In December, the FDA announced a recall involving products distributed by Gold Star Distribution, Inc. after finding evidence of "rodent and avian contamination" at one of the company's facilities.
According to the FDA, the agency "determined that the facility was operating under insanitary conditions, including the presence of rodent excreta, rodent urine, and bird droppings in areas where medical devices, drugs, human food, pet food, and cosmetic products were held." These conditions can create a risk that products held at this facility — spanning human food, pet food, cosmetic products, and medical devices — may have been contaminated with filth and harmful microorganisms.
The agency warned that people exposed to these contaminated products could be at risk of illness caused by harmful bacteria, including Salmonella. Salmonella infections, the FDA noted, can be serious and sometimes fatal, particularly for infants, young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions.
But it's not just humans who are at risk. The FDA added that "products contaminated with filth, rodent excreta, and rodent urine may cause illness in the animals that consume the food." Rodents, the agency added, are primary carriers of Leptospira, the bacteria that cause leptospirosis in both humans and animals.
Here's the hard part: It's a very long and very varied list. The full recall list is a whopping 44 pages long and contains everything from packaged snacks and prepared foods to pet food, medicine, and medical devices. The affected products were distributed to retailers across Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
Notable food items include certain flavors and lots of Pringles, Haribo, Hershey's, Frank's Red Hot, and Jif Peanut Butter, as well as breakfast staples like Cream of Wheat, Raisin Bran, Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, and Cheerios. Drinks including Gatorade, Smart Water, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola are also included. The recall further extends to medications like Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, and Benadryl, including children's versions.
