THE Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., with guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has inspected stores on Saipan for variety of granola bars and granola cereals, which have been voluntarily recalled by the Quaker Oats Company based on an ongoing FDA investigation. The granola bars and cereals in question have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. CHCC has identified affected inventory on island and the vendor has been advised to discard these products and to inform customers to do the same.
CHCC is urging food establishments and community members not to consume the affected Quaker brand granola bars and cereal. CHCC advises the community to seek medical attention for any foodborne related illness.
Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), and abdominal pain. In rare cases the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
“We thank all our wholesale and food distributors for their continued partnership and cooperation in keeping our community healthy and safe,” CHCC said.
The community could visit the FDA recall announcement for more information on the Quaker brand: https://shorturl.at/yBCX7
For more information on the about the CHCC Environmental Health and Disease Prevention unit, call (670) 236-2022/27/28 or email the director of EHDP, John Tagabuel, at john.tagabuel@chcc.health/.
