Nearly 2,000 products have been recalled in three states due to animal waste contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Gold Star Distribution, Inc. initally recalled the items—including food, cosmetics, drugs, and more—in late December because they were being held in a facility with “insanitary conditions” from rodent waste and bird droppings.
Using or consuming these products poses serious health risks, such as Salmonella infections, though no illnesses have been reported to date. In January, the FDA gave the recall the second-highest risk level, Class II, which means the risk of severe health effects is low, but there is a possibility of temporary or reversible consequences.
All of the products under recall can be viewed on the FDA’s website, but some of the major brands include:
- Beverages: Diet Coke, Sprite, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Arizona Iced Tea, Gatorade, Red Bull, Snapple, Canada Dry
- Candy: Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat, Snickers, M&M’s, Skittles, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids, Haribo, Swedish Fish, Jolly Rancher, Mike and Ike
- Salty snacks: Pringles, Takis, Chex Mix
- Pantry staples: Cheerios, Quaker, Chef Boyardee, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Ragu, Heinz, Hunt’s
- Medications: Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, Aleve, Excedrin, Pepto-Bismol, Benadryl, NyQuil, DayQuil, Tums
- Personal care: Colgate, Crest, Vaseline, Always, Tampax, Trojan, Dove, Axe
- Pet food: Purina, Friskies, Meow Mix, Fancy Feast
The items were sold at stores in Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota. The full list of retailers is also available in the FDA’s announcement.
The FDA is urging customers to destroy any of the affected products they have right away. Gold Star will also provide refunds, and you can call the company at 612-617-9800.
Seek medical attention if you experience any health problems after using or consuming a recalled product. Consumers should also contact their veterinarian if they’re concerned about a pet that ate the impacted animal foods. You can report adverse reactions on the FDA’s website.
