay ahead of future recalls, sign up for alerts directly from the FDA. Check the agency's recall page for announcements that may affect items already in your home. When in doubt about a product's safety, err on the side of caution and throw it out rather than risk getting sick.
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