Hostess Ding Dongs are being recalled over fears they could be contaminated with a potentially dangerous mold.
The alert covers certain batches of Chocolate Ding Dongs, sold in both family packs and single servings, and was revealed after an investigation detected the problem.
The cakes have a sell-by date of August 30 to September 3, and are believed to have been sold in stores nationwide.
Manufacturer J.M. Smucker Co. said the recall was caused by a ‘mechanical issue’ that could ‘support the development of mold in the product prior to the expiration date’.
The USDA says online that mold in cakes can cause allergies, with one in five Americans estimated to be allergic to mold, and may also contain poisonous substances that can sicken people.
Spores from mold can also cause inflammation in airways and make it difficult for someone to breathe, particularly those with asthma.
The recall was revealed by the manufacturer on August 21, with anyone who has the cakes at home advised to throw them out immediately or return them to stores for a full refund.
In a statement, a spokesperson from J.M. Smucker said: ‘We are committed to your health and safety, and we follow best practices to ensure the quality and safety of the products we sell. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.’
Certain batches of chocolate Ding Dongs are being recalled over fears they could be contaminated with mold (file photo)
Five lot codes of Chocolate Ding Dongs are being recalled, with each containing an undisclosed number of cakes.
The codes are listed under the barcode on the packaging of Ding Dongs. The codes include: 8-88109-01002, for a single-serve package containing two Ding Dongs, 8-88109-11061, for a package containing ten Ding Dongs, and 8-88109-11092, for a family package containing 16 Ding Dongs.
It was not clear how many cakes were affected by the recall or what states and retailers they had been distributed to.
It was also not clear what mechanical issue may have risked mold, but mold can occur in production lines where moisture and moderate temperatures occur.
The manufacturer said the issue was present for a ‘limited period’ and was resolved in ‘a timely manner’.
J.M. Smucker also did not say whether any illnesses or injuries had been reported as a result of the recall.
The Cleveland Clinic estimates about one in five Americans have a mold allergy, which can be triggered by breathing in large numbers of spores.
In most cases, nothing happens when someone eats mold because it is destroyed by the acids in the stomach and digestive enzymes that break down mold. Healthy individuals rarely get sick from eating a few bites of moldy food.
The recalled products were sold in grocery stores (stock image)
The Ding Dongs are being recalled over fears that mold could be present in the products (stock image)
But in certain cases, the mold can be dangerous and lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, an elevated temperature or diarrhea.
Doctors say that if someone starts suffering from these symptoms after eating moldy food then they should immediately seek medical help.
People with asthma are also more at risk from breathing in mold spores and could suffer serious airway inflammation.
Ding Dongs are a popular and nostalgic cake in the US and are typically a chocolate cake with a white, creamy, marshmallow-like center.
Other flavors are also available including caramel, peanut butter and mint. The cakes typically have a shelf life of up to a year.
In November last year, J.M. Smucker also issued a recall for more than 40,000 Great Value cheese Danish and cinnamon rolls over fears they may be contaminated with plastic.
The recall was revealed by the FDA and classified as a Class II, meaning customers risked ‘temporary or medically reversible’ health effects from consuming the product.
