These yogurt-covered pretzels might make you sick, FDA warns. Here's what you need to know

Hannah Fry
·2 min read
Gelson's, Gelson's Brand; plastic containers, 15 oz. Product Lot #: 241062. Western Mixers Produce & Nuts, Inc. of Ontario, CA is recalling Yogurt Covered Pretzels, because the yogurt coating has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Western Mixers Produce & Nuts of Ontario is recalling yogurt-covered pretzels sold at Gelson's Markets and other stores because the yogurt coating was contaminated with salmonella. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Popular brands of yogurt-covered pretzels were recalled last week after a routine sampling of the sweet coating was found to contain salmonella.

The pretzels distributed by the wholesaler, Western Mixers Produce & Nuts Inc. of Ontario, were sent across California through Smart & Final, Gelson's Markets, Thorp Fruit and Down Home Goods stores. The pretzels are packaged in plastic containers under the names First Street Brand at Smart & Final and as Gelson's Markets' store brand. They are sold as bulk at Down Home Goods and Thorp Fruit, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

No illnesses have been reported. The FDA advises people to throw away all yogurt-covered pretzels they purchased from those retailers.

Read more: Food recalls reach highest level since the pandemic. Undeclared allergens are the biggest reason for the rise

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in children under 5 or older adults and people with weakened immune systems. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the bacteria causes about 1.35 million infections, more than 26,000 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States each year. Food that contains the bacteria is the most common culprit.

Most people who get sick from salmonella have diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps that can start from six hours to six days after coming into contact with the bacteria. The infection can last between four and seven days, according to the CDC.

Read more: Trader Joe's recalls cashews potentially contaminated with salmonella

Production of the yogurt-covered pretzels have been suspended, with the FDA and the company continuing its investigation into the source of the contamination.

The recall comes just days after Palmer Candy in Iowa pulled back its white-coated confectionery goods on May 5 after the company's liquid coating supplier notified them that an ingredient may have been contaminated with salmonella. That recall included products that were distributed nationwide in Walmart, HyVee, Target and Dollar General and to other suppliers in 17 states, including California.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.