Nearly 8,000 units of a popular child-friendly spinach snack are being recalled over fears they may be contaminated with rodent hair.
Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods Inc. issued the warning for 7,894 units of its 12-ounce Simply Nature Spinach Bites.
The products are sold frozen and the spinach-bites are plastic-wrapped and shaped like stars or dinosaurs.
They were sold at Aldi and the recall applied to those sold in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
It was first announced in mid-January, but on Monday, the FDA updated the recall to a Class II, indicating a ‘situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.’
No illnesses or hospitalizations have been reported to date.
No guidance has been issued for people who purchased the products, but consumers are typically told to throw out the products immediately or return them to stores for a full refund.
Concerns have been raised that many shoppers may have the products lurking in freezers at home.
Shoppers are being warned that a popular child-friendly spinach snack sold at Aldi is being recalled (file photo)
The above image shows Simply Nature Spinach Bites, sold at Aldi, that have been recalled after tests detected the presence of rodent hair
Officials warn that rodent hair in products, as well as being unpleasant, can pose a choking hazard or irritate the mouth if ingested.
In some cases, it may also be contaminated with pathogens that can cause a serious infection or rash to emerge.
The presence of the hair also suggests contact with rodents, which could mean potential contamination with rodent feces or urine, which raises the risk of consumers contracting harmful bacteria such as salmonella.
Shoppers are being told that the recalled products have the lot number, G25CF-02B and the UPC code 4099100247992.
It was not clear how the rodent hair entered the products, but this can happen if rodents are living in or around the factory where the food is produced.
It was also not clear how the contamination was detected, but the FDA carries out routine inspections of products on grocery store shelves to check for contamination.
This marks at least the third recall to impact Dr Praeger’s over the last year.
In September last year, the company recalled thousands of its veggie burgers amid warnings they were contaminated with listeria.
The burgers were sold in 10-oz boxes with six packages per case. They were available in Florida, New Jersey and New York.
And in April, it also recalled Dr Praeger’s California veggie fries after an investigation found they did not declare the presence of soy on the label.
About 1.9 million Americans have a soy allergy, and can suffer from hives, rashes or swelling if they are exposed to the substance.
